Our ultimate goal is to defeat the “Black Imugi” and restore normalcy to the Yeongdeungpo District.
Manager Wanda Haye had warned us.
There are many forces that don’t want South Korea to regain the capital and increase its influence, including the [Six Legged Beast].
So, a lot of people might try to interfere with our plans.
The assassinations carried out by hired Climbers were a brutal reality we couldn’t turn a blind eye to.
I feel like throwing everything away and just pursuing a peaceful VTuber broadcast……
But Liu Ying and Sadako were already “prepared.”
Since they were responsible for people even before they were VTubers, it was natural for Wakamou to be worried, but they agreed.
Then, shouldn’t Wakamou handle everything alone?
Wakamou would keep climbing the Tower despite external interference.
After all, they were also Climbers, so they would continue climbing the Tower.
Whether fighting monsters or people, it’s the same thing.
While Wakamou couldn’t agree with such talk, he couldn’t stubbornly resist their wishes either.
With the vast wealth that Wakamou was amassing, he mobilized all sorts of consumables developed through research facilities overseas, including equipment for climbers.
This was a matter of life and death for the South Korean government.
“Everyone, check if the defense systems on your equipment are working properly.”
“This is worth 200 million each, Captain? Wow… I’m scared to use it.”
“Is it more precious than your life? Think of it as an investment for VTubers. Asuka, help with video editing later.”
“Understood. What about the lives of the Climbers who attacked?”
“It might be selfish of me to ask you not to kill them. But rest assured, you can always retreat if needed.”
Before heading to Yeongdeungpo District, they opened a portal and returned to their base to make new plans.
Safety was always the most important thing.
Wakamou spread out cameras to search for climbers hiding somewhere, making them invisible.
Even though they were invisible, there might be a class capable of detecting them if they flew around openly, so Wakamou tried to search as stealthily as possible, but the opponents were also formidable.
The district was too vast.
If they were determined to hide until coming out, it would be hard for Wakamou to find them too.
“What do you think about the shooting just now?”
“It’s probably a [Shooter] class. It wasn’t at the speed of a [Wizard] launching magic.”
The support team aiding Wakamou Corporation was deducing information about the enemies.
The shot aimed at the Turtle Ship was from a [Shooter] class.
In other words, the enemy was coming to kill them with modern weapons.
“If they’re specialized in sniping, they’ll be vulnerable in close range. If they’re skewed to one side, the tower’s floor might be low too, right?”
“For a climber, is [Mana Burn] basic, usually?”
“Yes, that’s right. Most skills require [Mana].”
“Hmm──”
When it was Climber vs. Climber, Wakamou always ended up in a disadvantageous situation.
The enemy, not knowing anything, might try a [Mana Burn] to incapacitate magic, leading to mutual destruction.
It was a situation one couldn’t help but laugh at. Truly catastrophic if not careful.
They refrained from going outside as much as possible…..thinking about it, they originally didn’t go out often.
“Let me explain the plan to you. Move quickly to the 63 Building─ Using the shortest route to run up, you gain the advantage of safety inside the building. If a bomb was pre-installed, the defense equipment attached to you will protect you. And to the 63 Building…”
“Lure the Black Imugi there to wreak havoc. Right?”
At Mare Pirate’s answer, the agent nodded. That was enough.
Everyone finished another check and walked out of the portal without hesitation.
“Are both of you alright?”
“Yep.”
“Can we be the strongest if we’re scared of this kind of thing?”
“Worry about me too.”
“When we return, I’ll open a personal channel for you.”
“Yay!!”
Asuka, jumping excitedly.
Wakamou still looked at the two with a worried expression.
He had wanted to do a regular VTuber broadcast, but due to the peculiarity of being a Climber, he had ended up here… He already wondered what they would do after graduating from being VTubers.
But that’s a story for a distant future.
“Shall we go?”
Throwing away all unnecessary distractions that interrupted concentration.
Wakamou stepped forward for “Plan B.”
※※※
Tatattatatta──!!
Hajime Ichigo and Unicorn Agent riddled the monsters with bullets, making them collapse.
Wakamou eliminated them with the flame of Idols, and Asuka summoned foxes with spells to divert the monsters’ attention while simultaneously shooting down monsters pouncing from the sky.
And in the midst of it all, with nothing else to do but run earnestly was Mare Pirate.
Whiiiz──!
At that moment, a missile flew towards them, and Hajime Ichigo and Unicorn Agent simultaneously shot it down.
Mare Pirate raised a wall to block the ensuing explosion, preventing secondary damage, but breaking through the building revealed a massive armored weapon.
The appearance resembling a gorilla with arms longer than its legs—a design similar to a submarine—suddenly emerged in the middle of Seoul, and Hajime Ichigo muttered in surprise.
“Is that thing a monster…?”
“It’s the work of ‘Engineer Meyer Hildegard’ from Germany! The only Legendary Class Climber who can build such bizarre things!”
“Who is it?!”
“[Six Legged Beast]!”
Finger raised, shots rained down without any warning from Ichigo, who struck the ground, reinforcing the steel wall Mare Pirate had created to make it thicker. However, the shot penetrated and impacted their shield, and it crumpled.
“[Wakamou Inarizushi!! Please surrender quietly and come with us!!]”
The woman spoke in a rather sharp and high-pitched voice, sounding quite excited.
“Go!”
Wakamou pointed towards the building and charged at the armored weapon.
Clenching his fist and throwing a strong swing, but with a “Thunk!” sound, came a strange yet familiar sensation that made Wakamou frown.
It was clearly made of a type of metal that Mana wouldn’t work on.
“Come along, you must be the Six Legged Beast that Pirate mentioned?”
“[He’s our boss. As you can see, I’m just an errand runner!]”
“Then might as well send an invitation via email politely!”
“[Regrettably, it’s a request from higher up.]”
Wreeeet──
Clunk Clunk─
The raucous metallic noise of the engine grew more intense.
As if it would explode at any moment, the armored weapon spewed steam, and the unidentified errand runner perched on it pointed a finger upward.
‘Damn, should’ve known.’
The employee tasked by [Six Legged Beast], capable of making a fearsome human-like weapon at a glance.
If the boss of such an employee was sent from someone “higher up”…. it implies that the infamous mastermind known only through rumors of [Six Legged Beast] wants to meet Wakamou Inarizushi even forcibly.
“I just want to peacefully do VTuber broadcasts. Hah… Are there enough crazy guys out there…!!”
“[Surely you don’t need arms and legs, right?! Prepare yourself!!]”
With bullets crashing into Wakamou’s wing garment.
Clicking his tongue at the spent Mana, Wakamou leaped backward to gain distance.
The tracked armored weapon accelerated, making an unpleasant noise as its wheels scraped the ground, beginning to pursue Wakamou.
On top of that, sniping shots aimed at Wakamou kept coming.
However, Wakamou thought it would be better if he himself became the bait, trying to get away from buildings as much as possible──when an explosion occurred in the 63 Building.
“[Oh─by the way, an independent cooperator is on our side as well! Someone who seems to hold grudges against the King of Authority?]”
“That person seems to have quite a lot of enemies…”
Clicking his tongue, Wakamou tore out a signpost and swung it, kicked a car to send it flying, and threw a utility pole, engaging the enemy in fierce combat.
Meanwhile,─Wakamou simultaneously assessed the situation of his comrades through shared vision.
The Hajime Ichigo party urgently ascended the building to locate the sniper’s position.
Before Wakamou’s camera could arrive, Hajime Ichigo stopped her steps and shouted to her team.
“There are two people in the room!”
Simultaneously with Ichigo’s voice resonating loudly, the attacker noticed they were discovered, shattered the ceiling, and fell down.
So powerful was the strike that even the floor where Ichigo’s party stood began to crumble with a loud noise; Hajime Ichigo grabbed Mare Pirate and adroitly threw themselves to a lower floor stairway.
Unicorn agent who was on the opposite side was carried by Asuka as they tried to escape through the now breaking glass window of the 63 Building.
Bang─!!
At that moment, a sniper shot with enough power to pierce a shield struck Asuka’s barrier.
Losing balance mid-air and falling, Unicorn agent instead caught Asuka, secured her at his waist, and shot a grappling hook to an upper floor.
With a clunk and a click—featuring the sound of the rope quickly reeling in, Unicorn agent soared and broke through a window to reenter the building with Asuka as they rolled in together.
As soon as they landed, they deployed an arm shield which responded with a “Towng!!” sound and shot a dozen steel plates as the incoming bullet shot them off.
Numerous steel plates fell, having broken off in response to the impact.
“They’re coming from below!”
Even before Asuka spoke, the radar on the helmet detected vibrations, and even heartbeats, of the climber pursuing them by destroying ceiling layers, so Unicorn agent quickly rolled back to dodge it.
Blocking their path on the stairs, a spear-wielding female climber appeared through the remnants of a collapsing ceiling and swirling dust.
“Die, Chinky!”
Immediately after, a spear stabbed at Unicorn agent’s head.
Despite the considerable speed, Unicorn agent saw the movements of her shoulders. Then, his arm drew an arc as he blocked the spearhead with a shield, scraping against it, and rotating his arm significantly to deflect and block it.
“Impressive…defensive skills…”
“What a pity. Weren’t you taught to beware of old-timers in pink clothes in Korea, young Yankee lady? Since you didn’t call me ‘Yellow Monkey’, you must be quite young.”
“Oh please, the monkey who isn’t a climber’s boasting just because he blocked once!”
In an instant, seven spears formed and shot forward, which Asuka blocked with a flame barrier, only to follow it up by unleashing fire towards the climber.
Specialized in spears, a [Spearman] among the [Fighter] classes, he not only spun the spear to repel incoming flames but fire directly striking his back bore no effect, likely due to having prepared high magical resistance equipment.
“Sorcerer bastards’ works are predictable. Right?”
As the dust and debris gradually settled─the female climber’s true form began to be visible.
Just from her golden hair flowing down, one could tell her origin, and the body suit she wore to show off her physique despite the rattling armor was quite memorable.
“You are a target to be dealt with indifferent about shredding. Won’t you kindly die without making a fuss?”
“Ah, indeed Seoul is nice. Didn’t even call, yet here come the call girls.”
“Dear, Unicorn agent. Didn’t your mother visit your workplace?”
“Who’s the prostitute!! You fucking Chinky bastards!! I’m not a prostitute, I’m a pro!”
“Ten Pro, you say? I’d like to learn pole dancing from a professional stripper with a substantial pay.”
“I’m better, pay me instead.”
Despite coming to kill, brazenly taunting and mocking right before an opponent left the climber dazed.
However, she was feigned excitement while still keeping a safe distance, pointing her spear towards Asuka to execute her ever-increasing cone of likely future.
──And that applied to both sides.
With a slow grind, the fissures caused by the shock began spreading across the building like an infection.
Would Asuka and Unicorn agent be okay? Gunfire was heard, was it a sniper shot? Wasn’t the sound of the shield shattering audible?
They should be fine; just in case, ensured to prepare five shields each.
Mare Pirate decided to concentrate on the ill-fated character wearing a creepy smile looking at her.
Unfortunately, she was a familiar face.
“Hah… Nice to see you, kid.”
With low-rise pants that looked like they might slip any moment, an uncovered upper body filled with countless scars.
Even phrased nicely, the distorted expression of his face sent chills revealing undeserved malice streaming out.
“Kano Kyohei, Kano.”
Among Japan’s notorious criminal climbers, this name belonged to a serial killer known for killing as many renowned climbers as he encountered, and he stood before her.
“A coward who challenged my dad three times only to run to foreign lands upon losing?”
“Like father, like daughter with their cocky tone. Think you can say the same once you’ve been ripped apart?”
“Believe it or not, I’m into martial arts. What they say is a true weakling who bullies lesser beings like cowardly rats, I do refrain from saying harsh words. But isn’t it pathetic to pick on a weak man’s daughter because you couldn’t beat her dad? Why not chop off your own?”
Mare Pirate indomitably responded to the taunt as a blow shot at eye level like a cannonball approached. Her hand knife strike deflected it away defending herself, but as she closed in, Kano countered with a knee kick to repel it.
During her airborne moment, Hajime Ichigo threw a potion towards him.
With a “Bang,” the entire floor froze, and before Mare Pirate could react, another loud “Bam!” exploded, spreading boiling magma and flames in an instant.
Ignoring that he stood unharmed, though barely open his eyes, the floor filled with noxious fumes, potent and venomous enough to melt lungs and paralyze muscles if inhaled—Kano scoffed at Ichigo’s poison, assumed a stance, and charged.
Clang─!!
Mare Pirate turned her arm into metal using Icigo having transformed her entire arm into a sharp blade, striking against Kyohei as he approached Ichigo with a full broadside metal fist, but Kyohei caught Mare Pirate’s hand ripping it off.
Before it was torn apart, Mare Pirate transformed into mist, soon shifting to flames and attacking viciously, colliding explosively. The opponent roared and sent both Mare Pirate and Ichigo flying.
“Growl──”
His physical form began to gradually transform.
Even when stepping over lava and covered in poison without losing any of its intense presence, howling of the [Shifter], bearing both tiger and human elements, transformed into a monstrous hybrid form.
A Renaissance shapeshifter who could partially transform, unlike the complete Class transformations of [Wizard] or [Druid].
Though not entirely like a legendary class whose entire species change, it nonetheless possessed comparable strength…. Truly, this class fused beast strength with human intelligence, employing technological abilities akin to a human warrior.
With wild ferocity, Kano slashed at Mare Pirate with claws much like swords extending from his fingers.
Mare Pirate parried with her blade-like transformed metal arms, meeting his power in a fierce contest of strength.
But being [Wizard], none of her skills were specifically invested in strength, and given her difference in build, losing ground was inevitable.
Desperately she attempted to transform her entire body into metal, but his kick struck her, leaving her gasping for breath, as the crack in her shield began to show, leaving cold sweat on her brow.
And at that moment, sniper fire struck Mare Pirate’s temple.
The shield cracked and immediately regenerated, yet within the brief frame, a vicious punch aimed at Mare Pirate’s solar plexus slipped past, seizing the advantage to lift her into the air and smash her down by gripping her limbs, and finally kicking her strongly into a wall.
“Damn…it….”
“Heh heh heh… I’ll tear your limbs off and feed them to the monsters. Can’t wait to see his face.”
“Can’t beat my dad’s weak daughter so you’re gabbing off with your mouth…You have an estrogen problem from aging?”
Even when being driven into disadvantages, Pirate Soldier didn’t back down, firmly recalling the strongest Karate in the captain’s guild offered no defeat.
Knuckling her shoulder and spitting a nosebleed on the ground, she stood strong, stretching and getting ready once more.
Giving a smirk, his mind probably leaned towards the King of Authority, sans hesitation Kano lunged recklessly─Mare Pirate dove right within.
Ka-clang──!!
The signage, dented and deformed, exploded with intense sparks.
As one would expect, Wakamou’s attacks proved futile.
“[Your attack patterns have long been nullified according to this side’s analysis team! We even have combat data from a fight with [Collector]!]”
Relentlessly pursuing Wakamou as he slid backward, establishing a distance, the armored weapon ceaselessly riddled the area with bullets, launching incendiary missiles to turn it into an inferno.
Gradually, the intent was written; gradually depleting Wakamou’s Mana, leading to him incapacity outright.
Crack─
Firing the [Flame of Idol] created a massive, intense explosion engulfing the surroundings with a fiery wall, yet an armored weapon plowed through the flames without a scratch, swinging its gigantic arm to pound Wakamou.
Just before the strike, Wakamou made a cartwheel, widening the gap between them.
The self-assured pilot nearly seemed euphoric as if she’d already won. Seeing her [Class], Wakamou surmised—she must be an [Alchemist]. Launching sporadic poison attacks, fluidly moving with almost unnatural transformations seemed indicative of using [Synthesis] skills, you see.
It seemed like they used the [Alchemy] skill if we look at what’s happening.
It wasn’t a combat job. ….Or was it expected?
If they really used such a weapon without any limitations.
That Six Legged Beast in Germany would have invaded East Asia by now.
Because Wakamou doesn’t remember it, it seems like it’s not a particularly dangerous opponent.
“[Stop struggling and just give up already!!]”
“Yeah, I give up!! I’m not running anymore!”
Wakamou raises both hands and slumps down on the spot.
Seeing her actions, the approaching armored weapon hesitated.
Whether they truly wanted to capture her or not, the fierce attacks halted as they observed Wakamou. ──Seems like the intention to take her wasn’t just an empty threat.
To confirm this, Wakamou opened a portal above her head at an angle she couldn’t see from her position.
From the opponent’s perspective, it would seem like something was suddenly falling out of thin air.
“[A zither?]”
The pilot, surprised to see an instrument pop out after aiming a gun at the sudden appearance of something, hesitated──and that changed the tide of the battle.
Ding─♪
Beautiful melodious music resounded as Wakamou plucked the strings.
They didn’t have data on Wakamou attacking with a song, leading to confusion──and soon the screens filled with sparks, and warnings about damage to the entire unit began blaring.
Not just from the front but from all directions, the armored weapon began to show signs of damage as if being sliced by sharp blades.
Initially, the attacks were small, but they grew deeper as time went on.
Desperately trying to distance themselves from Wakamou to avoid the relentless barrage, but the unending barrage continued to hammer away.
Even when hiding behind a building out of Wakamou’s sight, the attacks continued, further damaging the unit.
“[What the?! What kind of attack is this!!!]”
Despite having durability to withstand simple physical attacks, this unit’s most special feature was resistance to Mana.
It could endure most magic, even if hit directly. ──So the current barrage wasn’t magic or Mana!!
The [Alchemist] from Germany couldn’t have known the acoustic techniques of martial arts novels, but deduced the instrument was an Artifact and fled into the building.
Ka-boom──!!
Yet the attacks persisted.
Even after smashing through the building’s exterior and fleeing, the attack followed!!
With the unit facing total destruction if this continued, she disabled the engine’s limiter.
The armored weapon glowed red with apparent overheating, vibrating with a monster-like roar.
Unable to hide the urgency, the pilot discarded their arm coverings and brandished the hidden weapons, firing beams at full power.
The target was Wakamou’s location, with burning fabric melting through the building and shattering the zither Wakamou was playing.
Whether it could only be fired once, the attached barrel melted and fell away, and swapped the other arm to a drill as she charged at Wakamou.
“[It’s over──ah???]”
The unsettling feeling surfaced the moment Wakamou, who was smiling, made eye contact.
Danger senses tingled, as only a Climber could feel─!
Tried to pierce Wakamou with a drill, but despite moving the lever, the arm refused to move.
Rather, Wakamou was there, slicing through the air with a hand.
“[Aaaah!!]”
Then she saw. The severed arm of her unit!
“[What, how──]”
How? With such a skill?
──Of course, she didn’t know. This was a new skill Wakamou had acquired while conquering [Incheon 35th Floor].
A new skill named [Idol’s Tempest].
The skill description was “Control the wind by consuming owned Mana”, and surprisingly.
Wakamou was moving “wind” with “Mana”.
Unlike the 『Idol’s Flame』, which created fire using Mana, Wakamou’s skill wasn’t constrained by magic or Mana.
Though it had a critical flaw of being unusable underwater or in space.
In non-restrictive environments, Wakamou could cut down opponents impervious to magic and Mana.
“[Don’t think you’ve won!! [Full Restoration]!!]”
With the casting of the skill, the armored weapon recovered instantly.
The drill arm pierced into Wakamou who had started to be pushed back while catching the attack.
The consumption was so extreme that Wakamou had to borrow Manse’s Mana to show the true power.
The [Alchemist] laughing victoriously in the midst of such hardship….Wakamou continued to smile meaningfully as they looked at her.
“[….Why smiling…]”
“……Creating a crisis for oneself and delivering a neat counterattack provides catharsis to the audience…. “
A shadow was cast.
“Thank~you~!! For fighting so well─!!!”
The shadow larger than the enormous armored weapon itself.
“Libera Deraila”
“…What?”
“I’ve gathered all your personal info online. A 24-year old newly awakened Climber lady. Quite the criminal history, it seems. Judging by your text messages, you accepted this job because you needed money for drugs. Do you trust the Germans?”
“…..Holding personal info as a threat──”
“I’ve frozen your bank accounts”
“What?”
“Also signed you up for the most expensive phone plan. All sorts of site memberships using your stolen ID. You should’ve known a high-performance AI capable of this, especially if you had any info about me. Did you really not believe and still picked a fight, human? Are you as clever as Wakamou-sama?”
With disbelief ScripTFoans, Libera Deraila checked her phone, her face turned pale.
“Isn’t that a crime?”
“Do criminals have human rights? Besides, I’m fine because I don’t have any rights.”
“Kiya”
“I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!”
Libera, her head spinning from learning her hard-earned fortune was spent on Aoi Asuka’s custom-made computer, foamed at the mouth and charged.
But her attack was blocked by a flame barrier, and Aoi Asuka anticipated the incoming shots, pulling the Unicorn Agent back to safety.
“What did you do with someone else’s earnings!!!!!”
“She’s completely pissed off, what are you going to do, Young Lady?”
“We’ll just run away~ Bye♡”
With a parting shot saying no need to thank for spreading her personal info worldwide, Aoi Asuka unleashed a smoke bomb and flew away.
Libera Deraila didn’t even want to check her phone’s rapidly beeping emails as she screamed and chased Aoi like a berserk Monster, smashing through the floors above.
“Hey, come on, Yankee”
And standing in front of her was not Aoi Asuka, but the Unicorn Agent.
Even in her anger, Libera’s reasoning returned upon seeing him, causing hesitation as he began sinking.
He wasn’t falling to a lower floor. He disappeared before her eyes. He didn’t fall through the hole behind either.
He had vanished beneath the floor!!
“What…?”
It was as if she had been mesmerized by a Fox, leaving Libera dumbfounded as she stared at the seemingly empty floor.
Then, suddenly feeling pressure on her neck, she struggled but began coughing as the force tightened.
Something had coiled around her neck. When did this happen?
“Gotcha”
Aoi Asuka hadn’t ascended, from the beginning.
Realizing she was caught, she thrashed in a fading consciousness but the fishing line tightening around her buried deeper.
At first, Aoi Asuka had deployed the smoke bomb from the lower floor.
Disguised through Wakamou’s [Idol’s Form] as Aoi Asuka, the Unicorn Agent went upstairs to fool her.
Then moved directly beneath the target’s feet, spearing the ceiling with Jiang Taigong’s fishing rod to ensnare her neck.
Struggling like a beast in convulsions, the Climber’s resistance only heightened Jiang Taigong’s fishing experience as Aoi Asuka contentedly hummed.
A sniper who tried to target Aoi Asuka was soon aimed at himself.
“Committing the mission, protecting allies. That’s the tough part about being…..in the “special forces”, doing both.”
At a building at least 3km away.
Turning at a voice heard from behind, the sniper found the Unicorn Agent rising from the seemingly empty floor, as if having broken through the ceiling.
Remote connection using [My Worlds] via a camera.
As soon as Aoi Asuka located the sniper’s position, she quickly shot a camera tied with spells to teleport it.
The disappearance of the Unicorn Agent when confronting the spearman was because he opened a portal beneath him.
“Are you ready? I am!”
The sniper who was lying retrieved a handgun to fire from a prone position, but a knife in hand deflected the head-targeted bullet, and the Unicorn Agent sped up, absorbing others while taking hits to the body, deploying another smoke bomb.
“Shadow Clone Technique!”
With the incomprehensible exclamation, dozens of simultaneous footsteps.
Agents in black protective suits wielding shields erupted from the smoke.
And at the center, clad in tattered pink armor showing their combat enhancers and exterior skeleton, ran a lone pink unicorn.
“Using an item effect without even reading it, dummy!!”
While mockingly criticizing the sniper seeing the ridiculous sight of the pink figure leading the charge.
But the other black agents’ stun guns struck hard, causing convulsions.
An amazing twist where all of them were real rather than just clones.
The backup team entering through the portal surrounded the sniper and began an 8-person beatdown.
“Guys!! Let’s get him!!!”
In a fierce group beating fit for knock out, batons and nightsticks were brought out.
“This is Unicorn!! Sniper subdued!!”
“Asuka reporting. The big catch is captured here too.”
Kidnapping and securing the unconscious Climber, Aoi Asuka and the Unicorn Agent retreated.
The Unicorn Agent promptly seized the sniper’s weapon, aiming at the floor where the Pirate was.
The battle was on-going.
And quite fiercely.
“So you said lacking in strength and speed──!!”
Repeated potion explosions chucked along with poison by Hajime Ichigo were greeted with scoffing as a firework by Kano Kyohei.
With bared teeth, the Mare Pirate received Ichigo’s potion and armed her arms with as many as they could hold.
Chugging down the potion Hajime Ichigo handed her while letting out a fierce shout.
“[Metal Transformation]─!!”
This time, the Mare Pirate transformed her entire body to metal.
Kano Kyohei sneered at the repeated display as if it carried no meaning.
“[Alchemy-Metal Morphing]─!!”
Grabbing onto the Mare Pirate’s arms, Hajime Ichigo cast [Alchemy-Artistic Craft] including the [Skill] reshaping.
Finally forming “exhaust ports” protruding from the elbow segments.
Crack──!!
Compressing to shatter the glass bottles in fists, the Mare Pirate’s arms thinned under pressure.
“Rocket Pistol!!”
With an explosion.
Kaboom!!
The face crumpled and was shoved backwards, striking Kano Kyohei.
Unable to regain balance, the thundering barrage of the Mare Pirate’s iron fists relentlessly pounded his massive frame.
A burst ignited within the metal pirate’s arms, divided into the elbow segment where flames spewed forth.
That thrust propelled the Mare Pirate infinitely racing forward, combining rubber elasticity, wildly delivering rapid barrages of colossal speed.
Baring teeth, bracing himself to steady, the Mare Pirate wildly crashed arm salvos as both arms extended.
Entirely overwhelming, the Mare Pirate seemed to push Kano Kyohei back, that is until he cloaked himself in red Mana and delivered a punch of his own.
The lore between the foes clashed, their fists connecting one after the other, only for the opponent’s punch to throw an unexpected explosive at Hajime Ichigo.
“You coward! You’re no martial artist with this disgrace!!”
“With life on the line, there’s no cowardice, you brat!!!”
Ceased all offense, propelling forward with the force, the Mare Pirate enveloped and shielded Hajime Ichigo completely.
Amidst a tumultuous explosion, the shock wiped out barriers entirely as both went skidding across the floor.
Ears filled with the splintering din of breaking glass, the Mare Pirate shuddered in tatters.
“Darn…! He’s got a point…!!”
“Mare!”
“I’m not whining from just this!!”
Small shards lodged into arms and back. The Mare Pirate, pulling large glass splinters from her cheek and tossing them aside, crackled her neck and focused on Kano Kyohei.
Hajime Ichigo was unharmed. That was what mattered to the Mare Pirate as she raised her fists once more.
“….Know anything? Decisive battles. If you fought and lost, ran away, yet now challenge someone weaker…in society, that’s no less than a loser, right?
If you’d want a painless death, you’d do well to retract that brat.”
“My ally’s belittled for being weak. How could I stay calm?”
Even with the menacing growl, the Mare Pirate’s teasing grew bolder.
Amidst a cluttered area of fire and ice, murmured words meant only for Hajime Ichigo to hear that she’d never be weak.
An entire building collecting icy potion-induced frost swirling toward the Mare Pirate, forming a pure white orb.
“[Element Conversion: Ice]”
Soon flames seared intensely, spiraling into one large fiery luminous sphere.
“[Element Conversion: Flame]”
──It was a [magic] belonging to the [Shape-shifting] skill tree.
“Shall we play a bit roughly?”
To show what the skill meant, the Mare Pirate extended a hand.
“Magic? When you’re a martial artist?”
“There’s no dishonor when lives are staked, huh?”
Piiiiing──!!!
As the fire and ice elements collided, they expanded, consuming and tearing asunder explosively.
“[Element Conversion Magic: Elemental Force]”
The blinding light extending to the exterior of the 63 Building shone far beyond─and blazing “ice” spread with immense speed, eventually erupting with a deafening blast, scattering “frozen flames” like blades radiating all around.
The magic launched.
A monstrous entity shaped like a tiger, who shielded with crossed arms, stood entirely frozen.
As though inflamed by fire, then abruptly frozen.
Facing the vividly frozen ice sculpture, the Mare Pirate dusted off her hat, aware she wouldn’t be heard, but still….
“I’m no martial artist but a [Wizard], right?”
And chuckled the victor’s grin about knowing which side was inadequate.
“Now even Ichigo! Pirate won!”
Overjoyed as if it was their own achievement, Ichigo cheered, receiving warm head pats for her cuteness.
Of course, casually suggesting Hajime Ichigo study karate received an immediate rebuff.
Now, the one in distress was none other than Wakamou Inarizushi.
Or perhaps more accurately, two of them?
Overlooking them were 『Black Imugi』, whose head matched the size of the 63 Building it nested upon.
And an unknown mark, as if slashed, was visible on the Imugi’s nose.
“Please contact me via email for fan meetings~ With that, I gotta run.”
Opening a portal below and swiftly fleeing, Wakamou escaped.
The [Alchemist] watching with a dumbfounded expression started screaming and began fleeing too.
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A service illustration for readers.
The sketch of Wakamou Inarizushi created by the AI artist always doing me a favor.
For reference, I couldn’t draw this even if I died and came back.
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