Chapter 415 - The Secrets of the Black Armor
The group of black-armored figures approached with a slow, yet forceful gait, and I continued to back away, casting spells and throwing objects to hinder them.
They numbered nearly four dozen, and even including those we've already defeated, the total doesn't match the initial number of Gulgandi’s elite forces that arrived by ship. At this point, the original estimate is meaningless. I might as well stop worrying about how many more will show up, but considering we're fighting in a gymnasium-sized space, this many enemies is a bit overwhelming.
Fortunately, the armor’s weight seems to slow them down significantly, giving me some leeway. The weight of that armor is incredible. Supplies scattered on the ground are flattened, and even heavy objects are kicked aside effortlessly just by their feet.
The weight also means excellent defensive capabilities. Even if I can't break through easily, retreating isn’t an option. I need to find a way to deal with them.
I test their defenses with a series of attacks, trying to understand their combat style and the performance of their equipment. I want to see how the spikes I made grow from the floor are bent, and how the iron balls that should have hit them were deflected.
Why is the armor empty inside? Is it really empty, or is it a Magic Doll? If it’s a Magic Doll, I just need to take out the operator. But I haven’t sensed any mana nearby, which could mean they’re using some kind of interference.
Even if I can't detect the operator or the core, the core is likely in the center of the body, the heart, or the head.
The real problem is their mysterious defensive ability. Even with strong magic or thrown objects, they seem to deflect everything at the last moment. Even a serious throw only dents the armor.
It’s exhausting, but there might be a simpler solution. I need to experiment with different attacks to find a weakness. The key is to reveal more about the enemy and minimize our own losses.
I keep moving and attacking in the cluttered warehouse, always mindful of my position. Despite the large number of black-armored figures, we haven’t managed to take any down yet. As they spread out, Vaeria and I will soon have less room to maneuver.
I’ve tried various generic spells and attacks, but none seem to have any effect. Just as I was about to give up on repeating the same tactics, Vaeria signaled me from behind the enemy. She was preparing for a melee attack.
I nodded slightly, acknowledging her plan. The enemy is fixated on me, ignoring Vaeria. A flashy spell should draw their attention, allowing Vaeria to launch a nearly perfect surprise attack.
I used one of the techniques I’d already tested, spreading reactive armor that explodes on impact at their feet. As they stepped carelessly, the small explosions went off one after another.
To my frustration, even this had no effect. The impact must have been deflected.
Vaeria moved with incredible speed, attacking from behind. I couldn’t see how she struck, but the black-armored figures continued their relentless advance.
After a failed attack, Vaeria retreated and then approached again, moving boldly to the center of the group. She crouched down.
"What are you doing... Ah, I see."
Vaeria crouched only briefly, then quickly retreated to observe the result. She ran back to me.
"Nice one, Vaeria. Well done."
"The armor is heavy, so I thought it would work."
What she did was simple. Using magic, she dug a hole in the ground, a few dozen centimeters deep. The floor was already damaged by my spells, making it easy to dig. One of the black-armored figures stepped into the hole and was now stuck, unable to move despite struggling.
"I’ll take care of the rest."
I prepared a precise spell, something I excel at. Synchronizing with the movement of the black-armored figures, I opened holes in the ground that caught their feet, one after another. They became immobilized in quick succession.
The enemy showed no signs of helping each other, confirming they aren’t human. However, if they are Magic Dolls, the operator should try to rescue them. Maybe they are automated puppets, which would indicate a highly advanced technology. Even in the advanced kingdom of Berliza, I haven’t heard of combat-ready automata.
As I set more traps, I soon finished the job. I hadn’t expected such a simple solution.
"Vaeria, how did the strike feel?"
"Their attacks are deflected by a strange force. It’s similar to the thrown objects."
"Interesting magical armor. We should take a few back when we leave."
"Sure, let’s strip them."
If they are automated puppets, stripping them might not work. We’d need to extract the core or wait for their mana to run out. But first, we should confirm what’s inside.
I cautiously approached the nearest figure, whose abdomen had been damaged. The upper body was bent, making it hard to see inside. Its weight made it immobile. However, it still swung its black greatsword aggressively.
I wondered if the sword also had the same effect. Vaeria and I tested it by throwing a rock. The rock hit the sword and was simply deflected.
The sword seemed ordinary in terms of sharpness, so we should be fine.
Approaching, I struck the sword with my silver super-hard bat, and it shattered easily.
"Surprisingly fragile. As long as we’re careful with the blade, it shouldn’t be a problem."
"Onee-sama, I’ll try to remove the helmet, just in case."
"Wait a moment."
This was a critical moment. Ideally, we should render the enemy harmless before proceeding. I wanted to test a direct impact as well.
I signaled Vaeria to back off and prodded the helmet with my bat. The attack was deflected as expected.
I tried again, this time with a lighter strike. I realized something.
My bat barely touched the helmet, and the attack was deflected by some strange force, changing direction.
It looked like solid metal armor, but it might have properties that alter the direction of impacts. The lack of sliding was puzzling, suggesting some specific conditions.
"Even a light tap is deflected. We can’t touch it."
"I’ll try anyway."
"Be careful. They seem calm now, but who knows what they might do."
Vaeria nodded and reached for the helmet, but it slipped away. This was a frustrating magical equipment.
I was getting tired of this. A powerful throw had broken the armor, so a full swing with the bat should have the same effect. I decided to smash it open and see what was inside.
I signaled Vaeria to back off again and swung the bat with near full strength. The speed was so great that it generated intense heat from compression. If there was anyone inside, it would be fatal. But that didn’t matter.
I aimed to decapitate the figure, and the bat overcame the magical deflection, striking the helmet and blowing it off. The severed head hit the debris and scattered more garbage.
The figure stopped moving, but there was no blood. The inside was empty... or so it seemed.
"There’s something thin inside."
"It looks like a black rod. I’ll try to pull it out."
Vaeria grabbed it without hesitation, but it wouldn’t budge.
What could it be?
"Onee-sama, it’s black, like a bone."
"A bone? So, bones wearing armor?"
The sudden loss of flesh and the black color were unusual. This might be something else entirely.
"Let’s check the helmet."
"I’m coming with you."
We found the blown-off helmet, but it was crushed beyond recognition. There were still many samples to examine, so we tried another approach.
"How about this?"
We found another black-armored figure and, instead of attacking, I looped a wire around its neck. This should prevent the deflection.
Vaeria pulled the wire with all her might, and the helmet came off. What emerged was...
"...A skull. Dammit, these are Undead. There’s still a lot we don’t know. How did they control Undead?"
The black skeletons were wearing magical armor. When I destroyed their side, the ribs likely shattered at the same time, hidden by the black color.
This suggests a connection with the invaders from outside the continent, and possibly with the church. There are likely more Undead to consider.
I didn’t expect an Undead battle, but that’s irrelevant. We need to eliminate all the enemies.
"Vaeria, did you bring the tools?"
"Yes, I did. They’re compact, so it’s good I brought them. What about you, Onee-sama?"
I showed her my artifact dagger. Both of us carry short daggers for Undead, which are reasonably portable.
Everyone else should have them in their vehicles, though communication is jammed. They’ll figure something out.
"Once we finish these, we’ll head underground."
As I said this, I decapitated the black skeleton with my dagger.
I rarely use the dagger, but its effect should be powerful. In the Disposal Plant, it destroyed a demon-like Undead in one strike, though it also exploded. This skeleton might react similarly, so I prepared a magic barrier.
However, there was no problem. The artifact dagger, infused with mana, cleanly turned the black skeleton to dust. That demon-like Undead was a special case.
The artifact’s performance is incredible despite its low mana cost. Ancient civilization’s legacy indeed, justifying its high value.
"I’ll give it a try."
Vaeria sliced another skeleton with her holy artifact dagger, and the cut emitted white flames, burning the skeleton. It was an impressive feat.
"Anti-Undead weapons are no joke. They should deliver one-hit kills unless facing something extraordinary."
"I’ll take care of the rest. You rest, Onee-sama."
"Sure, I’ll just remove the helmets."
magics drain me more than usual since I was cursed. Even a small advantage can make a difference, so I conserve my strength where I can.
I focused on generating the wire and removing the helmets, leaving the final blows to Vaeria.
With so many to deal with, we worked quickly, though the lack of enemy movement after the black-armored figures were let loose was puzzling. They are likely doing something underground, and we shouldn’t give them more time. We’ve wasted enough already.
We moved to the door leading underground, but it was tightly sealed by a magical mechanism. A brute-force approach seemed impractical.
"Wait a moment."
Vaeria had an idea and went to the remains of a black-armored figure, returning with the black greatsword.
"I’ll try this."
"I remember, it had a strange edge."
Though I only saw it cut through magical spikes, it could be a powerful weapon. It shattered when struck by the bat, but it was surprisingly effective when Vaeria, infused with mana, swung it with all her might, cutting through the door without deflection.
She then used Collapse Magic to reduce the door to dust.
"Not a bad sword."
"It’s surprisingly usable, but it’s unwieldy."
Vaeria seemed unimpressed and threw the sword aside. It was more of a one-use item, and with durability concerns, it wasn’t reliable. We might provide it to the Intelligence Department or sell it.
We entered a small room with a wide spiral ramp leading underground, lit by inorganic lighting, creating an eerie atmosphere. But we didn’t let it deter us. We cautiously and quickly descended into the unknown.
As usual, we dive into the mysterious underground. Everything strange is always underground, after all.