The Mobile Fortress Destroyer, something I had never truly witnessed with my own eyes.
I had heard descriptions from others that painted it as a man-made, fast-moving, fortress-class weapon shaped like a gigantic spider.
Rumors suggested there was a maniac controlling it, which explained its relentless destruction, even within the Demon King's territory.
However, I had also heard that it tended to avoid the Axis Cultists, suggesting some form of sentience. Or perhaps it possessed its own peculiar preferences, much like my sword.
I only remember 10 years ago that my way of life had changed because of it.
My family made a profit from farming, rather than just barely making it. And I decided to change all of it in an attempt to better my life and theirs.
Just as I had settled into a comfortable mansion and achieved financial freedom from debt, this formidable adversary peeked its head once more.
In the past, the old me would have fled, much as I had done a decade ago because I was only 7.
However, there came a point in a man's life when he had to confront his fears head-on.
This was my first trial in becoming a man, at least in my own eyes, aside from the milestones of a first kiss and the loss of my virginity, of course.
Upon hearing the announcement, Darkness and I rushed into the mansion, greeted by screams, panic, and chaos.
"We need to run! As far away as possible!"
Aqua shrieked, frantically running in circles and knocking over various objects.
Meanwhile, Megumin, who had already packed her bag, placed it to the side and nonchalantly sipped some tea, her expression resigned.
"There's no point in panicking now. Since everything, including our home, will be lost, we might as well challenge the Demon King's castle directly."
I had intended to gear up and head to the guild, but I was left speechless by their responses.
"Hey... What's going on with the two of you? The guild issued an emergency broadcast, so let's put on our equipment and head over."
My words finally seemed to penetrate their consciousness, and they acknowledged my presence.
"Kazuma, what kind of nonsense are you spewing? You don't seriously intend to take on the Mobile Fortress Destroyer, do you?"
Aqua was clearly shocked, clutching a pillow with one hand.
"Well, I at least have to try. Do you really want to go back to sleeping in the stables again?"
"I'd prefer that over sleeping on scorched earth."
The urgency in the broadcast's tone suggested that the Destroyer was approaching in just a few hours.
"Kazuma, that thing approaching the town is infamous for leaving nothing but ashes in its wake, except for devout Axis Cult followers. It's the ultimate bounty target, the Mobile Fortress Destroyer. Challenging it would be sheer recklessness."
"Why are you speaking of my followers in such a way? Wiz said something similar. Why are you all so afraid of my faithful believers? They're all good, upstanding people!"
"Can't Megumin just use her Explosion to deal with it? Its name implies it's massive, so it should be visible from afar. Just blast it with your magic."
Megumin replied:
"It won't work. The Destroyer has a formidable magic barrier. It could easily withstand a few Explosion spells."
"Come on, my followers are genuinely wonderful people! Listen to me, Megumin! The disparaging rumors you hear about them are spread by those malicious Eris devotees! People tend to idealize Eris, but don't be fooled; she can be quite unruly at times! She's even more capricious than I am when dealing with devils, and her personality is quite free-spirited! She might even wander into the mortal realm for some amusement! Axis Cult, please show your support!"
"Aqua, not content with simply proclaiming yourself a goddess, you're now even disparaging Goddess Eris. Beware of divine retribution."
"It's not self-proclaimed! Can't you just trust me—!"
I glanced around and realized that Darkness was nowhere to be seen.
"Weird, where did Darkness go? She was right next to me just a moment ago."
I asked Aqua, who was shaking Megumin vigorously with a tearful expression.
"She charged back into her room."
Why were they all fooling around like this?!
Anyway, I needed to prepare my gear and head to the guild!
"Sorry for keeping you waiting! Huh? What's going on, Kazuma? Get ready quickly. From what I gathered from your past, you're definitely planning to go to the guild and do something about this, right?"
Darkness, descending from the second floor, was decked out in her usual armor, but it looked brand new, polished, and upgraded.
She hadn't rushed back to her room to pack her belongings in an attempt to flee, as one might expect from nobles in this kingdom.
Instead, she retrieved her equipment as a committed crusader.
"Of course, I'll be joining you."
It was a somewhat unexpected response, but considering everything I'd witnessed from her since we met, it was also entirely in character.
Abandoning the citizens and fleeing alone was not an option for her.
After all, she was a Crusader.
"Hey, you two, take a page from her book! After living in this mansion and town for so long, don't you feel any attachment? Let's go to the guild quickly!"
"Kazuma, why are you so fired up today? The light shining in your eyes is too bright. Besides, we've only been in this mansion for a week..."
Wasn't this girl's dream to manipulate naive boys into buying her a mansion in the first place?
Wait... am I the naive boy who just bought a mansion for her to live in?
Did she use me for her own gain?! That girl!
I'll have to talk to her later and see if she's been taking advantage of me this whole time.
...
"Oh! You're here, Kazuma! I knew you would come!"
I entered the guild fully geared up and spotted Dust, who was also equipped for battle.
"I had faith you would be here too."
Keith, Taylor, and Lynn stood beside him.
I glanced around the guild hall.
Every adventurer present had donned their most formidable gear and rushed here.
It was evident that they had a deep affection for this town.
I couldn't help but feel that the ratio of male adventurers was unusually high, but that was probably just my imagination.
Most of the people I had encountered before seemed to be present.
In the distance, I noticed Mitsurugi, the wielder of the magic sword.=
Fortunately, he hadn't spotted me yet, and I hoped to keep it that way by maintaining a low profile.
As most of the adventurers gathered, a staff member stood up and addressed the crowd.
"Thank you, everyone, for responding to today's emergency announcement! We will now commence the emergency quest to repel the Destroyer. There are no level or job restrictions, so we hope everyone will participate. In the event that the guild deems the quest a failure, we will collectively abandon the town and escape. You are all the town's last line of defense, and we are counting on you!"
The staff member's voice echoed through the bustling guild hall.
Following this announcement, they pushed the tables in the bar section to the center of the guild, creating a makeshift conference area.
The atmosphere in the guild was undeniably different now. It felt heavy and charged, as if the weight of impending danger hung in the air.
The appearance of the Destroyer was the worst possible news we could receive.
"Well then, everyone, we will commence the emergency war council. Please take your seats!"
We followed the instructions of the staff member and found chairs among the other adventurers.
But just how many people had gathered here?
The guild was vast, but it was filled with several hundred people who had gathered for this emergency.
As we sat at the table, I could clearly see the faces of the other adventurers around us.
I noticed Mitsurugi's gaze fixated on Aqua, who was sitting beside me, idly playing with the water in her glass out of sheer boredom.
The staff member leading the briefing started,
"Alright, I'll brief everyone on the current situation. First, is there anyone here who needs an explanation about the Mobile Fortress Destroyer?"
Several adventurers, including myself, raised our hands in response.
Although I already had some knowledge of the Destroyer, I wanted to hear a comprehensive explanation of its capabilities.
If someone as skilled as Mitsurugi was seeking assistance from others, it was clear that even Kiritsu, my own cheat-item that I found, was possibly just as useless.
The staff member nodded in acknowledgment and began to explain,
"The Mobile Fortress Destroyer is a colossal golem created by the technologically advanced nation of Norse to combat the Demon King's forces. Norse invested a significant portion of their national budget and resources to construct this gigantic spider-shaped golem, roughly the size of a small castle. Despite its massive appearance, it's surprisingly lightweight due to the use of magic metals and can move faster than a horse."
The Destroyer appeared to be well-known among adventurers, as most of them appeared familiar with the description.
"An important feature of the Destroyer is its massive body and incredible speed. The sheer weight and agility of its eight legs make it capable of crushing large monsters with ease. Moreover, the golem's central torso is constantly protected by a powerful magic barrier, rendering magic attacks useless."
The adventurers' expressions grew somber as they realized the futility of using magic against such a foe.
"Since spells are ineffective, our primary option is physical attacks. However, getting too close to the Destroyer would result in us being crushed. Therefore, we must rely on ranged attacks such as arrows and catapults. Unfortunately, the golem's construction from magic metals means that arrows would simply bounce off harmlessly. Additionally, its incredible speed makes it challenging to use siege catapults effectively."
The audience began to grasp the difficulty of this mission.
"To further complicate matters, the Destroyer is equipped with mid-sized golems stationed on its body to defend against aerial threats. These combat golems use small ballistae to shoot down any objects or creatures attempting to approach the mobile fortress from above."
The staff member's explanation left us with a daunting picture of the Mobile Fortress Destroyer, making it clear that facing this formidable opponent would be no easy task.
Whoa.
The guild's atmosphere had shifted dramatically as the staff member continued the explanation.
"The reason the Mobile Fortress Destroyer went out of control was because the director responsible for its development took control of the mobile fortress. This researcher is still giving orders from the heart of the golem even now. The Destroyer's incredible speed and all-terrain capabilities have led to its rampage across the entire continent. It doesn't discriminate between humans and monsters, which is why it's known as the Destroyer. When it approaches a town, the standard procedure is for the guild to evacuate the town, let the Destroyer pass through, and then rebuild the town afterward. It's treated as a natural disaster."
The adventurers, who had been chatting animatedly just moments ago, fell silent at this revelation.
"At present, the Destroyer is heading toward this town from the northwest... Now, please share your suggestions!"
As the staff member asked for ideas, I couldn't help but think, 'GG,' a common gamer phrase meaning 'good game'.
One of the adventurers raised a question:
"What happened to the technologically advanced nation Norse? A country capable of creating such a thing should also have the means to combat it, right? They might even know its weaknesses..."
"It fell. When the Destroyer went berserk, Norse was the first nation to be destroyed."
The answer was grim, but it was the harsh reality.
"Any other suggestions?"
The staff member urged the adventurers to come up with ideas.
Another adventurer raised their hand and proposed:
"To deal with that thing, we could dig a massive pit trap near the town..."
"It has been attempted before. In one location, a group of 'elemental masters' gathered to summon earth spirits and dig a large pit. They successfully lured the Destroyer into the hole. Everything was going according to plan until that moment... However, the Destroyer's mobility allowed it to leap right out of the hole. The plan involved dropping boulders to seal the pit, but they couldn't execute it in time."
The guild fell into a somber silence.
"Does anyone else have any ideas?"
The staff member's voice carried a sense of urgency as they looked around the room, seeking any viable strategies to confront the seemingly unstoppable Mobile Fortress Destroyer.
Another adventurer raised a series of questions:
"How did the Demon King's army handle the Destroyer? Is the Demon King's castle safe from its rampage? How did they protect themselves from the Destroyer's attack? They should be troubled too."
The staff member responded,
"Their castle has a powerful magic barrier around it, far beyond anything humans can achieve. As of now, the Demon King's castle remains unharmed, so they have no plans to take down the Destroyer. They're not concerned about it trampling wild monsters."
The guild members continued to brainstorm ideas, but most of them were quickly dismissed as impractical or ineffective.
Some suggested using ropes and climbing tools to assault the fortress, but it was deemed impossible due to the Destroyer's speed.
Another proposal was to build a massive barricade, but the staff member cited an example of the Destroyer simply going around the obstacle and flattening the town.
Magic was ineffective against the mobile fortress, and any attempts at close-range or aerial attacks would be futile.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness as I listened to these discussions.
The Destroyer appeared to be an insurmountable threat.
Then, unexpectedly, Taylor, who was sitting beside us, turned to me and asked,
"Hey Kazuma, you're quick-witted, do you have any good ideas?"
I was taken aback by the question. In reality, I didn't have any brilliant ideas to offer.
The only method that came to mind was to have Megumin blast the Destroyer from a distance.
However, if the fortress had a barrier that rendered magic ineffective, that plan would be useless.
I turned to Aqua, who was seated beside me, her finger idly tracing patterns on the table with water from her cup. It seemed like she was just killing time.
"Hey, Aqua. Wiz mentioned that with your incredible power, you might be able to break through the barrier even if two or three generals were maintaining it, right? In that case, the Destroyer's barrier should..."
But before I could finish my thought, I was abruptly interrupted by a surprised exclamation,
"Wahh! What's this–!?"
As I spoke, my attention was drawn to the intricate artwork Aqua had sketched on her table. It was undeniably a masterpiece, portraying a beautiful goddess delicately playing with a flower in her hand.
This girl was extremely talented in areas that she has no interests in...
"Right, she did say that. But I've never actually tried it before, so there's no guarantee that I can truly break the barrier."
With unwavering determination, Aqua poured the contents of her cup onto the painting without a second thought.
"Ahhh! What a pity! Why did you destroy it?"
"Why are you shouting? I've already finished it. That's why I'm wiping it away and starting anew."
Amidst our casual conversation, a staff member suddenly shouted,
"There's a way to break the barrier? The Destroyer's barrier?"
A hush fell over the crowd as all eyes turned to Aqua and me.
In a frantic attempt to downplay the situation, I waved my hand and said,
"No, I just thought it might work. She herself said there's no guarantee."
My hurried explanation seemed to pacify the gathering, but soon whispers started to circulate.
"Isn't that the girl that comes by daily with the insane party-tricks?"
"Yeah, she was popular at first, but then everyone avoided her because she was a threat to all the young males, and then she became popular again for her party-tricks."
"I heard someone say she's an Axis Cultist. We better steer clear of her."
And so, amidst the murmurs and speculations, she urged:
"Anyway, could you please give it a try? If it works, we might be able to attack the mobile fortress with magic... although, our mages in this town lack the firepower needed, and most adventurers here are still novices."
The staff member looked troubled once more, and the room descended into silence once again.
Just at that moment, a particular adventurer chimed in, his voice carrying above the hubbub,
"Don't we have someone with amazing firepower? You know, the one with a screw loose."
His words instantly ignited a renewed fervor within the guild hall.
"That's right! The one who's a bit, you know, off..."
"Yeah, the one with the 'screwy' reputation!"
"Hey, let's show some respect. If you're talking about me, use my name, okay? Otherwise, I might just prove how 'screwy' I can be right here."
Megumin retorted, rising from her seat with staff in hand.
Upon seeing Megumin's readiness to back her reputation, the adventurers quickly averted their gazes.
Beldia, the General from the Demon King's army, had certainly caused quite a stir with his description of Megumin as a 'Crimson Demon clan girl with a screw loose,' and it had stuck as her moniker among the adventurers.
Blushing with anger and embarrassment, Megumin muttered:
"Even with my explosion spell, I might not be able to finish it off in one shot."
Then she took her seat once more.
It was clear that they needed another individual with formidable magical abilities. If only there was one more person capable of powerful spells...
Suddenly, the guild door swung open, and a familiar figure entered.
"Sorry I'm late...! I'm the owner of the magic item shop, Wiz. Technically, I'm an adventurer, so please let me help too..."
Wiz, still wearing her apron over her black robes, made her dramatic entrance, appearing as though she had just taken a break from her work. Her attire resembled that of someone assisting with the distribution of emergency food rations.
As the adventurers laid eyes on Wiz, their reactions were immediate.
"It's the shop owner!"
"The ever-penniless shopkeeper!"
"Shop owner, thanks for taking care of my dreams!"
"The shop owner is here! We're sure to win now! Absolutely!"
The cheering started instantly.
I knew Wiz was a lich.
But why were the adventurers cheering about 'definitely winning'?
Also someone just stole my idea of using her as my potential dreammate.
Curious, I turned to Taylor and asked:
"Why is Wiz so famous? What makes her so popular? And please, let's refrain from calling her the 'ever-penniless owner.' That just sounds pitiful. Is her business truly struggling?"
Taylor leaned in to explain:
"Don't you know? Wiz-san was originally a renowned mage, a powerful Archwizard. She disappeared for a while after retiring and then suddenly reappeared in this town to open her shop. Unfortunately, her business isn't doing well here because most of the adventurers in this town are novices who can't afford the expensive magic items she sells. Her shop would have much better business if it were located in the capital. We don't face powerful enemies here, so we rarely need pricey potions and magic items. Most adventurers drop by her shop just to catch a glimpse of the beautiful shop owner, but not many actually buy anything."
I couldn't help but think that if all these adventurers were visiting her shop to see her, they should at least purchase something.
It made me wonder if I didn't need to advertise for people to visit both Wiz's shop and mine, given that what Taylor just explained already worked in my favor.
As we chatted, Wiz graciously acknowledged the cheering adventurers. Feeling a sense of obligation, I silently resolved to buy something from her shop the next time I visited.
"Hello, everyone! I'm the shop owner of Wiz's Magic Item Shop. Please take care of me... I'm the shop owner; please come visit my shop. We're still in the red...!"
Wiz addressed the crowd with a hint of desperation in her tone.
Meanwhile, the staff guided Wiz to a table in the middle of the room, where she settled down.
Once she was comfortably seated, the adventurers turned their attention to the staff member who was leading the conference.
The staff member responded to the anticipation in the room, saying,
"With the shop owner here, let's continue our strategy meeting! Since she has just arrived, I'll summarize the current situation... First, Archpriest Aqua-san will attempt to dispel the Destroyer's barrier. Then, our explosive spellcaster, Megumin-san, will unleash her explosion spell on the Destroyer. That's our plan so far."
Upon hearing this plan, Wiz placed her finger near her mouth, deep in thought.
"It might be more effective to target the legs with the explosion spell. The Destroyer has four legs on each side of its body, so Megumin-san and I can focus on one side each. Is that acceptable? Disabling the legs of the mobile fortress will make it much more manageable," Wiz suggested.
The staff member nodded in agreement, appreciating Wiz's strategic insight. It was impressive that, despite being a lich, she could wield an explosive spell like Explosion.
Indeed, by disabling the legs, the Destroyer would cease to be a mobile fortress, thus sparing the town from further destruction.
While the golems on its torso remained a threat, there would be no need to send people into harm's way with this method.
After immobilizing the Destroyer, the plan was to maintain constant vigilance over it.
Megumin could cast Explosion on it once daily, gradually wearing it down.
As for the supervisor controlling the Destroyer, the hope was that sustained magical bombardment might compel them to surrender voluntarily.
With Wiz's idea as the core, the battle plan was finalized.
As a precaution, less effective but essential measures, such as setting up traps and barricades in front of the town, were also included.
The staff member leading the conference summarized the plan, giving instructions to everyone involved. The expressions of hope on the faces of the adventurers were palpable.
"As expected of the young lad who once got his bottom smacked by his own sword!"
"Didn't I hear he deserved it for stealing a woman's bra?"
"You mean the Scumzuma guy? The one who fled from Beldia like a rabbit chased by a wild dog?"
Hey, you guys can call Megumin and Aqua whatever names you'd like, but if you continue to speak to me in that tone...
...
In addition to the adventurers, the townsfolk had also gathered in front of the town and were tirelessly working to construct a temporary barricade
Among them was the boss of the construction company that had taken care of Aqua and me when we first arrived in town.
The designated area for intercepting the Destroyer was the plains before the main gate of the town. Despite knowing the futility of it, adventurers with the relevant skills set up simple traps in front of the town's defenses.
Closer to the obstacle on the road, a group of "Creators" engaged in a heated debate as they drew intricate magic circles on the ground.
I turned my attention to Darkness, who was resolutely standing further in front of the roadblock. I desperately tried to convince her to retreat.
"Hey Darkness. I'm telling you this for your own good, so retreat for now. I know how tough your defense is, but this is still pushing it. Standing here won't do any good. Just let go of your strange drive to shield everyone you see and stick with the rest, alright?"
Darkness, the sheltered and shy Crusader who had obeyed my every command last night in a bath like a truly clueless girl, refused to budge and wouldn't listen to me.
Should I try to spread the news to the other adventurers to just make her come back with me?
With her sword firmly planted in the ground and both hands resting on the hilt, she gazed into the distance, her eyes fixed on the yet-to-arrive Destroyer.
The usually quiet and motionless Darkness finally spoke:
"Kazuma... I've always acted this way, so it's only natural for you to think that... But do you really believe I'm a woman who would be consumed by her own desires even in such an emergency?"
"Of course. Isn't that obvious, especially when you hesitantly scrubbed my back in the bath?"
Darkness paused for a moment, her cheeks slightly flushed, and then continued in a calm tone:
"As a Crusader who serves Eris-sama, it is my duty to keep my body pure. But aside from that, I have other reasons that compel me to protect this town. Someday, I'll tell you everything about me..."
Well that's unexpected from her. Shouldn't she be saying it to the three of us and not just me?
Seeing me nod out of the corner of her eye, Darkness continued with determination:
"I can't explain right now, but I have an obligation to protect the citizens of this town. The townsfolk might not share my perspective, but I believe it to be true. Therefore, no matter how reckless it may seem, I won't take a single step away from this position."
"You can be really stubborn sometimes."
I remarked with a hint of admiration.
Hearing my comment, Darkness wore a troubled and somewhat uneasy expression.
She asked:
"Do you dislike stubborn companions?"
I replied casually:
"A certain Archpriest frustrates me when she's being stubborn, but the stubbornness you're displaying right now isn't a problem."
Darkness seemed to find some comfort in my words, muttering softly, her tension easing.
However, her expression quickly shifted when she seemed to realize something I had mentioned in passing before her serious monologue about herself.
"W-Wait, Kazuma, so you do remember what happened last night!"
Panicking at the realization of what I had inadvertently revealed, I quickly covered my ears and sprinted away to join the rest of the adventurers, desperate to avoid the impending wrath of the furious woman.
...
"I couldn't convince her. We need to complete our assigned tasks to protect that stubborn pervert."
I reported as I squatted down beside the tense Megumin, who was on standby at the side of the Destroyer intercept zone.
Megumin stammered nervously:
"I-I-I understand...! I-I must do my best! I, I-I-I'll definitely succeed...!"
Trying to calm her nerves, I assured her,
"Hey, calm down. If things turn bad, I'll strip her of her heavy armor with Steal and drag her away!"
But my concern was still more focused on...
"Whoa, there's smoke rising from your head. Are you okay? What skill is this? Are you performing party tricks?"
"No, Aqua-sama... It's because the weather is very good today, so this is what happens after basking in the sun for too long..."
On the other side of the intercept zone, Aqua and Wiz chatted about something while squatting.
Meanwhile, adventurers wielding blunt weapons like war hammers stood by.
Blunt weapons were known to be the most effective against golems.
The archers had arrows with hooks at the head and ropes tied to the ends, ready to shoot ropes onto the fortress if necessary.
The staff member's voice, amplified by magic, resonated throughout the entire plain, conveying important instructions.
"Attention all adventurers, the Mobile Fortress Destroyer is about to appear before us. Citizens, please evacuate the town! Adventurers, please prepare for battle!"
From behind the distant hills, I could see the massive head of the Destroyer emerging, accompanied by a faint tremor.
"It's so huge..."
Someone mumbled, awed by the sheer scale of the approaching menace.
And indeed, it was massive.
Having spent so much time in a party with Megumin, I had a clear understanding of the explosive power behind her spells.
I couldn't help but wonder, given the enormity of this threat, whether Explosion would be enough to take it down.
"Hey, this is way too much. Will it be okay? This is impossible!"
Someone nearby started to panic.
"Create Earth Golem!"
"Create Earth Golem!"
"Create Earth Golem!"
All the creators in this town were novices.
To summon larger, more powerful golems, they had to reduce the time the summons remained active, which was why they waited until the Destroyer was so close to start their creations.
"Big! And fast! It's scarier than I imagined!"
In the face of such an enormous threat, the adventurers fell into disarray.
"Incoming! Keep your heads down! Don't move in front of the Destroyer; you'll get crushed!"
Someone shouted, but no one was calm enough to heed the warning.
That was the sheer size and terror of the mobile fortress before us.
"Hey, Wiz! It'll work, right? Is this really okay?!"
Aqua, standing some distance from Megumin and me, kept confirming with Wiz, who was next to her.
Wiz reassured her:
"No problem, leave it to me, Aqua-sama. I'm a lich, after all, one of the top-tier undead. If Aqua-sama can dispel the barrier, you can leave the rest to me. If we fail... We can return to dust happily together."
"Are you kidding me? You're joking, right?"
I couldn't quite make out the contents of their argument, but seeing Aqua and Wiz bicker, I turned to Megumin, who was visibly tense.
"Hey, relax. Even if it fails, no one will blame you. We can just abandon the town and escape, so don't dwell on it too much."
I said this casually since there wasn't much for me to do in the situation.
Megumin, stuttering slightly, responded:
"Don't-worry! I'll use Explosion to blast-blast-blast it into dust!"
But this level of nervousness was entirely expected. Megumin and most of the other adventurers present were novices.
"It's coming–! Prepare for battle–!"
This voice was probably Taylor.
For some reason, the responsibility of coordinating the group and giving instructions to Aqua was left to me.
The guild staff even provided me with a voice-amplifying magic item to facilitate this.
I was now the main coordinator of this battle, a duty given to me as the party leader of Aqua and Megumin, likely recommended by Taylor to the guild staff.
As the Destroyer drew closer, its imposing figure became undeniable.
Had it not been for Darkness's determination to remain in position and command entrusted to me, I might have already fled.
The Destroyer resembled a gigantic spider-shaped golem, with a smooth surface on top akin to an aircraft carrier.
It had a fortress-like structure on top, reminiscent of a hermit crab's shell. The sides of its torso bristled with cannons.
Despite its seemingly comical name, this mobile fortress, roughly the size of a small castle, easily shrugged off the numerous traps we had set, moving noisily as it pleased.
"Aqua, now! Do it!"
The Destroyer charged toward the intercept zone, aiming to ravage the town we called home.
"Sacred Break Spell!"
Aqua cast her spell upon my command.
Complicated magic formations swirled around Aqua, and a white ball materialized in her hands.
She aimed the ball toward the Destroyer and launched it.
Upon contact with the flying ball of light, a massive membrane appeared on the surface of the Destroyer, resisting the incoming projectile.
"Wahhhhhh!"
Aqua let out a panicked scream as the ball of light increased threefold in size, blowing away nearby adventurers, including myself.
However, it shattered into pieces like shards of glass.
The reserves of power at her disposal were staggering.
Megumin, her eyes filled with uncertainty, awaited my signal.
The barrier had seemingly been shattered, which meant that magic should now be effective. I shouted through my loudspeaker,
"Wiz, I'm counting on you! Please target the legs on your side!"
After instructing Wiz, I turned to Megumin, who was trembling with nervousness.
"Hey, is your love for explosion magic a lie? You keep going on about Explosion this, Explosion that; it would be pretty embarrassing if you lost to Wiz. Is your Explosion just a joke spell that can't even blow up that thing?"
"What did you say!? What you just said is even worse than mocking my name!"
Megumin retorted, her mouth twitching with irritation.
She rose to her feet, her nervousness replaced by intense focus as she began chanting her spell.
Just as the Destroyer passed by our position with a resounding crash, the two of them, known as the strongest Archwizard of the past and the 'explosion girl with mental problems' from the Crimson Demon clan, unleashed their most powerful offensive spells at the seemingly invulnerable bounty target.
"Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
Simultaneously, they fired their spells, shattering all the legs of the mobile fortress.
With its legs suddenly gone, the mobile fortress crashed to the ground with a resounding bang.
After hitting the plains, it slid towards the town due to its forward momentum, but the immense object stopped right before the barricade set up before the town, just in front of Darkness, who stood at the very forefront.
The shattered leg fragments rained down on the heads of the adventurers.
On Wiz's side, her explosion had turned the pieces into dust, and no debris fell. However, on Megumin's side, several large pieces of wreckage came crashing down.
Megumin, lying face down on the ground, grumbled with a hint of disappointment, "Ugh... It's regrettable... As expected of a lich. It seems my level isn't high enough to surpass Wiz's explosion magic."
I helped her to her feet, and the mana-exhausted Megumin, her face pale, said:
"I don't want to lose... Next time... I'll definitely...!"
"You did great. Wiz is a powerful lich, so it's normal that she outperformed you. Just work harder next time. Look, we achieved our objective; well done."
I had planned to carry her to a tree for some rest, but the determined Megumin refused to let me go, insisting on another chance to prove her explosion magic was the strongest.
"Let go, stop that! Don't pull on my pants! I understand, you're the best when it comes to explosion magic! It must be because something wasn't right with your condition! When your mana recovers, we'll see your explosion spell. For now, rest quietly in a safe place!"
I gently placed Megumin under the shade of a tree and laid her down.
While the other adventurers dodged the falling debris, Aqua and Wiz approached me.
As for Darkness, she remained unfazed by the debris, refusing to move away and keeping her eyes wide open.
When I raised my head to observe the colossal body of the Destroyer, the fortress remained eerily silent.
As the debris pelting down like raindrops ceased, the adventurers finally calmed down enough to comprehend the situation, expressing their amazement.
But the situation might not be as simple as it appeared. We needed to be cautious with our words at a time like this, avoiding the cliché phrase 'Did it work?' that could inadvertently jinx us. Instead, we should remain vigilant, slowly encircle the Destroyer, and not...
"We did it! I thought something with a name like 'Mobile Fortress Destroyer' would be incredibly powerful, but what a disappointment. All right, let's head back and have a beer! I wonder how much the reward for taking down such a target would be?"
Aqua exclaimed, inadvertently letting her enthusiasm get the best of her.
I hurriedly tried to stop her, saying,
"You idiot! Why do you have to be so cliché? If you say something like that..."
But it was too late.
"What happened? Why is there a tremor?"
Wiz, who had come over with Aqua, glanced uneasily toward the massive mobile fortress.
The ground-shaking tremor came from the Destroyer, making both adventurers and Wiz gaze apprehensively at the towering mobile fortress.
Suddenly, a mechanical recording from within the fortress repeated itself:
"This machine has stopped operation. This machine has stopped operation. Unable to expend unused energy and vent heat. Operators, please evacuate from the machine. This machine has..."
"Look at what you've done! Why do you always have to drag us down after accomplishing something?!"
"Wait! Wait, okay! This isn't my fault! I didn't even do anything this time!"
As the Destroyer kept on repeating its evacuation order, I gathered all the adventurers in the vicinity.
"Hey, what's with that announcement? Would it be bad to stay here?"
One of the adventurers questioned the situation, voicing the concern that was likely on everyone's mind.
"It's just a guess, but I think it'll explode if this continues."
I replied, conveying the ominous feeling in the air.
Upon hearing my words, the expressions of the adventurers grew tense.
The thought of a gigantic fortress like the Destroyer exploding was a terrifying prospect, as the extent of the potential damage was unknown.
With no knowledge of the fortress's power source, there seemed to be little that could be done to prevent it.
Our only option was to evacuate as swiftly as possible, but there was the question of whether our steadfast Crusader party member would be willing to abandon the town and escape.
However, it wasn't certain that an explosion large enough to harm the town would actually occur.
If I could use this uncertainty to persuade the stubborn girl in our party, it would be ideal.
"The shop... If this goes on, the town and the shop will be in jeopardy."
Wiz said, her voice quivering as if on the verge of tears.
She was undoubtedly referring to her magic item shop.
But then someone in the group muttered, "I want to attack." It was unclear whose voice it was.
"Me too. I remembered why I chose to stay in this novice town despite being over level 30."
It turned out there were adventurers with such motivations among us. I could understand their sentiments.
"That shop has been kind to us with its affordable prices. If we don't help them now, there may not be another chance."
In the midst of complete silence, the only recurring sound was the announcement: "This machine has stopped operation. This machine has..."
With determination, I grabbed the loudspeaker and raised my voice: "Those in favor of infiltrating the Mobile Fortress Destroyer, raise your hands—!"
All the adventurers raised their hands without hesitation.
The archers notched their arrows and fired their hook-arrows onto the Destroyer.
These archers possessed the Snipe skill, which allowed them to extend the range and increase the accuracy of their shots.
The arrows enhanced by this skill were unaffected by the weight of the hooks and ropes, easily finding their marks on the Destroyer's deck.
The hooks on the arrowheads caught onto various obstacles on the Destroyer, and the ropes tied to the arrows became taut as the archers pulled them.
One by one, adventurers grabbed onto the taut ropes and began scaling the massive fortress.
I wanted to caution them against climbing with heavy armor, as it seemed like a superhuman feat.
However, it was unnecessary at this point.
The first adventurer who had ascended the rope reached the deck of the Destroyer, followed by numerous others.
Their training had prepared them for this moment, and their morale was soaring.
"Charge!"
The adventurers poured into the fortress, shouting like a band of marauders attacking a defenseless village.
Aqua, somewhat intimidated by the spirited adventurers, whispered to me:
"Kazuma, I'm a little scared of those people... It seems like they can handle everything on their own. Shall we head back for now and regroup? We can work hard from tomorrow onward."
However, I couldn't agree with her. These were our comrades, and they were fighting above.
"How could we turn back now, you fool? Can't you see how brave those heroes invading the fortress are? Your job is just beginning. If you don't want to be considered a fake goddess, then make sure to heal these courageous warriors properly."
I said this to Aqua and followed the adventurers into the fortress.
Even the archers who had fired the arrows had scaled the fortress.
I called out loudly to Darkness, expressing my concerns:
"Darkness, your armor is too heavy. I don't think you can climb up!"
In response, she confidently declared:
"Don't underestimate my strength, Kazuma! I can climb over mountains if I wanted to!"
Ignoring my advice, Darkness proceeded to ascend the ropes.
My concern had been more about the ropes potentially snapping due to her immense weight, but to my surprise, they held up, though they looked like they were on the brink of breaking.
I directed Megumin to continue resting, told Wiz to use her own judgment, and ordered Aqua to follow me, declaring, "Aqua, this is your fault, so come with me!"
Protesting, Aqua retorted, "Wait! I have nothing to do with this!"
"Ah! The rope snapped off!"
"Someone that was too heavy was climbing on it!"
Once we had climbed up the rope and reached the deck, we were met with a chaotic scene.
"Surround those golems! Overwhelm them with numbers and topple them with ropes! Hammer them when they're down!"
Observing the chaos, it was difficult to distinguish who the actual invaders were.
Although most of the town's adventurers were novices, many of the smaller combat golems had already been destroyed by their efforts.
"Asshole! You're in there, right!? Open the door or I'll smash it with my hammer!"
Another group of adventurers yelled, attempting to force open a building's door.
This building was believed to house the fortress's supervisor.
In all honesty, it appeared that we had become the invaders in this situation.
At this moment...
"A big one's heading your way–!"
In response to this urgent warning, I swiftly turned my head and spotted a massive combat golem approaching our position.
This golem had a large, humanoid shape, reminiscent of the robots from the world I hailed from.
As the golem made its way towards us, fellow adventurers rushed to our side, ready to lend a hand.
However, they were clearly intimidated and afraid by the sight of this colossal opponent.
But I had already faced a more formidable opponent than a mere giant golem!
Finally, the key to my newfound fame in this world had fallen right into my lap!
"Hey Aqua, let me show you something that will completely change your opinion of me. No longer am I the ordinary, average man you once saw being chased by a giant frog!"
"You forgot to mention the part where your underwear was showing..."
Ignoring her last comment, I drew Kiritsu from my sword belt.
Since the enemy was a golem, I needed to target and sever its crucial components to incapacitate it.
I recalled a certain RPG game from my world where this tactic was crucial against robotic foes.
I would use Steal but I believe it is time to use my cheat-item properly this time so that I won't have any bad rumors about me anymore.
I was improving myself every day as well!
Behind the scenes, I had been steadily honing my swordsmanship behind the scenes without relying on Skill Points.
The first day I decided to train outside from the stables, alone, there was a certain move that I was able to perform without using any Skill Points.
It was as if the moment I held onto my blade, and with my mind fixated on training, it became a muscle memory instantly.
I had already knew what to do...
Of course, my main dummy was a tree.
I had already achieved the ability to slice it in a single stroke, a skill most novice swordsmen could manage.
But I sought to further explore more than just a simple attack...
How quickly could I close the distance between myself and the tree...?
And how fast could I cut it...?
What if it was possible to make the tree realize it has not yet been cut...?
A wise man once wrote:
My accomplishments in this world, achieved without relying on 'Skill Points' or confining 'Classes,' proved that even the most ordinary and average of men could become formidable through discipline and mastery.
'There is nothing outside of yourself that can ever enable you to get better, stronger, richer, quicker, or smarter. Everything is within. Everything exists. Seek nothing outside of yourself.'
To close the distance in less than a second...
The body goes slack... and it begins to fall forward...
Push off your heel to increase your speed...
And accelerate as fast as you can...!
As I dashed towards it, the giant golem attempted to squash me with it's mighty fist.
However, it miscalculated, missing me entirely and giving me an opening to jump onto its arm and run along it.
For a brief moment, the giant golem and I locked eyes.
Utilizing the full length of the katana...
I swung with all my might, slicing off the golem's head in one clean cut...
... And landed back onto the ground on both of my feet.
Still standing...
After losing its head, the golem stopped moving immediately.
Just as planned...!
It took me a bit longer than my initial imagination – 7 seconds instead of 0.001 second – but the results were the same.
"K-Kazuma... when did you improve so much in such a short time...!"
Darkness exclaimed with awe as I allowed myself a cocky smirk.
Hehe... a clumsy crusader once said...
"Don't underestimate my—"
The golem's head suddenly fell flat onto my back, crushing me under its entire weight.
"Oof! I can't breathe...! I need water...!"
I wheezed, the sudden turn of events even forcing me to plead for water instead of air.
It seemed like the key to my fame had dropped a bit too hard for my liking...!
Nearby adventurers, who had previously gazed at me in awe, immediately changed their expressions, frantically attempting to remove the golem's head from atop me.
Even their combined efforts proved futile, as they couldn't lift the heavy object.
My trusty katana, Kiritsu, flew out of my grip, poised to slice the golem's head in half to save me.
But then, with surprising ease, Darkness arrived and lifted the golem's head as if it were nothing.
"Are you okay, Kazuma?"
She asked, concern in her eyes.
"I had just been crushed by a giant metal head... What makes you think that I'm okay?!"
An annoying, familiar laughter closed the distance between me and her.
"Puahahaha! Kazuma, that was so funny! You tried to look cool again but ended up getting crushed by the golem's head! You should really figure out how gravity works! Hahaha!"
"Shut up and heal me! I could've died!"
"You look fine. Just take a few deep breaths to allow your body to recover."
I patted down my chest just to double-check.
"Aqua, I think you should still heal me. I feel like one of my rib cages punctured my lungs."
"Well, you're still talking, so you're still fine."
This girl!
...
"It's open–!"
The adventurers used their giant hammers to bash the door of the building in and rushed inside.
Right now, they were fearless, ignoring the siren that was blaring, and flowing in without regard to party makeup.
We followed behind the reliable adventurers.
There were a few golems inside, but the adventurers were taking them down efficiently.
They had always acted as they pleased, but the adventurers were really scary when they were united.
We reached the deepest parts of the building and found a group congregating before a room.
All of them looked troubled, their heightened emotions gone.
"Oh, Kazuma, you came at the right time... Look at that."
Taylor said as he stood at the center of the room, a little down and unhappy.
Upon closer inspection, he seemed to be pointing at something...
That something was the skeletal remains of a human.
The researcher who took over the fortress was sitting in the chair in the middle of the room alone.
I called Aqua over and asked her to go in, pointing at the skeleton
Aqua just shook her head.
"He has already passed on. He won't turn into an undead; he had no regrets at all."
No regrets at all?
"No, he should have had some reason to linger in this world. From the look of things, he must've died alone..."
As I said that, Aqua seemed to have found something—a notebook buried among the messy documents on the table. After she picked up the notebook, everyone fell silent.
Under the watchful gaze of the adventurers, the only sound was the mechanical evacuation warning.
And so, Aqua started to read:
"– O month X day. The higher ups of the country gave me a tough problem, asking me to create a mobile weapon. Impossible. They wouldn't listen to my protests, and ignored my apologies and requests. I wanted to resign, but they wouldn't accept my resignation letter. I pretended to be retarded, streaking around in my underwear, but the female researchers simply asked me to take off my underwear too. This nation is going to end."
Everyone rested their gaze on the remains.
"– O month X day. The deadline for the design is today. What should I do? I couldn't just submit a blank paper. Why did I start drinking out of desperation and spend all the funds away? As I was feeling frustrated staring at the blank design plans, a spider, something I absolutely hate, showed up on the paper. I screamed shrilly and picked something up to smash it. The spider is now stained onto the design paper... The economy is bad, and high-quality paper like this is expensive; I don't have the money to compensate for it. Screw it, I'll just submit this."
Ugh. The atmosphere was turning awkward as Aqua continued reading.
"– O month X day. That design was unexpectedly well liked. I don't dare to tell them 'That was the goo that spurted out when I squashed a spider, why are you touching it?'. And is it fine for the project to carry on like this? What should I do? The only thing I did was kill a spider, and they made me the director. Yahoo!"
I was suspecting that Aqua was making up the content, but Aqua was reading it with a serious expression.
"– O month X day. I didn't do anything and the weapon is still taking shape. I'm not needed at all, right? Whatever, just do what you want, I just want to live my life leisurely... When they came to ask me about the power source, I couldn't be bothered. I said from the start that it was impossible, if you want a power source then get me that super rare legendary ore rumored to be able to burn for eternity–the Coronatite, or I rebuked them. That felt great! Bring it to me if you can."
...
"– O month X day. They actually brought it to me. What should I do? They really did it. They're even placing it in the power reactor, what should I do? What the hell should I do? I only said it because I thought it was impossible, and they actually did it. What if it doesn't move? What would happen to me? Death penalty? If it doesn't move, will I be sentenced to death? You have to move, please."
Maybe our gazes were making her uncomfortable...
"– O month X day. They said the activation test would be tomorrow, but to be honest, I didn't do anything. The only thing I did was squash a spider. This'll be the last day I can sit on this chair so leisurely... I start feeling mad when I think about it. Forget it, I'll just drink. This is my last supper, so I won't hold back! There wasn't anyone left in the machine today, so it won't matter how much I drink or how drunk I get. I'll start drinking the most expensive wine!"
As Aqua read, she felt a bit scared of the way we were staring at her.
"– O month X day. When I woke up, I felt a strong tremor. What's happening? How much did I drink? I don't remember anything. No, I don't remember anything about yesterday at all. The only parts I remember was heading to the central zone and lecturing the Coronatite. No, wait. After that, I said I wanted to test its courage and flicked the lighted cigarette onto the ore..."
As she read, Aqua didn't dare to look our way any longer.
"– O month X day. I finally realized what was happening; I'm doomed. The mobile weapon is running amok right now. What should I do? They would certainly think it was my doing, so I'm probably a wanted criminal right now. They wouldn't forgive me even if I cried and begged... How irritating... They would probably destroy the mobile weapon, drag me out and execute me. Damn the king and the officials, and that female researcher who smirked after taking off my underwear, they're all scum! It's fine for such a country to fall. Enough, I'll just drink and sleep. Fortunately, the food and wine are plentiful, I'll think about this after I wake up."
Towards the end, everyone besides Darkness, Wiz, and I decided to leave the room to explore the fortress.
"– O month X day. The nation has fallen. Oh no, it has fallen, it's really gone! The citizens and high officials have all fled. But I destroyed my home country. Oh no, this feels great! I'm satisfied, I have no regrets. All right, I've decided. I'll live out the rest of my life in this machine, I can't alight or stop it anyway. The one who made this thing must be retarded... Oh wait! The one in charge of creating this thing was me!"
Reading the final entry, Aqua said with a troubled expression:
"That's... that is all."
"Are you kidding me!?"
I shouted.
...
"This is the Coronatite. So, how do we extract it?"
This was the central area of the mobile fortress.
Overcrowding the room wouldn't be beneficial, so Aqua, Wiz, and I were chosen as representatives for everyone and entered the chamber.
In the room's heart, we found a small stone encircled by a steel fence: the Coronatite.
This rare ore emitted a constant fiery red light.
But the predicament lay in how to retrieve it.
At first glance, the ore seemed impossible to remove from its fenced enclosure.
It was apparent that this was the last line of defense.
While it was easy to ignite the ore through the gaps in the fence, extracting it was a more intricate problem.
"What should we do...? Ah, right, I remember there was a guy with a magic sword, what was his name again...?"
"You're forgetting about me...! I also have a magic sword...! I think...?"
Before Aqua could finish her thought, an idea occurred to me.
I had never truly tested Kiritsu's resilience against extreme temperatures. Perhaps it was worth a try.
Kiritsu appeared to pick up on my thoughts and swiftly exited my sword belt, preventing me from attempting to slice the Coronatite in half.
"Aw c'mon, you useless sword! I get that you have preferences, but everyone's lives, including mine, are at stake here if I don't at least try! Forget it! Steal!"
"Ahhh! Ka-Kazuma-san!"
Wiz seemed to be shouting something, but as expected, the Coronatite passed through the fence and into my hands, still burning.
"Hotttttt!"
"Freeze! Freeze!"
"Heal! Heal! Hey... Are you an idiot? Kazuma's usually quick-witted, but you're doing the same thing even after the incident with the golem!? You're actually stupid, right?!"
I begrudgingly admitted that I couldn't argue with that.
The Coronatite lay on the floor; Wiz had assisted in cooling it down and knocking it away, albeit not before it had scorched my hand and nearly claimed my arm.
Despite its brief frozen respite, the fiery red glow returned.
"This is bad, there's no time; it's about to blow. What should we do with this thing...?" I wondered aloud.
As Wiz pondered the dilemma, the Coronatite by her feet began to emit an even brighter light.
Suddenly, the mechanical warning announcement ceased, revealing that this ore was the powerhouse behind the fortress.
Yet, we remained clueless about how to handle it.
It was abundantly clear that this dangerous ore, which could move such a massive fortress, was beyond the scope of any ordinary adventurer.
Who, or what, could manage this blazing ore with such incredible power
I realized that when faced with problems beyond your capabilities, you could always turn to the gods for assistance.
"Hey Aqua, do you have any means to contain this thing? Isn't it a goddess's role to seal the power of evil or something!?"
"I know what you're getting at, but that's just a game trope! Hey Wiz, do you have a solution for this, by any chance?"
Aqua retorted, swiftly shifting the issue to the lich she frequently teased.
Though I doubted Wiz possessed a solution, she surprised me by saying,
"There is a method... But my mana is insufficient. Sorry, Kazuma-san, I need your help!"
With a determined expression, Wiz approached me, her hands cupping my cheeks, and her thumbs lightly brushing the corners of my lips.
"What... what is it?"
I asked, curious about her unusual request.
Wiz looked desperate as she made her request:
"Can you let suck it...?"
Without resorting to clichés like 'Suck what?' or 'At a time like this?'
I remained composed.
I wasn't the kind of character to feign confusion or act clueless in such a critical moment.
If you need proof, just read the previous chapter...
"Thank you! Well then, I'll start sucking!"
Wiz's lips closed in before my eyes, I couldn't ignore it even if I wanted to.
Father, Mother... I'm finally going to become an adult...
"Kazuma-san, pardon me! Drain Touch–!
"Ahhh!"
"Stop, stop! If you take any more Kazuma will become a mummy!"
Aqua hastily restrained Wiz, and she released my hand just in time to prevent me from passing out.
What a disappointment.
But truth be told, I had a sneaking suspicion it would end this way.
"Now, I can use teleportation spells! But... The problem is where to send this thing to... The places I can teleport it to include Axel, the capital, and the dungeon. Which one should I choose..."
Did this mean she intended to teleport the ore elsewhere?
"In that case, wouldn't the dungeon be a suitable option?"
"But... The dungeon I marked for teleportation is a place I visit to gather magical ingredients, the world's largest dungeon... Currently, that location has become a tourist attraction, with the dungeon as its main selling point...!"
"That's just asking for trouble! Hey, this is bad! The ore is shifting from red to white!"
I observed as Aqua and Wiz grew increasingly anxious.
This sort of scenario happening to the Coronatite reminds me of what scientists explained what would happen to our sun in the next several billion years.
The yellow star we see now, would increase in size, turning red, and then eventually shrink and glow white, becoming a white dwarven star.
Despite their panic, I cast Freeze on the ore, even though I knew it wouldn't be of much help.
"In theory, there's another option! There's a spell called Random Teleport, which sends things to an unspecified location! However, we won't know where it'll end up. It would be ideal if it landed in the mountains or the sea. But if it ended up in a densely populated area...!"
Wiz explained with a worried frown, her voice quivering.
Random Teleport?
"Don't worry! The world is vast! The odds of it landing in a place with no one around are higher than in a densely populated area! I'll take full responsibility! I might not look it, but I've got incredibly good luck!"
Hearing my words, Wiz nodded and chanted her spell with determination.
"Teleport–!"
...
"How did it go? Where did the Coronatite end up? Is it nearby?"
Wiz and Aqua exchanged uncertain glances upon hearing my question.
Nevertheless, our top priority was to vacate this area immediately.
Once we exited the room, we discovered that the other adventurers had successfully defeated all the golems on the deck, and the alarm had ceased.
The entire group was preparing to retreat. They were descending on ropes, leaving only the three of us behind.
Upon closer examination, I noticed that some of the adventurers had gathered the remains of the unfortunate researcher and placed them in a box, likely with intentions to bury him in the town's public cemetery.
We descended the ropes as well, making our way towards Darkness and Megumin.
I carried Megumin, who was resting in the shade, as we passed through the jubilant adventurers and reached Darkness, who stood resolutely before the town.
While the other adventurers celebrated their victory, Darkness remained the only one gazing intently at the fortress.
"Hey, Darkness. We've already stopped the heart of the Destroyer. It's over. Ah, I'm dead tired. Let's head back to the mansion and enjoy a good meal tonight."
In response, Darkness spoke softly:
"It's not over yet. I can sense a formidable foe and the scent of danger... That thing still poses a threat!"
Just as the fortress trembled with a sudden jolt, I couldn't help but express my exasperation.
Hey, hey, I already ripped out its heart!
Also do you have spidey sense or something?
"What's happening now? What's going on with that thing?!"
I inquired in a state of bewilderment.
"Calm down, calm down! At a time like this, it's probably something like this! You know, you have to cut either the red wire or the white wire, right?!"
"No, you're talking about a bomb! We're discussing why the Destroyer is still moving even though the core has been removed!"
It wasn't just us; the other adventurers were also sensing that something was amiss and began to flee from the Destroyer in panic.
"What should we do? It's probably the accumulated heat being vented! I can't teleport something that massive! Look at the front of the Destroyer, there's a crack from the power of the explosion spell, right? Heat is escaping from there! If this goes on, the heat will spray into the town..."
"I don't want to hear this! Kazuma-san, Kazuma-san! Quick, think of something!"
Aqua interrupted Wiz and made an unreasonable request.
I was at a loss. There was no way I could think of a solution.
"Mana! Can someone share some mana with me! If I cast an explosion spell at that crack, it could mitigate the impact!"
Wiz implored the adventurers around us.
In haste, I grabbed Wiz and whispered into her ear,
"Hey, Wiz! What are you saying? The other adventurers don't know you can use Drain Touch! What if they discover that you're a lich? I can pass as a human even when I use lich skills, but if they find out Wiz isn't human, it could be disastrous!"
I forgot to add that the small gracious gift that Wiz gave me, was the ability to drain the mana and vitality of anyone besides the undead.
"But, I can only stop that explosion by absorbing mana..."
I extended my hand and halted Wiz.
"I can do it too. I'll absorb mana from someone else and transfer it to Wiz. It's an extra step, but it's the only way."
Drain Touch allowed me to absorb and transfer mana.
I contemplated who among the adventurers had the most mana.
The answer was clear.
"Hey, Darkness, don't insist on this! Let's escape as far as we can! We'll start over... Wait, if I think carefully, our debts are being covered by the guild in this town. If this place is destroyed..."
"Hey, you, the one who claims to be something."
I addressed the woman who was loudly presenting her plans.
I sensed she possessed the most mana among us.
"Hey, what are you doing?! I don't have time for you, Kazuma! Let's just, hyaaa–!?"
Aqua couldn't help but exclaim as I suddenly initiated Drain Touch.
"You hikiNEET, what are you doing to me during an emergency!?"
"I'm only doing this because it's an emergency! Listen carefully! I'll be transferring your mana to Wiz later, so she can cast Explosion on the Destroyer. That should solve the crisis!"
"I don't want to! Why do I have to share my mana with an undead? And Wiz will definitely be purified if large amounts of my holy mana are transferred to her!"
Aqua's protest was met with a nod of agreement from Wiz, who appeared visibly distressed.
"Um... When I absorbed a small amount of Aqua-sama's mana before, my physical condition deteriorated..."
It seemed akin to having a stomach ache after consuming incompatible food. Aqua's assertion appeared to be accurate.
In that case, there was only one option left.
"The main character's turn."
Megumin climbed off my back and stood up.
...
"Are you listening to me? Don't absorb too much, okay? Don't absorb too much!"
"I understand, I understand. This is the goddess of parties' request, right? Don't worry, trust me!"
"No! I'm not joking here!"
Aqua sat in a seiza position in front of me, prepared for her mana to be absorbed at any moment.
Megumin stood beside her, her staff aimed at the Destroyer, ready to unleash her spell.
"Kazuma-san, selecting areas with thinner skin allows for more efficient mana absorption and transfer! The primary source of mana is the heart, so the closer it is to the heart, the more effective it will be!"
Wiz instructed me with a grave expression. I now understood the significance of choosing a spot with thinner skin.
This was why she touched the corners of my lips when she absorbed my mana earlier.
I couldn't allow myself to be distracted now.
Wait...
"I'm ready; you can start anytime! Two explosions in one day, today is really—wahhh!"
I inserted my right hand into Megumin's back, causing her to scream and lean backward.
"What are you doing all of a sudden?! Placing your cold hands on my back, I thought my heart was seizing up! Is this some kind of sexual harassment? At a time like this?"
"No, you idiot! Didn't you hear what Wiz said? This isn't sexual harassment; it's the most efficient way to transfer mana! A place near the heart where the skin is thin, that would be the back! Oh, wait, hey! Aqua, don't resist! I have a legitimate and noble reason for saving this town! You should be grateful I'm not putting my hand in front!"
Upon hearing my explanation, Aqua resisted even more; she clearly didn't want my hands on her back.
"Everyone, there's no time!"
Wiz urgently reminded us.
After a compromise, I grasped the base of Megumin's and Aqua's necks.
I drew mana from Aqua and transmitted it to Megumin.
"Wow, this is incredible! Aqua's mana is extremely powerful! I can tell this will be the most powerful explosion spell yet!"
"Megumin, isn't this enough?! I feel like a considerable amount of my mana has been siphoned!"
As Aqua mentioned, a significant amount of mana had been injected into Megumin's petite frame.
Regardless of her flaws, she remained a goddess.
There seemed to be no end to her mana, no matter how much I absorbed.
"Just a bit more! Just a bit more! Ah, this seems bad..."
"Hey, what do you mean by 'bad'? What happens if you exceed your capacity? You won't explode, right?!"
Megumin, who made a dangerous remark, removed the eye patch covering her left eye and chanted her spell with her staff raised
It was the familiar explosion spell that echoed among the onlookers.
"Other things aside, I won't be outdone when it comes to an explosion spell! I'm ready! My most powerful spell of annihilation!"
Megumin's staff was directed at the crack in the front of the Destroyer, which was emitting intense heat and could explode at any moment.
Her crimson pupils glowed as she chanted her magic so loudly that her voice nearly cracked.
"Explosion!"
...
The morning after our strategic battle against the Destroyer, we decided to celebrate with a party in the Adventurer's Guild in the afternoon until midnight.
Everyone was cheering and talking about their experience in fighting the golems.
Aqua was swaying her cup brimming with beer, causing it to spill over and create a mess on the floor.
Megumin seemed torn about whether to consume a half-filled beer, constantly glancing around to check if Darkness was going to intervene.
However, she got cold feet and ultimately chose to drink a cup of orange juice instead.
The reason why Darkness didn't stop Megumin was because destroying the Destroyer was once an impossible feat thought by everyone, even her.
So, she decided to let Megumin have one on the house for today.
Additionally, Darkness, dressed in casual attire, was inexplicably sitting next to me.
"Kazuma, it feels weird for me to be the one to say this, but I must thank you for protecting this town... I'm extremely grateful of you..."
I smiled and replied:
"Same here. If it weren't for your monstrous strength, I would've been turned into squashed meat by that golem's head."
"H-Hey, I don't have monstrous strength! I'm just... exceptionally strong...!"
That really doesn't help counter my claim.
But I shouldn't tease her too much, considering everything we've been through... and all she's done for us.
Maybe...
"To be honest, you looked really cool back then..."
Upon hearing my words, Darkness likely began to imagine herself in that heroic moment, her sword thrust into the ground, unwavering against the Destroyer.
"Is, is that so...?"
She blushed a little and turned her face away shyly.
"Y-You also looked pretty cool back then as well..."
Hey, I-I didn't tell you to throw compliments back at me!
"Really? When...?"
"When you killed off the golem that had everyone frightened. You were the only one with the guts to approach it. It seems like all your training paid off."
That was a memory that felt more embarrassing than impressive to me now.
However, there was something else on my mind.
"Wait, you were watching me train? Stalker...?!"
"Not at all! It was obvious that what you were attempting wasn't something you could achieve on the first try. I speak from experience!"
She was likely referring to her own swordsmanship training, even though her skills hadn't improved much at all.
I don't think she even killed a single golem when we were up there...
"Also, I have a question, Kazuma. It's about your sword."
"Hm? What about it?"
"Could I perhaps...? Never mind. I'll ask it when it decides to float around the mansion again."
"Mkay."
I turned my attention back to the festivities, observing everyone still celebrating and drinking.
In the corner of my eye, Darkness continued to gaze in my direction, but I avoided making eye contact to prevent any awkwardness.
Suddenly, she drew closer to my right ear and whispered softly:
"Tonight, I'll tell you everything about myself... Would you like me to come to your room, or do you prefer to visit mine...?"
My body tensed, and my ear tingled from the warm breath that brushed against it as she spoke.
For some reason, my heart began to race.
I mean, a beautiful woman like her had just given me a consensual invitation to her room, suggesting we talk about 'secrets.'
Shouldn't she be sharing everything with Aqua and Megumin first?
That's what I'd heard about from all the 'girl talk' back in my original world.
I couldn't help but wonder why I had become her top priority.
An image of a shy, sheltered Darkness, hiding her blushing face behind a girl's notebook, flashed through my mind.
"I'll tell you a girl's secret, Kazuma..." - Darkness From My Imagination
I'm definitely inviting her to my room tonight!
But before I could say anything-
"There you are, Darkness! I've been looking for you!"
Aqua interrupted our developing conversation, oblivious to the mood.
"Hey, everyone! Let's all celebrate Darkness's incredible strength in lifting that golem's head, which saved Kazuma! If it weren't for her, Kazuma wouldn't have been able to save this town!"
Hey, why are you specifically choosing her and not me, the guy who came up with all the quickly formulated plans?
"A-Aqua, there is no need to for everyone to celebrate for me! It should be-"
"I was there! Darkness lifted the heavy head like it was part of her daily training!"
"Yeah, all the men couldn't lift an inch off of Kazuma but Darkness was the most manliness out of all of them and did it with ease!
"M-Manliness! Y-You all think I am a man?!"
A flustered Darkness stood up in shock as the other adventurers continued to tease her.
"Of course we do! You won the arm-wrestling competition! You effortlessly defeated all the men who took part!"
"Therefore, you're the most manly among us!"
"Hey, guys, we should start calling her the Muscle-Headed Girl from now on, since she's taken on our roles of masculinity!"
"Agreed!"
"Muscle Girl!"
"Muscle Girl!"
"Muscle Girl!"
They began chanting to get back at Darkness for cruel reasons.
"What is this!? This new feeling...! Wahhh–!"
Unable to bear the embarrassment any longer, she rushed out of the guild.
...
A week after the defeat of the Destroyer...
I was in my room, tending to Kiritsu, cleaning and sharpening him as he let out happy chirps from the enjoyment.
The bounty for the Destroyer must've been pretty large for the town to take their time to gather the funds to reward me.
On another note...
Even though Darkness had invited me to her room and suggested coming to mine...
I sort of chickened out.
I wasn't sure if it was the fear of being caught and rumors spreading, or the possibility of causing a catastrophe that might lead to a duel with the Kingdom's prince or something of that sort.
So, I chose not to dwell on that conversation topic any longer.
She and I exchanged glances from time to time in the mansion, but it seemed she didn't want to delve into the subject either.
As I completed my daily routine, Aqua barged into my room.
"Kazuma, they're here! And it's not just the regular guild staff; there are knights from the royal kingdom!"
I see, the bounty was more significant than defeating the Demon King's army boss; it was a mobile fortress that had threatened towns and cities across multiple countries.
So, the bounty was offered not by the guild staff but by the knights of this country.
They might even attempt to recruit me to become a knight.
But I had no intention of risking my life to fight for some old man with political ideals.
Wait, that was from my original world.
In this world, I wasn't going to risk my life to protect some sheltered noble family from life-threatening foes.
"Tell them I'll be right there. The handsome hero of the town is about to arrive."
Finally, Aqua and I entered the guild. The atmosphere was oddly hushed, which was likely a sign of respect for me and the reward I was about to receive.
A guild staff member, who appeared somewhat troubled, approached us.
They were accompanied by a brunette woman and two knights.
As we watched with heightened expectations, the woman locked eyes with me.
Her gaze was direct, with a mix of intense emotions.
If I had to provide an analogy...
It was the piercing look of someone who had just found their parents murderer.
"Adventurer Satou Kazuma! You are under arrest for the crime of treason! Come with us!"