Chương 178: Chapter 58: “Administrator and Observer of the System”

Those who could move took the lead in treating the wounded. Despite the fierce battle that changed the surrounding terrain, miraculously, there were almost no deaths. Asty, Steargol, Zeed, and Brinda are all safe. I also healed my injuries using Qi. Both Qi and mana consumption are significant, but for now, my body can move satisfactorily. Phew. I take a breath. Until then, I was overwhelmed with what was in front of me, but once I calmed down a little, various things came to mind.

Come to think of it, where did Will go?

"He's not here..." I searched, but I couldn't feel his presence anywhere. Even though there was certainly a sign that he was watching from the sky until halfway through. And one more thing. There was something concerning. The Qi reaction I attached to Plato moved considerably north from here and stopped there. It seems he has some purpose too. But what is he doing alone in such a remote place? I have a bad feeling. According to Lilna, Plato left with a face hiding some heavy determination. I'm worried.

I hope he hasn't done anything rash. Just then, Lilna, who had finished replenishing energy with a portable battery, approached.

"I'm worried about the capital. Lasla and the others seem to be holding out well, but..."

"Yeah. You take everyone who can fight and head for support immediately. It should be only remnants of Prelions left, but they are quite tough too."

"Yeah. But what do you intend to do?"

"I'm heading to Plato."

"Do you know? Where he is?" When I nodded, she looked at me with a serious face.

"... I see. Understood. Take care of him. He is my precious comrade."

"It's okay. Don't worry. I'll bring him back properly." Answering to reassure her, I turn my back to her. Borrowing just one armored vehicle that was barely still moving, I drove at full speed towards the north. Going back a little in time. While Yu and the others were engaging in a death match with Baragion, Plato was approaching the target location. A white spire towering at the end of the gentle hilly area surrounding the capital gradually emerges. It was a huge radio tower.

A place where the controlled Natura never tried to approach. Only he knew this place. He looked back. In the distant sky, lights are flickering. The aftermath of a battle of too tremendous a scale was reaching even here. Staring at the twinkling lights, he mutters to himself.

"I have no choice but to believe... that some miracle will happen and they will win." I'm just doing what I can do. With determination in his chest, he continues high-speed maneuvering. The antenna device relaying commands from the final "System." If he destroys that, the activity of Prelions on the ground will stop for the time being. He thought it should be a significant help. However, a base important to the "System" couldn't be exposed defenselessly.

Facing countless Slaughter Angels that sprung out sensing his approach, Plato readied his beam rifle.

"You came out. In swarms... I'll have you let me pass." Plato takes down the Prelions attacking like demons one after another with his specialty quick draw. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Constantly calculating the distance to the opponent, he destroyed enemies from nearby preferentially. Although not as much as Lilna, he was a vice-captain for a reason.

For him, who possesses strength a head above the rest in the squad, Prelions, which are merely degraded versions of himself, were not much of an enemy. Shooting down all enemies in the visible range, the target radio tower was imminent. However— From the shadow of the tower, a single man appeared. Of medium build and height, looking only about early thirties in appearance. But his hair is pure white like that of an old man.

His intellectual eyes are somewhat hollow as if tired, but deep inside them, they harbored the light of dark ambition that had not yet disappeared.

"Plato. What are you doing in a place like this?"

"... As I thought, you were here." Plato braced himself without letting his guard down. The person who was his true objective had appeared. The man wears a fearless smile as if seeing through everything.

"Are you betraying me? That's a shame. We've been getting along well for two thousand years."

"Betray or whatever. From the beginning, I was just watching the outcome. I don't have the slightest intention of becoming friends with you."

"I suppose so. I knew you didn't think well of me. I dared to overlook it until now. Watching a coward just trembling was amusing."

"... Hmph. Say whatever you want."

"But, this time you've overstepped your bounds. Why did you suddenly do something like this?" Plato thought of the two and returned a provocative smile.

"I just wanted to bet for the last time. On a new wind."

"Extraterrestrial lifeform—Yu, was it? What can a brat like that do?"

"............" Asked that, he couldn't put it into concrete words. But he had a secret expectation he couldn't throw away. That that good-natured idiot would do something again. Such a thing is ridiculous, the man says with mockery.

"The other irregular factor, the FabL who was the only concern, is dead. Crushing each other on their own."

"Is that so."

"There is no one left who can stop Baragion anymore. Even if, by some chance, they repel it." At the end of his suggestive words, the man lifted the corner of his mouth.

"... I know. But if I can stop you here."

"That's right. If someone like you can do it, that is."

"That is my atonement. Even if we stab each other, I will stop you."

"Kukuku. That spirit is good." The two men knew from the beginning. That a settlement by discussion was impossible. They came here to kill each other. Plato readied his beam rifle. Aiming carefully at the chest, he fires. The blue beam that had shot through any enemy until now reaches right in front of the white-haired man in the blink of an eye. But just when it seemed it would pierce him— The beam vanished without a trace.

"Ah, gu...!" Simultaneously, a violent impact attacks Plato's left arm. Without understanding what was happening, he fell to his knee on the spot. And when he looked at the place that received the impact, his eyes widened in astonishment. His left arm had—vanished entirely in an instant. There is no wreckage anywhere. Leaving no trace that it ever existed in this world. As matter, it had completely disappeared. The white-haired man gazed at his palm intently with admiration.

"Hoh. This power for a test model?"

"You. What did you do...!?" To Plato asking with a voice trembling in agitation, the white-haired man answered proudly.

"Matter Annihilation Weapon 《Niltenser》. That thing of Baragion involved the surroundings in a nuclear reaction, so it could only be used for attack, though." From his tone, Plato guesses that it erases "only" the target and causes no unnecessary damage. The man takes pride in his intellect and chuckles.

"Before me, neither any attack nor defense works. Truly a flawless weapon."

"What did you say...!?"

"Fuffuffu. It means I am far superior to the worthless barrier called 《Deatress》 made by that Lewis."

"Da, mn...!" Plato clenches his teeth enduring the pain. Only at times like this, a body that feels pain is annoying. He resents being an imitation of human structure. While kneeling, he fires the beam rifle rapidly with all his might.

"It doesn't work." However, they all vanished like a mirage in front of the man's eyes. He dared to leave the right arm usable for the beam rifle. To test the effect of his weapon and show it off to Plato. The man spreads his right hand towards Plato and thrusts it out.

"It was a pointless death." A wave of annihilation is released. At that moment, when he was about to be killed helplessly— Yu, who appeared suddenly on the spot, grabbed Plato's back. Flying away with 《Passtrive》. The wave of annihilation that lost its target gouged out only the ground instead.

"Good. I made it in time somehow."

"Yu...! You, why...!?" To the surprised Plato, Yu said reprovingly with a worried face.

"Everyone tries to act cool. Don't rush to die on your own. I've had enough of that."

"... Sorry." Yu nodded deeply and then faced the white-haired man.

"Who are you? The mastermind?"

"Well. I wonder." The white-haired man shrugs as if to deceive. Yu strengthened his glare and said provocatively.

"If it's Baragion, I defeated it."

"... What?" The white-haired man, who had maintained his composure until then, showed clear agitation for the first time.

"That can't be... No—" When he caught Yu's face firmly in his eyes, he was nailed to the spot.

"That cheeky look... that visage... I remember it..." Abominable memories revive within him. And when he reached one answer. He gasped and opened his mouth wide.

"Don't tell me, that woman... Yuna Hoshimi...!"

"Do you know my mother!?"

"............ I see. I see, I see. Kukuku. What a karmic turn of fate." The man distorted his face greatly into a subtle expression that was neither joy nor anger. Only his mouth is smiling, but his eyes are narrowed tightly as if looking at a foe, and deep wrinkles are gathered between his eyebrows.

"I owe your mother a very big debt from long ago. I was thinking of paying it back with plenty of interest if possible."

"... Mom died. Long ago."

"Hoh..." Then, the white-haired man looked down and began to shake his shoulders. And—"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Suddenly, he laughed loudly like a madman. While Yu and Plato were bewildered by the suddenness, he raised his fist and raged.

"That piece of shit Lewis, and that bitch Yuna too! While looking down on me so much! Thinking they killed me! To think you kicked the bucket first! It's a masterpiece! A masterpiece, hey! Fuhahahahahahahahahahaha!" Not directed at anyone, just with eyes bloodshot in madness. He raises his voice as if his throat would tear.

"I survived! Even if miserably reducing myself to such a machine! How is it! It's my win! Serves you right! Serves you right aaah!" Screaming that far, gasping for breath. Lowering his tension as if losing color instantly, he told Yu in an eerily calm tone." Orted Realance. You must have at least heard the name." When he heard that name, Yu gasped. And finally, everything made sense.

"I see... It was you." Orted Realance. It was the name of the mad scientist who once plunged the entire land of Estotia into war.