The explosion had been a surgical, pinpoint strike designed specifically to level the building. While the blast wave itself wasn't an issue, debris rained down from overhead. I deployed my shield to block the falling wreckage. I’d already punched through the ceiling, but the side walls buckled as well, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. I scrambled outside only to find the entire area swallowed by the haze.
Note to self: next time, use the kind that detonates the instant the button is pressed.
We all emerged together. I was truly grateful to Tatiana for sending the machines to us with their verniers flared. Her ability was honestly incredible. I was starting to understand Jesters bit by bit. We each manifested our abilities based on our own subjective perceptions.
Take mine, for instance: it was centered on combat. I suspected it was the power to excise "depressing developments" from any battle I fought. The range extended to anyone I considered an ally, which was surprisingly broad. It all came down to my own perspective.
I still wasn't sure about Alyssa’s. But—and this was just a hypothesis—wasn't the reason we weren't constantly at each other's throats because of her? I mean, my allies believed in me far too much. I could understand the guys from the Officer Academy; we were comrades who’d shared meals from the same pot. But the university students, the graduate students, and even the Imperial Guard were different. They didn't know the first thing about me, so normally there should have been more objections or pushback. Or rather, even the Imperial citizens were the same. They all had too much faith in me.
If I evaluated myself objectively, I was just some kid whose only talent was charging blindly into the fray. Besides, the Empire had plenty of qualified people—the Imperial Guard, high-ranking military brass. There were plenty of other figureheads more worthy of being propped up than me. In other words, it wouldn't have been strange if my methods had sparked a rebellion. But they didn't. Things just kept turning out for the best. I’d thought it was my own power, but since I was the one most confused by it, that probably wasn't the case.
Was it Alyssa's influence? Or maybe some kind of synergy was created simply by the two of us being together? In short, Alyssa might subjectively believe that it would be nice if her allies and the Empire just got along. Then, the third Jester, Tatiana, had appeared. She had summoned Massacre Night and the custom machines designed with its technology. Her perspective was even simpler: she just wanted to help her friend, One-oh-one. Well, with that mindset, of course she’d end up developing Zorks too.
From an SLG perspective, this was a massive cheat. Even if a Jester only had a measly ability that increased stats by ten percent per person, if that range covered everyone they considered an ally, the total combat power wouldn't just be a few times greater—it would be a game-breaker.
We moved further out, my machine’s feet scraping against the asphalt as I landed. The surface of my mech was already gouged and covered in scratches from the dust and debris. The maintenance squad was going to kill me. Plus, it was caked in snow, which was definitely going to damage the paint. I really didn't want to write this report...
Melissa let out a heavy sigh.
"I suppose this is finally over."
And there it was. Melissa, you and your flags! Stop doing that!
The ground shook violently. A gargantuan shape loomed before us. I knew it! If an enemy was capable of assimilating an entire base, of course it would try to assimilate the surroundings too!
It was a snow figure as large as a mountain. If it had been a Haniwa, it might have had some modicum of charm, but this was nothing like that. It was a purely ominous, half-melted white humanoid monstrosity towering over us. If it had been a pure white snowman, it might have been cute, but this was a grotesque thing, half-composed of mud.
What even was this? Even so, I am the UMA Kawagon-de-gowasu. A strange sense of rivalry welled up inside me.
"Guoooooooooooooo! I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you!!!"
Whoa. Now what? It was much larger than Massacre Night—honestly, it was on the level of Wifey’s battleship-class. On the ground, you could call it a map-weapon class. The monster swung a fist down, even as its own weight caused its form to crumble. What incredible bloodlust.
But I already knew what was coming.
"Leo! Here we go!!!"
Kevin's voice crackled over the comms. A massive swarm of drones appeared. Most were loaded with explosives, while the security drones were fitted with plasma rifles. Kevin was accurately tracking the target through the blizzard using nothing but radar. The drones began their suicide run against the monster.
"Guoooooooooooo! How insolent!!!"
That wasn't all.
"Leo! All-out volley!!!"
Nina's unit of self-propelled guns and tanks opened fire. Nina had clearly grown through her time in the simulator. She was now capable of controlling a massive number of tanks simultaneously, relying solely on parameters and radar data. The self-propelled guns spat fire, raining a merciless barrage down upon the creature until it was swallowed by smoke.
"I... won't... forgive..."
Oh, that definitely hurt it. The blizzard blew the smoke away, revealing a form that was almost entirely collapsed. Garuma had failed. She had likely been the strongest of the female-types we'd faced so far, stronger even than the Grand Chamberlain. But... you just aren't the kind of unit that should be deployed on a map like this! If she had assimilated lava instead of snow, it might have been dangerous. If it were me, I'd fight by assimilating a planet-class fortress in outer space!
Then again, if we were in space, Massacre Night could have just forced its way through with the Death Blaster. Nina would have been operating multiple fighters, and Kevin would have used even more vicious drones. The result would have been the same.
Garuma had been checkmated the moment she chose to oppose us. Thinking about it calmly, she was a pitiful soul. It was true that House Sato had been branded as traitors overnight. I'd had no intention of ousting them so long as they avoided corruption and rebellion, but I suppose that was just hindsight.
Now then, let's finish this.
"I am Leo Kamishiro, the lord of this planet!!!"
I unleashed the Death Blaster from my chest. Ren fired her sniper rifle, Melissa released a blast from her upturned palm, and Claire opened fire with her shoulder cannons. The overwhelming concentrated force gouged the earth and physically halted the blizzard. Under the newly revealed starry sky, Garuma—now riddled with holes—crumbled into nothingness.
Garuma had perished while still mired in misunderstanding, having been denied any real information. The Zorks really did have a knack for being unpleasant. I’d previously speculated that their extreme villainy stemmed from viewing humans as mere experimental subjects. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe they harbored an active, profound malice toward the Empire.
...On a side note, my hands really hurt. I could tell they were swollen to bursting even through my gloves. Was it from when I was mounted on her, punching her face in? They might actually be broken...