Despite continuing rescue operations until dawn, we managed to save only a little over a thousand people. The number of injured gathered from around the city was more than ten times that, and the confirmed death toll alone had already exceeded fifty thousand.
Still, considering the giant dragon rampaged through the city like it was a sandbox, using buildings as projectiles to throw at the canopy repeatedly, one could say this outcome was somewhat better than expected. However, the exact number of victims hasn’t been determined yet.
These statistics reflect only the outskirts where the smaller dragons wreaked havoc; the total is expected to rise significantly.
There were casualties among the knights as well, and it’s likely that many who tried to escape later were attacked and killed. Among the dead, there are numerous unidentified bodies, their remains mixed with rubble from pulverized buildings.
Honestly, it’s a pitifully small number.
“Even if this isn’t one-man operation, it’s far too much for a single person to handle.”
“Even another two battalions of reinforcements would have helped significantly.”
Selene was right. If we had an additional two battalions of mobile units (72 units total), plus an accompanying infantry regiment of 3,000 soldiers — including drones — the rescue operation would have been practically concluded by now.
Of course, doing something is always better than doing nothing, but the figures before me remind me that a single mechanized human’s capabilities are far from sufficient.
If only we had the proper facilities…
[Clan Leader, you really should rest soon. Even with a body of steel, you must have your limits.]
[Ridelberdy, this body’s advantage is that it can function until the moment it’s about to break. There’s still plenty I can do.]
As the Tech Gob warriors prepared to take their break, I was greeted with that statement. They had been handling various rescue missions under their own initiative while I focused elsewhere, and they had managed to save approximately two hundred lives—an impressive achievement. They seem to have used their compact but formidable strength to squeeze into places inaccessible for machinery to save people.
[But Master Nozomu, blood is leaking profusely!]
[Nah, it’ll clot in no time.]
Peter’s voice of alarm rose, but there’s no need for concern. The artificial muscle’s puncture has already been patched by a swarm of micromachines handling emergency repairs. The fluid leaking now is either leftover from the armor or has been purposefully discarded as unnecessary. I know the “holy blood” collectors occasionally come by with their containers, but realistically, it’s more like collecting spilled nosebleeds. Bringing it to me doesn’t help, and I’d rather they didn’t treat this as a keepsake to take home—it’s a bit awkward.
“But Protector! As long as you persist, we cannot rest either. Please, for the sake of your own well-being!”
“Hmm, I see…”
Initially, I intended to continue working, but when one of the elder knights from Nishion spoke, I realized, yes, it makes sense to rest. Some residents of the Holy Capital have exceeded their limits, inspired by my continued efforts. The Nishion knights’ survivors have tirelessly carried out rescue missions despite enduring horrific battles. With that in mind, my conscience won’t allow me to ignore their sacrifices.
“Then, Knight Bartolomai, I will heed your advice.”
“I feel deeply honored!”
Yeah, if the boss stays, it makes it hard for the subordinates to leave. I understand the sentiment. So, it seems I have no choice but to announce a break here.
“We will resume in the early afternoon. Until then, everyone should take turns resting.”
“Understood!”
After making the announcement, he immediately dispatched knights to relay the message elsewhere.
Still, I feel an irresistible urge to keep moving. I’m no enlisted soldier, but I’m no more than an officer. As long as I’m on-site, my duty is to stay active. Knowing there might still be people buried alive or trapped in rooms awaiting rescue weighs heavily on my heart.
Some religious figures have been hostile, but the people of this town have done nothing to deserve harm. I want to do whatever I can for them.
I stepped outside the city and sat atop the dragon’s neck. It’s a convenient perch, but there’s no proper place to sit anyway. Plus, I believe the presence of such a large creature will bring some comfort and reassurance to the citizens.
And, if perchance it has the added benefit of deterring crows, that would be ideal. Dragons are known for their intelligence, and maybe, just maybe, they’ll hesitate to attack if they see the remains of their kin nearby.
I certainly don’t have the strength for another fight, anyway.
“Captain, the survey of the dragon’s corpse is complete.”
“Good work, what did you find?”
As I spoke, the sound of approaching drones, detectable only by this unit’s highly sensitive auditory sensors, announced the arrival of Selene’s probe. It would be nice to upgrade her basic surveillance drones, but I’ve been having trouble finding the right parts.
If only the facilities beneath the Canopy were still intact, perhaps both Selene and I could regain our original forms…
Certainly, this body wouldn’t be able to get me back into the kingdom of the rabbits anyway…
“We discovered a medium-sized reactor within the body. However, it is too large to be recommended for connection with the Holy Lance.”
“That’s the heart maintaining the massive frame, huh? What’s the scale?”
“300GW.”
So, about the same size as a mobile unit’s primary reactor. Truly an incredible structure. Though of course, it would be far more implausible for such a huge creature to run on a regular heart.
“We also found two medium-sized anti-gravity units integrated with its wings, though they’ve ceased functioning. They appear to have overheated from excessive strain.”
“It probably wasn’t designed to lift anything heavier than its own weight. Both our ascent must have been quite a strain.”
Unfortunately, it seems the anti-gravity units are out of reach. Even if we had them, maintaining them without high-tech facilities is impossible, and two medium-sized units wouldn’t be enough to leave the atmosphere. Besides, I doubt there were any larger models available on this planet. Our standard practice was to assemble large objects in space and then bring them down to the ground on barges equipped with smaller anti-gravity systems.
Gravity is a nuisance when building after all, and as a result, most construction facilities are located in space. Frankly, I have never understood the mindset of those who choose to live under a constant 1G load, and thus the business model of constructing without establishing bases but rather to sell them afterward.
“We also noted a charged particle cannon located in the throat…”
“Figures.”
Unfortunately, we destroyed the firing aperture when it attacked, so there’s not much we can salvage. It’s regrettable, given the massive magnetic field field necessary to fire it might have been useful for a mobile unit’s scale — though there wasn’t time for a clean kill under the circumstances.
Strangely, when I hunted dragons in the VR world, I would receive greater rewards as I destroyed more body parts. Here, it seems I’ve merely worn myself out for nothing.
“Let’s hope this wasn’t all for nothing.”
“With the complete loss of my combat body, the severe damage to this unit, and a disaster approaching a hundred thousand fatalities in the Canopy Holy Capital, the cost-benefit threshold seems extraordinarily high.”
Comparing what we’ve lost with what we’ve gained, the balance is painfully lopsided. Human lives, once lost, cannot be regained, and it’s a tragic waste when considering the vast time and effort necessary to rebuild a city of a million inhabitants, especially when so many skilled technicians have likely perished.
I wish, at the very least, humanity would follow our example and digitize their consciousnesses to reduce casualties to a thousandth of the current numbers.
“Why does the world remain so inefficient?”
“But here they come, with their baffling mix of efficiency and ineptitude.”
Huh? Tilting my head in curiosity, I observed a procession approaching down the main road.
Several open trucks were protected by a host of gear-mounted cavalry. A massive incense burner, absurdly oversized, released copious fragrant smoke that seemed to comfort the desolate city.
And seated atop a ceremonial vehicle, complete with a specialized crane to hoist the enormous incense burner, was none other than the Archbishop herself.
“So, she stayed and held her ground despite her injuries.”
“Severe loss of her left arm, and anything below her left knee—quite significant injuries, indeed.”
From where I stood, her approach with a grand convoy along the relatively clear roadway felt rather tone-deaf, but I suppose her attendance serves a ritualistic purpose. Watching the slow-moving convoy through maximum magnification, I estimated their arrival would take around thirty minutes.
However, going out to greet them might undermine my own dignity. Given how thoroughly we’ve cleaned this road, I’ll let them proceed as they wish.
“How much will the rescue efficiency decrease?”
“As this convoy will be using one of the primary routes into the urban core, we might see roughly a 4.8% reduction.”
Ignoring them outright seems counterproductive, but actively offending their religion by intervening also poses a dilemma. Hard to decide.
I waited until the convoy reached the base of the dragon where I perched, and then rose.
“With utmost respect to the divine protector.”
The Archishop’s voice, amplified by a loudspeaker, clearly carried signs of her grievous condition. Whether she refused to assign a temporary replacement or whether all superior officials had simply fled, either situation indicates poor management.
“Ah, things are messy.”
“That voice…”
She clearly hadn’t forgotten the tone of the demon-possessed man she encountered yesterday.
“There have been many events leading up to this moment. While the city has been defended, the condition is far from ideal.”
“Who…What exactly are you?”
“Archbishop Your Grace!?”
This unexpected exchange seemed to surprise the Gear Priest standing nearby. But the sharp gaze, piercing through her veil, was undeniable.
“I am merely the entity I introduced myself as. A human who, upon seeing the imminent destruction of a city, decided to intervene out of a sense of justice.”
“Then this does not align with the scriptures…”
“Archbishop, I suggest relying on the things you see and hear for judgment, ignoring who penned those scriptures. Someone should bring her medicine; she seems to be in pain.”
A nearby Garatea, taking the cue, quickly brought an injector of micromachines and rushed to the Archbishop’s side. Several Magius Geanaite members showed signs of caution, but withdrew after a brief command from me to stand down.
Ah, I see. A legendary figure from ancient scriptures—she does have a significant standing after all.
“Archbishop Your Grace, please permit me to offer this ancient elixir. It will bring much relief.”
“Knight Garatea, how can you…”
“I trust Nozomu. He has saved my life more times than I can count.”
Does this suffice as proof of his worthiness?
“…Understood. Let us converse.”
“Wonderful, wonderful! You’ll hear me out. That is a great relief.”
Adopting a dramatic gesture, I pointed toward the outskirts where the ancient protector’s statue once stood.
Given the religious sensitivities, I assumed they would prefer to speak away from the underground dwellers, offering this as a small consideration.
And it’s not like we can’t have a quiet conversation even without shouting.
I’m fully prepared for some whispered discussions as well…
