Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The Laevatein, infused with the power of the Full Power Technique, pierced through the protective barrier enveloping the temple and charged toward Heracles.
Heracles dropped to one knee in that stance and lowered the Lion-Head Helm he wore.
A flash of light gleamed from the eye sockets of the Lion-Head Helm, and in an instant, an orichalcum gate was summoned right in front of him.
The Laevatein Zeke had thrown collided with the summoned orichalcum gate.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-bang!
A massive shockwave spread out in all directions.
As the dust cloud from the impact settled, Heracles appeared once more, standing tall on both feet.
The Laevatein Zeke had hurled was embedded in the orichalcum gate Heracles had summoned.
Though the gate was nearly shredded by the power of the Full Power Technique contained in the spear, it had blocked the attack with the formidable physical durability of orichalcum.
Nabu gaped at the sight.
"What the... How did he block that?!"
Heracles, having deflected Zeke's attack with the orichalcum gate, prepared for a counterstrike.
He raised his longbow again, aiming at Zeke and his companions.
But this time, something was different from before.
Click!
The thigh section of Heracles's armor opened, and an orichalcum arrow sprang out from within.
He nocked the arrow to the bowstring, and a bowstring made of light formed.
Heracles aimed the bow skyward and pulled back with all his might.
Koo-goo-goo-goo!
The drawn orichalcum arrow began to vibrate faintly.
At the same time, he loosed the arrow into the air.
Piiiiiing!
The arrow shot upward at an invisible speed.
Watching this, Nigel sensed something ominous and shouted.
"Zeke! Nabu! Raise a barrier!"
Nabu reflexively chanted a defensive Word Magic, and Zeke activated his Shadow Armor.
Nigel also invoked her Full Power Technique to reinforce the barrier.
Soon, something began pouring down from the sky.
Hoo-doo-doo-doo-doo!
Thin iron needles rained down like a storm.
The orichalcum arrow Heracles had fired had scattered, raining down from all directions.
Nabu strengthened his barrier in horror at the sight of the orichalcum rain falling from the sky.
"Damn it! Hold on!"
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Even over the protective barrier Zeke's group had created, the orichalcum needles poured relentlessly.
They were thin, but accelerating as they fell from above, their power was no different from a natural disaster.
Nabu's forward barrier vanished the moment a few orichalcum needles embedded in it.
"Ugh!"
The orichalcum needles pierced even Zeke's Shadow Armor.
The problem was that Heracles was preparing to fire a second arrow.
Seeing this, Zeke said to Nabu and Nigel.
"We don't know how many orichalcum arrows he has. We can't just hold out here." He glanced toward Heracles and continued.
"You two draw his attention. I'll circle around and strike from behind." Nigel asked Zeke.
"Are you sure you can handle it alone?"
"I have a plan. If you create an opening, I can take him down." Nigel nodded at Zeke's words.
She turned to Nabu and said.
"Nabu, I'm dropping the barrier. You and I will split up and draw his fire from both sides."
Nabu grumbled at Nigel's words.
"Oh man, what a life. Zeke, end this quick! I don't want to vanish in a place like this!" Zeke nodded and slowly retracted his Shadow Armor.
In the meantime, the second arrow was fired, and orichalcum needles rained down concentrated on them from the sky.
At that moment, Nabu and Nigel darted to either side.
Nigel, with her swift movements, swung her sword to deflect the incoming orichalcum needles while drawing Heracles's attention.
At the same time, Nabu mounted his flying carpet and soared into the air from the opposite side.
He opened his book and shouted.
"The arrows loosed by the enemy shall face the headwind and return whence they came!"
A reverse wind blew in accordance with his Word Magic.
Normally, the arrows should have been blown back by the wind, but unfortunately, it lacked the force to redirect the heavy orichalcum arrows.
As a result, it only slowed their descent slightly.
"Ugh! That's not it. Then something else..." But it was then.
Piiiiiing!
Nigel on the ground caught a slowly falling orichalcum needle with her sword and hurled it back toward Heracles.
The orichalcum needle, infused with the power of the Full Power Technique, pierced the temple's protective barrier and flew toward Heracles's feet.
Nabu grinned at the sight.
"Ha, it wasn't completely useless! Alright, let's go with something similar!"
While Nigel and Nabu distracted Heracles, Zeke stealthily circled behind the ritual site.
He had used the Authority of the Arrogant Savior to reconstitute and neutralize the barrier before entering the area.
Heracles, still focused on Nabu and Nigel, continued firing his arrows without respite.
Hidden in the shadows, Zeke addressed the system.
'System, connect to that golem.ʼ
If he could access Heracles's management system and seize control, he might turn this fearsome golem into an ally.
But contrary to Zeke's expectations, the system displayed a warning message.
[Unable to locate connection point for the entity. Connection impossible.]
[Estimated to operate independently from the management system.]
[Direct contact with the Drive Core is required to connect to an independent entity.]
It seemed designed to operate autonomously, detached from the city's management system for security.
'Then I'll have to strike directly and connect to the Drive Core.ʼ Zeke drew Ascalon.
As a sword made of the same orichalcum, it should be capable of damaging Heracles's main body.
"Kiyoooooot!"
Outside the barrier, Nabu was noisily drawing Heracles's attention, while Nigel continued hurling orichalcum needles back as counterattacks.
Zeke approached Heracles stealthily.
He aimed to make contact with the Drive Core in one swift move and seize control.
But at that moment, he sensed something off from the side.
'What is that?ʼ Kiri-ri-rik!
A swarm of black insects was gathering darkly in the air.
Zeke focused his gaze to examine the approaching insects closely.
'What is that?ʼ
The insects took on various grotesque forms, unlike any ordinary Magical Beast.
It felt as if insects had attached themselves to the backs of Magical Beasts scattered throughout the domain, controlling them as hosts.
Kirrrruk!
These horrific creatures were monsters born from the fusion of the insects Baron had summoned and the Magical Beasts in Atlantis.
Soon, the monsters possessing traits of both Magical Beasts and insects descended, screeching toward where Nigel and Nabu were.
Keeeek!
They then opened their maws wide and began spewing venomous stingers at them.
Nabu, startled by the sudden onslaught of monsters, sharply turned his flying carpet's direction.
He dodged quickly, but a venomous stinger from the monsters grazed his carpet.
Chiiiiiik—
Even a slight touch caused the carpet to burn away rapidly.
"Argh! What the hell is this?!"
One edge of the carpet nearly melted, and it lost power, plummeting toward the ground.
Nabu hastily opened his book and summoned a cloud with Word Magic.
Hooo-ooo-ooo!
He landed safely on the rising cloud and stood up; the cloud soon dispersed like mist.
"Oh man, my back."
Rubbing his waist, Nabu looked up to identify his attackers. He saw hundreds of monsters swarming darkly in the air.
"Damn it!"
Nabu summoned arrows of light again and fired them at the incoming monsters.
On the other side, Nigel swung her sword at the charging monsters.
Chiiiiiik!
The acidic bodily fluids spilling from the slashed monsters emitted green smoke.
Soon, the area filled with that smoke, and Nigel felt a sudden dizziness.
'Vicious poison mist.ʼ
Restricting her breathing to avoid the poison mist, she swung her sword, but its power was noticeably diminished.
Watching from behind, Zeke gritted his teeth.
'Baron... He knew we'd hit this place first and waited for an opening.ʼ
Zeke expanded his senses to locate Baron, who must be hiding nearby.
At that moment, Heracles, still holding his longbow, began a different movement.
Zeke pondered his next move while observing Heracles.
In a situation where Baron could strike from anywhere at any time, acting rashly might invite an ambush. If he were alone, the decision would be swift, but with Nabu and Nigel present, he had to consider their safety as well.
As Zeke deliberated, Heracles set down his longbow and donned the Lion-Head Helm again. He then assumed a steadfast stance, forming a triangle with his hands and gathering them toward his chest.
Woooong!
Vibrations emanated from Heracles's entire orichalcum body, concentrating into the triangular hand formation at his chest.
He promptly unleashed the gathered vibration wave forward.
Kiiiiiiing—
The vibration wave Heracles released engulfed the monsters charging toward Nabu and Nigel.
Incredibly, the Magical Beasts fused with Baron's insects couldn't withstand that single blast and began plummeting to the ground.
Keeeek!
The Magical Beasts writhed, spewing all their bodily fluids, and the insects fused with them started separating.
The insects detached from the dying Magical Beasts, spread their wings, and soared into the air.
Heracles's Lion-Head Helm's maw then gaped wide.
Roooar!
White Flame erupted from the lion's mouth, unleashing a flame storm toward the flying insects.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The insects caught in the flame storm turned to ash and scattered in an instant.
Nabu and Nigel's eyes widened like saucers at Heracles, who had dispatched hundreds of monsters in a flash.
"Wow... Insane. With a golem like that, who needs Highlanders?"
Even Nigel, who rarely agreed with Nabu, could only nod this time.
Heracles, having swiftly eradicated the Magical Beasts, picked up his longbow once more.
Nabu and Nigel, who had been watching in awe, panicked and retreated.
"Damn! It's not over yet?!"
It was then, as Heracles nocked another orichalcum arrow and drew the bowstring.
Creeeeak!
A powerful impact from the side sent Heracles's massive frame tumbling sideways.
Zeke, wielding Ascalon and unleashing the Elemental Sword's Chamber of Gravity, had struck Heracles.
'Iʼll end this as quickly as possible.ʼ
Uncertain when or where Baron might ambush, Zeke needed to swiftly contact the Drive Core.
Zeke charged at the fallen Heracles.
He raised Ascalon and mounted the still-rising Heracles, striking down at the cuirass.
Creeeang! Creeeang! Creeeeang!
Each clash of Ascalon against Heracles's body sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
As Zeke's attacks continued, the light in Heracles's eyes shifted again.
Zing!
In an instant, Heracles dropped the longbow and drew the club at his side.
Woooong!
A faint vibration emanated from the massive orichalcum club Heracles wielded.
Heracles immediately swung the club toward Zeke.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Zeke, mid-strike on the cuirass, sensed the incoming club and twisted, swinging his sword.
Kwa-kwa-bang!
The sword and club collided, producing a roar like an explosion.
Zeke grimaced at the shock reverberating through his sword-gripping palm.
'Is this the power of a mere golem?ʼ
The force in the club was the kind felt from seasoned knights. It wasn't a simple swing; it carried the finesse of swordsmanship.
As Zeke wondered, vibrations began surging through Heracles's entire body.
Woooong!
Zeke felt the vibrating power seeping into his own body and recalled something similar.
'This is... Resonance of Strong Waves and Empty Vibration?ʼ
It was a force akin to the Demonic Qi Art, Resonance of Strong Waves and Empty Vibration, that Arataso had taught him—now wielded by the golem Heracles.
Heracles prepared to swing the club at Zeke again, infusing it with vibrational power.
Zeke, sensing this, rebounded off the golem and retreated.
Thud!
Heracles rose once more, glaring at Zeke while raising the club.
Zeke, gripping Ascalon, stared back at Heracles and steadied his breathing.
Then, looking at Heracles, he said.
"You're no mere golem."