“You fools, it’s as if you’ve come all this way just to be killed. Take this!”
Marcosius commanded his four golems, the Belgris units, to launch a simultaneous attack on the dark silver-gray gargoyle from all sides.
However, in the next moment, his face was the absolute picture of shock.
“What?!”
The ultra-heavy hammer swung by No. 1, the massive spear thrust by No. 2, the giant sword slashed by No. 3, and the oversized axe slammed down by No. 4—every single one of them shattered into fragments.
The enemy gargoyle hadn’t even moved.
It had simply remained standing where it was. Despite that, the weapons of the demon race’s golems had all been destroyed upon impact.
“Unbelievable...”
The thought echoed through the mind of every demon present. They couldn't believe there was such a staggering difference in power.
『Heh heh heh. Have you learned your place? No matter what you try, you cannot defeat Gorg.』
Looking at Gorg’s feet, they were buried in the ground up to the ankles.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Jin-nii, look.”
Elsa had noticed it as well.
“Yeah. That thing is incredibly heavy. If it’s moving via Forming magic, it might be solid adamantite all the way to its core.”
“Eh?”
Forcing a mass of adamantite to move through sheer magical power... even Jin wouldn't dream of such an approach. It wasn't elegant.
“Against that thing, even Reiko might be at a disadvantage in a pure physical brawl.”
Jin estimated the gargoyle likely weighed somewhere between five and six tons. Furthermore, since it moved through Forming, it would probably recover from any minor damage it sustained. To defeat it, they would have to destroy its magi-devices, including the control core.
“Punching a block of adamantite is the height of inefficiency.”
“Then... how do you beat it?”
“Hm? There are plenty of ways. Don’t let yourself be intimidated by the opponent’s absurdity.”
Reassured by his words, Elsa calmed down and let her thoughts wander. Then, as if reaching a conclusion, she relaxed and nodded.
“...I understand.”
“Right? Now then, I think it’s about time we lent them a hand before things get truly ugly.”
On the magi-screen, the Belgris units were being literally pulverized.
＊ ＊ ＊
Gorg moved. Its speed was unbelievable for its size, even as its footsteps left craters in the earth.
It delivered a heavy blow toward No. 4, which had lost its balance after its axe was shattered. With a single strike, the chest of Belgris No. 4 was crushed, and it fell silent. Its magi-devices had clearly been destroyed.
Marcosius stared in wide-eyed shock at the sight. Seizing that opening, Gorg set upon No. 2.
Gorg grabbed the spear that had been snapped in half and swung it—along with the No. 2 unit that was still holding it. Despite the difference in their builds, No. 2 was handled like a paper doll; unable to endure the force, it was forced to let go of the weapon.
Gorg then threw the captured spear with all its might at No. 2, who had been sent tumbling ten meters away. The broken spear didn't fly straight; it spun through the air and slammed into No. 2’s right shoulder, the impact tearing the right arm clean off from the joint.
Meanwhile, No. 1 and No. 3 didn’t just stand by. Discarding their broken weapons, they attacked with their bare hands.
There was a clang—no, more of a dull thud.
It was not the sound of Gorg taking damage.
“What?!”
It was the sound of No. 1’s left hand and No. 3’s right hand shattering. The Belgris units were made of steel; if one punches solid adamantite, this is the inevitable result.
Gorg swept No. 1’s legs. As if sweeping a scarecrow, No. 1 was easily flipped onto its back. With the return kick, Gorg struck No. 3, denting its right thigh and sending it flying two meters back.
Without even pausing to see the result, Gorg leaped into the air and landed on the back of No. 1, which lay face-down.
There was a heavy creak as the golem's back caved in. Then, Gorg began to stomp. With every impact, No. 1’s back distorted further; by the sixth stomp, a hole had opened up.
With the seventh stomp, the internal magi-devices were crushed into scrap, and No. 1 was silenced for good.
“Dammit all!” Marcosius screamed in frustration.
But the other demons hadn't been idle.
“Llama!”
Countless orbs of fire were fired like bullets at Gorg as it stood on No. 1’s back. However, flames of around 1,000 degrees Celsius had no effect against adamantite, which had a melting point of over 3,400 degrees.
“Curse it! Then try this! gravita!”
“gravita!”
“gravita!!”
Three demons unleashed Gravity Magic simultaneously. It was a secret technique of the Jest clan—three users applying 10x gravity each to stack the effect to 1,000x.
However, Gorg remained unfazed. It stood to reason; as Jin had deduced, if the unit could reduce its own weight to 1/1,000th, then having it multiplied by 1,000 simply returned it to its normal state.
Then, Gorg exercised magic for the first time.
『gravita』
Gravity Magic. If it could manipulate its own weight, it was only logical that it could project that force externally.
“Gugh!”
“Guaaaa!”
Suddenly subjected to 10x gravity, most of the demons were slammed face-first into the dirt.
The only ones still standing were the Clan Chief Bafrosk and two others—the three users of Gravity Magic. Even within the Jest clan, such mages were rare.
『gravita』
Gorg increased the intensity further. 20x gravity.
Normally, the Gravity Magic a single person could use topped out at 10x. Even Raldus had only managed to reach thousands of times the force by using Elradrite and stacking multiple applications.
“Gu...”
Under the 20x gravity, even the three mages collapsed.
Seeing everyone fall, Gorg began to walk slowly toward them. The one remaining golem, No. 3, was finally struggling to its feet.
『gravita』
No. 3 was also hit by the Gravity Magic and fell once more. With its right leg crushed, it couldn't maintain its balance.
With nothing left to obstruct it, Gorg continued its slow, heavy advance. Its destination was the fallen demons. If they were trampled by that weight, a living body wouldn't stand a chance. Their lives would be harvested more easily than crushing overripe fruit.
“Guh...!”
Bafrosk was tormented by a crushing sense of helplessness. Gorg arrived at the spot where Marcosius lay right beside him. It slowly raised its right foot, then brought it down aimed directly at Marcosius’s head.
“...!”
Bafrosk squeezed his eyes shut. What reached his ears was a dull thud—but it wasn't the sound of a body being crushed. It sounded more like something stumbling and treading firmly on the earth.
“?”
Bafrosk opened his eyes.
He saw a golem picking up and carrying away one of the fallen demons.
And he saw Gorg, which had been knocked over onto its side.
The golem that helped the disbelieving Bafrosk to his feet was the same model as the ones picking up the others. There was no mistake; these were the golems Jin had built—the ones that had annihilated fifty gargoyles just the other day.
And the one who had knocked Gorg over was a small, girl-like automata. Needless to say, it was Reiko, who had delivered a heavy tackle.
Why were they here? The answer was obvious. It was Jin who had told them No. 13’s base was here.
And yet, they had gone behind Jin’s back, rushed ahead for revenge, and fallen into a predicament of their own making. Bafrosk could not understand why such people would be saved.
“Y-you guys are...”
He didn't truly expect an answer; the words simply spilled out from pure bewilderment. Therefore, he was utterly astounded when the golem spoke.
“Our Master has commanded that not a single person more shall die.”