Meteor Unit 2, along with its secondary weapon Meteor Strike.
Equipped with multiple power sources, including the Type III magic engine, improved joint structures compared to the previous generation, and shock-absorbing outer armor made from a special alloy.
Complete.
If you walk for about ten minutes outside the underground bunker, you’ll come across a low hill with a nameless tombstone.
It has a makeshift cross made of wood with a rosary hanging on it. There are also symbols of various religions hung or engraved there.
It’s not because the person buried here was a multi-religious person. This is a cemetery for the missing.
There was the man who left saying he’d bring back food from outside, the one who left with a gun, claiming his parents’ enemy was in a nearby band of raiders, and the woman who went far, believing her daughter was alive in another bunker...
What became of them afterward is unknown.
Missing. Whether they’re alive or dead, only the heavens know.
All people know is that they seldom return for some reason.
The one-armed pilot Kim Yoon-seo looked down at the tombstone and spoke to Gordius.
“Honestly, my heart sank when I heard the story. That... pilot’s story. He was a truck driver, named Kim, and so I wondered if it might be my dad.”
“...”
“When I heard he had a daughter, I was so relieved. I was an only child, so he wasn’t my dad. Then, where could he be? When the Great Monster appeared, my dad was out on business.”
“He’s alive, I’m sure.”
“Thank you. Yes, he must be alive somewhere.”
Though Kim Yoon-seo spoke optimistically, the two bouquets of flowers in her hand betrayed her inner thoughts. She had already accepted that her father was probably dead.
She laid the flowers at the nameless grave.
After a moment of silent remembrance, Gordius asked quietly,
“Are you not afraid?”
“Of course I’m scared. Aren’t you, Mr. Wizard?”
“Yes, I am afraid. But I’ve taken on a debt. I’ve inherited the debt of those who’ve asked me to look after the future, so I must repay it. What about you?”
“...Me? I’m not that noble. I just... I want to live. I feel like I can’t go on unless I put an end to the Great Monster myself.”
Kim Yoon-seo looked around quietly.
The once vibrant modern civilization was gone. The dense forest of buildings and orderly roads lay broken, dirty, and painted in cold colors.
Only by layering memories could she bring the past scenery into view.
In Kim Yoon-seo’s eyes, she saw the world when everything was still intact. While civilization was fine, her memories of it were dark. Back then, she was a gloomy middle school student.
“I couldn’t adjust well to school. The kids bullied me a lot, but I couldn’t muster up the courage to fight back. So I begged my dad, asking to transfer schools. I asked if we could move.”
“So you didn’t stand up to them.”
“No. I chose the easy way... After I asked him, my dad started coming home later and later. I was happy about it, thinking I’d finally be able to transfer.”
Though she didn’t have the courage to face her enemies at school, she somehow found the courage to sacrifice her family. Eventually, they moved...
Then the Great Monster incident occurred.
They moved to a place near where the Great Monster first appeared. Kim Yoon-seo’s new house was there.
The house collapsed, and her mother died on the spot. She lost her arm. Her father, who had gone to work, remains unaccounted for to this day.
Had they not moved, they wouldn’t have been directly involved. Her mother would be alive, and she would still have her arm.
Before moving, her father’s workplace was close to home. He could have rushed to pick them up, reducing the likelihood of being separated.
“It’s my fault. This won’t atone for it, but... If I don’t kill the Great Monster, my heart will crumble. That’s why I keep picking things up even if Joseph opposes it.”
“...”
“It’s ironic. I didn’t have the courage to fight a bunch of middle schoolers, but now I’ve made up my mind to fight a 100-meter-tall monster.”
So...
“I’m not going to run away, Mr. Wizard. Don’t worry.”
“That’s good to hear. You’re an exceptional... someone who would have ranked second if you had studied magic. Not to mention your courage. If you were to flee, this entire project would be ruined.”
“Is that... supposed to be comforting?”
“Normally, I comfort with jewelry, but I don’t have anything like that right now.”
Kim Yoon-seo chuckled, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. Gordius widened his eyes at the sight, having always thought of her as a proper young lady.
Click. The sound of a Zippo lighter opening.
Flick, flick. Sparks flew, and soon smoke billowed up. She drew in nicotine and offered one to Gordius.
“These are precious, so I smoke them sparingly. Since I have two left, care for one?”
“...If it’s similar to a mana shot, sure. Cough, cough !”
“A wizard may command clouds, but can’t handle cloud candy?”
“...I’m from the Golden Tower. I don’t... cough do clouds in the first place.”
The two sent their emotions skyward in the cigarette smoke, one naturally, the other awkwardly, hoping it would reach their precious someone, somewhere out there.
Everyone has extraordinary memories.
Like the chocolate chips in a chocolate batter, the strawberry on a whipped cream shortcake, or the sharp horn at the end of a golem’s staff, some memories stand out more than others.
Waaah—!!
“You must win! We’ll be cheering from here!”
“Glory to New Stellaria! Victory to Meteor!”
A young boy was moved by the sight of a knight in clumsy armor. He wanted to recreate the feeling he felt then. He grew into a young man.
He dreamed of a giant golem that looked up at everyone, from tiny children to towering adults, thinking that feeling might come from size. But now he understood.
“Wizard Gordius, Kim Yoon-seo. Once you go out, you can’t take it back. So... since you’re going out, give us a line that will go down in history!”
“...”
That day, the knight’s back had seemed so reliable—
“—Today, the Great Monster will not fall to the power of human civilization.”
“Then what will take it down, Gordius? What can bring down that monster?!”
“The three months you invested, clinging to hope even in a dying world—those three months will bring down the Great Monster. Watch carefully. Witness your victory, New Stellaria!”
Waaah—!!
“All systems green! Meteor Unit 2, deploying!”
Cheers pushed Meteor forward. The enormous 100-meter robot stepped forward, toward the world.
Boom. Boom. Boom!
Was that the sound of the crowd’s hearts, pounding with excitement? Or the trembling of a petty rich man fearing the results of his investment? Or perhaps, was it the earth shaking?
None of the above. It was the sound of a young man, who had chosen his path, marching forward without hesitation.
Like the clumsy knight who stood against countless bandits to save a boy. Bearing the boy’s desperate hopes and expectations, fighting until the last moment.
What he carried on his back, what he carried in his soul—he would bear it all and overcome.
Inside the interconnected cockpits, one-armed pilot Kim Yoon-seo deftly controlled the robot’s movements. Meanwhile, Gordius managed the left arm and supervised the magic engine.
Beep. The display powered on, and the external cams started up, filling the screen with various angles.
There it was, the Great Monster, once again cloaked in white armor.
“Distance to the Great Monster is about one kilometer. It appears to be in a dormant state. Shall we rush in and grab it by the head?”
“No. It has sensitive mana detection abilities. The moment Meteor, loaded with magic engines, approaches, it’ll be aware.”
“But... it’s not moving?”
“It’s a trick. A cunning one.”
They already knew its traits, and they wouldn’t be fooled twice. Meteor approached cautiously, ever vigilant.
The lower cameras caught an unnatural movement in the ground.
“...What’s that?!”
“It’s the tail. It’s buried underground, preparing to attack like an ‘earth spike’!”
“So, it’s like a sunken colony? Leave it to me!”
Sssss...
Boom—!!
A white tail burst through the ground. At the same time, the magic engines spun up, powering the boosters across Meteor.
Whoosh!
The boosters on its shins flared briefly as it dodged back. Then—
Crash!
“Got it!”
They grabbed the end of the tail. The Great Monster twisted, seemingly startled.
“What’s the plan?”
“Since it likes to topple things, I’ll return the favor!”
Vroom—!!
The magic engines roared. The boosters on the shoulders, arms, and waist all fired in unison, pulling the tail.
Rip! Boom!
The tail tore free from the ground, causing the Great Monster to topple backward. With the tail in hand, there was no worry of a blindside attack!
Meteor didn’t miss the opportunity. It charged forward, driving a powerful punch into the Great Monster’s slippery head.
Smash! Bang! Boom—!!
Each punch accelerated by the boosters. And with Meteor being twenty meters larger than Unit 1, the impact was even greater.
“We’ll handle the Great Monster’s movements. Keep hitting.”
“You said to spread the attacks, right?”
“Yes. In the previous battle, it reached Phase 2 after ten minutes of combat. It becomes much faster, so be careful—”
“Oh, it’s breaking through already?! We haven’t even been fighting for five minutes!”
This was no surprise. It was actually a good sign, meaning the damage was more than expected. Gordius smirked and gave his calm command.
“Stick to the plan!”
“Bait maneuver, confirmed! Proceeding!”
Ssssh. Rip. Riiiiip!
The black dragon emerged, tearing through its gelatinous white armor, letting out a roar that was almost a laugh. A sinister roar that shook the very soul.
In Phase 2, the black dragon moved with the speed of a wild animal.
Zoom, swoosh!
The Great Monster rolled away, landing two swift tail strikes in that brief moment. Lower armor fell off, and the durability meter on the display turned yellow.
They had deliberately let it go. There was a reason they hadn’t secured a solid mount position.
Swish!
Meteor blocked the tail’s continuous swings with its right arm, gradually widening the distance. Soon after, Kim Yoon-seo reported.
“The tail is longer now than before! Our hypothesis was correct!”
Phase 2’s form was covered in tough scales and looked metallic, but Gordius had suspected this.
In the fight against Unit 1, even though it had such swift agility... it had chosen to ‘embrace’ as a finishing move. If that was intentional...
What if it was more dangerous to get close to it?
This led to the hypothesis of form-shifting. The traits of Phase 1’s amorphous body might still be present.
“If it hugs us... it might sprout sharp spikes all over, like a chestnut burr! That seems about right!”
“Yes. We’ll keep our distance and watch for an opening. Steady now.”
“Steady... Steady!”
Stay steady.
Boom! Boom!
The fierce battle continued. The Great Monster attacked relentlessly with claws and tail, while Meteor was gradually worn down, the damage accumulating.
No matter how they countered, its agility was on another level. Even with booster-enhanced punches, the Great Monster evaded them easily. It was a slow death.
Yet, stay steady.
“The right arm armor is about to break! Should we just purge it?!”
“Even if it’s damaged, use it to the end. It’s better that way. Just cut off the mana supply to that magic engine!”
“The power source is bad! Argh, can we hold on...?!”
“...Alright, adjust the magic engine’s output lower!”
Vroom—
Meteor stumbled. It looked as though it was exhausted, slowing down. The Great Monster opened its maw in a grin. It seemed the time had come to end this game.
Bang! Boom!
It pounded away. With its superior range and speed, it rained down attack after attack, waiting for the critical opening.
There it was. A lethal gap.
The Great Monster’s tail shot forward like a black spear. Smooth, yet powerful. Aimed right at the two sources of mana.
The trajectory was a direct hit on Meteor Unit 2’s head. Moving in time to dodge wasn’t possible, nor was the armor thick enough to block it.
As they watched the tail approach, Gordius and Kim Yoon-seo braced themselves. This was the end.
This was the turning point.
Stay calm, fake death.
Meteor Unit 2 had relocated the cockpit to the chest area. The head housed two Type II magic engines, disguised to look human.
It had been a decoy from the start.
Ssshh—! Crunch!
Meteor’s head was pierced. The unit pretended to collapse as if the pilot were dead... The Great Monster laughed, raising its claws to finish off the now helpless prey.
Now.
“Now!”
“Confirmed, activating all magic engines at maximum output! Zero in!”
“Trajectory aligned. Output within error margins. Ready to go.”
“Meteor Strike, all systems go!”
Vroom—!!
Light flashed. Blue light burst from the engines running at 120% capacity. Clink, clink! The secondary weapon Meteor Strike purged its cover, revealing its true form.
A massive pike with a spiral tip.
“Fire—!!”
Boom—!!
The rocket engine ignited. The power that sent human civilization into space now focused on taking down a single monster. The pike’s tip struck the Great Monster’s chest.
And then...
Rip, crack!
It shattered everything in its way as if scales were nothing but a joke.
BOOM—!!
A booming sound echoed through the sky. A huge hole appeared in the Great Monster’s chest. The monster shook its head as if unable to comprehend the situation.
It didn’t even scream.
“...”
“...”
An almost unbearable silence settled, as if time had stopped.
Kim Yoon-seo, who had closed her eyes during the launch, peeked one open and muttered.
“...Is it... dead?”
“You know what happens when you say that...”
Almost as if on cue—
Vroooom.
The Great Monster’s chest cavity began to swirl with massive mana.
“Hey!!”
“Oh, come on! What else was I supposed to say?!”
“You could have just stayed quiet...!”
“Is this my fault?!”
Could it be... a third phase? Gordius bit his nails, glaring at the Great Monster. He recognized that energy; it was similar to when Woo Chaerin self-destructed.
Except the scale this time was beyond imagining.
Leaving a surprise gift until the very end, huh? This wasn’t just about the pilots’ survival. If that thing exploded, the world would be in danger.
Because there was a sinister laugh coming from within the mana. Gordius suspected it was a widespread data bomb, filled with things that could destroy one’s mind.
He couldn’t let it be. He couldn’t end this triumph with a tragic twist. He had to find a way. But how...?
Then.
Flash!
Gordius noticed his wrist tattoo glowing. The light grew until it enveloped his entire body.
He closed his eyes against the blinding light, as bright as the sun itself.
And when he opened his eyes again...
“Congratulations.”
“...”
“Leave the rest to me. This... was all part of the plan for this moment.”
In the empty white space, Gordius found himself face to face with a mad wizard.