Bonus – Visit to the Unknown – 06 Attack

Everyone who heard Veldora’s words felt something different.

And then it happened. Before any of them could put their feelings into action.

The attack.

There was an explosive sound as the ceiling of the underground shelter, that was the resistance’s base, collapsed.

“What!?”

Zaza shouted as he frantically looked up towards the ceiling.

Black smoke rose into the air. He could see the grey sky between the cracks.

He was stunned.

Sharma ignored him and was the first to react.

“This is bad! The toxic fumes will come in!!”

Sharma shouted. Rindo quickly moved.

He gathered together the adults and children and led them to the lower floors that were used as an emergency refuge.

As they had trained for such an event in the past, they moved with impressive speed.

Only the youngest of the children cried or screamed.

But for the most part, everyone disappeared from the top floor without much in the way of chaos.

“How can…but this is a shelter that withstood a nuclear blast…!? What kind of power would it have taken to pierce through to here…no–is it a Bunker Buster!?”

Zaza was frozen with shock.

If he was right about it, this meant that the Empire was finally putting its full weight behind the attacks.

And they had been the first to strike. There was now a danger of them all being slaughtered down here.

However, Zaza had one doubt.

“…No, wait a minute… If that really was a Bunker Buster, this floor would be a sea of scorching heat…”

And yet the blast seemed to have stopped as soon as it hit their ceiling.

Zaza was so puzzled that he said this out loud.

Veldora looked at him and smirked.

After all, it had been Veldora’s power that had saved them right now.

He had just become popular with the people, and he wasn’t about to let these intruders interfere with that. That is what was on Veldora’s mind when he cast a barrier around this floor.

“Kekehehehe. Oh, Zaza. As for that…”

This was the time to show that confused Zaza how wonderful he really was–it was just as Veldora thought this and began to explain, that it happened.

Five mobile weapons dropped down from the opening in the ceiling.

“Master. Something just came in!?”

“Tsk. How much must they pester me…”

Veldora said in frustration.

Even when he tried to be good, no one appreciated him. It happened all of the time.

“What shall we do, Lord Veldora?”

“Hm? Beretta. We’ll do as we discussed. I shall protect Ramiris over here and you deal with them.”

“Understood.”

They said casually, and then Beretta stepped forward to face the five enemies.

Zaza saw this and frantically tried to stop him.

“Wa-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait! Those things are dangerous! Judging by their silhouette–they are the armored troops led by that bastard, Karman. I think he was a second lieutenant or sergeant, but he is also a highly experienced cyborg. He’s insane. There are rumors of him annihilating several mercenary groups. You won’t stand a chance against him if you’re alone!”

Zaza knew Karman.

How aggressive and cruel he was.

There were mercenary groups that he knew personally who were destroyed by just a few of these mobile weapons.

Some had been let go on purpose, and they all spoke with fear in their hearts.

This man who was said to be the worst of the south was here in front of them.

And so it was no surprise that Zaza was worried.

“Be careful now, Beretta!”

“Don’t kill them, alright? I think Rimuru would get really angry if you did that.”

“I understand.”

The three of them showed no signs of having heard Zaza’s words.

Zaza could not hide his alarm as he said,

“Don’t kill them… Are you serious? What are you talking about!? I will admit that Mister Beretta is very strong, but these guys are not the same as Murder Dogs. They are real anti-army weapons! And there are five of them. We have no hope of winning. We have to escape now or we’ll be wiped out…”

“Zaza. Calm down. I am here too. How could we lose?”

“And what the hell do you think you’re going to do!? They won’t let you go just because you cooked them some okonomiyaki!!”

Veldora had only been trying to calm Zaza down, but it had no effect.

It could not be helped.

After all, to him, Veldora was the least useful of the group.

“What!? What you just said…I…that kind of hurt…”

Veldora was shocked by how little they thought of him.

Ramiris tried to comfort him.

—And then.

Leaving Veldora’s stupid conversation behind him, Beretta faced Karman.

◇◇◇

The five mobile weapons advanced towards Beretta–the Powered Suits, led by Second Lieutenant Karman–but Beretta stood his ground.

They had landed on the ground from above.

As the ground shook when this happened, it was clear that they were quite heavy.

They were at least three meters tall.

Humanoid knights in heavy, thick armor.

“Giants?”

Beretta whispered as he took a step forward.

The machine that stood in the front addressed Beretta first.

“Oh. Jackpot already, eh? So you must be the resistance’s new weapon. The one that killed our Murder Dogs. I am Karman. A second lieutenant. I lead this troop.”

It was second lieutenant Karman.

He held a cigar infused with emotion-suppressing agents. And he introduced himself while inhaling deeply.