A Lucky Hit

(Bai Ziye)

Although I peeked at the battle from the tree, I couldn't help, so I figured it was best to pretend nothing happened.

"You two are too slow."

They even turned around and accused me.

After all, Ceruno is alright, and that's all that matters to me. As for UI-31... he's tough and resilient, so a beating won't hurt him.

"We don't have Miss Miluno's speed! By the way, did you find Yezi at the fire?"

When asked about UI-31, I glanced at UI-31 and replied, "He's currently in the study with the maids, trying to salvage Sirius's important documents. Zara's magic can take him away at any time, so there's no need to worry."

This is a fairly reasonable explanation, but reconciling accounts with SpiCa would likely expose the deception. Hopefully, Sirius can get rid of her as soon as possible.

"Why would an ordinary person like him get involved in this kind of thing?"

Even Ceruno wasn't entirely at ease; staying in the fire was risky, and she saw that I was in even the slightest danger... We were in the same boat.

"Let's go inside."

I pulled open the heavy iron door of the air-raid shelter. Although it was rusty from the sea breeze, it was heavier than I had imagined, probably weighing more than ten tons. Seeing this, UI-31 came over to lend a hand, and together we opened a crack in the door for people to pass through.

The air-raid shelter, abandoned for many years, lacked any permanent lighting, was dark, and had a damp, musty smell.

To prevent seawater from entering, the entrance passage goes down first and then up, so the main body of the air-raid shelter is still inside the mountain, not underground.

"Aww? Aww!"

Clang--

UI-31 patted its wolf-head armor, emitting beams of light from its eyes comparable to car headlights... This is really convenient.

"Heave-ho~ Whoosh!"

Ceruno, pressing her chest against the door, squeezed through the crack. I asked, "SpiCa said this witch was one of the original seven magical girls, 'Hunter' Betelgeuse. How much do you know about her magic?"

Because of the structure of the air-raid shelter, my voice, though not loud, had an echo and reverberation, somewhat like being in a karaoke room.

"As expected, it's Betelgeuse! Miss Robin Hood from Britain ~"

"Robin Hood?"

"Before being granted the title of Star Goddess, she single-handedly slayed Monster under the name Robin Hood and was the Guardian of the British Isles."

Even I would feel angry hearing that.

Once heroes of justice, they have now been transformed into formidable enemies by "the Other Side," and their actions will inevitably be brought to justice sooner or later.

"What is her magic?"

Living up to her title as a magical girl encyclopedia, Ceruno held up one finger and began to explain, "First of all, she didn't originally have invisibility magic; this is Monster ability that 'the Other Side' gave her."

"Hmm, it's probably a more advanced form of invisibility than transparency."

I answered, and then asked.

"Then what?"

Ceruno proudly extended her second finger.

"Then, as you can see, her fighting style is extremely adept at jungle ambushes, traps, and assassinations. Even if she has a chance of winning, she won't be reckless. Like a cautious yet dangerous hunter, she would never follow anyone in, since a confined and unprotected space like an air-raid shelter is a disadvantageous terrain for her."

It wasn't completely unobstructed; the semi-tubular passageway had some compartments on both sides, and even some rusted spring mattresses.

"So what is her magic?"

"Arsenal, her magic can recreate any weapon she's ever touched... or something similar. However, the creation itself requires magic power, and there's a random margin of error... For example, if she wants a pistol, it might produce a crossbow or a nail gun, but that doesn't matter, because she can use these weapons an unlimited number of times during combat, as long as she has enough magic power."

That's why there are toilet pegs.

That's actually considered a weapon?

It sounds impressive, but upon closer inspection, it doesn't seem that remarkable.

I thought for a moment and then asked, "Conventional firepower can't hurt the Monster, but her magic can?"

"Yes, the weapons she creates can damage Monster, but they will automatically disintegrate and disappear after a period of time, so they cannot be deployed in the army."

That makes sense...

If conventional weapons can also kill Monster, this world won't be so reliant on magical girls.

"Were those robotic arms also constructed?"

If we can construct complex floating mechanical arms using magic, then we'll have to rethink our strategy.

"It might be technology from the Other Side, I'm not sure. Eh? How does Miss Miluno know she has organic—"

Before Ceruno could finish speaking, an explosion came from the entrance of the air-raid shelter. The sound and shockwave rushed into the shelter, and for a moment, everyone's ears felt a stinging pain.

"Damn it, didn't they say they wouldn't chase after us?!"

Of course, Ceruno couldn't hear me, just as I watched her move her mouth but couldn't hear anything.

I don't know what kind of shelling it was, but a door panel weighing over ten tons was blasted open like that. The Hunter Witch's firepower is comparable to Iron Man's, but she herself did not enter the air-raid shelter. In the dim light, I could vaguely see several mechanical arms pouring in from the breach.

Are they trying to trap us like turtles in a jar?

"Ceruno, deploy defenses!"

Ceruno immediately unfurled a semi-circular bubble, swallowing me and UI-31 inside. Bullets raining down from all directions struck the protective shields that were rejecting them, making a clanging sound.

The protective shield won't last long.

"UI-31... flow, can it still fight?"

"Aww!"

Although he had a hole in his stomach from a crossbow bolt and had just been beaten up, he still patted his breastplate in affirmation. If it weren't for his lust, he would indeed be a man of courage.

However, that helmet with eyes like car headlights was still incredibly stupid.

I explained my operational intentions to him.

"The Hunter Witch is probably operating these mechanical arms at the cave entrance. Since she's not planning to come in, let's go out and deal with her... Can you keep up with me?"

Even though that's the question.

But with Ceruno's magical enhancement, he absolutely cannot keep up with my current speed.

"GAO!"

He let out an exhilarating wolf howl, hot air spewed from the exhaust pipe on his back, and his tattered armor emitted a radical red glow.

It really looks quite dangerous.

(Hazardon! yabee~).

Then, he was the first to rush out.

"They even jumped the gun?"

Time-Freeze.

Twenty times the speed.

As all things fell silent, I stepped out of the protective shield and gradually accelerated in the darkness. I took the twin short swords from my waist, cleaved through the bullets, and caught up with the UI-31, which was running at full speed. Even the impact of the explosives couldn't catch up with me.

I can be even faster.

Thirty times the speed.

When I break the sound barrier, I can blow away bullets, arrows, and cannonballs in my path simply by passing by, thus relieving Ceruno's stress.

Incidentally, it also cleaved the obstructing robotic arm in two.

However...

The witch is near the cave entrance.

I was tricked by this preconceived notion.

Near the cave entrance, I bumped into something hard yet semi-transparent.

The impact shattered the protective membrane, forcing me to slow down the flow of time to avoid being torn apart by my own magic.

However, it was the protective membrane that took the direct impact; I, inside the membrane, was unharmed. It was the one I bumped into that was...

Um, the Hunter Witch...

She was thrown backward, crashing heavily onto the door of the air-raid shelter. Even the wing behind her was bent to the side, sparking blue electricity.

Although it was an accidental stroke of luck, the impact was quite severe, but she seemed to be able to move.

At that moment, UI-31 caught up from behind me. I saw him take out two huge blade wheels from his back and throw them at the Hunter Witch. The spinning blades slammed into her and embedded themselves deeply in her shoulders.