The cabinet shook violently, but the electric current lasted a full minute. The cabinet only trembled intensely; the magic circle behind it remained completely intact.
"How is this possible?"
Kurano Kiriha stared at the unharmed cabinet. This was the first time she had encountered an array she couldn't break.
"Sorry, big sis, it looks like we can't handle this!"
Kurano Kiriha let out a sigh.
"Sigh! Whatever secret Shiromaru Chi is hiding back there has to be the weapon manufacturing you mentioned. It's not easy to open."
Saiki didn't say anything more. He simply stretched his fingers taut and flicked them toward the wooden cabinet.
Boom!
The energy seal in front of the wooden cabinet shattered, and the cabinet itself was destroyed. Behind it extended a passage lined with runes.
"Ah! This..."
"We put in so much effort and still couldn't open it..."
Kurano Kiriha's body trembled. Her mouth fell open in shock, speechless.
She had expended so much effort earlier and still failed to open it, yet Saiki had just flicked it open with his finger.
[Well, let's go.]
Saiki glanced at the still-shocked group, then walked into the passage. Kurano Kiriha finally snapped out of it, closed her gaping mouth, and followed after him.
Tap tap...
After walking along the wall for a while, they indeed reached an open space filled with various robots three to four meters tall. Especially prominent was a large ship up ahead with a massive cannon mounted on top.
[See? This is it.]
"It's definitely Shiromaru Chi."
Kurano Kiriha clenched her fists tightly.
"I'll report this to the clan head. When the time comes..."
[When the time comes, you'll probably let him off, right?]
...
[That would be too lenient. If he finds out you discovered this secret passage and these things, he'll definitely silence you by killing you.]
Kurano Kiriha thought that was unlikely. She was the clan head's daughter and the commander ruling the surface world. How could he possibly think of... just over something like this?
While Kurano Kiriha was still caught in her whirlwind of thoughts and doubts, a voice of agreement rang out.
"He's right."
From the entrance came Shiromaru Chi, walking in with a group of people trailing behind him. Each of them held guns, clearly approaching with hostile intent.
"Shiromaru Chi!!"
"Commander, what this human brat said is correct. Since you've seen it, don't expect to leave here alive."
Kurano Kiriha gritted her teeth, staring in disbelief at the man who had now revealed his ugly true face.
"Now that we're in the underground world, you want to kill me here? Do you know what the consequences will be?!"
"Of course I know. I've been following you all along and already set up a barrier here. Even if something happens to the clan head, by the time he arrives, you'll already be dead."
Hearing Kurano Kiriha's words, Shiromaru Chi remained remarkably calm and composed.
"I'll tell him you were manipulated and controlled by surface dwellers, and that you were killed. With the new commander assassinated, public opinion will swing toward military invasion."
A flash of anger crossed Kurano Kiriha's eyes.
"So you're planning to use my death? Damn you."
"To die for the glory of the people of the earth—you should feel grateful."
[What an awful personality, this old man.]
Shiromaru Chi stared at Saiki in stunned silence for a moment, then shouted,
"You... you're that monster from ten years ago..."
[Oh, so you're one of the fish that slipped through the net back then? Come to think of it, there was one who ran away in a pathetic panic...]
"Enough talk. Open fire!"
After seeing Saiki, Shiromaru Chi's eyes flashed with six parts rage, three parts disbelief, and one part fear. He no longer hesitated and ordered his men to shoot.
The laser gun bullets sped toward Kurano Kiriha and Saiki.
"Karama, Korama, activate the barrier!"
The two clay dolls flew overhead. In front of Saiki and Kurano Kiriha appeared a rune barrier that easily blocked the bullets.
Kurano Kiriha commanded, "Karama, Korama, neutralize the machinery!"
"Got it, heh, mama heh."
Immediately afterward, they released electric shocks that struck the guns still firing.
The shooters were hit, their weapons flying from their hands and falling to the ground.
"Automatic dolls from the Kurano family? But they're useless. I have them too. Come forth, Chagu!"
With Shiromaru Chi's command, the ground cracked open. Out rushed a massive clay doll the size of Tiga Ultraman.
Kurano Kiriha: "So big!"
[What a huge clay doll.]
Kurano Kiriha: "This is one of the combat clay dolls from the Shiromaru family, but ours aren't inferior. Karama, Korama, go!"
The enormous clay doll still floating in the air unleashed a powerful beam from its mouth. Karama and Korama went full power, countering with their electric attack.
The two beams clashed in midair—on the left was the Shiromaru family's combat clay doll, on the right the Kurano family's.
Karama: "We won't lose to some mere clay doll!"
(But aren't you two also clay dolls?)
Korama: "If we lose, it'll tarnish the haniwa's reputation!"
The two beams canceled each other out in the air.
Saiki looked at the massive clay doll.
[It's all show and no substance. So big, yet not as useful as these two little ones.]
Meanwhile, Shiromaru Chi stealthily pulled out a remote control from somewhere and pressed it. The surrounding robots came to life and slowly advanced toward Saiki and the others step by step.
"I won't underestimate you. Just die already."
Kurano Kiriha leaped up, raised her fist, and slammed it hard into a robot's abdomen. At the same moment, electricity surged, knocking her back.
Saiki caught Kurano Kiriha and set her down on the ground.
"Big sis, you okay?"
After the beam clash ended, Karama and Korama saw Kurano Kiriha get knocked away by the robot and hurriedly surrounded her protectively.
[You two just stay by her side. Leave this to me.]
Kurano Kiriha supported herself on her knees and stood up, stubbornly saying,
"I'm fine. It didn't do much damage. These robots are tough to deal with—even Kusuo might have a hard fight."
Saiki stepped forward and kicked the robot's head clean off with one blow.
[What did you say? I didn't hear clearly.]
Kurano Kiriha: ...
"I didn't say anything!"
Shiromaru Chi, meanwhile, was sneaking toward the massive cannon on the giant cockpit.
Saiki naturally noticed, but just as he moved to jump, a huge fist came smashing down toward his head.
Boom!
The enormous fist struck the ground, creating a massive crater. The fist embedded itself deeply.
Yes—that was the Shiromaru family's combat clay doll. Its eyes glowed red as if about to explode, and red light emanated from its body as well.
"Kusuo!!"
Though Kurano Kiriha believed Saiki was very strong, she didn't know exactly how strong. Seeing him get punched into the ground by the Shiromaru combat clay doll still sent a jolt of worry through her heart.