Chapter 384: Bring Down the Ancient Aerial Fortress! 7
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"Heeeeeeey! Engeeee! What are we going to doooo, you bastard!?"
The control room of the aerial fortress 'Soul Conqueror'.
Megzam, the rough, bearded giant, sat on the luxurious chair in the center, reminiscent of a throne.
His face pale, he glared at the giant display covering the front wall with bloodshot eyes, stomped his feet, and let out a roar of anger, something he had done countless times already today!
Displayed on that screen was the figure of the black-haired, black-eyed girl, Emi, running along the magical cable.
Engee's attacks with the flying tops were continuing, but Emi seemed to have gotten used to their movements, effortlessly dodging every one of them.
Moreover, she'd occasionally capture a flying top, and munch it down.
They're weapons, made of metal!?
This doesn't make sense!!
"What do you mean, 'My special, magical weapons'!? Those are just toys! They're completely useless! They're worthless!!!"
<Hey, hey!? I won't let you insult them like thattt!>
Engee retorted to Megzam, who had started belittling the flying tops, in a rapid-fire voice!
<Do you have any idea how much of my wisdom is packed into those small bodies!? They can fly for 168 hours straight with just a little mana replenishment! Don't you understand how amazing that is!? And that's not all, they're equipped with various magical attack functions, besides physical attacks! But noooo, because YOU wasted mana firing the [Red Magical Beam Cannon], there's not enough mana left for those functions... >
"Aaaaaah!? Are you saying it's my fault!!?"
<Since I'm always right, it has to be YOUR fault!!!>
"What did you say, YOU BASTARD!?"
An unbearable, childish exchange!
Like a fight between children!
But this back-and-forth was forcibly interrupted by a cold, electronic voice that suddenly echoed through the control room.
'An enemy entity is currently approaching this unit, via the magical cable. Immediate action is recommended. Repeating, an enemy entity is currently...'
"<............>"
Hearing that automated announcement, both Megzam and Engee fell silent, focusing their attention on the screen displaying the current situation.
An illustration of a girl running along the magical cable connecting the ground to 'Soul Conqueror' was displayed on the screen, clearly showing that the girl had already passed the halfway point and was approaching 'Soul Conqueror'.
And according to the footage from the flying top that's been filming Emi while maintaining a certain distance... it seems that most of them were shot down while Engee switched the control of the flying tops to autopilot mode to argue with Megzam.
<...Hey, Partner...>
"...What is it?"
<What we need is not to vent our emotions... but a constructive discussion. Don't you think so...?>
"What a coincidence, I was just thinking the same thing..."
<But I thought of it first.>
"No, I definitely thought of it first."
<Then why didn't you say it?>
"You should have said it sooner too."
"<............>"
Naturally, this pointless argument didn't last long.
Even as they were talking, Emi was getting closer and closer to 'Soul Conqueror'.
They can't afford to waste time like this.
Megzam, after a sigh and a moment of silence, made a suggestion, his face still pale.
"Climbing up the magical cable...? Why don't we just cut it off?"
That girl is approaching using this cord... well, it's not actually a cord, it's thick enough for a person to run on, but anyway, she's using this magical cable.
Then, wouldn't it be good to cut it off and deprive her of her foothold?
Megzam thought this was a pretty good idea.
After all, he didn't understand what this magical cable is for.
<You idiot! We can't do thaaat!>
But Engee retorted to his suggestion, raising his voice.
<This 'Soul Conqueror' can absorb the souls of living beings... but those are just sacrifices for me... and Partner! Some of the weaponry can be activated by using the magical energy of souls, but the basic energy to operate this aerial fortress is mana absorbed from the earth!>
And once again, he's talking fast.
Megzam instinctively covered his ears because the content was too complicated, but it was meaningless because Engee's voice was directly echoing in his head.
<This area is different from those other so-called super ancient magical civilization ruins! During my very first lifetime, the earth's mana was almost depleted from over-absorption, but it's fully recovered now! That's why, we have to connect magical cables to the ground everywhere we go to replenish our energy! Otherwise, there's no way we can reach Sardisann! So...>
"Aaaaaah! I'm saying you talk too much, I've told you that many times!
Megzam desperately resisted the urge to rip off the cable-covered hat that connected him to 'Soul Conqueror' and delivered Engee's voice, pulling out chunks of his beard!
"Anyway! We can't cut off that magical cable! Right!?"
<...That's right! Losing even one of those cables significantly reduces the efficiency of energy replenishment! We absolutely can't cut it!>
"Then what are we going to dooo!?"
<We'll use thisss!!>
At the same time Engee shouted that, a new screen appeared on the display.
On that screen, something humanoid was depicted three-dimensionally with white wires against a black background!
"Th-This is... !?"
<My special magical weapon, number twooooーーー!! ...Ihihi, this one is already fully, 100% charged! So it's definitely stronggg!>
Megzam, ignoring Engee's words, swallowed, staring at the screen.
That humanoid weapon... resembled a gorilla.
Its upper body was muscular and powerful.
Its arms were equipped with giant cleavers, Megzam's favorite, and it could be seen that various heavy weapons and magical weapons were embedded in other parts of its body.
And supporting its upper body... were giant wheels.
It seems it can move by clamping those wheels onto the magical cable, using it as a rail.
Furthermore, something like dragon wings protruded from the gorilla's back.
It might even be able to fly.
"Gorilla Dragon...!"
Overwhelmed by its powerful appearance, embodying the two contrasting elements of the quiet wisdom of the forest sage and the wild might of the dragon soaring through the sky, Megzam muttered in a daze!
<No, it doesn't have such a lame name... but whatever! Partner, I'm leaving this to you!>
As soon as Engee said that, the floor beneath Megzam's feet opened, and something rose up.
It's a controller, designed to be held with both hands, with several buttons... for controlling Gorilla Dragon.
<For the controls, ask 'Soul Conqueror'! If you think 'Search' and then ask a question, it'll tell you! Ihihi... I have a lot to prepare, so I'm leaving this to you! I'm counting on you, Partner!!>
After saying that, Engee's presence suddenly faded.
He stopped talking to Megzam and left the control room to do something.
And then, the main screen displayed on the control room wall switched again.
What was displayed was the footage captured by Gorilla Dragon's built-in camera.
This Gorilla Dragon, already deployed on autopilot, had captured the small figure of the intruder, Emi, in its vision.
There's no time to waste!
('Search'!!)
Megzam hurriedly grabbed the controller and started operating Gorilla Dragon!
* * *
Meanwhile, Emi.
"Chomp, chomp... munch, munch, gulp."
While consuming the last flying top she was holding with both hands as she ran.
She too... captured the figure of a giant humanoid weapon approaching from the end of the cable in her vision.
And she too... swallowed, just like Megzam, at the sight.
That humanoid weapon... resembled a gorilla.
Its upper body was muscular and powerful.
Its arms were equipped with giant cleavers that looked incredibly sharp, and she could see protrusions in other parts of its body, probably heavy weapons and magical weapons embedded there.
And supporting its upper body... were giant wheels.
It seems it can move by clamping those wheels onto the magical cable, using it as a rail like a train.
Furthermore, something like dragon wings protruded from the gorilla's back.
It might even be able to fly.
"Gorilla Dragon...!"
Overwhelmed by its powerful appearance, embodying the two contrasting elements of the quiet wisdom of the forest sage and the wild might of the dragon soaring through the sky, Emi muttered in a daze!
Even as this was going on, the distance between them was closing.
This Gorilla Dragon is clearly equipped with long-range attack methods, not just the large cleavers held in its thick, powerful hands.
Emi could probably avoid this Gorilla Dragon and evade combat if she wanted to.
But if she does, she won't be able to avoid being shot from behind.
It's dangerous.
In other words.
...She has no choice but to defeat it!
Facing this giant Gorilla Dragon.
Emi, who had been running until now, stopped for the first time.
And then, she once again deployed her [Black Arms] from her shoulders, which she had retracted, this time at their full size.
She also held her original two arms in front of her chest.
Gorilla Dragon, facing Emi, stopped its wheels.
And after swinging its giant cleavers around a few times as if testing their movement.
It glared at Emi with the camera built into its head.
"UOOOOOOOOOHーーー!!!"
And then, it unleashed an intimidating electronic roar!
The air vibrated from its sheer volume!
"RAAAAAAAAAAAHーーー!!!"
But Emi wasn't going to lose!
She let out a roar of equal volume, countering the Gorilla Dragon!
And then, the next moment!
Gorilla Dragon's cleaver, swinging down, and Emi's [Black Arm], swinging up, collided with a loud clang!
The curtain had been raised... on a new battle!!