283 対滅弾頭
アキラの新しい強化服はHC31R強化服、商品名をロスカーデンといい、以前に使用していた強化服の上位製品だ。一着50億オーラム。カツラギから荒野価格で買ったとはいえ下手な人型兵器より高く、ツェゲルト都市より東で活動する高ランクハンターも使用する高級品だ。
ここまで高額な価格帯の製品になると、強化服は着用者の身体能力、主に筋力を単純に向上させる補助器具ではなく、着用者を超人に変貌させる武装の意味合いが強くなる。
走るという行為一つ取っても、着用者の意志と実際の体の動きのズレを強化服側で補正し、素人でも幅10センチの橋の上を短距離走と同じ感覚で全力疾走できるようになる。その上で反射的な動きにも的確に対応し、無意識下での動きすら精密に補正し、着用者が生身で既に達人であってもその技量を更に引き上げる。その精密な出力調整を可能にした上で出力の上限も高く、大型の荒野仕様車両すら小石のように蹴り飛ばせる。
また高度な情報収集機器との機能統合により感覚も鋭くなる。拡張感覚に対応できれば360度の視野を手に入れることも可能であり、それを視覚ではなく気配として知覚することも出来る。背後が視覚的な死角ではなくなり、奇襲を受けることも無くなる。空気の振動から敵の位置を把握することも出来るようになる。
それらの装備代に弾薬費等を加えた総額は160億オーラム。ある意味でアキラはこの装備更新により、500億オーラムの賞金首として何ら不自然ではない高性能な装備、文字通り桁違いの武力を少し遅れて手に入れていた。
その状態で、アキラはパメラ達に対してギリギリの戦闘を強いられていた。
そこにアキラのバイクからTGPレーザー砲による一撃を受けてそれらの防御を突破されても、頭を吹き飛ばされた程度であれば残った体が戦闘を継続する。胴体部を吹き飛ばされても残った腕で銃撃を続行する。物理的に戦闘続行不能な状態にまでバラバラにされない限り、人型端末達はパメラの意志により決して諦めずに戦い続ける。
全員が達人で装備も高性能。しかも部隊として完全な統率を維持しており、死ににくい上に死を恐れないどころか文字通りの全滅、完全な消耗すら許容する集団。アキラは今、そのような物達に襲われていた。
アキラは当初、無意識にその人型端末達の強さを、以前パメラ達と戦った時の戦闘を基準にしてしまっていた。だが個々の実力と装備も、部隊の連携と規模も、その時とは格段に上の相手に苦戦を強いられて、今の装備なら問題無く勝てると思っていた余裕をあっさりと消し飛ばされていた。
『泣き言を言っていないで頑張りなさい! 次! 右よ!』
『分かってるし、分かったよ!』
アルファは通信障害の影響で普段のような十全なサポートが出来ない。アキラはその不足分を補う
その感覚の中ですら速いと感じる人型端末達の動きに合わせて銃口を向け、右手の銃を連射する。同時に相手の射線を知覚、認識し、自分の体を射線から離していく。弾幕を線の集合体である面として捉えるのではなく、射線のそれぞれを見切って個別の線に分解し、その隙間に身を滑り込ませて回避する。その上で相手を弾幕で押し潰すように銃撃し、人型端末の一体を撃破した。人の形状が金属片と肉片と緑色の血の集合体と化し、更に四散していく。
『次! 下よ!』
にシオリ達を狙ってるんだ? 初めにクロエを殺そうとしたのは俺なんだし、今もクロエを狙ってるんだから、殺す優先順位はこっちの方が高いと思うんだけどな』
『その辺りは彼女なりの理由や都合があるのでしょう。私達が気にすることではないわ。それよりも、今はシオリ達が殺されたらアキラの優先順位が繰り上がることを気にしなさい』
シオリ達が死ねば、次はアキラが残りの人型端末達全てに一斉に襲われる。つまり変則的ではあるがシオリ達と共闘している状況がアキラの命を支えている。
の威力に耐え切れず着弾部位を吹き飛ばされる。更に小型ミサイルが僅かに遅れて同一箇所に到達し、残りの部位を吹き飛ばされバラバラにされた。
アキラがすぐに別の敵へ銃口を向ける。今の自分に余計なことに意識を割く余裕は無い。自身にそう言い聞かせて、自分の命を
を突破し、人型端末を頭から一刀両断した。
だが左右に分割された人型端末のそれぞれが、視線も動きも個別の動作で反撃に移る。片足で半分の体を器用に支えて、片手で持つ銃口をシオリに向ける。
シオリはその反撃を当然あるものだと判断していた。素早く横に身を
さん! 大丈夫っすか?』
効果が高く負担も少ない高価な加速剤を服用しながらの戦闘で、念話に近い会話を可能にする高性能な通信機を使って、カナエは明るい声を出していた。
シオリが怒鳴るように返事をする。
『私を気遣う余裕があるのなら、笑ってないでもっと真面目に戦いなさい!』
さんに倒れられたら私も終わりっすからね! アキラ少年もそれを分かってるから私達の援護をしてるっす!』
『それを分かってるのなら、向こうに余計な負担を掛けないようにしっかり戦いなさい!』
シオリ達はクロエの件でアキラに共闘を提案したが断られていた。しかし現状でアキラに死なれても困るので、自分達がアキラを援護する形での一時的な協力ぐらいであればアキラも受け入れるだろうと思い、アキラの近くに迷彩状態で隠れていた。そして現れた人型端末を撃破したのだが、その後の結果は想定の逆、自分達がアキラに援護される形での戦闘となっていた。
『それ......、ベラトラム支店長とフリップ支店長が裏で組んでるってことっすか?』
『そう考えれば、第9格納庫の使用許可が出たことにも納得できるわ。そうすればより騒げるからね。
『そうだとしたら、お嬢もアキラ少年も良い巻き添えっすね』
『その責任はクロエ様に取ってもらうわ。彼女が始めたことよ』
戦いながらシオリは怒りを顔に出し、カナエは苦笑を浮かべていた。
息を合わせた攻防で更に数体の人型端末を撃破する。敵は数が多い上にそれぞれの個体も強いが、無尽蔵に湧いて出てくる訳ではない。この調子で倒し続ければ劣勢から優勢に状況を覆せる。シオリ達がそう思い始めた時、状況に変化が現れた。
シオリ達と距離を取って戦っていたアキラが、バイクで地面を走って全速力で近付いてくる。空中を自在に走行して敵の攻撃を
すという利点を捨ててでも急いでいた。それに気付いたシオリ達は少し驚いたものの、この場から今すぐにそこまで急いで離れる必要があるというアキラの意図を察してバイクに飛び乗った。
そのままアキラ達がその場から離脱する。その直後、その場はたった一回の砲撃で周辺広範囲の建物ごと吹き飛ばされた。
巨大な多脚戦車がスラム街と荒野の境目付近を進んでいる。全長は主砲を含めて100メートル程で、都市間輸送車両に積まれていても不思議の無い大型の砲を胴体部に乗せていた。その胴体部を太く頑丈な多脚で支えており、足下の家屋を踏み潰しながら前進していた。
「第9格納庫って?」
「リオンズテイル社内での用語で、都市侵攻用の武装を格納する施設のことです」
「リオンズテイルにはクガマヤマ都市に攻め込む予定でもあったのか!?」
「防衛や抑止力として各地に配備しているとは聞いております。当社も東部全域で活動する大企業であり、その分だけ敵も多く、必要だと」
「アキラ少年。今はそんなことどうでも良いじゃないっすか。理由は何であれ、あれを使われていることに違いはないっすよ。重要なのは対処方法っす」
アキラはその通りだと思いながらも、微妙に納得のいかないものを覚えて顔を
は大量のエネルギーを消費するが、他の車両から無線でエネルギー供給を受けており、エネルギー切れは期待できないこと。真上や真下は主砲の死角だが複数の副砲から銃撃されるので、そこからの攻撃は自殺行為であること。それらを聞いたアキラは敵の強力さを理解して頭を抱えた。
バイクがアルファの運転により移動方向を大きく切り返した上で加速する。アキラ達がバイクから振り落とされないように、崩れた体勢を慌てて戻す。だが誰からも文句は出ない。事前の注意すら惜しんでそうしなければならない理由は全員分かっていた。
多脚戦車が再び主砲を放つ。膨大なエネルギーの奔流であるレーザー砲が射線上のあらゆる物を
に蛇行運転を続けるバイクの上で、アキラ達は顔に焦りを出していた。
スラム街の建物が遮蔽物となってアキラ達に敵の主砲を回避する余裕を生み出しているが、砲撃を続けられればその遮蔽物もその内に無くなる。そして多脚戦車が前進し続ける限り、いずれは拠点が有効射程に入るからだ。自分達の拠点を戦闘に巻き込まないように距離を取っているが、時間の問題だった。
「なあ、俺にはあの戦車が拠点を狙わずにずっと俺達を狙ってくれるとは思えないんだけど、何か良い案はあるか?」
「アキラ様。申し訳御座いません。標的に直接攻撃できるまで近付き、装甲を破壊して内部に乗り込むぐらいしか思い付きません」
シオリがアキラに謝っているのは、その自殺行為をやってくれと頼んでいるからだ。
『......アルファ。何発撃てば良い? 1発で大丈夫か?』
アキラは大きく息を吐き、切り札の使用を仕方無く受け入れた。そして今まで使っていた2
カナエは明るく笑って返した。自分達の頼みを聞いて、アキラが一緒に多脚戦車へ接近することを許容したとしても、そのことが自殺行為であることに変わりは無い。それでも楽しげに笑っていた。
シオリもアキラに感謝しながら、銃を両方自分達に渡したアキラへ少し
目のRL2複合銃を握った。そのアキラの表情は、非常に気が進まないが、他に方法が無いので仕方無く使う、という感情を強く示したものだった。
シオリはそのアキラの様子から、その銃がそこまで使用を
だがアルファはその攻撃をしっかりと察知しており、横にではなく上方向に回避してレーザー砲から逃れた。更にそのまま上昇し、アキラの視界に赤く表示される天井、立入禁止の領域の寸前まで近付くと、進行方向を垂直方向に直角に変えて車体の上下を反転させたまま疾走する。そのまま立入禁止領域との境目である赤い面の上を疾走するようにして荒野側へ一気に加速した。
多脚戦車の主砲は非常に強力だが、その反面連射は出来ない。次の砲撃までの時間に出来る限り近付こうと、アキラ達は一直線に宙を高速で駆けていく。当然ながらその分だけ回避行動は困難になる。
そして多脚戦車側も次の主砲発射まで無防備な訳が無い。副砲を次々に撃ち、大型のミサイルポッドからミサイルを大量に発射して迎撃に入る。副砲は主砲より射程が短くそう簡単には当たらないが、ミサイルの方は推進装置があるので多少遅くとも高速フィルター効果の影響は受けにくい。回避を捨てて速度を優先しているアキラ達は何もしなければ良い的だ。
「来たぞ! 頼んだ!」
「分かりました!」
限界まで加速を続けるバイクの上で、シオリが刀の刀身に光を
それらにより空中を激しい砲火が飛び交う中、アキラはRL2複合銃を両手でしっかりと構えて集中していた。
アルファのサポートの精度が低下している現在の状況で、アキラはアルファに現状で可能なサポートの余力を防御と回避に割り当てるように頼んでいた。つまり攻撃は自力でやっている。強化服の操作にもアルファのサポートは受けていない。当然照準補正も無い。
アキラが更に集中し、意識上の世界の認識を際立たせていく。銃撃に不要な情報が世界から除去されて白く染まっていく。逆に視界の先にある多脚戦車の姿がどこまでも鮮明になっていく。アキラの脳の中で作り上げられ知覚される世界の解像度が上がっていき、本当の世界との差異が縮まっていく。
回避行動により激しく動くバイクの揺れが、体感時間を極限まで圧縮したことで感覚的に相対的に緩やかになり、
その制止した世界の中で、戦車の輪郭すら白くぼやけ始めた視界の中、銃口と着弾地点を結ぶ線だけ輝かせるように鮮明にさせながら、アキラは標的に意識を向け続け、己の死力を振り絞る。
撃ち出された銃弾が弾道上のあらゆる物を消滅させながら突き進むように宙を
する訳だと、シオリも理解し納得した。しかし続く言葉を聞いてその理解が少し誤っていたことに気付く。
アキラは単純に弾薬費を嘆いているのだと気付いたシオリは、その驚きで表情を少し堅くしていた。
「あ、あの、アキラ様。どこからどうやって入手したのかは別にしても、対滅弾頭は基本的に所持や使用に極めて厳重な許可が必要でして、下手をすると持っているだけで周辺の都市を敵に回すのですが......」
「ん? 俺はクガマヤマ都市からとっくにモンスター認定を受けてるし、その辺は今更だな」
そのいろいろとズレたアキラの返事に、シオリは少し引いていた。カナエは爆笑していた。
Ch 283
Akira's new HC31R augmented suit, code name Los Carden, was a huge upgrade compared to his previous augmented suit. One suit cost as much as 5 billion Aurum. Although he bought it at wasteland price from Katsuragi, it was still worth its price. It was stronger than a powered suit. It was also normally used by high-ranking Hunters who worked further to the east of Zegelt city.
When it came to such powerful equipment, it did not simply augment the physical prowess of its user. It was more correct to say that it transformed its user into a super-human.
It had an advanced support-adjustment system, which corrected the gap in the user's will and their bodily movements. It would enable a complete beginner to run full speed on a 10 centimetres width beam. It also worked in tandem with the user's reaction and unconscious movements, correcting them and making them more precise. It would enhance the skills of its wearer to a level comparable to an expert. It could output enough power to be able to kick a large vehicle up into the air like a pebble. Naturally, with such power, it was fitted with precise output control.
It could also work together with information-gathering devices to sharpen its users' senses. It could help users with extrasensory abilities to extend their senses to cover all 360 degrees. This would not improve one's vision, but instead, the ability to feel presence in all directions. It would remove blind spots and any possibility of getting caught in an ambush. Its user would even be able to feel disturbances in wind pressure.
Including the medicines and the ammunition, all in all, Akira spent 16 billion Aurum in total. It could be said that after the upgrade, he had finally gained suitable firepower for a 50 billion bounty target. Though, it was a bit late into the game.
With all his new equipment, Akira was still hard-pressed against the onslaught from Pamela.
Even when that forcefield armour and shield got shattered by a single shot from the TGP laser cannon, those remote automata did not get completely obliterated. They could still move without their heads. Similarly, even if a part of their bodies got blown off, their remaining limbs would still continue to fight. They needed to be ripped to pieces, to the point it was no longer physically possible to fight. Otherwise, these remote automata would continue to fight under Pamela's will.
All of the automata moved like skilled fighters. They were all very well-equipped. Furthermore, they were fighting together with impeccable teamwork, pressing forward with no fear of death. It was as if their lives were to be sacrificed for a singular goal. That was just how terrifying the group attacking Akira was.
Akira was unconsciously comparing them to the maids he had fought previously. Their individual strength, teamwork, equipment, and scale were on another level compared to before. He was feeling the pressure from their exchange. He had thought that he would have no problems facing his enemies with his new equipment. However, that naive belief was immediately swept away.
"Stop complaining and just keep shooting! Next! On your right!"
"I know, I know!!"
Due to the jamming smoke, Alpha could not provide her usual full support to Akira. Thus, he had to compensate through hard work.
Even with his compressed time perception, the remote automata were still moving relatively fast. He fixed his aim against those automata and shot at them with the rifle in his right hand. At the same time, he identified the bullets coming for him and actively shifted his position away from where they would travel. Rather than recognizing the incoming shots as a wall of bullets, he accurately identified each individual bullet and predicted their trajectories. He squeezed his body through the small openings between the bullets. At the same time, Akira released a barrage to completely destroy the human-shaped automata, creating mashes of green blood and a mix of metal and flesh.
"Next! Below you!"
"Say, Alpha. Why is that maid so fixated on Shiori and Kanae? Wasn't it me who tried to kill Chloe from the start? As a matter of fact, I'm still aiming to kill her right now. Wouldn't it be better to prioritize me instead?"
"She must have her own reason for doing something like this. It's not our place to be worried over her reasons. Look. If Shiori and Kanae get killed, you would be next on her list, you know? You should be more worried about that."
If Kanae and Shiori got killed, all the remote automata would go after him, all at the same time. Thus, although it was strange, ensuring Shiori and Kanae survived meant his survival.
Unfortunately for them, that was not the end. Akira quickly followed the laser sweep with a barrage of bullets. The forcefield shields got greatly weakened from receiving the laser and could not withstand the barrage. They were broken to pieces when faced against a barrage of C-bullets. A moment later, mini-missiles came in and struck their targets almost at the same time. This resulted in a spectacular explosion, which blew his enemies into chunks.
Akira quickly shifted his attention to his next target. He reminded himself that he did not have the leeway to be thinking about unnecessary things. In order to preserve his life, he needed to desperately provide support for Shiori and Kanae.
Down on the ground, Shiori brought down her blade. It was towards a remote automaton coming at her from the front. Powerful forcefield armour extended from the contact point of the blade, and broke through the enemy's forcefield armour, splitting its head cleanly into two.
But even after cleaved it into two, the automaton still stared at Shiori. It moved as if it was going to throw a counterattack. It somehow maintained its balance with only one leg as it aimed its rifle at Shiori.
Shiori, who had already anticipated this, quickly jumped to the side. She moved away from where it was aiming and swung her blade horizontally. The body, which was already cut into two, got horizontally sliced apart together with its rifles. Only now did it get rendered completely harmless.
"Ane-san! Are you going to be okay?"
Shiori was using a powerful accelerator drug, which had minimal side effects. Kanae's bright voice could be heard through the communication device, which made it possible for them to communicate in a similar manner to telepathy.
Shiori replied with a rather curt voice.
"If you have the time to worry about me, you should stop with that smile of yours and take this fight seriously!"
"Well, I can't just remove this side of me, you know!? It would also be the end of me if you get killed here! I'm sure that Akira-boy also knows it. That's exactly why he's providing us support!"
"If you understand that, put more effort into it so as to not cause him unnecessary worry!"
Shiori's group had offered Akira to fight against Chloe together, but he rejected it. They would be in trouble if Akira got killed. Thus, they donned their camouflage and hid around him. They originally planned to provide him support if he got into trouble, which would make him more likely to agree to their offer. In the end, a maid automaton appeared. To eliminate it, they had to expose themselves. Afterwards, everything went completely opposite of what they had in mind. Akira was the one providing support.
"Do you mean... that there's a good chance branch manager Beltram and Flip are actually working together behind the scenes?"
"If that is indeed the case, it would explain why branch manager Beltram allowed the use of the Rank 9 warehouse. That way, they can make this incident bigger. Of course, this is nothing but just my guess."
"If that's true, they really threw Milady and Akira-boy into a massive mire of trouble."
"I'll have Chloe-sama take responsibility. After all, she started all of this."
During the battle, Shiori was obviously livid while Kanae was smiling wryly.
Both worked together, offence and defence, destroying the remote automata one by one. Although the size of the enemy was massive and each automation was strong, their number was dwindling. If they could keep it up, it was only a matter of time before they got the upper hand. Just when Shiori and Kanae started to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the situation suddenly changed.
Akira, who was fighting somewhere not too far away from them, suddenly landed his bike on the ground. He accelerated it toward Shiori and Kanae. He was in such a rush that he was willing to toss away his advantage of mobility. He chose to race on the ground, instead of up in the sky, where he could freely evade.
Shiori and Kanae, who noticed his action, were taken by surprise. They understood that he was subtly warning them to get out of this place as soon as possible. They unhesitatingly jumped on board Akira's bike.
A moment later, after Akira and the rest left the area, a sudden full-scale bombardment rained down. It obliterated everything in that area. No buildings were left standing.
A large multi-legged vehicle was slowly approaching the border between the slums and the wasteland. A hundred-meter-long cannon was perched on top of its chassis. It would not be strange for a cannon of that size to be installed on an inter-city transport vehicle. Its gargantuan body was supported by thick powerful legs that could easily crush everything in its way as it moved forward.
"Rank 9 warehouse?"
"It's a particular term used within Lion Steel. It refers to a facility that houses weapons capable of assaulting a city."
"So, they're planning on attacking Kugamayama city?"
"I heard that they're originally dispatched as escorts or as a deterrent force. Lion Steel has many enemies as it is one of many large companies in the eastern district. Thus, it is necessary for it to have such a mighty force."
"Akira-boy, that's not important right now. Whatever their reason is, it doesn't change the fact that they brought that thing out to this battlefield. Now, the important thing is how to bring it down."
Akira frowned. Although it was indeed exactly as Kanae said, he could not help but still be bothered by its presence.
Forcefield armour protected its large frame at any given moment. It used a huge amount of energy with each large-sized laser cannon fire. Furthermore, its constant forcefield armour took a lot of energy to maintain as well. However, it could replenish its energy wirelessly from the other vehicles around it. Thus, there was close to zero chance of depleting its energy reserves. Although the cannon could not angle to shoot the area high above and under it, there were smaller cannons installed to cover those areas. Therefore, trying to attack from those angles would be equivalent to suicide. With Shiori's explanation, Akira understood just how powerful the opponent was. He was stuck, unsure of how to deal with it.
Alpha, who was controlling the bike, suddenly made a sharp turn and accelerated. Everyone on the bike, including Akira, was flusteredly trying to maintain their balance. They were trying their best to not get thrown off the bike. None of them offered a single word of complaint. They all already knew why they had to be extra cautious in their current situation.
The multi-legged vehicle once again released a shot. The laser cannon consumed a colossal amount of energy. It released a pillar of light, which evaporated everything that got caught inside it. It drew a clear straight line through the slums. The buildings that made the slightest bit of contact around the circumference of the laser got blown up high into the sky. It took some time before they fell back down like rain, back into the slums.
To evade the falling rubble, Akira had to drive the bike erratically. Thus the trio's expressions were grave.
The buildings in the slums served as excellent covers for Akira, enabling him to slip away from the laser cannon. However, if it kept shooting like that, it was only a matter of time before he ran out of cover. As the vehicle was slowly but surely moving forward, Sheryl's headquarters would eventually get within its range.
"Honestly. I don't think that huge thing would only aim at us while ignoring Sheryl's base though. Any good ideas?"
"Akira-sama. My apologies, but I can't think of anything else other than to get close enough to infiltrate the vehicle. We can only destroy it from the inside."
The reason why Shiori apologized was because it was the same as asking Akira to take a suicidal approach.
"...Alpha, how many should I use? Just one shot would be enough, right?"
Akira heaved a huge sigh. He had no other choice but to use his trump card. Thus, he pushed his two RL2 multi-rifles to Shiori, as if he was handing them over to her.
Kanae smiled brightly and thanked him. Even if Akira agreed to go with them after listening to their explanation and suggestion, that did not change the fact they were going to suicidally charge toward the enemy. Even so, Kanae was still smiling amusedly.
Although Shiori was thankful as well, she was still confused as to why Akira passed her two of his rifles.
Akira did not reply. He simply switched to his third RL2 multi-rifle. It was obvious from his expression that he was going to do something that he absolutely did not want to do. However, he had no other choice given the situation he was in.
It was not difficult for Shiori to guess that rifle was Akira's trump card. Something he did not want to use if it could be helped. She was grateful he was willing to go as far as to use his trump card.
However, Alpha had taken that into account and calculated a method to avoid it. The bike went up to the sky, escaping from the gigantic beam. The bike kept going higher, only stopping right before they entered the red area, where Akira was not allowed to enter. The bike then made a sharp turn and ran while being upside down. It was as if the bike's tires were running on the border of the red area.
Although the multi-legged vehicle had an immensely powerful laser cannon, it could not shoot in consecutive succession. Akira used that opening between the shots to get as close as possible. He accelerated the bike at full speed, which also reduced its ability to evade.
However, the multi-legged vehicle was not exactly vulnerable between each shot. Its smaller cannons and missile pods were actively firing during that time. Although the smaller cannons were easier to avoid, the missiles were equipped with homing devices. Since they were slower, the speed filter did not affect them. Akira, who was prioritizing speed over dexterity, had to come up with a way to deal with them.
"Here they come! I'm relying on both of you!!"
"Understood!"
While the bike was travelling at top speed, Shiori swung her blade, which glowed dimly with light particles. It released a wave of light that flew from the blade, which sliced through the speed filter particles.
With heavy fire flying in all directions, Akira held his RL2 multi-rifle firmly with both hands as he carefully aimed it.
Currently, Alpha could not provide her full support to Akira. Thus, he requested her to focus on shooting down and evading the incoming missiles. Basically, he would handle this shot all by himself. After all, currently, even his augmented suit did not have Alpha's support. This meant there was no aim correction support.
Akira pushed to gather his focus even more. He rerouted most of his processing capabilities to sharpen his senses. As all unnecessary information for the sniping was omitted from his mind, the world started to turn colourless. Eventually, the world blurred out from his vision. Only the multi-legged vehicle he was focused on looked more vivid. Its whole structure became clearer in his eyes. As this artificial world he had created in his mind became even more accurate, the differences between the real world and the artificial world shrank to zero.
The bike was intensely swaying left and right as it evaded the incoming attacks. Akira gathered his focus and compressed his time perception. The swaying slowed down until it suddenly came to a complete stop.
The time came to a complete halt. The contour of the multi-legged vehicle was starting to blur. Now, the only thing that looked crystal clear in Akira's view, was the trajectory line between the muzzle of his rifle and its target. Akira stared at his target as if giving it a death verdict.
The released shots went straight, destroying everything in its way. It was as if the warheads were boring a hole through space and time. In total, Akira released five shots. All 5 shots did not slow down at all. It was as if they eradicated the particles that caused the speed filter effect. They mowed down everything in their way and eventually reached their target.
Seeing Akira's reaction and the aftermath that it left, Shiori could understand why he did not want to use all his annihilator warheads. However, his next words made her realize that she was misunderstanding things.
Akira was lamenting the cost. When Shiori noticed, she could not hide her stupefaction.
"Uhhh, Akira-sama. Putting aside how you got that ammunition; annihilator warheads are something that you can only use if you receive special permission. In the worst-case scenario, you might get arrested for carrying one..."
"Hm? Well, Kugamayama city had already declared me to be a monster. They are also treating me as one. So, I don't see any reason to be worried about that now."
Shiori was slightly taken aback by Akira's unthinkable response. While on the other hand, Kanae was laughing her ass off.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
非公開