Ch.132Rampage (3)

After the Golem Armor’s “transformation,” where it had shed many of its armored plates and completely converted its backpack into four auxiliary arms, and even formed a mechanical tail from who knows where.

‘….Ugh, disgusting. This is supposed to be a giant robot?’

Even on a battlefield where cowardice had no place, its transformed combat style was so revolting that it awakened a sense of chivalry within me that I thought would never stir.

Before its transformation, it had been a typical heavy tank. It was the type that relied on overwhelming armor, durability, and magic resistance to unleash the firepower of its mounted weapons.

Since enemy attacks couldn’t even scratch it anyway, it minimized unnecessary movement and instead maximized its existing advantage: durability.

But its tactics seemed to have fundamentally changed once I appeared—someone who could ignore its thick armor and magic-based counterattacks and strike back.

As if it realized that the durability so prized in heavy tank tactics would be completely meaningless against my blade, and that stubbornly sticking to its old methods would likely lead to its defeat.

Therefore, its combat approach had completely transformed.

It discarded armor plating that would only slow it down without providing meaningful protection. It also abandoned heavy weaponry that would be useless against a small, high-mobility entity like me.

Instead, it opted for a lighter body that, combined with its still-powerful thrusters, gave it an agility unbelievable for its size, along with various weapons specialized for combat against high-speed targets.

The core of this form was the four auxiliary arms formed from the transformed backpack, each equipped with one special-purpose shield.

The shields themselves looked no different from those mounted on regular arms, and functionally they were the same—except for the weapons installed where arms would normally go.

Each shield housed a large-caliber magic beam cannon in the center for intercepting large targets, with rotating-barrel miniguns on either side to spray bullet curtains.

Additionally, each auxiliary arm had two smaller sub-arms attached to its sides, each mounting another minigun, bringing the total to 16 miniguns it could use to pour out firepower.

The shields on the large auxiliary arms could even project magic energy like blades from their sides. It was truly a weapon configuration with no blind spots…

What particularly caught my attention was the energy blade it picked up after setting down its shield and dual laser cannon.

To be frank, it was essentially a one-handed light sa—well, energy sword with magic power emanating roughly from the handle.

If anything, visually it was closer to a beam sa—that “thing.”

Anyway, this energy blade was a weapon formed by binding magic power emitted from the end of a cylindrical handle.

It had enough power to tear through anything it touched, but as if paying a price for this, it consumed an extraordinary amount of magic to maintain.

And this thing possessed an overwhelming magic reservoir that could deploy such a powerful weapon for at least 10 minutes without faltering.

‘…Did they stuff an actual dragon in there or something?’

With the addition of a tail to balance the auxiliary arms growing from its body, and considering the roar it had let out earlier, it was something worth keeping in mind.

Meanwhile, as I was thinking this, the battle continued fiercely.

-Dudududududududududu—!!!

Sixteen miniguns firing from twelve auxiliary arms protruding from its back… rotating-barrel machine guns with unmatched rate of fire that surpassed any era.

This Golem Armor could fire them endlessly, ignoring loading and overheating issues, while simultaneously possessing various auxiliary attack methods. One wrong move and I’d be shredded by this formidable enemy, but…

“Lord Alzar, over here!”

“Thank you, Lord Falten!”

Fortunately, with the help of Metal School mages, I was somehow able to maintain an even battle against this monster.

The main reason this fight remained relatively balanced was that the Metal School mages were supporting me at full power using the surrounding metal.

They transformed nearby debris into metal with their magic, then processed it into shields or barricades to block bullets.

No matter how powerful those rotating machine guns were, they were still just 20mm armor-piercing rounds, which struggled against simple, thick, heavy metal shields.

Additionally, whether due to some mechanical flaw in their design, the guns frequently jammed when firing continuously for extended periods.

Of course, even with frequent jams, the overwhelming firepower itself functioned as a threatening weapon that exerted considerable pressure.

To be honest, despite fighting for over 20 minutes, demolishing surrounding buildings in the process, I had barely managed to land any effective hits.

The combination of pouring machine gun fire and shields defending against ranged attacks targeting them was formidable. With me—the only one capable of penetrating its armor—effectively contained, the battle situation had completely stagnated.

‘Damn…! What the hell is that thing…!!’

To make matters worse, it betrayed my hope of waiting until it ran out of ammunition by absorbing metal from the ground to use as bullets.

In other words, it was somehow loading the necessary ammunition for those machine guns (which fired using magic power rather than gunpowder, leaving no casings), and its magic power showed no signs of depletion.

On our side… honestly speaking, if this war of attrition continued, we would likely be the first to fall.

While I could easily keep moving for another 10 hours, the real problem was the magic depletion of the mages supporting me from various angles.

Although Soul School mages were assisting with their magic, the magic consumed in supporting me and blocking the Golem Armor’s firepower directed at them was, naturally, reaching extreme levels.

In other words, if this situation continued without change, we would eventually be the ones to lose, but…

“Lord Alzar! They’ve arrived!”

“Good, I’ll lure it over there!”

The Metal School mages, who understood this reality even better than I did, had brought in means to turn the situation around.

The Metal School primarily deals with two fields:

One is researching and handling automatons like golems and automata, and modifying bodies with metal.

The other is researching and developing gunpowder weapons using metal and explosives.

Particularly famous for gathering firepower fanatics—more suited to be called the Gunpowder School than the Metal School—they had achieved tremendous accomplishments in the production and development of gunpowder weapons in the Western Continent.

Improvised missile systems using rocket candy (similar to Earth’s Congreve missiles from Britain), development of the world’s first rifled barrel, rediscovery of conical bullets beyond the traditional spherical ones.

Every year, the Holy Empire’s “Artillery College” sends excellent officers to collaborate with the Metal School, and countless lords purchase their gunpowder weapons to arm themselves.

With such expertise in gunpowder weapons, the amount of weaponry they had stored in their branch was truly extraordinary.

And now, the Metal School’s servants and several mages had prepared these weapons to fire at that enormous target.

-Dudududududududu—!!!

So I began gradually luring the enemy toward the designated spot while dodging incoming bullets—

“—FIRE!!!”

-KWAAAAAAANG!!!

Almost simultaneously with me throwing myself behind a metal barricade blocking my view, dozens of pre-set gunpowder weapons of all types opened fire, hammering the target.

But how powerful could this era’s gunpowder weapons really be? Sure, they could easily tear through human flesh, but they didn’t seem particularly threatening to that ancient Golem Armor imbued with all manner of mysteries.

Apart from slight abrasion and soot on parts of its armor, the effects were minimal, with no significant damage to the Golem Armor’s main body or the weapon sections protected by shields.

But the real issue was with the eight auxiliary arms that lacked armor plate protection, each mounted with a minigun.

With those gone—the ones that had been handling most of the firepower since the shields prevented the main weapons from deploying effectively—the resulting thinned fire curtain could be penetrated with the super-alloy shields prepared inside the barricade.

In other words, it was time for me to make my move.

With hastily calibrated armor plates (super-alloy shields) attached to my body, I focused my mind, erasing everything from my thoughts except my sword and the enemy.

Continuing the routine necessary to maximize the effect of the “Sword Demon” factor, I waited for the timing and at a certain moment—

‘—I’ll cut it.’

Cut it, I must cut it. With this in my hand, with this blade sharper than anything else, I’ll slice through its flesh. Kill the enemy by cutting it.

That alone. That alone is enough. I advance, deflecting the bullets hitting my body. Aiming for the enemy’s vital point (cockpit), I overlap the aura blade extending from my sword with its physical form.

And a flash of light splits the void.

-Slash!

I kick off the fragments shattered by bullets and scattered in the air, using the rebound to charge forward. Becoming like an arrow myself, I precisely cut through the enemy’s chest where the pilot resides.

Blood, fragrant blood sprays upward, and as I enjoy that scent, my clear will extends, feeling my consciousness spread throughout this massive body following its contents.

And this was the moment when the grand chapter of monster hunting came to its majestic conclusion.