kscans

Chapter 218 - Land of Nightmares

"Kehya!"

With a malevolent laugh, a volley of knives flew through the air.

Imbued with mana, they were aimed precisely at my limbs.

I scattered them with a release of wind and forced my way forward. Kicking off the trunk of a tree, I leaped up and closed in on a clown-shaped doll that was hanging from a thick branch with one hand.

Faster than it could draw its second knife, my longsword bisected its torso.

A [Killing Doll] is similar to a golem, but there are many differences. For example, a golem can still function as long as its core is intact, but these things die if the 'fuel tank' in their torso is destroyed.

In short, I just need to destroy their head, where the core is, or their torso. Simple.

Using [Concept Interference], I kicked off the air to change direction in mid-flight and swung my sword as I accelerated.

In a single breath, I closed the distance to the next one and cut it in two. Kicking off an approaching tree trunk, I moved on to the third.

In the midst of this, I glanced down at the ground for a moment.

"GAAAH!"

A doll resembling a werewolf roared and swiped with its claws from both sides, but Blanc steadfastly blocked them with its shield.

Then, as the attack ended, it unleashed a wide horizontal sweep. The doll reflexively ducked to avoid it, but the return swing smashed its temple.

Its destructive power was more than sufficient. Blanc took a step back and returned to guarding Mia-san.

At the same time, sixteen ice lances materialized in the air. They glowed faintly, their presence dazzlingly bright in the night forest.

"Pierce!"

At her command, the ice lances shot forward like missiles. Two lances converged on each doll, and the Killing Dolls were powerless to resist, shattered one after another. If they tried to use their knives as shields, they were pierced through, and if they tried to dodge, they were cornered by the lances' pincer-like trajectories.

I cut down the third doll, then spun and threw a knife to destroy the fourth. Using the trees to perform a triangle jump, I leaped to the ground and cut down a clown-shaped [Killing Doll] with a diagonal slash. That made five.

As I landed, an ice lance flew over my head. Just like before, two lances targeted a single doll, and the pale blue light unerringly dispatched its prey.

Scanning my surroundings, I stood up and reformed my knife. It seemed there were no other dolls around.

"No sign of the enemy. We should be fine for now."

"Understood. Are you injured?"

"No. You seem to be okay too, Mia-san."

"Yes. Blanc protected me."

The golem, which looked like a monster from a tokusatsu show, stood silently by her side.

I touched its shoulder to replenish its mana in thanks, and then turned my gaze toward the light I could feel through the gaps in the trees.

"Aira-san. Do you know if there's anything over there?"

"How would I know? It's not like a satellite is conveniently passing overhead. And to top it off, this place is so rural there's hardly any information on it."

"Roger. Then I'll scout from the air."

"Be careful."

"I will."

With my sword still in my right hand, I kicked off the ground and rose above the trees. Then, using the air as a foothold, I leaped up again, and the source of the light became clear.

"...An amusement park?"

There, incongruously nestled in the middle of a mountain covered in dense forest, was an amusement park.

*

After sharing the information, we moved closer to the structure and came upon a rusted iron fence.

Orbs of fire created by magic adorned the fence like Christmas lights. This must have been the light I saw.

Beyond the fence, I could see a stationary merry-go-round and, a little farther off, the tracks of a roller coaster. But all of them were in a dilapidated state.

The paint on the wooden horses was peeling, leaving them mottled. The rust on the undulating tracks was visible even from a distance.

There seemed to have been other attractions, but... most of them, while still retaining their original forms, were in a pitiful state.

It didn't look like monsters had destroyed them. This was the result of being abandoned and exposed to the elements.

"An abandoned amusement park. Why is it in the middle of a mountain like this...?"

"Hmm. It was probably built during the bubble economy. According to Grandmother, all sorts of theme parks and facilities were built without any planning during that era, and they were abandoned when the bubble burst."

"Is this one of them?"

"Many of the ones still left standing today are cases where the owner of the land or building is unknown. And sometimes, even the fact that 'something is there' is erased from records and memories."

"What a pain..."

Thanks to the revision of the Dungeon Law, unmanaged vacant houses and the like have been forcibly demolished, making it easier to discover gates.

But that's in urban areas. In a remote mountain area like this, it's not as effective. Even in the age of satellites and drones, you still have to have people go out and search.

Well, for now, the history of this amusement park doesn't matter.

"The fact that they're using magic for lighting means this is the Killing Dolls' nest."

"Is there a possibility that a group of human Awakened are using it as a base? Like escaped violent criminals?"

"Then they wouldn't make it so obvious."

"True."

Clearly, the magic was being used with a mindset different from that of a normal person. If, by some chance, an Awakened was using this place as a base, they were undoubtedly insane.

"In any case, since the footprints lead here, we're going in."

"I wish you luck. You can probably get away with destroying some of the facilities without any repercussions since it's an emergency."

"Hah!"

With a shout, I grabbed the iron fence and forced it open.

It made a rather loud noise, but no Killing Dolls came running. I turned sideways and slipped through the gap.

I turned back to see Mia-san trying to do the same, but her chest got stuck.

So huge...

"............"

We both got awkward and quickly looked away.

No, this was to be vigilant of my surroundings. As I stood with my back to the fence, sword at the ready, I heard the sound of metal being bent, and then Mia-san came up beside me.

Blanc followed, and I gave a hand signal and began to walk in silence.

Fortunately, since I hadn't brought Blanc's usual equipment, his footsteps were also subdued. I couldn't be as skilled as Erina-san, but I tried to be stealthy.

"Kyouta-kun. Where are the enemies?"

"...Most of them are moving in groups of three to five, but there's a large concentration over there."

I moved from the cover of one old attraction to another, scanning the area.

I detected a large number of mana signatures coming from inside a huge tent. At first glance, it looked like the kind of tent a circus troupe would use in the movies.

It was about half the size of a gymnasium. It had been exposed to the elements, and what was once probably vibrant was now quite tattered. Still, I thought it was sturdy for not having collapsed.

"If a human has been kidnapped..."

"It might be in there."

"...Are you really going in? A rescue operation by an amateur... that just sounds like a recipe for disaster."

"We don't know for sure that anyone has been captured in the first place."

"Just pray that it's just a cleanup operation, Sister."

"You muscle-headed fools..."

"And... if there are people in there, we should probably hurry."

"What?"

"The flow of mana is strange. It's possible that... that place is a 'storage and dining hall.'"

A certain possibility came to mind, and not wanting to waste time explaining, I started jogging toward the tent.

Without stopping, I tore through the thick, grimy cloth and leaped inside.

The first thing I saw was rows of spectator seats. Wooden benches were lined up, and having been somewhat protected from the elements, they were in relatively better condition than the outside.

Beyond them was a stage, illuminated by magic.

Dolls in tailcoats were scraping out unpleasant noises on broken instruments. In the center, a doll in a green cloak and a wolf-headed doll were fighting with a rapier and claws. No, they were pretending to fight.

The wooden eyes of all the dolls on the stage turned to me in unison. The unpleasant music stopped, and the dolls in tailcoats each picked up a saw or an axe.

"Mmph—! Mmph—!"

I started walking between the spectator seats, heading for the stage.

Then, I heard a muffled voice from nearby. I stopped and pointed my sword at the dolls on the stage, while turning my gaze toward the source of the voice.

There was the manager, gagged. It seemed she was tied to a chair with ropes.

Further beyond her was another old man tied up in the same way, and when I looked to the other side, there was yet another old man.

But... apart from the manager, they were already dead.

There were no external injuries other than what looked like rope burns, and the smell of excrement stung my nostrils. There was no smell of blood, and I couldn't see any reddish-brown stains at a glance.

"The price of admission is mana, huh."

Outside of dungeons, monsters cannot function without eating.

Even if they had mouths and vocal cords, dolls without esophagi or stomachs had no means of obtaining nourishment other than by stealing the mana of other living creatures.

Besides the human corpses, there were also rotting animal carcasses scattered about. It seemed they weren't picky about their audience.

I felt my brow furrow deeply under my helmet.

"Show's over, you marionettes. Time to turn you into scrap!"

As if my words were a signal, the dolls on the stage, as well as those who had been adjusting the lights from the wings and the ceiling, charged at me.

Dozens of blades were pointed at me at once, while on our side, including the ice, we had only two.

And yet,

"Out of my way!"

If they're all above the spectator seats, a single swing is enough.

Using my whole body like a spring, I spun horizontally. Mana flowed from my heart, to my arm, my fingers, through the ring, from the hilt to the blade.

A crimson flame that swallowed the magically created lights. The marionettes were carbonized as it passed, and the resulting wind tore the tent to shreds.

The huge cloth billowed up. Some of the iron pipes that had supported it also went flying, and about ten seconds later, a loud metallic crash echoed from a short distance away.

"...If you're going to use an area-of-effect attack, I'd like a signal beforehand."

Mia-san, peeking out from behind Blanc, pouted in dissatisfaction.

"Sorry. I just..."

"Well, it's fine. I was pissed off too."

She approached the manager and cut the ropes with a knife made of ice.

As soon as she removed the gag, the old woman's emotions burst forth.

"H-Help me! I don't wanna die! I don't wanna die!"

"Please calm down. The police will be here soon."

I left the manager to Mia-san and thrust the tip of my sword into the floor. At the same time, I activated [Concept Interference].

Then, a light ping echoed through the theater.

It was the sound of the magic circle that had been carved here to absorb mana from living creatures breaking. It was invisible to the naked eye, but with my eyes, I could see it at a glance. In fact, any Awakened would be able to detect it from the strange feeling of the mana.

It was an easy spell to detect, but it was quite difficult to create. At least, it would be impossible for me.

That meant a considerable spellcaster was using this place as a base. Well, nine times out of ten...

"We can't stay here! It's coming! I-I left my phone at the reception desk, and when I went to get it with my car, I was kidnapped, and that's where I saw it! That monster!"

"It's okay. First, take a deep breath..."

"Blanc. Guard those two. Mia-san, I'm going to..."

"Yes. Please handle the interception."

"We have to run! We're gonna die if we don't run!!"

With the half-crazed manager at my back, I walked out of the theater.

"Hmm... This looks like one of those cases. In a depopulated rural area, even if a few old folks go unseen for a few days, their neighbors a few houses down wouldn't even notice. It's common for human connections to be weak outside of the cities, too."

"Meaning?"

"This stampede probably went undiscovered for a considerable amount of time. Which means there are a lot of them."

"Coincidentally, I was thinking the same thing."

I blew away the pile of collapsed iron pipes with a single swing and stepped outside.

Then, I began to hear a number of footsteps so large it was foolish to count. Accompanied by a strange melody.

As if in a parade, the Killing Dolls were marching to surround me. Some of the clown-like ones were juggling knives, while others were advancing on large balls.

Dolls in tuxedos scraped at broken instruments, and dolls in cloaks with swords at their waists played cracked flutes.

Even to my musically uninclined ears, it was an unbearable noise. But strangely... a feeling of pity washed over me.

While I was shaking it off, the procession came to a halt.

It seemed they were here to demand payment (our lives).

I took a deep breath. Ah, this was easier. At least, it was much better than having to cut through that pitiful parade.

"—Come on."

Mia-san and Blanc could probably fend them off while protecting one person, but there was a chance the manager could be killed by a stray shot.

The more enemies I drew to myself, the higher the chance of everyone surviving. I didn't know if it would have any effect, but I took my left hand off the hilt and tried to provoke them with the most defiant smile I could muster.

"GAAAAAH!"

Whether it was effective or had nothing to do with my reaction, the wolf-headed dolls led the charge with a roar. Following them, the other dolls charged, each with their own weapon.

I clad my blade in wind and swung the invisible hammer horizontally in a flash. I pulverized several of them at once, and with the return swing, I stepped forward and knocked away five more.

Slipping under the bodies of their airborne comrades, the green-cloaked swordsman dolls pointed their blades at me.

In response to their approach, I swung my left hand horizontally. A trail that looked like it was scratching the sky was dyed red with fire.

I charged into the space in front of me where the dolls were burning, and the knives thrown by the clowns stabbed into the spot where I had just been. I ignored them and continued forward, cutting down the nearest individuals.

I cut one down with a diagonal slash, then immediately swung horizontally at the doll next to it. I then cut down the one next to that with a vertical slash, and spun around to cut in half the clown that had jumped on me from behind.

As if sliding into the wound of the doll I had just separated at the waist, a cloaked [Killing Doll] thrust its rapier at me.

Using my foresight, I tilted my head to dodge it, then grabbed its wrist and crushed it. I then swung it around and threw it into a random group.

That's about a quarter of them taken care of. The Killing Dolls, having learned that they would be destroyed by wind or fire if they stayed together, scattered and attacked.

In that case, I charged at the first doll that came at me. I cut it into a cross shape in an instant, then squeezed my body into the gap I had created and moved forward.

I had no intention of letting them surround me, so I ran amok, smashing the heads or torsos of the dolls as I passed.

At this point, it was no longer a battle. It was work.

A doll, half-destroyed by the aftershock of my sword swing, thrust its rapier at me as it crumbled.

I deflected it with my gauntlet and brought my iron fist down from above. As if crushing a papercraft, the [Killing Doll]'s core shattered.

But I couldn't let my guard down.

I charged at a doll that was trying to head toward the theater, and with that momentum, I swung my sword horizontally. Then, in an arc, I charged at another doll that was trying to escape.

I won't let them go, and I won't let them escape. I'll grind them to dust here.

The number of dolls, which had been over three digits, became twenty, and then, with a blast of wind, ten.

It seemed the boss had finally decided to make its move.

A loud clang came from the direction of the merry-go-round.

The wooden horses that had been fixed in place landed on the ground on their four legs. They neighed as if they were alive, scattering wood chips.

Those weren't monsters. I could tell from the flow of mana.

It wasn't just the wooden horses that were moving; the rusted cars of the roller coaster were coming toward me like a great serpent.

Leading them was a giant doll.

It was wrapped in black rags like a robe and moved like a spider on four legs. A staff was clutched in its log-like arm, and its face was exactly like that of a wicked witch from a picture book.

[Magician Doll].

One of the boss monsters from dungeons where Killing Dolls appear. I had a feeling it might be, given the precise magic it was using, and I was right.

I cut off my thoughts and pulverized the surrounding dolls with my wind-and-fire-clad sword. With the impact of striking the blade against the ground, I leaped up, and with another downward swing, I finished off all the Killing Dolls.

Just then, the wooden horses charged at me. Furthermore, a dozen or so orbs of light rained down on me.

I didn't want to retreat, given the positioning. So I moved forward, kicking away the wooden horses and cutting down the orbs of light from above.

In that instant, the magic bullets exploded. But something of this level wouldn't even scratch me. I cut through the explosion and charged at the [Magician Doll], cutting down the wooden horses in my path.

The witch-like doll showed no signs of panic and moved its staff. In response, the roller coaster serpent charged at me at high speed.

If I dodge it or cut it, it will hit the theater behind me...!

"Tch!"

I blocked it head-on with the flat of my sword, but the difference in mass sent me sliding back. The cracked brick pavement shattered, and the impact drove me into the ground up to my knees.

Just as I used a release of wind to forcibly stop my retreat, the serpent flung me into the air. Being only human, I was powerless to resist and was launched dozens of meters into the air.

Without missing a beat, the steel serpent twisted its body and slammed its tail into me. I blocked it with my sword, but my body was sent flying, and just as it had planned, I landed on the roller coaster tracks.

Just as my boots warped the metal tracks, a spear of light came at me at high speed. As I cut it down, the serpent entered the roller coaster's reception area head-first at high speed.

The wooden walls and roof shattered, and the steel monster placed its newly grown centipede-like legs on the rails. Then, it started racing toward me at over 200 kilometers per hour.

Feeling the vibrations from my feet, I looked away and briefly surveyed the amusement park.

The wooden horses and the Magician were also heading my way. Looking further, I saw that the roof of the theater was gone, and my eyes met Mia-san's.

A faint hint of worry was visible on her beautiful face. I had no time to respond, and I immediately returned my gaze to the serpent.

The thing that had become a monster machine in another sense reached the highest point. Combined with its original speed and gravity, it came at me with unbelievable acceleration to run me over.

If I dodged into the air, I would face the onslaught of the Magician and the wooden horses. If I stayed on the tracks, a collision was unavoidable.

On the surface, the situation was hopeless. However.

"Hraaaah!!"

—SCREEEEEECH!!

A shattering sound echoed, vibrating the rails and reverberating throughout the amusement park. Almost simultaneously, an explosion occurred on the ground.

It was simple. Just after I threw my sword at the group of wooden horses, I caught the steel serpent with both hands.

Bracing my feet and cracking the metal plates supporting the rails, I released a blast of wind. I gritted my teeth against the impact that shot through my arms and legs, and finally brought its charge to a halt.

The moment it stopped, spears of light flew at me. I blocked them by twisting my hips and ripping the monster machine from the rails.

It was too heavy to throw the whole thing, but the連結部, the couplings, must have been damaged in the collision. If it was just the lead car, it was easy enough.

The car and the spears collided in mid-air and exploded. I charged through the explosion and rushed at the [Magician Doll] on the ground.

No wooden horses. No Killing Dolls. The leader of the dolls, now all alone, floated an orb of light in the air and prepared to fire it.

But it was too late.

The heavy iron fist of my left hand, with gravity behind it, smashed into its face.

I landed in a cloud of dust, but I couldn't kill all my momentum and skidded to a stop, tearing up the brick pavement.

The moment my momentum finally stopped was almost the exact same moment the lights went out in the ruined amusement park.