Chapter 250: A Brief Interlude (City of the Setting Sun 2)
A spider monster, the size of a house, raced down the street, eliminating the Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi) one after another. A staff-like appendage sprouting from its back emitted blinding flashes and deafening roars, and simultaneously, the Monk Soldiers struck by it were blown apart. Their bodies literally exploded, resulting in instant death.
Some were reduced to mere chunks of flesh, others were crushed beneath its massive legs, while a few were sent flying by its forelegs.
It was a scene of utter devastation.
The spider monster seemed to be targeting the Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi), ignoring the fleeing residents and those who had barricaded themselves inside their homes. Some brave souls armed with farming tools attempted to fight back, but they were dismissed entirely, sent sprawling by the monster’s mere movement, losing consciousness in the process.
The invasion by the giant spider monster had begun, and after approximately fifteen minutes, a swarm of smaller four-legged monsters began to infiltrate the city. Following them were humanoid creatures, roughly the same height as a man, with angular bodies and two legs.
The larger monsters shattered the defenses, paving the way for the smaller ones to assert control. This was a highly tactical maneuver, suggesting the presence of a commanding force orchestrating the assault from behind.
In the church’s chapel, the remaining residents had taken refuge, and the priest ground his teeth in frustration. Most of the Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi) stationed in the city had been slaughtered. Only three Monk Soldiers had managed to escort the residents to safety, while two Saldado (Holy Soldiers) remained, having missed their chance to engage.
Their remaining fighting force totaled a mere six.
It was far too few to contend with those monsters.
Yet, as servants of the divine, they could not abandon the residents they were sworn to protect. They had to resist until the very end.
“Clerics (Svisishieninik), and my sons (Swin), we are about to tread a difficult path. Will you follow me?”
“Yes, Priest!”
“Yes, Priest!”
“No matter the despair we face, we shall not give up. For we are the children of God (Dzeichi Boga).”
Behind them stood the residents they were determined to protect. Their city was being ravaged by monsters. They were the last bastion of hope.
With this resolve, the six of them took their positions before the chapel doors.
The spider monsters had completely surrounded the church.
The main gate was closed, but they could see the silhouettes of the spider monsters prowling outside the walls.
“They don’t seem to be trying to enter…”
“…They are being led by something. They are watching for our next move.”
The priest responded with conviction. And indeed, it seemed true.
They must have been waiting for all six of them to gather. A particularly massive spider monster loomed over the main gate, casting a shadow upon them.
“…!”
It was enormous. The invading spider monsters were already colossal, but the one before them was at least twice their size.
The gigantic creature stretched its legs and effortlessly vaulted over the gate. The walls surrounding the church had been constructed with utmost care, designed to withstand even the mightiest of assaults. They were tall enough that even an adult man could not reach the top with a full jump. Yet, that was no obstacle for this beast.
In their shock at the creature’s sheer size, they had all overlooked something. Several figures were standing atop the monster’s head.
“…There are people up there!?”
“!?”
From a distance of about fifteen paces from the six who had braced themselves, three figures leaped down from the monster’s head.
Even hunched forward, the height of the monster’s head was far greater than the church’s second floor. They had jumped down from there with ease—something no ordinary human could accomplish. Not even the Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi) could manage such a feat.
“Can you understand me?”
The foremost figure spoke, their pronunciation flawless, their voice a beautiful melody in the divine tongue. However, the quality of their voice was troubling—clear and pure, reminiscent of a young girl.
“What is your—what is your purpose?!”
The priest shouted in response.
“Surrender. If you submit, we will not harm you. But if you resist, we will eliminate you.”
Yet, the priest’s inquiry was completely ignored. He shook his head at the demand for surrender.
“We are the children of God (Dzeichi Boga). Surrender is not an option.”
There was no room for negotiation; the priest had come to that conclusion. It was only natural. They were completely surrounded, outnumbered. They lacked the strength to even suggest a negotiation. Their opponents were overwhelming, intent on crushing them.
Without any signal, the six of them sprang into action.
At the forefront were the two Saldado (Holy Soldiers), followed by the priest. The three Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi) spread out in a crescent formation as they charged forward.
“…”
Opposing them were three enemies. Judging by their voices and physiques, they were likely women, and quite petite at that. The priest thought the confrontation would be resolved in an instant.
As soon as the six moved, the three enemies reacted immediately, brandishing some kind of weapon at their waists.
Both the Saldado and the priest clearly observed their movements. The tips of the weapons had openings, and as they aimed them at the six, it became evident they were projectile weapons, resembling guns learned about in training facilities.
If that was the case, they simply needed to evade the line of fire.
With a surge of strength, the priest adjusted his trajectory slightly, escaping the line of fire. He saw flames erupt from the enemy’s weapon, and small projectiles shot forth from the tip.
He was already moving; they would not hit him.
The Saldado (Holy Soldier) closed the distance in an instant, swinging his machete. It seemed as if he had sliced through the enemy, but it was a shallow cut. The projectile weapon, which the enemy had likely dropped in haste, was cleaved in two, but the enemy had already retreated. In that same moment, the enemy drew a cutlass.
The priest did not swing his machete; instead, he thrust it forward with divine speed. However, the enemy reacted swiftly, leaning back and twisting their body to narrowly evade the thrust. The barrel of the projectile weapon, held in their right hand, was now aimed at the priest’s torso.
But this was all within his expectations. Keeping his right hand steady with the machete, he used his left to deflect the barrel upward. He could see the enemy tensing their fingers.
In the next instant, a projectile shot forth from the weapon, accompanied by flames.
It was fast.
Yet, the deflected projectile flew off in a completely different direction. Even if it had hit, he could have endured it. However, the enemy was clearly capable of responding accurately to his movements. Even the slightest opening could prove fatal.
In just a few seconds of intense exchange, both sides had successfully defended against each other’s attacks, creating a brief moment of respite.
Before them stood worthy adversaries. For a moment, they had completely forgotten about the other threats surrounding them.
No, perhaps it was a wishful thought.
If they could defeat the enemy before them, perhaps the situation would turn in their favor.
But before they could act, a projectile, fired from an unseen source at an unimaginable speed, transformed the three Monk Soldiers (Dzeichi) into a cloud of blood.
The spider monsters that had ravaged their city were the true threat.
The three enemies that had appeared—if they could have captured them as prisoners or hostages, there might have been room for negotiation. But they had failed. Each had engaged, been repelled, and created distance between them.
Using the sensor data from the Communicator Androids and the Multi-legged Ground Mother Unit, they took aim over the walls. The main cannon of the Multi-legged Tank, a railgun, unleashed a projectile at an initial speed of 4,000 m/s.
The enemy Monk Soldiers seemed to lack the ability to evade the incoming projectile from outside their line of sight. The Communicator Android skillfully wielded a cutlass, deflecting the enemy’s sword and kicking their torso away, creating distance. In that moment, a 100mm armor-piercing round struck the Monk Soldier directly.
Had they employed some form of defense or physical enhancement? There seemed to be a slight resistance, but ultimately, the round pierced through, obliterating their body.
No creature could continue functioning after having their core blown apart.
And the priest, who was presumed to be stronger than the others, stood no chance against the Multi-legged Tank. In a one-on-one scenario, without the use of projectile weapons, he might have been able to overpower it.
However, the true strength of the tank lay in its main cannon.
The barrel, charged with immense electrical current, could accelerate steel projectiles to an astounding 7,000 m/s.
The moment the priest attempted to distance himself from the line of fire of the Communicator Android’s assault rifle, a hypersonic round obliterated him.
Afterword
While individual prowess is commendable, numbers are power. From an outsider’s perspective, this is nothing short of a monster stampede…