◆ Metal Tower Core – ALEX Control Room ◆
The screen displayed everyone surrounded by a horde of Heartless, the Zodiac. Eeks and the others were in the plains, while another screen showed the Kingdom of Kashiram. The same creatures that had been battling the King and Balbus were now numerous.
“Everyone…!”
“Heh, heh heh… This is a two-for-one deal, clearing out inventory while we’re at it. In fact, the Heartless guarding the other satellite bases have been almost completely wiped out.”
“Wiped out…? The Heartless have been fighting for the Kingdom of Metallica, haven’t they?!”
“That’s why I said they’re unnecessary. Sixteen years ago, they couldn’t even save ALEX, and now they’re just fools intoxicated by the performance of their Powered Suits. They might think they’re special for being chosen, but they were just the best of a few thousand. It’s amusing how someone who isn’t recognized by others can easily misinterpret a little acknowledgment.”
“Corin…!”
I grabbed her by the collar and pushed her down to the floor, ready to strike. If I brought my fist down, someone like her would die instantly. But doing that wouldn’t solve anything. Besides, she was still technically human. As I lowered my trembling fist, Corin smiled faintly, as if to say she understood.
“Kurinka, let’s go save everyone now!”
“That’s pointless; we won’t make it in time.”
“We will make it!”
“You’re panicking… You don’t trust your comrades, do you? You usually say comforting things, but deep down, you think you’re the strongest and everyone else is unreliable, don’t you? Right, me?”
A massive number of Heartless moved in a synchronized manner, cutting off Eeks and the others’ escape routes. Just seeing this situation made me feel like Corin was right, and that only fueled my frustration. Tiferia was an S-rank, and Eeks was a figure even the Twelve Demon Generals feared in the Demon Lord Army. Lord Hast was there too; it was only right to believe we had a fair chance.
“Hey, where’s that girl, Maternya…?”
“Ho ho ho ho, that wild child is probably playing around somewhere. She seems completely uninterested in anything but her engagement to Seigel. Though it looks like she’s searching for something.”
“Ugh!”
“She was never on our side, was she?”
“But Balbus and Nice are over there! If other Beastkin show up—!”
“More importantly, the limit is twenty minutes, right? If we dawdle, they’ll recover.”
“Meria! Destroy the satellite base within twenty minutes!”
“Okay!”
I could hear her drawn-out response echoing in my mind. They were hostages, yet why were they so relaxed?
“Rua, Platiu is going.”
“Platiu, having a Seraphim is indeed reassuring, but…”
“I’m going to be useful to Rua. Just watch Kram.”
“Wait, hold on!”
With her wings activated, Platiu swiftly left the control room. I believed that new Machine Maiden could stand against the Heartless. But there were too many of them. And saying she would be useful to me…
“I’m happy, but… am I pushing her too hard?”
“Rua-chan is trying to save everyone, just like Platiu-chan is doing what she wants.”
Is it for one person or for everyone? That really is the only difference. Even someone like me has people who want to help. It’s not just Kurinka; Platiu and everyone fighting out there have their reasons, even if they can’t be entirely for me. Our goals are the same. I was once all alone, but now I’m truly grateful to have reliable companions.
“Rua-chan. Let’s escape with Terrace and Princess Kram. Also, grab Corin over there.”
“Y-Yeah. There’s no point in staying here. We should…”
“Emotions have no place in battle! The Heartless possess everything necessary for combat! They won’t be swayed by unnecessary distractions! Ahahahaha! Hohohoho!”
In this space where Corin was laughing maniacally for no reason, Kurinka smiled brightly. Taking someone like her would be easy. If Corin were gone, no one could operate ALEX, and effectively, the Kingdom of Metallica would be finished.
“But…”
“What is it?”
“Never mind. Let’s go.”
The sense of discomfort I felt was something I couldn’t identify, so I decided to set it aside for now. I watched in shock as Kurinka roughly tied up Corin and carried her like a piece of luggage as we exited the room.
◆ Southern Normitz – Taharak Plains – Sky Cannon Satellite Base ◆
“For now, everyone who’s a hostage, please escape.”
The hostages, tangled in wool, tore through the yarn and slipped away. The sight of them ripping through the fibers reminded me of Lua. There was no need to ask how this happened; it was likely due to Meria’s Enhancement Magic that had been cast on all of them. They must have been waiting for the right moment.
“I never expected something like that to come. I had neither the time nor the means to get everyone out… I’m sorry.”
“No, no. On behalf of everyone, thank you.”
“What the heck is that?!”
The wool and Biscus must have realized by now that those machines were not allies. Now, even though I was called a hero, did I have any obligation to save them?
【Cygnus attacks! Eeks dodged nimbly!】
“Meria, I don’t know how you convinced those people, but we’re in a pinch here. I’ve taken down a few, but there are just too many.”
“Yes, I’ve already destroyed the satellite base over there, so we shouldn’t linger.”
“Wait… what? You already destroyed it?”
“By the way, according to Rua, we must destroy the other satellite bases within twenty minutes.”
【Eeks attacks! Dealt 1301 damage to Cygnus! Cygnus has been defeated! HP 0/3441】
Things were progressing without my knowledge. To summarize, the virus had been successfully injected, but they would recover within twenty minutes. Just as I smashed yet another Cygnus, I caught a glimpse of Maternya running towards us. That cat girl better not be coming here if she has no intention of helping. Seigel seemed to be panicking, but if I didn’t say something, it would be downright disrespectful to a woman.
“Meow!”
“M-Maternya! Where have you been?!”
The cat girl gracefully leaped over the mechanical horde, clutching something in both hands. She dashed straight towards Seigel, clearly uninterested in anything else.
“I was out hunting for my darling! Caught a cow, and this is what I found!”
“Listen! There are enemies here, and we need to fight together!”
“It has nothing to do with me. I’m not interested in prey I can’t eat.”
“If I die, you won’t be able to get married!”
“Then I’ll just go somewhere far away.”
That cat girl was trying to princess-carry Seigel and escape. Enough already; she should leave Seigel behind and go away. But shouting at her wouldn’t change anything. I had to make her cooperate, no matter what.
“Are you going to lose to Seigel and run away from here? Fine, go ahead and run away since you’re just a hindrance.”
“…Meow?”
Her eyes glinted sharply, like a cat ready to pounce on its prey, pupils fully dilated. I might have messed up. If she turned her attention to me, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Honestly, I didn’t want to fight her even outside of this situation; she was strong enough to be considered one of the Ten Destroyers.
“Actually, never mind, Maternya. I don’t want you to get hurt. Sorry for asking you to fight.”
“…Darling?”
“Just wait here for a bit. I won’t let anyone touch you.”
“D-Darling…”
Oh no, was that a compliment or just me being genuine? It seemed to have worked, as Maternya’s eyes sparkled with a maiden’s glow. Darling? Could she be referring to her husband?
【Hast cast Angel Recover! All allies’ HP recovered!】
“You can’t chant that many times!”
【Chameleon appeared! HP 2855】
“Uh-oh! This guy was here too?!”
The Chameleon emerged behind Lord Hast. It was more cunning than when it had a body. Its movements were expertly executed, knowing exactly how to use its suit. Moreover, it targeted the party’s key member first, making it even more formidable. I thought we had formed a formation to protect Lord Hast, but from my position, it was too late. Nearby were Rash and Rutna, who were not suited for close combat. Etica was completely useless.
【Maternya’s attack! Dealt 1423 damage to Chameleon! HP 1432/2855】
“Graah! Nyaaan!”
Maternya’s Attack! She dealt 1299 damage to the Chameleon! She dealt 1640 damage to the Chameleon! The Chameleon has been defeated! HP 0/2855
“I’m sorry for making you fight alone while I just protect myself! Hoo!”
With a powerful elbow strike from the air, she unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks. Each blow packed a destructive force that rivaled my own, and her speed was astonishing. That Powered Suit was reduced to a heap of scrap in an instant. This is bad, Seigel. If you cheat, you’ll be dead with the first hit.
“Everyone, you’re amazing!”
“You need to give it your all too! I’m seriously struggling here!”
“Well, I can’t enhance my stamina… Hah, hah…”
“That’s so overdramatic, isn’t it?!”
“We’ve reduced them to fewer than ten… just a little more… Hah, hah…”
It’s hopeless. I thought she would be more reliable than my sister, Elmera, but it turns out she might be even more unpredictable. If she really wanted to, she could turn these machines into junk in an instant. It’s great that she freed the hostages, but her cooperation feels half-hearted.
“Now we have to destroy the satellite base too!”
“I already took care of that.”
“Oh, is that so? Thanks! But there are still a few more, right?!”
“Yes, we only have about fifteen minutes, so let’s do our best.”
“Damn it! We really don’t have time! Is it even possible?”
“That’s right.”
“No, no, no! What are we going to do?!”
“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t rely on me too much… I thought you understood the pain of having expectations placed on you.”
She hit a sore spot. I know that feeling all too well. People rely on me, the hero, and place excessive expectations on my shoulders. Success is expected, and failure leads to disappointment. Such burdens weigh heavily on a hero, causing the people to abandon their ambition. I fell into despair over that.
“I’m sorry, Meria.”
“No, no, it’s nothing… Hah, hah…”
I suddenly realized. Before they became hostages, these people had been persuaded. They must be consuming magical power just to move after receiving Enhancement Magic. There’s no way she could pull off such a feat and remain calm.
“Now… it’s time for the final push. Let’s give it our all…”
What I saw earlier wasn’t an act; her hidden fatigue had surfaced. Even now, fighting with Enhancement Magic is probably all she can manage. No matter how extraordinary our magic is, it still requires mana. The more advanced the magic, the greater the consumption.
“Meria… you…”
“If Elmera had used her Imagination Magic, she could have thought of a solution on the spot and resolved this much faster… Hah… Hah… That girl envies me, but she lacks the talent… Heh, Imagination Magic… it’s only similar to my ‘Creation’ in name… Hah, hah…”
She seemed to sway, her fatigue evident. I felt ashamed of my earlier attitude and supported her by wrapping my arm around her shoulder.
“Please rest. I’m asking you.”
“Thank you… but I find that kind of thing uncomfortable… I’ll sit myself…”
“That’s really infuriating, you know?!”
I shouldn’t have so easily put my arm around a woman’s shoulder, but there’s a way to say things. Maybe she’s even harder to handle than Elmera. Despite my frustration, I watched as she quietly sat next to Lord Hast, then turned my attention back to the approaching machines.
“Like I said, don’t look at that swan bastard! Watching those movements will make your head spin!”
??? unleashed a Wind Sickle! It dealt 4082 damage to Cygnus! Cygnus has been defeated! HP 0/3441
As I targeted the last remaining Cygnus, its body was torn apart. A farming sickle, manipulated by the wind, seemed to be searching for its next prey. The sickle lingered in the air, exuding an air of confidence as if it were a master following its loyal dog.
“This should be the last of the satellite base.”
“Looks like it. Ah! Argil, over there is…”
“The hero, the sage, the Master Knight. And with a child, too.”
“Y-You’re the ‘Death God’ Argil!”
Argil’s Tornado Sickle! It dealt 3858 damage to six Cygnus! Six Cygnus have been defeated! HP 0/3441
While the sickles danced wildly in the wind, tearing through the group of Cygnus, Argil turned to face us. What is this guy?
“Finish off the rest. Enkal, Shim, Aida.”
“Leave it to us.”
Enkal’s Neck Cut! Taurus has been defeated! HP 0/8700
Shim’s Shield Bash! It dealt 1470 damage to Taurus! HP 951/8700
Aida unleashed Thunder Aiming! It dealt 2111 damage to Taurus! Taurus has been defeated! HP 0/8700
The battle concluded with a swift decapitation of Taurus by a curved sword. Next, another warrior charged with a massive shield, toppling the giant, and a lightning-infused arrow from the woman pierced through to finish it off. That sickle-wielder is definitely Death God Argil, notorious for his unpleasant rumors despite being A-Rank. The curved sword wielder, the heavily armored warrior, and the bow-wielding woman were all unfamiliar faces to me.
“…Thanks. I owe you one.”
“No need for thanks. We were planning to crush that Metallica junk anyway. It’s only natural to protect ourselves, right?”
“Still, you’re strong. You’re definitely A-Rank, aren’t you…”
“That’s right. Even if this turns into an all-out battle, we might have the upper hand here.”
The killing intent and fierce aura were enough to put everyone on guard. Of course, I knew they had no intention of attacking. Even so, the pressure they exuded was overwhelming. This is absurd; something feels off. Today is the first time I’ve met Argil, and I don’t underestimate his abilities. Yet, I can’t shake this inexplicable fear.
Yes, it’s a sensation I had long forgotten. The feeling I experienced when facing someone overwhelmingly stronger than me in my early days. Yes, it’s the level difference. I don’t want to admit it, but his level is higher than mine. It’s only provisional, but the level difference is not a matter of hundreds. No matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t add up. If Argil is truly this monstrous in strength, he wouldn’t be handing the S-Rank position to Tiferia, who is here. Even Tiferia looks tense. She probably wore a similar expression when she fought Rua.
“Argil, you’re scaring me. Besides, if you attack, you’ll go against the teachings.”
“Heh heh, I know. I was just curious to see what kind of face that woman would make in this situation. Tiferia?”
“…What have you been doing all this time?”
“Finally noticed me, huh? You ignored me during the Combat Tournament preliminaries. Heh heh heh!”
“Well, if you’ve gotten that strong, I might want to ask for your teachings. Hehe.”
Argil pointed the tip of his sickle at Tiferia, stopping just short of her. It was a close call; he managed to pull off a near-miss against Tiferia. She seemed to realize he wouldn’t actually attack, but there was no sign of confidence in her demeanor. It was only when the sickle stopped right in front of her that she grasped the situation.
“Now, by now, our allies should be destroying the other satellite bases. Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
I thought she might say something, but Argil ignored Tiferia’s intimidation and leaped away with the other three. He jumped, just like Rua does.
“Hah, hah! I thought I was really going to die! What the hell was that?!”
“Eh, what? Who were those guys just now?”
Finally able to breathe, Rash exhaled deeply. For someone like Rutna, the difference in power was so vast that she probably couldn’t even sense it. After all, she was originally a non-combatant.
“Oh, I forgot! Biscuits and that furball! They should still be around here…”
“They’re dead. They probably tried to escape in the chaos and got caught.”
Meria weakly pointed it out. I could see what looked like them across the field. Their Powered Suits were completely sliced apart, left exposed. The one thought to be the furball had its belly ripped open, with its entrails spilling out.
“That’s horrific…! When did that happen?!”
“There’s no need to go that far…”
Odo and the others murmured in shock at the gruesome sight. I can’t judge them, and I have no intention of questioning their methods of killing now. If I had to say something, it would be, “When did that happen?”
“Calm down. There are mysteries, but in the end, we managed to destroy the satellite base.”
“Those guys are stronger than me… Please protect me, big brother…”
“Y-Yeah.”
Even Maternya shrank back in fear. Where did they acquire such power? As I exhaled and looked up at the sky, I spotted what appeared to be Metallica’s airship approaching.
“Yikes! More enemies?!”
“No, wait. That’s probably…”
If it weren’t for Lord Hast’s intervention, I would have attacked. The tension in the air was suffocating, and I felt a gnawing sense of helplessness that I couldn’t shake off. The Zodiac, those ruthless killers. One-on-one, I might stand a chance, but facing them in numbers was beyond my capabilities. Even those soulless machines posed a significant threat; with this many of them, we barely held our ground. If there had been even a few more, we would have been utterly overwhelmed.
As I spat on the grass, something flew past the airship and began to descend. A golden dragon, with Lua riding atop it.
“You guys!” I exclaimed.
“I’m glad you’re safe. What about the satellite base…?” Lua asked, her voice laced with urgency.
“It’s destroyed! But more importantly, we’re running out of time… the Sky Cannon is still operational…”
“That’s not a problem. Without the satellite base, launching the Sky Cannon is impossible.”
From the airship, an incredibly thin old man emerged. He looked less like he was wearing a lab coat and more like the coat was swallowing him whole. His arms and neck resembled withered twigs. Who is he?
“Oh, I see. That’s a relief… but who are you? You’re a researcher from Metallica, right?” I asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
“This is Mr. Terras,” Lua introduced.
“Forget the introductions. I thought Platiu would be here by now.”
“Y-Yeah! Where’s Platiu?!”
I had heard that Platiu was supposed to be clad in a new type of Machine Maiden, ready to assist us. Given her head start and the speed of the new model, it wouldn’t have been surprising if she arrived before us. Yet, instead of her, we faced an unknown predicament.
“Why isn’t she here…? Oh, could it be that she went to the Kingdom of Kashiram instead of here?” I pondered aloud.
“Lua-chan, we need to hurry. I have a bad feeling about this…” Lua said, her voice trembling slightly.
Is this how the Babel Destruction Operation ends? As long as the Sky Cannon remains, my unease won’t fade. We should have been on the brink of completing our mission, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom. The transformation of Argil and the others hinted that something else was about to unfold.
Glancing up at the sky again, I noticed a massive shadow far in the distance. The skies of the Avangarde Kingdom, with a faint island barely visible above. Wait, wait, there’s so much I need to understand!
◆ Shin Report ◆
The old hag is locked up tight.
She’s knowledgeable about machines, so if she moves, she could tamper with the airship.
However, the Sky Cannon destruction operation…
We spent too much time on one satellite base, and if we’re not careful, we might fail.
A powerful, mysterious group is destroying other satellite bases?
Huh? Is the strategy falling apart?
Are we overestimating the power of the dark elf sisters?
And if the main body is forced to self-destruct through remote control, it’s game over?
Can we even pull that off?
At this point, it seems more likely that we can’t.
What is going on?
How could we have underestimated Shin so lightly with such a mess?
This should be used as material to solidify Shin’s position.
What a delightful development; the material is piling up.
Hehehe…
◆ Character Brief ◆
Argil
Appears in the Combat Tournament arc. An A-Rank fighter ranked seventh, known as the Grim Reaper. He suffered defeat in the preliminary finals without being recognized by Tiferia. His class is the specialized “Wind Assassin.” His strength is said to be on par with Shinbu of the Five Elites.
Enkal
Appears in the first Babel Destruction Operation. He interrogated Lua about the location of the Abyss Cave alongside Argil at the Avangarde Adventurer’s Guild. A B-Rank with the moniker “Neck Hunter,” he possesses enough strength to gather a decent crowd with just a word. He belongs to the specialized class “Neck Hunter.”
Shim
A companion of Enkal. He is also B-Rank but tends to defer to Enkal. His class is “Warrior.”
Aida
A companion of Enkal. She is also B-Rank, with the class “Magic Archer.” Initially, she followed Enkal for his strength, but recently, she seems to have developed genuine feelings for him.