I jumped off of Katheâs back and immediately started to run towards the entrance of the palace.
In spite of still being a good distance away, the machines were already reacting to me.
They had very high detection abilities.
ââŚNow I just need to know what their attacks and defense ability are like.â
I muttered to myself as I ran.
I had seen three of them from above.
They had been flashing a green light at first, but now those lights had turned red.
The color probably meant they had been alerted.
Their beeping grew louder.
The attacks came at a speed too fast for my eyes to follow.
It was likely the attack of small metal ammunition that Kathe had talked about.
I quickly jumped to the side.
Just then, something rushed passed me.
And so I ran in a zigzag as I made my way to the entrance.
I was able to dodge ninety percent of them, but the rest caught me.
I had no choice but to use a magic barrier to stop them.
I looked at the metal clumps that were stopped. They were the size of the tip of my finger.
There was no magic in them.
âEven ordinary metal is scary when it travels at this speed.â
And so I decided that the combat ability for the machines was rather high.
It would be one thing to fight them outside, but Eric and Goran would not be able to avoid getting hit if they were indoors.
I should probably use some magic protection once they came down.
Just as I was about to rush through the entrance, more magic machines flooded out from the building.
âI guess this makes things a little easier for meâŚâ
I muttered as I shot a Magic Bullet into the first machine.
A large dent appeared on it. But it did not stop.
âYou really are tough.â
I tried shooting a second bullet at the same spot. This time it went silent.
âSo it takes two bullets of this powerâŚâ
I would have to use a much stronger magic bullet in order to one-shot them.
âIt seems like there are still more inside.â
Ten machines had come out. But Kathe had seen thirty.
So there should be nearly twenty left.
And I did not want to fight them inside of the building.
ââŚIâll lure them out with an attack.â
Kathe had used her fire breath.
That suggested that the things she kept in the ruins were probably strong to fire.
And even if it didnât hurt the machines, it would be effective on the goblins and vampires.
I purposely raised my voice to try and get their attention.
Then I launched my strongest fireball over the heads of the machines and straight into Katheâs palace.
Flames burst from the windows of the building.
âHm? Did I go too far?â
âWhat are you doing!!â
Katheâs protest boomed from the sky.
It should be alright since the place is strong to fire.
I dodged the attacks of the machines and waited.
Still, no more machines left the building.
ââŚHad Kathe been exaggerating again?â
There was a possibility that it had not taken as many of them to force her to retreat.
That would mean that the ten machines outside were all of them.
âKathe. There arenât many here, but use your wind breathâŚâ
It was just as I started to ask her.
Magic machines suddenly appeared on the roof of the palace.
Not only that, but they were coming from the back of the building and from behind me as well.
Before I knew it, they had completely surrounded me.
Apparently, there had been many of them outside of the palace as well.
I couldnât count them all, but it seemed to be close to fifty.
I should have them gather together more densely.
And so I started taking them down with magic bullets.
I had to use a lot of power to one-shot them.
I also wanted to see what kind of damage my sword would do.
And so I slashed at them with the Devil King Sword.
âTheyâre hard, but not unbreakable.â
And so I took down three with bullets and three with the sword. By now, the rest of them were swarming tightly around me.
âKathe, now! Aim it directly at me!â
It was more like a wall of air than a violent wind. Like a giant hammer.
I cast a magic barrier that shut off the effects of any other magic. And then I stood my ground.
The giant clumps of metal that were the machines were lifted into the air.
A tornado had erupted and was sucking them in. They crashed loudly into each other.
Katheâs breath caused more than a tornado.
Blades of wind that were strong with magic cut through whatever was inside.
The four limbs of the machines were torn off and their hard shells were shredded.
They smashed into each other all the while.
Even a strong machine could not survive that.
âThis is incredible.â
I couldnât help but whisper.
Kathe really was a powerful dragon.
When her breath subsided, Kathe descended to the ground.
At the same time, the scraps of machine fell down from the sky with a loud crash.
âKathe, that was amazing.â
âYou too, Locke⌠You came out completely unharmed.â
As we laughed about this, Eric and Goran jumped off of Katheâs back.
âI guess we werenât neededâŚâ
âWell, thatâs not exactly a bad thingâŚâ