The gargantuan Mechsteel ran around, crushing buildings as it sent Mechcoaches desperately trying to escape flying through the air with a kick. The Tyrant Rhino was overwhelmingly powerful, destroying everything before it as it continued to charge ahead.
“The hell is that Mechsteel?!”
“This ain’t good! Run!”
The city’s inhabitants screamed as they scrambled to run away. The day had been peaceful like any other, but now that same peace was being smothered by the echo of piercing screams and the cacophony of destruction.
The Tyrant Rhino tore through both brick and stone with no regard, let alone the numerous wooden buildings. Mechsteels were magical instruments made from the corpses of monsters. In the process, Brute-class Mechsteels and above inherited the power of the monster they were formed from, which they could then use in the form of a powerful Magi-skill. The Tyrant Rhino’s Magi-skill was “Mighty Bunker,” a formidable rush attack. While the attack’s drawback was the large amount of magicyte it consumed, it arguably boasted just as much power.
“Heh heh heh, this is amazing! Just what I’d expect from a new model! This was the perfect field test!”
“Centurion, we’re almost at the city center.”
Its heavyweight frame swinging as it moved, the Tyrant Rhino arrived at the city center. Behind it was a line of wreckage stretching out in its path. Stunned at the sudden chaos, the city’s inhabitants could only breathlessly watch the situation play out before their eyes.
“Good day, everyone! I do appreciate your help earlier!”
Several of the city’s inhabitants recognized the voice echoing from the unfamiliar Mechsteel—it belonged to the man who’d been trying to sniff out details on Anna.
“It pains me to say this, but it seems you all were trying to dodge our questions.”
Hot steam burst from every limb of the Tyrant Rhino. It had heated up from using its Magi-skill several times in succession, and now it needed to cool itself off. This was a momentary break to do just that.
“And that’s a state of affairs that we just can’t have,” the man went on. “So try thinking about what we can do to skip all the trouble. I’ve decided not to let myself be bothered regardless of whether you talk or not.”
No sooner had he spoken than he swung his arm, crumbling a roof with a mighty blow and sending the debris flying.
“Because if I just level the whole city, our little mouse is bound to come scurrying out!”
There was no logic or anything resembling it left in the destruction. The giant of a weapon resumed its onslaught, summoning screams of terror and howls of anger in its wake.
“Someone hurry and tell the baron!”
There was no one around to obstruct the atrocities. Making matters worse was the fact that the majority of the Steelriders in the guilds were away on the hunt at this time of day. It was a complete coincidence that the attack had come when the town’s defenses were at their thinnest.
“How could they...?” Anna was torn, hiding away in the street. She was the one the men were after. The others had finally started taking action to turn the tides of Legalisbelm in their favor. But Anna had never imagined they’d take such a violent approach so suddenly.
“It’s all my fault... The city...and everyone in it’s just going to suffer...”
Anna closed her eyes and clenched her fists. There was a way to put a stop to the destruction at once: to let them get what they wanted. Anna knew it in her mind, but she still couldn’t muster the resolve to do it.
Just then, a new band of titans appeared on the scene. The baron’s Mechsteels had finally rushed back.
“Hey, punk! What the hell do you think you’re doing in our city?!”
Anna recognized the voice coming from the slender Mechsteel standing at the front of the group. She swallowed the urge to shout. It was Agile Gazelle, a Brute-class Mechsteel, piloted by none other than the lord’s daughter, Meddié Socom.
Behind Agile Gazelle was a line of Raging Bears piloted by her subordinates. Even at a six-to-one disadvantage, the Tyrant Rhino didn’t seem bothered at all, instead remaining completely undisturbed. It was Meddié who grew impatient first.
“Don’t have anything to say for yourself?!” she barked. “I don’t care what your reasons are—you’ll pay for harming the city! I don’t care if they’re alive or dead—show those criminals how this city works!”
“Roger!”
The Raging Bears leaped on the Tyrant Rhino all at once. While the Tyrant Rhino stood a head taller than them, their aim was to use their strength in numbers to surround and defeat the Mechsteel.
“You damn hicks think you have a chance? Don’t make me laugh!”
Their plans were crushed far too easily, however. The Tyrant Rhino burst out and struck one of the Raging Bears. Using its extra bulk to its advantage, the Tyrant Rhino brought its fist down on the Raging Bear’s head, crushing it with a single blow. With the cockpit directly beneath the head crushed as well, the Raging Bear spewed out coolant as it fell to the ground.
“Wh-What the hell?! I’ve never seen a Mechsteel that powerful!” one of the pilots exclaimed.
“That’s just a taste of what the latest model can do! Common rabble like you don’t stand a chance!”
The Tyrant Rhino took a step forward as the circle of Raging Bears took a step back in turn. They still had the advantage in terms of numbers, but it was clear they were intimidated.
“Stand down, everyone!”
A gale-force wind tore through as Agile Gazelle leaped forward to stare down the Tyrant Rhino.