ch21-ch40 · 024-ch24

Chapter 24: True Strength

With a metallic groan, the World Clock's door swung open.

In an instant, miasma flooded out, warping the space around it.

From the depths of that darkness, thousands — tens of thousands — of small green shadows surged forward.

"Is that... goblins!?"

I shouted reflexively.

"Goblin Riders, and even Ogres!? Those are A-Rank subjugation difficulty, right...?"

I recalled the monster data I'd been reading in the library. Subjugation difficulty corresponds to Hunter rank, meaning an Ogre is a monster that an A-Rank Hunter could defeat.

But that's just a guideline.

For example, an Ogre's body itself is its weapon — like steel — so piercing it requires considerable attack power. That means even an A-Rank speed-type Hunter would struggle against one.

『Then there's nothing to worry about. Proceed as planned.』

The moment Momose-san's radio transmission came through, two massive surges of magic power pulsed across the battlefield.

"!"

Lumiel immediately dropped her gaze downward.

An intense pressure, as if needles were pricking my skin.

She seemed to feel the magic fluctuations too—

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The western sky, which had been clear moments before, darkened as if responding to Shiki Mitsumune's magic power, and began to swell with thunderclaps.

"I'll end it in one shot."

As Shiki's magic power swirled, pale blue lightning spread across the entire sky. His hair shifted to silver-white, and electric currents gathered around him.

His skill Five Great Element Mage allows him to convert magic power into fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. Additionally, he can manipulate and nullify them, boasting powerful magic attacks as well as nearly invincible magical defense.

"Terra Thunder!"

Shiki shouted as if declaring.

The moment a flash of lightning passed through the door—

The world turned white.

A colossal lightning bolt had pierced through the horde of monsters.

The flash of lightning that pierced the heavens split the earth at supersonic speed. Those running on the ground, those flying in the sky — all of them were electrocuted and charred in an instant.

Thousands of Riders in the great horde were burned before they could even scream.

Charred corpses fell, creating mountains on the battlefield.

The lightning didn't converge but spread out in a chain reaction.

Bolts struck fleeing goblins, propagating to the ones next to them.

The explosive electromagnetic waves and intense heat deformed the terrain around the door itself.

"Can't quite get all of them. Not smart."

Shiki muttered in dissatisfaction. The wind blew, and the mountain of ash rose into the air, returning to the sky.

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West side—

While many goblins were burned by Shiki's lightning strike, a massive number still remained. Goblin Riders that had slipped through the repeated thunderbolts spotted Kunimori Ren standing there blankly and glided through the air toward him.

"Alright, time to take 'em down."

In response to Kunimori Ren's call, the Black Knight behind him began to move.

Kunimori Ren's skill Karakuri Divine Armament is essentially a Magic Bag.

He selects weapons stored in the knight's body according to the situation, pulls them out, and uses them. The contraption itself is like a box for storing items, but its greatest feature is that the user grows stronger simply by feeding it weapons.

The Black Knight's chest slowly opened, and a pitch-black bow rose from the darkness within.

Patterns engraved on its surface glowed faintly gold, and star-like crests emerged.

"Meteor Bow loaded."

A single arrow materialized in Ren's hand.

A single arrow of condensed magic power. But it was no ordinary arrow.

"Silver Star."

The bow was drawn, and the air trembled.

After being loosed — that single arrow split apart.

Like fireworks bursting in the sky, the light arrows spread infinitely and glittered.

One became ten.

Ten became a hundred.

A hundred became a thousand, spreading across the sky.

Each and every one of those arrows individually locked onto targets, changed trajectories, and relentlessly pursued the fleeing Goblin Riders.

Explosions of light, light, light in the sky—

Wyverns burst, death throes echoed, and they vanished.

Some Riders tried to escape above the clouds, but the arrows accelerated further and pursued.

"Don't let any slip through, it's a pain."

『If you have time to complain, keep moving.』

"I am working."

Kunimori and Shiki exchanged those short remarks.

The devastation by two S-Ranks was also being broadcast.

But the sheer scale of it had actually reduced the number of comments — everyone was mesmerized by what they were seeing.

『T-This is nothing short of astonishing. "Magic Prince" Shiki Mitsumune Hunter, and "Treasure of the Japanese Hunter World" Kunimori Ren Hunter — overwhelming suppression! Ladies and gentlemen, this is not special effects! This is happening in reality!』

Isn't this, like, a different level?

Maybe it's a weaker clock than the other one?

No, apparently the measurement data is equivalent

For real? S-Ranks are insane...

Shiki-sama is beautiful as always

Our hope — Kunimori Ren!!

Whenever he heard the announcer's voice, Kunimori stuck a finger in his ear and made an exaggerated grimace.

"So noisy..."

『Hey, don't say that even if you're thinking it. It lowers the guild's dignity.』

"It's grating on my ears. Anyway, any weapon drops?"

『No, nothing. Just restorative medicines and materials.』

"Ugh... really..."

『Don't be so down. We're the only ones monopolizing this one; something will drop eventually.』

"Yeah? Then I'm motivated."

After that exchange, the two resumed their annihilation campaign toward the door.

◇◆◇◆◇

And the south—

"...They're here."

Maeda Akira quietly opened her eyes, listening to countless tremors in the earth.

What emerged with the rumbling was an army of Ogres.

But these were aberrations — clad in armor from head to toe, with bone-like spikes protruding from their backs.

"This feeling... been a while."

Akira, dressed in black combat gear, muttered and began walking quietly.

Who's that beauty?

Huh, isn't that the Hammer Goddess?

No no, she retired

You don't know? I heard she came back

Seriously!?

The broadcast drone followed her.

As viewers watched through their screens, she stopped before the Ogres.

"Here I go."

BOOM — the ground sank, and Akira vanished.

Instant movement — no, a step that looked like teleportation.

The trajectory her fist drew was impossible for anyone to follow with their eyes.

A light crack sound, and the Ogre's face exploded.

Beside the giant body crumpling to the ground stood Akira, her shoes shattered, bare foot exposed.

"That's one..."

Akira muttered quietly.

Did anyone see that?

Seriously, what just happened?

Akira then dove into the Ogre's chest at a speed too fast to follow, split its massive body vertically with one sweep of her arm from below to above, and casually kicked it sideways as if it were in the way.

The chunk of what used to be an Ogre flew at tremendous speed, taking out several waiting Ogres and a few Goblin Riders before exploding.

『Wh-...uh, what's happening?!』

The announcer couldn't even announce properly.

Question marks flew across the comment section.

"Rampage as excessively as possible to demonstrate Remnant's authority — that's the plan, right?"

『Exactly. Go big.』

At Momose's voice, Akira shifted her gaze to the next prey.

She stepped forward heavily, and her form blurred.

In the blink of an eye, Akira appeared at the Ogre's feet.

With an uppercut that shot from jaw to skull, piercing through the spine, she launched the massive body straight upward.

The surrounding Ogres charged at her all at once.

Akira grabbed one by the ankle and swung it around.

The Ogre, used like a hammer throw, mowed through its comrades as it spun.

The sound of bones shattering, armor tearing, roars, screams — Akira became a storm of incarnate death, raging across the battlefield.

"Next."

After the enemies around her fell silent, she swept back her black hair and muttered curtly.

Huh, isn't she stronger than the other S-Ranks?

Well, she's S-Rank rank 3

Poor Ogres lol

I looked up her skill — 'Physical Enhancement'? That's so ordinary?

Ordinary or not, she started at E-Rank

Wait, you can go from E-Rank to S-Rank?

Maeda Akira's skill Physical Enhancement could be called the most common skill in the world.

But "physical ability" isn't limited to simple strength and senses — the range of effects is broad, including skin and bone hardness, brain processing speed, and more.

Most users can only boost their physical abilities by about 1.1 to 1.5 times at most. But through blood-soaked effort, she had honed her skill to the point where her physical ability had swelled by several tens of times.

"Next."

Once, for the sake of important people.

Now, for her beloved younger brother and his partner.

The Hammer Goddess swung her fist, covered in blood.

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