LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 016
Chapter 16
0-Rank Combat Record
Crazed Magical Girl
“Happiness Drop!”
Damn it.
I’m drenched.
Feeling the twist of rain hitting me.
It feels like a filthy experience.
Even getting twisted feels like crap, but if there’s drugs mixed in here, it’s bound to feel worse.
The kids hit by the rain seem to act freely and look happy, but I’m not feeling that way at all.
Can I really be happy?
The curtain of torrents, like a drought in my field of vision, has settled on my tongue, and raindrops flow down my throat.
Expectations betrayed me far too easily.
What I feel is only a strange taste mixed with the sensation in my hands.
Mentally, I don’t feel anything at all.
“Hey! Cherry Mallet, what are you doing just gallivanting around without even attending the meeting?”
It’s Cherry Mallet—there’s only one person who calls me like that.
“What I do is none of your business, Thunder God.”
A cocky-looking little kid with yellow hair. They claim to be a girl, but with such an underdeveloped body, they’re just a kid.
“Seriously, with the kids missing, if you keep screwing around, who’s going to stop her?”
What a pointless interjection.
“We have plenty of people to stop her. Your country has Warrior Gwanggun, and our country has Cheonma Gyeomshin.”
“If those idiots drop out, who the hell is going to stop that crazed bitch? Just yesterday, two of our people were killed.”
I see. Is the problem that the Physical Types are dropping one by one? More importantly, two have died?
“Who died?”
“Still don’t care, huh? You don’t even know who died in that mess?”
If I can just survive, that’s all that matters.
“I shouldn’t even have to pay attention to these things until this morning’s meeting.”
“Now that you mention it, why don’t you tell me something too?”
“Alright.”
The Thunder God sits down next to me and opens his mouth.
“Boomer and Meteor.”
“Boomer? In close combat? That’s unexpected, but what about Meteor?”
That sniper who was supposed to be a pro shouldn’t just suddenly die.
“She got shot in the head while looking at the Crazed Magical Girl through her scope and died instantly.”
“Instantly? Who was shooting next to her? That shouldn’t happen.”
That’s common in the front lines.
It’s not unusual to have a mad person shoot at your own side, as such mental disconnects happen frequently among those approaching the Otherworld. And the danger level is sky-high, so the real problem is that an A-Rank Awakened was taken over all at once.
That’s way too risky.
“The mental manipulation level is higher than expected. Doesn’t the alliance think about their soldiers’ well-being?”
If they leave them like this, they might all collectively fall under mind control. Under the worst-case scenario, our side could turn into enemies.
“Russia and the U.S. are diametrically opposed. Their own Awakened have died, and they can’t just let their soldiers get exiled like this.”
“They’re all seriously dying, but what’s this about pride?”
Damn those bastards.
Even if their pride has been compromised, I’m furious. For now, I’ll proceed with the discussion.
To survive, we need information.
“How did Boomer die?”
“No idea.”
That’s a bummer.
“Are you kidding me? You don’t even know how she died?”
“She just died with no wounds whatsoever.”
Is it another power we aren’t aware of?
Something meaninglessly strange happens every day. Some incomprehensible power we can’t even comprehend now even raises the risk.
“Mental manipulation?”
“Not really. Her expression seemed way too strange. It looked like she was stuck with a furious expression.”
“Was there no witness?”
“In an instant, a red flash struck, and then she just died.”
A red flash, huh. That doesn’t seem to be very helpful, though we at least understand that some kind of omen exists.
If it was a sudden flash and then death, it might be a line of instant-death abilities through sight? Or a laser? If I see any red light, I’ll have to shut my eyes and move at super speed.
“What’s the operation for tomorrow?”
“If you’re going to ask everything, just show up for the meeting.”
“I don’t care for Awakened-only meetings. If useless people are mingling in, it just makes the mood worse.”
“Same here.”
The Thunder God spoke in a dissatisfied tone. It’s probably the same for everyone. Even though they possess overwhelming power, they understand they cannot touch their own people, leading to a certain discrimination. Remembering those looks made me feel sick.
I pull out a cigarette from my pocket.
Because it’s a humid area, the cigarette is damp, but at least it’ll lighten my spirits.
“It’s raining, how are you going to light that?”
“Like this.”
The back of my hammer opens, and flames burst forth from the afterburner.
A fire rises up briefly, illuminating the surroundings before fading out.
The cigarette glows brightly at the tip.
It’s warm, the smoke enveloping my dirty mouth.
“Good technique.”
“Once you do it a few times, you get used to it.”
After covering my mouth with the smoke from the burdened joy,
I speak out.
“So, what’s the operation?”
“Full attack.”
“Why? Didn’t they say they’d keep attacking until they weakened enough to fall?”
“With so many S-Rank Awakened dying left and right, there’s no way the operation will be continued.”
The clarity of this brats’ actions should have been evident from the beginning. They completely dismissed our advice and only recovered their senses after their own Awakened died.
Plans that the other ones proposed come to mind: for the rights of the Awakened, we should form a group. Due to the ongoing discussion, it’s been postponed, but now I might have to think seriously about it.
What’s the time for execution?
“Two hours from now.”
Crunch.
The filter of the cigarette crunched between my teeth. The remaining half of the cigarette rolled on the dirt floor as the tip became wet and extinguished.
“Twisted time, huh? Isn’t the timing off?”
“The guy says you’re tough, so you’ll be fine, right?”
Those bastards: no matter how tough they are, Awakened are still people.
Searching my pocket for a new cigarette yielded only half a pack.
“Got a cigarette?”
“I can’t get it supplied because I’m not old enough.”
“Shouldn’t you be 20?”
“In Japan, you can only smoke legally when you turn 20.”
Damn it, seriously: relying on corpses to create a living fantasized creature flying through the sky, the creation of a soulless monster that laughs with glass beads in its eyes.
“About 85962.”
“I believe it.”
People stepped back, and only the gray-haired old man in a ceremonial robe remained with me.
“Old man, do you have enough fuel? Don’t you dare say you want to bash my head with a hammer.”
“Worry about your own body.”
“I’ll outlive you, so don’t worry.”
There was no need to be concerned about Thunder God; I looked toward the sky.
“Kya-ha-ha-ha! What’s this? Cream Hammer? Cheonma Gyeomshin? What famous folks we have here!”
Releasing limitations, pouring mana into the hammer’s size. The ground couldn’t withstand the hammer’s weight and collapsed as it kept growing.
Even Cheonma Gyeomshin drew out his sword, raised it up high, becoming quite the spectacle.
Unlike me, his focus concentrates on just the sword.
Though he emanates calmness, the sword’s power surely reaches transcendent levels.
Let me start.
The hammer that endlessly grew swung from right to left.
The hammer, gleaming with golden light, didn’t miss its target with no angel’s power to interfere and turned into a shockwave.
Kyah! No matter how much Cream Hammer it is, this level of impact is still existence!
True enough.
My hammer’s growth has limited effects, leaving only a small portion of power usable.
But the twisted angels fled backward.
While some entities fell from the impact, they were merely the slow-reacting angels.
However, the primary goal of this attack is to herd them into one location, so my objective has been achieved.
Wham!
Silently, the Cheonma Gyeomshin’s sword elegantly swung down. Contrary to the flashy techniques often showcased, his swordplay was remarkably simple.
“No matter how much of a Cheonma Gyeomshin you are, this height can’t conceal the eyes!”
With the crazed magical girl also rising further into the sky, creating a disturbing situation.
As she said, this may very well lead.
From all around, I could hear echoes of the knack of her being severed.
“What?! Watch out?!”
Tsh! Tsh!
Here and there, blood burst forth, and angelic forms, halved, plummeted to the ground.
Thud, thud.
The bodies thudded to the rain-soaked earth, echoing revolting sounds.
“Seems like there are quite a number of them.”
“Those older folks have gone too far; there’s a limit to how long they can hold back.”
“I suppose so.”
If stress builds up that much, wouldn’t it be better if they released some early on?
Though they claim to change negativity into positive power, in my opinion, they are just turning their stress into power.
If it truly were negative, they wouldn’t tell me to beat them with a hammer to fill them up.
“Let’s go!”
Right as I confirmed the disappearance of the minions, the Awakened began to leap.
The soldiers who were contacted also rained their weapons toward the sky while those unable to fly also grabbed missiles, ready to ascend.
“I’ll go first!”
With the sensation of impact upon my back.
The Thunder God, transformed into yellow lightning, struck my back while stepping on a missile, preparing to take off into the sky.
I need to go too!
“Old man, I’ll be heading as well.”
“Be safe. My back is tired.”
“Yes.”
With a leg teetering on the hammer’s handle, I grasped the shaft. The afterburner aimed toward the ground, propelling me like a rocket up into the air.
This is how it should have been from the beginning:
No matter how much an Awakened may be imbued with the Otherworld’s power, the limits of that strength are clear. Had we executed this from the start and done a full-on offensive, it wouldn’t have led to all these casualties in the prelude.
They were at fault for holding back their own Awakened at the cost of letting things reach this point.
“Don’t get in the way! You damned lackeys of the Otherworld!”
Who are you calling the lackey?
While her right hand was shattered, she frantically cast magic in all directions, continuing to resist.
“Get out of the way! Scram! You pesky flies!”
Having lost all her minions, the smile had vanished from her face, and now she was merely a target.
Countless abilities were unleashed toward her. It was only a matter of time until she fell.
If it ends like this, that’d be nice.
And as if rejecting that thought.
[The mind is soon the body]
I engrave the phrase deep within.
Otherworld Invasion.
“Otherworld Invasion! The mind is soon the body!”
“Confirmed!”
My voice echoed as if being drummed against rapidly, chanting the essence of the Otherworld Invasion.
Lost in the heat of battle, this warning echoed for those being bored.
Guided by combat protocols, I hastily sounded the alarm for the Otherworld Invasion, but what was that supposed to mean? The mind becoming the body?
This Otherworld invasion that turns physical laws upside down has been experienced several times, but for the mind, perhaps it’s something entirely different.
After letting the alarm go, I gazed at the Crazed Magical Girl.
If anyone knows what this all meant, it’d be her.
The girl I stare at has undergone no significant changes.
Her wounds are now thoroughly healed, and she’s merely holding a giant scythe in her right hand.
A pure red scythe formed from her blood now fills the air around her. Twin blades, grotesquely sleek on either side.
Now circling rapidly, she reminds me of something I’ve heard before: about the red flash that occurred before Boomer died.
If seen through the eyes of an Awakened, it would seem slow, but to the soldiers, it would surely resemble an explosion of light.
“Don’t stop! Dodge! This is about Boomer! Unidentified special ability!”
When did I become a commander, acting like this?
Even if it’s so, to save at least one more life, I’ll maximize my voice to deliver this information.
“Confirmed!”
Shouting out information haphazardly, perhaps thanks to my regular loud speeches.
A significant number of Awakened follow my words.
Those able to deliver decisive strikes could forego their attacks to guard instead, while those Awakened who wanted to defend gave up to create openings.
Bang!
The scythe spanned widely, and two who couldn’t respond to my voice were caught.
“Seemed like nothing could stop this!”
“Huh? What was that just now?”
Even their strikes fell victim as they dropped down to the ground before their words finished.
Two fatalities.
Not having cut through a thing, the scythe could bypass everything, but once severed, it became an instant fatal strike.
Why hadn’t I used this until now?
“The scythe that kills the mind—don’t get cut by it! The conditions for use are your own blood and the Otherworld Invasion!”
“Confirmed!”
Before I even finished thinking, someone instantly provided an analysis in response. In reply to that, I dodged the oncoming scythe.
If the mind is indeed soon the body, in that case, to defeat that Crazed Magical Girl, we would have to destroy her mind.
The healing of her wounds signifies that any disturbances in her mind are absent, which means she’s achieved a perfect mental state, which would be utterly absurd.
Once again, we charge at the Crazed Magical Girl, even while being in a wounded condition. Though I don’t know how to kill her mentality, it’s the utmost priority for our group.
*
The battle continued on endlessly.
The Crazed Magical Girl kept swirling her scythe, though only one of us got caught in it afterward.
Thank goodness she wasn’t a Physical Type.
Had she excelled in weaponry, then the casualties would have gone even higher than they are now.
“Dodge! No!”
The crazed magical girl also showed obvious signs of exhaustion.
The swinging scythe grows weaker and smaller, while her own body starts to crack slowly if she doesn’t receive injuries.
Just because they say it’s a perfect mind state doesn’t mean she could avoid the blood piling up.
That’s a relief, but if this back-and-forth continues, the casualties are bound to increase.
Right now, everyone is dodging the scythe well enough, but it’s starting to show signs of slowly decreasing mobility.
The fear of dying with an instant of distraction gnaws at our minds.
We need some significant damage to ensure that she won’t be able to swing the scythe again.
The Crazed Magical Girl continues to whirl the scythe, and we keep dodging it, maintaining a stalemate.
Though this standoff could go on indefinitely, suddenly—
Bang!
In a moment obscured by lightning, a yellow figure appeared behind the Crazed Magical Girl.
The little yellow kid stretched its arms wide and restrained the Crazed Magical Girl.
“Physical type! Attack!”
“Well done, Thunder God!”
All our mana gathered as we leapt over to the Crazed Magical Girl’s head.
While I couldn’t yell out due to concentrating on the scythe, I aimed to land a powerful blow.
Clang! Clang!
A hammer hoarding mana quickly transformed into a malleable form and created afterburners at the back.
Vroooom!
With a sound swelling through the air, the afterburner ignited.
The Crazed Magical Girl struggled desperately but couldn’t escape the Thunder God’s grasp.
Thud.
My hammer connected with her forehead. The final blow graced this long battle.
“Die, you crazy bitch!”
With all my mounting rage, I continued to strike with the hammer.
Kaboom!
As if responding to my fury, flames from the hammer’s afterburners tear forth, increasing its thrust as the hammer crashed down, spreading shockwaves and demolishing the upper body of the Crazed Magical Girl.
Once her support was lost, the lower segment of the Crazed Magical Girl crumbled to the earth amidst a pool of blood while I quietly raised a query.
“Thunder God. You alive?”
“Why are you getting close?”
“If we’re talking pure physical types, how many could there be but me?”
“Especially if physical attacks don’t hit well, that fire still hurts like hell.”
It felt as if chunks of flesh entered my mouth; as I spit out bits of meat, the Thunder God replied.
“If I had been told earlier, I would have prepared.”
“The battle’s over, it’s fine now. Just be cautious next time.”
We exchanged smiles, knowing we’d both survived.
Well, it’s done.
No matter how great she may be, there couldn’t possibly be anyone alive after taking that hit.
*
“Kyahahaha! Amazing! Truly amazing!”
That shrill laughter echoed from the ground.
It seemed everyone realized the situation, promptly descending back as they witnessed her pitiful state.
“Isn’t it grand? To think my body could be so wrecked!”
With a hole in her head, she maintained her form with pieces of flesh.
Her upper body should have flown off, but the regenerating flesh was too grotesque.
“Look! You really think my mind’s dead? The hole won’t close!”
As she shook her head, goo spilled from the hole atop her head, and her eyeball dropped to the ground.
Can this really be called living?
“My body’s a rag! Kya-hahaha!”
Her insides continuously regenerated, spilling onto the earth.
That mangled form, desperately attempting to maintain human shape, was in no way in a normal condition.
It must be a result of her brain acknowledging the attack and that her body shattered entirely.
“Let’s finish this.”
One of the Awakened spoke. Everyone seemed to agree, nodding their heads.
They were once our allies. Let’s send her off. I don’t want to see her in such a state.
“Finish? Us? You think it’s over?!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, there came an explosion.
I thought the shells were dropping toward her, but the explosions occurred where the Awakened were gathering.
In the chaos caused by the abrupt explosion, all battle stances were thrown into disarray.
“Happiness Drop! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine! Badly wrecked, but still alive!”
The union commander who drove up in a jeep supported her. This was an entirely incomprehensible situation.
“Betrayal!”
“What do you mean? The betrayal was on your side. The Happiness Drop is the savior of humanity!”
“Exactly! I’ll lead humanity to happiness! Kya-hahaha!”
Damn it.
The situation has derailed.
“Mind control…”
“Purify it quick!”
“I’ve been doing that since earlier!”
When did she start to control them? From the beginning?
Is there more than one traitor aside from the commander?
“Just kill that crazy bitch without thinking about the aftermath!”
Upon that shout, everyone leapt into action.
The Thunder God and I charged right away.
The commander might get caught in the fray, but at this moment, I could probably finish her off with a single arm.
My hammer swung toward the Crazed Magical Girl, while the Thunder God’s hand, transformed into flashing lightning, reached out for her. There was nothing to hinder our attack.
As we both contemplated, suddenly—
Swish!
A silver flash zipped before my eyes.
“Old man. Damn it.”
“How rude. Show a little more respect to your elders.”
The sword of Cheonma Gyeomshin blocked us. My hammer was safe but the Thunder God’s right arm was severed.
“Grandfather, why…?”
The Thunder God, once loyal to Cheonma Gyeomshin, couldn’t comprehend the situation, staring vacantly as he spoke.
“What now, Thunder God? Why are you here? Isn’t this all for happiness…? Happiness? Happiness…?”
Cheonma Gyeomshin looked on the turbulent face of aging.
With that burdened hammer swinging, Cheonma Gyeomshin kept intercepting my strikes, spitting out further words.
“Whatever’s happening, it’s strange….”
In that split second, the actions of Cheonma Gyeomshin froze.
Moments later, with clarity dawning, he adjusted his grip on the sword.
“The demon that killed my grandson, who dares to kill again!”
He let out a roar and pierced his own belly with his sword.
Self-harm, the quickest way to regain sanity from mental control.
It’s a burdensome action on the body, yet Cheonma Gyeomshin carried it out without a shred of doubt.
“Cheonma Gyeomshin mental control confirmed! Confirming if he’s truly sane!”
“Fuck what?”
“Confirmed mental disorder! Someone knock me out!”
“Knock out? What do you mean? Just die!”
Confusion ensued. An erstwhile ally now wielded weapons wildly against us.
Soldiers charged at us as we ducked in.
“Everyone, pull yourselves together!”
“Wake up, you idiots!”
A flurry of shouts exchanges.
Before us, the source of this crisis stood there. If we eliminate that being, people could laugh again.
“Hahaha! Justice prevails! You filthy lackeys of the Otherworld! Look! You all acknowledge my heart!”
“Evacuate! Happiness Drop!”
“Right! I want to make humanity even happier!”
That bastard was fleeing! Surrounded by those we intended to lead, he easily got into a car and distanced himself.
“Where’s Meteor? Shoot that bastard!”
“Guns! Bows! Anyone! Please!”
We had to make a decision. A few deaths, or the survival of all.
Isn’t that clear?
No need to balance the scale.
“For justice.”
For those who lost their lives, for those who will live on. Someone has to wear the filth.
“Thunder God…?”
A familiar voice caught my ear from the side.
I gathered strength once more. I could die here. With every ounce of power I possess…
“Aaaaaaaah!”
I poured all my power into that scream.
My teeth cracked, and the staff of magic inside screamed.
The magic surpassed its limits.
My vision turned crimson, and my legs started to tremble. For this single attack, I would give everything.
My hammer responded to the rising mana. Stretching and expanding, the hammer grew to gargantuan sizes. The hammer, shining with golden light, continued to swell.
“Fire!”
Betrayal.
No, the order was issued for the soldiers under mental control to open fire. Bullets embedded into my tattered body. My weary body couldn’t repel the bullets right, letting them settle in.
But that didn’t matter.
What mattered was the end for the enemies.
“You’re insane! That’ll kill you!”
A yellow flash darted across my line of sight.
Flashes of lightning jumped here and there, seemingly trying to stop the bullets.
“I too…will help.”
A heroic figure stood before me, bleeding from the gut. This now voiceless protector stood in my way.
From behind came the magic infusion.
Now, I could barely feel the bullets plaguing my body.
It was solely directed at a single action.
I grew my hammer.