Chapter 389: Bring Down the Ancient Aerial Fortress! 12
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Thud... BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The Divine Jewel Emi threw pierced through the power source of the aerial fortress, 'Soul Conqueror', destroying it in a single blow.
As a result, the enormous magical energy that powered this aerial fortress went out of control...
...And a massive explosion occurred!
"N-Guooh!?"
<I-Hihiーーー!?>
That impact naturally shook even the control room of this aerial fortress violently!
BOOM!
BOOOOM!!
BO, GOGO, BOGOOOOM!!!
And then, explosions occurred intermittently in various parts of the fortress!
Inside the control room, shaking violently...
...Megzam clung to the throne, desperately trying to resist the tremors.
He could no longer stand!
VEEEEEEE, VEEEEEEE, VEEEEEEE!!
The magic lamps illuminating the control room turned red, and a critical alarm blared!
<Hi-HIIIIーーー!? The power source, it's completely destroyed!? I can't stop it, the energy rampage, I can't stop itーーー!!!>
Simultaneously with Engee's scream, the diagram of 'Soul Conqueror' displayed on the screen!
The names of the main components that supported the operation of this unit, displayed there, turned gray one after another!
Finally, static ran through the display itself, and the image disappeared with a 'snap'...
BOGOOOOOOOOOOON!!
The next moment, it was shattered into pieces by an explosion that occurred in the control room!
"GAAAAAAAAAAH!?"
Fragments of the display scattered!
Even Megzam, whose body had been strengthened by devouring souls, couldn't escape unscathed.
He instinctively raised his arms in front of his face, protecting his head from a fatal injury, but his body was already mangled.
Fragments pierced his arms, and blood was flowing from them...!
"Heeeeeeey! Engeeee! What the hell are we going to dooooーーー!?"
BOOOOM!!
BOGOOOOM!!
More explosions occurred in the control room!
Sparks flew!
Megzam raised his voice, trying to be heard over the noise.
<What to do, what to do... Damnnn iiiit! In that case, Ihihi! Time for the last resortーーー!! Ihihihihiーーー!!>
Engee, in response to Megzam's voice, shouted that with a desperate laugh.
And then, all of a sudden...
...Engee's presence, which had been scattered throughout 'Soul Conqueror'... converged on the magic sword 'Soul Devourer', stuck in the pincushion-like mechanism in front of Megzam.
In other words, he had stopped possessing the aerial fortress and returned to his original vessel, the magic sword.
"The last resort!? What are you planning to do!?"
<Ihihi! It's simpleee...!>
The next moment... the pincushion that 'Soul Devourer' was stuck in moved with a 'clunk' sound, and began to rise towards a hole that had opened in the ceiling!
And this Great Evil Spirit... who calls himself 'the World's Calamity'!
<I'm out of hereee!!!>
He shamelessly declared!!
"H-Haaaaaaaaaahーーー!?"
<My... my brain! It shouldn't be wasted in a place like thiiis!! Ihihi, I'm a magic sword, you see! I'll probably be fine even if I fall from this height! As long as I'm not caught in the explosion and buried in the ground, I can... I can start over!!>
"W-Wait, wait, wait! Then what about me!? What's going to happen to me!?"
Megzam, dumbfounded, crawled towards the rising pincushion.
Towards his 'partner'.
Engee.
<How should I know!! You idddiiooot!>
...Heartlessly abandoned him!
<Even if you're strengthened, you're still a flesh and blood human! There's nothing you can do anymore! Die in the explosion or be crushed to death when you fall to the ground, choose whichever you like!! Ihihihihiーーー!!>
Engee, mocking Megzam from atop the gradually rising pincushion!
<To begin with, you're quick to anger, and you look filthy, I was getting tired of you, you know! I'm relieved to finally be free from you!!>
"What did you say... what did you say, you bastardーーー!!"
<Ihihi! Next time, I'll choose my wielder carefully, and pretend to be a cute kitty! I'll be a beautiful swordswoman's beloved sword for a while, and leisurely enjoy the modern world!>
Of course, that would make Engee's goal of 'becoming a transcendent being' more distant.
But there's nothing he can do about it.
Now that he's lost 'Soul Conqueror', his plan is ruined.
He needs to devise a new plan.
But there's no need to rush.
After all, Engee Albitt is a Great Evil Spirit.
He's an existence freed from the shackles of something as trivial as a lifespan.
He has all the time in the world.
So even at this point...
...Engee, of course, felt frustration, but...
...He lacked a sense of danger.
That's why...
...He didn't anticipate at all...
...What the cornered, giant man in front of him...
...Would do.
"DON'T SCREW WITH ME, YOU FUCKーーー!!!"
Megzam was enraged.
He ripped off the hat that was connecting his mind to 'Soul Conqueror', now nothing more than a decoration, threw it to the ground, and...
...Ran towards the pincushion that was rising towards the ceiling with incredible speed, jumped up with his enhanced jumping power, and...
...Grabbed the hilt of the magic sword, 'Soul Devourer'!
"UOOOOOOOOOHーーー!!!"
<Ah!? Hey, idiot!? Stop it, let gooooーーー!!>
And he exerted all his monstrous strength... trying to pull 'Soul Devourer' from the pincushion!
He shook 'Soul Devourer' wildly in every direction!
<Stop iiiit! I don't need you anymore! I didn't choose you anymore! Let go! Let gooooーーー!!>
He can't let it be pulled out!
'Soul Devourer' desperately clung to the pincushion, using mana to resist!
Gachagachagacha!
But Megzam, ignoring that, continued to shake 'Soul Devourer' violently!
With all his might, strengthened by devouring souls with the power of 'Soul Devourer'!
As a result, 'Soul Devourer' was subjected to a load greater than Engee had anticipated!
And then!
Crack.
<Ah.>
An unpleasant sound.
The next moment.
Snap!
With a surprisingly light sound...
...'Soul Devourer'... broke.
<IHIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHーーー!?>
With that final scream of agony...
...Engee's voice was completely silenced.
Megzam, gripping the broken hilt of 'Soul Devourer', fell from the rising pincushion.
And landed on his butt on the control room floor.
The remaining blade of the broken 'Soul Devourer', still stuck in the pincushion, continued to rise silently, and disappeared into the hole in the ceiling.
"Shit... shit!!"
Megzam, rubbing his backside, stood up.
BOOOOM!!
BOOM, BOOOOM!!
The explosions of 'Soul Conqueror' were still continuing.
The control room shook, illuminated by red magic lamps.
"Hey... heeeeeey!! Engee, Engee! Can't you hear meeeーーー!!"
Megzam shouted at the hilt of 'Soul Devourer' he was holding in his hand.
There's no reply.
"Someone... someone!! Help meeeーーー!!"
And he looked around the control room with bloodshot eyes, begging for help.
There's no reply.
"TAPPAAAAAーーー!!!"
There's no reply.
"ANDAAAAAAAAHーーー!!!"
There's no reply.
"Damn it... DAMNNN IIIIT!!!"
The moment Megzam shouted that...
...The ceiling above him exploded.
Megzam, screaming, was crushed by the falling debris.
And died.
[Tappa and Ander]
The names of his former subordinates.