EP.244 Noise Cancellation Technique
The Sergeant's command to kill the princess was so monotonous that it sounded like telling someone to quickly fetch something left in storage. Historia was bewildered.
For one thing, Historia was bound, and she had no particular intention of attacking the princess. The princess was part of the Resistance, but she was quite reasonable and acted kindly. Historia didn't want to easily lose anyone, no matter who they were. Especially if they were someone she could reason with.
Death could never be reversed, but as long as someone was alive, there was always a way to meet again.
In that sense, Historia was quite satisfied with her current situation as a prisoner. A prisoner was suppressed by force, so she couldn't exert force against others. Thus, bound as she was, she was liberated from the obligation to attack anyone.
However, Maximilian's command was dragging her up from a cozy dream.
Fortunately, before Historia could answer, fierce reactions burst out from all around. Siati, who had been holding her breath and looking for a chance to ambush, changed her judgment and opened the cargo hold's side door to protect the princess.
While Siati lured Celpy this way, the Regressor exuded killing intent and simultaneously drew Cheon-aeng and Ji-jan.
"Can I take those words as a declaration of war?"
But the Sergeant replied with a nonchalant attitude even in the face of a fearsome enemy.
"You do love butting in. But if you've learned even a speck of etiquette, you should stay quiet. I am currently having a conversation with Director Historia."
"Is a command to kill someone a conversation?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
The Regressor made an expression of disbelief, but the others' reactions didn't follow suit. Neither Aji nor I. And even the princess, who had been told to die right to her face, wasn't shaken.
It was because there was almost no killing intent in Maximilian's words. He spoke so matter-of-factly that even the princess didn't feel a sense of crisis and merely tilted her head.
Historia looked around and answered reluctantly.
"...Director. I am bound. And I'm closer to the swords over there than I am to you. How am I supposed to..."
"I think I'll start getting disappointed in you, so don't say any more, Director. Why are we trying to dodge the issue instead of trusting each other's intellect and ability?"
Maximilian replied as if he had anticipated Historia's reaction.
"There's no way mere ropes could bind you. It's your own heart that's binding you. Well, I have no intention of criticizing that... Taking interest in trivial and worthless things is also the luxury of the qualified. Anyway, don't deny that you rejected my request."
"I'm sorry."
"Why be sorry? Requests can be rejected as much as you want. It's your heart. Yes, now I'll listen to your request. What is it?"
Maximilian answered indifferently without a single trace of regret. It was an incredibly kind and rational-looking response. Historia brought out her prepared answer.
"Their goal is to prevent the war the Military Nation is going to wage. That's why they're charging toward the command center that's trying to start the war."
"Oh. And?"
"Their total combat power is at the national level. As long as their main force is in the Far East, it's hard to guarantee a victory if we clash like this. Therefore, postponing the war plan for a while, recalling the troops, and negotiating with them is the most rational way to minimize casualties, I believe."
"I don't think so."
As if the answer had been decided beforehand, Maximilian answered lightly. It was a refreshing rejection that made it hard to even ask for a reason.
"Director Historia, that isn't to protect the Military Nation. Because the only thing you care about is Hameln."
"Even so, this is also for the Military Nation!"
"Then go to the command center and assert it. Don't include me in it. I couldn't find a reason why I should avoid battle."
"Many will die! The command center could collapse!"
"Whose death are you worrying about? Ah, right. Didn't you say you were looking for the Pied Piper of Hameln?"
His lenses glanced my way. But it didn't take long for his focus to shift back to Historia. From his perspective, I was a presence not even worth caring about.
If there were a reason for him to care about me, it was because I was the driving force that moved Historia. To Maximilian, I was nothing more than a means to an end.
He doesn't allow even a sliver of reason to those without qualification. Because he is special.
Indeed, he wasn't ordinary.
"Keep your hobbies to that extent, Director."
Maximilian said as if lamenting.
"Tsk. I should have known when you threw a fit just because about two hundred useless brats died. Good grief, if you just bury it, it disappears. You went around unnecessarily stirring up a minor incident that no one could remember, artificially blowing it out of proportion..."
"...No one could remember? Even though two hundred people died?"
"Two hundred people without power, without talent. Without even a promised future. How could they be remembered? If only Director Historia and Lankart hadn't thrown a fit, it would have ended as just a trivial incident... But wait, who just spoke?"
Maximilian observed the fact that Historia's mouth hadn't moved and looked around. The speaker wasn't immediately visible in his field of vision.
Because the person who said that was Siati, who was in the cargo hold.
"Take that back!"
Siati had opened the cargo hold door, ready to quickly rescue the princess if anything happened. But when Maximilian mentioned Hameln, she couldn't hold back and jumped out, clinging to the door.
Leaning her body out, Siati glared at Maximilian with smoldering eyes. The hatred that burned her smoldered in her gaze.
"How can you call that trivial?! Hameln is not something to be dismissed by the likes of you...!"
But Siati. It's useless.
Because to someone who doesn't truly consider you a fellow human, even those words are meaningless.
"You impudent little brat!"
Creak.
One of the gears in Maximilian's head slipped slightly. His rational and inclusive parts were not used for Siati. It was because Siati lacked the qualifications... to warrant the use of his reason.
"Now even every insignificant thing is interrupting my wordsss! Noise, noise! So annoyinggggg!"
Killing intent surged violently. The gears that aid thought... or hinder it. The switch connecting his reason and empathy turned off, and linked to the dark, murky parts of his emotions. From there, tremendous hostility flowed out.
And that hostility immediately became reality.
Maximilian held six gears in one hand. Though it didn't look like it at all, it was a compound bow.
No power source is needed. The force that turns the gears, that itself is the power.
Screech. The iron lump twists. The sharp arrow nocked on the bowstring gleamed.
Twang. The bow limbs, brimming with mechanical force, pushed the arrow out. The arrow became a ray of light, flying toward the center of Siati's chest.
From decision to action, there wasn't a single moment of hesitation or delay. In fact, he only had the thought of clearing away the existing noise. Because of that, the majority couldn't read the intent of the attack until the moment the arrow was fired.
The only one who responded was Historia, who had been on full alert from the start.
Even while bound, she stretched out her leg. With a bang, as if something exploded, Historia lost her balance. The impact was so great that Historia's body, which had been placed on the horse, floated up into the air.
"Kyah?! Commander!"
The princess reached out her hand, but the impact was not light. Unable to put the princess and Celpy in danger, Historia didn't resist and let her body float. It was a fall from the horse.
I immediately shouted.
"Aji! Fetch!"
"Woof!"
As Aji heard my shout and leaped down at the same time.
Crash. The glass pane at the front of the automobile shattered and flew away. The Regressor had cleared the annoying windshield in one blow and ran out holding Cheon-aeng.
"You crazy bastard! I'll take that as a declaration of war!"
Maximilian, who had actually attacked as he pleased, also shouted, full of anger.
"I'm just trying to erase some noise, but you're all being such bitches!!!"
"It's not noise, and even if it is noise, it's our noise!"
The Regressor also reacted fiercely and swung Cheon-aeng.
Heaven Sword Qi, Dragon Slash.
A massive blade of wind, as if Cheon-aeng had been magnified a hundred times, pressed down on Maximilian. Even before it was swung, the fierce wind crushed the world. Against the giant's sword wielded by a heavenly god, Maximilian took out his gear sword.
Screech. Sharp gears rotate with a metallic sound. A sword whose blade rotates on its own, capable of easily crushing steel even without being swung. It was one of his masterpieces. It was the moment Maximilian was about to bring his sword blade against Cheon-aeng.
Maximilian's arm bent backward.
"...Dieeee!"
Siati had kept Maximilian's arm in her sights and snapped her finger. Due to her anger, Siati didn't take care of her own body, and her ring finger took on a gruesome appearance. If she didn't receive proper treatment, she would never be able to bend it again after today.
Anyway, dark magic is fair. It forces the same phenomenon on her finger and the target of the curse. Thanks to her sacrifice, Maximilian's arm bent largely in the opposite direction of the joint, just like Siati's finger....
"Noissssse!"
But the same phenomenon doesn't necessarily hold the same value. A refreshing stream that a person can dip their feet in can be a flooding deluge to an ant. Maximilian was fine even with his arm bent.
A person who has mastered the Bone Qi Gong can infuse Qi into their body. Strengthening bones and muscles is the usual application of the Bone Qi Gong, but a Qi Master who has reached the pinnacle has also mastered the opposite.
The moment he was hit by the dark magic, Maximilian reacted mechanically. His bones and muscles softened for a moment. Despite being bent backward, his arm returned to normal without any issues.
The price of sacrificing Siati's ring finger was nothing more than a momentary opening. Infuriated beyond measure, Maximilian trembled all over.
"This noise, not knowing its place!!!"
"That's enough!"
However, that noise disrupted the engagement of Cheon-aeng and the gear sword. Cheon-aeng fell upon Maximilian's body.
Broken gears bounced in all directions.
Almost at the same time, a steel gear the size of a palm surged toward Siati's chest as if being sucked in. It was a steel gear trap that the enraged Maximilian had rolled onto the road.
She, who hadn't noticed the attack until halfway, was hit by the gear and almost rolled off the automobile. If it hadn't been for Aji, who was following along carrying Historia, she would have collapsed right then.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Aji barked as if telling her to be grateful, but Siati only distorted her face and kept watching Maximilian. Fiddling with one of her three remaining fingers.
Just before the Dragon Slash tore Maximilian apart, his wheels sparked and rotated fiercely. The studs dug into the road as Maximilian's body charged forward.
His power to control gears allows for rapid acceleration without any preparatory movements like bending his knees or lowering his center of gravity. If it were an ordinary attack, that alone would have taken him out of its range.
"Dragon Slash, Reverse Scale!"
However, the Regressor's attack was designed with the Sergeant's abilities in mind. An attack of a much larger and more massive scale than expected struck Maximilian.
Creak, creak. Gears moved from his shoulder. Maximilian's cloak flipped over and enveloped him like a shield. Then the explosion occurred.
Maximilian's cloak was torn away, and the microscopic gears that filled every fold scattered like dust meeting a dry wind.
"Tch! Gear cloak...!"
'A counter-weapon against Cheon-aeng that disrupts space with continuously rotating engagements. To think he finally made that in such a short time. This is getting troublesome.'
The Regressor clicked her tongue in disappointment.
She was merely disappointed, but Maximilian was feeling a head-splitting rage. The scattering gears had served their purpose, but they lost their calm order and returned to chaos. He shouted with bloodshot eyes.
"To ruin my masterpiece, the Infinite Engagement...! You truly, truly mean to cause friction with me!!"
The Regressor retorted with an expression of disbelief.
"You're the one who attacked first!"
"Now you're even framing me! Fine, it was my mistake to try to achieve what I wanted with intellect and order! There's a proper way to communicate with noisy folks!"
The Sergeant lowered his stance and plunged both hands into the ground. A halo of light flashed on the thin metal lines engraved on his skin, starting from his elbows. The surface of the road was scraped away like tofu from his fingertips sliding at high speed.
"Combat Alchemy. Demonic Forge."
And instead of turning to dust and scattering, the scraped road took on some form at the Sergeant's fingertips. The debris of the road instantly transformed into steel.
If you lightly scoop the surface of a soft pudding with a spoon and then move horizontally like pulling a plow, it rolls up roundly along the curved surface. A similar phenomenon was occurring at Maximilian's fingertips.
The only difference was that the material was the bedrock of the road, and it was Maximilian's fingers that were scooping it.
Two long lines are drawn on the road. The scooped earth instantly became a giant steel wheel. The complex-structured gear, whose inner and outer parts were separated and rotated independently, violently scraped the ground and roared fiercely.
An iron wheel as large as an automobile was transmuted in an instant. Maximilian rotated the inner gears to the extreme limit. The inner wheel, which accumulated power, glowed red from friction.
"Newborn of steel! Gooo! Crush those unsightly things!"
Thump. As Maximilian let go, the iron wheel scraped the ground and approached. The scraped road turned into a bright red halo. Creating a giant scar on the flat road, the steel gear charged at us as if to crush us.