I would prefer it if you didn’t create such dangerous things, but if Selene says they’re necessary, then they probably are.
“What’s this?”
“This is a sniping railgun.”
Well, the large railgun placed right in front of me is a sight to behold. Even though it’s a foldable large unit, the box-shaped barrel and mechanism section, along with the recoil-absorbing stock, form almost a straight line, giving the first impression of just a big box.
It’s astonishingly devoid of any contours. She seems to have a peculiar obsession with the thumb-ring grip — the thing you loop your thumb through to hold— because aside from the extended lever of the bolt-action due to the absence of a pistol grip, the entire unit shows no indentations, evoking an odd sense of fetishism in me.
“We’ll be operating this alongside a compact fusion reactor.”
“I came because you said you had something to show me, but here you go making odd things again…”
It’s after the morning training session that I was summoned, only to be shown something strange from “Tiamat 25,” leaving me unsure of how to react.
Why does a sniper rifle suddenly become necessary now? My railgun has an effective range of a bit over 3 km, so if combined with Selene’s observations, we can easily take down enemies at a distance that would ordinarily be called sniping, even without this thing.
So why prepare it now? Most likely, it’s intended for the warriors to be equipped with.
Because it comes with a scope.
“An update has made it possible for us to create compact artificial intelligences. This thing in the center of the scope not only calculates deviations but also wind speed— it’s quite the marvel.”
“Looks like you’ve made another relic from the old humans. Haven’t seen a scope like this in a while.”
When I flicked the top of the scope mounted on the gun, it was unlike the cylindrical shapes I’m used to seeing in VR; it was large, like an old-generation VR headset. It’s connected via a wired connection, and seems designed to be held on the head and then aimed.
And upon closer inspection, there are four small drones near Selene, about the size of an egg with dragonfly-like wings that act as relay drones. These must serve as the role of spotters.
“So, what exactly is this going to be used for?”
“To protect you. We have one concern as we head toward the Holy Capital.”
Concern about what, you ask? Selene mentioned that there was an unsettling calm in the North and presented the results of the tactical prediction protocol.
“I assume you’re aware the enemy has equipped second-category warning weapons?”
“Yeah, the Sacred Bows.”
We set caution levels for the arms based on a number of criteria.
The first kind includes weapons like railguns, which can destroy the skull with one hit depending on where they strike.
The second kind comprises weapons that can destroy cybernetic bodies.
The third kind consists of weapons that, while not utterly destructive, can cause damage enough to disable the cybernetic bodies.
The Sacred Bows used by the Magius Geanaite warriors are extremely advanced mechanized bows made specifically for anti-mechanized humans, meaning they’d likely pierce through a Class-C Type-2 armor at a distance of around 50 meters or less.
Moreover, these arrows can explode inside the body, causing fatal damage to the internal mechanisms. They may not be able to outright burst the brain casing, but they’re certainly strong enough to incapacitate the bearer.
“We’ve determined that the easiest tactic for those who fled to the North to attempt a reversal, would be the assassination of the captain.”
“Ah, I’m considered half a living god over there. It’d be tough to politically dismantle me.”
“Affirmative. Thus, it’s highly possible the enemy perceives killing you as the easiest way to prove you’re not divine.”
Gods hold power due to their inviolability—they’re ageless, can render the impossible possible, and bring benefit to people, all while adhering to one absolute condition: immortality.
I have managed to gain their worship because I’ve managed to resurrect. However, if I were to die, I’d be labeled as merely another saint, which might easily destabilize the currently shaky reassembly of the cathedral.
I see; if I think about it, I am truly my biggest weak point.
“So, we were thinking of forming an anti-sniper unit.”
“Still, this thing is quite extravagant… it’s gotta be super heavy too, right?”
Even though I lift it with one hand, it’s around 15kg. Without an exoskeleton, carrying it would be tough, let alone using it to shoot. They must have optimized the performance; the designs are rather reckless.
“It’s essential for protecting the captain on the fringes of the city.”
“You always worry too much about me.”
To assemble such weaponry for my protection—it makes me feel cherished.
“With your permission, I would like to provide sniper training to five warriors.”
“Understood, I’ll leave it to you.”
Even though we’re almost done with reinforcements and we’re set to depart to the Holy Capital next week, my partner is indeed thorough with preparations. Well, it was probably unwarranted concern after all.
But as I thought that, I felt like I wanted to punch myself for being so negligent.
“For a devil masquerading as a saint…!”
He probably wanted to say ‘for death’ or ‘anatomy hammer’, but the man who attempted to face me, the saint, on a main road astride a pack of wolves, aiming what appeared to be a railgun at me, couldn’t finish his sentence before being sniped and scattering.
[■■■! That was close!]
[I’m saved, Ridelberdy].
When traveling as a saint, I try to engage in conversations with the people to console and connect with them, though I hadn’t anticipated an assassin hiding among the crowds.
And it was a familiar face. Even though his clothing was tattered, his face smeared with mud, gaunt, and covered in an overgrown beard, the original face becomes visible through correction applied by the program.
He was one of the excommunicated senior Gear Priests, probably having escaped to the North after being incited by Virgil.
“Dammit! Heretic…”
The second one I dealt with immediately, drawing my railgun from the holster and firing through the heart once, head twice, suppressing the output so as not to completely pierce through the target. It was another Gear Priest who’d been excommunicated, collapsing and dropping a crude railgun from his hand.
“Nozomu!”
“I see him!”
As Galatea draws her weapon to warn me, I manage to shoulder my railgun a moment faster. Shooting through the chest and head of the assassin lurking behind me, I gave him, probably leading a hard life, a much-deserved end.
And then panic erupts… but faithful followers come near, trying to form a protective wall around me shouting, “Protect the saint!”
This can’t be allowed—such a wall hinders my own movements.
As I panicked at this very instant, two corpses were dropped from nearby rooftops, holding what seemed like messenger bags but reacted with an explosive signature.
[There are more! Chief! Run quickly!]
[Don’t be ridiculous! I can’t trample the citizens!]
Equipped with bombs, they’re serious. While scanning the surroundings amidst this obstructive wave of citizens who’ve unwittingly become obstacles, from a distant shadow of a building, I noticed a figure rising.
He’s wielding a Sacred Bow.
The three figures are aiming oversized projectile-typed arrows at me and the citizens, trying to bombard us all together it seems.
[Enemies at one, four, and eleven o’clock directions! I’ll deal with one and eleven!]
“Leave my back to you!”
While being jostled around, I shoot down one of the disguised Magius Geanaite warriors with a railgun, aiming at the Sacred Bow holder. At the same time, I hear the sound of the enemy shot by Galatea behind me, falling onto the ground.
“Captain! Are you wounded?!”
“I’m fine. Rather, check if any civilians have been caught in this. Full-circle scan!”
With the civilians who wish to become shields for me now posing as potential suicide bombers, I requested Selene to be on alert. Several drone units with whirring wings descend to commence detailed scanning.
Fortunately, there were none, and somehow the confusion subsided, allowing us to enter the Canopy. However, I found myself ashamed of my neglectfulness.
“Seriously, nearly getting assassinated…”
“Didn’t I tell you, preparation is necessary?”
“Thank you, Selene. You’re always covering for my shortcomings.”
As I admired the miniature humanoid drone Selene that landed on my palm and sent a smug-stamp, a fully running Aurelia arrived, clanking her mechanical legs with full force.
“Are you alright?!”
“Thanks to you, yes.”
While the veil is ornate due to its reception purpose, her cassock dress, lacking frills and not even adjusting the hem despite running, clearly reflected her panic. Showing her my survival with outstretched arms to the one who abandoned her preparation and rushed to my side,
“Never been targeted for assassination before. Quite a refreshing experience.”
“Is this something you can joke about? Should anything happen to you, the Canopy Holy Capital might as well be finished! That’s why I was insisting on dispatching Magius Geanaite as your guards!”
This is all due to my choice to prioritize civilian reassurance; there is no complaint I can make. Apologizing sincerely, I promised that moving forward, I would accept sentries, thus entering the VIP room for the meeting earlier than scheduled.
“I was terrified. The thought of you being assassinated…”
“Me too. But this is unacceptable.”
I pulled out the weapon that the banished one initially took out to assassinate me from my coat.
It’s a small railgun with no power source, but if one could manipulate a gear spell, it could indeed have been fired.
However, the issue was the inference that this toy-sized railgun, resembling a water gun, had enough impact to cause “catastrophic damage to the unit upon direct hit.”
Moreover, this kind of power would likely kill a non-cyborg shooter from the recoil. Such an item, if left around, would likely go unnoticed until too late.
“We couldn’t have made something like this in the Canopy Holy Capital, right?”
“Naturally. Such insidiousness is…?”
“If so, Virgil must have a factory somewhere.)
Hearing my suspicion, Aurelia’s face shot up with a start.
The reason Virgil can still stand so confidently in the North, that has become apparent. He has likely acquired equipment capable of challenging the Canopy Holy Capital.
The timing of this acquisition is unknown, as is the method, but he has likely secured something capable enough to back himself into his current stance of confidence in manufacturing capabilities.
And I’ve actually figured it out.
When “Inanna 12” collapsed, factories capable of manufacturing military units were scattered across the land.
It’s not surprising at all that one of them landed in Virgil’s territory.
“…With this, there’s a need to expedite our move north. However, given these preparations, it’s dangerous…”
“Aiming a group of knights at them is risky. So, I intend to visit the Northeastern Forest to outmaneuver them.”
The moment I said this, she stood up abruptly and screamed.
“The Northeastern Forest?! That place is worse than the ‘Valley of Death’!”
“There’s a forbidden zone there, but is it dangerous too?”
“There are devils in that place! Ones that manipulate ‘magic’ without terminals or devices! There is no way I can let you go there!”
Ah, magic, you say?
Upon hearing that word, I realized my tension was rising considerably…
[Exploration Log – Crude Railgun] A single-shot weapon, hastily produced without any regard for the shooter’s safety. However, its power is sufficient to destroy Class-C Type-2 cybernetic bodies even if it can’t outright burst the brain casing with one shot.
Of course, with repeated shots to the brain casing, destruction seems plausible.
We’re planning to update on 2024/08/22 around 18:00.
