arc3 · 196-ch196

Chapter 196: Free-for-All ③

"Sieg Howard!? Why are YOU here!?"

Shinonome-san cried out in shock, the battle with the Terror's Symbol completely forgotten. The other members had involuntarily taken their eyes off it too. Seriously — it's already rough going with just Shiden and Hayate. What do you all think you're doing!?

That said, Sieg certainly had aimed for the tastiest possible timing to show up. Would've been nice if he'd come out a lot sooner.

"Yeah, yeah, don't sweat the details! Leave that thing to me!"

By the time he finished saying that, Sieg was already standing in the Terror's Symbol's path. He moved so fast I couldn't even tell when.

"Take this!"

Before he'd even finished saying it, the Terror's Symbol went flying sideways, and the next thing I knew, Sieg had his right fist raised to the sky. Going by the sight in front of me, Sieg had smashed a punch into the Terror's Symbol's side. The monster barely managed to land on both feet, but with about three of its ribs broken, its Regeneration wasn't keeping up. No — that's not it. The Regeneration hadn't even started. So this is the rumored Destruction attribute.

Queens and Ouroboros alike were plainly rattled by Sieg Howard's entrance. Jim, who hadn't turned a hair this whole time, was glaring at Sieg with unmistakable venom.

Onodake, boss of Ouroboros, had likewise given up chasing Jim and now held his two-handed axe close to his body, eyes locked on Sieg's every movement. Incredible, Sieg Howard. Overwhelming presence. That's the explorer I've always looked up to, alright.

"And it just keeps coming!"

Just like he said, Sieg hammered the Terror's Symbol with a barrage from both fists. The Terror's Symbol swung its greatsword back at an impossible speed to counter, but Sieg's relentless assault was outpacing it, and the damage kept piling up for certain.

"∝∋¶∀‡∫"

At that moment, the Lich — which had been flinging magic around indiscriminately — hurled its lightning magic straight at Sieg.

Bash!

"Whoops, that was close!"

Sieg dodged the lightning fired from the Lich's hand with staggering reflexes. The man's physical abilities are absurd.

"Hey — even I can't take both of these solo. The Lich's yours!"

And with that, Sieg planted himself in front of the Terror's Symbol once more. Alright — while Queens and Ouroboros are frozen in place, let's take the Lich down.

"Shinonome-san, support, please."

I asked Shinonome-san for backup and sent Shiden and Hayate at the Lich.

"Roger! Stone Lance!"

Sieg's arrival had put fresh wind in Kokushi Musou's sails. First, Shinonome-san fired a Stone Lance at the Lich. At the same moment, Hayate drove its Magic Machine Cannons in from the right. To dodge those two attacks, the Lich chose to break left.

"Right where I want it!"

Having successfully herded the Lich's movement, I fired the Thunder Bullet Machine Cannon into the spot it fled to.

BZZT-BZZT-BZZT!

The thunder rounds hit dead-on as aimed, crackling as they scorched the Lich black.

"And this on top!"

I drove the Wind Bullet Machine Cannon in after it.

Fwooh! Fwooh! Fwooh!

The near-invisible Wind Bullets punched clean through the Lich's body. Its frame whittled away and away, until at last it dissolved into a black haze and vanished.

【You defeated the Lich】

(Ooh! I finally took down the Lich!)

Turns out if Shiden's shots actually land, they can dish out some serious damage. Which would mean that beating higher-rank monsters all comes down to how quickly and precisely I can pilot, doesn't it.

Our killing the Lich spurred Queens and Ouroboros into motion as well.

"Onodake. Cast aside our old grudges — should we not join hands for the moment?"

Jim, standing opposite Ouroboros's leader Onodake, had come out with that proposal.

"What, at this poin— ...I'd like to say that, but keep this up and we wipe each other out for certain. Fine. We take down Sieg first, then."

And what's more, Onodake accepted the offer. At both leaders' orders the fighting stopped, and everyone turned to face us and squared up.

【You defeated Terror's Symbol】

At the same moment, Sieg finished the Terror's Symbol off. I can't believe he soloed a Terror's Symbol — the title of world's strongest is no decoration, that's for sure.

"Whoa whoa — you people serious about taking me on? I don't hold back, you know... I'll kill you?"

Even after fighting the Terror's Symbol, Sieg had plenty left in the tank. He glared down at everyone assembled against us and put real menace into his voice. That alone made everyone but Jim and Onodake take a step back.

"I apologize for targeting Kokushi Musou's members, fearing interference. But my aim is solely to take that drone home with me. It would ease matters considerably if you were to withdraw."

Jim came out with an outrageous deal like it was nothing.

"Hah? Quit talking in your sleep. Did you lot not watch the press conference the other day? ...Oh, that's right — you were too busy diving into a dungeon to notice the pack of criminals trailing along right behind you."

Jim fell sullenly silent under Sieg's jab. I see — I'd been wondering how the Ouroboros members got this far in. So they'd snuck in quietly on Queens' heels, following the trail they carved.

"We'll give up on the drone. We've no interest in Kokushi Musou either. Seems there's no reason for us to be at odds, no?"

Even Ouroboros, it seems, would rather not make an enemy of Sieg.

"Sorry, but I can't look the other way where criminals are concerned. You're not about to do anything decent from here on out anyway, are you?"

But that proposal got shot down by Sieg in one stroke.

"Then I suppose we'll put up a bit of a fight. Hey, Jim — none of that stabbing-me-in-the-back business now."

"That's my line. First, we take Sieg down at full strength."

With the two leaders agreed, the battle of Sieg and Kokushi Musou versus Queens and Ouroboros began.