Butcher Demon

One after another, armored vehicles rushed to the clearing.

『They were infantry vehicles equipped with machine guns, and– look!』

Right as I was pointing, soldiers, probably recognizing us standing around in the street, rushed out and began to spread out. Each of them was equipped with a machine gun and RCL.

They narrowed in on us from the other side of the alley.

『This time they are heavily armed, so it won’t be as easy as before』

『So what should we do?』

Tiriel looks left and right anxiously.

『We move before we’re completely surrounded. Follow me.』

『Ah, wait, wait–alright, alright… huff…』

As Tiriel put her cane to her forehead and concentrated, a glowing layer enveloped the three girls.

Is this really the same kind that torments humanity for so long? Somehow, I felt emotional.

『Oh, as expected of Tiriel, Your <shielding> is so strong!』

Lydia pinched her exposed brown navel and said. So you’re going to wear that cloth on the battlefield? It’s kinda like bikini armor in a sense. So alluring.

『Gevaudan doesn’t need shielding, right? I can’t put any more enchantments on that body!』

『I don’t need it. All right I’m going to break through. You guys ready?』

With an armored vehicle in the lead, soldiers with their guns raised carefully close the distance from the far end of the alley.

With my eyes fixed on them, I clawed at the floor, and scraped the asphalt off the ground beneath my feet like peeling the bark off a tree.

『What are you gonna do with that?』

Lydia asked curiously.

『I’m going to throw this at it and destroy those machine guns on the armored car first.』

『throw…stone…?』

Lydia is stunned.

It may be primitive, but my throwing is on-par with artillery.

『–Fufufuー In that case, let me take care of it!』

Lydia snorts triumphantly, stopping me as I just about to throw it.

She snapped her fingers, and a majestic bow appeared in her hand. A magic.

『Oh, Is this Gradnega?』

『Ping-pong. Here I go~ Watch this!』

Lydia pulled an arrow out of nowhere and leaped into the middle of the alley, drawing her bow toward the armored car.

Her eyes flashed with a bright, intense light.

Swoosh…… The arrow was shot silently …… but it accelerated rapidly mid-flight, The vapor is visible around the arrowhead as it breaks through the sound barrier with an audible boom.

Heading toward the vehicle, the arrow sending out sparks of fire and shot through the armored car in a straight line.

The vehicle’s body shook and the damaged engine burst into flames.

“– It’s going to explode!!”

The soldiers moved away from the vehicle.

Shortly after, the armored car blew apart, blowing the gun turret into the sky. It looks like a mystery box.

The orange flames engulfed the vehicle and brightly illuminated the alley. With fire and the black smoke of the diesel as a backdrop, Lydia spun around and looked back at me.

『—-Well?』

『I’m in love.』

It was a charming figure that gave me a thrill. I expressed my true feelings to the scantily clad Lydia, I lifted her onto my shoulders and ran.

I ran through the chaos of the alleyway, blowing off the gasoline fumes. Ferris and Tiriel followed me closely.

『Hey, listen! That thing you just saw is called <Accel Arrow>! it can change the speed and trajectory while it’s in the air. There are also <Incendiary Arrow>, <Strafe Shot> and……』

Lydia continues to boast over my shoulder. She is strong. I was certain of it. I’m sure that all four of them are strong.

『–there’s also…….Ah! look!』

Lydia pointed to where the road was blocked. A barricade had been built with cars and fences, and a large number of soldiers were standing with their guns ready.

『A barricade…… this way.』

We turned to the side, running into another alley.

But there is another barricade ahead.

Turning again and another barricade.

Turning –Finally, a seemingly clear path.

Then I feel an immense sense of discomfort. A strange deja vu.

I paused and leaned back against the wall.

『What’s wrong, Jibodan?』

Ferris lined up beside me. Tiriel lagged behind.

『We’re getting herd.』

『Ha ha ha herd……..we’re being guided around!?』

Tiriel looked at me with such desperation that I could almost hear the *Gann* sound effect from her.

『No doubt about it. This is a trap to lure large magical beasts to the hunting ground. If we continue on this path, we will eventually face a barrage of attacks.』

And the people who usually do this are —- Fox.

They finally appear……

This is pretty bad if there are snipers scattered throughout these buildings. I’ll be fine, but Ferris and the others are in danger

I need to do something to throw them off their guard.

I lifted Lydia off my shoulders.

I told the three girls to wait here, and then I went out and smashed into the barricade.

A full-speed shoulder charge bursts through the barricade, smashes through the fence, and crashes the car, effortlessly sending it flying out of the way.

I also add a little bit of <Withering Miasma> into the mix.

“Uu……What a clever butcher……”

“……What’s going on……”

“…… body……can’t move……”

Soldiers flopping down.

『-Alright. Be careful not to breathe in my miasma.』

I call the three girls to come through the barricade and move on.

I thought we could move freely now, but that is not the case.

One after another, armored vehicles rushed in and blocked our way. They were shooting at us, trying to steer us in a particular direction.

The coordination of the ground troops suddenly improved.

I see a soldier with a Delta armband here and there. That bearded captain, Eriksen or something is starting to give command.

But still, no tanks appear.

There is no way that tank can appear in a 88. Because that thing is too dangerous.

A <Berserker>. In order to prevent aliens from approaching the tank, it is covered with bioactive detonation armor. Simply put, the entire tank is covered with anti-human mines. The purpose is to blow up any living things that get close to it, no exceptions, even nearby allied soldiers can get caught up in it.

Needless to say, if they were allowed to run in the city what will happen? If the bomb is triggered, there is no telling how much the collateral damage will be, and firing a tank gun that has excellent penetration properties into a high-rise building is extremely dangerous to begin with.

Helicopters cannot fly in this dense cluster of buildings. Hence, 88 response was mainly limited to armored vehicles and infantry.

–This is why butcher in urban warfare is so terrifying.

Ah, so troublesome.

How was I supposed to find Yasmin in this shitstorm?

I smashed an armored car that blocking the road with a butcher knife.

At that moment, I suddenly felt a small earthquake on the sole of my foot.

“–?”

The tremor was a faint vibration at first, but soon it grew so loud that it shook the surrounding street lamps, the sound of a *zhmm*…… *zhmm*…… began to reach my ears.

『What’s that noise?』

Ferris fox ears twitched. I try to track where the sound is coming from, but the sound is echoing around the buildings, making it difficult to pinpoint the direction.

In the middle of a large street, we stood back to back, on guard.

“Retreeeeeeatーーーー!!”

With a shout, the armored vehicle tires squeak and drove back.

In unison, the soldiers of the 88 ran back into the alley.

*zhmm*…… *zhmm*

…….

The sound stopped.

The three girls stared blankly ahead, their breath caught in their throat.

From the shade of a building, something stepped out.

『What is that?』

Lydia was stunned when she saw it.

『…………A crab?』

Ferris thought aloud.

“Wa~ hahahaha!!”

The speaker echoed through the buildings. The voice sounded young and childish.

“This is over, aliens! This newest ultimate weapon of 88 <Despot> will punish you on behalf of all humanity!! prepare yourselves!”

It looks like a kindergarten doodle version of a crab monster. but the thing is not that simple.

It shook the buildings with a booming jet engine, It seemed to be about the size of a four- or five-story tall, and the intense spotlight shining down on us from such a height made us feel very oppressed. In each hand is a minigun and a chain gun, and on the head is a tank canon– It actually has a canon on the head……..

“Get them, Diabolical!!”

“Goooo!!”

The crab monster steps out onto the road amid the cheers from the soldiers.

『Geeee……』

Tiriel winced with a frightened look on her face.

On the other hand, Ferris next to her has put on a stern expression and has not broken her fighting stance. A closer look reveals that today she is wearing heavy armor on her arms and legs. Reliefs of two tails can be seen on each part of the armor, Surely this armor must have a name too.

The crab monster stopped, facing directly in the front of us.

The tank gun spun around.

『Everyone get behind me.』

I pulled out my butcher knife with resolution.

I held it up in front of me, gritted my teeth, and gripped the ground with my toes.

Immediately after I heard the sound, an explosion pressed down on my entire body.

A powerful impact pierced through me, hammering through my body, making me feel as if my insides had been knocked out.

The pain was so intense that I felt my shoulder was about to be blown off, and my breath caught in my throat.

The second and third shots followed.

But I tilt my knife and shifted the bullet’s trajectory taking less damage than earlier.

The round that ricocheted off the surface of the butcher knife landed on the building behind me. Shrapnel flying across from the building poured down over our heads.

“What the——!?”

I heard the gasp from the child. There was a hint of frustration in it.

–As you see, it’s the secret technique called butcher’s tilting blade.

Because guns and cannons have an obvious line of fire. If you’re careful about timing, anything can be deflected. If you’re a Butcher, of course.

“Tsk…… hey, Sheridan!”

Another voice comes over the speakers. It’s a woman’s voice.

“Was that Butcher just deflecting the bullet!?”

“I think so…….”

“Is that even possible!? Isn’t that bad!?”

“I should probably get closer and get a better angle, but Ripley hasn’t made it here yet, it is certainly reckless to fight in close quarters…….Ah! that’s right!”

That crab monster seems to have a pilot, but I can’t see them. I don’t think they’re even in that thing, is it remotely controlled?

As I continued to observe it from behind the knife, I heard the sound of a bow drawing behind me.

Lydia’s arrow flew over my head, drawing a smooth curve as it approached Despot’s torso.

“–Hah, dangerous! Automatic Counterattack Mode!”

The crab monster swung its stocky arm, and the minigun mounted on it shot down the arrow *brrrrrrr*.

『……No way!……The crab is……』

The dejected Lydia’s voice is filled with a sense of sorrow as remains of the arrow engulfed in flames and falling down. The crab easily stopped the arrow that she was so proud of.

“That’s it! I’ll carve the fear of Despot into your soul!”

I hear the sound of guns being loaded.

『Everyone, get away from me and run to the alley. I have a feeling an Air bust is next.』

Air burst missile, is a type of round that does not land directly on the target but explodes near it, sending fragments of its projectile over a wide area. The secret technique, butcher’s tilting blade is useless with this type of attack, and it is dangerous just to be in my vicinity.

『Can you handle this alone, Jibodan?』

『I’ll be fine』

Ferris asked me worriedly, and I answered confidently.

It is tough if I get hit by armor-piercing bullets, but I have no problem with shrapnel. It would definitely hurt like hell though, so I had to brace myself for that.

Using shrapnel attack against me is the wrong tactic. Once the crab monster switches to tow fire, I will approach it and destroy it to scraps.

『You guys should go back to that Papameyan guy. There are unknown weapons out there that I don’t know about, so it’s too dangerous for you guys to go out there alone——hah?』

I let out a dumb voice.

*wheen* *wheen*……*zhmm*……*zhmm*…….

When I wondered what that crab monster was going to do, it showed a terrifying movement of walking up the side of the building with that big body.

Climbing up the vertical wall, the Despot moved to a higher position and pointed its tank cannon at us.

『Oh no! Run away!!』

If I was shot at that angle, I will be sandwiched between the ground and the power of the explosion.

I might be out of reach by jumping. I have no choice but to get close to the blind spot before it shoots me and uses the <Rusty Contagion> to reduce it to scrap metal.

I kicked the ground.

In response, the crab monster’s body “open”.

What emerged from it was a myriad of smooth, round heads. It was a multi-barrel rocket launcher.

–Are you kidding me!?

“WEAPON FREE!!”

Right after I stopped and activated <Tainted Flesh> a tremendous amount of artillery fire rained down.

Tank cannon, machine gun, rockets. I was swallowed by hail of projecties.

What a stupid firepower. It was no longer an air strike. I used my butcher knife like an umbrella to protect myself, but I began to hear a disturbing screeching sound coming from the knife, mixed in with the surrounding explosions.

—-Not good.

I need to get out of here.

“Oh, he running away!”

“Stop! I won’t let you escape!!”

Hearing the sound of the speaker behind me, I ran into a nearby alley as fast as I could.

Sometimes, running away is a winning strategy. It’s a winning move when putting your life on the line. There is no way I’m going to stay in a losing battle! Next time I see it I’m going to destroy you for sure, remember that!!

–Oh, I see.

After I spoke those words in my mind, I realized something.

I definitely received my escape skills from Garnier. Thanks.