Metal arms erupted from the earth, caked in soil.
Their fingers flexed with mechanical clumsiness. It was a tentative movement, as if the machine were testing its own limbs. Eventually, the elbows bent, and the palms braced against the ground.
A short distance away, the earth exploded once more as the second arm appeared. After another brief, experimental sequence of movements, it too sought purchase on the surface.
As strength surged through both limbs, the cracked pavement buckled and caved. Then, a hemispherical mass of metal surged upward between the arms. The dome was massive—large enough to house an entire castle. A narrow, horizontal slit ran across its center, and from within that gap, two blue lights flickered.
I felt a faint, piercing sensation of being watched. It seemed those blue lights served as its eyes. In other words, that hemisphere was the head.
(Could it really be...?)
As I stood there, stunned, the arms pushed off the ground. What dragged itself out from the depths was a colossal body of steel. Its frame was hulking and barrel-chested, the armor plated thickest around the torso. Numerous hatches were scattered across its hull; though they remained closed for now, they were clearly designed to deploy.
Judging by the flow of magic power, the power systems were all concentrated within the torso. Next, the left and right legs were slowly extracted from the earth. The massive feet pulverized what little remained of the city's buildings. Amidst clouds of rising dust, tons of soil and debris fell away from its shins.
The legs were exceptionally thick, clearly built for stability to support the sheer mass of the torso. White steam hissed intermittently from vents across its frame. As the entity stood tall with heavy, deliberate movements, I realized it was a golem of staggering proportions.
How tall was it? Even floating in mid-air, I had to crane my neck back until it ached just to glimpse its head. From the golem’s perspective, we were likely nothing more than gnats.
(This Giant Golem... this is undoubtedly the Technomagic Kingdom’s ultimate weapon.)
I narrowed my eyes and focused on the torso, the heart of its power. A dense, concentrated aura of Great Spirit energy radiated from within. The Secret Stone was definitely embedded there, serving as the power source.
I didn't even need my Perception skills to tell. By activating the golem, the Concealment Art had been forcibly deactivated.
I began to analyze the countless magic formulas etched into the golem's frame. Even a cursory glance revealed dozens of catastrophic structural flaws. By all logic, it shouldn't have been able to stand, let alone move. Furthermore, its efficiency was abysmal; the fuel consumption was so high that nothing less than the Great Spirit’s Secret Stone could possibly sustain it. Any other magical catalyst wouldn't have been able to move a single finger.
And yet, by some freak occurrence, these flaws seemed to interlock perfectly, allowing the golem to maintain an optimal state. The energy provided by the Secret Stone was being amplified dozens of times over to facilitate its operation.
(Impossible. This is preposterous.)
The sheer absurdity of it made my head spin. Could such a thing actually exist? Since it stood before me, I could not deny its reality, but my logical mind refused to accept it. It was a confluence of miracles.
In that moment, I understood. The Will of the World had reached out its hand to complete this Giant Golem.
The general concept and design were likely products of John’s knowledge, but those alone would never have been enough. The Will of the World was filling in the impossible gaps. It was exactly like the "awakening" of the heroes I had faced before—a cosmic law that only triggered when the "evil" known as the Demon King needed to be purged.
However, I had no time to ponder fate. I had to deal with this slaughter weapon here and now.
『How do you like that? Surprised? This is the giant robot that’s going to put you in the ground!』
John’s triumphant, booming voice echoed across the ruins. His presence was emanating from right next to the Secret Stone. He wasn't operating it remotely; he was inside the machine. Judging by the magic formulas woven around his soul, he was using a form of pseudo-possession via mental magic. He was moving the golem as if it were his own flesh and blood.
It was a control method far more precise than any standard cockpit. While the design difficulty was astronomical, there was no point in arguing the logistics. The Will of the World had clearly smoothed over the details.
I felt no particular anger at the unfairness of it all. I was already used to being forced into a disadvantage. I had made my move knowing full well that everything in existence would try to stop me.
Besides, there was one reason I could remain calm: the Will of the World was not absolute.
Both the Hero and the Saint had fallen to the current Demon King. My very existence was proof that destiny could be defied. Therefore, I simply had to win this time as well.
『What’s the matter? Too scared to move? Fine, I’ll start!』
John gave a derisive snort, and the golem took its first step forward. The capital buckled and shattered with every stride. The metal giant, venting steam, advanced without a shred of concern for the city it trampled.
(What a mess.)
Glancing at the collapsing cityscape, I leaped back to widen the gap, using my magic to pull Logan with me. It felt as if an infinitely high wall were bearing down on us. I checked the distance between myself and the golem before addressing Logan.
"This area is too dangerous. Get back."
Without waiting for his reply, I teleported him away. I sent him toward the main body of the Demon King’s Army. I lacked the confidence to protect him while fighting something this far outside the norm.
Next, I opened a telepathic link to Grom.
"Grom, do you hear me?"
『Yes, Lord Demon King! I hear you loud and clear, my lord!』
Grom’s voice was as boisterous as ever. Even without seeing him, I could practically feel him snapping to attention. I gave him the bare essentials.
"I have located John Doe and the Secret Stone, but I am currently engaged with a golem he is piloting."
『I wondered what that colossal mass of magic power was... So that is the situation. Are you unharmed, My Lord?』
"I am fine. Move the Demon King’s Army away from the city center immediately. Prioritize the safety of our troops."
『Understood! May fortune favor you in battle!』
I cut the link once Grom acknowledged the order and sent similar messages to Luciana and Henry. With that, the safety of my army was secured for the moment.
『Are you done whispering to your friends? You should really start focusing.』
John’s warning reached my ears just as the golem’s massive shoulders split open. Mechanical components hissed as they slid into place, revealing rows of magic cannons—dozens of barrels lined the machine's shoulders.
『Eat this!』
The cannons roared in unison. A hail of screaming shells converged on my position. I blinked out of existence with a short-range teleport, reappearing in a better position to counterattack.
I called down a bolt of lightning from the heavens, slamming it directly into the golem’s head. Dazzling light blinded the world, and a thunderous crack shook the atmosphere. It was a strike powerful enough to vaporize an entire battalion.
And yet, the golem remained unscathed. A shimmering layer of defense magic had manifested over its head, intercepting the bolt. The sheer output provided by the Secret Stone had created a barrier that eclipsed the power of my own magic.
『...Hm? Did you do something?』 John asked mockingly.
The golem reached up and scratched its head, the movement producing a grating screech of metal on metal. I hovered in the air, watching the display. I ignored his provocations and devoted every ounce of my focus to analyzing the machine.
(I see...)
John was acting the part of the arrogant fool, but the power he wielded was genuine. He was amplifying the already immense power of the Secret Stone by dozens of magnitudes. In terms of pure, raw output, he likely surpassed even me. It was a realm of power that human hands should never have been able to grasp. The Giant Golem was an anomaly—an absolute absurdity.
(But that changes nothing.)
I am the immortal Demon King. I am the pinnacle of evil who declared war on the entire world. I could not afford to stumble here.
At the end of the day, no matter how large it was, it was still just a golem. There were a thousand ways to dismantle it. Since everything I needed was now in one place, I would meet it with everything I had.