Episode 190: Mr. Altear, Let’s Have a Game
Altear muttered to herself as if lost in thoughts.
“Why does only the head of this statue remain here? I’ve always had such meaningless thoughts.”
Bright red hair swayed in the thick fog. Blood-red eyes were lost in deep thought.
Though her face was mostly hidden by a gas mask brimming with machinery, she was unmistakable due to two striking features.
“Let me remind you once more, even now.”
The red-haired woman… Altear raised her gaze from the statue’s head. Her gaze that pierced into me slightly curved into an arc.
With a faint smile in her eyes, her dry voice rang out.
“No. I will repeat it as many times as necessary until you give up.”
Altear leapt up agilely like a cat.
Perched atop an overturned parade float, she swiftly picked up something lying there.
Groaning under the sheer weight, it became apparent that it was a massive artillery-like device.
‘Spell Gun Gungnir.’
I had gathered information about Altear in advance, allowing me to immediately recognize the apparatus.
This was the legendary Unterland’s anti-Demon King ultimate weapon developed centuries ago, known for its extreme mana consumption and absurd weight, deemed usable only by Altear.
Its appearance was unmistakable, brimming with character.
“For the greater good or for yourself, slaying Zadkiel or killing a witch… Everything that you do has no meaning to me.”
The barrel’s length exceeded my height substantially, with a bore as thick as my thigh.
The main body containing the chamber was even more impressive. An enormous, square slab of iron, surrounded by gleaming steel plates and intricate machinery.
At first glance, it looked like someone had attached a barrel to a refrigerator.
“Mr. Crow, you should return.”
Of course, the most astonishing fact at this moment is… that Altear is effortlessly lifting such an absurdly massive object.
“If you try to take away the refuge I’ve barely reclaimed, I will do my utmost to stop you.”
Clang!
Altear quietly warned me as she aimed the barrel towards me. The way she handled the monstrous object as if it were a toy surpassed astonishment and reached the level of awe.
‘So that’s why…’
Only now did I realize.
Why Altear’s stats were so imbalanced. Her stats were not grotesque, but rather specifically tailored to master that weapon, the Spell Gun Gungnir.
“…Your gaze is remarkably similar to a Witch Knight’s.”
And as she showed no sign of backing down, Altear let out a sigh-like remark.
A faint smile lingered at the corners of her eyes, as if she had anticipated this reaction.
“Ramming (揷彈).”
Churrr!
Following Altear’s quiet command, a cable-like bundle of thin wires emerged from Gungnir like an octopus’s tentacles.
The wriggling wires quickly pierced into Altear’s back.
“Ugh!”
With a low grunt from Altear, blue mana surged through the wires into Gungnir. The square-shaped chamber of Gungnir flashed fiercely.
Spell infusing. She was preparing to use the spell cannon.
“Flowering Fireworks.”
Puuush!
Altear’s incantation concluded as the sophisticated machinery of Gungnir’s barrel started clanking madly.
The exhaust panel then belched out enormous steam while dropping a massive metallic cartridge onto the ground with a thud.
‘What is…!’
Altear raised the barrel towards the sky.
There, a dazzling clump of energy started gathering at the end of the barrel.
A pure and overwhelming conglomeration of mana. Even I, an outsider, was struck with amazement at the massive energy.
“Firing.”
Kaaaaa-boom! With a resounding thunderclap, Gungnir spat flames, shaking the heavens and earth.
Was it due to the tremendous shockwave and recoil? The parade float beneath Altear was crumpled.
Pippiip!
The clump of mana that soared into the sky hovered briefly before breaking apart in all directions.
The dispersed mana dust began suffusing the surroundings with a dreamlike blue light.
[Notice: Mana Overload – The air is saturated with mana.]
[Mana is being restored at a rapid rate continuously. Using mana will consume less than usual. The duration of persistent skills is greatly increased.]
The status window appeared, notifying of the events unfolding before my eyes.
It was certain that Altear harbored hostility towards me. Drawing my sword in anticipation for battle, I still found myself tilting my head in confusion.
“Mana Overload…?”
The projectile fired into the void just now… was it intended to saturate the area in Mana Overload state?
But why? If it was just for her mana to recharge continuously, it could make sense, but why include me too? Such an inefficient act must have a reason.
Numerous questions arose, and answers began to reveal themselves from all sides.
“This dying land doesn’t want you. Neither do I.”
Tung, tung, ter-tung!
The cheerful sound echoed, suddenly brightening the surroundings.
The countless street lamps that had been out of power lit up one after another. Apparently, the surge of mana in the air had restarted their operations.
-Dreams and hope… where life breathes… Skid… Land… Welcome…
And the bizarre voice, intermittently cutting out, echoed.
The strange voice, mixed with fanfares and music box tunes, came from loudspeakers installed around the amusement park.
‘No, it’s not just that…!’
I swallowed and hastily looked around.
Upon closer inspection, I realized that the smaller elements were not the issue.
Altear mockingly said to my astonished self.
“Let’s play a game of tag. It’s a win for you if you can kill me before my comrades guarding other exits arrive.”
Clacket, clacket, clacket.
Countless mascot automatons, their clockwork mechanisms grinding, approached from all sides like a zombie horde.
The giant Gyro Drop nearby stood upright, rapidly moving up and down. The carousel spun wildly like a runaway colt.
The massive Ferris wheel emitted brilliant light as it moved slowly with a heavy mechanical sound.
And thudududud!
A roller coaster hurtled towards Altear from the overhead track.
“The tagger is of course you.”
Altear said those words and leapt vertically high into the air.
Clunk! She softly landed on the lead car of the roller coaster, which then accelerated at an incredible speed upon her boarding.
“Eh?!”
Naturally, I let out a cry of alarm.
As I stared blankly like a chicken chasing its own tail, the roller coaster roared past overhead with a thunderous sound.
Altear quickly disappeared from sight.
“No, seriously, what the hell!”
I found myself uttering that phrase frequently recently. Damn it. Annoyed by such thoughts, I immediately used Black Wings.
Whoosh! I ascended into the air with the wings I summoned, desperately chasing after the departing tail of the roller coaster.
“Ge setke-raaaa!!”
*
A chaotic roller coaster game of tag continued for a while.
The roller coaster circled the track without stop, and its speed grew increasingly reckless.
As I engaged in a desperate chase, I muttered in bewilderment.
“Seriously… does that girl not feel nauseous or something?!”
My stomach was about to turn from flying around the track like an annoying fly, while Altear’s expression, stuck to the roller coaster like glue, remained composed without a flicker.
“It won’t be easy. Mr. Crow.”
Rather, just as I thought I was about to catch her, there would be a timely crash of metal, sensed keenly through a Hero Sense.
When I looked, the barrel of Gungnir was accurately aimed at my face.
A brief command from Altear could be heard.
“Ramming. Lightning Thief.”
Kaboom! Zzzzap!
A thunderous blast rang out from the front as thick lightning split into seven streaks, charging forward.
It was literally as breathtaking as a sudden downpour of lightning in a clear sky.
“Ugh!”
I was already flailing my body wildly.
I managed to alter my flight trajectory with inertia. The blue lightnings grazed past my back by a hair’s breadth, sending shivers down my spine.
But that was not the end. It was rather the beginning.
“Ramming. SNOW PIERCER.”
The energy gathering at the end of Gungnir’s barrel suddenly changed character.
Crunch. The surrounding air froze with icy mana. Soon, the gathered frost scattered and flew like shotgun pellets.
Kaboom! Kaboom! The vision was covered with huge icicles and hailstones falling everywhere.
“Kuaaaa!”
I skillfully flapped my wings to evade the dazzling hail of icicles, but with such dense fire, I had to endure numerous small cuts.
The issue wasn’t those tiny wounds.
[Abnormal Status – Frostbite]
[Part of the body or items may freeze. Movement is restricted until the condition is healed. If left untreated, it will lead to frostbite.]
Crunch. Frost began forming around the wounds, with the skin gradually losing color and sensation. My flesh was freezing in real time.
I groaned and swallowed the Water Essence. The frost swirling around me disappeared instantly.
‘And there are only two left..!?’
I’ve already consumed half of my Essences just chasing the rat-like woman’s rear end, being hit by all sorts of strange magic bullets.
To make matters worse, as the saying goes, an even bigger problem arose.
“Ah, oh, ah?”
My diligent flapping abruptly stopped. I let out an alarmed cry.
It was natural that the icicles had grazed my Raven Wings as well, and now the torn parts were frozen solid.
“Damn it!”
If I keep falling like this, it’s sure to result in fatal injuries.
Eventually, I attempted to glide at the lowest possible altitude while releasing my Raven Wings.
“Ughh!”
Ka-ka-ka-kachunk! I planted my twin swords into the ground to brake. After sliding quite a distance, I finally came to a stop. Waving off the numbness in my arms, I looked up at the sky.
My eyes widened.
“Damn it!”
Next to me, atop a Viking boat.
There stood Altear who had already dismounted from the roller coaster. She was glaring at me with a fiery light at the end of her barrel.
With a forced laugh and a mumbled curse.
“Ramming. Hell’s Apocalypse.”
Upon Altear’s activation command, Kabooooom! A thunderous sound reverberated. A downpour of pure white flames filled my vision and poured towards me.
It was a sight like the end of the world.
“Fatality Sho…!”
I extended my hand forward and shouted.
Only to bite my tongue halfway through when I remembered.
Damn, the Raven Wings were already frozen solid. I gritted my teeth and started running at full speed.
“Uuh!!”
With a hair’s breadth, I escaped the blizzard of pure white bombs. Behind me, massive chain explosions occurred and the shockwave pushed me back.
Kuang-dang-thud! After flying quite a distance, I rolled on the ground and barely pushed off the ground to stand.
“I…!”
Straightening my posture and grinding my teeth, I looked up.
Altear was already standing gracefully on the top of the Gyro Drop she had jumped onto.
“Hmph.”
Still smiling faintly, she looked down at me from high above.
Unable to contain my frustration, I jumped up and down and screamed like a madman.
“Don’t run away! Face me in battle! You bastard!!”
It was the pathetic and dog-like desperation of a chicken chasing after a rat.
