The File Bunker Buster
The massive stake was originally a weapon Neria had designed to create a special pile bunker, which we had modified. I asked Neria and Kirie to adapt it so it could be mounted on a sniper rifle, and after discussion, we settled on an aerial drop method rather than the close-quarters pile bunker design. The official name of this ejection-type pile bunker was the File Bunker Buster—a pun combining "pile bunker" and "bunker buster"—but its power was guaranteed.
The moment I pulled the trigger was when the Earthworm paused briefly to shake off Rendel's relentless attacks. A ten-meter steel stake plummeted toward the creature's tail. Kwaaa—
The stake was no ordinary mass weapon. The propellant inside consumed fuel, adding acceleration beyond gravity. Because the stake was linked to Limpid's altitude at launch, its rear section flared out like a nail head once it reached the proper height. The Earthworm's body exceeded ten meters in thickness, but like a snake, it tapered toward the tail. Aiming too close to the tip risked the creature tearing free and escaping, so I targeted a spot nearer the torso.
Kieeeek—! A direct hit. The File Bunker Buster pierced the Earthworm's body with nothing but pure mass and velocity, driving it into the earth like a nail. Underground, the stake's tip would have flared out like an arrowhead to prevent extraction. For the creature, it was like having its foot nailed to the ground with a massive spike.
If we'd had time, it might have dug out the stake from its tail side, but now steel dolls swarmed it from every direction. All that remained was to deliver the finishing blow. If Rendel had brought his hammer, one strike to the head would have ended it.
Realizing both the pain of the stake and the impossibility of escape, the Earthworm began its final struggle. The ground for a wide radius was swept up by its massive body, forcing even Rendel to retreat. It was fortunate this was an empty field. If something like this had appeared in the middle of a city or village, the result would have been horrific. In fact, something similar had happened decades ago.
If only we had another stake, I could have dropped it on the head or torso. The Earthworm's movements gradually slowed, as if exhausted. Gaining confidence, the cadets swarmed toward its body—especially the side where the stake was embedded.
"You might get pulled in if you attack there," I warned. The cadets hesitated, then shifted closer to the head instead.
Rendel stood at the very front, raising his sword to strike the Earthworm's head. Guuuuung…
The Earthworm let out a sound unlike any before and slowly lifted its body. Its head, nearly as tall as a ten-story building, came crashing down at terrifying speed.
「Everyone, fall back!」
At Rendel's warning, the cadets' Aindiums scattered. The Earthworm's head slammed into the spot where an Aindium had been moments earlier. One cadet who barely dodged froze in terror, and the creature raised its head again to ram his machine.
「Aaaagh!」
Someone was sent flying with a scream, and the comms channel—previously somewhat organized—filled with tension once more.
"The safe zone is about eighty meters from where Luna pinned it. Move back to at least a hundred meters to be safe."
「「Understood!」」
"Got it."
"Marco, what about the missiles?"
"I got a call from the instructor. Taraen warned that firing missiles at our current position would mean military deployment."
"Weren't those guys supposed to be our allies? We're doing all this so they don't get hurt!"
The sound of a desk being slammed echoed through the usually calm Sabrina senior's audio feed.
The Earthworm was proving tougher than expected. In the original story, Rendel had handled it without much trouble, and a few hammer strikes had reduced it to pulp. Now that we'd fixed its position, we could eventually take it down with time—but we didn't have that luxury. If we dragged this out, the stake might be pulled free, or friction with Taraen could bring the military in directly, or the royal family might order us to withdraw.
Whenever anyone tried to approach, the Earthworm—head raised high—would slam down like a bombardment. The only one who could attack its elevated head right now was me. But ordinary sniper rounds were hard to land and did minimal damage. I was nearly out of bullets, and while I had a few special rounds left, firing them normally wouldn't make much difference.
To break this deadlock, we needed the protagonist. Rendel was boldly weaving in and out of the Earthworm's attack range, trying to strike its head. But the creature ignored White Fang's approach entirely, instead targeting other Aindiums with uncanny precision.
I opened a private channel with Rendel.
"Senior Rendel. Do you know how to use the anchor?"
「Anchor? I know how.」
As he answered, he closed in on the Earthworm's body and slashed the side of its swinging head. The focus from earlier was gone; sparks flew wildly.
"We can't attack effectively in this state. I have a plan—let's link up."
「Got it. Where?」
"I'll come down."
White Fang stopped in a suitable clearing, and I descended while unfastening the anchor module from my waist.
"Senior. Can White Fang use this anchor?"
「Kirie made it, right? Should work. Nimust-class and Aind-class have similar torso circumferences.」
Rendel attached the anchor module without even asking what it was for. The black band around White Fang's waist stood out against its white paint—matched to Limpid or Black Fairy's colors—but at least it was compatible.
"Senior. That sword that works on the Earthworm—can you use it while falling?"
「…Falling?」
Rendel echoed my question in an uneasy voice.
"Yes. From the air to the ground."
Rendel fell silent. He was probably calculating. We didn't have time for that. He was the protagonist—he could do it. No, he had to.
"I'll trust that you can."
「What? Wait—」
Ignoring Rendel's protest, I moved behind White Fang and grabbed the 'ㄷ'-shaped handles on its shoulders. They were originally meant for tying ropes in case of falling or tipping over. Limpid had flight capability and the parts that became popular after Professor Carol's seclusion, so it didn't have them.
"Then I'm going."
Limpid Fairy lifted White Fang into the air. Because of White Fang's head and helmet decorations, visibility would be poor, so I kept my arms lowered as much as possible and pressed the machine close. Thanks to that, it probably looked like the smaller Limpid was carrying it piggyback, but at least visibility wasn't an issue.
"This is White Fang's first flight worth commemorating."
「You really…」
Rendel grumbled but raised his sword, as if realizing what he had to do.
「Everyone, attack the head from long range!」
Sabrina senior, who had caught on to our plan, gave the appropriate order. After a slight bow toward the command vehicle she was in, I stopped above the Earthworm's head—which had straightened up to avoid the concentrated attacks.
"Ready?"
「Five seconds.」
The rumbling of White Fang's engine could be felt through sound and vibration. The more an Aindium drew on its pilot's mana to exert power beyond ordinary machinery, the faster its engine spun. I could tell how intensely Rendel was focusing his mana right now, standing still with his sword raised.
A little more time passed beyond the five seconds Rendel had mentioned.
「Ready.」
The awaited voice came through the comms.
"I believe in you, Senior."
With those words, I released my grip on White Fang.
*
First flight, huh. Rendel had completed aerial infiltration training using transport planes during last summer's vacation, so strictly speaking it wasn't his first—but he didn't bother correcting her. Somehow, he felt Luna would get angry if he did.
Even in the middle of concentrating, he'd let his thoughts wander for a moment, but the mana swirling inside his sword didn't falter. Luna had said she believed in him.
Rendel aimed the anchor slightly below the rapidly approaching Earthworm's head and fired. One anchor bounced off the steel section, but the other smashed through rock and locked firmly in place.
The Earthworm looked up in surprise at the sudden attack from above. Rendel swung his sword straight toward the massive maw visible in front of him.
He felt the sensation of cutting through tough hide, then tilted the blade's angle to drive it deeper into the Earthworm's body. The outside was hard, but the interior wasn't reinforced with steel. If he cut the relatively soft inside first, the outer layer would naturally peel away.
White Fang's sword began splitting the Earthworm's body vertically.
*
Rendel successfully drove one anchor in and swung his sword at the Earthworm. He kept falling and cutting for a long time, slicing nearly twenty meters in a single stroke. Rocks and metal in the path were all severed with tremendous force.
After confirming White Fang had safely landed using the anchor, I raised my rifle toward the still-unresponsive, rigid Earthworm. The battle was nearly over, but I needed a finishing blow to secure my contribution.
I pulled the trigger of the sniper rifle with its barrel reattached. A single bullet burrowed between the split sections of the Earthworm's thrashing body.
Poof!
The special incendiary round exploded inside the Earthworm's body, igniting flames. An attack that might not even leave a minor burn on the tough exterior now roasted the giant monster from within.
The Earthworm—its head cooked through—collapsed slowly after a brief moment. It was a victory earned after a long battle.