Episode 132: The Worst Situation
“A trump card… but that’s…”
“I know. We can only use it once, and once we do, we won’t be able to use Magical Power for a while. If we fail, we’ll all be killed.”
As Tennoji and Ishikawa were talking with serious expressions, Taizen approached, looking around cautiously.
“Hey, this is bad! We’re surrounded by Hell Garm.”
As Taizen said, Hell Garm were closing in from all directions. The higher-ranking Seekers were somehow holding them back, but it wouldn’t last long.
“Taizen… use ‘Release’.”
At Tennoji’s words, Taizen gulped.
“B-but, even if we can destroy the Ogre’s body, it’ll be over if it regenerates!”
“Yeah.”
Tennoji looked at the Ogre again. The fiend wore a vulgar smile.
As if showing his余裕, he didn’t actively attack. That condescending attitude only irritated Tennoji more.
“We need to shave off his Magical Power to the very limit so he can’t regenerate. There’s no other way to defeat him!”
Around Tennoji and the others, who had steeled themselves, the battle between the higher-ranking Seekers and the Hell Garm intensified.
And Rui, too—
“Misaki-san!”
“Don’t come here!!”
Misaki, her arms and legs burned by the Hell Garm, was barely able to stand.
Even so, she gripped her Longsword in one hand, pointing the tip at the Hell Garm.
“I’ll take it from here. You go to Tennoji!”
“B-but…”
“…If Tennoji is defeated, everyone here will be annihilated. The major Seeker Clans are being defeated one after another. There’s no turning back!”
Misaki clenched her teeth with a tragic look. Looking around, there were indeed many Seekers fallen. They were the major Seekers who had been supporting the front lines.
The Hell Garm, no longer restrained, rampaged around, and several were heading towards the center of the city where Tennoji and the Ogre were fighting.
If they weren’t stopped now, it might be too late.
“Go! Rui, to Tennoji and the others!!”
Misaki dragged her feet, thrusting her Longsword at the Hell Garm. It was to draw the Hell Garm’s attention.
Rui bit his lip and turned to run.
Seeing that, Misaki smiled faintly.
“I’m counting on you… Rui!”
The Hell Garm kicked off the ground and lunged forward. It spewed scorching breath at Misaki.
◇◇◇
Yuma and Kanzaki were carrying the injured on their shoulders and backs to the Self-Defense Forces’ ambulance.
“Please take care of them.”
“Yes, thank you very much!”
Yuma handed over the injured to the medical team and exhaled.
“We’ve carried quite a few people, haven’t we?”
“Yeah, should we evacuate soon?”
Yuma nodded at Kanzaki’s suggestion. There was nothing more they could do here. Just as he thought that, a loud scream was heard.
“Uwaaaaaaa!”
Looking over, the Hell Garm were mowing down the Seekers and heading towards them.
“Oh come on, again?!”
Kanzaki shouted in exasperation.
“Why do they keep coming at me?!”
Yuma also grimaced. The Hell Garm had attacked them many times during the rescue, as if they were specifically targeting Yuma.
“Why are you being targeted by those dogs!? Did you do something?”
“No, I don’t know! Ask the dogs!!”
While Kanzaki and Yuma were arguing, the Hell Garm had approached right in front of them.
Yuma spat out “Damn it!” and put on his hood, activating his Metallization ability. The moment his whole body was dyed black, he kicked the head of the Hell Garm, which was about to spew flames, with all his might.
The dog’s head bounced up as if it were about to be severed and flew backward.
Even so, it regained its posture in the air, landed, and came at him again.
“Give me a break!”
Yuma gripped the Water Vein Club and channeled Water Magical Power into it. The Self-Defense Forces personnel around them panicked and started the ambulance in a hurry, fleeing.
Facing the Hell Garm, Yuma swung the blue-glowing club horizontally, striking the face of the Hell Garm that was about to spew flames. The dog’s jaw was shattered, and it staggered.
The wound was only hissing and smoking, and it didn’t seem to be regenerating.
Yuma swung the club back and tripped the dog’s legs this time.
The fallen Hell Garm tried to get up immediately, but Yuma swung the raised club down with all his might.
The powerful blow hit the Hell Garm’s back, and splashes of water scattered around.
The Hell Garm writhed, but it wasn’t dead yet.
“They’re really tough…”
As he muttered in amazement, Kanzaki shouted from behind.
“Yuma! Another one’s coming!!”
“Eh!?”
When he turned around, a Hell Garm was biting at his neck. It was a sudden event, so he panicked, but there was no particular pain.
As long as he was Metallized, he wouldn’t take any damage.
However, he was bitten by sharp fangs, and the flames leaking from its mouth were burning his clothes.
“You bastard… my hoodie!!”
Yuma, enraged, punched the Hell Garm. The dog, having taken a blow to the stomach, rolled along the ground.
“Agh, damn it!… It was my favorite hoodie.”
The shoulder area was crackling and burning, so he patted it with his hand to put it out.
The Hell Garm, which had been lying on the ground, got up while growling. It kicked off the ground, leaked Ember from its mouth, and came straight at him.
Yuma glared at the dog, channeling the maximum amount of Magical Power into the club in his hand.
“Bloodstained Ore (Bloody Ore)!!”
The surging power coursed through his entire body. Yuma, holding the blue-glowing club, swung it down on the Hell Garm’s head with all his might.
An attack imbued with Water Magical Power.
The Hell Garm’s head burst, blown to smithereens. Only the torso was walking around unsteadily. Smoke was rising from its neck, but it didn’t regenerate and collapsed into sand.
“Oh, the effect of Water Magic is amazing after all.”
As Yuma was admiring the club, another Hell Garm bared its fangs and attacked. “Crap!” he said, pointing the tip of the club at the Hell Garm, but the blue light was rapidly fading.
“Huh!? What’s going on?”
Towards Yuma, who was confused, Kanzaki shouted.
“You’re out of Magical Power! Yuma, use this!!”
Saying that, he threw the Hexagonal Rod that Kanzaki used. When he caught the rod flying straight at him, it was already imbued with Magical Power and glowing blue.
“Use that to defeat the Hell Garm!!”
“Yes!”
Yuma raised the Hexagonal Rod and faced the attacking Hell Garm.
The dog spewed flames and charged. Responding to that, Yuma swung down the Hexagonal Rod with all his might.
A Crushing Impact resounded, and flames and dust billowed up. The Hell Garm, crushed by the thick Hexagonal Rod, let out a short scream and disappeared into sand.
The flames spewed by the Hell Garm had no effect on Yuma at all, but—
“Aaaaaah! Fire! Fire!!”
The fire released by the Hell Garm spread to the clothes he was wearing. Even if he didn’t take damage, his clothes were another matter.
“I have no choice!”
Kanzaki used Water Magic to create a large water ball. When he slammed it into Yuma’s body, the fire was extinguished by the scattered water droplets.
“Ah… my clothes are ruined…”
Yuma stared at his clothes while soaking wet. There were holes in various places, and they were charred black.
“Are you okay? Yuma.”
“Yes, but my clothes… If I could incorporate them into the Liquid Metal, they wouldn’t burn.”
When Yuma said regretfully, Kanzaki shook his head.
“That would be too conspicuous. Someone might be watching. Don’t do it.”
“You’re right.”
Yuma looked around. Fortunately, there were no Seekers nearby, and the Self-Defense Forces had evacuated, so no one had seen him defeat the Hell Garm.
But Yuma’s face clouded over at the surrounding scenery.
Many Seekers were lying on the ground, showing no signs of movement. The remaining ones were desperately fighting near the dome, but there were still more than ten Hell Garm.
And in the direction of his gaze, Yuma caught sight of Rui. He was facing a Hell Garm, but he seemed to be struggling, engulfed in flames.
Tennoji, who was in front of the dome, was also struck by a Red Monsters and sent flying.
Ishikawa and the members of Roar of the Raijuu were also fighting, but they didn’t seem to be holding their own.
Unknown Monsters, a worsening war situation, and Rui and Tennoji getting hurt.
Only one thought was on Yuma’s mind.
“President, I’m going to go help!”