Woman Army, One-Man Army
Deep in the mountains, away from Akito’s town.
Before them: a lava-type monster, Lava.
Defeating it yields Lava’s soul—a material commonly used to create things that emit heat.
Stoves, water heaters, that sort of thing.
It seems to produce heat endlessly, a handy material—but getting it is no easy task.
No, not for me, now that I’ve acquired Eternal Slave Mk. II. It’s not hard anymore. The hard part is—
“Oria’s on the right, Lissa’s on the left. We’ll flank it.”
“Got it!”
“Let me handle this!”
A group of women alone, facing down the Lava.
Led by Miah, they’re fighting the beast.
“Damn, it’s tough!”
“What now, Sister?”
“…Oria, stay with me and hold it back. Lissa, dig a hole over there.”
“A hole?”
“That’s right. Try dropping it into the hole.”
“Understood!”
The girl called Arisa led several women off to dig a pit in a distant spot.
Meanwhile, Mira led the others in continuing the assault.
“Sister. There’s a big rock over there.”
“—! Guide it toward that side. Make sure you’re ready to drop it anytime.”
“Got it!”
This time, Yuria led a group toward a large boulder on a distant hill.
Mira, fighting as she went, guided the boulder’s fall path toward Rava.
Rolling rocks. Digging pits.
Under Mira’s command, they attacked Rava with every trick they could think of.
☆
“Is this really enough?”
Mira had brought Rava’s soul.
After the fierce battle, they’d defeated Rava on their own—no help from me.
I did nothing. And that, somehow, was the biggest step I’d taken.
Up until now, I’ve been the one going out to slay rare materials and bringing them back myself.
Even after the fierce fight, the fact that someone other than me managed to do it—it meant something.
"Yeah, that’s good. Good job taking it down."
"Nothing special about that. But the promise—"
"I’ll keep it. Don’t worry. Actually—"
"Actually?"
"I think I owe you all proper weapons now."
"Weapons? You’re gonna make weapons?"
Mira’s eyes lit up.
"Yeah. The ones you’re using right now? They’re falling apart."
She glanced at Mira and the others, who all looked down at their own weapons.
Just as I’d said—those weapons were falling apart.
"Let me make you something better. What kind do you want?"
"Anything at all?"
Mira’s eyes sparkled.
"Anything."
I nodded.
Mira and the others exchanged glances, then all nodded in agreement.
☆
The mighty giant, Thrói.
The giant with the arm needed to forge the artillery, Neetka.
That’s what Mayya and the others ordered.
Apparently, they’d known about the Neetka stationed in the town all along, and suddenly declared they wanted one.
Since she’d promised to make anything, she brought them to Thrói.
Just like with Lava, the girls were facing Thrói under Mayya’s command.
And they were struggling.
“Sister! Riana’s—!”
“Step back and tend to her! Tanya, Tachiana! Provide covering fire!”
““Yes!””
They were struggling, but holding their ground under Mayya’s orders.
I moved toward the girl, Riana, who’d fallen back, and applied the universal remedy.
Riana’s wound closed.
“Ah… thank you…”
“Be careful next time. Fighting that thing head-on is stupid.”
“Understood.”
“I’ll leave the medicine here—use it when needed.”
And I left the vial behind.
Meya’s crew had clear roles—frontline, rear guard, support. All of them knew their place.
The support girl took the universal remedy I left behind.
Under Meya’s command, the Troi gradually weakened, until it finally fell.
☆
“Ah. So that’s what you had in mind.”
Seeing the finished product, I nodded in understanding.
After using Troi’s arm to build a Neetka, Meya asked for something else—a cart-like frame.
No special materials, just a base to place the Neetka on.
A mobile artillery platform. Done.
“Yeah, I’ve been thinking about this ever since I saw those things in town. This is what I wanted.”
“Is that so.”
The girls chattered around the mobile Neetka, laughing and poking at it.
I looked at Meya.
“How many more of these do we need?”
“Huh?”
“How many more mobile artillery pieces would you say we need?”
“S—sure, I guess…”
Meya glanced at her crew.
“Four… would be nice.”
“Got it.”
I pulled out DORECA and drew four of Neetka’s magic circles.
Pulled out Eternal Slave Re:version.
The light slave sword, still holding Yuria inside.
“Wait a sec.”
I started walking toward the arrow.
Watching Meya’s fight lit a small fire in me.
Looking for Throie—Meya’s crew followed from behind.
After walking a while, we happened upon a group of Throie just right.
Five of them—more than enough, even with Neetka’s help.
“Yuria.”
(Yes.)
Yuria answered inside my head.
I glanced over my shoulder and said,
“Show them something good. Give me power.”
(Understood.)
I charged toward the Throie—first one swung a massive fist.
Clashed with the slave sword, magic packed—shoved it back.
Me against five Throie.
The spark of battle was struck—then, just like that, over.