We took a transport craft from the old man’s battleship and touched down on the plains.
“Whoa, looking closely, this place is a total jungle!”
The entire planet was blanketed in dense forest. Looking at the drone feeds, I’d thought it was just your typical habitable world, but I’d been naive. This was far more intense than I’d imagined. The oxygen was thick, and both the temperature and humidity were stifling. This was unlivable, albeit for a different reason than usual.
“Temperature and humidity are both sky-high,” Melissa grumbled.
I could see why an infectious disease would break out here. Mold must be growing on every available surface. Planet Shiramber had been something else, but this place was just as harsh for human life. Still, I supposed it was habitable as long as you’d undergone the Chlorella Treatment.
We hurried toward the Ogre’s location, sticking to the plains—or rather, the zones that looked like failed attempts at colonization. I didn’t want the trees catching on our machinery’s feet.
The Ogre was standing right at the end of our path.
“Claire, I’m taking him out from here.”
I set up the Anti-materiel Rifle and narrowed my aim.
“Targeting correction,” she replied.
“Captain… you’re way too merciless,” Melissa chimed in. “Shouldn’t this be the part where you say, ‘Kept you waiting!’ or something?”
“I’m not going to play around with a guy who looks that dangerous.”
Call me a coward if you want. I came here to wage a war, not to hold a martial arts duel. If there was a chance to kill him, I was going to take it without hesitation.
The moment my finger tightened on the trigger, crabs welled up from the ground. I didn’t even flinch, leaving them entirely to Melissa and Old Man Piggett.
“Leave this to us! As if I’d let you through!” I heard the sound of Melissa’s blade slashing through the air.
“I won’t let you lay a hand on my Lord Groom!”
I tuned out Piggett’s voice, sinking into a deep state of concentration.
“Targeting correction complete!”
I fired the Anti-materiel Rifle.
But I’d already known. The Ogre had anticipated the shot. He dodged the bullet with a smirk. Wait, seriously? His reflexes are on the same level as mine?
I cast aside the rifle and drew the Chainsaw.
“Damn! One got past!”
The moment I heard the shout, I had already carved the approaching crab in two. Claire was just as fast; she used the main cannon to blast through a crab that had slipped past Piggett.
“It feels like I’m starting to become a monster too…” Claire murmured.
Miss Claire, you stepped into the monster class quite a long time ago.
“Leave this to us! Leo, just go, quickly!” Melissa shouted, giving off the aura of a hero right before a final boss battle.
“Stop with the death flags!”
“Ahaha! I’m not gonna die!”
I sprinted forward. The Ogre was waiting for me.
“Surely you won’t call me a coward, right?” I provoked him.
The Ogre grinned. “WONT… CALL… COWARD…”
Was he just mimicking me, or did he actually possess intelligence? I couldn't tell. Either way, that was the signal for the start of the battle.
The Ogre’s weapon was a massive machete. It appeared to be made of a material similar to a crab’s outer shell, but it looked even heavier and sturdier. He swung it with immense force. I swung my Chainsaw upward to meet it.
The clashing blades sent a shower of sparks flying. I increased the output to break through his guard all at once—
A sharp snap echoed through the air. The chain had come off and gone flying. I was in a pinch in an instant.
“GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!”
The machete swung down. I dodged desperately.
“I’m firing!” Claire’s cannon spat fire.
But the Ogre was a formidable foe. He dodged the shot nimbly. He’s good!
The cannon fire didn't land, but I used the opening to draw my knife. Now, things were getting interesting.
“RESISTANCE… IS… FUTILE.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
Imperial Style Dagger Arts. It was a staple of CQC. Granted, I’d only ever practiced the forms, but I had the advantage in terms of pure speed.
“When using a knife, you use the forefinger…”
Muttering to myself, I placed my index finger along the flat of the blade. Doing this aligned the blade with wherever I pointed my finger, making it much easier to aim. Since my weapon was short, I’d be dead if I just waited for him to act.
I went for a preemptive strike. Stepping in, I thrust the blade toward his abdomen. The Ogre didn't even try to dodge. The blade failed to pierce his belly and simply slid off. My posture broke, and I fell to one knee.
Was it crab armor? And thick armor at that.
“NAIVE.”
The Ogre loomed over me triumphantly. He swung a vertical strike with all his might, aiming straight for my head. Or so he thought.
I flipped the knife into an ice-pick grip and stabbed toward the Ogre’s leg—specifically, his Achilles tendon. This time, it went through! Just as I’d suspected, it wasn't an exoskeleton. He was just wearing armor plates, which meant there were gaps at the joints.
The Ogre lost his balance. As I stood back up, I slashed at his wrist. Targeting the wrist was a fundamental move.
However, I hadn't factored in his regenerative power. The Ogre swung the very hand I had just slashed.
“Huh? You’ve got to be kidding.”
The next moment, a tremendous impact rocked the cockpit. He’d punched me in the head. At that instant, the main camera died, and the display went black. From the next impact, I knew I’d been knocked over.
“Main camera damaged! Switching to sonar camera.”
The feed switched. Reflected in the coarse static was the Ogre looming over me. Oh, I know this feeling. I can do this even if I can’t see!
As the Ogre raised his fist to strike again, I grabbed the hand he was using to pin me down. I twisted it forcefully and pried it off.
“W-WHAT?!”
This time, I clung to the Ogre’s body from below. I still had the knife in my hand. I drove it into the back of his neck, stabbing him several times until his struggling weakened. I lifted him with my legs and kicked him backward. It was a mess in terms of grappling technique, but it worked.
Likely thanks to the neck stabs, I was able to get on top of him, pinning him down with my knees while I repeatedly stabbed his vitals.
Melissa… the martial arts you taught me… they actually came in handy.
Damn, he was still moving!
“YOU… ALONE… I WILL… KILL.”
The Ogre punched the mangled head section where my cockpit was located. A series of sickening, crushing sounds followed. The cockpit warped. My legs were crushed with a sickening crunch.
But I kept fighting. I grabbed his arm and thrust the knife into his armpit. I stabbed his vitals over and over while punching him with my free hand.
“Hey, Leo! Toss him!”
At Old Man Ohno’s shout, I stood up and hoisted the Ogre onto my shoulders. The moment I threw him clear, a railgun shot tore through him. I was caught in the resulting blast and tumbled over.
It was Melissa and Piggett who eventually rescued us. This time, the pain was so extreme that I couldn't even manage to pass out.
The one who actually fainted was Claire. She had three broken ribs and a fractured clavicle. As for me, I had complex fractures in both legs, a broken shoulder and arm, and a crack in my neck.
My neck was immobilized as I lay in the hospital room. Melissa was there, though she wasn't offering to peel any apples for me. Actually, I was on a fasting order until the nanomachines finished the repairs.
“Hey, Captain. I wasn't sure if I should tell you this.”
“What is it?” I asked. If she was about to dump me, I don't think I'd be able to recover.
“That Ogre… they ran a DNA match. It was Baron Caron.”
For a second, I felt a wave of relief, but then the reality of the situation crashed down on me.
“Wait, what?”
“The Ogre… was Baron Caron.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.