Evil Avalon
— Perspective of Narumi Kano —
This was my first time witnessing a group battle between top-tier adventurers. Despite the chaos, they precisely gauged the range of their skills and constantly adjusted their positions to avoid being outflanked.
Even though Kinrankai’s coordination was to be expected, the adventurers who joined forces with Rokurogi-sama were impressively synchronized, despite this being their first time fighting together. Their movements suggested they were countering the superior Holy Empire’s forces as a cohesive unit. It was a different kind of mastery compared to the advanced one-on-one combat tactics my brother employed, yet it was undeniably on another level.
The ones who stood out the most, however, were Kuki-sama and Rokurogi-sama. They moved like demons on the battlefield, evading the relentless pursuit of multiple white-coats while running freely across the tattered ceiling and walls. Each of their strikes carried concentrated magical energy, creating an intense back-and-forth of offense and defense. But because of this, the magic density surrounding them had become abnormal.
Watching my brother fight seriously was breathtakingly incredible, but witnessing Japan's top-ranking adventurers in action proved they were no less formidable. If I stepped into that battlefield, I’d be overwhelmed by their speed and power, unable to land a single blow before meeting defeat.
Still, even someone of my caliber might find a way to contribute.
Take Kaga Daigo, for example—a person I once fought during a class competition. Now, he was working in tandem with several others, clashing swords against the white-coats. Even against stronger opponents, if allies move to constantly cover blind spots, they can hold the enemy back, even if victory is out of reach.
Kaga’s movements offered valuable lessons. He never took a superior opponent’s strikes head-on, prioritized disrupting weapon skills, and maneuvered to prevent the enemy from focusing their attacks. I may have won against him in the class match, but in a group battle, his abilities clearly outshone mine.
While I wasn’t entirely opposed to testing the limits of my current skills, my brother had strictly forbidden me from engaging in unsafe battles. Unless absolutely necessary, I had no intention of participating.
On the other hand, the white-coats of the Holy Empire showed little cohesion or teamwork. Even when their allies were surrounded and in dire straits, they offered no assistance, attacking recklessly based on their own judgments. Yet, rather than collapsing under this chaotic approach, their superior combat skills allowed them to steadily push our side back.
One particularly troublesome foe was the white-coat wielding an invisible whip-like weapon. Its attack range and trajectory were undetectable, making it nearly impossible to counter. That magic item was devastating, having already caused a significant number of casualties on our side.
This was straining the recovery and support teams, putting them under intense pressure. While we’d managed to force a stalemate, the situation was steadily deteriorating. Worse still, Sanada-sama and the silver-masked individual, whose aura radiated an unsettling intensity, had yet to join the battle.
As I crouched behind a desk, observing the battlefield and pondering how long we could hold out, how much MP the support teams had left, and other tactical considerations—
“(…So, Kano-san, who might that be in the full-plate armor?)”
The question came from the older sister, Kirara-nee-sama, who pointed toward a silver warrior charging through the battlefield, rescuing wounded allies from danger zones.
Recovering injured individuals required venturing directly into the heart of the chaos where top-tier adventurers were fighting fiercely—a perilous task. Hesitation could mean delaying recovery, which would result in the wounded being killed or turned into puppets to bolster the enemy's ranks. Such a mission left no room for hesitation.
This was where golems excelled. They felt no fear, and being made entirely of pure mithril, they were sturdy enough to endure even direct hits from skills without sustaining significant damage. While their combat abilities couldn’t rival those of the white-coats, they were perfectly suited for retrieving the wounded.
Thanks to the golem, the support team led by Mikami-sama regained some breathing room, and the adventurers under Rokurogi-sama and Kinrankai began to regain their momentum. In battles like this, support capabilities were undoubtedly the key.
“I’d like to know as well… What is that thing?”
Ignoring my sister’s question, I found myself face-to-face with Chizuru Chi-chan, a kimono-clad girl who leaned in close, demanding answers while pointing emphatically at the golem. As my future rival, Chi-chan had a fiery determination, but I couldn’t divulge anything about the golem—it was classified as a "confidential skill" by the Narumi family council.
When I turned away to signal my refusal to answer, Chi-chan circled around, glaring at me intensely. This back-and-forth continued until, to my dismay, the whip-wielding white-coat attacked my golem. Perhaps they had identified it as the source of our renewed momentum.
The whip's trajectory was completely invisible, forcing me to rely on magic and sound to dodge. This enemy was formidable, but if I could draw their attention, our side’s momentum could increase further. With that in mind, I handed the injured individual I was carrying to the staff and commanded my golem to engage.
Golems were primarily automated, incapable of following complex instructions, but they could adapt to simple requests such as scouting, recovering injured allies, or engaging enemies. My golem could even hold its own against me in mock battles, adjusting flexibly to new opponents and environments.
Thus, I hoped it might handle the whip-wielding foe, despite the unusual weapon. But in the blink of an eye, after a series of supersonic cracks, the golem was sent flying into a wall… Oh no.
Fortunately, its pure mithril construction meant it could withstand even a Level 30 strike with minimal damage—perhaps a few dents. The true strength of a golem wasn’t just its combat ability, but its unparalleled durability and persistence in battle.
Even so, the difference in power was greater than I anticipated, and even stalling the enemy was proving difficult. What should I do?
“(Is… is it going to be okay?)”
Each time the invisible whip landed a direct hit, the golem was sent flying into the walls with incredible force. Even Kirara-nee-sama, who was watching alongside me, clasped her hands at her chest in worry. It might be too late for the golem to recover. Its body was already dented all over, and one of its arms was bent in the wrong direction. To think a whip could inflict that much damage on pure mithril, one of the strongest metals in existence...
Still, the golem managed to catch the flow of magic and finally deflected the whip, but the damage to its neck reached its limit, and its head rolled off with a clatter. Standing there headless, it resembled a Dullahan, the headless knight from fairy tales.
Panicked, I gave the order to reattach its head, but it was too late. Gasps of shock erupted from the staff and even Mikami-sama. After all, they had assumed it was just another adventurer, only to find out it was something entirely mysterious—it was no wonder they were surprised.
The whip-wielding attacker, now realizing their opponent wasn’t human, scanned the surroundings, searching for the caster controlling the golem—me. At first, they suspiciously eyed the Kinrankai and adventurers locked in fierce battle, but it was obvious no one in that chaos had the leeway to control a golem. Inevitably, they turned their attention to us, the group retreating in the corner.
Ignoring the still-standing golem, the white-cloaked assailant rushed straight toward us. Most of the evacuees around me weren’t fighters, and if that whip-user rampaged, it would be a disaster. Amidst the chaos and panic, a lady in a dress stepped forward, brandishing her short sword to confront them.
"Stand back!"
The staff and Kirara-nee-sama were about to draw their weapons to assist, but Mikami-sama cut them off with a sharp command to stay away. And rightly so—what was unfolding was a battle on a completely different level.
The invisible whip lashed out from all angles at speeds too fast to follow, each strike strong enough to dent pure mithril. Sending unskilled fighters into that fray would only result in casualties, dragging the team down.
However, Mikami-sama deftly deflected the attacks, catching the invisible strikes with nothing more than a single short blade. Although one direct hit could shatter her weapon, she angled her blade just perfectly to redirect the force of the attacks. Occasionally, she would launch a counterstrike by hurling kunai at opportune moments.
I had assumed Mikami-sama was the type to direct operations gracefully from the rear, but she turned out to be the true top-tier combatant of Kunoichi Red.
Even so, the whip-user maintained superiority in range and attack frequency. While Mikami-sama had yet to sustain any injuries, she was gradually being pushed into a purely defensive stance. Watching this, Kirara-nee-sama’s face paled, and she seemed on the verge of fainting. We needed to act fast.
But what could I possibly do in this situation? The answer was obvious—I could use my golem. When I checked its condition, however, I saw its torso was deeply dented, its arms bent the wrong way, and its head barely perched on its shoulders—a complete wreck. Asking it to fight in that state was unreasonable. But then…
(This is where the true power of a Mechmaster shines! Fufun!)
The job class I’ve specialized in, [Mechmaster], boasts not only the potential rivaling that of [Samurai] but also comes equipped with fascinating skills. My brother always said it was a dream-come-true class packed with possibilities!
I immediately began channeling magic into the stationary golem, letting my imagination expand to fuel a new creation.
(Not just repair… Stronger, more aggressive… Let’s go! 《Repair Golem》!)
As Kirara-nee-sama and Chii-chan watched me intently from the shadows, I unleashed my skill. At the golem’s feet, dull-colored ingots began appearing, piling up into a heap before being drawn like magnets to the golem’s body.
Since I’d already used up all my pure mithril reserves creating the original golem, the summoned metal was mithril alloy. It wasn’t as strong, but I had plenty of it in stock, so as long as I had enough magic power, I could repair the golem as many times as needed.
But simply restoring the golem wouldn’t be enough. If I was going to rebuild it, I might as well make it bigger and tougher, with vastly enhanced armor and power. Pouring even more magic into the skill, the golem began to expand vertically and horizontally, growing until it nearly scraped the ceiling.
Now over 4 meters tall, its weight could probably rival that of several cars. The once-cute form reminiscent of Tenma-nee-sama had transformed into a heavy, imposing figure. Its increased bulk would likely slow it down, but the added armor should be enough to withstand the invisible whip.
(That’s the giant soldier that appeared in the arena… So Kano-san can control it too. With that giant, she can assist Mikami-sama!)
(Kano-san, is it? I’ll have to… No, I’d like to ask you something right now—)
As I was shaken from both sides, I gulped down an MP potion and observed the completed golem. With its immense mass, there was no need to summon additional weapons. "The sooner, the better," I thought, and gave the attack command. The golem charged forward with earth-shaking steps, slowly raising its gigantic arm.
The whip user, sensing the massive presence approaching from behind, froze momentarily before swiftly dodging out of the way. Even someone that skilled appeared to fear such a colossal punch. Seizing the opportunity, Mikami-sama closed the distance and shifted to an offensive stance.
"Now, here comes round two!"
Every time the invisible whip struck, it made a loud cracking noise, sparks flying as a layer of mithril alloy armor was stripped off. However, the damage was only superficial, as the golem's armor was layered multiple times, and its weight prevented it from being knocked back. Even for the whip user, taking down this giant with purely physical attacks seemed like a daunting task.
Thus, I decided to go all-in, abandoning defense to try and capture the opponent. However, the whip user moved far too quickly, making it impossible to catch them. Or rather, the golem was so heavy that its movements were sluggish. To move something of that weight nimbly, I would need more magic power and experience as a 【Machinist】. Could Oniichan do it?
As I groaned and tried to brainstorm a solution to break the current stalemate, Kira-neesama spoke to me in a hurried tone.
"(Kano-san, Mikami-sama says they'll stop the enemy's movement for a short time. Can you manage it?)"
It seemed Mikami-sama had signaled their plan. I didn’t know how they intended to stop such a swift whip user, but if even for a moment their movement was halted, there was a technique I could use to finish them in one blow. Conveying this, Mikami-sama advanced further to engage in close combat.
Mikami-sama, wielding a small blade skillfully, clashed with the whip user’s combo attacks as the golem swung its massive arms. Overflowing magic manifested as purple lightning, causing an explosion that radiated in all directions.
Concrete fragments shattered and scattered, the visibility worsening so much that even the massive golem was barely visible. Yet, the heavy sounds of their collision echoed ceaselessly.
A deadly exchange between two highly skilled opponents. Each narrowly dodged or deflected blows that would have been fatal, only to aim for the next lethal strike by pouring in more magic. Watching this battle reminded me of the deathmatch between Oniichan and the "Demon King."
But unlike that time, I had something I could do now. I fixed my gaze on the battlefield, not even blinking, ready to issue a command to the golem at any moment. Then, I noticed something strange.
(Huh… Mikami-sama's magic seems to be gradually flowing into the whip user's body…?)
What kind of skill was that? Either way, it appeared something would activate soon. Several other white-coated figures were trying to approach, but Rokuromiki-sama and the adventurers had pushed forward near our position to block them.
The tension grew as the rear-guard group faced an increasing threat. Everyone watched intently. At that moment, Mikami-sama’s movements slowed slightly, and it seemed the whip user's actions also became sluggish. It was happening—!
"(Kano-san, now!)"
"(Here it is! My ultimate, strongest skill! Take this—Rocket Punch!)"
I thrust my index finger forward, issuing the attack command. Most of the magic power within me was forcefully drained. That magic was channeled into the golem’s arm, where it condensed, producing a high-frequency sound as the fist was launched at explosive speed. This was the 【Machinist】’s strongest offensive skill, Rocket Punch.
Although it was "just a fist," its mass was hundreds of kilograms. That immense weight, propelled with cannon-like initial velocity, struck the whip user squarely, landing a direct hit. The impact slammed them into the far wall, which they pierced through, continuing to break through the next wall, and even the one beyond that, before finally coming to a stop.
Oniichan had told me that the Rocket Punch becomes more powerful the larger the golem is. However, I hadn’t expected such force—to punch through multiple layers of thick, steel-reinforced concrete walls. Honestly, I didn’t imagine it would be this powerful.
"(Kano-san, we did it!)"
"(You’re not bad… just this once, I’ll commend you.)"
I spread my arms wide and exchanged a joyous embrace with Kira-nee, who welcomed me, and high-fived with Chizuru-chi, who was oddly averting her gaze, as we basked in the afterglow of our victory. Despite being the only one, defeating the White-Coat who had caused us so much trouble was a significant achievement.
Now, morale has risen, and we can push back with all our might. We won’t let you, Holy Empire, have your way anymore! With that hopeful thought, I scanned the venue...
(…Huh, why is this happening?)
Many of our adventurer allies had fallen to their knees, some even transformed into puppets, pierced through with weapons. It didn’t take long to understand why things had gotten so bad.
"Now then, everyone, let’s push just a bit more."
In the center of the destroyed venue, a figure dressed in a blue coat raised a short staff and began chanting a spell. It was Lord Sanada.
He quickly and accurately provided support, such as healing, stat boosts, and defense buffs, tailored to the White-Coats' combat types and situations, which rapidly turned the tide in their favor. We were being pushed back as a result.
That was the kind of support that had earned the Colors their reputation as "the strongest"—the true essence of support, something I was being forced to witness firsthand.
However, there was something vastly different about Lord Sanada now. The blue coat, which had been his trademark, was soaked in a large amount of blood, his face twisted in a maddened grin, and dark circles under his eyes, almost like a person on the verge of collapse.
The gentle and soft aura he had when we first met was completely gone. What had happened in such a short time? It was as if he were a completely different person.
At that moment, an enormous sword was swinging through the air toward Lord Sanada.
"Die!! Sanadaaa!!"
It was Lord Kuki’s mighty strike, infused with all his physical strength and murderous intent. The shockwave from the attack was so immense it was visible, signaling a devastating blow.
The seemingly unavoidable strike was stopped as the figure next to Lord Sanada, the Silver Mask, unleashed a burst of magic and erected a barrier. The sword touched the barrier and instantly came to a halt.
Then, the Silver Mask, still motionless, kicked Lord Kuki in the side, sending him flying straight into a wall, where he crashed with an enormous dust cloud.
It was a brief exchange, but it was enough to understand the overwhelming difference in strength. Those two could have created this devastating situation at any time. Even though we had fought with all our might, it seemed like everything was futile.
Some of us had already lost the will to fight, kneeling in despair. But showing such an attitude would get you killed instantly, turning you into a puppet on the spot. Rokurogi-sama, understanding that, stood her ground with her sword, shielding our allies as she coldly questioned the enemy.
"You all should know that our 'Saint' won't stand by and let you get away with this. If that happens, you mere—"
"What are you saying? How disappointing, Rokurogi. The 'Saint' doesn't care about the lives of the commoners, no matter how many die or how many countries fall."
Japan is the country of the 'Saint'. When foreigners cause such a commotion, Rokurogi-sama warns that the 'Saint' will not let it slide. But Sanada, with a mocking laugh, responds, "That’s impossible." Perhaps he had actually met the 'Saint' before.
Rokurogi-sama tried to retort, but Sanada raised his hand, rejecting any further conversation.
"It’s time to stop playing. I have to find the one who summoned that giant soldier earlier... I’m busy. Everyone, make sure you kill your enemies carefully."
It seems Sanada is trying to find and capture the one who summoned the Golem, which was me. Kira-nee urged me and Chizuru-chi to quickly retreat, but I immediately shook my head and refused. Even if we ran from this venue, if everyone was killed, they’d be caught and killed right away.
But there is… a way to escape safely.
I took a small stone with a magic circle drawn on it from my pocket and placed it in my palm. It was an escape item given to me by Oni. It had been faintly glowing for a while, though I didn’t know why.
With this, I could escape to a safe place... but if I ran away, leaving behind my dear rival and wonderful older sister, I would regret it for the rest of my life.
As I pressed the escape item to my forehead, desperately thinking of a better solution, I heard someone shouting in the distance.
"(Kano-chan! Hurry, pour your magic into it and come this way!)"
That voice… it’s Satsuki-nee. She seems to understand our situation and is desperately shouting at me to use the escape item and come quickly. I can also faintly hear voices from Risa-nee and Arthur-kun. This magical tool seems to still work even with communication interference.
Then, the one thing I need to do is clear.
I almost collapsed in relief when I heard the familiar voices, but I held myself back and whispered my plea for help.
"(There are important people here... So, I absolutely don’t want to escape alone! Is there… any way we can get out?)"
Many of the adventurers we had just fought with had been killed, and the terrifying puppets were attacking us. The staff in the rear had to use kunai to defend themselves in a hellish situation. If we don’t break through this, the slaughter of the guests will begin, but the communication is jammed, and we are isolated, with no support. It’s hard to see how we can turn things around from here.
Still, I can’t help but hope that Satsuki-nee and the others can somehow help us. My voice trembled with tension and anxiety, and I struggled to express my feelings, but it seemed like my message was understood.
"(Mamiya Chizuru, Kusunoki Kirara… Yeah, I suppose it’s a problem if they die now, right? What a dilemma~)"
"(Honestly, what’s that idiot doing, leaving Kano-chan behind? Oh, but if that idiot's not around, I guess I can come and help… is that okay?)"
Suddenly, Arthur-kun asked if he could come to help. But this place was tens of kilometers away from the dungeon, and the building was sealed with a magic circle. Moreover, I’d heard that Arthur-kun couldn’t leave the dungeon due to the "Demon’s Curse."
"(Actually, I’ve been outside once before.)"
Arthur-kun, excited to be back outside, joked about whether there was still food left. Meanwhile, our allies were desperately holding the line, but one by one, they were being slain by the overwhelming force of the Holy Empire, and the total defeat was rapidly approaching.
Even so, if Arthur-kun comes to help, maybe there’s a chance we can turn this around. I eagerly agreed.
TL Note- Sorry for the late release, i was waching a disney movie believing I was still a kid at heart.....turns out I was wrong...lion king.
THX for the chapter
ReplyDeleteI hope kano don't get NERF again in the manga
Shizz gonna go down in the next chapter, Can't wait 🥶
ReplyDelete