My Dedicated Weapon
"Shall we wait a moment?" "That place looks like a complete mess at first glance anyway."
We had taken down the shadow giant, but the evil god remained sealed inside. The power he had detonated to create that giant was still visible beyond the barrier, so I decided to rest and wait for now.
"So, how do you plan to take that thing down?"
"I'll enter the seal."
"Not by breaking it, then."
"That's because this seal only blocks anything connected to the evil god."
"So you can just walk through. It's strange, since seals usually stop everything."
True enough. If we shattered the seal here, how would we be any different from terrorists? Committing terrorism would make us the real thing.
This must be another reason it only blocks things related to the evil god. In the worst-case scenario, it was a deliberate measure allowing us to step inside directly.
"If I get possessed in there..."
"I'll be trapped forever. Transforming into the evil god along the way."
"Terrifying."
But it was effective. The way it eliminated any potential source of corruption earned it an even higher evaluation.
"Did your warm-up go well?"
"Yeah. It was a good opponent."
This shadow monster had been my first true real-world battle, and through it I was able to fully experience everything I had gained.
"Was it thanks to Soul Enveloping that I could fight without panicking?"
"That's about half and half. You realized your own strength while fighting the goblins, and Ancient Martial Arts includes mental discipline as well."
"Then that's fine. It's my first time using Soul Enveloping, so I was worried about side effects."
"You can think of it as your original nature, hidden until now by your mana incapacity constitution, finally revealing itself."
I nodded at her explanation. The sheer intensity of that passion, combined with how quickly I had adapted during the goblin fight, made it clear this was my true personality. I had only been concerned because I had advanced through the stages of Ancient Martial Arts far too rapidly.
The harmony between muscle strength gained through training and innate mana had dramatically compressed the time required.
The stages of Ancient Martial Arts were not meant to be climbed this quickly. Building a body suited for the introductory level took decades, and gaining the control required for the foundation took decades more. It demanded an entire lifetime just to become minimally competent.
That was why the tradition had been severed.
Still, no matter the reason, I had perfectly mastered the basics and succeeded in making them my own through that recent battle. Now I could challenge the next step.
After walking comes running.
The true body of the Ancient Martial Arts and the acquisition and practical application of its combat techniques were already engraved in my flesh. All that remained was drawing out the physical ability and skill to use them. And on that front, there were no problems.
"What about you? What will you do this time?"
"Since it's an evil god, I'll have to fight with everything I have."
With those words, Diana drew her weapon.
"...You've been moving incredibly fast."
"Huhu, isn't that the basic qualification of a regressor?"
What she held now was a final-tier weapon. In the game its acquisition had been timed for the third-year field trip, but reality had no such restrictions. You simply went and took it.
"Still, that area's part of the academy's training grounds. It can't have been easy to enter recklessly."
"This was the perfect time to use the ducal family's name."
"...The synergy between a regressor and someone with real power is terrifying."
Moreover, in Diana's case even her age carried no penalty. Since the family's unique ability was regression, people would readily accept strange knowledge or unusual decisiveness.
"And you're hardly in a position to criticize my choice of weapons, are you?"
"That's true."
The dedicated weapon Diana had prepared for me was inevitably shaped like a gauntlet, yet it was nothing like a normal gauntlet.
"In a sense, it might be even more remarkable than a typical final weapon."
"Huhu, preparing it was incredibly difficult."
"I can imagine."
It was a weapon that truly carried the sincerity of a regressor. While making sure I could draw it at any moment, I asked her:
"Any special plan?"
"Planning is meaningless against a being like that... Still, I remember the general patterns."
"Will you tell me?"
"Of course. It probably begins with..."
"Then I think doing it this way would be better..."
We continued our discussion until the energy inside the seal subsided. It was the first time we had spoken from such a close distance, and for some reason my heart fluttered slightly.
"It really does pass through easily."
I had been told, but I still expected at least some resistance. Yet the evil god's seal felt like nothing more than fog, offering no physical resistance at all.
When I stepped through and parted the mist, I saw it.
"That's..."
The remnant of the evil god—its right arm.
"It's cooler than I expected?"
I had assumed it would be nothing but a dangling lump of flesh, but that wasn't the case. What stood there looked like part of a giant suit of armor, wrapped in coiling black aura. If I had to describe it, the design tickled the heart of a middle-school edgelord.
What I had pictured initially was a hand crawling across the floor like a bug, so this was more than enough. After all, something cool was better than something grotesque.
"It will emerge soon."
But as soon as Diana spoke, the arm began to change. Just like the shadow monster sent outside, it took the form of a murky, black humanoid.
What a shame.
In the end, the transformed remnant of the evil god was utterly stereotypical. It resembled a blue-skinned demon wearing villainous armor bristling with spikes and horns that looked terribly uncomfortable. Surprisingly, this world had its own evil-character template.
"■■■■."
The evil god said something and shrugged. The gesture was far too natural to be seen as mere remnant or body part. It clearly displayed the presence of self-awareness.
"What is that thing saying?"
"...It cannot speak. Because it has been weakened."
"Why does being weakened mean it can't talk?"
Diana answered while watching it with eyes far more tense than before.
"The evil god's greatest ability is corrupting people through speech."
"■■■■■."
"It seems to be expressing regret."
"It would be, for him."
Well, regardless, it didn't appear to intend to attack us. On the contrary, without even minding its inability to speak, it expressed friendliness through what looked like kind gestures.
It was so natural and intense that, even after hearing the explanation, one might unconsciously drop their hostility.
"Then, as planned?"
"As planned."
But I hadn't forgotten. It was the one who had sent the shadow monster to kill us—or perhaps observe us—just moments ago. There was naturally zero goodwill.
"Change: Maximum Mass."
So, exactly as we had discussed beforehand, I hurled Agatram.
Whoosh—
It was an attack aimed at the opening created by its inevitable arrogance.
Thud!
The evil god blocked Agatram with ridiculous ease. Even though I had put significant power behind it, the barrier didn't even show a crack.
The evil god smirked, but the real show was only beginning.
Whirr— Crunch, crunch—
"■■■!"
Agatram, clinging to the barrier like a splattered egg, continued growing heavier at my command. I had thrown it quickly because a rapidly increasing mass would soon exceed what I could control.
Creak— creak—
One ton. Ten tons. A hundred tons. A thousand tons. Agatram's weight multiplied tenfold every second, and from beyond the barrier came the sound of crushing metal.
Physical force beyond a certain threshold rendered the attributes of power meaningless. No matter how omnipotent mana was, no matter how exceptional it was at reinforcement and support, an overwhelming difference in fundamental mass could ignore it all.
Boom!
But that was as far as it went. Due to Agatram's nature, its mass could increase endlessly, but the material itself remained ordinary. In other words, there was nothing preventing it from being destroyed.
This is a trick that's surprisingly difficult to notice, but as expected of an evil god, it caught on quickly.
Still, it couldn't react immediately, and that wasted second was precious time for me.
Hiss—
The air filled with the smell of steam and steel. It was the aftermath of the final mounting confirmation sequence. The scent was metallic and damp, but none of that mattered. This was the aroma of romance.
"Super Power Dedicated Lower-Arm and Leg Shock Conduction Module System."
Shortened to "Heavenly Fist."
There had been more than enough time to equip the dedicated weapon I had prepared.
Clang.
The steel arm announced its movement. It was not a weapon made for a person. Rather, it was a colossal hand that would have suited the shadow giant we had just fought. The enormous metal mass that swallowed everything from my hand to my heel was a shape that was nearly impossible to wear, let alone lift.
If one lacked strength.
Strength beyond all limits could resolve every inconvenience. If the entrance was too far, you simply dragged it over.
Whirr—
Once the final mounting sequence finished, the turbine began to spin. Mana flowed from the seven mana-stone cores embedded in the Heavenly Fist, activating the built-in gravity magic and synchronizing its senses with my hand.
Hiss—
Along with another discharge of heat, I felt the machine-god's hand connect completely with my own.
Then there were no more problems. The weight of a single Heavenly Fist was only about two tons—easily within my ability to lift.
All preparations were complete. As I readied myself to run, I awakened the memories embedded in my body.
Running is the leap behind all activity. It is the act of burning the body to solve what cannot be accomplished by walking alone.
What is it for? A run to escape? A run to hunt?
The essence of the latter was created by me, by my master, by the progenitor. Soon, you will create it.
The true essence of the Ancient Martial Arts. The pinnacle of running.
Ancient Martial Arts—Lightning Step: Ure.
With a thunderous roar, my body flew straight at the evil god.
"First, one blow."
A mountain of metal descended upon the evil god.