EP.245 Steel Has No Eyes
Maximilian is a master of alchemy.
He can freely transmute alchemical substances of level 3 and below. If a transmutable substance so much as touches his fingertips, the infiltrating magical power instantly collapses its structure and reassembles it as he desires.
However, this itself is not particularly impressive. The scale and speed of alchemy are purely a matter of handling magical power. As long as one has the minimum foundational knowledge, alchemy is an honest and boring technique that reacts only as much as magical power is infused into it. Let alone the fact that one cannot alchemize objects containing another person's qi or magical power—how powerless is that.
But Maximilian's alchemy is special. This stems from a talent different from his magical power capacity or brute strength.
The perspective of seeing the world as a collection of gears. The intellect to build it up from the very bottom. The will to mimic all things, even reason itself, with gears.
Fused together, these traits made him a man capable of weaving a castle alone, even from bare ground.
"Tch. And his naming sense...!"
The Regressor gripped Jizan and dashed forward. It was to strike away the rampaging gears, but her trained instincts sensed danger.
Something is falling.
The Regressor looked up. A massive shadow loomed over her.
"Iron Arm?"
Tiny gears crawled over Maximilian's body like diligent ants. From gears as small as ants to those the size of a human head. The gears crawling out of Maximilian's entire body clicked and interlocked, forming the shape of a giant, bizarre arm.
Gears acting as muscles, gears acting as joints, gears acting as the skeletal frame.
Gears of all kinds were exquisitely assembled to form a single shape. Its appearance possessed a bizarre aesthetic, as if mimicking a human body with gears.
The shoulder gear turned. Tick, tick, tick. The rusted shoulder screamed, and the giant mechanical pillar, likely 3 meters long alone, moved like a human limb.
A mechanical arm showcasing a crude aesthetic beauty. From it came the sound of iron one might hear when waves crash upon a sea filled with iron nails. There wasn't even a clamor in the frothing of the metal. Even the sound was heavy and profound.
Maximilian, raising the iron arm, shouted joyfully.
"Doryongcham, was it? How refreshing! I've gained good inspiration! Now, let me test it out!"
The gears turned, and the iron arm struck down at the Regressor. A giant sawblade fell over the Regressor's head.
"Doryongcham is completely different from that!"
Against the giant iron arm with a sawblade, the Regressor swung Jizan up to meet it. It looked like a reckless attempt to block a wave with a stick, but Jizan was a stick capable of doing so.
The shock overwhelmed them both. Shattered gears poured over the Regressor's body, and the iron arm bounced off Jizan, shaking Maximilian's entire body. With a roar between them, both sides stepped back a pace.
Maximilian changed the shape of the iron arm and shouted.
"The power of the Demon God! Excellent. Very excellent!"
"I hate it, though!"
"Let us stake our lives and interlock!"
"If you're going to die, just die alone!"
The Regressor shouted back and grabbed Jizan. Out of the corner of her vision, the iron newborn created by Maximilian flashed past. The sound of it scraping the ground was quite threatening. If this continued, that iron wheel with a sawblade would attack the automobile.
For a brief moment, the Regressor hesitated.
'I don't have the leeway to deal with a toy made by a lunatic! Right, I'll trust my comrade! Because a toy like that can't inflict a single wound on my comrade!'
Huh? You trust me?
I appreciate the sentiment, but.
The Regressor's trust manifested in the form of a giant iron gear rolling roughly toward me and the automobile.
"Whoa. What is that."
The iron wheel, glowing red from friction with the road, rolled as if to crush the world. Its overwhelming presence, which stimulated primal fear, inspired my desire to flee.
The Regressor's trust is less heavy than it is terrifying. If you're going to be like this, just don't trust me.
I checked the condition of the automobile. Thanks to the Regressor forcing it forward and smashing it earlier, the front of the automobile was catastrophically destroyed.
Fortunately, the automobile, developed with combat in mind, was designed to run as long as the power source was intact, even if the front was smashed. And that power was currently being provided by Tir. Meaning, it wouldn't run out.
"Even if we jam one more thing in here, it won't break."
I muttered and twisted the control lever.
Straight toward the iron gear coming at us.
"Huey?! It's dangerous!"
Historia, who had boarded the automobile, urged in a sharp voice, but I ignored her and pushed forward. The iron gear scraped the front of the automobile in succession. Ratatatat—the sound of alchemical steel crashing against alchemical steel rang out.
However, the automobile only suffered minor damage and easily withstood the iron gear's attack.
"It's fine. The alchemical steel reinforced by Tir's power is roughly level 4. A hastily made level 3 alchemical steel won't even leave a scratch. It would take something like an Azimissile to bring it down. Like over there."
"Woof!"
The other iron gear was in the middle of being blocked by Azi's Azimissile. As the swiftly running Azi slammed the side with a bang, the iron gear that seemed ready to swallow the world staggered helplessly left and right. Azi puffed out his chest proudly, as if he had perfectly protected us.
"Rotation itself is power. A wheel spinning that powerfully has inertia greater than its weight. It's much easier to block it head-on than to strike it from the side."
"Woof?!"
Azi, not knowing the power of rotation, panicked upon seeing the gear still maintaining its balance while wobbling.
In his panic, he had to plant his front legs on the ground, spin his body, and use a spinning kick with his hind legs. Even the spinning gear was no match for Azi's serious strength using all 'four legs', crumpling miserably and flying into the air.
As expected, if you have a good body, you don't need to use your head.
"Well, the same goes for here. Tir, is it manageable?"
[No problem. However, a wheel that rolls on its own. It is quite a unique object. I cannot fathom its use; what is it used for?]
"To crush us."
[Oh. I see.]
Screeeech.
The battle between the automobile and the gear. Normally, a collision on the road would inflict severe damage on both sides, but the 1 Tir-power automobile, with its chassis reinforced by divine authority and using a vampire for power, advanced steadily, ignoring the impact.
The sawblade pushed in between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, but failed to destroy any more and fell silent.
The gear, having exhausted its momentum, became an ornament stuck to the front of the automobile. However, perhaps because it dug in too deep, the steering wheel wasn't working. It seemed the front wheel area, which was already on the verge, was now completely crushed.
Hmm. The front wheels are already smashed anyway, should I try fixing it a bit?
"Alright. Historia! Come here for a second and try pulling out the handle."
"...Wait! Hold on!"
The best way to make someone else grab the steering wheel is to let go of it myself. The world needs at least one person to drive, so if I abandon that duty, someone is bound to take it over.
As I let go and moved forward, the frantic Historia slid into the driver's seat to fill the empty spot.
"Hey! What are you doing, letting go of the steering wheel!"
"It's fine. Someone other than me will hold it. Just like you."
"Always doing whatever you want...!"
"Ah. And the steering wheel is broken right now, so I'm trying to fix it in a hurry, could you pull that out for a sec?"
"You're going to fix the steering wheel while we're driving? When it's this broken?"
Historia was half-doubtful but obediently did as I told her. She wrapped her crossed legs around the steering column and straightened her knees, pulling it out in one go. The out-of-control front wheel rattled like crazy.
Meanwhile, I pulled out a skewer and headed to where the rotating sawblade was embedded.
It's not an incredibly complex structure. Maximilian is a master of gearcraft, and he realizes the truth that simpler structures boast superior durability and utility. Whether he likes that truth or not is secondary.
"This much is manageable."
I jammed the skewer into the seams between the gears. They say the center of a storm is quiet, but that is a stationary presence brimming with power. The skewer shook like a sailboat adrift in a storm.
"That is a gear created by Director Maximilian. Even you couldn't grasp its structure in a short time..."
I wouldn't have, right. If I had encountered this device on bare ground with no one around.
But this gear was created by Maximilian. He alchemized the gear and wove this structure in an instant.
Thanks to that, I, who was reading his thoughts, also learned a bit about the structure. If I were to recreate it right away, I wouldn't have enough magical power, so that's impossible, but I can at least process what's already there.
"Rialke."
Infusing magical power collapses the structure. I wedged the skewer in as if molding it into the gaps. I peeled off a few gears and inserted the power unit right into the center of the smashed axle. The specs didn't match, so it was misaligned.
But violently adjusting minor discrepancies that don't interlock is what combat alchemy is all about. I gathered my remaining magical power and forged it. It wasn't like I was making it from bare ground, just processing what was already there, but my magical power drained out entirely.
People with a lot of magical power have it good. I grumbled and forcefully inserted the broken axle. Clunk, the sound of it interlocking was heard.
It was just a makeshift fix, but with this, the automobile now took on a look full of romance, with a giant circular saw hanging at the front instead of wheels.
Historia frowned, reinserted the handle, and twisted it. Accordingly, the sawblade changed direction left and right. Historia muttered in disbelief.
"...Combat alchemy. But you wouldn't be able to use it if you didn't know the structure."
"The structure is surprisingly simple. It looks complicated because a lot of useless gears are put in. Actually, as long as there's enough power, it'll roll somehow. Even if the efficiency is only 10%, as long as the applied force is large, it works."
And right now, this automobile is running on a Tir engine.
The circular saw spins again. This time, not toward us, but toward that side. Gears do not have eyes, so they do not distinguish the person who created them. They simply operate.
"So. What are you going to do with this sawblade attached? Are you going to ram into someone with this?"
"Wow, what a great plan, Historia! So there was a method like that!"
"What?"
It was probably meant to be sarcastic, but Historia hit the perfect correct answer.
I was thinking of striking Maximilian with this.
"The Director, who has wheels on his feet, is faster than the automobile. We can't catch up."
"Then we just need to increase the output."
Unlike other power sources, our power source puts out stronger power the more you demand of it.
"Tir! It's about time to move on to the next stage! Spin it faster!"
[...Faster, you say? But Huey, no matter how strongly I apply force, I am turning this by grabbing it with my hands. As long as my body has human flesh, it cannot be faster than this.]
True. Being strong doesn't necessarily mean being fast. Tir's power is only effective inside the body, and because of that, the speed isn't very fast.
To move quickly, one must explode their qi to propel the body, or apply force by grabbing and pulling the ground. Just as one cannot jump by pushing off oneself, no matter how strong Tir is, with thin and short limbs, she cannot produce tremendous speed. Structurally, it is inefficient.
In the first place, the reason we came in the automobile was to overcome Tir's slow movement speed and the racial issue of the midday sun.
Still. There's still more to do. This isn't the limit of the automobile. Look at Maximilian. He is spinning the gears spread across his entire body at will and keeping up with the Regressor's swift movements.
Not only do the gears turn and transmit power, but because every gear has its own power and moves on its own, he could move much faster than his original speed.
"The same goes for us! Tir! If this automobile is the body, those gears are no different from muscles! Like moving by letting blood seep into the muscles, grab them and try to move them!"
[Oh-ho. I've got the feel of it. Let me try.]
Right after hearing Tir's response, darkness seeped into the chassis.
Until now, Tir, who hadn't understood this structure, only reinforced the chassis and never even thought of moving it with her divine authority. Well, I have no excuse either. Until that moment, I hadn't perfectly understood it either.
But now, reading Maximilian's thoughts, it's different.
"And spin them all! From the central axis to the edge of the wheels! All at once!"
[Servant of Darkness, I command thee.]
A dark energy wafted from inside the chassis. The automobile accelerated rapidly. The headwind hitting my forehead in the front seat blew much stronger.
I narrowed my eyes and aimed at Maximilian ahead. He was just about to have his fifth clash with the Regressor.
"Historia! You're the one holding the steering wheel! Decide who we're going to ram into, right about now!"
"...Huey, do you really have to go this far? If you attack, there's no turning back now."
"It's already too late anyway! You have to choose. If you don't like it, I'll just fight however I want and die!"
The figures of the Regressor and Maximilian, busily contending with each other, gradually grew closer. The automobile, placed under the vampire's dominion, charged with a much more dreadful momentum than before. Even with a vicious iron circular saw attached to the front.
Historia gritted her teeth.
"...You, and Siati too. Everyone just keeps rushing to the end.... You try to see it through to the bitter end no matter what! Why don't you know how to stop at the right moment...!"
"Didn't you know? People tend to push themselves harder when there's someone trying to stop them!"
It was within reach now. There was no more time to hesitate. If she didn't change direction, both of them would be hit.
The hesitating Historia finally yanked the steering wheel.
That direction was... toward Maximilian.
'The Director will unconditionally kill Huey and Siati. But the darling won't do that at the very least.... If I have to stand on my own two feet. There is. No room for choice.'
The circular saw hung in place of the front wheels advanced with a fearsome momentum. While contending with the Regressor, Maximilian's eyes widened as he spotted the suddenly incoming circular saw.
"M-My iron newborn... at me?!"
"Hah! How does it feel to have the gears you were so proud of taken from you?"
Maximilian tried to dodge from the trajectory. However, the Regressor, who had been in a precarious standoff, did not miss that opportunity.
"Where are you running, you lump of iron!"
The Regressor plunged Jizan into the ground.
Jigon Style, Magnetic Iron Sword.
The earth is the largest magnet in the world, and it wields even things close to light. The earth sword Jizan also possesses such a property.
The gears fallen on the ground, the iron dust created by the collision, and the alchemical steel debris floated up near Jizan. The metal debris, as if connected to Jizan's handle and tip by a loose thread, floated near Jizan.
The Regressor extended her magnetic force and bound Maximilian. The gears attached all over his body reacted to the magnetic force and were pulled.
"Stop right there!"
A force that bound his entire body in an instant. Maximilian, caught because of the gears, couldn't escape in time. The automobile with the iron saw attached slammed into his stiffened body.
The rotating sawblade rammed into his shoulder and chest. Thump, a heavy weight was felt from the front of the car, and the torn pieces of clothing scattered into the air.
I clenched my fist tightly and shouted.
"Did we get him?"
Not a chance. The sawblade was still spinning, and Maximilian moved perfectly fine even while being ground by the sawblade.
It seemed that the gears attached to Maximilian's body were also... level 4, no, alchemical steel close to level 5.
"Urrrrgh...! Rialke...!"
Surprisingly, Maximilian didn't fall even after being rammed by the automobile. Regardless of strength, the mass should have been much lighter, but Yukjangseong had the ability to withstand even an automobile's charge.
Even while being dragged along after being hit by the automobile, he emitted magical power from his entire body at the moment of impact. The moment the sawblade successively struck his body, the infiltrated magical power finely dismantled the gears and dropped them to the floor.
Historia muttered as if she had expected it.
"Director Maximilian is a being called the God of Gears... An attack like this with gears wouldn't work."
Maximilian breathed heavily. Every time he exhaled, the golden gear visible through his torn clothes turned with a grating sound.
Tick, tick, tick.
The gears slowed for a moment, and roughly grasping the situation, he raised his head with burning eyes. Maximilian, thoroughly excited, confirmed the object that had attacked him and the person who had controlled it. And then his face twisted.
"How dare you...! You modified my gears as you pleased and attacked me...!"
I don't know how he knew, but his lenses were aimed exactly at me. Sensing something ominous, Historia lowered her voice and whispered.
"Huey, get behind me."
'The Director absolutely detests it when a subordinate with no power or authority interferes "of their own will" rather than delivering orders. No, he doesn't even acknowledge that subordinates can have "their own will." If he attacks Huey.... I'll have to block it.'
Even without that, the fight against the Regressor was already an overwhelming duel for Maximilian. Jizan was much heavier than all his gears combined, and the strength he prided himself on was useless in front of Jizan. If not for the resourcefulness to create whatever was needed on the spot, Maximilian would have fallen long ago.
Interrupted in the middle of a tight fight that inspired him. He must definitely be furious... Historia thought.
But you're misunderstanding something.
This lunatic is a being who tries to mimic even reason with gears. Even I can't read him perfectly, but at least if I fit it into that formula.
"My gears...! Dismantling them one by one, and attaching them to this cheap automobile...!!"
Growling as he recalled what had happened, Maximilian flashed a vigorous smile at me.
"Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent!"
I'm being acknowledged.