I’d thought Claire was being suspiciously quiet.
I finally realized what she was up to when I heard her rustling around.
“Claire, what are you doing?”
“I set the bombs.”
She wore a truly wonderful smile.
She clearly intended to wipe everything away.
“Ah, right. No problem. (Looking sharp.)”
Just then, a transmission came in from the boys.
“Leo. Tentacle-type neutralized. But we found a problem.”
“I don't like the sound of that. What is it?”
“There’s a massive amount of crabs in the basement. They aren't twitching at all, though.”
Oof.
It’s already over for this planet.
I contacted Wifey.
“Wifey, we discovered a massive amount of crabs. Please issue an evacuation order.”
“...Is this planet cursed? Fine. I’ll issue the evacuation order. Leave the village to Kevin and Nina.”
“Got it.”
Next, I called Kevin.
“Kevin, we found crabs. We’re going to blow this place up. Get everyone out.”
“Roger!”
I heard Nina’s voice in the background.
“I’ll prepare for a full-scale attack with the tanks and self-propelled guns.”
Yep, those Zork were as good as dead.
“Leo! We’ve escaped outside with the hostages! Do as you please with the rest!”
“Roger that.”
Claire’s smile widened.
As the saying goes: God is saying it is not your destiny to die here.
“Should I use the strong bombs?”
“I’ll have the best ones you've got. (Looking sharp.)”
I headed toward the Lieutenant Colonel’s position while setting the bombs.
The boys and girls from the other squads were beating the Zork to a pulp as soon as they spotted them.
Their raw physical combat ability was already on par with the Imperial Guard.
The enemies who could no longer move were restrained and carried out, then roughly shoved into the containers of the supply trailers parked outside.
In the beginning, I was the only operator for heavy machinery and large vehicles, but everyone else had since obtained their licenses through correspondence courses and simulators.
The number of qualifications they held was enough that they wouldn't struggle to find work even if they quit the military today.
...Please don't quit, though.
Our squad alone remained to push further inside.
The hallway was old, with exposed concrete and resin-coated floors.
It looked like a factory or an old hospital.
There was a resin guidance sign on the wall, likely glued in place.
The sign had [Command Headquarters →] handwritten on it in oil-based marker.
It was pathetic.
The military’s way of doing things was always like this: “as long as it’s understandable,” “as cheap as possible,” or “according to precedent.”
That was why dining halls just had red and white banners sloppily hung on the walls, and military buildings always looked like hospitals or schools.
Was it a sign of conscientiousness that they hadn’t just used spray paint directly on the wall...?
For some reason, it irritated me.
It seemed Claire, Ren, and Melissa felt the same way.
We marched toward Command Headquarters with heavy strides.
The room was lined with simple radio equipment.
Waiting there was a woman in a military uniform.
She was different from the female-type Zork we had encountered so far.
She was muscular, tall, and had the face of someone with a truly nasty personality.
Compared to her, Tatiana was a sweetheart.
“So you’ve come. The new Grand Duke. I am Sato Garuma.”
That sounded like the name of someone who would trick you and then kill you.
I felt like I was going to experience Gestalt collapse from the sheer number of Satos on this planet.
Besides, wherever she got her information from, it was slightly off. I’m not just a Duke, I’m the Grand Duke.
They’re similar, but distinct. Not that I’m obsessed with my status, but I wondered where she’d even sourced that info.
“On that day when my clan was wiped out and I suddenly became a woman... I heard the voice of God. He told me that I am the true Sato! That I am the true ruler of this planet! That I should command God’s Army and rule the Empire! So God spoke!”
“Oof.”
She’d been totally tricked, just like her name suggested!
...In other words, she had the capacity to act as a relay node, but because her own ability was low, the interface appeared to her as a god.
Or perhaps her mind had already been taken over.
The original One-oh-one had such high ability that she saw the interface for what it truly was—something terrifying.
It likely looked terrifying because she had resisted the takeover.
The true identity of that terrifying entity was probably the Zork Mother.
...Wait. If she was able to resist, didn’t that mean One-oh-one possessed ability equivalent to the Mother? She just didn’t know how to fight with it.
“Bow down before the glory of God!”
The building shook with a heavy rumble.
I had a bad feeling. Actually, I already knew what it was.
The swarm of crabs in the basement had activated.
“Hahahaha! I will become the God of the New Era!”
“No, you won’t, you idiot!”
The higher existence of the Mother was already there.
A mere disposable relay node couldn't possibly become a god.
She had been completely deceived. An idiot who lived in a narrow world, toyed with by information that suited her delusions.
How could humanity be so foolish...?
“You false Grand Duke! I shall offer your head to my clan!”
I was about to punch her when it happened.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, and the flesh of Sato’s leg burst.
Ren was holding her rifle at the ready.
“You’re noisy. You rabble don't even know the hardships Lord Groom goes through! Lord Groom has always staked his own life! Right, Claire?!”
“That’s right.”
Claire clicked the remote for the bombs.
According to the display, she had set them to explode in three minutes.
Melissa followed up by thrusting her katana into Garuma’s shoulder.
Everyone was being merciless today.
“Hey, lady. Listen up. Our captain never ran away, no matter how many times he almost died or what kind of hellish situation he was in. He kept his promises to his comrades and never told a lie. Sure, he hasn’t liberated all of our home planets yet, but he’s putting in the effort. He’s climbing the ladder of power just to keep those promises. But what about you? What effort did you make? You just did exactly what the Zork told you to, didn’t you?”
“G-guu...!” Garuma groaned.
“The caliber of your souls is just different. There's no comparing our captain to someone like you!”
“In that case! Let me see that caliber for myself!”
As Garuma screamed, her body hardened.
It was the same transformation as One-oh-one.
“This is the power I received from God!”
Even Garuma’s face had turned to stone-like armor.
“Die!”
She charged at me.
I met her with a counter-slash, but my sword simply slid off her surface.
I hadn't left a single scratch—!
Suddenly, she hoisted me up!
“Fuhahahaha! Die!”
She threw me with all her might.
But she was naive!
I’ll dance like a G! Sting like a G!
And I don't mean a Gundam—I mean the Black Devil.
I stuck to the wall I’d been thrown against and scuttled upward with unnatural speed.
That’s right, I’m a cockroach. A magnificent butterfly of the night!
“Take this!”
I performed a G-Dive from the ceiling and thrust my sword downward.
See? It pierces just fine.