Ch.120Chapter 120. Battle for the Saint (6)

Chapter 120. Battle for the Saint (6)

“Place this totem on the wall. I’ll entrust the smaller totem to Kanto, who will lead the warriors.”

“Yes!”

Muri handed Totem #2 to Kanto, who responded energetically.

I wanted to become a totem golem and fight directly, but in large-scale battles like this, it was more efficient to use totems for area buffs and debuffs rather than controlling a golem myself.

In the time it would take to kill one Reptilian with a totem golem punch, I could immobilize enemies with area debuffs and apply enhancement tattoo buffs to allies, killing dozens. Why bother?

For this reason, the pitiful totem golem hadn’t been used except during the first sortie.

Well, what can I do? It’s time to fight high-ranking demons. A scrap metal robot that gets beaten up and sent flying by mid-level demons is no better than junk.

This is what you’d call a typical “power inflation” in shounen manga.

Still, even if it’s stored away like junk, someday it might be useful again.

I shifted my consciousness back to Totem #3, which was with Lakye, Asha, and the Pope. Everyone was busy destroying the headquarters.

“Keuaek!”

Reptilians in white gowns collapsed pathetically. They were clearly mad scientists.

[Think about it. The being you serve isn’t human. It’s just a greedy god who wants followers. Haven’t you considered that once that Roa achieves its goal, you’ll be discarded without mercy? It’s time for us mortals to band together!]

Jay was trying hard to persuade Lakye through the speaker, but it didn’t seem to be having much effect.

“As Malak said, you lack eloquence. I don’t understand how a pathetic woman like you became the leader.”

Lakye delivered a sharp retort and threw a stone, smashing the speaker.

“She was merely a senior researcher. When the elder mages leading the evolutionist faction were wiped out, she gained power by default.”

The Pope glanced at the fallen speaker with disdain. Then suddenly, he scratched his head and laughed.

“I shouldn’t talk, since I also became Pope without proper procedures. The previous Pope became one with a high-ranking demon. I’m in no position to criticize. Hahaha…!”

Suddenly cracking self-deprecating jokes. Living on the run from demons must have driven him mad.

“Tsk.”

Lakye gave the Pope a contemptuous glance before focusing again on killing Reptilians.

“Well. Other believers laughed when I made jokes…”

The Pope muttered while casting protective barriers on Asha and Lakye.

He probably didn’t actually find it funny—they just laughed because he was their superior. This is how the term “boss jokes” came to be.

“…”

When the Pope spoke, Asha briefly glanced at him before looking away. It wasn’t because she had a sense of self or will.

I had given her simple orders to protect allies and attack enemies. When given such commands, she seemed to make minor decisions autonomously.

She probably reacted mechanically to an ally’s unusual behavior.

[…Charon is facing off against the incarnated Roa! He’ll soon achieve victory and come here. You don’t think that Roa, who can only use weak powers through totems, can defeat an unprecedented necromancer, do you?]

Jay attempted conversation again through another speaker as the group climbed to a different floor. This woman is quite persistent.

“When I meet her, I’ll rip out that long tongue and tear apart that noisy mouth.”

Bang!

Another speaker was destroyed by Lakye’s stone throw.

So Charon was fighting a Roa. For some reason, he didn’t come himself but sent the stingray demon and zombies. This is perfect timing.

Not just Tuga, but other Roas have started moving too. I called all the tribes that communicated with each other the Tribal Federation, but I don’t know how they gathered divine figures for incarnation in other tribes.

Did they contact tribes that had moved to remote areas beyond communication? Even so, incarnation shouldn’t be easy.

…Could it be that incarnation is only difficult for me, not for other Roas? Maybe it’s harder because I’m not the true Malak, just a mortal drawing on his power.

Or perhaps true Malak’s power is several times stronger than ordinary Roas, creating more restrictions on incarnation. That seems quite likely.

I can only hope that Charon and this unnamed incarnated Roa destroy each other.

‘The zombies have arrived at Symphonia!’

‘Malak, preparations are complete.’

Paya and Muri whispered in my ears using the shamanic power available only to priests. Lakye seems capable of handling things here alone, so I should help the Tribal Federation.

I shifted my consciousness to Totem #1. It was already on top of the wall. The stingray demon and its minions were approaching, casting shadows on the ground.

“The enemy is riding on its back!”

“It’s a high-ranking demon.”

“It’s much larger than the demon we saw in Tibera.”

“Are the ballistas ready?”

“Yes!”

Whether they believed in me or the giant god, the Tribal Federation warriors calmly awaited the enemies.

– Here they come.

The stingray demon landed in front of the Tribal Federation headquarters. Reptilian soldiers disembarked from its back and formed ranks.

Ooooh-!

The stingray demon made a bizarre sound and soared back into the sky. It was a massive monster, larger than an airplane.

I could feel its powerful aura from here. It didn’t have the overwhelming pressure of the shadow demon, but it was clearly higher-ranked.

[Throw down your weapons and surrender! If you surrender now, we’ll spare your lives! I repeat, if you surrender now…]

A Reptilian commander attempted communication through something like a megaphone.

Spare our lives? As soon as they confirm we’ve dropped our weapons, they’ll launch an all-out attack. As the stingray demon and Reptilians approached—

BOOM-!

Perfect timing!

The ground collapsed, and a massive metal monster rose before them.

The pride of the Empire and the pride of golem scholars.

A god created by humans to kill demons.

Harry and the monster—no, Harry and the Giant God.

The Giant God stomped the ground. The Reptilian army, staring up in a daze, was crushed.

[AAAAARGH!]

The screams of the one holding the megaphone were exquisite. Perhaps that’s why he was holding it in the first place.

Just as the stingray demon and other flying demons tried to change direction from heading toward the Tribal Federation—

Woooong!

The heat plate on the Giant God’s chest slowly heated up. Magic power, violently churning like lava, concentrated toward the heat plate.

Wow. Knowing what was about to happen, I inwardly exclaimed in admiration.

Harry… you’re really going to fire that. You’ve been wanting to so badly.

Ziiing-!

With a thunderous sound, a heat ray fired from the heat plate. The massive, red-rippling power pierced through the flying demons and rose into the sky.

It was an energy beam, the signature finishing move of giant robots.

“Woohoo!”

“Did you see that? Wiped them all out at once!”

“It was too bright to see! I’m going blind!”

The Tribal Federation was in a festive mood. It looks like the main force might win without even fighting.

Of course, it was too early to relax.

Ooooh…!

While most flying demons were swept away, the stingray demon remained intact after being hit by the heat ray.

No, let me take back “intact.” The parts of its body hit by the heat ray were scorched red. It must have taken some damage.

The stingray demon emitted something like ultrasonic waves, its eyes glowing with the characteristic red of zombies.

“Ugh…!”

People of the Tribal Federation, despite being at some distance, covered their ears in pain. Was it emitting some kind of infrasound?

But it was useless. The Giant God was a machine, not a living being. Harry, the pilot, would be protected by magic and should be fine.

That should have been the case.

– ?

The Giant God slowly knelt down. What’s happening? Did something happen to Harry? This isn’t good.

Just as the stingray demon approached the Giant God while emitting ultrasonic waves—

BANG!

The Giant God quickly rose and threw a punch. Not just any punch, but a metal fist filled with magical power.

Ah, it was a trick to engage in close combat.

Makes sense. If the stingray flew away, the Giant God, being a walker, could only fire a few heat rays. To kill it for certain, closing the distance was necessary.

Phew. Almost had a heart attack. Grandpa Harry, you’re quite the trickster.

KUEOEO!

The stingray demon that took an iron fist to the face fell to the ground with a thud. Its slight convulsions suggested it was in a groggy state.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The Giant God approached with its heavy body, grabbed the stingray demon with both hands, and lifted it.

Just when it seemed the battle between the giant robot and the giant monster would end in a one-sided victory—

Kiririk!

The parts that served as the stingray demon’s wings split and transformed into spider-like legs.

Suddenly having four pairs of legs, the stingray demon pushed back the Giant God. The pushed Giant God flailed to maintain balance.

Tsk, I thought it was too easy.