Tale of the Fake Hero

Chapter 50 – The Path of Counterattack, the Behe-ric Expedition (3)

[Fixed track connected, steam engine ignition accelerated, horsepower generation: 3, 2, 1. Complete. Engine operation requirements reached.]

It took enormous force to move the massive body of an armored train.

Although the dwarven army already started the engine in preparation for the move, it still took a considerable amount of time for the train to start moving.

Kaisen was surprised to hear the tiny device plugged into his ear start making noises and spitting out sounds.

[Checking the communication connection. This is the Titan #49.]

“I can hear you, Your Majesty.”

[You seem to be confused by this new technology, Kaisen. This is science. It’s a thing called a ‘wireless communication device’.]

“It’s amazing. To be able to reproduce Her Majesty the Lightning’s power like this…”

[It only seems similar, but it’s still inferior to the point of being embarrassing to even compare. Only the framework was copied.]

Was that humility…?

Unlike telepathic resonance, which was transmitted directly to the brain, there was a limitation to what was heard.

‘There is also the limitation that you have to speak out loud.’

That meant that there was a possibility that the conversation would be buried in the noise of the battlefield the speaker or listener was located in.

Electric Resonance was a state where, in an emergency, one could convey one’s intentions through thought alone, but even considering those limitations, or even if there were more limitations…

‘It’s still a ridiculously useful object.’ Anyone who had experienced how Electric Resonance could change a battlefield knew…

[You will have to follow my orders during the operation to subdue the Gluttonous Duke. His Excellency the Heavenly Castle has delegated command to me.]

“Understood.”

[Isla, the new titan #33 that your subordinates received has several additional functions. They are simple but effective, so you guys will be able to master them quickly. Fortunately, there are practice partners everywhere.]

The titan pilots of the Dragon Hammer Corps had switched from the old titan #16 models to the #33.

They were items that Halvaron had prepared in advance on the platform as a gift to Isla.

The armor was made lighter, allowing for greater mobility, and they were characterized by a large cannon mounted on the abdomen.

[Isla doesn’t know how to control a titan!]

[I should have said your subordinates, not you.]

[Don’t worry, Your Majesty, they’re perfect, like a part of our bodies. Amazing.]

[Obviously. Who do you think made those things?]

[If you give such a thing to me and then take it away, I’ll cry. I’ll also bring Isla. Be prepared for your eardrums to burst.]

[Isla’s subordinates are just like their leader—they have no manners. Even though they are talking to the emperor of another race, there is nothing they can’t say. I should execute them all on the spot for the crime of treason.]

The first joint human-dwarven front during the ‘Red Summer’ began like that.

There were two operational objectives: one, receive the armored train and escape from the elevated base; two, subdue Gluttonous Duke Behe-ric.

Heavenly Castle Mirngadia planned to subdue Behe-ric there because he saw a future where he would pose a great threat if he were to be present in the battle against Neigalas.

No, it went further than that—he devised a plan to completely wipe out not only Neigalas but also the lords following her.

His life was almost over, but before his miserable life ended, he wanted to give everything he could to the world.

He planned to defeat the high-ranking Old Nobles on three fronts one by one and then aim for Neigalas’s neck as she was recovering her strength.

To do that, their fight had to be laid as the cornerstone of victory.

[Your Majesty, this is Gustav Yulius, Admiral of the Steel Fleet. The ship’s support bombardment is ready.]

[Well done. Fleet, this is #49. The Gluttonous Duke is approaching. Fire a delaying shot to prevent it from entering the armored train.]

[Fight bravely, His Majesty the Emperor is watching. May the glory of victory shine upon His Majesty!]

[This is armored train No. 1701! There are many enemies blocking the tracks!]

That seven-hour battle felt like being in the middle of a nightmare.

His memory of it was unclear. With two operations intersecting on a single battlefield, it was impossible to catch one’s breath or collect one’s thoughts.

[This is Leiberecht of the 3rd Armored Brigade. There are a lot of bullets, but don’t use them. They are to be used after we leave the coast.]

[Understood.]

[Black Rose Corps, break through the front. Dragon Hammer Corps, continue moving while guarding the flanks of the armored train.]

[But there are too many enemies!]

“I’ll take care of them,” Kaisen said.

The ancient forces were endlessly advancing like a sandstorm, clinging to the sides of the armored train一

Single Lightning Shot—

一A single bolt of red lightning tore through that storm of infinite power.

The silence after the lightning strike was like one at the providence of creation—the silence of death descended upon the corpses, whose heads had been severed all at once.

The train broke the silence as it rushed forward.

[Wow, great swordsmanship. It’s really worth seeing, no matter how many times I’ve seen it!]

“No, I made a mistake.” Kaisen swallowed saliva mixed with sand to wet his dry throat as he watched the decapitated corpses groping around for their heads and attaching them to their bodies. He felt his heart pound at something he had momentarily forgotten…

‘It’s annoying. It’s just like what I learned in the Temple of the Sword of Bravery.’ The power that the King of Lizards, Neigalas, received was the harvest of souls. Since Neigalas captured souls, she was able to enjoy eternity while the reptilians’ flesh were just shells.

That was why the physical body had to be completely destroyed. Even if the soul lived, the body would not be able to move.

“Kuaaaaang!”

Those completely crushed to a pulp by Isla’s hammer couldn’t be resurrected. That or burning worked best.

“Kaisen is weak! Weak! Do not despair! The difference between a dragon and a human is great!”

It would be perfect if only she didn’t say things like that.

“Why don’t you compliment me?” Isla asked.

[Wow! That’s a really great hammering! That’s amazing. Isla!]

“Kyakyakyakyakyakyakya! More! You can praise me more!”

The performance of Isla’s Corps was also remarkable. It had to be. The limited resurrection ability of the reptilians was virtually nonexistent to the titans of the Dragon Hammer Corps.

[Shell loading complete! Fire!]

[Oh! It was completely reduced to ashes. This titan’s performance is crazy. It can’t be compared to mass-produced titans.]

[The enemy ranks have collapsed! The path is open. Well done, Dragon Hammer Corps.]

In comparison…

Even without having to look, it was obvious that Lia suffered because her swordsmanship’s characteristic was aiming at the target’s weak points and killing them instantly. It was the same with Sharon during the battle against the Tahuf—the compatibility was just too bad.

[Kaisen, at point 12-22, the reptilians have started destroying the tracks. We’re not enough to stop them! If the tracks are even slightly off, we will be in trouble. Hurry up!]

The chaos began again just as it was about to end.

Kaisen just went to where he was called, cut down everything he could find, and moved on. Rinse and repeat.

His whole body was drenched in blood…

Was it his blood…?

Then he would have to inject the dragon blood serum…

No, it didn’t seem to be his…

Meanwhile, countless voices rang in his ears, testifying to the urgency of the battlefield.

[I caught one!]

[It’s #49. The 2nd defense line has been broken through. Instead of protecting allies, the 3rd Armored Division is to support the escort of the armored train.]

[Understood, Your Majesty.]

[Kaisen Alter Aradmantel, a large number of reptilians have appeared from the southeast!]

“I’m on it.”

[Good skills, Fake Warrior!]

[Cannons, fire!]

[They’re stuck on 1702’s rear! Please support!]

“On my way.”

[Those monsters are after the engine room! They’re on top! We can’t get them off!]

“Taken care of.”

[Very good work, Fake Warrior! I can see the east gate now. We’re almost at the highlands!]

[Your Majesty, this is Black Rose. The east gate is occupied by enemy forces, and the defensive turrets have not received any energy from the engine yet.]

[Isla is coming! I’ll devour all those lizards!]

[No, we’ll handle it on our own. Steel Fleet, this is 49. Fire at the east gate.]

[Understood, but I’m worried that No. 1701 will be affected.]

[The debris can’t pierce through the train’s armor. Black Rose Corps, get on No. 1703.]

A rain of steel poured down on the east side of the elevated base, shattered the stone walls, and ripped apart the reptilians occupying the area, scattering them.

The train burst out, smashing through the thick fog of dust and rubble.

Ttttoooooo…!

First, 1701, and then 1702; finally, 1703, which was carrying the Black Rose Corps, which had lost nearly 30% of its troops.

[Your Majesty, this is Lia Alter Tas Alfo. All three trains have left the station. No escort is needed now. Thank you very much.]

Haa… Only after watching the train disappear into the dust did Kaisen finally let out a sigh.

‘Okay, so now…’ Of course, it wasn’t a sigh of relief, but rather an exhale in preparation for the next fight.

[Kaisen, Isla, this is 49. We are now entering the 2nd phase of the operation.]

“Understood.”

“My legs hurt right now! Halvaron, send a mount!” Isla ordered.

[An unmanned car is already on its way. Go to the dock and board transport ship 2207. That is your ride. It will transport you into the belly of that monster. One of the Bright Swords that I received from the Heavenly Castle is there.]

The open-top freight car was a passenger car without an outer wall or roof and was a useful means of transport for large titans.

“Confirmed. Boarding.”

As the open train carrying all the titans began to move, Kaisen looked at the nightmare that had appeared on the distant southern horizon.

Behe-ric… A nightmare that was legendary for its transcendent size among the Old Nobles.

‘Damn it all…’ His pulse raced with primal despair, and cold sweat formed on his forehead. Aradamantel, sensing the abnormality in its proxy’s heartbeat, cried out loud.

‘It’s dozens of times bigger than the Mauna Roa? Is it impossible to cut that thing?’

The ancient reptilian, which spit out lava like crazy, had three heads extending from its neck. The traces of being a living creature ended there. When viewed from a distance, it appeared to be a moving volcano rather than a living organism.

‘Yes, a long chain of volcanoes…’ The mountain peaks ran along the horizon, rippling and undulating, with lava flowing from each peak.

That volcanic area… The sight of human arms writhing like thousands of legs and approaching was the stuff of nightmares.

‘Is that an Old Reptilian or an Old Centipede? or an Old Volcanic Zone?…’

The theory instructor at the Temple of the Sword of Bravery, Rachel Dune Jeraye had said Behe-ric meant ‘eating violently’ in the ancient tongue.

It did not just swallow everything in the world but the world itself, turning it into a world of harsh wastelands, red volcanoes, and sand.

“Behe一ric’s body is a volcanic zone, so it is nearly impossible for humans to inflict significant damage to it from outside its body.”

So did that mean he was invincible?

Rachel shook her head at the question and drew a circle inside the outline of Behe-ric’s body on the blackboard.

“The first Authentic Warrior, Alkaios, entered its body and destroyed its soul’s core. This is the only method available to humans.”

The operation devised by the Heavenly Castle was the same—it was based on the meager hope left behind by the war of the gods.

They had to go to that hell, with the fake holy swords instead of the real ones, as Fake Warriors instead of real Warriors.

One day, he remembered Setsunen telling him why with a sad smile on her face.

“Even though you may be fake, do not forget that you are the last remaining warriors of this pitiful world.”

Halvaron’s thoughts were different. If they had to deal with an enemy outside the standard specifications, why didn’t they just make non-standard weapons?

Based on the experiences from ‘Black Summer’, 49, commonly known as the ‘colossus’, was created.

[Target location reached. 49 taking off.]

A typical titan was originally operated by four soldiers (a commander, one to control the arms, one to control the legs, and a gunner), but 49, which was 31 times larger, required 103 pilots and 3,233 gunners to control.

It was the cutting edge of science, created by equipping 77 ‘artifacts’ that condensed the technological prowess of , and the one who took charge of everything was Halvaron, who was also the best titan commander.

Thump…

Thump, thump…

Thump, thump, thump…

As the two giants approached each other, cracks spread and earthquakes occurred wherever their feet touched.

[Okay, do you want to fight?]

If Behe-ri was a crawling volcano, then wasn’t 49 a walking mountain? Its massive body was like that of a behemoth. Equipped with five 217-class steam engines with enough horsepower to move ten armored trains, it was quite a sight to see it holding onto Behe-ric with both of its arms.

[I’ll send it over now!]

49 caught Behe-ric as it rushed forward with a single thrust, and with three additional reserve power reactors activated, the machine’s strength greatly amplified.

[All fleets, fire into Behe-ric’s massive butt. Teach this ancient punk how much fun water can be!]

For a moment, Kaisen couldn’t believe his eyes.

‘They really did it…?’

Were they really going to topple that ancient volcano and send it crashing down on the shore?

[Aiming complete, fire!]

[Target confirmed!]

[Eat this!]

[Your Majesty, this is the 3rd Battleship Squadron, the Gluttonous Duke has turned his attention to the fleet! He is rising!]

[I see. Kaisen, Isla. This is Halvaron. Are you ready?]

“Ready!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We have now boarded transport ship 2207 with the entire Dragon Hammer Corps and have also taken the Bright Sword.”

[Fleet Commander Admiral Gustav. All crew members of transport ship 2207 are to transfer to other ships immediately!]

Behe-ric, the Gluttonous Duke, true to its name, rushed forward, devouring the world. Ships unable to dodge its oncoming trajectory were swallowed into its giant mouth.

Watching such a sight, Isla mumbled while staring blankly. “Too many…”

“What?”

“Too many are dying. I am a dragon, but why can’t I do anything in this situation?”

That…

Kaisen, who was at a loss for words, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Always remember that we cannot accomplish the unrealistic task of saving everyone. All we can do, no, all we must do, is to make the fleeting deaths a noble sacrifice.”

He understood why Senior Loveris said that. No, he understood what she was feeling when she said such a thing.

That helplessness that felt like his heart was being torn apart…

[Your Majesty, the 9th Destroyer Squadron has been annihilated! The target, while at sea, has been greatly weakened in maneuverability, but it is still powerful.]

One more… With momentum that seemed to swallow up the entire world, Behe-ric was approaching, swallowing both the sea and the ships.

He had expected it, but when the situation actually occurred, he was so scared… his whole body trembled.

[Kaisen, it’s me. This is a private line.]

“Please speak, Your Majesty.”

[You may be watching with your own eyes, but the Gluttonous Duke will soon devour you. Once you move into the stomach, I will face him with 49. I will buy you as much time as possible. In the meantime, take the Bright Sword and head for that guy’s heart.]

“Understood.”

[I have mobilized my elite coastal forces for this mission. I am sacrificing them as I see fit. Please do not let their deaths be in vain.]

“I will not disappoint you. I wish you good luck, Your Majesty.”

[I wish you good luck too. I’ll take care of Isla. Over.]

There was no space for pleasantries or anything like that.

He had to slay the cruel servant of the god of the cursed world.

Soon, transport ship 2207 was sucked into that giant maw, and the surrounding area was covered in vast darkness.

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