“””””Threat Level 5 confirmed. Start of elimination.”””””
As the mechanical voice spoke, the stone statues by the pond sprang to life. Well, not exactly. What we had mistakenly believed to be statues were, in fact, security golems of the γ model.
The golems that were modeled after five humanoids and a dragon had their eyes glowing red before they turned toward us. Each of them poised their weapons, radiating an unmistakable intent to kill.
Furthermore, we found ourselves surrounded by α and β model golems as well. It appeared that escape was not an option and that battle was inevitable.
“Dark Ball… sigh, it’s no use after all.”
As I attempted to use the Dark Ball spell with my [Black Magic], the dark magic energy gathered into a spherical form but burst into nothingness midair. Undoubtedly, this was the doing of the “Jammer Field”.
It seemed that the rods rising from the bottom of the pond could both disrupt magic spells and counteract Magic Jamming. Unless we destroyed them, no one would be able to use magic here.
However, I couldn’t help but wonder why the golems, including the α and β models, were functioning as if nothing was wrong. The Magic Jammer interfered indiscriminately within its range, posing the major drawback of hindering not only our own magic but also that of our enemies. So, theoretically, even the golems, who were essentially magical tools, should be immobilized. But without concrete evidence, pondering the matter seemed futile.
“What’s wrong, brother?” Jigoro said.
“Huh? Oh, it seems we can’t use magic because of those rods.”
“What? Seriously!?”
.
In response to Jigoro’s concerned question, I offered a concise reply. He widened his eyes and exclaimed; the other members were similarly unsettled.
“Eeeh?! T-This is bad, isn’t it?” Iris asked.
“Well, yes.”
“…You seem oddly calm, though?”
Iris seemed quite agitated; her tentacles trembled nervously. In contrast, Ruby observed me with a hint of skepticism; she appeared completely composed despite the situation.
“Isn’t there some way to counter this?”
“You’re absolutely right. There is, you see.”
In response to Genjuro’s question, I tossed a talisman into the air. It transformed into a black sphere mid-flight and struck one of the surrounding α models, denting its armor.
“Huh? Wasn’t that a Dark Ball spell just now?”
“That’s correct. To be precise, I used a talisman with the Dark Ball spell inscribed on it.”
Although the talisman didn’t lead to the destruction of the golem, I explained the trick to Jigoro, who was puzzled by the clear activation of magic. The Magic Jammer spell of my [Void Magic] hindered the casting of spells. However, there was a loophole: the use of talismans created through [Talismanry].
Magic jammer is a spell that disturbs the process of converting magic power into spells by scattering the caster’s magic power into the surrounding area. Hence, when I had attempted to use the Dark Ball spell earlier, the gathered magic power had dissipated for this very reason.
However, it was different with [Talismanry]. Here, the magic power was already formed within the talisman itself. This meant that even those who couldn’t use magic could utilize it, and the Magic Jammer spell couldn’t interfere with the activation of these spells. Therefore, I could continue to use them as if nothing had changed.
Knowing this, I remained relatively composed. However, there was a separate issue at hand.
“Oh… this is going to deplete most of our stock… Will we be able to make ends meet…?”
What I had used earlier was one of the mass-produced “Dark Ball” talismans. These talismans were already weakened due to the inherent degradation of the [Talismanry] skill, and since they were mass-produced through [Alchemy], their power was significantly diminished. Hence, all I had achieved against the weakest α model was denting its armor.
The γ model, clearly a special creation, seemed impervious to the mass-produced talismans. Even defeating the α and β models would require a substantial number of talismans. This meant I might have to resort to using handwritten ones. Mass-produced talismans aside, crafting the originals took a considerable amount of time.
If I were to use most of them, unless I obtained some valuable items in return, the balance of time spent versus gains would end up in the red. That was something I wanted to avoid.
“Is that the issue!?” Jigoro asked.
“… I think this is the time when you should be proud of your talismans,” Genjuro added.
No, no, it is also important to consider the balance. Of course, there were situations where extravagant spending without regard to profitability was necessary, but this wasn’t one of those times. So, I couldn’t help but be concerned about whether we’d end up in the black or not.
“…System check complete. Field Jammer, operational and in good condition. The cause of the magic attack is suspected to be an unidentified skill possessed by a monster. Taking immediate action to eliminate it.”
It was time to stop wasting words. My use of magic through that talisman had temporarily halted the movement of the incoming golems. They seemed to have been cautious considering that I used a spell even though there was a field jammer activated.
However, they seemed to have deduced that it was due to my skill and considered me a threat, as they promptly decided to deal with me. It was about time for us to engage in combat as well.
“Well, there’s no helping it. I’ll think about gains and losses once we get through this. Jigoro, Genjuro, and Ruby handle the gamma models… I mean the humanoid five.”
“Sure thing! They look tough!” Jigoro said.
“Leave it to us!” Genjuro affirmed.
“Got it!” Ruby added.
As long as the field jammer was active, I couldn’t unleash my full power, as I primarily relied on magic in combat. Additionally, Iris, being a production specialist, wasn’t as formidable in battle. That’s why I entrusted the γ models, who exuded exceptional strength, to the three of them, who could fight in close quarters as usual.
“Karl, I’m leaving the dragon one to you. Show it your true strength.”
“Grrrrrrrr!”
Karl would take on the dragon-shaped golem, which boasted a similar physique. It seemed he had been intrigued since he first laid eyes on it, and from the moment it started moving, Karl had been growling at the dragon-shaped golem. His strong fighting spirit can be seen from his strong response.
“As for the remaining small fry, shall we handle them ourselves, Iris? And if there’s an opportunity, let’s break those annoying rods.”
“Leave it to me!”
The task of dealing with the remaining small fry would fall to Iris and me. I couldn’t just stand idly by in a situation like this.
“Commencing attack.”
“Let’s go, everyone!”
◆◇◆◇◆◇
(Pov Jigoro)
A small golem, clad in full-body armor, charged at me with a shield almost as tall as I was. Was it a test of strength? Well, I was up for the challenge!
“Ooraa!”
“…..!”
We clashed with a thunderous noise. It had some power, but I was taller and stronger.
“Hmph! Take this!”
I swung my arm and pushed the shield back. However, the small golem, still off-balance, swung its axe from its other hand right at me! It wasn’t going down without a fight.
I didn’t panic. I held my ground and used my left elbow and left knee to intercept the blade approaching from the left. My elbow and knee were covered with shells made from the scales of the Tarrasque, so I didn’t need to worry about the pain. I squeezed the axe between them from top to bottom.
“Tch! It won’t break!”
I intended to shatter the axe head, but it seemed to be made of sturdier metal than I anticipated. Not a single scratch marred its surface. Tch, It was a bit frustrating and stupid.
“Eliminate.”
Oh, no. While I was engaged in my playful thoughts, a golem wielding twin swords stepped forward. Well, it wasn’t like I could simply evade this one. I had to deal with it somehow…
“Jigoro! Don’t get ahead of yourself!”
…or so I thought, but Ruby intervened swiftly. She stepped in and clashed her twin blades with the golem. Her movements were considerably more efficient now. Had she leveled up her skills?
“Eliminate.”
As I pondered these things, the mage golem raised its staff. I couldn’t help but wonder what it was up to, and then flames spewed forth from the tip of the staff!
“Is that… magic!?”
“No, it’s different! The flames are coming out from a hole at the tip of the staff! I’m pretty sure that staff is a flamethrower!”
Hmm, let’s take a good look at this. I mean, this isn’t magic, is it? They sure know how to surprise us. But I get it. Even in a place like this, where the jammer field is spread out, you can still use a non-magical method to unleash fire normally.
The γ-type was designed with the assumption that it would be used in situations where the Jammer Field was deployed from the outset. Otherwise, there would be no reason to equip it with weapons that didn’t rely on magic.
“Grandpa, you take on the swordsman and archer, Jigoro, deal with the shield warrior and mage! I’ll handle the dual-wielder!” Ruby said.
“Got it!”
“Understood!”
Oh, looks like we’ve received orders from the boss. Among the three of us, Ruby always takes command in battle. Unbeknownst to many, she’s got one of the highest command abilities in our guild, right after Isam. An assassin, yes, but she can also be a commander.
“Well then, I suppose it’s time to get serious… Come at me, you looooot!”
With my [Roar] skill, I directed my attention towards the golems. Since I used this skill a lot, I could now choose the targets to affect. Taking advantage of this, I used [Roar] only on the shield warrior and mage golems.
“!”
“!”
Oh my, it looks like they’re not affected by the stun after all. Well, they are robots, after all. Can’t expect it to work.
“‘Eliminate.’”
“Aight! I’ve hooked ’em!”
Actually, my goal was to divert the attention of my two assigned targets. Initially, my [Roar] skill merely had an intimidating effect. But as my level increased, it gained direct offensive capabilities.
This skill alone allowed me to slaughter lower-level opponents. However, facing the harpies like the ones before, my roars were nearly useless, as they blocked it with their Wind Wall.
But this time, the fact that I had ‘attacked’ was crucial. The damage was negligible, but it still counted as an attack. The two targeted foes, especially the mage golem that had been focusing on Ruby until a moment ago, were aggroed.
“Eliminate.”
The mage golem aimed its staff at me. And as expected, it unleashed a burst of flames from the tip of the staff. Was it trying to roast me?
“Haha! It’s not working!”
However, it was all in vain, you know? I had the [Fire Resistance] skill. With this level of fire, it wouldn’t even give me a single burn.
“If you want to roast me, try something like this! Goooorrraaahhh!”
I activated my skill, [Demon Tongue], which I had acquired when I became an Infernal Thunder Demon. This skill allowed me to exhale both flames and lightning from my mouth.
Visually, it resembled what my brother or Karl used with their [Dragon Breath], but the essence was different. My flames and lightning were a result of my tongue undergoing a transformation, as the skill’s name implied. I wondered if this was usable since it wasn’t magic, but bingo! I felt like a frog, to be honest.
“…!”
As I extended my [Demon Tongue] toward the mage golem, the other small golem intervened. The shield the small one had was sturdy enough to block my punches, and it easily thwarted my tongue as well. Realizing that I was wasting magic power like this, I reverted my tongue to its original form.
“But blocking it won’t help you, you know? Once it hits you, it’s gonna be bad news!”
I couldn’t match the [Dragon’s Breath] of those two, but my [Demon Tongue] still packed a decent punch. It must have known that, which is why it tried to block it. Well, if it connects, it’s going to deal more than enough damage.
However, the golem managed to block my [Demon Tongue]. That shield it had, it seemed to be made of better metal than I expected. Iris and Isam would probably be delighted. Anyway, regardless of that, I needed to find a way to break its ironclad defense in close combat with the two of them to take them down.
“Heheh, this might be fun!”
This wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. When it comes to fighting, it’s never that easy! It had been a while since I enjoyed a fight like I did with the Tarrasque. I hope this will be one of those moments.
“Shaaaa!”
I lunged sharply towards the small golem that was protecting the mage golem and unleashed a flurry of strikes rather than a single powerful blow. My gauntlets clashed with the golem’s shield, creating a jarring metallic noise.
“Right here!”
“…!”
There was quite a noticeable size difference between me and the small golem. As a result, my fists naturally swung downward. Consequently, the small golem was forced to position its shield upward.
In this situation, no matter how large its shield was, it couldn’t protect its lower body. Without hesitation, I performed a swift leg sweep, causing the small golem to topple over. Then, I immobilized it by pressing my foot down onto its shield. This effectively rendered the small golem powerless.
“Eliminate.”
“It won’t work, I said! Goaaaaaaaah!”
“Gaga…!”
The mage golem continued to spew fire relentlessly, but it had no effect on me. In return, I pierced and destroyed it with [Demon Tongue].
“Now, all that’s left is to take down the small one. It’s almost disappointing… Seems like this is the limit for robots.”
I thought the battle would be somewhat enjoyable, but it turned out to be quite underwhelming. Winning with something as simple as a leg sweep felt almost too easy. This was different from facing players or pseudo-personality AI.
“The others seem… fine. In that case, I might as well have a bit of fun.”
My companions were holding their own in the battle, and there was no need for me to provide assistance. So, I released the struggling small golem from beneath my foot and prepared to engage in another round.
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