I bit my lip and face forward again.

The area where the magic bullets collided is covered in black smoke.

The Golem troops are emerging from that.

It seems our magic left them unhurt.

「That is──」

Someone among the knight’s shouts.

One Golem started quickly accelerating.

At unexpected──No, at a speed beyond my expectations.

Some soldiers shoot interception magic towards the Golem, but it steadily advances on the sea surface unhurt.

It arrived at the sh.o.r.e just in a moment.

The water sprays around and the Stone Soldier lands.

「Looking at it up close, it really is huge……」

I look at it and unconsciously mutter in admiration and shock.

It has to be taller than 20 meters.

Appearances that suggest a knight wearing an armor.

Two horns on top of its helmet and character V across its chest.

Although it’s made from stone, the design is closer to a robot rather than a golem.

A lone man stands on top of the Golem’s hand.

A small man wearing a black robe.

Both his eyes are covered by goggles which are reflecting a glittering orange suns.h.i.+ne.

「I’m Dupree! A great magician that was bestowed rank of 7=4 Adeptus Exemptus by His Majesty the Emperor」

Dupree introduces while singing praises.

…… I wonder if it’s against Empire’s law to fight without exaggeratedly introducing yourself first?

「Hear His Majesty the Emperor’s will! Obey me, or peris.h.!.+」

This fellow said some straight evil-like line again.

「Her Majesty the Queen’s will is one. Do not succ.u.mb to threats. If you want to make us surrender by force, we will just have to cut you with our swords!」

Ashe-san says gallantly.

Oo, as expected of captain. So cool.

「Then, there’s no choice, but to fight. Until one of us is left alive──until everyone else perishes」

With a fearless laugh, Dupree jumps off the Golem’s hand.

He then moves to the Golem’s head with a flight magic.

「The evil me embarks!」

Dupree chants while jumping in the sky.

That’s probably the Golem’s start up a chant.

With a ‘gigi’ sound the Golem starts moving.

「Saa, here I go, the evil me, Maz*ng*r Z! And our finest army of Golems!」

The hundred Golems behind Dupree accelerate all at once.

The Golems are quickly approaching.

Not only this Dupree guy, but all hundred Golems will get to the sh.o.r.e if left as is.

「Mighty power and unlimited stamina…… huh」

I recall Ashe-san’s explanation from a little while ago.

Letting all these giants land on the kingdom’s grounds is a serious affair.

Monica’s figure hit by a stray magic bullet comes to my mind.

Many people might get injured just like that.

They will get killed.

I gulp loudly.

「Abel……」

Claire next to me s.h.i.+vers subtly.

「It’s all right」

I grasp her hand to ease her mind.

I can feel her soft fingers trembling in my palm.

「Racine too」

When I look to the other side, she also is s.h.i.+vering.

I grasp her hand just like Claire’s.

「Thank you very much, Abel-sama……」

Racine’s expression is stiff, but even so, a small smile appears on her face.

That’s right, I will protect them.

Not just the kingdom.

More than anything, the ones close to me, Claire, Racine, everyone──

「They are coming! Everyone, prepare your magic!」

Ashe-san shouts with dignified voice.

「Fourth Corps, don’t get muddy!」

A large man in his prime──The Fourth Corps captain bravely commands his subordinates.

「Seventh Corps, I won’t forgive you if you fall behind other units!」

Seventh Corps captain, Beatrice-san sweetly smiles at her subordinates.

「We will open up the path!」

A trio of rough men jumps to the front.

It’s the Third Corps’s『Three White Stars』Jia, Bosch and Artega.

「Bosch, Artega, let’s do the Trinity Magic Attack – Magic Stream Attack!」

「Blazing Arrow!」

「Thunder Bullet!」

「Wind Edge!」

They shoot fire, wind, and lightning magic attacks one after another.

In another place,

「Seventh Corps, Crane Wing Zan! 」

With Beatrice-san’s orders, the female knights form a V-shaped formation and simultaneously swung their magic weapons.

Then, red, blue, green, yellow…… multicolored magic lights fused together and gushed out towards the Golems.

The V-shaped magical blade attacked the Golem army.

Compared to Seventh Corps, the Fourth Corps magic is a random pounding.

Explosions. Thundering roars. Flas.h.i.+ng. Huge flames.

The Golems with their dull movements couldn’t evade and were directly hit with various magic attacks.

「We did it……!」

The Three Stars mutter.

Wait, these words are flag──

「Did you just do anything?」

The Golem army which emerged from within the flames were unharmed.

「Ah, after all」

I mutter unconsciously.

Their words really were a flag.

「Unfortunately, my Golems are of the finest quality they are painted with an Anti-Magic Coat you see. Magic attacks of that level won’t leave even a scratch on them」

「This is bad, withdraw!」

Ashe-san shouts.

Almost at the same time,

「Face Open!」

With Dupree’s voice, the mask covering the Golem’s face unfolds to left and right and a mouth lined up with fangs appears.

「Get smashed! Supergravity Gun – Gravity Burst!」

It spits a huge black sphere.

The surroundings s.p.a.ce warps, I fear that as the name suggests──

──Surely not.

Dokun, my heart throbs.

That’s right, it’s similar to the attack from my dream.

The place of the battle also was on a beach.

A black shadow of supergravity.

The most powerful enemy I have to face yet──

「Now way, this guy……!?」