Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 101: The Carnela Port Recapture Operation (8)

I destroyed the largest battleship and took down the white-armored soldiers that were protecting it. However, I had no intention of sinking with the battleship. I had to escape right away.

“…You’re being too reckless,”

And I had a plan for the escape. My compound eyes had caught sight of Mika descending from the sky. He sighed in exasperation and dropped a rope. Without daring to respond, I grabbed hold of it.

Mika flapped his four wings and soared upward, reaching the altitude where we had scattered the bombs before. From the safety of the sky, I surveyed the condition of the other battleships that were still operational, except for the one I had sunk swiftly.

Though four of them remained afloat, they seemed unable to move due to the whirlpools created by the sinking battleships. In this situation, it seemed that I wouldn’t have to worry about being pursued for a while.

However, the battleships turned the tide and launched a counterattack. In addition to their cannons, they had several stationary, large guns that unleashed a barrage of metal fragments, targeting Farl and the other flying demons in the sky. Thanks to the warning from Asumi, no one was caught off guard and shot down. Yet, it seemed challenging for them to get close to the battleship.

Linardo and Thuru, on the other hand, had managed to infiltrate one of the few remaining operational battleships that was miraculously almost unscathed. Judging from the two’s emanating fighting spirit and spiritual power, they were facing a tough battle but not yet in a dire situation. We could join forces later. My focus now was to sink the remaining three battleships.

“…”

“So, you want me to take you to that ship? As you wish,”

Mika, seemingly determined to fulfill my desire, initiated a sudden descent right then and there. Descending to an altitude just above the water’s surface, where I wouldn’t make contact, he maintained that height and approached the targeted battleship.

It seemed that the enemies on the battleship had noticed our presence as well, as bullets were fired in our direction… but each one passed well above Mika. Moreover, none of them descended lower towards us.

“It appears that the stationary guns are either broken or find it difficult to shoot at a low altitude near the water’s surface. We’ll continue our approach in low-level flight,”

Mika murmured softly before he descended even further, so close to the turbulent surface that my feet occasionally skimmed over it. At this proximity, even the sound of bullets slicing through the air became faint. Unlike Farl and the others soaring in the sky, we didn’t need to maneuver in zigzag patterns. We simply flew straight towards the targeted battleship.

Just before colliding with the battleship, Mika ascended vertically, and I timed my release. Even after letting go, I ascended a little further due to inertia, and then I landed on the deck.

“■■■■!”

As soon as I landed, over ten armored soldiers who had been lying in wait opened fire, aiming their guns at me simultaneously. With my still hardened exoskeleton, this barrage felt more like a heavy downpour than anything that could cause pain.

The stationary guns, capable of inflicting significant damage, had disengaged to pursue Mika, who had retreated to the sky, so they weren’t targeting me. Well, if they did, they would end up destroying the entire deck along with me, so it couldn’t be helped.

Without even drawing my swords, I dashed towards the armored soldiers. The one who appeared to be their commander interrupted the gunfire and discarded his gun on the spot. He then deployed a concealed blade from within his armor and prepared to face me.

“■■■!”

“…!?”

Surprisingly, the commander of the armored soldiers responded to my movements. While evading my fists, he counterattacked by slashing at my torso with his blade. Similar to the white-armored soldiers, the regular soldier’s armor could also enhance their own fighting spirit and spiritual power, thereby increasing their physical abilities and strength. In theory, they were capable of fighting against me.

However, theory and reality often diverge. Until now, there hadn’t been any ordinary armored soldiers who could keep up with my movements. So I was genuinely taken aback. I had underestimated an opponent whom I believed I could easily dispatch with a single blow, only to face a fierce counterattack.

How intriguing. That was the genuine thought that crossed my mind. His martial arts might be superior to Alexandre’s. With that realization, I grew eager to further experience it and absorb it as part of my own range of techniques. Instead of relying solely on brute force, I decided to engage in a pure, close combat confrontation.

“■■!■■!?”

For my own benefit, I engaged in a close combat battle with the armored soldier, within the limits allowed by time. As I lunged forward, my fist was deftly parried with minimal force, and in turn, the soldier attempted to exploit that momentum by thrusting his blade at me. However, my exoskeleton clashed with the blade head-on, causing it to snap in half.

It seemed he had reinforced it with spiritual power, but it was futile. No matter how efficiently he enhanced his techniques, it didn’t change the fact that the Khan Race’s spiritual power was lacking. His spiritual power clearly fell short of being able to slice through my exoskeleton, making him no match unless he reached the level of the white-armored soldiers.

“■■■!”

Yet, the armored soldier didn’t halt his movements. He kicked my knee with his armor, struck my throat with his elbow, and delivered a headbutt to my face. His flowing series of attacks were flawlessly executed, and I could only manage to defend against the final headbutt.

Of course, I sustained no damage. However, I couldn’t hide my surprise at being hit by an attack that wasn’t particularly swift. Eager for more firsthand experience, I resolved to continue fighting him barehanded.

“■■■!”

Now it was my turn to counterattack. My knife-hand strike aimed at his abdomen was evaded with nimble footwork, and my high roundhouse kick aimed at his head was dodged as he bent his body to avoid it. I attempted to crush his open back with a kick, but before I could do so, he scooped me up by the pivot leg and mowed me down.

Losing my balance, I was about to tumble onto the deck from my back… or that’s what should have happened to normal humans. That’s right, I had a tail. Using my tail, which could also function as a third arm or leg, I supported myself and extended my body, aligning both feet, and delivered a powerful kick.

“■■!?”

My counterattack caught him off guard, and the armored soldier couldn’t evade in time. However, I still couldn’t finish him off. He crossed his arms to shield his head from a direct hit, then jumped backward to dissipate the impact.

Even without using my fighting spirit, each of my blows was lethal to the feeble armored soldier. Despite dissipating the impact, he could feel the sensation of his arms bending under the force of my kick. With his limp arms hanging down, it was clear he couldn’t continue fighting me any longer. It was time to settle this once and for all.

“■■■■!”

“…………”

I crouched low and charged at the armored soldier. His kick landed accurately on my face. However, it had no effect. With this level of force, any ordinary warrior would have been defeated. But my exoskeleton was impenetrable.

Perhaps realizing that his kick was ineffective, the armored soldier continued to unleash a series of kicks. Yet, no matter the angle or location, his kicks couldn’t inflict any pain or discomfort on me. He couldn’t halt my advance.

“…”

“■■■… ■■…!”

Unfazed by his attacks, I closed in and casually grabbed the armored soldier’s neck, lifting him up. Despite his desperate resistance, I mercilessly drove my poisonous stinger into his neck.

The stabbed armored soldier started losing his strength, unable to resist any longer. After confirming the poison had taken effect, I released my grip. As I did, the armored soldiers who had been observing us began to open fire while shouting some stuff. It seemed there were no more skilled fighters among them than the armored soldier at my feet. Well, then, let’s bring this to an end.

“…………!”

I released a surge of spiritual power before, conjuring a vast amount of sand in mid-air. Using it, I constructed a giant pair of pincers, intending to clamp them around the battleship I stood upon. Hmm, it’s tougher than I thought. This is what Asumi had mentioned. But I will press on.

Amidst the relentless rain of metal fragments, I skillfully manipulated the sand pincers. With a grating sound of metal giving way, the pincers wedged themselves into the battleship and began to warp. Wedging in meant they could surely cut through. If I exert a little more effort, they should sever it!

Megi Megi Megi!

Thanks to my persistence, the sand pincers successfully bore a large hole into the battleship. Plunging the pincers into the hole, I triggered an explosion. The blast widened the hole significantly, causing the battleship to tremble and sway. And when the hole reached the depths of the sea, the battleship began to take on water.

I maintained my balance, unaffected by the ship’s movement. However, the armored soldiers who had been incessantly firing at me faltered and stumbled due to the ship’s instability. Unfortunate ones were flung overboard and plummeted into the water. Well, for now, this is the end of this battleship. Now, which one should I target next…!?

“Gagi!?” (What!?)

While I was pondering which battleship to target next, I noticed a sudden weakening of the presence from Linardo, who should have been engaged in battle on another ship. This couldn’t be ignored! I had to go to his aid!

Just as I started to panic, Mika approached at high speed from behind. His face displayed utmost seriousness, as if he had somehow sensed Linardo’s peril.

“Grab onto me!”

I seized the rope he extended, and together we leaped from the sinking battleship. We had a specific destination in mind—the relatively undamaged ship where the two of them, Linardo and Tuhru, were stationed.

However, due to its lesser damage, the battleship was still equipped with large defensive guns. Even for someone like me, a direct hit would hurt, and if Mika happened to be struck in a critical spot, it could be fatal. Mika maneuvered in a zigzag pattern to avoid the incoming bullets, but the density of fire was much higher compared to the other battleships. At this rate, Mika would be shot down without a doubt.

In that moment, I conjured sand like usual, shaping it into a round shield to protect Mika. The shield absorbed all the bullets, scattering sand as they collided. Since we were moving at high speed, there was no chance to collect the scattered sand. I continuously added more sand to reinforce the shield, ensuring its strength didn’t diminish.

“Now’s the time! Go!”

Forcing our way through, we finally reached the top of the battleship. Several lifeless bodies lay scattered across the deck, with no remaining fighters. All enemies must be fully occupied inside the ship, dealing with the two who had infiltrated.

I released my grip from the rope connecting me to Mika and landed on the deck. Linardo’s presence… though weakened, he was still alive. Please hold on a little longer! With desperate hope in my heart, I made my way inside the ship.