Chapter 852 – Battle of Vajra -9-

000

＂… In all the battles that took place in three areas, our side was defeated…?＂

A man wearing a monkey mask was watching the battle between the intruders and those who went out to intercept them through cameras installed inside the fortress.

The battles in those three places had just ended.

I didn’t have high expectations for Prototype’s automata.

Quartz, who suppressed his emotions and senses through brainwashing, also had considerable physical ability, but he did not think he could stop them all on his own.

Since he confirmed that they had dispersed their power on their own, he thought that Mea, a member of the same rank as him, would be able to gain an advantage over everyone except the magic swordsman-

Even that was defeated due to the eccentricities of Princess Riomes and the unknown magic of that red-haired girl mage.

That was quite a shock to him as well.

If things continue like this – they will infiltrate the general area.

According to his calculations, he would have been planning to defeat them all before they could use the transfer door to get over to the general area-

[Return to balance control of the fortress has been completed.]

At that time, he quickly changed the control of the camera at the sound of Fortress’s voice that seemed to interrupt his thoughts.

“If the fortress has regained its balance, we can restart the firing process and burn Asteris with the barrier intact, and it will be our victory…!”

As if to deny the enemy’s invasion and defeat, he quickly began pressing the buttons in front of him while saying this.

For him, who had studied relics and relics of the primordial world for decades over a lifetime, the method of controlling such objects was possible even with his eyes closed.

As his two hands were not enough, his work was so proficient that his body could match the speed of his own thinking only after being equipped with a mechanical arm connected to his nerves.

But-

[Warning. Appropriate shells are not placed in the battery where the firing order was given.]

“What? … They must have removed the incinerator shells from the battery… If so, place new shells!”

He knows that he can’t give orders through voice recognition, so he uses a mechanical arm that moves his hands along with his mouth.

[An illegal command was entered. There is an obstacle in the turret, so autoloading cannot be performed.]

“Now, obstacle? Then rule out that obstacle!”

[Currently, there is no internal task automata that can perform this command.]

“I mean, turn some of the automata that are sortied to intercept in that direction!!”

Finally, he became so excited by the frustrating guidance voice in the fortress that he raised his voice by slamming the dashboard and buttons in front of him with a ‘Bang!’

And – as if in response to his anger, the instrument panel flashes here and there several times…

[An illegal command was entered.]

＂What is it again this time?＂

[There are no automata that can switch to that task. All transition doors that allow access to the outside area have been destroyed.]

At the merciless voice of the guidance voice, the man with the mechanical arm closes his mouth once again, and then switches the camera with a click.

The projected locations were all four areas, north, south, east, and west, where the transfer gates were located, and as the guidance voice said, the magic response had disappeared.

＂W-what are they thinking…! If this fortress crashes, where on earth are you going to escape…!”

[It was destroyed simultaneously about a minute ago. Would you like to check the video record?]

At the guidance voice that did not read the atmosphere, the man with the mechanical arm boomed again! And this time, with all his emotions, he hit the dashboard with his mechanical arm.

You can tell who did something like that even without checking the video.

It’s the red-haired girl wizard.

Even though the locations were far apart, all the transfer doors connected through the magic network inside the fortress were destroyed as soon as they passed through.

Anyway, it’s as if you won’t use it on your way back – or if there is a separate way to escape.

＂It is truly dangerous if the power room is destroyed… The reason this fortress boasts invincible durability is only when it has power…! If the fortress crashes from this altitude without being able to escape…”

They will be annihilated without even being able to recover their bones.

He has thought that far, and in order to resolve this situation, he needs the power of the seeker of the owl mask – the original owner of this fortress.

“What is the location of the owner of the fortress?”

[Searching…]

A guidance voice sounds, and after a while.

The camera shows the power room.

In the center of the room where a huge magic crystal was shining, a man in an owl mask stood quietly there.

With his own holy sword in his hand, it was as if he was waiting for someone.

It was an intimidating sight, but the monkey masked man was stunned for a moment, then put his hand close to his ear as if he was shocked.

“Seeker, why are you in the power room!”

[Because we know that the place they are targeting is the power room.]

“That’s not it! Why are you trying to intercept the intruders ‘in the power room’!”

[Is there a problem?]

Is there a problem?

The man with the mechanical arm wanted to pound his chest out of frustration, but he suppressed that desire and answered his question.

“… If the magic crystal that powers the fortress is accidentally damaged, this fortress will fall. Seeker, don’t you know this well?”

[I guess so.]

In response to his carefree answer, the man with the mechanical arm clenches his fist and continues to explain.

“Of course you know… But then, isn’t fighting in a place where that crystal is an extremely risky act? The opponent is a magic swordsman who specializes in sneaky tactics. Obviously, they will not deal with you properly and will try to destroy your power first.”

Since watching the scene where Cleon destroys the automata earlier, we have already analyzed that his fighting style is not the type that fights squarely from the front and uses only his own skills without using any external factors. 〈 Br〉

It was unthinkable that such an opponent would prioritize combat with the enemy standing in his way, ahead of his intended drive.

[You don’t know anything about the holy sword I have.]

＂Ha…?＂

However, in response to the owl mask’s answer, the man with the mechanical arm had no choice but to say he did not understand.

[Watch from there, or go and stop the invading enemy. As for the power room, I will take care of it.]

＂What… Explain properly─＂

Feeling that communication is being cut off one-sidedly, the man with the mechanical arm looks at the image of the owl mask shown through the camera in bewilderment.

＇If the Holy Sword really has some kind of power and can completely protect its power – it would certainly be the right decision for him to be there – ＇

He got up from where he was sitting, desperately praying that he didn’t end up overconfident in the power of his holy sword.

As the owl mask said, if you ask if they are going to intercept the intruders, the answer is ‘No’.

He is a researcher, not a fighter.

He wasn’t given a powerful artifact like Mea had, and he originally hated battle.

“I guess I should go to the data room, get all the necessary materials, and prepare to escape…”

He had already calculated that the battle at this fortress would end in their defeat and was trying to take action in preparation for that.

In particular, the data room of this fortress contains information about many artifacts and relics that are not found in other bases where you were previously.

No matter what happens to this fortress, we cannot lose those materials.

Dragging his uneasy body, he took the minimum amount of self-defense equipment and left the quiet control room.

001

[Beep- Entry approved.]

As a simple guidance voice sounds, the tightly closed door opens.

Cleon turned the slash with his waist and confirmed that Galatea had used the automata’s head to open the door on his behalf.

And when Galatea glanced back, there were several other automata rolling around on the ground.

“There are no people in sight, it’s all these machines. Slash is crying.”

Cleon sighed as if he was noisy, and Galatea spoke quietly while looking at the fallen automata.

“It may be that all the people in the Exile Church flocked to Laila’s side.”

“What. That’s the most efficient and safe way. Send out all your executives and subordinates with all your might from the beginning and repel the invaders early.”

One of the clichés of an enemy being defeated by a hero is that by sending out weaker enemies at first and gradually increasing their level, the hero gains experience and at the same time consumes all of his/her power, ultimately becoming skilled enough to fight the devil. The point is that it is raised until it grows.

In fact, even in the legends that remain in history, there were several people who lost because they used such strategies.

Thinking that he is a wise enemy for not doing so, Cleon asks the automata with Galatea holding her head.

＂How long until the power room?＂

[Just go through three more areas. Check the reactions of multiple automata along the way.]

＂Okay…＂

Like the guys who fell to the ground, the mass-produced automata blocking Cleon on the way were automata with a simple form, unlike the ones Arnia or Galatea were currently holding.

It had a black body, no face, and just a round, oval-shaped head.

At first glance, it looked like a mass-produced product made by further downgrading Arnia, attacking with blades protruding from its arms or wires extending from its hands without any intention of communicating.

However, there was something a little different about the automata that were created to deal with wizards.

“Your sister machine and you that I met… Are you two automata created by the Exiled Church?”

[I deny it. We are battle dolls originally created to deal with specific beings in the final war.]

＂Final war…?＂

Cleon could tell from her words that they were not words that corresponded to the history of the inherited world.

“Are you a relic of the original world, too?”

[Yes. At that time, in the final war, there were many beings who could freely use melee weapons using magical power. I was developed to counter them, but the war ended before I was ordered to sortie – I was sealed at the same time as the human race at the time was destroyed. After that, the humans of the Succession World discovered, analyzed us, and created as many copies of us as possible with the power to counter magic, which are the Automata of the Succession World.]

“… He is the ancestor of the magicians’ natural enemies.”

Why is such an item currently under orders from the Expulsion Church?

In addition, the story about it being a melee weapon using magical power was also something to worry about, but Cleon decided to put that question to rest for now.

Cheolgrug, Cheolgrug.

Perhaps because they were tired of waiting for him to go from this side, another legion of automata walked out from inside and began preparing for battle against Cleon.

＂… I’m getting tired of just dealing with machines.＂

“Are you also influenced by Slash and want to taste blood? Cleon.”

When Galatea asked that question, Cleon was silent for a moment and shook her head.

＂… No way.＂

Even though you don’t think that’s possible, if you somehow feel a shiver down your spine, the slash is vibrating in the sheath.

[Smell of blood… I smell blood! Among those guys, there is a living human hiding!]

＂…＂

Cleon narrows his eyes, thinking that Slash has discovered something strange.

Then – there was definitely one individual, one that stood out.

Although he had black hair like other automata, he had long blonde hair flowing down the back.

And unlike other guys with blades pulled out of their wrists, I think the one holding the sword in his hand is definitely a living human.

“… Well, no matter which guy comes, what you have to deal with doesn’t change.”

[Give me a pillow! Let me taste blood! Please!]

Cleon sighed and pulled out the slash, thinking that this was more like a magic sword.