Chapter 858: December 19th: Ode to Joyful Mechs
Author's Preface
This is sabotage of the Ancient Battlefield; every Skyfarers-sama, please take half a day and read this thoroughly.
(It was shallow.)
The full-power blow definitely caught Electric Shock Confectionery @ GGMC on the jaw. However...
(Its jaw is basically half-buried in its form to begin with... so the impact didn't penetrate deep.)
Sengaku Hisai is certainly specialized for close-quarters combat, but even so, it has its strengths and weaknesses.
She chose the uppercut because it was the "easiest to throw" from her posture, but considering Electric Shock Confectionery @ GGMC's short, chubby build, including its head, she shouldn't have aimed for the hard-to-hit jaw that was practically buried in its neck.
(......But,)
This in itself is convenient, Rust smiled.
Perhaps as expected, although Electric Shock Confectionery @ GGMC took an iron fist to the jaw, it only flinched for a few seconds.
『That one sent a chill through me~!』
『......Down your spine?』
『Through my liver!』
The dual handguns were once again thrust toward Sengaku Hisai. At this distance, it was impossible to miss, and the swing of a fist could never surpass the speed of a bullet.
But the triggers weren't pulled... and the fist wasn't fully swung either.
『.........』
『.........』
Mutual silence. Possessing mutual certainty of slaughtering the enemy, while simultaneously possessing the certainty that the opponent likely had it too... therefore, this was a single breath born from both feeling that the "next" would be the end of this battle.
『You're pretty strong, huh~.』
『……Right back at you. I struggled much more than I thought I would.』
While both were within each other's lethal range, the Meteor Iron Mirror circled around them. This unearthly iron mirror, which had continuously captured their fierce battle, sometimes pulling away and sometimes closing in, received even the air trembling from their words and faintly vibrated.
While directing a sliver of their attention toward the Meteor Iron Mirror transmitting their figures and words to somewhere that was not here, they mutually praised each other's good fight and prowess, though both also sensed that half of it was nothing more than social pleasantries.
『That being said, if we do a one-for-one trade here~... wouldn't it be more of a victory for our side, tactically speaking~?』
In this situation, Eclair was convinced it was practically a fact that the only ones defending the main camp, (at least) in terms of being under the direct command of some player leading the Former King Faction, were the player right in front of him and the other player who was handling the sniping.
Players are not soldiers, so naturally not all players followed orders. Before entering this battle, Eclair had taken down enough players that he couldn't count them on both hands, but every single one of them had an aura that seemed to scream, "Why are there enemies in the main camp!?" Furthermore, even accounting for players who ignored orders, Thirdrema's defenses were far too thin.
That meant the vast majority of players affiliated with the Former King Faction had switched to the offensive. That in itself was convenient for the GUN! GUN! Mercenary Corps, who were plotting a surprise attack on the headquarters, but... this was the result. However, because Eclair had drawn the aggro of a terrifyingly skilled Tactical Mech pilot capable of matching a thousand, the surviving members had headed toward the Thirdrema Grand Duke's Castle.
Since they had originally intended to conquer the castle with fewer than ten people, even though they had lost a non-insignificant number of members, it did not mean they had completely lost their combat power. Even if players were stationed inside the castle, that in itself would just make for a good "highlight reel."
Therefore, even if Eclair dropped out here, as long as he took down the insanely dangerous combat asset right in front of him... it could be called a tactical victory for the GUN! GUN! Mercenary Corps.
『......Unfortunately.』
Rust hadn't completely read Eclair's thoughts. However, from the phrase "tactical victory," she could roughly understand what he was trying to say. Thus, swallowing the words, "In the first place, it's completely leaked because of a traitor's leak," Rust delivered reality.
『……Unfortunately, I'll just say the chances of the others achieving their objective are infinitely close to zero.』
『………Hmm~, why's that?』
『Because this time, I've entrusted it to that side.』
Before he could ask what... as if timing it perfectly, a transmission from the other members came through the communicator Eclair was equipped with.
<<Sorry, Eclair! We might be about to screw up too!>>
<<Wait, what the hell is that thing, seriously!! A "Tortoise"!?>>
<<Wait, it's pulling off a drift and chasing us with a body like that!>>
<<Ah, sorry, we're d—>>
Bzzzt. The transmission cut off. Eclair knew that noise-like termination was unique to when the player on the other end died. Therefore, floating a bitter expression beneath the helmet of Electric Shock Confectionery No. 3 @ GGMC, he asked the opponent connected to him by the chain, who likely knew what had happened.
『The listeners watching the stream might know, but~ since my eyes are right here, I'd really appreciate an explanation~.』
『……There is a custom-made Tactical Mech. I usually use it, but this time, my partner is using it.』
『Ah~............』
In short.
『……I am the skirmisher and the decoy.』
『So the other guy is the main event, huh~.........』
'It feels like I was holding back Lu Bu, only for Xiang Yu to appear as the rear guard,' Eclair let out a sigh of resignation within Electric Shock Confectionery No. 3 @ GGMC. Ever since he started playing ShanFro, raising his level to a certain extent, enriching his equipment, and purchasing and customizing his Tactical Mech, Eclair had vaguely suspected, 'Wait, aren't there uniques for Tactical Mechs as well?'
Initially, he had completely assumed the player right in front of him was the one fighting by swapping between Unique Tactical Mechs, but... the reality was that the sniper was the main force and the true main event.
『Man~, you really got me~......... Looks like this is our loss, huh~.』
『………』
As if synchronizing with his tone, the two magnums that had maintained the equilibrium between them, pointing right at her, were dropped with a thud onto the ground.
In that fleeting instant, the moment Rust's gaze followed them──────
『Like hell I'm giving up on my victory!!』
Emergency Equipment Purge.
Because they are manned without exception, it is the last resort of a Tactical Mech pilot, escaping a crisis by discarding the Tactical Mech in an emergency.
With enough force to tear the tightly bound chains from the inside out, Electric Shock Confectionery No. 3 @ GGMC......... burst open.
Author's Afterword
Non-Standard Tactical Tortoise【Genbu】
Hypothetically speaking, wouldn't it be suuuuuuper scary if a suuuuuuper hard, suuuuuuper high-firepower tank-like heavy armor came attacking you via hover movement with a suuuuuuper smooth drift behavior and decently agile speed while blasting lasers and missiles?
Well, that's exactly what it is.
By converting the mana supplied from its reactor into heat and light and firing it from the "Dual Serpent Cannons," it boasts the greatest pure annihilation power among all Non-Standard Tactical Mechs as long as no external armaments are used, and it furthermore covers for its monstrously poor fuel efficiency by recovering the mana that scatters into the atmosphere along with the heat during bombardment.
Depending on the firing range, if it's within about 25 meters, it can recover 40% of the energy used.
But because the anti-gravity mechanism and hovers required to move its super-heavy weight consume even more energy than the bombardment itself, it's a "fatty that can move, but instantly runs out of breath if it moves at max speed." It's a chonky boi that leaves you wondering if it's actually useful or not. Because it's so heavy, Sunraku treated it as a dynamic paperweight. Truly regrettable.
If it hits you with a lariat while hovering, it does about 2 Sunrakus of damage. (Damage unit "Sunraku": The amount of damage required to instantly deplete his entire HP bar when taking an un-guarded hit to a vital spot).
Well, as I say, updating is an act of free will, but if a sense of duty or mission were to be mixed in... yes, it's an advertisement for the manga volume. So, Volume 10 of the Shangri-La Frontier manga adaptation is out.
10, ten, ten. Double digits. We've finally reached double digits. When the manga serialization first started, I was thinking "Well, we'll probably hit the Shadow Lycaon fight around Volume 5 or 6, gahaha," but Katarina might have underestimated Great Mage Fuji-sensei's transcendent drawing ability and Editor I-san's determination to slowly and solidly build the work.
After Wethermon, the Scorpions, and various other things, the one who finally graces the cover of Volume 10 is Akitsu Akane, who, in terms of the number of fan arts, has momentum rivaling or exceeding the one who feeds jelly and the one being fed jelly, characters whose turns will likely come much, much, muuuuch later.
How should I say this... it's exactly the Akitsu Akane I pictured in my mind! That feeling is truly amazing, Fuji MAGIC.........
The entertainment value inside is guaranteed, and Katarina's bonus text will be included at the end of the volume and in the booklet, as is becoming customary. Even though Katarina has done this 10 times now, he still exceeds the page limit. Does he have no ability to learn????
Anyway, it's Volume 10. Furthermore, we've passed the 100-chapter mark in the main Magazine serialization. The only reason it has continued this long is thanks to all of your support. Please continue to treat my humble work well.........
On a separate note, all you Skyfarers-sama, please go to sleep until the day rolls over.
Translator's Notes
- [1] Title: Pun on the 4 character idiom (not really, it must be 4 kanji but author probably ran out of them) 歓喜の歌 (Kanki no Uta) meaning 'Ode to Joy' (specifically Beethoven's 9th Symphony), replacing 喜 (joy) with 機 (machine).
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