Chapter 319

〈Chapter 319〉 Part 1 Chapter 14 Section 9

Karura advanced very slowly. All her feathers spread wide, revealing the gun ports which indiscriminately bombarded everything with missiles, lasers, and beam cannons.

Bzzt!

The heroes somehow managed to find an opening in the fiery mesh and approached Karura. The long-range mages battered away the dangerous magic cannons with sheer power, creating openings for the melee heroes to exploit.

There was Hwakwon at the forefront. I hastily pulled the control stick, aiming the gatling gun at Hwakwon.

Ratatatatat!

Magic bullets like a rain of arrows filled the air. Even Hwakwon would struggle to withstand a direct hit.

Haaaaa!

Hwakwon pulled back his fist just two meters from Karura’s beak, narrowly avoiding the warning shots. If he’d come any closer, he’d have been turned into Swiss cheese and thrown out of the barrier.

‘Taking hits head-on then thoroughly evading afterwards.’

Anyone would think they were trying to prove they’re S-Rank with that impressive endurance. Even after taking a full barrage from Garura’s spirited fire, Hwakwon was still standing.

‘As much as I’d like to stomp on him while he’s unconscious…’

Since he shielded Phantom and the Executioner, I decided to give him one chance. But there won’t be a next time. Next time, I’ll crush him without mercy.

“Garura! Anti-aircraft guns at eleven o’clock!”

“Yes, yes!!”

Garura quickly adjusted the turrets as directed. The only one leaping about like a bird in the sky, Pungbaek stuck out his tongue while dodging Karura’s bombardment.

Ratatatat!

Every shot aimed at the darting Pungbaek merely grazed his robes. Garura slammed the control stick and growled.

“You little rat!”

“…….”

Perhaps it was still Tera’s influence, but without comment, I adjusted the controls to change direction.

“Five enemies approaching from port side.”

“Ahh, yes!!”

While Garura’s attention was focused on Pungbaek, she failed to notice the enemies rushing in from the left. Garura turned the guns towards the left.

“Huh? There’s n-”

Kaboom!

The ground shook violently as an explosion sent up a cloud of dust. The obscuring dust made Garura panic, and she fired wildly without aim.

“Brace for impact.”

“What? Kyaaaah!”

Kaboom, Kaboom!

Karura’s port side was struck. Compressed water bombs heavily damaged the feather armor. I monitored the situation inside the shaking body.

“So this is it. You intend to use Phantom for interception?”

The Executioner was clinging to Unsah. Phantom wasn’t by the Executioner’s side but had emerged from a tunnel dug under Karura.

‘So that was Land Dog’s ability.’

“And having Usah bombard from underground. Very nice. Just shooting might get us into trouble.”

Phantom returned to the tunnel. Usah fired countless compressed water bombs into the underground passage connected to the surface, some of which continuously struck Karura’s body.

“Good idea. Shooting from underground.”

“Master! Now isn’t the time to compliment the enemy-”

“Brace for impact.”

Squeeeeak!

The sound of claws scratching metal echoed as the starboard side was severely scratched. Preoccupied with the water bombs, Garura had lost track of Pungbaek who had been suppressing the airspace all along.

“Concentrate. This is already the second time you’ve been caught off guard.”

“Master…!”

“Do these black-clad ones really belong to me in this world? Surely the third commander, Garura, wouldn’t fall so easily?”

“…”

Garura lowered her head shamefully.

“I, those puny ones would be nothing if I just revealed my true form-”

“Eh? With just two S-Rank members here, revealing SS-Rank true form is unnecessary.”

“It’s because I’m not familiar with the weapons!”

“Considering your skill, you’re quite proficient. In human terms, you’re a top-tier artillery controller.”

Garura’s excuses were systematically refuted by my counterarguments. She briefly glanced at me before sheepishly bowing her head.

“Master… please give orders as before…”

“I’m sorry, but that’s your assignment too.”

Following Chang-yeom’s instructions to fight is something the fire-attribute monsters are most accustomed to. In a battlefield where losing troops or getting brainwashed is common, Chang-yeom stripped the monsters of their autonomy, turning them into puppets following only her commands.

“Now, you must judge on your own to produce the optimal results. That’s your assignment.”

“This is too difficult!”

Of course, thanks to that, we were able to hold out until the end, but isn’t this world different now? Patting Garura’s shoulder as she pouted, I decided to follow the three-step process to boost her morale.

Step 1: Logical persuasion.

“Think carefully. Imagine a moment when you’re left behind on the ground to fight separately while I go to break Seongju’s pot. Would you still wait for my orders then? I’ll be busy fighting Seongju.”

“Really? Master will finally fight Seongju?”

Instead of understanding, she’s asking questions. I gently patted Garura’s shoulder with a benevolent smile.

“I’ve found a way. Not yet done though. And step two.”

Step 2: Show an example.

“Watch what I do.”

“Ahhh!!”

While Garura was distracted, I took control of the artillery through the terminal.

“This is how it’s done.”

Though I couldn’t hit the airborne Pungbaek directly, by firing at expected paths, I managed to guide Pungbaek into a specific route and fired the main cannon.

Kaaawww!!

Pungbaek was hit by the main cannon and fell. Despite the struggle to dominate the airspace alone, it’s time for a rest now. Taking the controls, I advanced Karura towards the fallen Pungbaek.

Clickclickclick

“Pressing buttons won’t work. I have full control over the artillery.”

“Hiiiing…”

I didn’t shoot initially. The Executioner abandoned Pungbaek without hesitation. Having seen what happened to Tempest Lady, they realized Pungbaek, having taken fire-attribute magic bullets, could no longer be effective.

‘Possible choice since it’s a non-lethal simulation.’

“So, to take advantage of that opportunity, we need to attack.”

Whoosh!

Compressed water bombs erupted from the ground. Garura sat trembling in her seat, but I tilted the controls.

Squeeeek—!!

The body tilted sharply. Karura, which had been running straight, leaned to the right, lifting the left wheel into the air.

Kaaaaaang!

The compressed water bombs landed where the wheel had been. Keeping Karura tilted, I raised the right wing.

Clack, clack!

The unused gunports finally fired. The flamethrowers at the wingtips sprayed fire into the underground tunnels, causing flames to erupt like volcanoes from several holes.

Whoosh!

Flames burst from not just one or two holes. It seems Phantom connected all the holes together, as flames spread through all the holes, causing a dozen volcanic eruptions.

Kyaaaah!!

Phantom, repelled. Bouncing multiple times on the pillar of fire like a trampoline, I slowly drove Karura towards Phantom, who was sucked into Karura.

“Tsk.”

I carefully packaged Phantom myself. Ensuring no loss of magic power, I wrapped it in a protective barrier, loaded it onto the barrel, and ejected it outside the barrier.

“Master? Why…?”

“Because they’re S-Rank. We cherish them. Unlike someone else.”

“…Hehe.”

Garura giggled while clicking the now useless buttons. Setting the body upright again, I aimed the controls at the next target.

“Garura. What is the most important virtue in combat with a commander?”

“To cut off the enemy commander’s head!”

“…That’s right. But today, let’s just break the command staff.”

Looks like I’ll have to give separate moral education later. Though it seems strange to talk about morality with monsters, leaving Garura as she is would likely cause big accidents.

Vroom, vroom!

The engine spewed fire, and the heroes scattered according to the Executioner’s orders. But that was a mistake.

“Garura! Start indiscriminate bombardment!”

“Yes!”

With Garura pressing buttons like in an arcade game, artillery fire poured out in all directions. The heroes desperately dodged, but unfortunately, there was one more thing to avoid.

“You should also watch out for two patterns happening simultaneously!”

I pushed Karura to full speed. Though the fire net became shallower, the heroes couldn’t keep up with Karura’s sudden acceleration.

Dodging Karura and getting hit by artillery, or dodging artillery and getting hit by Karura.

A mix of charge pattern and indiscriminate bombardment.

“If you lose like this, what will you do later?”

Focusing on Commander Baek Hee-a, the heroes were eliminated, and Unsah, carrying the Executioner, fled and didn’t participate in the attack.

But.

Even so.

I sincerely hoped the heroes would last 30 minutes.

* * *

“Aah, this is impossible.”

The Executioner helplessly shook his head with a resigned smile. The bird-head tank had already eaten Usah and launched her with its main cannon, sequentially firing after eating all the Indian heroes. Unsah stepped on the main cannon and stabbed the bird’s beak, but the attack was insufficient and got eaten and launched.

Remaining were Hwakwon and the Executioner. Only two people.

And the remaining time was four minutes.

“No, it’s not over yet…”

Hwakwon wobbled but burned with fighting spirit. Although he had already taken artillery hits twice to protect the Executioner, his body continued to move.

“…”

However, Hwakwon’s mobility was restricted by the Executioner himself. After Unsah received a death sentence and was expelled, the slow-moving Executioner was carried by Hwakwon. Ultimately, the Executioner chose the final option.

“…Hwakwon. This is my last order.”

“Yes!”

“Stand firm. Four minutes, no matter what, stand firm. Do you understand?”

“Yes?”

The Executioner rolled away after jumping off Hwakwon’s running body. Realizing the Executioner had moved far away, Hwakwon collided with the barrier due to inertia and stared in shock.

“Executioner!!”

“Hohoho.”

The Executioner took off his beret and bowed to Hwakwon. Behind the Executioner, the bird opened its beak and honked.

Honk honk–

“My last request.”

“Aah, no!”

Though Hwakwon raised his hand blankly, he had no strength left.

Crunch.

Karura ran over the Executioner and fled.

In the place Karura left behind, only the Executioner’s beret blown by the wind remained.

* * *

As the battle raged on and people outside anxiously fretted unable to break through the barrier.

“What on earth is this…?”

A blonde maiden, who had set up a tent at Taj Mahal and went out for a stroll, burst into hollow laughter at the scene before her eyes.

Boom, boom!

With the sound of artillery fire, someone was ejected from the barrier. The ability users, having exhausted all their magic power, rolled on the ground and were urgently attended to by those outside the barrier.

“Teacher, I’ll go check.”

One disciple asked for permission and approached a hero to inquire about what was happening.

“What’s going on here?”

“It’s dangerous here…. Ah! You folks! Perfect timing!”

Fortunately recognizing the appearance of the maiden and her group, the hero explained the situation.

An S-Rank monster, Garura, appeared, and they were contemplating how to deal with it when Garura transformed into Karura and started firing artillery. Since the first bombardment, the barrier was erected preventing entry, and instead, the trapped heroes are being ejected by the artillery.

“Our commander, who woke up first, informed us of the situation. That person explained the situation inside the barrier more than anyone else….”

Puush!

Another hero was ejected from the barrier. A Korean with black hair, the well-known next-generation promising commander, Baek Hee-a.

“Hmm.”

The maiden jumped in place and caught Baek Hee-a. Holding Baek Hee-a in her arms, the maiden gently landed and placed her flat on the ground.

“Even A-Rank heroes find it tough to handle such a monster…?”

The maiden swept Baek Hee-a’s magic power and flicked her tongue, then stiffened upon sensing the residual magic flowing in the uniform.

“……Hmm. One Bijaya, tend to this woman.”

“Yes.”

After entrusting Baek Hee-a to her disciple Bijaya, the maiden, Karna of Gaechonkwang, walked steadily to the entrance of the barrier.

“Indeed.”

As expected, it was a barrier calling for her.

The maiden Karna extended her hand into the barrier, and her hand slipped right in.

“Ooooh!!”

People cheered. Someone had inserted their hand into the barrier that no one could enter.

“Disciples, come here.”

“Yes!”

Five disciples excluding Bijaya gathered around Karna. Bijaya, who was caring for Baek Hee-a, whispered warnings to Karna while keeping an eye on the surroundings.

“Teacher, are you thinking of doing it here?”

“Why not. Can’t do it inside, so it has to be here. Come, form the protection circle.”

Karna stood in the center gathering magic power, and the five disciples untied their turbans and scarves to stand beside Karna.

“No way…!”

Did they see wrong? People felt the faces of the disciples blocking Karna resembled ‘monsters turned human,’ and before they could react, a bright light exploded.

■■■■■■!!

All they could see was one thing.

As the disciple-monsters transformed into magic power and clung to Karna, Karna’s small body transformed into a tall woman.

Thud, thud.

The woman in golden armor holding a spear stepped into the barrier. The earrings hanging from her ears looked like they were shaped like the sun.