Chapter 94

“Nisia, between the buildings!”

“Okay!”

At my words, Nisia reacts immediately.

The Colossus glides and moves, and a barrage of fire aimed at our previous location rains down like a storm.

The asphalt cracks from the consecutive explosions, and dust and smoke spread in all directions.

“Colossus! Fire!”

At my command, the turrets on the Colossus’s shoulders simultaneously discharge a salvo of fire.

The projectiles quickly hurtle toward the enemy.

An explosion spreads a cloud of black smoke, but once again, the attack fails to penetrate the enemy’s barrier.

‘The damage is accumulating though….’

The Colossus slips behind a building.

Tracer fire follows a split second later, narrowly missing us.

“Whump! Bang!”

The attack narrowly grazes the building with a loud bang.

The remaining windows shatter under the fierce bombardment, chunks of concrete break off, and gray smoke spreads.

“Nisia, fall back another block!”

“Okay!”

After retreating to a clearly safe position, I issue a command to the Colossus.

“Colossus, reload!”

The steel giant swiftly swaps out the 30mm machine gun’s clip and reloads the Hydra rocket pods.

The sound of the empty magazine clattering to the ground echoes.

“Edu, what do we do?”

“For now, we need to find a way to break through that barrier….”

At this rate, we might eventually penetrate the barrier with continued bombardment. However, the difference in specs between us and our opponent is clear.

Persisting with brute force against such an enemy carries too great a risk.

That’s when, while surveying the surroundings, I suddenly have an idea of how to strike through its barrier.

Clunk. Fzzt, Fzzzzt—

“!!”

A well-known noise reverberates through the air.

That sound could only be the sound made while preparing a plasma cannon.

“Nisia, get out of here!”

In a rush, she thrusts the control lever forward.

Fire spews from the propulsion system, and the mecha glides forward as though it’s sliding.

A fleeting sound of thunder strikes where we were just a moment later.

The plasma beam pierces the spot where we stood.

The building now bears a massive hole.

A crash sounds, and the building begins to tilt slowly as its shadow looms over the ground.

“Ugh!”

Nisia moves the Colossus forward.

The furniture and debris inside the building rain down onto the city.

With that, the building, having reached its limit, tips over toward the ground.

Kuuuuuuaaang!!!

The shockwave from the collapse violently shakes the Colossus.

Immense clouds of dust rise, obscuring the view.

Somehow, we dodged the attack, but letting it get too far away would only benefit the enemy.

“Nisia, to the right!”

“Uhm, okay!”

Skillfully, she maneuvers the Colossus into the adjacent road.

At that moment, I notice something through the dense forest of buildings.

Unlike the others, a few high-rise buildings have burned black.

If that works…!

“Nisia, do you see those blackened buildings?”

I point to the screen as her head nods affirmatively.

“Yeah.”

“I’ve got a good plan. Can you approach the enemy from this side?”

By tapping on the map in the lower right corner of the screen, I convey the precise details to Nisia.

“If this works… Got it, I’ll try!”

Colossus accelerates again.

Upon turning clockwise and exiting onto the street, a giant flame halts our advance.

“Uh, wha!?”

Reacting to the sharply angled control lever, Colossus dodges to the side.

The cloud of fire swiftly crosses the road, leaving only embers in its wake.

A hail of bullets rains down where we had been.

A relentless barrage of gunfire continues as if refusing our approach.

Clunk, clunk.

Creeeeek, creeeeek.

The discordant sounds gradually move away.

At the sound, a smile creeps onto my face.

‘As expected, the pattern of movement is the same.’

AOE enemies are divided into four types based on their attack methods.

The first type is the charge type that attacks at close quarters.

The second is the close-range type that attacks from nearby.

The third is the mid-range type that maintains a moderate distance.

The fourth is the long-range type that attacks from a distance.

The long-range type enemies had a rather unique pattern of movement.

Specifically, they tried to maintain a certain distance from the enemy.

Thus, when these types of enemies are approached, they are sure to retreat to increase the distance.

And both Arondight and Tyrfing are long-range type attackers.

“E-Edu!”

“It’s fine, this is working according to plan. Let’s move to the adjacent block!”

“A, okay!”

The Colossus glides again.

And there it is.

As expected, the Tyrfing, tilting its chassis, is slowly moving backward to create distance.

Once it has established its distance, it comes to a stop at the edge of the road.

‘Alright, now…!’

“Nisia, let’s move again. This time to this side.”

“A, okay.”

Once more, we loop through the city streets, guiding its movements.

From left to right.

From behind to downwards.

Even though there were moments where my heart sank due to incoming plasma beams, somehow things were proceeding smoothly.

After several such movements,

Finally, it stops at the entrance of the blackened building forest.

“Right now! Charge!”

With a crash as my body recoils, Nisia steadies me, mitigating the shock as she holds on.

The Tyrfing, noticing us, immediately aims its autocannon our way.

“Colossus! Fire the right-side rockets!”

Within the blink of an eye, a barrage of missiles are launched towards it.

The autocannon aimed at us diverts to intercept, disrupting its aim.

Poomf, Bang!

The missiles explode mid-air, igniting plumes of fire.

Taking advantage of that moment, we close in on the Tyrfing.

“Jump!”

“!!”

With a heavy mechanical sound, the Colossus launches into the air.

A fierce blaze engulfs the space we had been occupying.

In the blink of an eye.

“Colossus! Use all remaining weapons to collapse the building!”

The Colossus tilts slightly to the side.

Intense artillery fire is unleashed into the pitch-black building, obliterating one of its facades.

Gugugg, Gugug—

Sounds like thunder echo, and the building slowly tilts over before crashing down.

[!!]

It was only then that it realizes our intention, but the collapse has already begun.

“Retreat immediately!”

“Okay!!”

Nisia touches down on the ground, increasing Colossus’s speed to create distance from the Tyrfing.

The Tyrfing, visibly disoriented, hesitantly aims at the building before switching back to target us again.

Its looming shadow falls over it.

The darkness gradually deepens, and the building collapses.

Perreer-!!

The ground shakes violently with the shockwave.

An immense amount of dust rapidly spreads across the city streets, and in the aftermath, another unstable building above it tilts and collapses onto its position.

Like dominoes, the chain of collapses unfolds.

Covered beneath the ruins of numerous buildings, the Tyrfing is completely concealed.

“Whew, we did it…!”

“Colossus, replenish weapons!”

In response to the command, a massive amount of mana drains from my body.

All of Colossus’s depleted armaments are rapidly restored in no time at all.

Back to its original state, Colossus.

Still, the sudden consumption of a significant amount of mana leaves me with a mild headache.

“Eh, Edu?”

“It’s not over yet, Nisia.”

“Eh…?”

Flinching at my words, she looks toward the space where the Tyrfing had been.

And we hear it.

…Clunk.

…Creek.

A discordant sound as metal grinds against metal.

Vibration spreads in all directions, followed by a massive explosion and debris scattering everywhere.

A long body is hoisted skyward.

It descends slowly, as if in slow motion, and slams forcefully onto the ground with a thunderous bang.

The Tyrfing reappears.

While outwardly unscathed, something has clearly changed.

“Colossus, fire one round from the 30mm machine gun.”

The Colossus raises its arm in response to the command.

A spark erupts from the muzzle, and a bullet flies toward the Tyrfing.

Ting!

A small spark flares on the armor.

Smiling, I confirm that the thick barrier it had been encased in has shattered.

“Good, let’s go again!”

“Uh, okay!!”

The Colossus quickly accelerates.

The Tyrfing also attempts to retarget and counterattack, but we’re faster.

“Colossus, unleash all firepower on the enemy’s arsenal!”

All guns simultaneously discharge their fire.

Without its barrier, shells and missiles soar toward the Tyrfing’s arsenal.

Boom! Pereng!

A sequence of explosions and flames.

The Tyrfing’s autocannons are destroyed one by one as Colossus accelerates faster.

Kuuu-

The body inclines slightly, and energy builds up in the propulsion systems.

Without even needing an order, Nisia accurately understands my intention and maneuvers the Colossus.

Bang.

The Colossus leaps through the air.

In that fleeting moment, the rocket pods are reloaded with missiles, and the cannons mounted on its shoulders realign.

“Aim for the broken turrets! Fire!”

The barrage.

A massive explosion clears a path, and the following 95mm shells rip through the Tyrfing, tearing its interior apart.

Perpeng! Kuaaang!!

Pressure bursts from within, crumpling the armor.

Missiles penetrate the gaps, and flames and smoke billow as the Tyrfing’s right track can no longer endure the damage and collapses.

[!!]

The restricted movement of the Tyrfing.

From that moment on, the battle dynamics completely change.

Sweeping through the burning city and endlessly replenishing its arsenal, it continues pelting with fire.

“Keep firing!”

Kwang, Pung!

The Tyrfing’s armor remained robust, but it has fewer means of retaliation left.

After blowing all the autocannons away, the enemy stands before us.

A large flamethrower aimed at us.

The steel dragon’s exhaled breath burns the scorched earth, but the black knight had already moved away.

Kuung.

Landing behind the Tyrfing, the Colossus discards the now-empty 30mm machine gun.

In its hand, it grips a long sword faintly glowing like moonlight – the Molecular Blade.

Wiiiiiing—

The tiny blade spins fiercely, emitting a sharp, shrill noise.

Clunk. Fzzt, Fzzzzt—

The Tyrfing deploys its plasma cannon and trains the turret toward us.

Nisia thrusts the control lever violently, and the black knight dashes over the scorched ground.

A daring charge, just like a knight in a fairytale felling a dragon.

The slash cuts through the darkness over the city, and a silver streak of a sword strike traces the air.

The Tyrfing’s armor is cleanly severed.

Beyond that lies the channel transferring energy from its power source to the plasma cannon.

[!!]

Fzzt, Fzzzzz.

Sparks crackling from the plasma cannon.

The violent sparks flying in all directions gradually settle, and the plasma turret slowly turns red.

The energy, having nowhere to go, races out of control and engulfs the Tyrfing.

Perpeng, Kuaaaaaang!!!

The plasma turret bends and warps under the force of the internal explosion.

Thick railings buckle as the internal plates force their way out, blasting the thick external armor.

Bang.

The Colossus lands on the ground.

Completing its task, the six-meter steel giant accelerates and moves away from the area.

The emotionless mechanical voice emanates from the abandoned Tyrfing,

[…Severe damage to primary armaments. Problems detected in core components and power systems. Emergency procedures impossible.]

Calm self-diagnosis continues,

[Further tactical actions judged impossible. Initiating annihilation and disposal processes for all armaments.]

Sensors of the Tyrfing begin to blink.

Remaining weapons explode, detaching from the body, and the power source begins to go critical, seeping bright white light from within.

Such an alien light that it consumes even the flames.

And an enormous explosion shakes the entire Fangju.

….

Clunk. Fzzt, Fzzzzt—

The unpleasant noise echoes again.

Even Freya and Ryuje frown at the sound.

“Hmph….”

Freya exhales coarsely while staring at the Arondight from far away, locking on this way.

“Not a good situation.”

Ryuje also stands beside her, holding the large scythe and standing his ground.

Before them lie traces of fierce combat.

Molten and charred asphalt and the debris wall over which the red blood splattered by Ryuze’s bats have dried.

“It seems like if we could get closer, it might work…”

“Hmm, I agree with that, but….”

The distance separating her and the Arondight.

He maintains a thorough distance, firing plasma shots.

Every time they attempted an approach, it targeted the people behind them, not allowing even minimal retaliation.

But both knew better than anyone that merely dragging out a war of attrition would do no good.

“Hmm… Let me endure an attack, and you try to approach the enemy, Director?”

“Is that alright?”

“Do it or don’t, we have to do something. Isn’t Edu doing the same?”

Clenching her fist firmly, Freya speaks.

At that moment, a black cloud erupts from a distant section of the city.

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

A massive explosion was so grand that it momentarily caused both of them to stop battling and turn their heads in that direction.

A shockwave arrives a beat late, shaking the ground, and a loud explosion echoes in their ears.

[…!?]

The Arondight halts its action.

Having realized something, the enemy’s actions suddenly change.

The energy supplied to the turrets stops, and the infinite tracks begin to rotate in the opposite direction.

The one that had been moving away slowly now completely rotates its body and retreats at full speed.

“…What?”

“Hmm…?”

The unexpectedly ended battle confuses Freya and Ryuje as something approaches from the distance.

A steel giant, towering at six meters and laden with countless armaments.

With dignified bearing like a returning knight, Freya and Ryuje get a vague sense of what has happened.

A faint smile appears on both their faces.

“Seems like we’ve been saved by Edu this time?”

“Yeah, that kid’s truly great.”

As the short words are exchanged, the giant’s metal feet scrape against the ground, sparking, before halting in front of the duo.

The Colossus raises its left hand to its chest.

The frontal armor opens, revealing two young girls inside.

“Director, Freya-san!”

The little girl riding on Nisia’s back waves her hand.

She waves to Edu as well.

“What about Arondight?”

“It retreated after the explosion.”

“Ah, retreated?”

“Yeah, let’s continue the story on the way back, what do you think?”

“Ah, yes!”

—

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