87 Chapter 87: Escape (1/2)
Inside Cross Castle, Lilith was making her way up by sprinting through several flights of stairs.
Following Tomoyuki-kun's instructions, I've evaded the Iron Knights…then enter the cave where the Demonic Shadow Dragon lurks.
Lilith was replaying my request through her head as she leaped up the stairs. Reaching the top, she headed straight for a window when the stairs ended.
Let my doppelganger fight against Aoyama-kun.
Climbing out of the window, she used her superhuman reflexes to begin scaling the wall, running along the surface and defying gravity.
Everything happened according to his predictions…
She deftly climbed the steep wall without breaking her step, bounding skyward with her Servant-like capabilities. As expected of someone modeled after the Lancer-class Servant.
Using Absolute Appraisal, he was able to confirm everyone's location…and was able to devise such a complex strategy…
She frowned as she sailed upward.
But even if he has gotten that newly reforged sword, he may not be able to win against Iron Knights.
Clenching her fists tightly around her blood-red spears, Lilith's hands trembled ever so slightly.
We had a common enemy. Why do we need to fight?
Blinking in surprise, she glanced upward and noticed that the sky had changed.
It suddenly got dark. This is caused by someone's ability.
Reaching the top of the Cross Castle, she flipped herself upward and landed gracefully on the edge of the rooftop.
”Finally here.”
I don't even know what is Tomoyuki-kun's situation right now. I'll join up with you shortly!
Well, my situation was pretty good, if I might say so myself.
”I admit…you are very strong. But so what?”
Takeda Tetsuo smirked as he stared at me from his seated position, his skeletal wings unfolded from his armored back.
I stood in front of him, surrounded by my Blood Ghouls.
Shaking my head, I silently walked past him. There was no point talking any longer, not to someone who had lost to me.
”Even if you destroy the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher…”
Ignoring him, I continued walking in the direction of the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher. Takeda made no move to stop me.
”…Nagano-san and I'll just rebuild it again.”
I stopped in front of the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher and looked up at it, studying it at close range. Then I reached out with a hand to touch it.
”In addition, I put a barrier on it, so you won't be able to destroy it that easily.”
Takeda smirked, still turning his back on me. The guy wasn't taking me seriously at all.
Takeda's eyes widened.
Turning around, he stared at me in utter shock as I summoned a gigantic missile and slotted it into the launcher.
”Hellstrike missile. You probably heard of it, right?”
I smiled. A bead of perspiration dripped down Takeda's face as he glared at me in disbelief, unable to digest what I was doing.
”It's not as powerful as the Deathstrike missile – I mean, it's only Strength 8 AP -2, and lacks the ability to deal mortal wounds, but it's more than enough to break this cage of yours.”
I tapped a button and the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher rocked. The Hellstrike missile spiraled out of the barrel and detonated against the gigantic skeletal cage that had sprouted all over the castle, smashing a huge hole at the point of impact.
”Thanks for letting me use your intercontinental ballistic missile launcher,” I told a stunned Takeda, savoring his expression.
”You…!”
”It would be difficult for me to destroy your skeletal cage otherwise. I'm planning on getting out of here before your ability recharges. That's my victory condition, after all.”
Another bead of perspiration slid down Takeda's face, and he shook his head as he realized that he was defeated.
”You really are quite the amazing person, Tanaka-kun.”
”Nah, I'm perfectly normal. I just happen to have plot armor, and I'm ripping off an intelligent character from a Chinese manhua titled The Silver Gravekeeper. That's why I'm the Golden Gravekeeper. Get it?”
”…”
Takeda just stared at me, his brow twitching in exasperation. Never mind. Seemed like he had never read Yin Zhi Shoumuren or The Silver Gravekeeper.
Finally climbed up.
Lilith had chosen that time to land elegantly on the edge. She glanced at me and I waved her over from my position at the intercontinental ballistic missile launcher.
”You're finally here, Lilith-san!”
”Oh…Tomoyuki-kun.” She glanced around and saw the unconscious bodies of the Eight Guardians, as well as the stationary figure of Takeda Tetsuo.
His fight with the Iron Knights is over…
”Did you really defeat the Eight Guardians…eight of Evelyn's Chosen all by yourself?”
Shaking her head, Lilith couldn't help but be impressed.
Tanaka Tomoyuki…you really are a special individual. And he's doing all of this…for revenge? Revenge against Kobayashi Kenji, the current Emperor of Humanity?
”Tomoyuki-kun…”
”Get on. We're getting out of here.”
I summoned a zombie dragon. With my current remaining amount of mana, there was no way I could summon the undead Ancient Dragon, so I settled for a normal zombie dragon. The black corpse spread its wings as it sprawled on the ground. I climbed onto its back, and then extended a hand to Lilith to help her board it.
”See you, Takeda-kun. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon enough.”
With that cryptic sentence, I mentally commanded my zombie dragon to take off. The dragon flew through the gaping hole that my Hellstrike missile made in the skeletal cage and soared into the heavens beyond.
”Next stop, Haemorage. We're going home.”
Leaning back against one of the bony spines of the zombie dragon, I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
”Right…by the way, Lilith-san…do you know the way?”
Lilith couldn't help but burst out laughing.
”Yeah. I'll guide you. Leave it to me.”