kscans

Chapter 146 - The Steel Behemoth, Crystal Devastator, Attacks

Zuzun... zuzun...

A low rumble echoed from the depths of the earth. It was a sound as if the world itself was creaking.

"It's coming...!" Mamoru stood at the entrance of the cave, his eyes fixed ahead alongside his friends.

And then, it appeared.

A steel monster, over 10 meters tall, advanced, tearing through the cave's valley. Its body was covered in crystal-like armor. Six legs pierced the ground, and crystals jutted out from its back like a mountain of swords.

Super-large boss-class monster. Crystal Devastator.

A super boss that had once appeared exclusively in events and was called "impossible to defeat" and "a symbol of despair." Its overwhelming presence seemed to freeze the very air.

"Mamoru. That... is a 'correction weapon' sent by the developers, isn't it."

Tiris murmured calmly, quickly nocking an arrow.

"Understood. Few weak spots. I'll aim for the joints in the armor."

"Hmph... if firepower won't work, then I'll just have to roast it over charcoal."

Defray held his charcoal cleaver in a reverse grip.

"Insects... won't work. But, I'll do it."

Amy closed her insect cage and drew a long spear from her back. She retracted her tongue and narrowed her eyes.

"Let's do it!! Dosukoi dosukoi!!" Koni-chan, with dried meat still in his mouth, leaped up with great force.

And so, the battle began.

"Go, Flame Edge Burst!"

The firepower imbued in Defray's meat cleaver struck the Devastator's leg directly, but it was repelled.

"...A five-arrow volley... Moonlight Flurry."

Tiris's arrows rained down. She aimed for the gaps in the crystal armor, but they were all deflected.

"Reflectivity... is abnormal. Magic power... is being absorbed..."

"Nuuuun!! Dosukoi Upper!!"

Even Koni-chan's charge was sent flying back after crashing into the iron-wall-like leg.

"U, uuuu... it hurts..."

Mamoru gritted his teeth.

(This is bad, this thing... it was made specifically to erase players. Our firepower isn't enough to even scratch it!)

It was truly a balance breaker. A being born to destroy the rules of this world.

"What do we do, Mamoru!" Tiris shouted. A hint of impatience crept into her usually calm voice.

Mamoru closed his eyes for a moment.

(If we can't win by fighting... our only choice is to drop it into a trap!)

"...Tiris! Lure it to the cliff's edge on my signal!"

"Understood!"

"Defray, Amy, Koni-chan, we're luring it while retreating! We're using the cave's old defense gimmick, the pitfall route!"

"Hoooh!! It's been a while since we've used that, hasn't it!!"

Mamoru quickly touched the magic circle at his feet. He activated the sealed old event gimmick, the Deep Trap Hole!

"Now, Tiris!!"

"A guaranteed hit, an arrow of moonflower!"

An arrow was loosed, hitting one of the Devastator's eyes. The moment the steel beast lost its balance slightly...

Zuga-a-a-a-an!!

The ground collapsed, and the Devastator fell with a roar. Its massive body was swallowed by the abyss-like darkness.

...Silence.

"Did... we get it...?"

Just as Mamoru muttered those words...

Gogogogogo...!

A pale blue light rose again from the collapsed hole. The Crystal Devastator was climbing back up.

"You've got to be kidding me...!"

Its abnormal recovery speed and its abnormal AI control. The cold voice of the automated management AI, MIRA, echoed from somewhere.

"Target Hobgoblin Mamoru... continuing destruction process... probability of escape: 64%. Continuing pursuit until deletion is complete..."

Mamoru scowled and shouted to his friends.

"We're running!! This isn't the place to fight!!"

His friends began to run all at once. The sound of destruction's footsteps and the steel roar approached from behind.

The cave itself, the world, was beginning to collapse.

"This isn't just an event anymore. It's a 'purge' by the developers...!"

And Mamoru was certain.

(Our 'rebellion' has finally gotten on the developers' nerves for real.)

All Mamoru and his friends could do was run and escape from the Hobgoblin Forest cave.