Arc 20: Calamity Comes
Chapter 163: The Melee and the Appearance of Advanced Cla.s.s
「Seenooo ！！」
Just as I pa.s.s by them, I strike at the cores of each Fureizu and kill them. The first two bodies which are continuing to fly are split similarly into two.
The third one, the fourth one, one by one I continue to cut down every single flying Fureizu.
A group of Fureizu is running through while raising clouds of dust below me who serves as the opponent for the flying types. There is no choice but to entrust those to Rain-san’s group. My duty is, first of all, to annihilate the flying types. I was lucky that there were no flying types of intermediate-cla.s.s like that Manta.
While das.h.i.+ng through the sky with [Fly], I immediately descend and a.s.sault the Fureizu moving on the ground after I finish killing all of the flying type Fureizu facing me. I mainly hunt the lower-cla.s.s ones and ignore those huge intermediate-cla.s.ses.
I continue to grasp the movements of Fureizu while constantly displaying the map. The most distant group has also started to move going in this direction. Rather than moving normally, they are moving at about several times the speed in a straight line.
「It’s about time the battle at site “A” will begin. I have to promptly go towards site “B”」
With how things are going, all of the Fureizu in Yuuron will go towards Rain-san’s direction.
After opening [Gate], I come out at site “B” among Yae’s group that is currently on standby. The allied forces of Misumido and Ramisshu welcome me.
《After this, I’m going to call out Fureizu towards here. Individual deployment! Prepare for battle》
《As you will》
I send a telepathic communication to Kohaku. It’s my expectation for Kokaku to convey that to everyone present here through Yae. While looking at each Frame Gear that is beginning to take a distance in a place they won’t become a hindrance even if they brandish their weapons, I break the slide taken out from my breast pocket with a snap.
Among Fureizu moving in the direction of site “A” a part forks from the nearby flock towards site “B” and about the half of all Fureizu starts coming this way. Since there were already no more flying types, they were moving here with the same general speed.
「Search. Display the current amount of Fureizu 」
『Acknowledged. …..Search completed. 12017 bodies』
The displayed number starts decreasing one by one, 12016, 12015. The reason is that the battle at site “A” has already started. Or rather, weren’t there a little bit over 13000 of them the first time I looked it up if I’m not mistaken? That End-guy, has he defeated more than 1000 of them by himself…..?
After leaping up with [Fly], I stand on the shoulder of Yae’s frame.
「In a couple of minutes, the first group of Fureizu will arrive here. After this, I will be relying on you」
『I understand ~degozaru. Leave it to me』
I then move towards Elsie’s location at site “C” after opening [Gate] once more.
Beside Elsie’s deep crimson frame equipped with transparent-colored gauntlets, Monica’s scarlet frame carrying a crystal pipe wrench made per her request as well as Nicola-san in a base-colored black knight greet me.
《The battle has already started at both site “A” and site “B”. I will lure out the remaining ones here》
《As you will》
《Roger~》
While listening to the replies of Kokyou and Sango, I break the slide the third time. A few percent of Fureizu moving in the direction of site “B” started to divert their course towards here.
「U~n…… the dispersion was not done as I’ve thought it would」
Whether the timing for breaking the preparation was bad, it seems that the dispersion was not done in three parts fairly.
While looking at the map as the scope, I’ve noticed that the ratio of dispersion of those moving towards each of the sites was as follows: 50% towards site “A”, 30% towards site “B” and 20% towards site “C”.
「The burden on Rain-san’s group will be great with the way the battle is going…..」
I have decided to send several units from this site “C” to site “A” since the numbers facing this direction are few.
I then raise my voice while standing on the shoulder of Monica’s frame.
「Monica and 20 units from the Brunhild Knight Order will be sent to site “A”. I will send you behind that site, but the battle has already begun there so please be careful」
『Hee~, I am itching to put my skills to use. It will be okay, Master. I will kill them all』
After opening [Gate], I move both Monica’s and the other’s respective frames to site “A”. There was already a violent battle unfolding when we have arrived as site “A”.
While kicking the crawling around the lower-cla.s.ses and mowing down them with weapons, they turn towards the intermediate-cla.s.s ones, draws near them, and attack the.
「Let’s go !」
I cut down the lower-cla.s.ses trying to leap at a Frame Gear as I jump out from the shoulder of Monica’s frame. With that occurring again and again, the reinforcements, which have just transferred here, plunged into the enemies with Monica’s machine as a vanguard.
『Move aside, move aside~！』
The pipe wrench that is swung downwards by Monica’s machine drives into the torso of an intermediate-cla.s.s fighting with a heavy knight. The intermediate-cla.s.s crumbles down into small pieces, and she tramples on the rolled out core with a “snap” sound. She then continues to kick the lower-cla.s.ses still present in the surroundings with her whole might.
In order to not be mistaken as an enemy and be kicked, I also take a distance from Frame Gears while continuing to tidy up the lower-cla.s.ses. When I look at the number of Fureizu displayed on the map floating beside me, it showed “10852”.
The battle at site “B” has commenced as well. It will also probably start at site “C” shortly. I have to finish the small fries without delay. When I think about that, a telepathic communication comes from Kougyoku.
《Lord. Regulus machine number 15 has received serious damage. It is withdrawing from the front》
! ? I go towards the site after doing a map search. Over there, a heavy knight was rolling about with a destroyed left ankle and a right arm cut down starting from shoulder. The head is crushed in half as well.
I get closer in order to affirm that the pilot is no longer there just in case and open the chest hatch. There was no one in here. It seems the pilot was properly transferred to headquarters.
I put away the broken Frame Gear into [Storage]. While I was doing that, a telepathic communication came again.
《Master! Regulus machine number 15 can return to the front !》
《What is the pilot’s condition?》
《No problem. The person himself is telling he can go》
《Understood. Have him be on standby at the transfer formation》
I am relieved at the voice of Rosetta reaching here through Cerberos at the headquarters. It seems like the pilot is safe.
Then I summon the heavy knight standing on top of the transfer formation at the headquarters to this battleground once again after opening [Gate].
The heavy knight that appears from among the reserve frames was the same as the one I have put away some time ago from head to toe. But its shoulder coating was different. Its painted with a purple [15] hand-written in scribbles on the left shoulder and the purple painting on its right shoulder exposed that difference.
As long as it’s possible to discern the individual pilots, something like appearances are irrelevant due to the way circ.u.mstances are currently.
The Regulus machine number 15 immediately returned to the battle after it slightly bowed to me.
All of the intermediate-cla.s.s Fureizu were defeated before long, and the clean-up battle with lower-cla.s.ses started. Basically, the lower-cla.s.ses are about as big as medium-sized dogs if I a.s.sume that the Frame Gear has the same size as a regular human. A lot of Fureizu are being crushed each time a weapon is swung.
《The next group will arrive in about 5 minutes. The people who are done should take a break at once》
《Roger》
I convey it so to Kougyoku who is together with Rain-san. After opening [Gate] to site “C” this time, I then go that way.
In contrast to other sites, we are taking an initiative and are defeating the opponents whose numbers at site “C” are scarce. I am considering if I should send this war potential to the other sites.
The battle at site “C” has already begun too. As I’ve thought, the intermediate-cla.s.ses are being cornered by several Frame Gears while the lower-cla.s.ses are being kicked about.
I also plunge into that free-for-all battle and mainly cut down lower-cla.s.ses one by one. Even if I continue cutting them down one by one, they are surging forth……
《Lord. Ramisshu machine number 11 is seriously damaged》
The voice of Kohaku resounds inside my head. Is that on site “B”? This surely is busy! Come on! I have to go back there again even though I have just arrived at site “C”.
After having flown to site “B”, I collect the broken heavy knight and send out Ramisshu machine number 11 into the battlefield once again.
When I confirm the displayed number of Fureizu with a glance, it has decreased to a number of 9243. Has it decreased below 10000 already?
It will be a critical situation from here on out.
===================Scene-Change========================
I kill and kill and continue to kill. I smash the swarming Fureizu one by one while das.h.i.+ng through the skies above the battleground.
During this time, I also collect the seriously damaged frames and send out the spare units with the previously transferred people inside them onto the battlefield once more.
Thankfully, no one had died yet. But there was quite a number of people who had received brain concussion due to the impact caused by a frame falling down after it received a blow from a Fureizu or people who were similarly injured due to them being attacked close to the c.o.c.kpit. The medical treatment is being done at the headquarters, but it’s a certainty that our numbers are decreasing little by little.
Still, everyone’s fatigue becomes visible when they have to defeat 50 opponents each. The number of people receiving serious damage keeps on increasing as well.
There are also still many more Fureizu coming towards the three sites upon confirmation of that on the map. The number has been already cut down to 5000, but our side is close to their limits in some ways.
『Haaa~！！』
Elsie’s fist breaks the body of an intermediate-cla.s.s and smashes the core that flew out to smithereens with an overtaking leg swing. Beside her, the spear of the Rifurizu Knight Order’s Vice-Commander (I had the vice-commanders and commanders of each country to hold Fureizu-made weapons) splendidly skewered the core of another intermediate-cla.s.s.
Getting on the shoulder of that Rifurizu commander’s machine, I call out to him.
「Excuse me. The numbers here have already diminished considerably, so I will move Rifurizu Knight Order to site “B”」
『Understood. Please wait for a bit』
As the voice audible from the outside speakers paused, the frames of the surrounding Rifurizu Knight Order stepped up in this direction.
I move a total of 17 machines towards the rear of site “B”. I moved also there at the same time while still riding on the shoulder of the commanding machine.
A heroic battle was unfolding between the allied forces of Brunhild, Ramisshu, Misumido and the Fureizu opponents at site “B”. Moreover, Rifurizu starts partic.i.p.ating there.
While stopping with a s.h.i.+eld the crystal arrows that were shot, a heavy knight strikes a Fureizu using the war club 《Mace》 with applied force. The blow was to the degree of causing cracks, and the other heavy knights downpour their opponent with a rain of war club 《Mace》 attacks one after another. If I look at it objectively, it looks like a group beating the h.e.l.l out of someone, but it can’t be helped in that situation. If one is negligent, that person will be the one receiving damage.
Even during that time, a group of lower-cla.s.ses start jumping in succession. The heavy knights carefully smash the cores of collapsed Fureizu while knocking them down with weapons.
It seems that the way to knock them down came with experience, but it is visible how fatigue keeps gathering to such an extent. It feels like their movements are becoming slower somehow.
「Are？」
A red frame running through the battlefield with great speed is visible from the other side. That’s not Elsie. Elsie is at site “C”, and this is site “B”. Then is that End?
I was thinking without any doubt that he would quickly conceal his presence once the battle started. It seems like he unexpectedly possess a strong sense of duty.
While doing a boisterous dance with a pair of swords prepared in his hands, he slaughters Fureizu one by one in a flash. He accurately aims at Fureizu cores with that speed, thrusts, sweeps, and cuts them down. That surely is a peerless state indeed.
As I fly in the direction where End is, the chest hatch opens and End shows his face.
「Yaa~, Touya. I am thinking about leaving soon, but will that be okay? 」
「I am already somewhat saved by all the help you are giving」
「No-no, there are some circ.u.mstances, you see. It’s unreasonable time-wise, you know. Let me give you a warning instead」
End raises one finger while floating an impish smile. A warning? What is that about?
「An [Advanced-Cla.s.s] will appear in roughly five minutes to the northwest from right here. It will be better to move back everyone at once you know」
「Wha~…！？」
An advanced cla.s.s !? Fureizu ! ?
「Why！？」
「I think that it’s probably the fault of so many of them coming out through the barrier; the opened seam has been enlarged temporarily. And because it’s likely that the seam will return to its original size as well after just one of the advanced-cla.s.ses comes through, it will be fine even if you don’t worry that much about it」
Saying it will be fine even if you don’t worry…..! It is not that simple!
「Well, in any case, take care. See you soon」
「Ah, Oi! ?」
End disappeared together with the dragon knight in front of me like a ghost would. As I’ve thought, this guy probably can use a magic of transition system as well. But that’s not the time for that!
《Kohaku! Have everyone present at the northeast evacuate from there ! An advanced cla.s.s will apparently appear there in five minutes ! Hurry up》
《 ! ? Un~, Understood !》
Did he convey the news? The Frame Gears start to evacuate from the northeast one by one. Even during that time, they were smas.h.i.+ng Fureizu in the surrounding areas and the displayed number of Fureizu on the map lowered to 2517 when I looked at it. And only a little bit was left!
We have already been fighting for about three hours, and everyone’s fatigue is reaching its peak. Will they be able to handle the advanced cla.s.s as an opponent in that state?
Suddenly, a sound of vibration reverberates as if the atmosphere is trembling. Among the trembling of the crackling air, cracks start to appear in the sky before my eyes.
The cracks seem to appear in the air, or rather, in the airs.p.a.ce. A portion of it breaks with a snap in a blink of an eye and a huge key talon becomes visible.
Breaking the sky as if trying crash it, that large body makes an appearance in this world from the warped s.p.a.ce seen inside of crack.
If I am to ill.u.s.trate its form, it would be a crocodile, I think. However, the crocodile doesn’t have six legs as well as a long horn. It doesn’t have a protuberance at the tip of its long tail, and it’s not supposed to have such dorsal fins on its back as well.
It has the same crystal-looking body like all of the Fureizu present till now. But when it’s compared to the lower-cla.s.s and intermediate-cla.s.s who have a simple body line, this advanced cla.s.s have a complex structure. There are three red cores showing through the insides of crystal body carved with serrated rough lines.
If I’m to describe this Fureizu in a single word, it’s a monster. Its size is not half-a.s.sed either. It’s far more huge than the intermediate cla.s.ses, and Frame Gears look small in its wake. I think the metaphor is lacking, but if it has the size of an actual crocodile, the plastic robot which is 1/144th of it will be able to line up neatly beside it. Its proportions are about this much.
「This one…..is way too huge……..」
I unintentionally made a gulp. Are you sure we can defeat this fellow?
While we were being dumbfounded, the crystal crocodile grandly opened its jaw. Light gathers inside of its throat where the cores are, and its strength starts to rise gradually. That’s bad! That light is the same as that of the Manta-type…..!
《Kohaku ! Have everyone who is in front of this guy’s mouth evacuate !》
《Eh？》
Shouting is not good. I will not make it!
「Kuu！」
I drop a number of Frame Gears located at that place into the ground against their will after opening [Gate]. The moment they are moved behind me, a thunderous roar reverberates and a torrent of light shoots out from its mouth.
The light runs in a straight line that way while gouging out the earth with a “Dokagagagagagagagagagagagagagaa!!” sound and then vanishes. When I noticed that, everything that was in its line vanished without a trace.
Such power…… It’s like a [Charged Particle Gun] I saw in some anime, although it’s not produced by something like electricity.
It’s similar to the Manta type in such a way that it takes time to charge, but its power is far superior. Should one be hit with that, one will disappear completely with nothing left far from receiving a serious damage.
….. So that is an advanced level.