The Banfield family's fleet and the punitive expedition's fleet clashed in outer space.

The spaceships of both sides were engaged in combat, making full use of their optical and projectile weaponry.

After splitting into three groups, the fleet led by Marie, attempting to rendezvous behind the enemy fleet, was engaged in battle with the ships on the outskirts of the enemy's formation.

On the bridge, Marie issued orders to the fifty thousand ships under her command.

"Shave off as many as you can as we pass by!!"

Her excitement caused her pseudo-ladylike speech to vanish, and she shouted in a rough tone.

'Finally, the chance to strike at the Empire has come!'

Marie had a heavy past.

Two thousand years ago, she had been betrayed, petrified, and sealed away by the emperor she had continued to serve to save her friend's life.

She could never forgive the betrayal.

It was unbearable that they had driven her friend to a harsh planet and continued to hunt her down.

Towards the emperor who had turned them to stone—towards the Empire—she felt nothing but resentment.

"Lord Liam's enemies, and our enemies—I'll crush them all."

As she quietly voiced her resolve, her fleet, as if responding to her will, began to fiercely attack the enemy fleet.

It was likely a matter of timing, but the optical and projectile weapons fired from the allied ships were destroying the enemy fleet.

Where Marie's fleet passed, a path was formed by the chain of exploding enemy ships.

Her second-in-command narrowed his eyes as he watched the enemy fleet.

He wasn't pitying them; he was taken aback by the enemy fleet's movements.

"The enemy seems to have quite low morale."

Although the Imperial army had superior numbers, their morale had dropped due to factors like supply shortages.

This was affecting their fighting performance, and they were trying to be the first to flee.

As a result, friendly-fire collisions were occurring.

Marie felt nothing at the sight.

"It saves us ammunition and energy. More importantly, what about Lord Liam and that minced-meat woman's fleets?"

What Marie was concerned about were the other fleets.

Was Liam safe? She didn't care about Tia's fleet, but she was worried if they could rendezvous safely.

The second-in-command checked the situation and whistled.

"Lord Liam's fleet has an incredible combat record. As for Lady Tia—well, this level of engagement should be no problem for her. In fact, she's taken out more enemies than we have."

Marie clicked her tongue.

"Tch! Her fleet command is as good as ever."

"Shall I kick the rears of the fleet under our command?"

"—Prioritize the rendezvous. If we lose too many ships here, I won't be able to face Lord Liam."

Though she felt the urge for a greater combat record, there was no need to overdo it.

Marie smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Besides, slowly whittling them down sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

◇

The three fleets that had split up had now successfully rendezvoused behind the Imperial army.

Watching the scene from the bridge of the Argos, I crossed my legs, showing an air of composure.

Even in the midst of a fierce battle, as long as I'm aboard the Argos, I'm safe.

After all, it's an ironclad warship built entirely of rare metals.

It surpasses other ships in every aspect, making it a safe haven even in the middle of a battlefield.

"Tia and Marie have both rendezvoused safely."

As I commented while watching our allied fleet reform its ranks, Eulisia reported on the state of the enemy fleet.

"The enemy fleet has used its unmanned ships as a shield to create distance from us. We believe they are currently reforming their formation."

While checking the stylized 3D display of the battlefield, I was amazed at the sluggishness of the enemy fleet's movements.

"Their fleet's movements are slow because they're joining up with dead weight."

"It would have been more troublesome if the enemy had scattered and moved throughout our territory, though."

"In that case, we would just pick them off one by one."

Either way, there was no way for the Imperial army to achieve victory from this point—or so I thought, but then I felt an unpleasant presence.

Seeing my change in demeanor, Eulisia tensed slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"—I have a bad feeling. We've been interrupted."

"Eh?"

Not understanding, Eulisia tilted her head.

I stood up from my seat and gave Eulisia an order.

"Bring me my katana. My favorite one."

"Y-Yes, sir."

Though she didn't grasp the situation, Eulisia followed my command and went to fetch my sword.

I gazed at the scene unfolding before me—the enemy fleet in disarray—and muttered towards the source of the unpleasant presence.

"Now, the question is whether this is the one who made Master lay down his sword. —If it's Master's enemy, as his disciple, I'd like to avenge him, but—"

◇

"—W-What is this!?"

Around the time Liam sensed the evil presence.

The Guide, who had been watching over the Imperial army, also detected the being arriving from another world.

Appearing directly in front of the chaotic Imperial army was a black vortex, difficult to discern in the void of space.

From it emerged a colossal spaceship, its silver armor revealing a pulsating lifeform through the gaps.

It was characterized by decorations of skulls and bones.

The Guide was certain that the being that had appeared was of a higher rank than himself.

"That octopus is nothing! A being like me has come all the way from another world—I see, so that's what this is!"

The Guide nodded to himself repeatedly, coming to an understanding of the situation.

"With a war of this scale, the negative energy produced is immense. It has guided an even more powerful negative entity here—Fuhaha—Fuhahahaha!!"

The Guide clutched his slightly aching stomach with his right hand and burst into laughter.

"Liam! You all tried too hard! Your efforts have guided a greater evil into this world!!"

The massive negative energy generated by the large-scale war had summoned a negative entity far more powerful than the Guide.

The Guide was certain of victory.

"We can win. We can win! It's a shame I can't kill you with my own hands, but now that you've caught the eye of such a malevolent being, a future more terrifying than death awaits you, Liam. Guh, gufufufu—Liam, today is your end."

His stomach was throbbing with a strange, increasing pain, but the Guide was so convinced of Liam's defeat that he paid it no mind.

"Now then, I think I'll watch the battle from a safe distance. If this being dislikes interruptions, I could be in danger of annihilation myself."

Before he could incur the wrath of the newly appeared being, the Guide departed from the scene.

"Farewell, Liam. We shall likely never meet again."

Floating in space, the Guide laughed as he disappeared somewhere.

◇

"S-Sir, an unidentified fleet has appeared directly above us!?"

A panicked operator's shout echoed across the noisy bridge.

Hearing this, Marquis Hampson clicked his tongue and urged them to confirm.

"Keep an eye above and identify their affiliation!"

He couldn't imagine friendly reinforcements arriving in this situation.

Though he assumed they were enemies, he ordered a confirmation of their affiliation just in case.

He intended to engage them immediately if they were hostile, but the operator remained flustered.

"They're not responding to our communications."

"Then they must be enemies!"

Not understanding what the operator was so confused about, Marquis Hampson yelled.

"Putting it on the monitor!"

However, when the operator displayed the situation on the monitor, Marquis Hampson's expression stiffened.

"What is that!?"

Appearing directly above the punitive expedition was a spaceship with a design philosophy completely different from that of the Empire's vessels.

To put it in a word, it was tasteless.

With a ghoulish design adorned with skeletons, as if favored by space pirates, it had a sinister air.

This mysterious fleet was approaching the punitive expedition led by Marquis Hampson.

"Are they trying to ram us!? Evade!"

"No good! Our path is blocked by allied ships—we're going to make contact!!"

When the helmsman said they couldn't avoid a collision, Marquis Hampson sank deep into his seat and braced for impact.

The super-dreadnought shook violently as the mysterious vessel pinned down Marquis Hampson's flagship.

Marquis Hampson, displeased at being boarded, designated the mysterious fleet as hostile.

"Is this a new type of Banfield ship? How dare they pull such a stunt! Prepare the knights and the ground troops. The enemy will be boarding any second."

Considering the reason the enemy had made contact, boarding was the only logical conclusion.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to make contact in the first place.

The operator shouted.

"Th-The enemy has breached the hull!"

"Intercept them. Don't let a single one leave alive."

Warships are designed with the expectation of combat during boarding actions.

Interception systems were in place, and depending on the objective, the intruders were usually at a disadvantage.

But something strange happened immediately.

"There's no response from the ground troops!?"

"Were they taken out? Put the video feed up."

When communication with the ground troops was lost, a puzzled Marquis Hampson had the situation displayed on the monitor and his eyes widened.

He was so stunned by the sight that he remained speechless for several seconds before uttering a single word—

"Undead!?"

—it was.

Displayed on the monitor were ancient warriors and mages.

They were fighting against ground troops in powered suits, but the enemy didn't stop even when their limbs were blown off.

Even when their heads were blown away, they would quickly regenerate and rise again.

On the monitor, a knight was shouting.

'Why isn't the anti-undead equipment working!?'

The field commanders had prepared equipment to deal with undead the moment they boarded.

They had prepared holy water, silver bullets, and various other things—but none of it had any effect on the invading undead.

And so, one by one, his men fell—only to rise again and join the enemy's ranks.

At the sight, Marquis Hampson trembled.

"To go this—to go this far, Banfield!!"

He concluded that the enemy was using forbidden arts to kill them, but the answer surprisingly came from behind him.

"No, this is my doing."

"Wha-!?"

As Marquis Hampson turned around, his guard knights, a moment too late, drew their weapons and charged the intruder.

There were six of them.

"Protect the Marquis!"

Seeing the knights close the distance in an instant and attack, the large man in full-body armor spoke in a pleased tone.

"You've assembled some fine knights, but—as an opening act, they are lacking."

When the large man swung the greatsword in his hand, the six knights were slashed apart and fell to the floor.

Marquis Hampson leaped back from his seat and aimed his pistol.

"A monster!? What are you!?"

The large man, unconcerned by the gun pointed at him, answered with composure.

"I am Pharavul! A king from another world—for you, it might be easier to understand if I call myself a Demon Lord."

"A D-Demon Lord? Are you mocking me!?"

Marquis Hampson pulled the trigger on the being who called himself a Demon Lord from a fairy tale.

The optical weapon shot towards the Demon Lord, but it only stained his armor red.

The Demon Lord—Pharavul—was laughing.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you. I wish to enjoy a fleet battle with Liam, so I've decided to add you all to my army of the undead."

"What is this monster—Nuooh!?"

Before he could reply, Pharavul had closed the distance to Marquis Hampson and gripped his head.

"You should be honored. You will serve for all eternity—as part of the glorious army of the undead."

"S-Stooop!!"

Instinctively realizing this was bad, Marquis Hampson was unable to escape from Pharavul—and became one of the undead.

Then, Pharavul's vassals stormed the bridge, restraining the crew.

Pharavul stabbed his sword into the floor and spread his arms wide.

"Mmm! With this, the preparations to fight Liam are complete! Now, entertain me, Liam Sera Banfield—or else, I shall spread death throughout this world and destroy it."