Chương 66: Chapter 17 A Small Bone, A Great Lesson(Part 3)

"What's wrong, Chloe? You look exhausted all of a sudden."

"Nothing. I just suddenly felt like complaining to Soths."

"About what?"

"The thing we saw. According to the Sage, it was a performance test."

"A performance test?"

"Yes. Those creatures are lost children searching for their own path. Their parent creates them and then never looks back. If no one shows them where to go, they have no choice but to walk on their own." The monsters could blame Soths if they wanted. Assuming they possessed enough awareness to hold a grudge.

"So that's why monsters attack people?" Hyodo asked.

"Exactly. Birds born in cages don't know the outside world. But they're curious about it. If they have wings, they want to fly. If they have beaks, they want to peck. To them, we are something completely new." Damn it. I had overlooked something important. We had been told that monsters would eventually overflow from the Gate. But nobody had explained how they would overflow. I had assumed it would be a simple invasion. A horde marching out of the Gate in waves.

If that were the case, we could simply meet them head-on and stop them. But that silver sphere was far larger than any Gate entrance. 『Sage, do you know how monster overflows happen? 』 『No idea. I've never seen one. 』 『Witch? 』 『Apparently there is some kind of announcement before the overflow. That's all I know. Isn't it wonderful? An endless supply of monsters to play with. 』 Wonderful for her, perhaps. I enjoyed fighting monsters too. Even if the Witch handled most of the battles, I still found them exciting.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. But I couldn't ignore people dying. I couldn't save everyone. Even so, reducing casualties was worth making every effort. We needed to get out. We needed to speak with Chiyoda and the others again.

"Let's hurry," I said.

"The situation may have changed." I moved closer to Hyodo.

"You've heard about the Akihabara Gate, haven't you?"

"... A little."

"Then listen carefully. We know an overflow will happen, but we don't know how. We don't know the scale. We don't know the conditions."

"If creatures that large exist," Hyodo said grimly, "then they won't simply march out of the Gate in formation."

"Exactly. In the worst case, they could appear randomly throughout the city." His expression darkened.

"Understood."

"There may be an announcement before it happens, but beyond that, nobody knows anything. Hunting is over. From now on, shoot any monster you find."

"... Understood." He turned toward the others.

"Everyone, we're moving. This is no longer reconnaissance. This is a mission."

"Roger!" The mood changed instantly. No one looked happy. But everyone understood. We accelerated toward the Fifteenth Layer. Eventually, we reached the area near the exit gate. The terrain became flat. Visibility improved. There were some obstacles scattered around, but overall the area was open. And then it appeared. A monster descended from the sky. It was mechanical. Its face resembled that of a bat. Both eyes were hidden behind a silver visor shaped like a crossed X. Six arms extended from its body.

The middle pair had thin metallic threads hanging from the wrists, resembling strands of hair. The remaining arms were thin like spider legs, each ending in a lens. There were no visible legs on its lower body. Combined with its upper body, it resembled an hourglass. More lenses were embedded there as well. Its face looked similar to the creature I had seen in Seth's footage. But it was different. That one had carried a sword without a blade. And if anything, that creature had felt more animal-like.

This one was different. More artificial. More refined. Analysis could wait. Right now, this was entertainment. I had received a new kiseru. I needed to test it. I took a slow drag and released the smoke.

"My, my, my." Finally. The little bone I had almost given up on finding.

"There you are." I smiled.

"Go ahead. Leave this one to me. It's too much for ordinary soldiers."

"... Contact! Fire!" The soldiers immediately opened fire. But it was useless. The monster's image was stronger than theirs. The bullets fell from the air like insects with broken wings.

"Damn it! Even when we hit it, it doesn't die! Is it even taking damage?"

"Keep firing! Imagine the bullets piercing through!" Hyodo shouted.

"Deputy! Prioritize getting the doctor out! You two support him! I'll stay here and assist her!"

"Understood!" Takatsuki and the others withdrew. Reluctantly. Hopefully. One day, they would become stronger. The monster floated silently. My little bone. A troublesome one. I exhaled smoke. The mist wrapped around it. Confusing it. Disorienting it. Taking away its sense of direction. How troublesome. No matter how it moved its arms, it could not disperse the smoke.

"Captain, you should leave as well." The monster suddenly attacked. Four beams of light shot forward. I stepped aside. The beams passed harmlessly by and disappeared into the darkness.

"No." Hyodo skimmed across the ground on flowing water.

"I cannot abandon the person I was assigned to protect." A metallic thread attacked him from behind. Too slow. I struck it away with my kiseru. The thread crashed into the ground. How rude. Trying to tear a lady's dress. The sleeve and left arm of my dress were shredded. A moment later, they restored themselves. Hyodo did not notice.

"Do as you wish," I told him.

"But remember this. When you imagine things, do not imagine absolutes. Do not imagine invincibility. Those things are fragile." The monster charged. My glowing hands moved. I slipped between its attacks and detonated magic against its body.

"Hmm. Tougher than expected." Smoke wrapped around one of its arms. Crushed. Twisted. Destroyed. One of its upper right arms disappeared.

"Understood." Hyodo raised his hand.

"Water! Strike it down!" A torrent slammed into the monster. Its lower left arm shattered. But it continued fighting. The hanging threads gathered together. Forming blades. It swung wildly. I blocked one. Another came faster. I dodged. The lower half of my skirt disappeared. How unfortunate.

"You chose to stay," I said.

"So enjoy yourself. Fear will devour you if you allow it. You are not there yet, but someday you will find a treasure that belongs only to you."

"What about your injuries?"

"There are none." The damaged dress restored itself again.

"Focus on your own battle, Captain." The monster moved away and attacked from a distance. That attack was dangerous. Hyodo could actually die from it. A shield rose from the ground. Heavy. Solid. It blocked the invisible blade.

"Walk. Run. Dodge. Dance." I smiled.

"Standing still at a ball is terribly uncivilized."

"Fair enough." Hyodo grinned.

"Then let's play together." His magic surged.

"Water! Crush! Strike and sweep everything away!" A serpent of water wrapped around the creature. It slammed into the ground. The impact carved a crater into the plain. When the water receded, the monster was broken. Only two blade-like arms remained. Sparks flickered across its body. I nodded. Satisfied.

"Looks like the curtain is about to fall."