70 - CHAPTER XIII "Fafnir"






 Sinking shallowly into his seat, Robin felt the pressure of acceleration on his back.



 It was not strong, however. The electromagnetic catapult and gravity-lens ejections would have rendered him immobile if he had not taken any precautions, but the gravity-manipulation techniques in the cockpit mitigated the effects.

 Fafnir, which had been ejected slightly upward from the hangar "large box," fired the thrusters on its back just before the speedometer indicated that it was about to leave its initial speed, and shifted into self-propelled flight.



 The twilight dragon was able to retreat from the atmosphere just by looking at the sky, but if the mechanical dragon knight wants to fly in the sky, he needs to do some tricks. Fafnir, who realizes such tricks with his magical science, passes his magic power through a formula engraved above his chest, which is located at the very tip of his body, to create a mixed wind/gravity field in the shape of a four-sided pyramid.



 The atmosphere that blocked the knight's way was torn apart by the sharp barriers, and the knight, having lost all obstacles, celebrated the sky of freedom.



"Good, not bad. It seems that the sky of this world accepts us.



 In a calm voice, the dragon knight's driver expressed his deep emotion.



 Although he had already conducted a start-up experiment of the reactor core in the large box, this was the first time that Fafnir was put into full-scale operation since the inter-world transfer phenomenon.

 Although this is not unreasonable considering the large amount of materials consumed just to start up the machine, it is understandable to feel a little uneasy when the machine is put into actual operation, which in a sense is almost like a spur-of-the-moment production.



 However, these fears were largely allayed by the confirmation of the aircraft's ability to fly under its own power. The various engraving techniques necessary for aircraft control are also working without any problems.

 With a shallow smile on his face, Robin attempts to give Fafnir further acceleration,



<<----! >>



 An interception by a fairy dragon attacked from the front.

 The fireball came from the first of the six fairy dragons at the head of the herd.

 The fire from their palates, which were wide open at the top and bottom, approached Fafnir with missile-like force.



"-It's fast. Much faster than the last fairy dragon.



 Fafnir sputters his shoulder thrusters and swerves out of the line of fire.

 A torrential fire runs through the upper right side of the tilted fuselage, but its bullet speed is incomparable to that of the previous fairy dragons.

 The distance from the target is so great that it appears to be only a small particle to the naked eye, but it is indeed a perfect body that has been able to shoot with such accuracy and bullet speed.



"So it's not just their appearance that's different from before."



 It seems that they have not devoured all the elves in their own country and in neighboring countries. In addition to their appearance, the amount of magic power they have stored in their bodies is also far greater than that of their predecessors.

 The powerful flames that he just released are not mere breaths, but he must have been able to display his speed by adding his excess magic power to it.



<----! >>



 While Robin calmly analyzed the situation, one of the fairy dragons deployed a magic circle. Green magic light leaked out from the wings of three pairs of six wings on each side, making the magic circle shine. As soon as the glow reached a certain level, the magic circle deployed on both wings shot out two light bullets on each side.

 The total of four bullets turned into penetrating power and approached Fafnir with certain power.



 Fafnir, on the other hand, shook his fuselage and sank down, taking evasive maneuvers.

 However, unlike the first shot earlier, four shots were fired this time.

 The light bullets, which approach with a time lag, cannot be avoided with a single evasive maneuver.



 Robin makes an instantaneous decision, and immediately after avoiding the first shot, he fully opens his chest thrusters to stop the momentum of the fall, and immediately turns his fuselage around to reverse it. The massive power of the back thrusters, which generate the main thrust, sends the huge body of the Fafnir flying upward.

 As soon as he confirmed that the second light projectile had passed under the aircraft, he avoided the third by igniting the thrusters twice. Satisfied that Fafnir's body moved as he wished, Robin responded to the fourth and final shot with a crubit maneuver. Fafnir was already facing away from him as soon as the light projectile passed under his back as he looked up at the sky.



"Right Arm Armament, Converged Magic Projectile Cannon, Lady!



 Fafnir, who had avoided the dancer's flight, now readies his armament in accordance with his driver's will.

 His steel hands grasp one gun on each side.

 The silver gun in his left hand is over ten meters long, while the black gun in his right hand is more than ten percent shorter.

 Fafnir first used the right long gun and caught the enemy group at the tip of the muzzle.



 The air is filled with magic power with a wailing sound of inhalation. The first shot, which was also a test shot, was set to 30 percent power. Robin glanced at the filling rate displayed on the sub-display and the numerical value indicating the efficiency,



"--Correction, the convergence rate has not reached the default value. Reset to 20 percent output."



 Robin quickly rewrites the output settings after recognizing that the efficiency of extracting magic elements from the core, the engine that generates the magic power that fuels the aircraft, is far below the expected value.

 Then, as soon as his tiny fingers wrapped in ultra-thin pilot's gloves pressed down on the main trigger of the control stick, the black iron long gun (awlvang) released the power stored inside.

 The released compressed magic power becomes a bundle of light and runs through the air as a pillar of light.



<<---->>



 The fairy dragon swarm responded by deploying multiple barriers.

 In exchange for the destruction of the two nations, the fairy dragons, the famed guardians of Elvish mythology, regained their true power. The six of them joined together to catch the pillars of light with multiple barriers that focused only on defense, resulting in a fierce exchange of light.



<----! >>



 A collision of compressed highly concentrated magical mass and multiple deployed barriers. After a slight struggle, a pillar of light extending from the long gun of black iron turned into a movement to push itself through.



 The first barrier disappeared, followed by the second one, which was broken through without a moment's thought. The third, fourth, and fifth barriers shattered with each passing second, until finally the last barrier was reached. The tip of the light cracked the sixth barrier.



 But that was the limit. Robin hears the warning from the aircraft, removes his finger from the trigger, and the long gun stops firing. The amount of magic power supplied to the plane has dropped below a certain level. Since the amount of magic power consumed by the bombardment completely exceeds the output of the reactor core, which is fed by magic stones, there is a limit to the continuous irradiation time. It was a warning sound that told us of the time limit.



 The light pillar, which had lost its momentum, pushed several rays of light through the cracks, and some of them caught the dragon's figure, but it was prevented from entering by the barrier shell that was always deployed, a spherical boundary that spread out around the dragon's body. The light pillars that have lost their power have disappeared and there are six dragons that are still alive and well.



 The group of fairy dragons, the guardians of the elves, even if it was only six of them, had managed to prevent the bombardment of the impossible gentiles.



"You did it! You are indeed a guardian dragon!



 Robin adjusted the output balance of the reactor core shown on the sub-display and praised the fairy dragon for its endurance.



 For the verification experiment of Fafnir, the second reactor core is made of magical stones collected and refined in this world. It is true that because of this, the magic power supplied to the various parts of the machine was scarce and the output of the long gun had to be reduced more than expected, but it was still somewhat unexpected that they were able to block the bombardment from the front. It would be necessary to reevaluate our capabilities and reorganize our tactics.



 Having thus changed his mind, the Dragon Knight's driver ordered Fafnir to move forward.

 The back thrusters were fired, and the ship accelerated again.

 The mechanical dragon knight closes the distance in a straight line toward the herd of fairy dragons.



<<---->>



 The opposing herd of fairy dragons responded with two types of actions: disperse and breakaway.

 One of them turned its back to Fafnir and broke away, while the remaining five moved in different directions.

 If Robin immediately breaks off the pursuit of the one that has fled in a straight line, the five that have dispersed will reassemble, reassemble their formation, and pursue Fafnir's back.



 In other words, one of them acts as a decoy, and the remaining forces pursue the prey. Robin, too, knew this and pursued the dragon as it turned away.



"...... heh."






 Robin got the impression that he was used to it.

 The combined defense in the dense formation mentioned earlier, perhaps they are working together in an unvoiced voice that only the dragon tribe can understand, but there is no hesitation in their actions.



 After all, a group of guardian dragons with immense power that cannot be compared to the normal forces of this world is, of course, skilled in combat actions against a single rider that is more powerful than they are.

 According to legend, they were sent to fight a decisive battle against a demon king who wanted to annihilate mankind.



 Robin is pleased to see that the enemy forces are now using .

 Considering the strategic concept given to him, he is not a bad first opponent in this world. His large eyes narrowed into a pair of sharp, narrowed eyes as he looked directly at the main display projected in front of his field of vision.



<<----! >>



 The fairy dragon ahead of us neighs and accelerates, spilling green magic light.

 The shadow of the enemy in the center of the display trailed a tail of light, and by the time we recognized its color, the back of the preceding dragon was getting smaller and smaller.

 It was a move to use all of its magical power for acceleration. The individual flying with its back to the blue-silver dragon knight was trying to outrun its pursuers with pure acceleration.



 Then, in order to respond to it, Robin asks Fafnir to accelerate even more.



 In response, the massive parts that make up the knight's legs begin to transform.

 The legs, decorated with shiny azure and deep silver, make a sound of steel and are mounted on the torso with the knees near the chest and the heels on the thighs. At the same time, a cluster of medium-sized thrusters inside the skirt-like movable thigh cover (tasset) is exposed, all of them pointing toward the rear of the fuselage. The arms that hold the weapons are bent at the elbows and folded, establishing their presence as a kind of fixed turret.



 Next, the twin wings are deployed, each consisting of two shoulder-mounted, large-diameter thrusters. At the bottom of the long fin thrusters is a large open mouth, the entire shape of which could be described as either a long cannon or a broad spearhead. The thrusters, large and small, are all directed to the opposite side of the chest, to the rear of the lance-like spearhead that points forward, and all of them are open.



 The result is a figure different from the humanoid form. The majesty of a dragon that desires the highest speed. After pursuing speed and completing the transformation, the form that was achieved was...



"High-speed cruising form - Fafnir's form as a mechanical dragon."



 The thrust lever is immediately slammed into place. The single eye of the dragon head emits light as if to indicate acceptance, and the thrusters, supplied with magical power from the core, roar.



 The shoulders, back, hips, legs, and soles - all of the thrusters emitted a dazzling radiance, giving birth to a tail of white light. The white light produced by a total of seventy-two thrusters resembles the light wings of a dragon. The horizontal spread of the light wings, consisting of seventy-two strips, scatters the white light as feathers, and brings explosive thrust to the dragon that desires high speed.



 As a result, the meters that show the relative distance between the two quickly decrease in number, and they begin to plummet toward zero.



"----!"



 It soars through the air, accelerating and accelerating and accelerating.

 Fafnir does not care if the five bodies behind him take his unprotected back.

 The blue-silver dragon leaves everything behind at an explosive speed, and aims for the back of the fairy dragon that conquers far ahead.



 The preceding fairy dragon tries to pull away from the clinging dragon, and even the magic power it has been using to deploy the barrier shells, it tries to accelerate without any hesitation.

 However, the Koryu in its high-speed cruising form outstripped even that speed.

 There was no way that the following team, which had to devote a certain amount of magical power to prepare for the attack, could catch up with it. Fafnir, who had closed the gap between the two, while avoiding the occasional breath from behind with fine maneuvering, pointed the muzzle of his black-iron gun with his right arm folded up small.



 The target cursor displayed by the FCS (Fire Control System) still does not indicate lock-on, but this close distance is enough for an effective shot. Robin does not wait for lock-on and fires visually. The light shot from the long gun of black iron pierced the back of the dragon ahead of him, and pierced one of its wings and several parts of its right body.



<----! >>



 The fairy dragon lets out a shrill cry and falls to the ground.

 It may have missed a vital point, but it was not killed instantly. But it did inflict a heavy blow. The flesh was bubbling up from the gaping wound and seemed to be trying to regenerate, but the speed of regeneration indicated that the damage was not something that could be fully healed in a few minutes.

 Robin feels a reasonable response to her first effective shot.



 On the other hand, however, an unfortunate fact became clear.



"The magic power is being recharged. 49 seconds until the next round is ready to fire. ...... I didn't expect it to take this long to reload."



 This is an unexpected and unwelcome development. It seems that the pool of magic stored in the long gun of black iron (awlwang) was depleted after only two shots. Robin frowns as he looks at the reload time displayed on one of the sub-displays.



 The Fafnir he is driving is a mobile weapon excavated from ancient ruins--a miraculously preserved machine that still retains its original frame and intact reactor core--and restored by a group of craftsmen from the Seventh Legion.

 Although it is the result of the latest magical engineering that Alkimaira boasts, the level, history, lineage, and state of the art are all different from those of the lost technology of ancient civilizations, and therefore, it was not a perfect repair.

 In fact, the technology of Alkimaira has intervened and changed the original form. In order to perform the functions for which it was originally designed, some parts have been forcefully reproduced by splicing several techniques together.



 And because of this, Fafnir is not fuel-efficient.

 I would even go so far as to say that it is the worst.

 There was even a mechanism that seems to have obtained one result by expending a hundred resources to make the missing parts function as they were.



 The long gun of black iron that we just used is one such mechanism.

 The long gun, which shoots out a pure mass of magical power as a single comet shot without being converted into a formula, is a very heavy eater and takes a long time to fill up even when directly connected to a generator. It is possible to fire continuously if certain conditions are met, but the current situation is that the supply of magic power from the reactor core, which uses magic stones native to other worlds, requires nearly a minute to refill.



 Although the magical stones used in the reactor core were carefully selected, the level of the stones was too different from the ones brought from the original world.



Then, I guess this one is next.



 Robin keeps his right hand on the control stick and taps the console panel with his free left hand. Armament switch. The main trigger is linked to the left armament--a single-barreled gun loaded with magic bullets.



 Unlike the black iron long gun (Aurvang), which is a kind of energy weapon that radiates non-attribute compressed magic, the silver silver long gun still has a structure similar to a modern gun.

 It is similar to a real gun in the sense that it has a chamber, is loaded with bullets, and the firing is executed when the firing hammer falls.

 However, it is not the bullet that is ejected from the muzzle. What is ejected with the press of the trigger is the fire-attribute attack formula engraved on the bullet shell--the "Blast Javelin. The formula is released from the muzzle of the silvered gun, and a huge flaming spear, almost as large as Muspell's throwing spear, is ejected.



 --<
 It is a magic gun that amplifies and releases the magic formula engraved on the loaded magic bullet and its warhead.



 The formula engraved on the shell depends on the size and quality of the shell, so it is not capable of releasing extreme magic, but its long barrel has a special mechanism that amplifies the effect of the magic bullet, and the power it can unleash is comparable to the great magic that a high-ranking magician can unleash with perfect chanting.

 In addition, the magic bullet contains a high-purity magic crystal stone instead of explosives, and the expression of the technique itself has the advantage that the magic power possessed by the magic bullet is sufficient. < is less than one-hundredth that of a normal output .



 However, due to the disposable nature of the pure mithril shells, which have a high conductivity of magic, the cost per shot is extremely high, and it is a kind of defective weapon that is ridiculed by players who know how much it costs.

 There is no doubt that it is a weapon that is not suitable for mass production or heavy use.

 However, if you have the background to swallow the disadvantages, it was unquestionably the best means of attack in this situation.



 Thus, the amplified Blast Javelin was effective enough to pierce through the barriers that the falling dragon had deployed as quickly as possible. The fire-throwing spear, which had pierced deep into the body, exploded, creating a bloom of flames in the drizzling sky. After the red lotus flower dissipated, nothing remained but the corpse of the dragon, which crashed to the ground, losing its original shape.



"Target, one plane destroyed."



 After confirming the results of the battle, Robin mutters to himself and turns the aircraft around to the next target.

 The aircraft made a 180-degree turn in the direction of the horizontal axis.

 Then, in front of the view of the nose-facing aircraft, there was the sight of more than a thousand light arrows fired from the following four fairy dragons that had been allocating their magical power for the attack.



"--!"






 Judgment is instantaneous. The decision led to an immediate response.

 Fafnir himself charged into the swarm of light arrows that were closing in with overwhelming density.

 In the space with the thinnest barrage, the dragon attempted to force its way through the gap created by its nose.



 However, the number of approaching numbers is a number. After Fafnir had passed through 500 light arrows, the remaining several hundred light arrows rushed toward him. No matter what kind of machine dragon it is, if there is no physical space to avoid them, it will not be able to avoid them and will inevitably be hit by them. Robin, who had finished his calculations a moment before, popped the lid on the upper part of the control stick with his thumb and pushed in the exposed button.



 Immediately after that, the bullet hit the target. A roar hit my ears at the same time. The rain of light arrows struck Fafnir mercilessly, and the light blasts struck with destructive force. Moreover, the sound of the explosion is not limited to a single shot, but rings out as a sonorous soundtrack, and a thick fog is created by the shattering of the drizzle in the space.

 The last one, which had not participated in the formation of the barrage, shot out a ray of compressed magic power that had been accumulating until now. The well-aimed shot pierced into the center of the dense fog, and the explosion light shined as a proof that it hit the target inside.



<<---->>



 One of them fishes the enemy as a decoy, and four of them, with their backs unprotected, set up a barrage, and when the movement is sewn up, the last one fires the main attack.

 The fact that the decoys were destroyed in the blink of an eye was unexpected for the dragon swarm, but the coordinated technique, in which each of them fulfilled his or her role, successfully struck the armor-clad dragon.



 No matter how sturdy the armor is, a hail of light arrows and a blast of light is powerful enough to inflict a fatal wound. Even if we assume that they have better defenses than we do, there is no doubt that they have suffered tremendous damage. The fairy dragons are convinced of their victory in the general opinion that if they survive, they will only be able to finish them off with more blows.



 We cannot denigrate it as a naive judgment.

 After all, the fairy dragon, which has been completely revived with many sacrifices as its flesh and blood, has regained its full strength as it was in its legendary prime.

 And if anyone could defeat such a herd, he or she would be something like a demon king, and it is only natural that those who have come into this world would not fall under such a category.



 However, as the fairy dragon gazes out, a spherical mist disperses in all directions.

 It was an explosion caused by the pressure from within.

 Next, something flew out from the mass of fog.

 Flying through the sky, towing a cloud trail, is a flawless and immaculate machine dragon.



<----! >>



 The fairy dragons were all blindsided, but Fafnir was not unprotected by the light arrows.

 The composite armor made of apoitacara has a strong defense, but a direct hit from the previous light shot would have left at least a scar on the surface.

 Therefore, the reason why Fafnir escaped without even a scar, literally completely unharmed, is not because of the thickness of the armor, but because of the defense mechanism that was activated on the spur of the moment.



 All-sky blocking area generation mechanism < - an all-surrounding defense device consisting of a breast armor resembling the tip of an assault spear and an engraving technique engraved on the top of the armor. The crest on its chest, which is supplied with magical power from the reactor core, glows, and a defensive field is deployed around Fafnir, blocking all the waterfalls of light that pour down upon it.



 Aikinskiardi boasts of its all-round defensive capabilities, but its deployment is only limited, and when it flew out towing a cloud trail, it had already disappeared.

 Fafnir, which consumes magic power just to move its body, cannot afford to deploy it all the time. Depending on how much magic is spent on attack and maneuvering, it can be used at most twice in this battle. The reduced output of the second reactor core was affecting them more than expected.



"Well, it can't be helped. Well, that's the way it's going to have to be.



 Robin says nonchalantly and turns the nose of the Fafnir to his next prey.

 Perhaps realizing that it was being targeted, the fairy dragon captured in the center of the main display turned itself around and flew away.



 However, it did not turn its back and flee.

 Its trajectory of running up toward the upper part of the display indicates that it is ready to stay in the combat airspace and continue the battle.

 Fairy Dragon, judging that it has no advantage in a linear maximum acceleration, intends to challenge a high-speed maneuver battle limited to a certain space.



"-Nice. Very good. That's what dragons do.



 Robin wet her lips with her tongue and slammed the thrust lever into it.

 The twin-winged flying machines roar and rage, their rear-facing thrusters scattering blades of white light.



 --Dogfight.



 The fairy dragon rushes to the sky, followed by the kiryū, which begins its rapid ascent.

 The Fairy Dragon quickly twisted its body and tried to escape from the view of the Koryu with a downward slanting trajectory.

 Robin quickly kicked the foot pedal and gave a flash boost. Instantly the right side of the light wing expands. Fafnir's large diameter thruster on its right shoulder generates an instantaneous thrust. The left flank of the enemy is caught in the center of the field of view, and the distance is closed.



 The Fairy Dragon turns and rises again. Next, it accelerates as fast as it can, shaking itself up and down, left and right, to shake the enemy. The pursuing dragon, keeping the enemy's shadow in the center of its field of vision, clings to it like a high-performance guided missile.

 The other fairy dragons are not standing idly by. Light blasts that block the pursuit strike Fafnir from the side, but each time Fafnir dodges them with an instantaneous burst of boost. The move to avoid them is an attempt to reduce unnecessary maneuvering as much as possible. Fafnir approaches even closer, using the two long trailing streaks of its twin wings as its wake.



 The fairy dragon, on the other hand, abandons its ascent in an evasive maneuver and turns down in an arc. It made a 180-degree loop on the vertical axis. The fairy dragon, which has shifted itself to descending, falls toward the nadir.

 No, it is not a fall but a flight. As a proof of this, the fairy dragon has imposed on itself a further increase in speed. It wanted to go faster than free fall. The reason is that the dragon has not yet swung out of the way, and it is still in a posture to pursue the individual...



<<---->>



 Here they come. I knew it. The fairy dragon sees the machine dragon approaching from above.



 The identity of the enemy is still unknown, but there is no doubt that it is a powerful foe. Their performance as an individual is probably better than ours. Its acceleration is superior to ours, and its mobility has just been shown to be better than ours. The fairy dragon judges that it has no chance to win, at least not in a one-on-one fight.



 But for some reason, the enemy was obsessed with his own individuality.

 It was with a firm determination to catch up with him and finish him off.

 As proof of this, even now, it does not fire even though it is on a straight trajectory and its defenseless back is exposed. As if wanting proof of their victory in mobility, the enemy is determined to keep the relative distance from them at zero.

 For reasons unknown, the fairy dragon sees a chance to win in this obsession.



<----! >>



 Ahead of the fairy dragon flying toward the ground, there is a shadow rapidly approaching from below.

 It was another fairy dragon that had been standing by at those coordinates.

 It passed by the descending one at high speed, and rose directly above it. Then, it fired 50 excess light arrows at the dragon ahead of it as it passed by.



 The dragon suddenly formed a barrage of bullets in front of it, which it evaded by activating a series of flash boosts. The skill with which it avoided all the bullets of the near-surprise attack is astonishing, but the result was a useless maneuver, leaving a relative distance between it and the fairy dragon that was ahead of it.



"--CH!"



 The dragon tries to make up the distance with additional acceleration.

 Its unhesitating behavior indicates that it is trying to catch up with the machine, not to finish it off from a distance.

 As the additional accelerator is ignited, the white light trailing its tail increases in number, and the relative distance that has been vacated begins to close again.



 Just as the ground is about to close in, the one ahead of the others suddenly opens its palate. In the center of its upper and lower jaws, which are full of sharp fangs, shines a green mass of magical power, as if it were sucking. A moment later, it was released directly downwards, resulting in a blast of light that pierced the ground.



<----! >>



 A drizzle shatters with a roar. Clods of earth soaring directly above.

 An instant smokescreen formed by the combination of the above.




 After the penetration, the vision cleared somewhat, and the ground was right in front of our eyes.



 The fairy dragon ahead of us slowed down due to the recoil from the shooting and twisted itself forcibly under the boost of the heavy wind that was brought in with the help of its magical power. As a result, it succeeded in killing the momentum of its fall at an altitude just above the ground, and then moved into a horizontal flight.



 On the other hand, the following aircraft was obstructed by the obstructed view and was in the middle of additional acceleration. The acceleration toward the ground was overwhelming that of the fairy dragon in front, and in addition, there was no sign of deceleration.

 And when it was already passing the altitude at which the fairy dragon had begun to twist, there was no way that it could behave in the same way as the fairy dragon that had avoided crashing. Although the nose of the plane has already started to be triggered, the crash to the ground will come before the plane can fly horizontally. The following Fairy Dragon that prepares for the pursuit will, as a logical consequence of its decision, visualize the image of the Fairy Dragon that is setting itself down on the ground.



 --In fact, if this had been an aircraft, it would not have been able to cause the disaster in time and would have met a miserable end.



 But Fafnir is not an aircraft, but a dragon, a steel knight who wished to fly in the sky. Fafnir, which is in a high-speed cruising form, is propelling itself downwards, and just before it hits the ground, it activates its variable mechanism on command from the pilot.



"----"



 At the same time, changes occur in the cockpit.

 As Fafnir's form takes on a shape suitable for each situation, the way in which it is manipulated also takes on an optimal form.



 The change begins with the control stick held by the dwarf's right hand. Extending from the middle of both thighs, it splits into two parts and joins with the side stick parts that rise up from the lower part of the sides of the seat, changing its shape into one grip on each side.

 Next, the back of the seat, which had been deeply slumped, rises up, shifting the posture of the pilot from a sitting position to a near standing position. The foot pedals that both feet had been pressing down on are retracted into a deeper position and disappear with the standing posture, and instead, numerous sensors decorate the legs of the dwarf.



 The result is a shoe-shaped maneuvering device, similar to a survival boot, which is a kind of tracing system that feeds back the pilot's movements to the aircraft. Surrounded by numerous sensors, Robin smiles in the dimly lit cockpit and tells the dragon on the display



The high-speed cruising form was added after the excavation. Fafnir's original form is this one.



 The man-made dragon knight (Fafnir) has regained his knightly form.

 The boot-shaped maneuvering device, similar to a restraint, did not impede the wearer's movements in the slightest, but converted the movement of the dwarf's legs into the behavior of the aircraft.

 The movement of Robin's leg in centimeters was reflected in the movement of Fafnir in meters, and as a result, the dragon-headed knight kicked the ground that he was about to collide with. The dragon-headed knight does not catch the impact head-on, but leaps forward in a forward leaning motion. A cluster of ultra-sensitive sensors, which even the latest technology of Alkimaira cannot create, detects even the slightest movement of the muscles, and adjusts the power output of the dragon knight's legs to the optimum level.



 The contact with the ground, which would have been like a collision, was transformed into a forward thrust as the impact was diverted backward. The tough and fluid shifting weight, which is hard to believe that a mechanical body could have achieved, is the result of the "golem manipulation" skill that makes him the "Golem Master".



 By kicking off the ground two or three more times, the inertia generated from the momentum of his descent was completely converted into forward propulsion. With the fourth kick, Fafnir folds his legs again, and white light shoots out from the high-powered thrusters on the bottom of his feet.



<<----! >>



 This caught the attention of the fairy dragon in front of them.

 While the Fairy Dragon had avoided crashing by using a powerful wind that expended a large amount of magical power, its pursuer, the Kairyu, had achieved the same result by physical movement.

 Fafnir, transforming himself into a knight, kicked the ground with agile movements, kept the power of speed under control, and added mechanical output to close in on the dragon.



 The fairy dragon ahead of the knight is not willing to be approached, but it is not fast enough to pull away from the knight.

 The difference in speed between the Fairy Dragon, which slowed down to avoid crashing to the ground, and Fafnir, which shifted to horizontal flight without slowing down, could be said to be fatal.

 In less than a few seconds, the relative distance between them approached zero, and Fafnir, who had finally come within a hair's breadth of the dragon, raised his silvery white long gun.



 At the same time as the trigger was pressed down, a blade of lightning was produced from the muzzle of the silvery silver gun. This was the result of the Lightning Blade, a technique engraved on the magic bullet that generates a blade of lightning for a few seconds in time with the attack, a special magic for close combat.

 <, and the blade of this great sword of lightning is 30 meters long, with the handle of a long gun of silver and white itself. The blade of the sword's extra-thickness caught the back of the fairy dragon, and the dragon's corpse, split in half, crashed down, knocking down the trees.



"Load the next round! Select warhead [Storm Edge] - Fire!"



 Unsatisfied with the defeat of the second body, Robin immediately made his next move.

 < at the sky and fired immediately.

 The wind attribute of the wide-range attack magic engraved on the warhead came into effect, and a barrage of huge wind blades rushed toward the group of fairy dragons.



 The targeted dragons quickly make evasive maneuvers, but their reactions are delayed.

 They were defeated by the acceleration, the barrage was broken through, they fell behind in maneuvering, and finally, they could not sort out the fact that the second individual was destroyed, creating noise in their thoughts.

 The two individuals escaped from the kill zone, but the other two were captured. The raging wind blades cut mercilessly through the fairies' bodies, causing fresh blood to dance in the air. One of the dragons was damaged so badly that one of its wings was clipped off, although its power was attenuated by the shell.



 Seeing an opportunity, Fafnir rises up to the falling dragon, which is in a state of pyramidal rubbing. In the short time before the ascent, Robin operated the side stick of his right hand and selected a melee weapon on Fafnir's right leg. He assigns the setting to the second sub-trigger.



 As soon as Fafnir approached the third prey, the armored plate on the back of his leg slid down, and a blade of light was generated from the gap between the plate and the prey. The dragon knight lightly pulls his right leg as a preliminary action, and tries to thrust the dagger-shaped blade of light...



<>



 A banshee-like scream suddenly arose in the heavens.

 At the same time, eight magic circles shone majestically in the sky above.

 The eight green lights emitted from them intertwined with each other and formed an extremely thick pillar of light that shot up from the heavens to the sky below.



 Fafnir immediately maneuvers to evade. With a full-throttle flash-boost, he moves out of the line of fire. The pillar of light, unable to catch the enemy's shadow, pierced the ground and formed a huge crater in a corner of the Sea of Trees. A massive explosion occurs, scattering crushed trees and clods of earth in a haphazard manner.



"There you go, boss!"



 Robin pointed Fafnir's main camera further up into the sky. There was a giant fairy dragon, even bigger than the others, which had struck a surprise attack with a large firepower.



 The seventh dragon, which had not participated in the dense formation, was 30% larger than the fully revived fairy dragon in its giant dragon state. The number of wings that light up with green light is also two more than the other individuals, with four pairs of eight wings.

 The basic form is the same as those of the other six, but a close examination of the enlarged image shows that the details of the shape are different. The most noticeable differences are the number of wings, the shape of the head, and the reproductive organs that push up the abdomen from the inside of the body.



"According to Kammy, this is the mother of fairy dragons. Individual name: Fairy Mother Dragon.



 The database on the aircraft contains information on many enemies obtained from the Sixth Legion via Camilla. The identification of the individual was also the result of reconnaissance by the Sixth Legion.

 However, no combat has been confirmed for the Fairy Mother Dragons, including the attack on Oldwood. Therefore, there were many gray areas regarding its status, abilities, and threat level.



 However, judging from the blow he just received, it seems certain that he has the ability that sets him apart from other individuals. It is only because it was entrusted with a mission in exchange for the destruction of a great and venerable Elven nation. If the first blow strikes a defenseless enemy, even Fafnir will not be able to escape unscathed.



 The reason why the fairy mother dragon has not directly participated in the battle so far is probably because she has been focusing on commanding other individuals. According to the information that has been reported in advance, the elves of Noblewood are only exercising of the fairy mother dragons, and the fairy mother dragons are leading the other six.

 This may be ironic for Noblewood, but it is a much more rational system than having instructions sent from remote locations. The brilliant coordinated attack just now must have been possible because of the leadership of the fairy mother dragon.



 And the fact that the , which should have been evacuated to a safe area, directly joined the battle must have been based on the judgment that they would lose ground if the situation continued as it was. Or, it could be that they are angry at the downing of their own colt.



 Either way, it means that Noblewood's strongest force, on which Noblewood has risked everything, has finally joined the fray.



"But I'm sorry, but I can't let you lose here. My role has always been to kill the strongest forces of the enemy (like you). I'm used to dealing with dragons, by the way.



 Robin, who looked at me through the display, said this without enthusiasm.

 His dark brown eyes sharpened, he tightened his grip and looked at the guardian dragon of the elves with a fearless attitude.



 --Robin Harnaldwerg, commander of the Seventh Legion.



 He is the son of a curious Halfling and a Dwarf of Engineering.

 He is the head of a group of craftsmen who were given the title of "Leg of Alkimaira" by Helian, the King of All Evil.

 He is the second most valued of the eight legionnaires, who tend to be appointed according to their performance as their number increases, and he is a boy commander who was given the title of "Legs of Alkimaira" by the King of All Evil, Helian. --



"I gave the lion's head to the lion's head, though. I was the one who killed the Dragon Emperor (Nogard), who was the enemy at that time, not me.






 --He is a rare genius who had to be appointed as a corps commander even if he had to tolerate those devastating personalities.



<----!!! >>



 The mother fairy dragon chirps and the dragon knights roar their hagane.

 The mechanical dragon knight scatters white light in accordance with the will of the driver to prove his mightiest.







 And below, fairy dragons and blue and silver dragon knights fly past each other.

 A new battle was about to begin on earth.







    + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +







 Noblewood hunters in green robes were making their way through the forest.



 Above them, a swarm of fairy dragons led by a fairy mother dragon was engaged in an aerial battle with the blue and silver Nanika. < and the "Unholy" woman disappeared, was beyond their comprehension, but the shouts of the Fairy Mother reminded them of their original purpose.



 The identity of the enemy remains unknown.

 However, they understood that all the people living in Oldwood and Noblewood, even the fairy dragon herd that had been completely revived at the cost of their lives, could not be victorious without sacrifices. --At the same time, they could not afford to worry about us as long as they were focused on the battle in the sky.



 It has already been several minutes since the battle began, and no other forces other than the Sogin Nanica have entered the battle. Perhaps the who defeated the advance party is playing a trump card. And since there is no sign of any other forces joining the battle even in this situation, we can be sure that he is the only one who helped the "defilement".



 That's why the hunters, caught up in their vengeful spirit, are about to invade the empty capital to accomplish their original goal...



"----"



 A rustling sound is heard, and you stop as quickly as you can. They saw a large number of armed figures at the top of a small hill that had been weaving its way through the trees. The hunters of the Noblewood are blinded by this strange sight.



 The group lacked any semblance of unity. They were a disparate group of different heights, s*xes, ages, and even races. It would be difficult to find a common denominator only at a glance, except for the fact that they were wearing white-colored clothes.



 Needless to say, the identity of the group is a heterogeneous mixed unit consisting of the 6th Legion, which was temporarily dispatched from Archimyra, and the 7th Legion, which was fully mobilized for the current war. ---- Not (・・・・).



 In the current war, Alkimaira provided only one man, Robin Harnaldwerg.

 It was agreed in advance that he would not intervene in any other battles.



 Then, inevitably, under the watchful eyes of fairy dragons and silver dragon knights, the invaders who stand in front of the invaders who are about to invade the capital are...





"All members of the LATESTWOOD Kingdom Warriors ----





 A clear voice suddenly arises.

 In response, a crowd of long staffs and staff swords are raised.



 A distorted group of half-elves and dwarves, beasts and dwarves, and several other races.

 At the head of this group is a girl.

 There she is, the queen, with determination in her green eyes.



"This is our war, our battlefield. What is a nation, what is a warrior, if it is left to a grateful nation?"



 Yes, it is. That's right, the warriors behind me light their hearts on fire.



 What is the reason why they chose the path of warriors from among many options after that day when they were deeply wounded?

 For what reason did they lie down and beg for instruction with the humiliation of not being able to protect what they should have protected?

 And for what reason did they return home without a single failure, despite the torturous training they were subjected to at the end of it all?



 --For this.



"Conquer! My Latestwood heroes--!"



 Under the command of the young queen, the surgeons chant and the warriors run.

 The foot that stepped out was full power from the beginning.