Chapter 207: Shadows Over the Sky
The Multi-legged Tank A (Alpha), its front utterly ravaged, lay incapacitated.
At close range, multiple ground missiles and anti-tank shells had detonated.
Shrapnel scattered everywhere, breaching the armor and causing severe damage to the internal mechanisms.
“Are you hurt?”
“Ah, yeah…”
As she helped the surrounding hunters to their feet, Five Dissector Cosmos called out. Given the anticipated explosion from the attack, everyone had taken cover behind the erected barriers, and fortunately, there were no casualties.
The other three Communicator Androids had already shifted to perimeter surveillance. The threat of the Shadow Player had not yet dissipated.
“Prepare for immediate evacuation. We will continue to maintain vigilance. The monsters are not limited to that Player. The threat from that one is still present.”
The ground trembled. It was a slight vibration, but it signaled the approach of the Mountain Boar. Time was running out.
“…A (Alpha) is beyond saving. C (Gamma) will take the rear guard. Now, hurry!”
“Understood…! …Wait, doesn’t that Golem still have your comrades inside? Are they alright?!”
The hunters’ gazes were directed at the incapacitated A (Alpha). Indeed, they had been informed that a Communicator was inside.
There was no choice.
Due to the severe damage, they had intended to abandon it, but with witnesses around, that would be difficult. Cosmos made the decision to recover the damaged Communicator.
“There’s one person inside. I’ll take them, so no worries. You all focus on the villagers.”
“…Ah. I’m sorry for the trouble. Thank you for protecting this village!”
The Defense Officer and the hunters exchanged pats on the back as they began to run. The explosion had likely left their hearing in disarray.
Once they were on their way, Five Dissector rushed toward A (Alpha) to retrieve the stationed Eighteen Dissector. She attempted to remotely eject the Eighteen Dissector stored within.
However, the hatch mechanism was malfunctioning and wouldn’t open.
An explosion.
Using an emergency explosive bolt, she blew the hatch off. Naturally, the Eighteen Dissector stored inside fell to the ground under the force of gravity.
She confirmed that no one was watching.
Five Dissector caught the falling Communicator and dropped it to the ground.
She quickly assessed the situation.
Shrapnel that had penetrated the Multi-legged Tank had, unfortunately, pierced through the neck of the Communicator.
The pod designed to store the Communicator was located almost at the center of the Multi-legged Tank. It was highly unlikely for standard attacks to cause such damage.
With the front armor nearly destroyed, the scattered shrapnel had managed to find its way through the small gaps in the Multi-legged Tank, penetrating the pod.
Considering the potential for housing living beings in the future, a design change would be necessary. Perhaps adding armor to the pod would be prudent.
In any case, the shard that had pierced the nerve cluster rendered the Communicator inoperable. The microwave reception function was barely operational, allowing for minimal life signs to be simulated. It would manage to appear alive for a while longer. If they could join the caravan, repairs could be made.
The AI used in the equipment dispatched to the Pioneer Village operated on a Photonics Neural Network. If it became irreparably damaged and could not be recovered, it was expected to send backups to other units and self-destruct, either through explosion or incineration.
All configuration data for Multi-legged Tank A (Alpha) and Eighteen Dissector had been transmitted, effectively resetting their information.
Confirming that there were no issues in that state, Five Dissector hoisted the former Eighteen Dissector onto her back and began running toward the village center.
C (Gamma) followed closely behind as the rear guard.
Once a sufficient distance was secured, A (Alpha) initiated a power surge, causing various electrical components to burn out. Then, she ignited the Thermite Fuel hidden within, completely destroying the central control unit.
The villagers stared in shock at the incapacitated Golem, flames licking at its form. The once-invincible guardian of the village was powerless against such a formidable monster.
However, the somber atmosphere was shattered when another Golem appeared, accompanied by a girl walking at its feet.
“Ah…!”
One girl was being carried by another. The sight of her weakly swaying legs sent a chill of dread through everyone present.
But…
“Don’t worry! She’s just unconscious!”
The Dissector Cosmos accompanying the evacuees shouted.
“Now, one by one, onto the carts! Parents, climb onto the back of the Multi-legged Heavy Machine (Golem)!”
That’s right. Just as she said. The threat of the monsters was still looming. The legendary Mountain Boar, which they had only heard of in bedtime stories, was approaching the village.
“…The hunters won’t fit! You all need to run!”
“Seriously, no rest for the weary, huh?!”
The villagers and hunters crammed onto the backs of the work Golems and carts, while the more physically capable among them began to run.
“To the highway! If we hurry, we can meet up with the Supply Unit (Caravan) heading this way in two hours! They have plenty of room for everyone, just a little longer to endure!”
“Hey, little lady, hop on over here! You, keep running! You’re our hero who protected us, don’t slow down!”
“…Thank you.”
Several villagers cleared space on the cart, laying down cloaks and clothes to create a makeshift bed for the unconscious girl. It felt wrong to leave her slung over someone’s back for too long.
“Is she going to be okay?”
“She has some injuries and is unconscious, but we’re providing first aid. If we can join the caravan, she’ll be fine.”
A fresh cloth was wrapped around the girl’s neck. It didn’t appear to be soaked in blood, nor did she seem to have any major injuries, yet the stillness of her body caused the accompanying women to voice their concerns.
“She’ll be fine. Let’s get moving!”
The girl accompanying her called out, and the Golem pulling the cart began to walk slowly. However, its pace was akin to a brisk walk for a person.
Though the road wasn’t paved, it had been somewhat leveled by the passage of caravans. If they could keep moving steadily, they might just escape the monsters.
The ride was uncomfortable, but there was no choice. The girls would have to endure some inconvenience for a while.
“The Shadow Players have mostly disappeared now…”
With combat Golems at the front and rear, safety was being ensured. However, there was no guarantee that monsters wouldn’t suddenly leap out from the sides.
The hunters running alongside and the girls from Paraiso continued to hold their weapons at the ready. Even at a brisk pace, they had just been fighting for their lives in defense moments ago. They certainly didn’t have the stamina to keep running for two hours straight.
“Let me take over for half of you! Running non-stop like this will wear us out!”
“Sure, I can keep going!”
“I’ve got confidence in my stamina too!”
As they bantered back and forth, the villagers continued their escape along the highway. Though they were dressed in whatever they could grab, their spirits remained relatively high.
The Paraiso warriors guarding them were incredibly reassuring.
If they could escape and join the caravan, they would be able to move safely to another village behind them. Supplies would be manageable, despite payment issues for the time being. Paraiso had more than enough prepared for them.
Thus, all the villagers of Pioneer Village Ralan completed their evacuation without a single person left behind. They continued running along the highway until they met up with the caravan heading their way, all of them boarding the massive vehicle prepared by Paraiso.
For the moment, they had managed to escape. However, the formidable Mountain Boar still loomed nearby.
Taking a breath, they became acutely aware of the ongoing tremors beneath their feet.
“Honestly, there’s nothing we can do about such a monster…”
Who had muttered that? It wasn’t the catalyst for what happened next, but…
A shadow fell over them.
Everyone looked up in stunned silence.
In the sky, something enormous loomed.
Something unfathomably large was flying above them.