The Mad Bomber (3)
A monster forged entirely from muscle. There were no other words to describe it.
A hail of bullets rained down mercilessly. Yet the creature charged forward in a straight line, utterly confident in the unbreakable durability of its muscular frame. If I stood there like an idiot, that massive bulk would crush me flat.
I twisted aside like a matador facing a raging bull, narrowly avoiding the brutal charge as I swung Aldebaran’s blade.
Slash.
The sword bit into its flank. But against that enormous body, the wound looked pathetically small. Its muscles were harder than alloy. Since the damn things could even deflect bullets, they had clearly surpassed mere metal. On top of that, it kept swinging fists that carried the force of a battering ram, making it nearly impossible to get close.
It’s not invincible, though. How could some throwaway extra from chapter two possibly be unbeatable?
The bomber who had collapsed as a perforated honeycomb had resurrected as a one-man army. If unleashed on a battlefield, it would have become a slaughter engine that massacred countless soldiers. But—.
Unfortunately for it, the opponent was all wrong. The hundred-plus muskets that kept belching fire made that perfectly clear.
Bang! Bang! Bang!!
Ratatatatata—!!!
An unrelenting storm of bullets. Gale, who had been arrogantly bulldozing through the barrage, soon noticed his body turning into shredded meat and hastily retreated. The wounds that had reduced him to a rag were regenerating, but the process was slowing noticeably with every passing second.
Ever since the sword tip had grazed him earlier, the near-invincible regeneration had begun to fail. This can’t be happening. I’m supposed to be invincible…! Why is my body crumbling from attacks like these?
The grotesque regenerative power had devoured what little intelligence the creature possessed, but the terror of death remained intact. At this rate, it would die. It would suffer a meaningless second death.
The five-yard-tall giant slowly backed away from me.
“If ten shots don’t work, fire twenty. If twenty don’t work, fire forty. If an enemy still won’t fall after you’ve poured firepower into it, that simply means you haven’t used enough firepower. Yeah. That’s it.”
Black energy shimmered like heat haze and spread, doubling the number of muskets. Two hundred barrels now formed a deadly formation. Muskets loaded with enchanted bullets created a majestic, terrifying sight. At my gesture they moved in perfect unison—like an orchestra obeying its conductor—completing their firing line.
Surrounded by the ring of muskets, the giant monster kept stumbling backward.
“Gruu…!! Graaaaaah!!!”
For some unknown reason its regeneration had slowed dramatically. Its bullet-riddled muscles hung in tatters. It was going to die. Fear tightened around Gale’s throat like a noose. As if to prove the point, hundreds of bullets tore into the lump of flesh, ripping it apart.
Gale screamed and fled, but the muskets refused to let their prey escape. No matter which way it ran, they tracked it relentlessly, determined to end its life.
“I’ll kill you…! Kill you, kill youuu!!”
Gale, who had been fleeing with survival as his only priority, suddenly reversed direction and charged straight at me. Its hands spread wide. Then it kicked off the ground and leaped.
A full-body press. A crude, all-or-nothing attack meant to crush me beneath its entire mass. It was utterly brainless. If that solid mountain of muscle landed on me, I’d be reduced to shapeless pulp.
“Grrk?!”
─────!!!
An enormous mass hurtled toward me. But for some reason the giant lost balance mid-leap and crashed to the ground. Gale’s body was changing. The iron-hard muscles began to twist and collapse. Bones shattered and fused repeatedly. Each time, Gale rolled across the floor, howling in agony. Pain beyond imagination tore through it.
Death would have been a mercy, freeing it from the merciless torment. But the stubborn regenerative power it had gained upon resurrection refused to allow that escape. Every time the pain spiked, the purple sword scar on Gale’s side grew clearer. It was the mark left by Aldebaran. Compared to the mountain of muscle surrounding it, the cut looked like a mere scratch—yet it had driven in like a curse, completely shattering the black magic that had been reinforcing the body and fueling its regeneration.
“I had to use the Musketeer’s blessing and draw the Holy Sword Aldebaran… What a damn chore. I’m not a janitor, for crying out loud.”
I sighed as I watched Gale writhe in agony.
Then—.
The body that had kept collapsing and regenerating finally burst apart.
The bomber’s body explodes
Blood and chunks of flesh erupted, turning the cathedral interior into a gruesome slaughterhouse. Naturally, I—who had been standing at the center—got drenched in the vile mess.
“Fuck…”
Splat.
I shoved the heavy slab of meat off my face and cursed. What part of the body had that even been? Goosebumps crawled across my skin.
* * *
The remnants of the criminal organization that once attacked the Saintess Party had detonated a bomb in the imperial capital’s Seventh District. The city blocks were swallowed by flames. Countless casualties resulted. To maximize the death toll, they had deliberately targeted the heart of a residential zone. Navy-blue flames spread the instant the bomb went off, devouring the streets and creating a living hell. They even mobilized demonic beasts to ambush fleeing refugees.
Over four hundred dead or missing. The number of injured swept up in the inferno was ten times higher. If the Valtaria imperial family hadn’t dispatched troops immediately for rescue and firefighting, the damage would have spiraled out of control. Fortunately they had prevented the absolute worst outcome, but the destruction was still catastrophic. The ashes of what had once been a thriving district told the story of the tragedy.
“Gale Doher… To think the infamous Bomber Corps has resurfaced. The intelligence bureau’s last confirmed sighting was in the Kingdom of Alond.”
Ludmila openly displayed her humiliation at the fact that such a vicious criminal syndicate had managed to evade the empire’s intelligence service even briefly. They had been too complacent. The empire was now paying a bitter price for its arrogance. If they had dispatched the intelligence bureau the moment they located the Bomber Corps, they could have prevented this unprecedented disaster. Countless citizens would not have been slaughtered.
The woman staring holes through the documents bit her plump lip, cursing herself.
“A black magician must have been involved. Otherwise none of this makes sense.”
I spoke while watching Ludmila drown in self-loathing. The princess nodded.
“Black magicians… They were definitely behind the attack on your family as well, weren’t they?”
“Yes.”
The bomber Gale was nothing more than a vengeful lunatic. His followers in the Bomber Corps were the same. Someone was backing them. The black magicians had clearly provided support. The way the Bomber Corps had appeared out of nowhere to launch their ambush proved it. The demonic beasts that had rampaged through the city only confirmed the theory. In fact, it was safe to assume they were the masterminds behind every incident.
“His Majesty flew into a rage when he received the report. A full-scale subjugation order against the black magicians will be issued soon. The Holy Kingdom, which has been suppressing heretics for years, will step forward as well.”
“……”
It would be strange if he hadn’t flown into a rage. More than four hundred people had died—inside the imperial capital under the direct jurisdiction of the emperor and his ministers. The fiery-tempered Barbarossa would never sit idly by. He would summon the empire’s top generals to the war room and demand a subjugation. He would also issue a strict order to show no mercy.
Blood would be repaid with blood. A heavy atmosphere of impending war slowly settled over the once-peaceful Valtaria Empire.
“I heard you charged into a sea of flames and subjugated the bomber and his underlings. On behalf of the empire and its citizens, I wish to express our gratitude… I’ll arrange an official ceremony.”
“Ah, no, that’s really not necessary. Please don’t.”
“You really are modest. I almost want to learn from your humility.”
“……”
I had tried to keep my identity hidden. The more famous I became, the harder it would be to maintain secrecy. When I walked out of the cathedral after defeating the bomber, I had the misfortune of running straight into the knights who had been deployed to the scene. Their additional testimony—combined with the reports from the knights I met after dealing with the demonic beasts—painted me as the hero who had slain the infamous bomber. Against my will, I had been thrust into the spotlight and showered with forced admiration and popularity.
It felt like I had become a clown without auditioning for the role. My name had spread so widely that ordinary citizens recognized me wherever I went.
“I have something to give you.”
“…Yes?”
Was she about to hand me a commendation? Or maybe a medal or badge honoring my contribution? Honestly, I’d rather have cold hard cash. Or a pension. Anything but another title.
“His Majesty has invited the hero who saved the capital. He clearly holds you in high regard. Considering this achievement, he may even forgive House Hoenberg.”
“……”
What Ludmila handed me was an invitation bearing the golden lion seal. It was the second imperial summons I had received this month alone. The faint smile on her face as she watched me made my body freeze.
I wanted to reject the imperial invitation on the spot, but the crime of disrespect stopped me.
The bearer of this missive has been formally invited to the imperial palace.
For distinguished service in subjugating the mad bomber Gale Doher and preventing further catastrophe in the Seventh District, you are summoned to receive the Emperor’s personal gratitude.
His Imperial Majesty, Barbarossa von Valtaria, awaits your presence.
“Take it.”
“……”
“I said take it.”
“…Yes.”
Ludmila’s crimson eyes flashed. I had no choice but to accept.