Chapter 414: The Fake Knight, and the Expedition.
That day, the variants' attacks on the "Sacred Tree" were apparently repeated a few more times.
Although, since Frame Gears were already put into use, they were easily repelled every time.
The situation over there was reported in detail by Est-san over the phone. Even though the Godslaying Poison in that land blocks my search magic, it doesn't block our smartphones from connecting, after all.
The "Sacred Tree" was also growing throughout the day, and it would soon exceed the height of the trees around it, apparently.
Once it grows to that size, hiding it wouldn't be possible. It would become something that can be spotted easily from anywhere, and the attacks of the variants would no doubt increase as a result.
I've sent the [Crown] pairs of Norn and Noir as well as Robert and Blau to the forest containing the "Sacred Tree" together with their Over Gears, [Leo Noir] and [Dea Blau].
It's much easier now since I can open [Gate]s as I've been there once before.
Right now, there are three [Crown]s protecting the "Sacred Tree" over there. Normal opponents wouldn't be able to put a dent in their defenses.
Especially since Robert's [Dea Blau] can use its spatial distortion abilities to block any attack that are aimed at the "Sacred Tree" directly.
"And so when will our assault begin-degozaru ka?"
"Right. It's a feeling of mine, but two more days… With that much time, we should no longer be affected by the [Godslaying Poison] at all."
"And we are to stay on standby until then, are we… It's a bit vexing."
While wiping off sweat from training with a towel, Hilda muttered. Even if you say that, you know. It's not just me, but Hilda and Yae as well as everyone else would be in danger if we move too early. Asking me to fight in that state I felt yesterday would be suicide.
Although it's probably not to my level, my fiancées also have received the love of gods in various forms. They will no doubt be strongly affected by the [Godslaying Poison].
No matter how good you are with the sword, if you're dead drunk even a novice can defeat you easily.
…There is one sword master who I think can probably defeat everyone else even if she's dead drunk, but that's out of the question. In the first place, she's a pure god so the effect of
[Godslaying Poison] on her would be much worse. The example was bad.
Even Nia's group, who's fighting in Eisengard currently, can't be said to have received absolutely no effects. They should be feeling that their conditions are somewhat worse than normal. They all have some degree of connection with me, more or less, after all. It's a poison that really embodies the concept of the phrase "If you hate monks, you can't even stand seeing a kasaya".
The more the "Sacred Tree" grows, the more its power to purify the poison would be strengthened. Its power would eventually spread across the entire Eisengard. We would begin our attack then.
The final battle is closing in.
As I was feeling the tension, a call from Professor Babylon came in.
"Yes, hello."
"Touya-kun, the thing we predicted has finally happened. It seems like a new type of variant appeared in Eisengard."
A new type of variant? Don't tell me…
"This is…!"
I looked at the monitor inside the [Laboratory] in stunned silence. We did see it coming, but seeing it in person really does carry a significant amount of impact.
The scene being shown on the monitor is coming from the cameras of Nia's group's Frame Gears, which are currently in Eisengard as well.
Ican see the figures of several Japanese giant salamander-like lower-class variants, and a special variant standing among them.
It's releasing a dark gold glow from its whole body; two arms, two legs, and a head makes it a clear humanoid-type. However, it's not a ruler-class. Its size is the same as a Frame Gear… What's more, it even looks like one. It's even holding a sword and shield for good measure.
"Frame Gear-type variant…"
"Modelled after the Chevalier they captured last battle, no doubt. Well, they did add their own twists, it seems."
The professor replied while moving the mock cigarette in her mouth.
It's true that that form is similar to a Chevalier's. However, it has a blasphemous feel to it. How should I say it; it feels distorted. The color is obviously different, but even if it's the same, I can probably tell immediately that it's not a Chevalier.
"Still, it's weird. What advantage is there for them to make a Frame Gear-type? If I have to say it, something close to a human… Giant-types like cyclops or trolls should be better if you think about it."
True. If they're going for something that's similar to a Frame Gear in size and form, they would've used golems as models way before this. There's no way it's gonna be something like they wanted a robotic look because they look metallic to begin with. Why did they expressly capture a Frame Gear for this?
"Even if they don't take the form of machines specifically… Mu?"
On the screen, Est-san's Red Lynx broke the Frame Gear-type variant's chest with a horizontal slash. The broken pieces dropped down onto the ground.
"I see now… So it's like that."
"I don't see it. What's like that?"
Stop nodding by yourself over there and teach me too, please.
"It's just that it's harder to destroy something smaller than something bigger."
"… Explain in a way I can understand."
"Listen here. For the variants… And the Phrases as well, be it lower-class, intermediate-class, advanced-class and ruler-class. They all have the same weak point of the core inside their bodies. You get that, right?"
I nodded at the professor's words. That's obvious.
"And, the size of their cores increases in proportion to the size of their bodies. You get that too?"
Un, that's true as well. The lower-classes have core sizes between a baseball and a softball, intermediate-classes are between a basketball and a balance ball, and advanced-classes can have cores with 2m or 3m diameters. In contrast, a ruler-class' core is only about a cherry's size at the largest.
"And so, regarding that imposter Frame Gear. How big do you think its core is?"
"Eh? That one is… Around an intermediate-class' size, so… Around this big?"
I used my hands to form a shape that's slightly larger than a basketball. The professor looked at it and shook her head sideways. It's wrong?
"Nope. I believe the core of that imposter Frame Gear is around this big."
The professor measured a distance of around 2cm between her thumb and index finger.
"That small!?"
"Look over there. At the feet of the Red Lynx. What do you see?"
I looked closely at the screen the professor pointed at. Over there, the golden pieces that have fallen at the feet of the red knight began regenerating while being sucked to one another, and before long, a golden skeleton stood in that place.
"Wha!?"
"It really is well made. Basically, that Frame Gear-type and this golden skeleton are one and the same. The 'core' is probably in the golden skeleton that serves as a pilot. The broken imposter Frame Gear is also beginning to regenerate over there. It seems like the regeneration ability isn't really linked to the size of the core. So, as long as you don't destroy that golden skeleton, you won't be able to destroy the Frame Gear-type as well."
I see. However, the core of that golden skeleton is only around the size of a marble. It's a tall order for Frame Gears to destroy that mid-battle. Oh wait, I guess they can just stomp on it.
I immediately contacted Est-san and told her what we know.
After that, inside the monitor, the Red Lynx mercilessly stomped down on the golden skeleton which was trying to return to its other body.
At the same time, the fallen Frame Gear-type began dissolving into a sludge. So it was just as the professor thought, huh.
"Fuun, it's quite the bad taste. Those imposter Frame Gears… It's tough to call them that every time; I guess I'll call them [Fakes] for now. Those Fakes are paired with the golden skeletons and they apparently don't have their own will. It's just like the relationship between a Frame Gear and its pilot. Well, Frame Gears won't melt down just because their pilots died, though."
"So the only way to defeat that fake knight would be to aim for the cockpit, huh?"
I think I can pull that core with [Aports] as well, but [Aports] requires the user to have an accurate recognition of the target. In order to pull out the core that I can't see with [Aports], I'll have to see it using [Divine Eyes]…
"Well, the easiest method is probably like what the Red Lynx did just now, drag the golden skeleton out of the frame and then crush it with a stomp. Either that, or an attack that obliterates the skeleton together with the cockpit."
If it's Leen's Grimgerde it seems doable with a Vulcan volley, but Elze's close-combat model Gerhilde or Yae and Hilda's sword-based fighting style in Schwertleite and Siegrune would probably have trouble dealing with that.
Stomping on the cockpit area after bringing it down seems to be the fastest method.
"Another troublesome opponent appeared for us…"
"Not exactly. Look at that."
In the monitor the professor was pointing at, the Red Cats' Chevaliers were exchanging blows with other Fakes using their swords and shields. What's wrong with that?
"Can you notice it? These fake knights don't attack through changing their bodies. Normal variants would've turned their limbs into blades and attacked with them."
Now that she says it… They do regenerate, but they don't attack with their bodies like normal variants to. Why is that?
"It's possible that those kinds of abilities are the ones dependant on the size of the core. The golden skeleton's core is too small for the Fake's huge body. It doesn't have enough power to transform."
I see. With the size of the golden skeleton's core, transforming the skeleton's body would be the most it can manage. If you think like that, the main body of the Fakes are rather easy to fight compared to other variants.
Inside the monitor, a Chevalier once again bisected the body of a Fake. The Chevalier then stomped twice, three times on the fallen upper body of the fake knight, upon which it began dissolving into a sludge and disappearing together with black smoke.
"Uun… It's definitely not a smart way to fight, if anything."
"Trying to fight smartly in battle is a harsh goal in the first place."
Right. Still, that way of fighting feels like striking an opponent that has already fallen down, so it's a bit…
While we're talking, it seems that the attacking variants have been exterminated on the other side. The Chevaliers began sheathing their swords.
A call came in on my smartphone. It's from Nia.
"Yes, hello?"
"Oi you, what're we supposed to do with our food? There's nothing to hunt around here too, are you planning to watch us starve to death or something!?"
"Ah, I forgot."
"WHAT!?"
"No, I did prepare supplies but I forgot to carry them over. I'll send them over now, wait just a bit."
Man, I messed up.
You can't fight on an empty stomach. Especially when fighting in a distant land, the availability of rations can decide who wins the battle. Well, in our case, the distance isn't really a problem though.
An empty space in the [Laboratory]… An empty space… An empty space doesn't exist here. things like papers and tools and parts are spread out all over the floor.
Since it can't be helped, I went out to the corridor and began taking out foodstuffs made by our head chef Claire-san and Luu from [Storage]. Some barrels of drinks and a bit of alcohol too. Since they were in [Storage], the food is piping hot.
"Oi, don't take stuff from here and eat. That's pretty ill-natured of you."
"C'mon, it's just one plate. I havn't eaten today as well, you know."
Before I noticed, the professor was besides me munching on a plate of fried rice with a spoon in her mouth.
"[Gate]."
The transfer gate spread out on the floor below the dishes, and they sunk slowly into the gate.
They should've been transferred to the "Sacred Tree" in Eisengard where Nia's group is at.
A call quickly came in from Est-san saying her thanks. There's no problem since this is a necessary expense as well. We would begin sending our knights there in a rotational system soon, anyway.
I headed to the knights' dormitory, and called out the pre-determined expedition members. Since we can't leave the country undefended, I'm planning to only mobilize half the members this time.
We'll be sending around 50 knights, with the vice-commander Nicola-san leading them.
"This is a simple tent and various food materials. I've made it smaller with [Prison], but you can return it to its normal size if you use [Release] over there. Don't forget to contact us regularly. Also, you might feel a bit under the weather once you're there; report any changes, no matter how small, to us."
"Yes, I understand."
Ipassed over a dice-like [Prison] around 2cm in size to Nicola-san. I've included Nia's group's share in there too.
After Nicola-san put the [Prison] inside his pocket, he turned around and issued an order to the knights behind him.
"We shall depart on our expedition. All aboard!"
The knights all got into the 49 Chevaliers called over from Babylon, while Nicola-san got into the commander model Night Baron.
On Nicola-san's Night Baron, the only-recently completed [Flight Gear] was equipped in its shield mode. Even if flying variants appear, they should be able to handle them somewhat with that.
I opened up a large [Gate], after which the Frame Gears began marching through it to Eisengard.
"Then Your Majesty. I'm off."
The last one, Nicola, spoke up using the external speakers before disappearing into the [Gate].
"They're gone, huh. I wanted to go as well though."
Our other vice-commander Norn, or rather Norue-san muttered discontentedly while twitching her ears and swinging her tail.
The commander Rain-san cautioned her in a somewhat stern tone.
"If both vice-commanders leave, who's going to take command over here? We have our own roles to fulfill, you know."
"Even if you say that-. I mean, isn't Rain-chan also going there in a later wave? Why am I the only one staying back, isn't it unfair?"
"Even if you say that. This is something decided by His Majesty, so…"
Oi oi, don't get me involved in this. There's no way I can bring all 3 commanders with me to the other side, can I?
There is grandpa Baba and old man Yamagata here, but they're strictly speaking not members of our knight order, so.
"I feel sorry about it, but give up this time. It's not really to make up for it, but for the knights staying in the castle, I'll be sending you guys sweets every day until Nicola-san and the others get back from the expedition."
"Eh! Every day!? Tell me that earlier! I want pudding a la mode!"
Norue-san began swinging her tail furiously. How honest.
"Ano… Will I be able to get those sweets as well until I depart…?"
Rain-san looked this way while fidgeting. Seems like she's pretty honest as well. Well, I'll permit it since she's part of the knights too. Can't be creating grudges at this time.
Tomorrow, I'll be sending the knights of the other countries to the surroundings of the "Sacred Tree" as well; we'll be making a frontline base there.
Once that's finished, we will begin marching.
—-Genroku Year 15, the 12th month, the 14th day.
The Yamaga-ryu war drums sounded out, shaking the night of Edo.
In order to dispel the regret of our late lord, Asano Takumi no Kami-sama, us forty-seven surviving retainers of Ako shall go forth to claim the head of Kira-dono.
…Now's not the time to be thinking about the world of Chushingura. In the first place, if we're applying this setting, then isn't Asano Takumi no Kami, who was forced to commit seppuku, me? That's some bad omen.
Well, I do hope that we return without missing anyone like the Ako vagabonds… Who were then also forced to commit seppuku afterwards, now that I think about it. Crap, my comparison's getting worse and worse.
In any case, it's best if we all return in one piece. While holding that determination in my chest, I headed to the kitchen in order to make the sweets that were requested.
– Pixel