314: The Battle Against Funaka

Today's update features four chapters.

This is the first chapter.

"Fufu, fufufufu, ahahahahaha!!"

Well, I've temporarily prevented Funaka from escaping the Siltrilichi star system.

Now, all that remains is for us to defeat Funaka, and the crisis will be resolved.

Thus, I once again begin observing Funaka.

Funaka, laughing loudly, wears little more than a store-bought outfit and a coat hastily stitched together from a hodgepodge of various animal hides.

There are no decorative accessories, and while her boots are somewhat stylish, they are still ordinary boots.

But that doesn't mean she's unarmed.

An invisible energy emanates from Funaka's body.

It's something that moves according to Funaka's OS—likely a mod of some kind, and possibly a weapon capable of actively utilizing destructive power.

In other words, she's fully prepared for battle.

"Aaaahhh! I see now! Finally understand! That bastard's modus operandi! Someone who could exploit me, satisfy my desires, and still remain in control! And then just vanish without a word—exactly how that damn scumbag did! That's why I couldn't quite pin down the identity of the traitor lurking within the Empire! You perverted bastard, you! I actually thank you for spreading such perfect discord—but what the hell are you even doing, you damn freak?! Why are you doing this to me, you son of a bitch?!"

"……"

It seems Funaqa has finally reached the existence of Chirarizumu = Konpuraekusu.

That's why he's screaming out in emotional outburst... but...

"I'm starting to feel like we're the ones in the wrong here."

"Turns out, relying on that creator was a bad idea after all."

"I wholeheartedly agree. Lord Vee."

Well, I won't bother voicing what I'm actually thinking.

I sympathize with you on that matter, but considering all the attacks Funaka has launched against the Empire, there's absolutely no reason to hold back.

"Detritus of Mud Clearance"

Funaka extends his right hand toward me, pointing his index finger directly at me.

You will kill them all— the emerald priestess, the machine intelligence, the liquid life. The Imperial forces who came to Siltrilich will become my instruments. To destroy that damn god. As long as he exists, none of us can step beyond his designs. I won't have it. I reject a world of harmony and fixed fate— absolutely, utterly reject it.

"Wha—?!"

And released was pure murderous intent.

Despite being nothing more than pure murderous intent, the sheer force emanating from it was overwhelming—so intense it felt like I was being crushed by it.

It was as if all of Funaka's accumulated hatred and malice had coalesced into that single moment.

"Plant discord throughout the world!"

『Sataa!』

"Wait—!?"

Funaka moved.

A blade of energy unfolded along the tip of her extended right hand, slashing downward toward me.

I couldn't handle it myself—Vilijanira moved my body in the powered suit to dodge.

Just after I dodged...

"!?"

A massive explosion erupted along the path of the descending blade.

Looking closely, the explosion stretched endlessly, crossing the entire Siltrilich system, destroying any ships caught in its wake—shields or not.

"The green-eyed priestess is astonishing. I'll admit it. She finds an impossibly smooth flow, yet disrupts it so brilliantly that discord arises. But if her movements don't match the intensity of her gaze, then she's nothing more than..."

And, blending into the explosion's light, Funaka slips into my arms.

The hand, shaped like a piercing blade, begins to extend toward my chest.

Funaka's attack reaches even my main body in the Ether Space.

Depending on its nature and scale, even Viridiana and the others in the greenhouse could be in danger.

Viridiana's eyes and operational skill are extremely sharp, but right now, I've just finished evading the initial explosion and am still immobilized—even if external control were applied.

So, unless I can do something other than moving my limbs, I'm stuck like this...

"Got it!"

Before my thoughts could fully settle, Funaka's piercing strike lunged forward.

Funaka's piercing strike appeared to pierce right through my chest...

『Do you really think something like this escapes my notice?』

「!?」

Yet, I felt no effect whatsoever.

Funaka's strike had missed entirely.

Upon closer inspection, the figure pierced was merely a painted illusion of me and the surrounding scene—my powered suit form remained invisible to Funaka, forcing me into an impossibly awkward position, unnatural for a human.

It seemed that while I was frantically trying to figure out how to respond to the situation before me, Viridiana had already dealt with it.

『Sata!』

"Here it comes!"

"!?"

And so, I made Funaka pay the price for her failed attack.

My fist slammed into Funaka's head, adding another crater to the asteroid that had served as her footing.

『Sata. From now on, I'll be using not just colored ink, but optical camouflage as well, so prepare yourself』

"Yeah, got it."

I stepped back from Funaka, assuming a fighting stance.

"What's going on... I understand that the green-eyed shrine maiden can read attacks. But why is the reaction happening in time? I should have moved with the assumption that I was already read... Is this really just foresight?"

Funaka stood up, assuming a fighting stance.

Yet her expression seemed oddly confused.

"Whatever. Then I'll just finish this with a method that doesn't rely on being read!"

In the next instant, the asteroid Funaka stood upon exploded.