Section 7: Melted Ice, Extinguished Flame

Master!

？！

I'll keep Fujimaru safe back here for now! You hold the front line, Mash!

Understood, Nikitich!

Hang on tight, Fujimaru! Let's get away from those things!

？！

Don't play tough, you're not fooling anyone.

I get it. Those things making you freeze up is normal.

It was cruel of Taigong Wang to force you into battles you didn't need to fight.

And all just to make you experience what it's like to face these beasts yourselves. It's mean, but...

You see, he... Well, let's just say it was the same for him.

？！

Just talking to myself. Anyway, those things...the combat beasts.

They embody humans' drive to murder. That's why they're so tough.

Guns can kill people over great distances. That's their whole purpose.

They're stronger than a bow and arrows, and they kill in the blink of an eye, effectively, ruthlessly, leaving no chance for retaliation. They're the strongest kind of portable weapon there is.

And above all, they're easy to use. So easy a child can do it.

Some people say they're humankind's greatest invention. I don't agree, but I can see where they're coming from.

Knights, samurai, Bogatyrs, warriors...

Guns stole every bit of the honor there used to be in battle. There's no honor to be found in war these days.

And now...

Just look at them, all clustered together like that! It's sickening!

It makes me so mad! Really mad!

As if destroying a warrior's honor in battle wasn't bad enough.

Now here they are terrorizing children who've lost their way on top of it all!

Huh!?

...!

Antiair guns! Looks like something big just joined the fight!

I can't leave them to fend for themselves, but...

？！

...Got it.

I'll take us back down and rejoin the fight. Make sure you keep your distance!

？！

My beloved steed! Make sure you keep Fujimaru safe after we land!

All right...here goes!

It doesn't matter how many little bits of lead you throw at me, you know! Ahahaha!

...!

Magnificent defense, Lady Mash. Now please, stay right where you are.

I'm going to hit them with my True Samadhi Fire! Readyyy...!

Too slow.

Hostiles eliminated!

All hostiles have been eliminated. The battle is over!

You did great, Master.

Ortinax output remains stable at eighty percent, and the auto-maintenance function is working perfectly.

Everything's good to go!

Ah, don't worry about it. Nikitich asked me to, so I did. That's all.

？！

Fou!

Nice fighting, guys. Does this mean you can finally take a little breather now?

Nope.

Nope!?

Th-then, you mean you've just gone out of the frying pan and into the fire​!?

I've never seen the combat beasts react to a living human before...

...but once they determine something to be an enemy, even a Heroic Spirit, they pursue it. Relentlessly.

And since they're already optimized for long-range combat, when you throw Lostkin into the mix too, well, they start to outmatch you pretty quickly.

Taigong!

Yes?

Don't say stuff like that, dummy!

When people say that sort of thing, it always ends up coming true!

Haha. Don't be silly!

You're overthinking things, I assure you. I don't know if you're a first-class jinx or not.

But we're so far away from any of the Lostkin's patrol routes that we don't need to worry about that. Hahaha, it'll be fine.

So, are all the Lostweapons only in the Life Zone then?

No. Of course there are some here, too.

"O-of course"? What do you mean, "of course"?

Taigong Wang, don't tell us you...

Fou fooou!

... ...

...I brought you all here to the Death Zone because I wanted you to see what it was like for yourselves.

That is certainly true.

But I just remembered that I had another reason as well. I didn't tell Nikitich about this either, but...

...as it happens, there's a Lostweapon base not too far from here.

Huh!?

Did you do this on purpose, you scoundrel?

Yes.

Yes I did.

Fooou!

There's a Lostweapon near here! One designed for mass destruction at that!

I really hate to leave something around to worry about, so I'd love to take it out sooner rather than later!

But you might not have come here if I'd told you the truth, plus, I really did want to show you what the Death Zone is like!

？！

Fujimaru is right.

Yeah!

...I'm so sorry!

L-let me ask you one thing, Taigong Wang. Will there be any sign when we're close to this Lostweapon, like that blizzard last time!?

Yes. However, this sign won't be on the ground.

It'll be in the sky!

That's right! Its base is high up in the skies!

It's usually impossible to see with the naked eye, but when this Lostweapon detects intruders...

...it opens a hole in the sky.

...!

Oh wow, there it is. That was fast.

I'm seeing an enormous dark circle up in the sky! Master!

No, it's not a sun. Maybe the real one used to be.

This is just a hole, though. A temporary rift in space-time.

Yes. That's the Lostweapon's den. This one is a reproduction of the Fiery King of Giants.

It's a burrow, a rift in space-time that only manifests for a few moments.

？！

And from the other side of that hole come fires of hell that scorch the ground and leave its targets as nothing more than piles of ash!

Still, it is but a reproduction! It can't hold a candle, figuratively speaking, to the original world-ender.

So if you can't take it down...

...you'll never stand a chance against the Beast!

Looks like it's coming this way.

Be careful about the heat! Especially you, Fujimaru!

It's hot enough to vaporize almost any living thing. Dragon, use your scales to give him some protection.

Oh, yeah, good idea. Okay!

And while I'm at it, I think I'll put my game face on now!

Hey, Habbycat! Why don't you come out here now, too!?

Man, first it was freezing, now it's boiling!? Is it always like this with you Chaldeans!?

Ah well, at least we're all in it together! No point whining!

Okay, I've got your backs! Besides, I can't turn down a request from a pretty goddess like you!

Good. Having that brave little fairy around should help. As for you, Taigong!

You're going to pay for manipulating us into coming here, later. No more underhanded crap, got it?

...I'm sorry.

The magical energy signal in the sky is growing bigger! Looks like it's just as impossible to fully measure as the original!

Here it comes!

The reproduction of Surtr, the King of Giants is here!

Hostile intent confirmed. He's definitely another Lostweapon super unit!

I'll send out Orochi, too. I'm not gonna hold anything back!

We can't just leave something this powerful running around. If we're ever going to take him out, it may as well be now!

So let's hit him with everything we've got!

？！

Good answer. All right then, let's head to the sky!

Hunting a giant will make a nice warm-up for the Beast!