ch1-ch20 · 003-ch3

Chapter 3: World Clock

『World Clock — ten seconds until gate opening! All Hunters, prepare for engagement!』

A giant clock ticked away with a groaning creak. What nightmares lurked beyond its doors?

The Hunters standing on the defense line were already in combat formation.

『3……2……1……Gate open!!』

The world shook.

Like a black torrent, an army of abominations came flooding out.

Roars, screams, a high-pitched screech like metal grinding against metal.

A nightmare that defied reality was about to descend upon this town——and the Hunters tasked with meeting it charged forward without hesitation.

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A certain Hunter ignited flames in his palms.

The moment the World Clock opened, his skill erupted.

"Hellfire, unleash!!"

Thrusting both hands forward, a pillar of fire roared to life with a thunderous boom. The air warped. Flames exceeding 3,000°C slammed into the monster army inside the clock.

The monsters had no means of defense — roasted by the fire, they crumbled to ash or fell powerlessly to the ground.

"Burn 'em all to ash in one shot and it's easy."

Right after the gate opens, the enemy is at maximum density. Aiming for that exact moment was his optimal solution.

But the monsters weren't just going to sit there and take it. Creatures that should have been incinerated completely were rising back up, dripping black fluid.

"Oi, don't go slacking off on me! If you scatter across the battlefield it's a pain in the ass!"

"Understood! Master!"

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Elsewhere, a giant monster was bringing its fist crashing down on a man.

CLANG!!!

Shockwaves blasted outward, the ground shattering beneath the impact.

But the man didn't budge an inch.

"That all you got?"

Yet another Hunter stood motionless before a swarm of monsters, hands stuffed in his pockets, grinning eerily.

Every time he was struck, a metallic clang rang out——he possessed a body of steel that repelled all physical attacks.

He clenched his fist, and then——

"My turn."

Swinging his fist through the air, the bodies of every monster in his vicinity shattered to pieces as if they'd been slammed by an invisible force.

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"Alright, time to work."

A Hunter who had charged straight into the heart of the monster horde was carving through them at blinding speed.

The dual swords in their hands traced crimson trails through the air.

"These guys ain't even a challenge."

"No chatting during combat."

"Got it!"

A black blade bursting from the shadows and a high-speed crimson blade raced across the battlefield together.

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A faded blue jersey and sandals.

An unarmed boy stood in the center of the monster horde.

"Come."

What appeared behind him was a giant Black Knight.

The Black Knight's body split open, and various weapon "handles" jutted out from inside.

"...Too much effort, so I'll go with the one that takes the least work."

What he drew from the knight's torso was a transparent sword.

In that instant, the entire area around him grew bitterly cold. The next moment——the world froze.

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『Suppression rate at 28%! Looking good!』

『As expected of our nation's proud Hunters. We can't let our guard down, but at this rate, we should have it suppressed in about two hours.』

The battle was progressing according to plan.

Each Hunter was fulfilling their role, efficiently containing the World Clock's incursion——

Until that moment.

『……Emergency alert!!』

The crisis alarm blaring through the command booth instantly transformed the atmosphere in the operations room.

『Emergency alert!! Abnormal readings detected in Aoba Town!!』

Aoba Town?

For a moment, everyone thought they'd misheard.

"What are the readings!?"

Information was demanded immediately.

The operator stared at the display, frozen solid. His mouth opened, but no words came out.

"……Output reading… on par with the Akayama Town World Clock… no, even higher than that…!?"

A shockwave ran through the operations room.

"……Hah?"

Those readings should have been impossible.

Aoba Town was an ordinary residential area — not a fortified stronghold like Akayama Town. For that matter, there was no World Clock "there" to begin with.

"W-wait. Did a new World Clock… appear in Aoba Town?"

The moment someone muttered those words, a chill ran down everyone's spine.

They frantically cross-referenced past observation data.

What appeared on the screen——was a waveform nearly identical to the abnormal energy the World Clock emits "right before gate opening."

And if a second World Clock had appeared before the defense operation at Akayama Town was even finished——

"……This country… is done for…?"

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