Following Osian's instructions, the knight order that moved to a different passage continued walking through the corridor.
"When is this going to end?"
"It's about time someone showed up by now."
"Don't tell me they got scared and just ran away?"
"Oh. That's quite possible. They must have been frightened by the intimidating presence we possess."
At first they were tense, but as time passed without anyone appearing, the knight order gradually began to relax. Asmer pointed out to the knight order once that they shouldn't let their guard down.
"But Lord Asmer. The enemies aren't showing even a trace of themselves, so what should we do about this."
"Could it be that it was a trap?"
"But it's strange that there's nothing that could be called a trap."
"For now, let's go a little further. We need to at least see what's at that end."
"Let's go!"
"Then let's go!"
Knights are simple. They never have doubts about whether it's okay to do so here. Once decided, they push through. Led by Asmer, the Starlight Knight Order continued crossing the dark passage.
Walking like that, they came to an intersection where it connected with another passage.
"Huh?"
"What's this?"
And there, they encountered the Moonlight Knight Order that had been moving separately. Not expecting to meet like this, the knight orders were mutually flustered.
"No. Why is Vice-Captain Asmer here?"
"David. That's what I want to ask."
"Well, I just kept moving along the passage and ended up here."
"Same with us."
Who would have thought they'd encounter colleagues who went through different passages. That's when everyone was flustered.
Clank.
From beyond the passage connected through the intersection came the sound of metal meshing together. It was a sound similar to when moving while wearing armor. Moreover, the number wasn't just one.
Color returned to the knight order's faces.
"Finally they came!"
"Artificial knights! We were waiting!"
"Making us wait so desperately! You better be ready!"
After each throwing out a word, the knight order soon looked at the automaton that appeared and tilted their heads.
The black combat-type automaton controlled by the puppeteer stared at the knight order with glowing red eyes.
The knight order stared intently at such automatons, then came to a conclusion among themselves.
"That's the, what was it, artificial knight thing!"
"As expected of artificial knights, they're big and weirdly shaped."
"Whatever it is, we'll smash it!"
The one who could judge rationally in this situation was David.
'No. No matter how I look at it, that just seems like a regular combat automaton.'
The reason he couldn't be certain was because that wasn't something mass-produced but was custom-made. Since it was the first time seeing such a design, it was hard to easily recall, and conversely, since he didn't know what artificial knights looked like either, he was strangely confused.
But before David could say anything, the knight order had already reached a conclusion. The thing before their eyes was an artificial knight.
No. It didn't matter if it wasn't. It appeared before us and blocked our path? Then it's an artificial knight.
"Boys! Get ready!"
"Kiyahoo!"
"That's what I was waiting to hear!"
"Muscle! Muscle! Muscle!"
The knight order each shouted their battle cries, then drew their swords and charged at the automaton. This left David no time to stop them. Since his comrades were moving, he too had no choice but to draw his sword.
Beep beep.
The puppeteer analyzed the visual information transmitted through the combat automaton and was quite flustered. Who would have thought that those knights led by Osian would charge right away upon seeing them?
He expected them to at least ask who they were. At minimum, shouldn't they exchange names? It was truly simple-minded brutality that transcended common sense. But the momentum of their charge was by no means simple.
If he let his guard down, he'd be done for. The puppeteer immediately raised the automaton's output to maximum.
The automaton unit and knight order collided.
You can never properly know what's going to happen even one step ahead in life. This was felt acutely when the battle with the puppeteer began.
'I came here today to kill Cromwell. But now I'm fighting to protect Cromwell instead.'
The saying that yesterday's enemy becomes today's ally is common. But would there be a case where it changes in less than half a day?
The future is unknowable. That's natural. People don't even properly know the present. The fact that Cromwell was being detained by someone. The fact that someone actually existed behind the city. Not even knowing these facts, how could one predict the future?
Therefore, Osian always lives the best present. That was the respectful attitude toward life that anyone living should naturally have.
So he focuses on the enemy before his eyes.
Whooom!
A heat ray passed by, grazing his cheek. It wasn't the heat ray of the sun ring sword. It was a special weapon drawn by the automaton controlled by the puppeteer.
It was a peculiar weapon that stored massive energy and shot it in a straight line. Being ignorant about science, it would be convenient to think of it as a high-output laser.
Clank! Clank!
Several of the black boxes floating in the air scattered and crashed to the ground. With a thud sound, the fallen objects opened and spat out weapons from inside.
The automatons controlled by the puppeteer took out weapons, assembled them systematically, and took shooting positions.
To block them, he took out the sun ring sword from the ring and threw it. One automaton blocked the middle of the long-shooting sun ring heat ray.
It was different from other automatons, wearing thick outer armor. It was so huge that you'd think it could roll around if pushed.
It was unharmed even after taking the sun ring sword heat ray. Considering that even the Giant's shield broke and melted when hit by the sun ring heat ray, it was an unimaginable sight for that size.
Hissss.
From the body of the automaton heated by the sun ring heat ray, cartridges burst out in droves along with pure white steam.
Going through a rapid cooling process, it consumed the coolant inside, causing all the empty cartridges to pop out. Osian frowned. No matter who looked at it, that was clearly a special item made to counter his sun ring heat ray.
"You've really made preparations, haven't you?"
Swish swish. Black shadows moved beyond his field of vision. Automatons moving their reverse-jointed legs drew blades from the backs of their hands and charged at Osian.
The foolish act of attempting close combat with a knight. But it was also true that such vanguards were necessary to pin down this side.
Osian swung his starlight sword toward the automaton approaching first. Its blade clashed with Osian's starlight sword.
Crash! Screeeech!
Surprisingly, the automaton's blade wasn't cut by the starlight sword. Though it was gradually pushed back in the power struggle, the important thing was that it held out.
[Did you think I wouldn't prepare countermeasures against you while facing you?]
"For something like that, you came here very well-prepared. Was this your intention from the start?"
The puppeteer didn't answer. It wasn't a question thrown expecting an answer anyway. Osian raised the output of his starlight sword. The automaton crossed the blades of both hands to defend, but it was useless.
Slice.
Its body split vertically like firewood. It held out well, but not enough to completely block it. To block the starlight sword, it had to be the same starlight, or divine alchemy or Nord runes.
Seeing this scene, the puppeteer continued with the operation as planned. He had already assumed the close-combat automatons wouldn't be able to hold out.
'I thought they wouldn't be able to hold out anyway. But as expected. The output is higher than anticipated. Did it get stronger during that short period?'
The puppeteer tried to move the automaton that blocked the sun ring heat ray. But it staggered and couldn't move properly.
Though the outside looked fine, all the internal components were completely destroyed. Even using an enormous amount of coolant, withstanding just one strike was all it could do. But the puppeteer didn't mind. He had so much money that he didn't need to worry about cost-effectiveness. In a war of attrition, he wouldn't lose to anyone.
It wasn't simply throwing money around mercilessly either. The puppeteer had created anti-knight specialized automatons to face Osian.
The automaton that blocked the sun ring heat ray was one of them. And now, the twin-sword automatons pressuring Osian in close combat were the same.
Type Sword Man. Their blades were made of special alloy steel and had magical processing applied on top. Still not enough against starlight, but enough to withstand starlight.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!
Type Gunslinger providing rear support poured out bullets. Osian deployed the solar barrier, but as if countering it, they sprayed rapid-cooling rounds and tore the solar barrier apart.
Osian immediately drew the moonlight blade and swung it widely around. Following the trajectory of the moonlight blade, ice crystals spread like a blizzard along with cold air. In that instant, Osian's figure disappeared.
However,
[I can see you.]
That ability of Osian's also had a countermeasure prepared. State-of-the-art sensors were attached to observe Osian. It was the power of the automaton, Type Watcher. Osian frowned. Despite concealing his appearance, the automatons approached as if they could see right through his location.
'So they can even find me when I hide with moon scar.'
Click. Bang!
The Giant aimed its huge cannon barrel with one hand and fired. Osian quickly left his position. A super-large bullet burrowed into where he had been standing and caused an explosion. The ground flipped over and dirt flew up in all directions. The Giant's attack didn't stop there. The silo on its chest opened, and countless brass-colored drones poured out.
Drones carrying bombs flew like dragonflies and rushed toward Osian.
Osian revealed himself and deployed the sun ring. Solar energy gathered in his right hand. Osian swung his arm from left to right in a striking motion.
The solar wave swept through the approaching drones. Countless explosions occurred in midair.
In the midst of this, Sword Man automatons approached. Being machines controlled by the puppeteer, they were unharmed even in such explosions, heat, and shock waves. Having no ego, they didn't fear death. Therefore, they could swing their swords at Osian without reservation even in the explosions.
But Osian lightly parried their swords and moved like flowing water, drawing his starlight sword across their joints as he passed. Only the blades were special alloy, not the entire body. Especially sensitive parts like joints couldn't be made unconditionally hard.
'Damn it. For a knight, his fighting method itself is truly textbook.'
The puppeteer frowned at the sight of Osian moving like a loach and disrupting the battlefield. Despite possessing such power, Osian didn't fight only by engaging in frontal power struggles.
Rather, he sometimes moved cleverly. He knew how to exploit weaknesses, pierce through gaps, and utilize blind spots beyond the opponent's perception.
That was Osian's frightening aspect. Most of the strong individuals in Tirna tended to be intoxicated by their innate power and try to settle things only through strength.
But he possessed power while his main combat focused on technique. The swordsmanship displayed with mobility unbelievable for someone wearing armor was even artistic.
But the puppeteer wasn't impatient. In the end, it was Osian who was at a disadvantage. He was fighting a defensive battle.
'I have more troops.'
Naturally, the puppeteer had separately selected some automatons to pursue Cromwell.
'And there's another one targeting Cromwell. I hope he does well.'
Seren doubted her own ears.
"There's a method, you say. What do you suddenly mean by that? You definitely said you didn't know until just now."
"I didn't know then. But having heard the story, I think I understand. The dimensional ability I granted is power as it is. There's nothing to develop or not develop about it."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Do you gain muscle just by breathing? Do your skills improve just by sleeping? Of course not. All techniques, abilities, and power ultimately develop through repeated training and real combat. It's the same with that. Getting gradually stronger? That means that power is also following stages of development."
"Explain it simply."
"Power that develops means there's also decline. If done well, it means control is possible. With the assistance of one who handles ancient power, even if we can't eliminate it, suppressing it should be possible."
"That's possible?"
"It's an idea I just came up with. The probability isn't that high. At most 30%. But I think it's worth attempting."
"An existence that has mastered ancient power..."
"Hasn't one been with us all along?"
Seren thought of Osian. He was the key that could solve this ability of hers?
"But before that, safely escaping from here takes priority."
"Doctor! It's dangerous!"
At that moment, the modified humans shouted and stood protectively in front of Cromwell and Seren. An explosion occurred. Several modified humans collapsed with burns.
The puppeteer's automatons had pursued them. They moved like spiders with four legs while attached to the ceiling. They were Type Stalker. The ones hanging from the ceiling leaped down like grasshoppers and targeted Cromwell.
"Where do you think you're going!"
The modified humans stepped forward and protected the doctor. The Stalkers with low combat ability were quickly dealt with by the modified humans.
"First we must get away from this place!"
That's when one of the modified humans shouted this.
Slice!
Three massive slashes tore his body apart. The sharp wind of that aftermath swept through the other modified humans. Seren's eyes widened.
Not knowing when he had appeared, a giant werewolf in a suit was standing at the center of the slashes.
"It's been a while, Doctor."
Blood Brotherhood, werewolf Delford, gave Cromwell a murderous greeting.