Episode 58: The Command Tower Shouldn’t Be on the Front Lines!
Before Nobuyasu, an Ultra-Large Ibinom and a giant robot faced off.
The scene he had only ever witnessed on the other side of a screen was now right before his eyes.
He wished he could share this excitement, this thrill, this passion with someone else, but the current situation was still an emergency.
If circumstances allowed, he would have loved to watch with a large container of popcorn in hand, but the situation wouldn’t permit it.
Nobuyasu made a difficult decision and entrusted the giant robot to deal with the Ibinom.
“Sorry, but I’m counting on you here! I’m heading to back up another front!”
『Leave it to us! We’ll take it from here!』
“I’m counting on you!”
Though reluctant to leave, Nobuyasu headed towards another battlefield where his comrades were struggling.
The giant robot, entrusted with the task, took a step towards the Ultra-Large Ibinom.
『Nuuoooooooh! Take this, Rocket Punch!』
The giant robot rotated its upper body with a great whirring sound and launched its Rocket Punch.
DOGOON! The Rocket Punch exploded with a deafening roar.
Unable to bear it, the Ultra-Large Ibinom let out a cry of agony.
『It’s working! Next up is the Aura Blade!』
『Roger that! Aura Blade loading, preparation complete!』
When the pilot in the right arm section operated the controls, a long, shining sword was gripped in its right hand.
The blade, thick enough to cleave a battleship in two, pulsed with a pale blue light.
The giant robot gripped the Aura Blade, took a stance like a master swordsman, and then let out an ape-like war cry with a single, powerful yell.
『Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!』
Like a raging fire, it lunged forward and, with a mighty swing, brilliantly slashed through the Ultra-Large Ibinom’s hard carapace.
However, it wasn’t a fatal blow; blood merely spurted from the Ibinom’s body, and it didn’t fall.
『Nuu! It wasn’t enough to finish it…!』
『Incoming attack! Defend!』
『Brace for impact!』
Now it was the Ibinom’s turn. It swung its arm down at the robot, forcing it backward.
『Nuuuuuuuugh!』
『What an impact!』
『Right arm, left arm, report damage status!』
『This is the right arm! Damage is light! Combat continuation possible!』
『This is the left arm! Damage is minimal! Combat continuation possible, sir!』
『Very well, then! Let us show them our power!』
They were fighting desperately, with all their might, everywhere.
They were fighting, risking their lives, against the Ibinom.
However, for some reason, in their case, it seemed like they were fooling around.
Of course, they were completely serious.
From the base of their legs to the top of their heads, they were fighting with utmost seriousness.
Naturally, no one was joking.
But still, visually, it couldn’t help but look like they were messing around.
They were piloting a giant robot, seriously fighting an Ibinom, yet the scene somehow felt childish.
After all, a battle between a giant robot and a monster, something that had only ever been realized on the other side of a screen, was taking place.
That’s why one’s brain couldn’t help but fall into the illusion of seeing a hallucination.
『Left arm, deploying Drill Smasher!』
『Roger! Drill Smasher loaded! Ready to fire anytime, boss!』
Clank, clunk! As mechanical sounds echoed, the left arm’s hand retracted inwards, and from within emerged a large drill.
A weapon that embodied a man’s fantasy—capable of digging, grinding, gouging the earth, and piercing enemies.
VREEEEN! The drill began to rotate at high speed, eagerly awaiting the moment to unleash its power.
『Heh heh, I see! You want to go wild too, huh!』
With a cynical smile, the pilot drew back his left arm like a bow and fired it towards the Ibinom.
『Eat this, Drill Smasher!!!』
Its movements were ponderous, but the Ultra-Large Ibinom wasn’t much different.
Without even a hint of trying to dodge, the Drill Smasher gouged into the Ibinom’s abdomen.
Blood spurted like a fountain as the drill protruded from the Ibinom’s belly.
『Uoooooooooooooooh!!!』
『It’s effective! Let’s press the attack and finish it off!』
『Wait! It’s planning something!』
The Ultra-Large Ibinom shrieked in pain, but as if in retaliation, it grabbed the robot’s shoulders and spat something from its mouth towards the robot’s head.
『Nwaaaaaaaah! Is this a dissolving liquid?!』
『Is the head section okay?! What’s happening?!』
『Nuu! There’s something wrong with the monitor connection!』
『We can’t confirm from here! Please respond!』
What the Ibinom spat from its mouth was an ultra-potent dissolving liquid.
It was unclear if the head section, which had taken a direct hit, was alright.
The pilots in each section were demanding a response.
『No problem! The surface is slightly melted, but the damage is within想定内 (expected parameters). Combat capabilities are unaffected!』
『Ooh! As expected!』
『Your next orders!』
『Alright! Watch out for the dissolving liquid and create distance! Both leg units, switch to Scride Mode!』
『『Roger!』』
The right and left feet transformed, changing into rollerblades, and began to move at high speed, a stark contrast to before.
The Ibinom tried to spit more dissolving liquid, but the robot rapidly distanced itself backward, magnificently evading the attack.
『Use this momentum for a Spiral Kick!』
『What’s that?!』
『It’s a roundhouse kick! Get it!』
『That’s so straightforward it’s uncool, isn’t it~』
『I’ll show you a dance as graceful as a swan!』
The leg units, having received the order, executed a quadruple axel like figure skaters dancing on ice. Then, using that rotation, they further accelerated with jets from the calf sections.
『Take this! This is the Spiral Kick~!』
The name was simple, but its power was immeasurable.
The Spiral Kick, accelerated by centrifugal force and jet propulsion, struck the Ibinom’s side directly, knocking it down sideways.
『How’s that! This is the power of the Spiral Kick!』
『The finishing blow! Deliver the finishing blow now!』
They insisted on delivering the final blow while the Ibinom was down and unable to move.
Just as they raised their weapon to strike the fallen Ibinom, a tremendous impact came from the side.
『Uwaaaaaaaaaaah?!』
『What?! What happened!』
『Th-This is bad! It’s another Ultra-Large Ibinom! And this time, it’s a flying type! To put it plainly, it’s a bird Ibinom!』
『『『Wh-Whaaaat!!!』』』
The impact from the side seemed to have come from a large, bird-shaped Ibinom that had charged in.
The pilots panicked at the unexpected appearance of a second one.
They had proven that the robot’s capabilities were effective against an Ultra-Large Ibinom, but facing two at once was a different story.
『Emergency! Emergency!』
『Damn it! What is it this time?!』
『Ultra-Large Ibinom have been confirmed all over Japan! There are eight of them!』
『What—!!! We don’t have enough pilots!』
『Even though we have enough robots!』
『We should have recruited more!』
『It’s not just about aptitude; mastering these piloting skills doesn’t happen overnight!』
『That’s why I said we should install an autopilot function!』
『You removed it because it “lacked romance”!』
『We do have a berserk mode installed! Just press the red switch surrounded by tiger stripes, and turning Japan into scorched earth would be a piece of cake!』
『Damn it! We shouldn’t have installed something like that just because it sounded interesting!』
『What do we do, what do we do! At this rate, Japan will be overrun!』
『Don’t panic! At this point, we have no choice but to use the trainees! Contact headquarters immediately!』
『That’s reckless! The trainees aren’t regular soldiers! They have no obligation to fight!』
『Is this any time to be saying such leisurely things! Japan will be destroyed at this rate! If it comes to that, I’ll take responsibility!』
『Don’t come crying to me if things go wrong!』
One of the pilots made the call.
The one who received it was Ema.
This was natural, as he was in the position to make the final decision.
『Hello. A call from this number means it’s an emergency, right?』
“Yes! Currently, eight Ultra-Large Ibinom have appeared within Japan. Various locations are struggling to respond, but we can’t possibly handle them all. Therefore, we request the deployment of the National Defense Force’s ultimate weapon, the giant robots!”
『You mean to deploy the trainees as well?』
“I am aware this is an unreasonable request! However, if things continue like this, Japan will be destroyed by the Ibinom! Kakka, please make a wise decision!”
『…………For you on the front lines to say that much, the situation must be critical. Very well! I authorize their deployment!』
“Thank you for your generous decision!”
Without a moment’s pause, Ema made an outrageous statement.
『Of course, I will sortie as well!』
Towards Ema, who had uttered such an outlandish thing in his pointlessly fine voice, the pilot was momentarily dumbfounded, but upon understanding the meaning of his words, his head felt like it was about to explode.
“You damn blockhead—!!!”
Click. The call ended, and the pilot was left holding his head.
Ema was the Prime Minister, and at the same time, a first-rate pilot.
I had made an outrageous statement to the Prime Minister, but since he himself understood that he was being quite unreasonable, there was no mention of the pilot, and I faced no reprimand.