The one that descended was a Machine God.
Its majestic appearance exuded a presence that was on a different level from the “Colossus.”
It was an aberration of a different system than the 〖Feral Beasts〗 I had fought so far.
Its head had a cross-shaped slit like a helmet, and two red lights floating there glared at me like eyes.
〈──Burning Wing Activation, Mana Weapon: Feather Laser──〉
” (Oh, crap!)”
The Crimson Wings, which seemed to have finished their role after landing, unleashed a dozen or so laser beams.
They flew into the sky, but soon drew a curve, aiming at me in an arc.
I tried moving a little, but the aim was immediately corrected.
“(It has a tracking function, huh? But if that’s the case…!)”
Just before impact, I dodged the rain of beams with dance-like steps using 〖Combat Dance〗.
Having drawn them in sufficiently, the beams collided with the ground and fizzled out.
The areas hit by the beams were melting red.
The beams from before had an impact that felt like being repelled, but there was no heat. The heat, like the tracking, was probably a power of the Crimson Wings.
〈──Storm Driver Activation, Mana Thruster: Gale Sprint──〉
“(What!?)”
When I finished dodging the beams and turned my attention back to the Machine God, it was right next to me.
While being wary of the beams from above, I hadn’t let my guard down against the Machine God. Just a few moments ago, it hadn’t moved from the spot where it landed…
──Clang!
I couldn’t defend in time.
What was unleashed from its pure white legs was a furious barrage of kicks. The tips of its feet had sharp claws, and if I were kicked at this speed, even a 〖Feral Beast〗 wouldn’t get away with just a scratch.
“(I’m unharmed, though, huh!)”
I tried to entangle its kicking leg with Forest Shackles, but the Machine God reacted quickly and jumped up.
It seemed I couldn’t match its reaction speed.
“(〖Compact Shot〗!)”
Distracted by the sudden combination, I fired the two explosive arrows that I had completely lost the timing to shoot.
The Machine God flew into the air and deftly dodged them.
Looking for the source of the 〖Mana〗, it was the wings and feet.
Those two parts could be used for attacks, as well as for movement assistance.
“(So, that leaves two more, huh?)”
The black, tortoise-shell-shaped shield that had become its right arm.
The blue dragon ornament that had become its left arm.
The shield was one thing, but I had no idea what the dragon ornament did.
It looked like a weapon, and if it was 〖Escalating Warfare〗, I could analyze it, but there wasn’t enough time during combat, and it would be distracting.
“(Besides, I can probably see its performance without doing that.)”
〈──Cataract Buster Activation, Mana Weapon: Giga Drag Stream──〉
The convergence of 〖Mana〗 into the dragon arm. It had started when the Machine God had kicked at me.
A dazzling light was leaking from the tip of the dragon ornament, from the dragon’s mouth that had replaced its hand.
“(Well, it’s a big move as expected, 〖Shoot〗!)”
A shot to test the waters. It didn’t even graze it.
It wasn’t just its reaction speed. Its mobility in the air was annoyingly high.
Moreover, while it was charging its dragon arm and evading, it kept firing beams at me.
When I dared to take one, the power itself was slightly lower than a 〖Feral Beast’s〗 normal attack.
But if I were hit by so many of them in succession, I would normally be overwhelmed.
“(Here it comes.)”
The Machine God, having dodged the explosive arrows, was right above me. There, the 〖Mana〗 increase in the dragon arm stopped.
An abnormal, no, a density of 〖Mana〗 that couldn’t be described with words was gathering.
“(〖Replicant Form〗, 〖Block〗!)”
At the perfect moment, I mimicked the Forest Shield and activated the defensive 〖Weapon Skill〗.
Immediately after, as if to prove the correctness of that decision, a torrent of water gushed out from the dragon’s mouth that I could see through 〖Clairvoyance〗.
It foamed in mid-air, spreading out radially as it surged, and the next moment I knew, I was swallowed up.
In terms of a torrent of liquid, it was the same as the Ant Spear’s acid laser, but the scale was truly on a different level.
By the time it reached the ground, it had become a water column with a radius of more than ten meters, and considering that it could change its firing angle to match my movements, it was doubtful whether I could escape its attack range even if I ran.
“(Moreover, the power is by far the strongest I’ve ever received…!)”
I desperately braced myself on the spot, holding up the Forest Shield. I couldn’t help but think that it was the opposite of when I had first used 〖Crashing Blow〗.
This time, I was below, desperately trying not to sink into the ground. Even with the 〖Last Stand〗, the ground was still collapsing.
The power of the waterfall was, needless to say, immense.
In addition to the abnormal water pressure, crystallized particles of 〖Mana〗 were mixed in the water flow. The impact of those particles at ultra-high speed was accelerating the wear and tear on the Forest Shield.
The trees on the surface of the Forest Shield disappeared in the first second, and now the shell part was withstanding the particle-filled waterfall.
The shell, which was supposed to be protected by 〖Block〗, was gradually being shaved away, and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the mimicry would be undone.
“(…But, it doesn’t seem to ignore 〖Toughness〗.)”
I carefully exposed the edge of my body to the waterfall, but I only felt an incredibly strong impact, and no pain. The 〖Mana〗 particles weren’t able to damage me.
If that’s the case, then it’s fine.
“(〖Replicant Form〗, Deactivate.)”
I undid it myself before the mimicry could no longer be maintained.
There was a pressure like I was doing waterfall training, but my body was completely unharmed.
“(Alright, while the waterfall is hiding my movements, it’s time to counterattack, hmph…!)”
I began to change the shape of my body. I wouldn’t use 〖Replicant Form〗, but rather my slime’s original abilities.
I stretched my body thin and long, parallel to the flow of water.
By reducing the area exposed to the waterfall, the pressure on me also decreased.
Eventually, I took on a shape like a standing chopstick.
I was incredibly long, but I was still a few meters short of the Machine God.
It was impossible to stretch my body any further, and even if I tried to 〖Leap〗, I would just be pushed back by the water pressure.
“(If I didn’t have 〖Reverse Flow〗, that is.)”
~Skill Details~
Reverse Flow: Reduces air and water resistance when reversing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With this 〖Skill〗 that I had acquired while moving in the river, I could reduce the pressure from the water.
I couldn’t avoid the effects of the 〖Mana〗 particles, but I had also thought of a countermeasure for that.
“(〖Replicant Form〗)”
At the tip of the chopstick, I mimicked Hanji’s round shield. It was something I was planning to give to Fiss as a farewell gift, since we would be parting ways soon.
It had a powerful effect of forcibly dissipating the 〖Mana〗 that touched its surface, but it was too small for me to use since it was human-sized… but that’s why it was perfect for now.
It could minimize water resistance and reduce particle resistance.
“(〖Leap〗!)”
I kicked off the ground with all my might.
The Machine God, which should have high perception, wasn’t able to notice my approach due to the excessive 〖Mana〗 emitted by the waterfall and the effect of 〖Stealth〗.
While checking the opponent’s position with 〖Clairvoyance〗, I used 〖Air Jump〗.
With this additional jump, I finally reached the Machine God.
“(〖Capture〗!)”
I shot a part of my body out of the waterfall and wrapped it around the dragon arm.
In an instant, the Machine God’s posture tilted.
Originally, it had been maintaining its altitude by counteracting the recoil of the waterfall with its back wings.
To that, my weight—and I was being pushed by the waterfall—was added, and the balance was broken in an instant.
The Machine God hurriedly stopped the water discharge, but I was already moving on to the next attack.
“(〖Crashing Blow〗, 〖Rampage〗, 〖Air Jump〗…)”
I jumped straight down to further disrupt the Machine God’s posture,
“(〖All-Out Throw〗!)”
And then I threw it!
〖All-Out Throw〗, which was unleashed by consuming a certain percentage of my stamina, was many times more powerful than a simple 〖Throwing〗. With this, it would be a goner—,
“(–Whoa, seriously?)”
The Machine God quickly corrected its posture in the air and landed on its feet.
There must have been a reverse thrust from its wings, but even so, to succeed in landing at that falling speed.
I questioned whether throwing it was reckless, and answered myself that it was the best move.
It was a result of circumstance that it was unscathed. At that point, I could have expected sufficient damage, and more importantly, even if I had only restrained its arm, it would have been cut off like before it combined.
“(〖Air Jump〗, 〖Charge Swing〗!)”
Even while thinking, my body moved on its own.
I mimicked the Forest Hammer and descended vertically.
But the Machine God quickly evaded using the thrusters on its feet.
I can’t let it escape into the sky, I thought, as I readied my bow and arrow while preparing 〖Thousand Blades Burst〗, but the Machine God didn’t try to fly away, keeping a distance of about ten steps.
It seems it intends to continue close-quarters combat.
(After realizing that even that big move couldn’t kill it, it should normally run away.)
The fact that it’s not doing that must mean there’s some reason.
〈──Calculating the enemy’s 〖Status〗 from combat records. It is estimated that the enemy has abnormal durability──〉
Two reasons immediately come to mind.
Either there’s a reason it absolutely can’t leave this place,
〈──Will deal with it using anti-bedrock weaponry. Source Azure Dragon Halberd (Cataract Buster) Form Change, Mana Weapon: Tail Drill──〉
Or, it has a way to penetrate my 〖Toughness〗.
The Machine God’s left arm—the dragon ornament—inverted.
The hand part became a conical tail, which began to rotate rapidly.
It seems it intends to engage in close combat with that.
(Fine by me! I’ll turn you into scrap metal!)