Chapter 391
**Today is clear weather, today is clear weather.**
The flag of bad weather wasn't raised. Looking up at the clear sky from atop the wall, I felt a bit relieved.
"Judas, Runner Runner is still being tracked, right?""Yeah, Sharia's keeping a good watch. When the time comes, she'll fire a flare to signal its position. There are no thieves or adventurers around here.""No merchants either, right?""Yeah, we checked all of them, including decoys. Only we're in this whole area.""OK, Genjirou. Is the security system maintained? Have the personnel pulled back been deployed to the target point?""Yes, my lord. All personnel, except those on guard duty, are deployed in combat formation."Since it's been announced in advance, the actions are smooth.
"Esmeralda, is the evacuation of the citizens complete?""Yes, of course. Everyone has evacuated to the military district, centered around Jink-san."Even though it's small, the opponent is a Class 9 World Monster.If we're fighting near the residences, evacuating to a safe place is necessary.
The military facility on the first floor has sturdy doors and is well-stocked with food.With Azhdaha, we'd be out due to poison contamination, but Runner Runner only has physical attacks, so there's no worry about it breaking through.
"Amina, is the live show preparation ready?""Of course!! I prepared with Ingrid, so it's perfect!""Yes, we are ready to fly using the sphere golems."This time, it can't be attracted by attention, but even so, the singing skills that can support allies across the entire area will be very useful. In fact, considering what we're about to do, Amina's songs are essential to increase our chances of winning even slightly.
"Good, then the rest..."With our base preparations complete and factors for unnecessary trouble eliminated, I turned my gaze to Claudia, who was slowly stretching and loosening her body.
Her outfit was a light gray rider suit, like a full-body tights with a jacket worn over it.The helmet was placed nearby. Claudia spread her legs 180 degrees and slowly bent her body.
"Phew, sorry for the wait.""No, are you ready?""Yes, I can run anytime."Slowly, her loosened body warmed up. Judging it was fine, Claudia slowly stood up.
"I see. Nell, move to the final point with Genjirou and the others. Ingrid, support Amina.""Got it! Let's go, Genjirou-san!""Understood. Then, my lord. Good luck."From here, we separate temporarily for a while.First, I see off Nell and Genjirou's group as they head near the tunnel.
"Amina, head to the stage with Ingrid. Amina, focus on singing. Keep in mind to always deliver your songs to Claudia. Ingrid, support Amina. The flares will be cues for song selection. As soon as one goes up, tell Amina the next song to sing and change them accordingly.""Got it!""Understood."Next, I see off Amina and Ingrid, the two of them.This time, because we're running around, the roles have increased.Because of that, we have to place people in various locations, and we're feeling the pinch of personnel shortage directly.Well, even so, we have prepared enough combat power to defeat it.
If we had more people, we could even regularly hunt Rainy Devils, let alone Runner Runner.
"Esmeralda, work with Judas to adjust the route. Use Ice Walls to prevent Runner Runner from heading in strange directions. Adjust as necessary. In some cases, you might also need to support Claudia. You'll start from here, so wait in positions where you can get ahead.""I shall fulfill that great duty without fail!!""I'll do my best. Alright, I'll go meet up with Sharia.""Alright."Holding such dreams, after seeing off Esmeralda and Judas, those remaining here are Claudia and me, and four Entertainer members holding flags in both hands.We waited slowly for a few minutes. From the pre-reported direction, a white flare shot up.
"Then, let's begin. Entertainers, don't take off your clothes. I'll give directions to each department as needed, so immediately convey them with light signals.""「「「「Yeah!」」」」"Stopping the guys who, due to the surplus time, were about to start fiddling with their clothes with a wry smile, I confirmed the flare was fired, probably around the time Judas's group joined up.
And then, Amina's singing voice began to resonate throughout this entire area.A singing skill that buffs recognized allies.The choice is the Tailwind Song.A singing skill that increases the necessary movement skills right now.
"Alright then, Claudia, are you ready?""Yes, anytime."Once the stage was set, I boarded the golem prepared on the wall, leading the Entertainers with me.
That golem, with a gondola like a high-altitude work vehicle, serves a role like a mobile lookout post.I boarded that gondola to secure a vantage point even higher than the wall.
This golem's name is Catapult Golem.Though it has a launching function, using Claudia's physical abilities would definitely provide better acceleration, so it might be more accurate to call it a Track Golem.It's a one-off machine custom-made for this Runner Runner battle.
"Launch angle 30 degrees. Direction: east-southeast, correct 5 degrees to the east.""Got it!!"Below the lookout post, there's something like a runway or a track for athletes to run on, about 30 meters long. The structure is designed so that jumping off the edge of the wall and heading towards the ground can cover distance more quickly than running on flat ground.By fixing it to the wall, it can withstand Claudia's kicking power.On that track, we installed a custom-made device for a crouching start so Claudia can exert her initial speed.
Standing there, Claudia checked her footing and prepared to start.I almost wanted to say, "On your mark, get set," but Claudia, slowly taking a deep breath and settling into position, had already begun concentrating to the extreme.
So as not to disturb her concentration, I looked in the direction of the flare with binoculars.
"Mr. Liberta! Angle adjustment complete, sir!!""Alright!"Within that field of view, I captured the figure of Runner Runner, its golden form wandering through the forest.
"Claudia! Anytime is fine now!!""Please brace for impact."The golem adjusted by the Entertainers.Understanding that Runner Runner was ahead, Claudia let out a 'fuu' sigh and relaxed.
Including me, we followed Claudia's warning and grabbed onto nearby handrails.Even though the golem and walls, through the Mark of the Weakling, had become indestructible.
"**Heavenly Fist.**"In the face of Claudia's physical abilities enhanced by her unique skill, there was no escaping the impact.
The pressure released with the murmured words, and the impact occurring with a delay of less than a fraction of a second.With a roar, Claudia ran across the track in an instant and approached Runner Runner with bullet-like momentum.
"Guh! As always, an incredible impact!!"Even understanding and bracing for it, the golem shook from the impact that demonstrated power breaking the sound barrier in one go, and I almost fell from the gondola.
"Is everyone alright!?""「「「「Yesss!!」」」」"The trained Entertainers also weren't shaken off by the impact and immediately returned to their posts.
"To think the equipment could suppress it this much..."Claudia's current state is like the protagonist running to save a certain friend who would be executed if the day ended with physical laws applied.In the story featuring that protagonist, there is a passage: "He ran ten times faster than the slowly setting sun."This is a passage that can also be interpreted as running ten times faster than the sun sinking below the horizon.
Skipping the detailed calculations, when I saw a video in my previous life that interpreted and explained this physically, I couldn't help but laugh.Even though the protagonist *must* run, the excessive speed causes physical damage, leading to a retort like "Stop running already," which in a sense negates the story.It makes you want to laugh.
However, in this world, this story is not a joke but a realistic problem.In this world where one can actually obtain a robust physique, such things can happen.Precisely because I knew that, I thought countermeasures against the "**shockwave**" were essential.
From Claudia's movement breaking the sound barrier at ultra-high speed, a shockwave would occur around her. If handled poorly, she would run while mowing down trees.
The equipment Claudia is wearing now utilizes the skill "Energy Conversion" to not generate that shockwave but rather convert it into acceleration, allowing her to maintain ultra-high speed while running.
"Runner Runner noticed Claudia."Using Class 8 physical abilities, I kept Claudia in view through the binoculars as she moved at ultra-high speed, watching her approach the golden Runner Runner.
The moment Runner Runner recognized Claudia running at full speed within its alert zone, it also started running.Its speed was something Genjirou, Judas, Sharia—the skilled people I've trained—couldn't even compare to, but it couldn't match Claudia's initial speed.
Little by little, the gap closed. The time it took to run side by side was about five seconds.
"Wow, Claudia's fine, but the environmental destruction from Runner Runner's running shockwave..."During that time, one person and one creature were running across the ground at tremendous speed.Trees were blown away, the ground behind them was gouged—a sight that expanded environmental destruction, making me wryly smile.
The sight of them moving at high speed, running side by side, had more impact than watching a mediocre race.
As I predicted, Runner Runner did not attack Claudia, who was the object of the "competition."Because Claudia was more focused on overtaking Runner Runner than on attacking, this competition was established.
"Oh, trying to get ahead... huh, not yet."Even using the unique skill Heavenly Fist, overtaking Runner Runner at its top speed was quite difficult.The place Claudia was running was not leveled ground but rough terrain created by the natural environment.
She was sprinting at full speed using her physical abilities.If she didn't concentrate all her nerves, things could go wrong...
"Ah, she collided with a tree."Perhaps she judged that rather than clumsily avoiding it when she thought she might fall, it was faster to knock down the tree and run straight. Claudia eliminated the obstacle ahead to avoid deceleration.
Thanks to that, Claudia barely got one step ahead.
"A little more, a little more..."But at that stage, she still hadn't seized control of the route.
In reality, we must lure it to that tunnel within the 30-minute time limit.It seems like we have leeway, but I actually think it's quite tight. That's precisely why I told Claudia, "Consider that there is almost no leeway."Soon, one minute will have passed since using the skill.
After that, we must adjust the route so as not to be overtaken and turn towards the tunnel's direction.
Ideally, the course would circle around this frontier village and arrive at the tunnel's location.
"Dammit, it's tenacious."Due to the rough terrain and many obstacles, Claudia was struggling a bit, unable to take the planned route.The lead she barely managed to create wasn't increasing.
Preferably, I'd like her not to go out of range where Amina's song can't reach.
"Route adjustment request! Target: Esmeralda! Use Ice Walls to correct the course!"It would be cruel to ask that of Claudia right now.Then we have to manage from here.Fortunately, she should be there.
"I'm counting on you, Esmeralda."Esmeralda should have gotten ahead.
I sent a signal by turning a light magic tool on and off. Just a few seconds later...
From afar, I could see Esmeralda skillfully using Ice Walls to create a gentle curve.
The course was gradually corrected. Runner Runner was momentarily cautious of the suddenly appearing ice wall.That brief moment of hesitation was enough.In that instant of caution, Runner Runner slowed down slightly.
Taking advantage of that deceleration timing, Claudia skillfully took the curve and, *this time*, took the lead.
At that moment, I could feel the change in Runner Runner's atmosphere even from a distance.