Episode 250: Interlude (Sunset Town 2)
A Spider Monster the size of a house ran through the streets, eliminating the Warrior Monks (Jechi) one after another.
The staff-like appendage on the monster’s back emitted a flash and a roar, and at the same time, the Warrior Monk who was struck by it was blown away.
Literally, his torso exploded. Instant death, of course.
Some were turned into pieces of flesh, some were trampled by huge Legs, and some were sent flying by the forelegs.
It was truly a scene of devastation.
The Spider Monster seemed to be targeting the Warrior Monks (Jechi). It paid no attention to the fleeing residents or those holed up in their homes. Some even attacked with farming tools, but they were completely ignored, merely blown away by the monster’s footsteps and losing consciousness.
About fifteen minutes after the invasion by the giant Spider Monster began, a large number of four-legged Monsters, slightly smaller than horses, began to invade the town. Behind them, Monsters with angular bodies and two Legs, about the same height as a person, were walking.
The large Monsters collapsed the fighting strength, and then the small Monsters suppressed them. It was a very tactical movement, and one could not help but imagine the existence of something directing them from behind.
The priest gnashed his teeth as he barricaded himself in the church’s chapel with the residents who had fled there, their last stronghold.
Most of the Warrior Monks (Jechi) stationed in the town seemed to have been killed. Three Warrior Monks (Jechi) had escorted the residents and fled to the church.
Besides them, there were two Soldados (Holy Soldiers) who had been stationed at the church and missed their chance to sortie.
The remaining fighting force was only six people.
It was not nearly enough to fight against those Monsters.
However, as servants of God, they could not abandon the residents they were supposed to protect and flee.
They had to resist to the very end.
“Svyashchennik Cleric, and sons. We are about to walk a difficult path. Will you follow me?”
“Yes, Father.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
No matter how much despair they faced, they would not give up.
Because they were Children of God (Jechi-Boga).
Behind them were the residents they had to protect.
Their town was being ravaged by Monsters.
They were the last stronghold.
With that resolve, the six of them took their positions in front of the chapel’s doors.
The Spider Monsters had completely surrounded the church.
The church’s main gate was closed. However, the figures of Spider Monsters walking around outside could be seen from the top of the fence surrounding the grounds.
“They don’t seem to be coming in…”
“…They are being led by something. They are watching to see what we will do.”
The priest answered with conviction.
And, as he said.
They must have been waiting for the six of them to gather.
An exceptionally large Spider Monster slowly crossed the main gate and looked down at them.
“…!”
It was huge.
The Spider Monsters that had invaded were also huge, but the one in front of them now was twice as big.
The giant Monster stretched out its Legs and climbed over the gate.
The fence surrounding the church was built sturdily, anticipating any eventuality. It was so high that even an adult male could not reach the top even if he jumped with all his might.
But that was nothing. It was not an obstacle at all.
Everyone had overlooked it because of the Monster’s sheer size.
The multiple figures standing on the head of the Monster that had invaded the church grounds.
“…Someone’s there!?”
“!?!”
Keeping a distance of about fifteen steps from the six who were bracing themselves.
Three figures jumped down from the Monster’s head.
The height of the Monster’s head was far higher than the second floor of the church, even though it was slightly bent forward.
They had jumped down from there with ease. It was impossible for ordinary humans. Even the average Warrior Monk (Jechi) could not do such a thing.
“Do you understand the language?”
The person at the front spoke those words. There were no flaws in the pronunciation. Beautiful Divine Kingdom language.
However, the problem was the quality of the voice.
It was like the clear voice of a young girl.
“What–what is your purpose!”
The priest shouted as their representative.
“Surrender. If you surrender, you will not be treated badly. But if you resist, we will eliminate you.”
However, the priest’s question was completely ignored. He shook his head at the announced call for surrender.
“We are Children of God (Jechi-Boga). Surrender is impossible.”
There was no room for negotiation, the priest judged. Of course. They were completely surrounded, outnumbered and outgunned. They had not demonstrated enough power to warrant negotiations. The enemy was trying to crush them with overwhelming force.
The six of them moved simultaneously without a signal.
At the front were the two Soldados. Behind them was the priest. The three Warrior Monks (Jechi) spread out slightly in an arc and started running.
“…”
Opposite them were three enemy forces. From the voice and their physique, they were probably women, and quite petite at that.
The suppression would be over in an instant, the priest thought.
Immediately after the six of them moved, the three opponents reacted instantly. They held up some kind of tool, bracing it at their waists.
The Soldados and the priest clearly saw the movement. There was a hole at the tip of the tool they were holding. The fact that they were pointing it at them meant it was some kind of projectile weapon. It looked a lot like the guns they had learned about at the training facility.
If so, they should escape from its line of fire.
Putting strength into his Legs, he slightly shifted his course. He escaped the line of fire. He saw the weapon the enemy was holding emit a flame like an explosion, and at the same time, small pebbles flew out from the tip.
It wouldn’t hit. He was already moving.
The Soldado, who had closed the distance to the opponent in an instant, swung his Machete. It seemed as if his swing had cut through the enemy, but it was shallow. The opponent’s projectile weapon, which he seemed to have released in a hurry, was cut in half, but he seemed to have retreated in that instant. At the same time as that movement, the enemy was seen drawing a curved sword.
The priest did not swing his Machete, but thrust it forward. It was truly godspeed.
However, the opposing enemy also reacted to it firmly. He leaned back slightly and twisted his body, narrowly dodging the thrust. The muzzle of the projectile weapon, which he was holding with only his right hand, was pointed at the priest’s torso.
But that was also within expectations. Leaving his right hand holding the Machete as it was, he scooped up the muzzle from below with his left hand and shifted it.
He could see the enemy putting strength into his finger. The next moment, pebbles flew out from the muzzle at the tip of the projectile weapon, along with flames.
Fast.
However, the pebbles, which had their line of fire shifted, flew off in the wrong direction.
Judging from the speed, he would be able to manage even if he was hit directly. However, his posture would definitely be disrupted. The enemy had the power to accurately respond to his movements. Even a slight gap could be fatal.
A brief exchange of only a dozen seconds. Both sides completely defended against each other’s attacks, and a momentary gap was created as they tried to move on to the next move.
A worthy opponent had appeared before their eyes. For a moment, they had taken those existences out of their minds.
No, that was probably wishful thinking.
If they could defeat the enemy in front of them, the situation would improve.
Cannon Shells fired from outside the field of vision at an undetectable speed first turned the three Warrior Monks (Jechi) into clouds of blood.
The Spider Monsters that had ravaged their town.
Those were the biggest problem.
The three enemies who had appeared. Or, if they could have taken them as prisoners or hostages, there might have been room for negotiation. But they had failed. They had each attacked, been defended against, and then created distance.
◇◇◇◇
Using the information from the Communicator Doll and the Multi-legged Ground Carrier’s sensors, I aimed over the fence. The Multi-legged Tank’s main Cannon, a Railgun, fired a Cannon Shell at an initial velocity of 4,000 m/s.
The opposing Warrior Monks did not seem to have the ability to evade Cannon Shells fired from outside their field of vision. The Communicator Doll skillfully manipulated its Cutlass, deflected the opponent’s sword, kicked his torso, and created distance. At that moment, a 100mm Armor-Piercing Shell struck the Warrior Monk directly.
Whether they had some kind of defensive means or were strengthening their bodies. There seemed to be some resistance, but in the end, it pierced through it, and the Cannon Shell destroyed his body.
There was no living creature that could continue to function after having its entire torso blown away.
And the priest, who seemed to be a step stronger than them, was no match for the Multi-legged Tank. If it was a one-on-one fight, and under the condition that projectile weapons were sealed, I could have overwhelmed him.
But the tank’s true strength was its main Cannon.
The barrel, into which a large current was flowing, accelerated the steel Cannon Shell to a speed of 7,000 m/s.
The moment he created distance to escape from the Communicator Doll’s Assault Rifle’s line of fire, a hypersonic Cannon Shell obliterated the priest.
Afterword
Outstanding individuals are good, but after all, numbers. Numbers are power.
Come to think of it, from an outsider’s perspective, this is a complete monster stampede…