The heavy iron beast rumbled slowly into Yashiro Station, preparing to traverse the facility via the main rail line. Inside the Koutetsujou, the steam boilers roared, sending faint tremors through the tracks.
Just as everyone thought things were going smoothly and no further accidents would occur, a sudden mutation struck.
A gargantuan entity abruptly lunged out of the pitch-black mine, its stature reaching a staggering twenty meters. It scaled the walls with terrifying speed, heading straight for Misono Mika on the trestle bridge.
Mika turned toward the noise. Though she had anticipated this, the sight of the creature still revolted her.
'That look is certainly... unique.'
Under the sunlight, a lizard-like monstrosity composed of countless individual units crawled up the wall. Thick clusters of heads, limbs, and torsos writhed incessantly across its surface. It was as disgusting as a mass of maggots squirming over rotting meat—a true nightmare for anyone with trypophobia.
The survivors of Yashiro Station called this thing Black Smoke, but its official designation was a Fused Colony. Using a specific Kabane as a core, it could merge Kabane, humans, and even corpses into a singular, massive colossus of war.
Beside her, a bead of cold sweat rolled down Mumei's clean face as she witnessed the arrival of the Fused Colony.
"This thing actually exists? It's my first time seeing one... What do we do now?!"
Mumei looked at Mika in a panic. She knew that if Mika summoned a meteor, she could crush the Fused Colony instantly. However, the destructive power of a meteor was staggering; it might collapse the trestles of Yashiro Station, killing everyone on them—and the Koutetsujou was already halfway across!
More seriously, a meteor took time to fall. Striking the Fused Colony required precise prediction and the gamble that the target wouldn't dodge. Since the creature was directly beneath them, a meteor strike would inevitably catch them in the blast.
Without the meteor, Mumei was certain Mika's gun wouldn't be enough. Though its power was impressive, only large-caliber artillery could typically breach that defense to expose the core Kabane inside.
"No need for alarm. Everything is within my expectations. Rest easy; leave this to me."
Mika gave her a reassuring smile, then leveled the muzzle of Quis ut Deus at the Fused Colony climbing rapidly toward them.
Mumei opened her mouth to protest, but the words died in her throat. She shouldn't doubt Mika; the girl held far too many secrets. What Mumei saw was likely just the tip of the iceberg.
★ ★ ★
Near the crane.
"What on earth is that thing?!"
"Dammit, it's heading straight for Lady Mika!"
Araka Kibito and Kurusu Konochi turned pale at the sight of the pitch-black Fused Colony. They had never seen anything so terrifying. Compared to it, the Koutetsujou looked like an oversized toy.
They realized that among the abilities Mika had shown, only the meteor could handle such a thing. A chill ran down their spines, reaching their very marrow.
"This is bad!"
Kurusu stared at the Koutetsujou, which was only halfway through the passage, then looked at the sky in terror.
"Hurry! Faster!"
Aboard the Koutetsujou, people pressed their faces against the windows. Seeing the Fused Colony close in on Mika, those who had witnessed the meteor shower at Aragane Station looked to the sky with dread.
Ayame Yomogawa bit her lip and shouted to the driver, Yukina, "Can we go any faster?"
"No, this is the limit. If we push any harder, the boiler will explode."
"So we can't..."
Ayame gave a bitter smile, looking at the grim faces around her. After a moment of hesitation, she spoke firmly: "Everyone, stay calm! Lady Mika hasn't summoned a meteor immediately, which means she's worried about hitting us. We can't just watch; we have to find a way to support her!"
Ayame produced a map of Yashiro Station. After scanning it, she pointed to a specific location. "Here is the warehouse for the Siege Cannon. we need to get there as quickly as possible and use the Koutetsujou to pull it out. We can provide fire support for Lady Mika!"
Just as the retainers prepared to agree, the lookout peering through the skylight cried out in shock.
"Lady Ayame! The monster reached the bridge and leaped! It's pouncing directly at Lady Mika!"
"What?!"
Ayame's heart skipped a beat. The news made her stagger. A monster that size had enough weight to flatten the Koutetsujou, let alone a fragile human body. She didn't know if Mika's physical strength surpassed steel, but being hit by that would definitely spell a disaster.
She screamed, "Is Lady Mika alright?!"
"It... it's already over..."
"?"
★ ★ ★
Outside.
The Fused Colony leaped high, its massive frame blotting out the sun. An ugly shadow swallowed Mika and Mumei below. The collective shriek of countless Kabane rang out—a piercing, sickening howl.
Mumei looked up at the pouncing mass. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and her palms slicked with sweat. Out of trust for Mika, she didn't try to dodge. Instead, she fixed her eyes on Mika's back.
"Rest in peace now."
Kyrie Eleison!
Mika's eyes sharpened. A miniature pink galaxy abruptly manifested beneath her feet, with spheres of varying sizes orbiting a circular path. Pink fluorescence gathered at the muzzle, and she pulled the trigger!
Bang bang bang—!
Dozens of bullets streaked across the sky like falling stars, trailing brilliant pink light as they jetted from the dark muzzle. Each round carried immense energy, carving elegant arcs through the air as they slammed into the roaring Fused Colony.
The Fused Colony seemed to sense a lethal threat; the dense pack of Kabane let out uneasy shrieks.
The moment the bullets hit, the space around the Fused Colony distorted. A miniature pink galaxy—identical to the one beneath Mika's feet—appeared around the monster. The orbiting planets spun with violent speed, emitting a blinding radiance. As the rotation accelerated, the galaxy contracted into a single, shimmering point.
Just as that point was about to vanish, it detonated. A dazzling pink cross-star erupted from the center, releasing a massive shockwave of energy.
Under the impact, the bodies of the countless Kabane within the Fused Colony were pulverized instantly, turning into a mist of blood. Even the air seemed shaken by the force, sending ripples of pink gas expanding in all directions.
Battle finished!
Total time: 0.75 seconds.