Chapter 53

I have to get down from the hill right away. But the mountain is on fire, blazing in a circle.

Even with a Space Girl's body—would charging straight into those flames really be okay?

I activate my comm.

"Chacha-san, will I take damage if I touch the fire?"

'You will. Touch the flames for one second and you lose 10 durability. Worst case, you might even get a status ailment (bug).'

Forcing my way through isn't the best plan.

"Understood."

Better to avoid it.

Split-second decision. I slide down the hill and plunge into the forest.

(From above, this straight line had fewer trees. If I can just deal with the burning trees up ahead, there'll be nothing blocking the path to the lake.)

I hurl a grenade at the base of the blazing trees straight ahead. The blast blows the burning trunks and flames away. Flames two meters high still remain, but I can jump that with my thrusters.

"......Thrusters!"

I vault the wall of fire and sprint toward the lake.

Nothing burns ahead—no trees, no flames—but left and right the fire is fierce. Tall trees are ablaze. I have to hurry—

"!?"

BOOM! A cannon shot rings out.

Artillery from Tsubasa-san smashes the trunks of the trees on either side of me.

"Damn...!"

The burning trees on both sides topple toward me.

(She left this gap on purpose. She lured me here so her Aegis could fell the trees and pin me beneath them!)

Every tree on both sides is coming down. Not good—what do I do?

Intercept—no, too many.

Defend—Shield Pieces are gone.

(Intercepting all of them is impossible! Then I'll remove only what's necessary! I won't stop moving. If I stop and try to smash every falling tree I'll just be surrounded by flames and burned to death. First I decide the route to the lake. Then I pinpoint which trees will block that route! After that I obliterate only the trees that get in my way with everything I've got!)

I fire Bullet Pieces. An assault rifle in my right hand, a sniper rifle in my left.

"Full-burst fire!!"

I gun down the falling trees while sprinting.

Bullet Pieces recharge and fire again. The assault rifle and sniper rifle keep firing as long as they have energy.

Burning fragments strike my shoulder, my head. My armor chars, my durability chips away, but I don't have time to care.

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!"

100 m left—70—50—

(20 m to go!!)

But right then, burning trees collapse straight ahead, blocking the path.

"One-Off Saber!!!"

I draw the saber and switch to high-output mode. One maximum-power slash carves a path through the wall of flame.

Assault rifle energy empty. Two Bullet Pieces lost. Saber energy gone. All Shield Pieces destroyed.

Remaining weapons: rifle, M1911, four Bullet Pieces, Dust Mirage. About half my arsenal is unusable, but at last—I've arrived.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Tsubasa-san."

"Now then, let's play, Shiki-chan."

Tsubasa-san has four shields, about forty Shield Pieces, and no other weapons. She's also missing her right arm.

Distance: 30 m. Environment—lake at my feet, sunset sky, surrounding forest ablaze. No cover.

(Assault rifle needs 40 seconds to finish charging. I have to survive those 40 seconds.)

I start to move.

Three shields close in. I dodge their charge and aim my sniper rifle at Tsubasa-san, but the shots are blocked by the Aegis in her hand, which then fires a counterattack. The shells are slow but powerful. I use thrusters to evade and try to close the distance, but the Aegis blocks my path.

(M1911!)

As I draw the M1911, Tsubasa-san pulls her shields away from me. When I fire, both the shields and Tsubasa-san evade the live rounds with ease.

(As I thought, live rounds at this range are easily dodged. I won't hit her.)

I fire three more shots; every one is dodged.

(Still works as a distraction.)

I reload the M1911 once to top off the magazine.

(Assault rifle ready.)

With the fully charged assault rifle I launch a fierce assault. Tsubasa-san deflects the rifle's fire with Aegis.

(Bullet Pieces!!)

I fire Bullet Pieces at an angle, but they're blocked by Shield Pieces.

"Gh—so tough!!"

Bullet Pieces and Tsubasa-san's Aegis clash back and forth.

Two of my Bullet Pieces are destroyed, but at the same time one Aegis shatters.

Tsubasa-san sends two of her remaining Aegises charging. I drop low, sliding beneath them to slip past.

(The Aegis coordination has a gap! I can do this!!)

I charge with the assault rifle. Two of the three Aegises are behind me. If I break through the last one...!

"Hey, Shiki-chan, you're not the only one with a trump card."

My eyes snap open.

Tsubasa-san has materialized a submachine gun and equipped it in her left hand.

(Weapon Plus... she expanded her weapon slot and put a submachine gun there!?)

She opens fire with the submachine gun.

(The accuracy is low. I can just barely avoid it!!)

I accelerate sideways to dodge the spray, but the bullets ricochet off the Aegis behind me.

(Ricochets with Aegis!?)

The returning rounds destroy my left arm and assault rifle.

'The zone is beginning to shrink.'

The system voice echoes in my head. The final zone shrink begins.

In one minute, the safety zone will vanish.

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