“Lost the target.”
The telescopic image on the front display showed nothing but billowing dirt and sand.
As expected, there hadn’t been time to set up sensors deep within the Demon Forest, so battlefield observation could only be done remotely.
“Reconnaissance drone en route. ETA approximately 10 minutes.”
“Couldn’t send it ahead, so I guess we have no choice…”
To avoid being detected by ＜The Reflector＞, no automated machines had been dispatched nearby.
There were a few attached to its massive shell, but they were all destroyed in the previous attack.
Currently, a reconnaissance drone that had been on standby was being rushed to the scene.
“The dust cloud should clear in a few minutes. We should be able to visually confirm ＜The Reflector＞,”
＜Ringo＞ reported, analyzing the information from the field.
The telescopic image switched, displaying a distant view.
There, a giant mushroom-shaped cloud of smoke was visible.
“Oh… that’s quite something…”
The surrounding atmosphere, heated by the immense heat generated by the Burnstone, had become superheated, creating a rapid updraft.
The mushroom cloud continued to grow, rising with considerable force.
“Onee-sama! The analysis results are in!”
As Eve silently watched the scene, Asahi rushed over, shouting.
“Oh, I’ll pass it on to Iris-san too! Take a look when you have time!”
“Understood.”
＜Iris＞, who was controlling the operation, probably didn’t have time to check the detailed data. She was likely only reviewing the summary information that Asahi had created.
Depending on the results, future operations would be greatly affected.
“We should be able to confirm it visually soon! But for now, here’s a report estimating the effectiveness of the attack, based on the information we gathered before it was completely covered in dust!”
The direct hit from the cannon shells should have caused some damage to ＜The Reflector＞.
Much of the kinetic energy of the warheads had been converted into light and heat upon impact.
Light, of course, and heat, could be observed remotely as infrared radiation.
By integrating information from multiple sensors that had picked up these signals, they had estimated what had happened on the ground.
“Now, now! Something I was a little curious about! The Burnstone warheads collided with the Magic Barrier, generating an incredible amount of heat…”
In the super slow-motion footage, Burnstone warheads collided with the Magic Barrier one after another. The warheads were crushed in an instant, and immediately after, a dazzling sphere of light appeared.
The extreme heat generated at that point heated the surrounding air, creating a Fireball.
And the heat rays emitted from these Fireballs scorched ＜The Reflector＞.
As the image was rapidly filled with Fireballs, a brief moment was captured where it seemed to retract its head into its shell.
There was hope that the head might have been damaged, but it seemed that was too much to expect.
However.
It was confirmed from the images that the heat rays from the Burnstone had inflicted significant thermal damage to ＜The Reflector＞’s shell.
Experiments using ＜Rain Croin＞ had demonstrated that the flesh of Threat Creatures, when scorched by the heat of Burnstone, experienced a significant drop in strength.
In other words, there was a very high possibility that ＜The Reflector＞’s shell had lost its Magic (Fantasy)-like toughness.
“As you can see, the shell is thoroughly heated, and the surface is deformed! This means that the heat is penetrating the Magic Barrier! In this state, the subsequent Depleted Uranium Warheads should have hit directly, but…”
But.
The next image was shocking again.
“Here it is! I’ll replay it in slow motion. It seems that several warheads hit directly! However, this shell… it seems to have exploded all at once, separately from the timing of the warhead impacts!”
In the image, the shell exploded. Fragments of various sizes scattered like buckshot.
Around this point, the smoke and Fireballs expanded, obscuring ＜The Reflector＞’s body. Therefore, no further information could be obtained from the image analysis.
“The shell, it seems, exploded on its own! The analysis suggests that most of the subsequent cannon shells collided with these fragments before they could hit directly!”
“Eh… what the heck…”
The shell surface automatically exploding due to damage.
It was as if.
“Reactive Armor…? Does that monster have that kind of function too???”
Eve muttered in astonishment.
But Asahi added,
“Well, Onee-sama! This is still just speculation, but the analysis results suggest that it didn’t seem to have a Reactive Armor-like function from the beginning!”
According to Asahi.
The moisture or some other substance contained within the shell was rapidly evaporated by the extreme heat. The explosively expanding substance caused the destroyed shell surface to scatter.
“The analysis AI suggests that this reaction might have occurred specifically because of the attack involving high temperatures! But well, this Reactive Armor phenomenon is a problem…”
If these fragments collided with the high-speed cannon shells, they would impart a considerable impact to the warheads.
As a result, the Burnstone embedded in the tip would generate heat due to the impact pressure.
This meant that the generation of heat, which weakened the Magic (Fantasy)-like toughness, likely occurred much earlier than intended.
“The plan was to have them hit the shell directly, generate heat while embedding themselves, and penetrate the shell in one go! But the thermal damage to the shell may have been significantly reduced!”
Of course, the destructive power of the Depleted Uranium Warheads traveling at hypersonic speeds was tremendous.
Without the Magic Barrier, they should have been able to inflict sufficient damage.
However, there was no doubt that combining them with Burnstone would have allowed for a greater impact.
“It seems that if the shell’s constituent material contains a substance with high thermal conductivity, such an explosion phenomenon might occur. The analysis AI has come up with some pretty sharp predictions! I’m glad I educated it!”
“…This won’t be easy… The smoke should be clearing soon.”
Even as Eve was receiving this explanation from Asahi, the situation on the ground was changing moment by moment.
The dust and smoke were thinning in some areas, caught in the intense updraft caused by the cannon shell impacts.
Through these gaps, ＜The Reflector＞’s figure could finally be seen.
“Oh! It’s coming into view!”
“What… what does this mean…?”
In the image, shimmering with heat haze.
＜The Reflector＞’s destroyed shell could be seen.
And the fact that it appeared to be wet and red was proof of bloodshed.
“Damage to the target confirmed. Calculating the amount of damage.”
＜Iris＞, who had received the information, continued real-time analysis.
How much damage had this series of bombardments inflicted on ＜The Reflector＞?
If it could be confirmed as an effective means of attack, all that remained was to repeat it.
But that expectation would soon be betrayed.
“Detecting a large-scale vibration phenomenon.”
＜Iris＞, closest to the front lines, was the first to notice the phenomenon.
The earth was shaking.
A sound like a rumble, like a roar, echoed around.
“…!?” It’s sinking!?”
In the image.
＜The Reflector＞’s mountain-like giant body was visibly lowering.
“…Ah! Onee-sama, it’s trying to escape underground!”
“Wait, wait, wait! Is that even possible!”
Amidst Eve’s screams.
＜The Reflector＞ disappeared with tremendous force, as if being sucked into the ground.
It’s a classic trope for giant monsters to escape into the ground! (Or is it?)
The Tree’s miscalculation was that The Reflector was tougher than expected.
It was supposed to soften up with the Burnstone cannon shells…!
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