Chapter 192:
Dungeon Stampede 2.0 Heavy Machinery
Noon. After walking for some time, we were about 5 kilometers away from the girls' high school Shark attends. Amid the road filled with abandoned vehicles, we were fighting monsters.
"To the right! Another new one is coming, be careful!"
"Huh… A-again!?"
During the battle, another wave of monsters appeared, and Serai-san complained.
[Let's hurry and go to Shark's place. That kid seems to attract trouble.]
[Haha, yeah. Even though she's not a heroine type, she's often attacked by monsters~ That one]
Even though just a moment ago we were casually making jokes…
"Let's buy time and deal with them carefully!… High Viscosity Mucus Field!"
"Oh no! There are flying ones too!"
Approaching while fluttering in the air was a butterfly-like monster.
It resembled the giant moths in our refrigerator dungeon, but with flashy patterns, so it seemed like a different kind of monster. Despite us dispersing the mucus, they were flying above and approaching.
"Acid!"
"Machi! Stop being careless! You won't be able to fight if you're too worried!"
"But still!"
Serai-san attacked the butterfly monster with the skill [Acid], but it dodged skillfully. And she was scolded by Nina-san, who was fighting right beside her.
"I'd like to conserve, but I have no choice here… Salt Blast!"
[Byubabababa…!]
Countless tiny salt grains mowed through the air like machine guns from left to right. The approaching giant butterfly had its fragile wings, its weakness, attacked and fell onto the asphalt.
"Coach! More people are coming from behind!"
"Not again! How troublesome…!"
The monsters overflowing from the dungeon seemed stronger this time, maybe crawling out from deeper levels. Previously, it was only up to the 3rd floor. But this time, it felt like monsters equivalent to floors 1 to 6 were coming out.
Monsters from underground floors 1 to 2 could still be managed by ordinary people. They would probably be like wild boars or deer in strength. However, monsters below the 3rd layer were almost strong enough to kill people.
People who saw us continue our victorious advance against such monsters followed us, thinking it was right. Moreover, even if we said, "It's dangerous, don't follow us!" they wouldn't leave, saying, "We won't get in the way!"
(They're using us as decoys!)
And so, with a large crowd gathering, naturally, a commotion arose, and it fell into a vicious cycle where more monsters gathered.
And then.
[Guban! Gashashasha~~!]
The yellow shovel car that had been visible ahead suddenly pushed aside the abandoned vehicles around it as if they were in the way and began to rampage grandly.
"Everyone! Look at that!! Let's join forces with that shovel car!"
As the shovel car rampaged with a loud noise, the attention of the monsters around momentarily diverted. Seizing the opportunity, we quickly subdued them and hurried over there.
[Gwan! Zudodododo…! Dogashaaaa~~~!]
Swinging its arm to smash through the roof of a regular car, the shovel car attacked the monsters. Hmm, as expected of heavy machinery… When used like that, it becomes ridiculously strong, like a mechanical dinosaur.
And then, other construction vehicles parked nearby also started moving one after another.
From small excavators holding large shovels to bulldozers and heavy roller vehicles. Several construction site workers boarded each of them, protecting the drivers. And everyone had beer cans and small bottles of whiskey in their hands.
I see, it must be because ‘You can't do this sober!' or something like that.
The monsters that were around us moved as we approached, and in that gap, they jumped onto the construction vehicles from the buildings where they had taken refuge.
[※※※※※※※※!]
The old man driving the yellow crane shovel car seemed to be shouting something.
But it couldn't be heard over the noise of the heavy machinery. But it was clear that he was drinking from the small bottle of whiskey while driving. Was he saying, "I'll teach you how to fight!"?
Drinking and driving are absolutely prohibited! But sometimes, in chaos, chaotic decisions are necessary to protect lives. Those old men at the construction site must have decided, ‘Now is the time!' and acted decisively.
But people who were living their ordinary lives couldn't suddenly engage in a battle to the death with monsters, of course.
Considering that using heavy machinery and borrowing the momentum of alcohol were very good judgments in this case. Thanks to that, we were saved too.
"[※※※※※※※※!]"
"[※※※!※※※※※※※※!]"
The construction site workers turned into heavy machinery fighters, seemed to be able to communicate even amid such noise, exchanging words with gestures and forming a formation to confront the horde of monsters. Amazing, worthy of heavy machinery. They were overwhelmingly powerful.
"Everyone! Let's support those old men!"
Now, it's our turn to be the rear guard of the construction vehicles.
…..
Attack of the Construction Vehicles. The advance of the steel dinosaurs began.
The steel claws crushed the monsters, and the characters and heavy rollers mercilessly trampled the monsters that couldn't move. Meanwhile, no matter how sharp the fangs and claws of the monsters were, they couldn't penetrate the sturdy steel dinosaurs.
Yet, when monsters attempted to attack the old men in the driver's seat, rock salt flew from somewhere and pulverized them.
Truly an advance, a crystallization of industrial machinery born from scientific civilization. While supporting the heavy machinery fighters who had become one with the machines, we continued to fight.
Perhaps the impact was too vivid and intense, for among the evacuees following behind, someone began to act strangely. Saying things like "Damn it! If the enemy is a monster, it's not human!" he jumped onto a construction truck while muttering.
"Hey, what are you doing? Someone stop that boy!"
[Gyubababaa…! Dogogoggagaaa!]
But his voice was drowned out by the noise of the rampaging heavy machinery, unheard by anyone. Damn it, I'm too busy dealing with the monsters right in front of me…!
"He's… moving!"
(Of course, he is! Construction vehicles usually have keys inserted, ready to start at any moment!)
[Gyukyukyukyukyu… Blon!]
(Oh no…! He started the engine!)
And finally, the rampaging boy set the construction truck in motion.
"Hey, someone…!"
[Gacha… Zu… Gakkun!!]
But the construction truck stopped with a loud ‘Gakkun!'.
The rampaging boy in the driver's seat hit his face hard on the steering wheel due to the impact, tears streaming down his face, bewildered as to why. How!?
"Hahaha, you idiot! Don't underestimate your driver's license! A manual transmission won't run unless you engage the gears at the right RPM! You don't even know something as basic as that and you want to drive!?"
Taking advantage of the weakened momentum of the monsters, I rushed to the truck and dragged the rampaging boy down. Then I tossed him back into the crowd of evacuees, saying, "Keep an eye on him so he doesn't do anything stupid!"
(Really, what a mess.)
But while doing that, another boy from the crowd dashed forward again.
"Uoohhh! My hands are burning red!!"
(Hey, wait…! They're not burning! It's just an ordinary temperature! Shouldn't the heat be coming from your head instead!?)
What the heck are these guys doing!!