Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Golem
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Pitiful being who wondered about love.
Now that you know it, how does it feel?
Why do you feel even more empty?
That love melted even tin, but it cooled so easily.
You who were made of tin.
Where is your heart now?
There was no escaping.
This temple was enormous, but it was still a confined space.
I had to fight here, and my opponent was clearly the type to overwhelm with brute force—a martial artist through and through.
Not that it mattered; being a golem meant its attacks would rely on raw physical power anyway.
It could probably wield that massive axe up ahead, too.
Its attack power was one thing, but its defense was no joke either.
Even with my sturdy, sturdy, sturdy beak, could I inflict any real damage on something like that?
Even if I could pierce it somehow, my small size meant I couldn't deal much harm.
It was a ridiculously powerful foe.
I might be a big crow, but this thing was like facing an elephant.
Still, you never know until you clash.
Among the forms I'd guessed from the name "Tin," this one had definitely been on the list.
I had a strategy, cooked up with the Sage.
Krrrrrind...
With a deafening grind, the Lord of Tin rose from his seat.
"Caw."
I stared it down, readying myself.
"Has the Scarecrow gone?"
Unlike what I'd expected, the Lord of Tin didn't charge right away.
Unlike the Scarecrow, it seemed to have some wits about it.
"I see. You must have sent him on his way."
It gazed at me slowly.
It knew I'd taken down the Scarecrow.
"Rest easy. I have no emotions left for something as petty as revenge."
"Kraa?"
No emotions for revenge?
Did that mean it didn't resent me for defeating the Scarecrow?
This guy was a Host of the Eternal Night, too.
I'd instinctively known that when I encountered the Scarecrow.
The Eternal Night hadn't come yet, but with the witches gathered here, it was like a ticking time bomb ready to blow at any moment.
Even with its reason intact, it was still an enemy I had to defeat.
That much hadn't changed.
Still, since it was initiating conversation, a little chat couldn't hurt.
If it were anyone else, I'd think they were stalling, but this one didn't seem the type.
Giving it time might even let me come up with a solid plan.
"Might as well hear it out for now."
The Sage agreed, so I opted to communicate instead of attacking right away.
"A crow, eh. Dorothy chose a creature like you."
Dorothy chose.
I had no idea what that meant, but it felt like crucial info.
What we needed most right now were leads on Dorothy and the Eternal Night.
The Lord of Tin—Tin Woodman, that was—seemed to be Dorothy's companion, like the Scarecrow.
And unlike that one, it had its reason, so I could probably pry plenty of info on Dorothy out of it.
Assuming it cooperated, of course.
Thud. Thud.
The Lord of Tin walked slowly, heavily.
The massive golem's movements made the whole temple shake.
"That gem on your leg. That must be the Scarecrow's wisdom."
Spot on.
The reward from beating the Scarecrow was this gem.
Moona had tinkered with it, turning it into this "Sage's Wisdom" that amplified my magic power.
"I never thought I'd see it again. My old self might have felt glad. Or nostalgic, perhaps."
Did that mean the current him couldn't feel those things?
"He gained wisdom, I gained a heart, the lion gained courage. When we set out on our adventure, we each had our goals."
It matched the stories I'd heard.
The straw-made Scarecrow sought knowledge and wisdom.
The heartless Tin Woodman sought the human heart.
The Cowardly Lion sought the courage to be braver than anyone.
"In the end, we all got what we wanted. Wisdom, heart, courage. In exchange for helping her."
They'd adventured with Dorothy and gotten what they desired at journey's end.
"And as you saw, it was a horrific curse."
The Scarecrow.
He'd gained wisdom, but the state I'd seen him in was monstrous.
A bloodthirsty beast without a shred of reason.
"He gained wisdom and was consumed by madness."
Knowing too much had driven him insane.
"I learned of love, but in the end, it turned me into this."
So he hadn't always been this massive golem.
I'd never seen his old form, but if he said so, I'd believe it.
"The lion's courage became reckless bravado, claiming countless lives."
Cowardly Lion.
He was alive and kicking in this world, too.
After taking down the Tin Woodman, I'd head for the lion next.
So I needed more info from this one.
"It was a yoke, a curse. The curse of knowledge, of love, of courage. Dorothy did this terrible thing. She made bodies that shed no tears even for dead friends. Bodies incapable of rage."
I could guess why it was talking to me.
No rage, no sorrow.
All emotions gone, it could never feel them again.
"Kraa kraa."
What a tragic tale.
I'd fake some sympathy, then either talk it down or find an opening for a sneak attack.
"That's why I thank you. You freed my friend from his yoke, and I trust without doubt that you'll reach Dorothy in the end."
The mood was good.
We might get through this without a fight.
No, better—this could make him one of my minions.
A crow commanding a massive golem.
Always carrying my lucky charms, but now I could ride on someone's shoulder for once.
"So, crow."
"Caw, kraa."
Surrendering, was he?
I'd consider it.
If he handed over all his treasure, info on the lion and Dorothy.
"Show me."
Thud. Thud.
It approached me slowly.
Uh...
Show you what, exactly?
"Caw!"
What the hell?!
Our vibe was great!
Sure, there'd been that Latin choir droning in the background the whole time.
"If you have what it takes."
Thud. Thoom.
My mistake.
Thinking a bit of chit-chat meant I could slack on vigilance.
Not that vigilance would've mattered much against this thing.
"If you have the power to break our yoke and judge Dorothy."
Boom!
BOOM!
Its steps grew heavier.
Each footfall made the earth quake.
Like an earthquake.
I could feel just how overwhelming its mass and power were.
"If you can stop the Eternal Night."
...
Yeah.
It was reasonable, but that didn't change the fact I had to take it down.
Leave it be, and the Eternal Night would come.
No emotions, but with reason left, it wouldn't want that.
It knew that's what Dorothy desired.
It would want to stop it, even if it meant burning its own life.
And in the process, it might toughen up Dorothy's nemesis—me.
"...Seems that way."
Moona murmured his thoughts beside me.
No avoiding the fight.
Short talk over; time to clash.
But a head-on brawl? No winning that.
All my preparations so far.
I'd need every last one for a shot.
"Caw! Kraa!"
I issued orders to Swungswung and Moona.
The plan to block the slow but destructively advancing golem kicked off.
"Swung!"
Swungswung tossed what I needed into the air.
"Caw!"
I leaped low, spiking the object down like a volleyball smash.
The item landed before the golem steadily marching my way: a long strand of black fur.
Black light gleamed.
From the shadow-like sheen, something massive burst forth.
"Yaaawn..."
A big, bad yawn from a big, bad beast, like it was annoyed.
"Callin' me early as hell, huh."
「Black Wolf's Tail Hair」
A tail hair containing the favor of a big and bad wolf.
A handful of wolves who honed their Shadow Wolf abilities to the limit can teleport using their tail hair as a medium.
As long as she permits it, you can summon her.
Black Wolf.
After building rapport with her, she'd gifted me this.
Said she could warp in with her Shadow Wolf powers to help.
Basically a one-use Black Wolf coupon.
Saved for a dire moment like this.
Couldn't spare any more cards against the Lord of Tin.
Not in human form, but as a wolf.
A black wolf the size of a tiger howled toward the enemy.
"Yeah! This one's the big..."
And bad wolf!
That's what she'd shout.
No clue why, but Black Wolf loved yelling that.
But her words cut short.
Facing something even bigger ahead.
Ruuuumble.
BOOM!
Black Wolf's eyes widened at the approaching golem.
"Y-Y-Y-YOOUUUU!"
A scream near enough.
Probably meant: You said you'd call for help, but this is too much.
No heads-up, dropping me into this? Not cool.
How am I supposed to handle something bigger than an elephant?
Something like that.
But our big bad wolf lady was surprisingly shy, so she phrased it differently.
"You crazy crow yaaaaaaah!"
Crow-species secret technique: Friend Shield.
"Caw, kralong!"