112 Chapter 112: Clash of Titans

Kido Mayumi stared at me for a few moments before she shook her head. Raising her hand, which combusted into flames, she narrowed her eyes into a fiery glare.

"I see you've joined the demons now."

Unseen inside my cockpit, I shrugged.

"If that's what you want to believe."

"…"

Kido watched me for a second, her gaze never dropping, and then she sighed.

"I'll offer you a warning first. If you leave now, I'll pretend I didn't see you. I'm sure Shigeo-kun will say the same as well."

I didn't repy for a second. Now that I thought about it, neither Umezu nor Kido bullied me back in the previous world. I thought the rest of my former classmates were all on my hit list for revenge, but it seemed that I was mistaken.

There were still a few here and there who didn't bully me.

"I'm sorry. The people here are my friends and allies. I cannot allow them to be hurt." I paused for a second, and then smirked. "But I'll offer you the same warning. If you both leave now, I promise my men and I won't pursue."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." Kido's glare intensified. "We've been tasked with taking Moria, and we will conquer Mount Aleron today."

"So you and Umezu have become Kobayashi's lackeys?" my voice was dripping with scorn. "If he tells you to commit genocide, you'll kill all these people?"

"…if that's what Kobayashi-kun dictates."

There was an air of reluctance in her tone, but Kido had resolved herself. Seeing that I had no intention of pulling back, she reared her hand back.

"I suppose there's no point negotiating with you any longer."

"Any longer and readers will fall asleep," I agreed. Kido raised an eyebrow, but she said nothing as she hurled the stream of flames at me.

I moved the gear stick forward and Matsukaze lurched, swinging his katana to slice the flames in half. Then I unleashed another Arc Wave that she countered with a wall of flames. However, I was already barreling forward, Matsukaze swinging his katana down to cleave Kido in half.

"Kuh!"

Kido was forced to dive away before the katana could cut her into two. Rolling on the ground, she threw her hand up and fired off a massive fireball. The ion shield protecting Matsukaze crackled ass the flames engulfed us, but I pressed the pedal and we emerged from the raging inferno relatively unscathed. Breathing hard, I realized that if I was in Purity of Faith, the tank would have been roasted and completely destroyed.

Good thing my ion shield gives me an invulnerable save against shooting attacks…

Unfortunately, the battle was far from over. Kido was launching another stream of flames at me, forcing me back. I slashed through the flames with Matsukaze's katana and advanced on her position, trying to crush her.

"Ah!"

Kido crashed heavily onto the ground. Despite being shielded by a halo of flames, the sheer impact of the blow sent her flying (no, not that kind of flying) into the valley and gouging a molten crater in the earth.

"Koho!"

Coughing, Kido staggered to her feet, wiping the blood from her mouth. Not intending to waste the opportunity, I rushed forward to finish her off.

Unfortunately, Kido had finally finished casting her spell.

"Ifrit!"

"?!"

A sudden explosion rocked Matsukaze, violently throwing me about the cockpit. I jerked against the restraints, my vision turning red as warning klaxons came on.

"Warning…critical damage."

"What?!"

The ion shield didn't protect me from that blast. Beleaguered, I raised my eyes to stare at the visual auspex. Unsurprisingly, I didn't see what hit me. My surroundings were engulfed in a wall of ferocious flames, and all I could see for miles around were crackling orange and red embers. Stumbling backward, I fought the controls even as the mechanisms within my Titan overheated.

Perspiration dripped down my face as I struggled to escape the inferno. My cockpit felt like a furnace desite the climate control system and internal temperature regulator that was supposed to cool it down.

"Damn…"

Exhaling in frustration, I finally managed to burst out of the flames, only to see a gigantic entity of fire slam into me.

"Whoa!?"

Matsukaze was hurled backward, stumbling over the grounds and toppling into a bunch of fleeing infantry. I lashed out with the katana wildly, but it only cut through fire. Despite the flickering flames restoring themselves, I managed to buy myself a little respite and quickly disengaged from combat. Straightening up, I watched as a demonic behemoth roared at me.

"What the hell is that thing?!"

It was a demon…a demon made entirely out of fire. Blazing wings stretched out from its back, casting orange-red light over the ground. Flaming claws curled out of its arms and legs, the latter digging into the ground and turning the earth molten. Golden eyes gleamed above a fiery maw whose teeth danced like liquid fire. Horns crested its head proudly, blazing indomitably as they created a halo of fire above the monstrosity.

"Don't think you're the only one able to summon monsters," Kido said as she kept her distance, retreating from the flaming colossus. "This is Ifrit. He's my strongest summon. Fire incarnate. Avatar of destruction. Immortal."

I wasn't sure what to make of that, so I activated Absolute Appraisal to check Kido's stats and abilities.

Name: Kido Mayumi

Species: Human

Job/Rank: Priestess of Fire/Hero

Special Abilities: Divine Fire, Ifrit

When I saw the unimaginable characteristics and abilities of Ifrit, which included Fiery Regeneration, Inferno Claws and Flickering Flames, I couldn't help but feel a chill despite the heat.

"You've gone and summoned quite the monster," I muttered as perspiration dripped down my face. Like Kido said, the thing seemed indestructible. It was pure elemental force, an embodiment of nature. I slashed at it as it charged at me, but my katana merely cut through fire. The Ifrit, on the other hand, smashed Matsukaze apart and sent him spinning into the ground. His ion shield crackled and flickered, revealing scorched patches on his hull.

This isn't good.

I had no way of fighting such an elemental monster. Fortunately, I was already working on it, beginning on a second summoning spell. It would take me a little while to finish it, but I could speed up the process through combat.

So I unleashed an arc wave that rippled across the screeching demon of fire, but as before, it reformed almost instantly. With a swing of its arm, it struck Matsukaze and sent him hurtling, fumes pouring out of his frame.

The Ifrit really reminded me of my own Regeneration.

"Warning. Critical damage. Core exposed."

"Yeah, yeah…what the hell am I supposed to do against an enemy like that?"

"Advise: fight magic with magic."

"What do you think I'm doing?!" I snapped, and then caught myself. "Wait, what? Fight magic with magic?"

Wasn't that what I was doing right now? Unless summoning a Titan and using him to fight wasn't counted as magic?

"Summoning me might be magic, but my attacks are considered physical."

Geez, thanks, Matsukaze. That explained a lot. Suppressing a sigh, I had Matsukaze rear back and prepare his katana in an offensive stance.

The Ifrit came again. I slashed at it while charging the blade with arc energy. Infusing the controls with my mana, I infused the entirety of Matsukaze with magic. Enchanting his katana, I unleashed what I hoped was a magical attack.

"RUOOOR!"

This time, the Ifrit bellowed in pain even as I slashed through it. The flames fought to reform, but I saw blue arcs of lightning dance through its form, slowing its regeneration.

It's working!

Buoyed by my success, I attacked again. The Ifrit parried my katana with its flaming claws, preventing the lightning from reaching the rest of its body. It swung its other claw from the other side, knocking Matsukaze off balance and leaving a huge scorch mark on the frame. While my Titan staggered, the Ifrit closed in and kicked him in the gut.

"!"

I fought the controls to force Matsukaze upright as he careened precariously. Ifrit seized the chance to finish off Matsukaze, but I discouraged it by slashing upward with another supercharged katana. The beast kept its distance, but I discharged an arc wave – this time infused with my mana – that struck it square in the face.

"GRUOOOR!"

Roaring in pain, the Ifrit stumbled backward. Not wasting the opportunity, I floored the pedal and had Matsukaze lunge forward. Thrusting the katana right into the creature's chest, I managed to deliver what I hoped was a fatal wound.

However, the Ifrit didn't die from that. Instead, it grappled with me, wrapping its claws around Matsukaze's frame and wrestling the Titan to the ground. At such close proximity, the flames licked and burned the frame.

"You've got to be kidding me!" I yelled as I fell against my safety harness.

I could literally feel the intense heat through my cockpit. My hands and exposed skin were beginning to blister from the extreme temperatures. Warning klaxons continued to buzz around me, but I focused on the enemy at hand. Kicking out, I sliced through the Ifrit with my katana, forcing the wounded creature away from me.

"Huff…huff…"

Backing away with an accelerated dash, I put as much distance between Matsukaze and the Ifrit. Far from being discouraged, the Ifrit charged at me, its claws actually enlarging as it channeled huge gouts of flames into it. Not enthusiastic about facing it in close combat, I unleashed an enhanced form of arc wave that sent the behemoth staggering. However, it only bought me a few seconds – the Ifrit was back on its feet and lunging at me again. I steeled myself for the next attack and infused the katana with as much mana as I could bear.

"Sword Core online."

"Finally!"

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I hit the button and instantly the red lights in my cockpit disappeared, replaced by a light blue tinge.

"Sword Core activated."

A shudder went through the entire frame as Matsukaze was freshly energized. The damage was still done – I could see the excruciating little amount of HP Matsukaze had left, represented by the blue bar above my holographic screen. Another hit or two, and Matsukaze would go into a Doomed state. That would be over for him.

Before he went nuclear, however, I was going to do as much damage as I could to the Ifrit.

"Orraaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

With a yell, I dashed forward. Swinging the blue, crackling katana, I cleaved through the surprised Ifrit just as it closed in to meet me in its charge. The colossus staggered, its flickering form cleanly cut in half.

But I wasn't done yet.

With another determined shout, I twisted Matsukaze around to behead the Ifrit. Its horned head flew and disappeared, the flames dissipating as it hurtled through the air. The headless behemoth teetered, as if unable to believe that it had been decapitated, and I finished it off with a thrust to its heart. Dragging my blade through its broken body, I ripped it apart into smaller pieces. The blazing form of the Ifrit was reduced to little embers.

Or so I thought, but an alarm sounded right at the side of my screen. I managed to spin Matsukaze around in time to avoid a torrent of fire from Kido. Evidently she still wasn't down and out yet. She was raising her hand and blasting my Titan with her magical flamethrower. I managed to deflect some of the heat by blocking the flames with my katana, which created a faint crackling blue shield over the crippled Matsukaze.

I can't take any more damage than this…

Letting out an exhalation, I was about to dash forward and stomp on Kido, but something massive struck me from behind. The klaxons blared in panic, bathing my cockpit in red again. While Matsukaze reeled from the tremendous impact, I spun him around to get a look at my assailant.

Ifrit had been restorted.

No way!

Then I suddenly realized that the torrent of flames that Kido unleashed earlier wasn't directed at me.

It was targeting the Ifrit.

"That's quite the crazy familiar you have there," I muttered. Kido merely smiled cynically, but continued to heal her Ifrit with her flames until I stepped forward and severed the fiery stream with Matsukaze's katana.

"You also have quite the crazy mecha," she retorted.

"There's no way Matsukaze is as ridiculous as your near-immortal elemental that can heal by bathing in your flames!"

Despite my complaints, I was already turning around to engage the Ifrit in combat. The colossal elemental seemed bigger than before, now towering over Matsukaze. Before I could slice it apart, it lashed out with a claw and sent Matsukaze hurtling backward.

"Gah!"

I was rocked by the tremendous impact, held back from slamming my head against the holographic screen by my safety restraints. Seatbelts really saved lives.

"Ku…"

I tried to right Matsukaze, but the Ifrit was on me before we even landed. It struck with a fiery claw, which I barely managed to parry with the katana. But before I could counterattack, the Ifrit thrust forward with its other claw in a mirror of what I did earlier and stabbed deeply into Matsukaze's core. The blue shield crackled and failed as the fiery claws forcibly penetrated them and sank into the metallic hull, scorching the gleaming surface black.

"Critical damage. Advise: eject."

The bar had gone into the yellow and black stage. In other words, Matsukaze was doomed. The auto-eject system engaged and I was suddenly propelled high into the air. Below, Matsukaze glowed brightly before he went nuclear.

"What?!"

Kido was in the vicinity and so she was caught by the apocalyptic blast. She was sent hurling across the air, her body ravaged by the ferocious flames. The Ifrit was also buffeted by the enormous explosion, engulfed by a mushroom cloud that billowed upward ravenously, consuming everything within its path, be it human infantry unfortunate enough to get drawn into the battle or armored tanks nearby, two of which were flipped over.

Sorry, guys, I apologized inwardly as I saw that several of them belonged to my battalion. But I didn't have time to get out of the area to prevent friendly fire and collateral damage. I could only hope that the tanks protected the crews inside.

Speaking of which…

"Report!" I shouted into my vox bead. "Are you guys all right?"

"Sir…no problem, sir."

"We're shaken, but none of us are heavily injured."

"We do need some help, but thankfully that wasn't too much damage. It'll be difficult to get out of the tank, though."

"I'll get you guys some help later. Let me deal with Evelyn's Chosen first."

"Yes, sir!"

"For now, stay in the tanks! It's safer than being in the open."

"Understood, sir!"

None of the tank crews questioned my jugdement. From the voices on the other side of the vox, I could hear them bustling around and tending to minor injuries. Seemed like nothing major.

I slowly descended from the skies, relieved that my men were all right. Nearby, I saw the Ifrit burst out of the flames, roaring defiantly. Kido was also getting to her feet, a little charred but otherwise unscathed.

Well, they're both fire-type users, so an explosion wouldn't do much to them. Hell, I'm lucky the Ifrit wasn't boosted by that explosion.

If the Ifrit had consumed the flames from an explosion of that magnitude, there was no telling what sort of monster it would become.

"That was impressive," Kido remarked, coughing. "But it seems that your gamble has failed. And with your mecha gone…" she narrowed her eyes, Ifrit stepping forward to tower over her for emphasis. "…you've lost."

I pushed my glasses up my nose after I landed on my feet, smirking at Kido's cold and calculated triumph.

"A bit too premature to declare your victory, don't you think?"

Kido shrugged. "If you want to escape into delusions and deny reality, be my guest. But…" her voice sharpened. "…don't blame me for not showing mercy."

I laughed. "That should be my line!"

"?!"

A colossal shadow loomed over us, casting everyone into darkness. Surprised, Kido looked up, her jaw dropping as my undead ancient dragon dropped down from the clouds, unleashing a thunderous bellow.

"W…what is that thing?!"

Even the Ifrit seemed to waver at the magnificent sight of such a godly being. Ryuu merely gave the trembling demon of fire a condescending glare before opening his maw. Black flames crackled before blasting out and engulfing the Ifrit.

"Aaaaaah!"

Kido screamed as the entire place exploded. The Ifrit disintegrated, exiled into oblivion by Ryuu's dark, destructive magic, and the tremendous shockwaves buffeted the infantry surrounding them. Most perished, while those who survived were thrown forcibly through the valley, suffering broken bones and horrible bruises.

Caught near the epicenter of the explosion, Kido was hurled violently out of the valley, her body broken and grievously injured. Umezu quickly retreated from his battle against Hedol and Donorea, catching Kido before she could land.

"Mayumi-san!"

"…I…I'm sorry…Shigeo-kun…"

Cursing under his breath, Umezu hastily withdrew with Kido in his arms. I didn't chase after them. Instead, I glanced up at Ryuu and gently pushed mental instructions into the majestic zombie dragon's mind.

Ryuu obeyed, and a colossal magical circle materialized above him. Draconic Meteor. A devastating spell that when unleashed, would bombard an entire area into oblivion. Even the sturdiest fortress would be hard-pressed to endure such an attack.

"That's a dragon, isn't it?"

"Kill it."

"For the Emperor!"

"For Kobayashi-sama! For humanity!"

Even when faced with their imminent destruction, the zealous, fanatical devouts of Kobayashi didn't falter. Unlike Umezu and Kido, the human infantry had been indoctrinated, their sanity stripped away by Kobayashi's Kingly Disposition. Brainwashed to be utterly loyal to him, they had no qualms about giving up their lives for Kobayashi's cause.

"Kill the dragon!"

"Slay it!"

"For the Emperor!"

Yelling, they charged forward, discharging their guns, firing a volley of arrows or casting magical spells.

Yet none of them reached their target.

Ryuu unleashed his Draconic Meteor on the teeming mass of human infantry below. In an instant, the surviving 10% of the original invading force was obliterated. The valley was reduced to a pockmarked crater, huge swathes of molten rock glowing red-hot.

There wasn't even a single trace of the enemy left.

"Incredible…"

Gio sounded shaken, his voice hissing from my vox-bead. Nearby, much more visible, Hedol stood, stunned.

"That's…"

"…is this the power of the legendary Hero Slayer?"

Beside Hedol, Donorea murmured in disbelief, unable to believe her eyes. Perspiration dripped down her flushed face.

"What…h…how…?"

Far away, the solitary figure of the Genevean general peeked out from under his cover, astonished by the scale of destruction visited upon his forces.

"Ho ho!"

Doctor Cillantro guffawed when he witnessed the devastated crater, more amused than terrified.

"The Hero Slayer…a Chosen of the Gods, was it? Not by Evelyn, but by another god or goddess. I wonder which god chose him as his or her champion."

Lyia…and probably her husband Chronos. Not that I was going to enlighten him.

"Most impressive…I must admit…this is most impressive, indeed!"

"Doctor," the general growled through gritted teeth. "While I appreciate your insights, this is not the time to be admiring our total annihilation! We're losing here! Even our heroes have retreated…I have nothing that can take on that fucking monster of his!"

"Oh, I know, I know." Cillantro dismissed the general flippantly. "Our defeat is certain. There's no way to avoid losing this battle. We're done here. There is no way we can invade the fortress city of Alveron now that we have lost all our infantry. It pains me to say this, but we will not be able to carry out Emperor Kobayashi's orders to hold the city and attack Moria from within."

"N…no way…"

The general couldn't help but tremble in fear when he thought of what Kobayashi would do when the Emperor of Humanity learned of his failure.

"So let's just inflict maximum damage! Scorched earth tactics, if I'm not mistaken. If we can't have the city, then we can't let them have it either."

"?!"

The general stared at Cillantro, shocked.

"Damage? Scorched earth? Doctor Cillantro, what are you talking about?"

"My chemical weapon, of course."

Behind him, his Ogryn bodyguard wheeled a wagon of missiles. Each missile bore the toxic warning label.

"I plan to pump the city full of poison and turn it into a ghost town. I've always wanted to try it out and see what the effects of my poison gas are on demons. On human subjects, it destroys their nervous system and utterly paralyzes them, before leading to a slow death as their heart stops, the signals from the brain cut off from the rest of the body. Even if they somehow survive, it does permanent damage. They'll never be able to move for the rest of their lives. I wonder if it's potent enough to inflict the same kind of damage on demons."

An insane smirk curled across the scientist's gleeful face.

"A Chosen of the gods, armed with magic and elemental forces…against our newly developing science and technology…mystical superstition and tradition against cold logic and progress. What do you think, my dear general? Which will prevail here, in this ancient battlefield?"