Chimaera─the giant bipedal hybrid beast─is inching in on the capital as we speak.
The beast has two horns at the top of its lion-like head and a tail that looks like a dragon’s. Its hairy primate torso has gotten even more muscular, as well as its legs that resemble a horse’s or deer’s hind legs.
Look at those swole arms…
There is a reason why it arrived at such a conveniently perfect time for me.
To give the truth away, the big guy had left the underground cave quite a while ago to set out for the capital. It was supposed to be at the walls by the time the final tournament began, given there weren’t any obstacles.
But I’d been using my illusion Barrier magic─the same kind used for my camouflage magic─to distort the beast’s surroundings and have it walk around in circles to stall its arrival.
Thus, timing its appearance at the most opportune moment for me.
That would leave our showdown up in the air, but that’s too bad. The battle between Char and me is destined to go unresolved.
“Wh-Wh-Wh-What should we do?! The capital is in trouble!” Char is in panic mode.
I didn’t give her a heads up. Sorry to startle you, Char. But fear not.
Shiva says, “I prepared something for you guys in case something like this happened.” I’m Shiva, by the way. I switched places with Fake Shiva while everyone was distracted by the giant beast.
Phweee! I whistle.
Six little stars twinkle in the sky.
Zwoop!
They’re flying in our direction. The six flying objects are all unique in shape and size. They come to a sharp stop before us, and slowly land upright in the arena.
“I-Is this…? Could it be?!”
As always, Char’s quick on the uptake.
There are only four people on Char’s team when there are six units. Out of nowhere appears…
“Kyah?! Huh, are we…at the arena?”
“Blgheh?! Wh-Why am I here?”
Welcome, Princess Marianne and Laius.
You guys have been helping Char with the card hunting quests so many times; I’d never let you miss out on the fun.
The two extra members could’ve been Flay and Liza, but Flay’s on bodyguard duty for Dad, and she’d throw a fit if I invited only Liza and left her out. Hence Marianne and Laius this time. I hope Liza can catch a break today. She deserves it.
I recite my line in an authoritative tone: “I need you guys to get in that robot and save the capital from the Devil Lord’s creation─Chimaera, the giant hybrid beast.”
The hell am I saying, you ask? Please keep those reactions to yourselves. Char seems to be ecstatic, though. Yulia, too. Her eyes are lighting up. She sure is quick to adapt.
I conjure Anywhere Doors in front of each of the six people.
“Go on! You can enter the cockpit through those doors there, hurry!”
Sorry to rush, but chop-chop, guys.
The two girls walk excitedly through their doors. One by one, the others follow dubiously, defeatedly, apathetically…
“Wh-What the heck is this place?” Laius looks around, baffled, but proceeds to sit down.
The cockpit is equipped with a simple joystick.
“Is this what you use to steer the carriage…?” Marianne hesitantly puts her palm on it.
I tell them, “There’s no time to explain how to operate it. For those of you who aren’t familiar with gaming, don’t worry. You’re on autopilot.”
My explanation does nothing but leave Iris and the others with more question marks over their heads.
Now that everyone’s seated, let’s get this show started.
“Take off!”
Vroooooor!
The six mechanical units slowly float up into the air vertically, turn to face the same direction─
Vwhoosh!
─and race off into the sky.
Since Char already knows exactly what’s going on, allow me to explain.
The six flying mecha units are parts of a giant robot. If you already knew, keep it to yourself, okay?
Each unit is a part of the mecha: the head, upper torso and arms, lower torso and thighs, right leg, left leg, and the special parts on its back.
Char’s unit is small and round. As you’d expect, she’s the head of the robot.
“Oh no! The beast is already so close!” she shouts.
Char attempts to halt the advancing giant with the mecha’s machine gun feature, but it doesn’t stop its course.
“It’s a bit early, but we’re going to have to combine forces!”
Char’s joystick has a button at the tip that says “Combine.”
Click!
What’s about to happen next?! Yulia is eager to find out. Everyone else is also wondering the same thing, yet their expressions are bleak.
“Wh-Wh-What’s happening?!”
First, Iris’s unit extends the long way and rises to become the upper torso and arms.
“Oh… I’m getting nauseous…”
Marianne’s unit, the lower torso and thighs, chases after it.
Cla-shing! The two units dock into place. The shoulders protract and the legs stretch down as the two leg components connect to the thighs.
““……””
Uranis is quiet as usual, but what’s wrong with Laius? Is he knocked out?
“Oh, is mine next?” says Yulia.
K-chunk. Her long and flat unit fastens to the robot’s back.
The robot ended up soaring higher in the sky than intended. It casually descends as Char’s unit also dips into the shoulder part.
Ga-chang. Her unit locks into place.
The robot lands on the ground with an earth-shaking rumble.
Sh-Sh-Shwoo… Shweeeng!
The head of the robot appears out of the mist and the backlight illuminates its final form.
“Magical Girl Robot of Justice has arrived, pardon our disturbance!” Char delivers the finishing touch to the combination sequence.
The giant robot looks blocky, and the arm, waist, and leg joints don’t look very mobile. But I guess combined robots in a sentai series are more or less like that.
Besides, the robotics designer (Mel) was so thrilled when she showed me her idea. I didn’t have the heart to complain.
“Wh?!” Iris gasps, “Char…? What are you doing here? Yulia and Marianne, too!”
After the merging, the three girls’ cockpits have been relocated to the torso section.
“It’s customary to gather in one unit after combining,” points out Char.
“What about me? I’m stuck down here?!” yells Laius.
“…” Uranis is silent.
Due to layout issues, six was a bit much, so I had them stay in their units.
I thought you were out cold, Laius. Did you wake up just to make a jab?
Anywayz, they’re ready for action.
“Let’s go!” commands Char.
“Go-o-o-!” Yulia cheers on.
The giant robot starts running─although nobody seems to be operating it─as its footsteps clash loudly.
“This baby’s fast!” Char exclaims.
“It’s surprisingly nimble for its appearance!” agrees Yulia.
Yeah, well, it needs to be dexterous if it’s going to be put to use. Otherwise, it’ll get knocked out pretty fast. Its agility is by design. Let’s not get into the physics of it, okay?
“It’s shaking! It’s shaking! It’s shaking?!”
Ah, I totally forgot about Laius down by the foot. Oh well, hang in there.
“Punch!”
Blonk!
They deliver a straight punch into the beast.
Clean hit!
The Chimaera stops in its tracks.
“Kick it over!”
Bloing!
A series of roundhouse kicks hit the enemy as it begins to stagger…and fall. However─
“What?!”
The Chimaera rolls over on its side, rises to its feet, and continues to march toward the capital’s walls.
“It’s completely ignoring us─oh no! It’s running!”
And it’s fast. The beast is sprinting at an unbelievable speed compared to its sluggish trudge earlier.
At this rate, it’ll tackle the walls and demolish them.
I relay the information that Alexei the spy had given me earlier to the gang: “That thing’s intention is to go on a rampage in the capital.”
An icy tension falls upon the pilots.
Iris says bitterly, “If that’s the case, it would achieve its goal the moment it penetrates the wall. Even if we tried to stop it, the capital would be devastated just by it fighting against us.”
“Which only means one thing,” Yulia grins. “We gotta settle it before it reaches the wall.”
Char looks on with determination and exclaims, “Then we must give it our all to stop its advance. It’s a bit early, but it’s time to use our special attack!”
By now, everyone’s gotten used to the course of events.
“Of course there’s a special attack,” their faces seem to say.
“Everyone, please press the button at your side,” Char instructs.
There’s a console-ish thing next to each seat, and a rather big button in the middle of it.
“Ready? Press!”
Yulia is the only one to call it. The team could use some work on their coordination. That’ll be their homework.
Everyone, including Laius, who’s woozy and disoriented, presses the button at once.
The next moment, the giant robot raises both arms in the air as the unit on its back shoots upward.
As it slowly ascends into the sky─schwing, shling─it shapeshifts.
“Balmung─the Cursed Sword of Justice!” Char calls out.
The golden weapon shimmers.
Cursed…sword? I would’ve figured the Holy Sword, being Camelot and all… Oh well, it’s all good!
The massive Holy Sword, or Cursed Sword rather, descends from the heavens and locks into the robot’s hands.
A gust of wind rises from underneath the robot’s feet as it begins to hover. It bolts toward the Chimaera at an alarming speed. Before you know it, the robot is inches away.
“Hi-yah!”
In the next second, the sword emits an ominous black mist as it slices into the beast’s back.
Grooouuuaaah!
A distorted howl echoes throughout as the Chimaera crumbles to the ground. It was a hair’s breadth away from reaching the stone wall.
Did they defeat it?
There’s no time for a dramatic buildup. Even if they didn’t defeat it, their special attack had been launched. That’s the cue for the bad guy to exit stage left.
✦ ✦ ✦
Flash! Bang-g-g!
I sink its colossal form into mystery space-time─