Volume 4 Chapter 105 Tōshōji Temple
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The sun was about to set, and in the great hall of the large estate, warriors who were wearing their armor had started to come back inside.
”Tomorrow,” the monk announced to everyone who was gathered there, “is the final battle. Our guest will come with us on a large war-god, and he will ride it into combat.”
So that was why the monk had kept me here this whole time, I realized. It was not because he thought I was carrying a god of victory, like some kind of good-luck charm. It was simply because I had enough mana to power one of their war-gods.
”After we return,” the monk continued, “Nyodai and Eizen—the other nun who is here—will take you to the black ship, just as I promised.”
He said this, and the two nuns pressed their hands together; then they bowed their heads to me. They probably thought that they were being polite, but I did not find it funny at all. Why did I have to do all of this in the first place?
”Surely,” Kenze said, and her eyes were not on the nuns when she spoke—they were on the young monks who were standing nearby, “you did not think that you would just receive those two for nothing, did you?”
I had been worried about those young monks too. Their staffs, which were supposed to stand upright on the floor, were now floating in the air, and they were always pointed in our direction, as if they were ready to strike at any moment.
And then, for just one instant, time seemed to stop.
Kenze reached for the dagger that was at her waist. One of the young monks shifted his weight, putting some distance between himself and her, and he raised his staff at the same time. I started to form a fireball in my left hand, because I wanted to be ready to keep these people under control.
But it did not come to a real fight.
The nun who was not Nyodai moved smoothly into Kenze’s range, even though she was not carrying any weapons at all, and she did not try to defend herself in any way. She walked forward with her back straight, as if she were doing the most natural thing in the world. Had she moved before Kenze had even started to act? It was that fast.
She bumped into Kenze with a solid thud, and the impact seemed to drain all of the energy out of Kenze’s body. Kenze lost consciousness immediately, and she fell to the floor.
I was about to make the fireball as big as I could, and I was going to kill all the monks around her to save her. Anger was rising up inside me, and I raised my hand toward them—
Crack.
Something hit me on the head.
Jara.
I heard the metal rings at the top of a monk’s staff rattle as they hit each other. I turned my gaze toward the handle of the staff, and I saw that strange monk standing right next to me.
”That hurt, you damn priest,” I said angrily.
”Guest,” the monk replied, and his voice carried the weight of someone who was used to being obeyed, “if you try anything dangerous, then your precious Amazoness friend will die.”
I spun around quickly. Nyodai had picked up Kenze’s body, and she was holding a knife against her throat. Next to her, the other nun was standing with blood coming through her robes. Even though she had lost consciousness, Kenze must have fought back somehow.
”Shit,” I said, because I could not do anything but curse.
It was not that I could not fight back, of course. I could easily kill the strange monk and a few of the young ones. But the enemy was not limited to just those people. The armored samurai who had been coming back from outside had noticed what was happening, and they were walking toward us. If I had been alone, I might have been able to run, but since I had to drag Kenze with me, there was no way to escape.
”Do not worry,” the monk said. “After we are finished with you, I will return your Amazoness, and I will have her taken to the black ship.”
While he was still talking, Kenze was placed on a door-plank, and she was carried away somewhere.
”I want you to defend Tōshōji Temple from the enemy’s war-gods,” the monk said.
I did not understand what he meant by this.
”Tōshōji Temple,” he explained, “is about three hundred meters east of here. It is our family’s temple.”
That was still not what I meant. How was I supposed to defend it?
”I just have to ride the war-god, right?” I asked.
When I repeated his words back to him, the monk nodded generously. “Yes,” he said. And he added that if we defended the temple successfully, he would have Nyodai and the other nuns wait for Kenze at the main gate of Tōshōji. From there, they would guide her through a hidden path to the shore, where a small boat was waiting.
If he was promising that much, then I had no choice. I sat down on the floor, and because I did not want to deal with the monks anymore, I lay down and closed my eyes.
That night, there was a raid at Kofukurozaka, but the son of that Akabashi fellow managed to fight it off successfully.
And then, the next morning, we were attacked from three directions at the same time: from Kofukurozaka, from Keshōzaka, and from the three passes of Gokurakuji.
From the watchtower, it was a bit far away, but I was able to see my first battle between war-gods as it happened at Kofukurozaka. War-gods were very large, and even though they used a frame structure that should have been strong, they were actually quite weak. On top of that, in this era, the quality of the materials and the precision of the products would not have been very good. They seemed so unstable that even jumping around might have caused them to break apart.
The large war-gods looked similar to the Type 98 golems that Schweilitz had built. That was the so-called gorilla type: short legs and long arms. The usual way to fight was to twist the body and to use the force of that twisting motion to attack the enemy with the arms.
Sure enough, the enemy war-god that came over the pass at Kofukurozaka swung its arm, and it knocked down the infantry and the smaller war-gods that it met first. But doing that against another war-god, I learned, was a completely different story.
The enemy machine wound up its arm like someone who was beating a drum, and it slammed that arm into our war-god. But the force of the impact sent its own arm flying off, and the machine that had blocked the hit had its own arm crushed beyond repair.
I learned something important from watching this fight: in war-god versus war-god combat, straight punches worked much better than wild swings. The fingers of the hand had a dense frame structure, and they had more metal parts, which made them harder to break and also heavier. Our pilot threw a straight punch toward the enemy’s shoulder area—the kind of strike that you would see in a karate match. After two hits, the enemy’s arm stopped working completely.
Since it could no longer use its arm, and since it could not keep its balance properly, the enemy war-god fell over backward. Our machine stepped on it and finished it off.
Right after that, a large number of Red Flame Arrows came flying toward our side. Our half-destroyed war-god pulled back quickly to be safe, and a fresh machine moved forward to the front line. This new one did not seem to be bothered by the Red Flame Arrows at all; it walked steadily up the slope, and the enemy sent out a new war-god to meet it.
The area around the pass had originally been very narrow, and there had been many trees growing there, but now I could see that the trees had been cleared away, which made it easier to attack. Perhaps the purpose of the night raid had been to clear those trees.
The new enemy war-god came charging down from the pass, and I wondered what it was going to do. It simply ran straight into our machine. Pieces of both machines scattered everywhere in a spectacular way, and both war-gods were completely destroyed by the impact.
Seeing this, enemy soldiers started pouring down from the slope. Our half-destroyed war-god, which was still standing, met them. Its arms were useless by now, but it was still strong enough to crush the soldiers who were coming down the narrow path. This time, the enemy could not use their Red Flame Arrows, because their own men were mixed in with ours. Very quickly, the enemy infantry pulled back, and the fighting stopped.
In about thirty minutes of fighting, both sides had lost a large number of soldiers.
At Keshōzaka, since they had not cleared the trees that were blocking the way, neither side used war-gods. It was just an exchange of Red Flame Arrows. But the enemy seemed to have an archer who was very skilled, and even from a long distance away, this archer was firing very precise shots at our commanders. On top of that, we had seen two enemy war-gods there until yesterday, but today there were none visible at all. It was very likely that the enemy had moved them somewhere else.
The real problem, though, was the Gokurakuji front. The enemy general, Nitta, had moved there from Keshōzaka—we could tell this from their battle flags. Not only had their infantry increased in number, but we had also seen four large war-gods there. The monk was gathering troops and war-gods toward the Gokurakuji front as well, even though he talked like he was prepared to lose. He was doing a proper job as a commander, I had to admit. The infantry numbers were against us, of course.
I was just supposed to sit on the war-god in the courtyard and supply mana. At this rate, I thought, I might not even need to ride it at all.
But around the middle of the morning, things started to change.
The skilled archer at Keshōzaka stopped using Red Flame Arrows for signaling, and he started using real fire arrows instead. With normal bows, the arrows could not reach the houses that were at the bottom of the slope. But this archer’s arrows could reach them, and they started a fire. The fire spread quickly in the dry winter wind that was blowing from the west, and the smoke drifted toward Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
People were trying to put it out, but it was not going to stop.
”It is time for you to get into the war-god,” the monk announced.
”Huh?” I said, because I was surprised by his words. He wanted me to get into the war-god now, with everything that was happening?
I wanted to argue with him, but since Kenze was being held as a hostage, I had no choice but to obey. Unless I was willing to die, of course, I had to do what he said.
I climbed down the ladder, which was swaying in the wind. About four meters above the ground, there was a platform that extended to the war-god, and when I was moving my weight onto that platform, a messenger arrived.
”Shimazu has betrayed us,” the messenger reported. “He has joined Nitta.”
When he heard this news, the monk simply said, “I see,” and he urged me to keep going forward.
I did not know who Shimazu was, but if he was important enough to be reported by a messenger, then he must have been someone of high rank. And if a man like that had betrayed us, I thought, then others would surely follow.
”You expected this to happen, did you not?” I asked the monk, who was standing behind me.
”Perhaps,” he replied, and his answer was very unclear.
So there had been people close to him who were not happy with him, I realized. That was why he had said that this would be a losing battle.
I moved along the narrow platform, and when I reached the rear end of the war-god, I saw a sliding door that was just barely wide enough for a person to fit through.
”Get inside quickly,” the monk ordered.
I did what he said, and when I entered, I saw that there was a small lamp burning inside, giving off a gentle, warm light. It was the first time I had seen one of these here. Inside, there were spots for three people on the upper level and two people on the lower level. The riders would stand side by side, and they would hold on to handrails that controlled the flow of mana.
”Where should I go?” I asked.
”To the center of the upper level,” someone replied.
I felt that something was not right about this, but I went where I was told. When I got there, I found an open box that had white fibers running through it—the same kind of fibers that were used for synchronization in other golems that I had used before.
”Who is going to be the pilot?” I asked.
Normally, the person who synchronized with the machine would be the one who piloted it. It would be very strange for the synchronization box to be in front of me, since I was supposed to be just a mana supplier. Unless…
”Who else would be the pilot,” the monk replied from outside, “other than our guest?”
”Are you joking with me?” I said. “I have piloted golems before, but they were never this big. And besides, the golems that I used were controlled remotely.”
”An elf mage who passed through here once,” the monk explained, “said that it is the same basic idea. We monks can make this machine move, but we have never actually fought in one. You said that you had experience.”
Damn it, I thought. When I had been drinking with the monk at the general’s mansion, I had mentioned that I had piloted golems during the Battle of Trabius. That was what he had really wanted to hear about. So I had gone from being a mana supplier to being a pilot, had I?
But how was I supposed to use this war-god, which was over two sizes larger than the biggest Type 95 golems that Schweilitz had ever built?
I thought back to the battle at Kofukurozaka that I had watched that morning.
”Hey,” I called out to the monk, “can I use the central pillar of the watchtower as a weapon?”
I did not know exactly how strong the pillar was, but I figured that it could take down at least one war-god if I used it right.
”Clear the people out of the courtyard,” I said.
I asked the monk as if I expected that he would give me permission. He made a face that said “fine, whatever,” and he stepped outside. He was apparently ordering the messenger who had just arrived to clear the courtyard.
I started putting mana into the war-god, and I synchronized myself with it. I remembered the powered suits that I had used in the trading city of Takere, which was in the Land of the Fire Ring. This was probably the same basic idea. The problem, I reminded myself, was simply how big this machine was.
’My,’ a voice said inside my mind, ‘that is quite a lot of mana that you have.’
It was the monk. Even though he was not touching my skin, he was speaking to me through his thoughts.
’Are you surprised?’ I thought back at him. ‘When you use the fibers of the octopus-vine, you can do things like this.’
In the Western countries like Schweilitz, they used demon spider silk to carry mana, but it had never sent thoughts this clearly. This place was very different from the West, I realized.
’Listen to me carefully, guest,’ the monk said through our connection. ‘When you want to use your right hand, say “right hand” through your thoughts, and I will send you half of my mana. Say “right hand strong,” and I will send you full power. If you just say “right,” then both I and the lower right-leg operator will send mana at the same time.’
I sort of understood what he meant. But first, I wanted to see how far this war-god could move on my mana alone.
I did a small bending movement right where I was standing. Unlike the golems that I was used to, my own body rose and fell together with the machine, and the massive movement almost made me feel sick.
’You have more power than I expected, guest,’ the monk said inside my mind.
I had discovered that my mana alone was enough to make the machine move properly. So until the right time came, I decided, I would keep piloting it by myself.
Now then, I thought.
My field of vision was made up of three different views: two in the front and one in the back. The two front views gave me the ability to see in three dimensions, and the view from the back was a flat, two-dimensional image.
All right. I reached out, and I grabbed the central pillar of the watchtower. At first, I just shook it lightly, and there was only a small amount of movement. But when I shook it harder, the amount of movement increased, until finally, all of the supports and posts that were connected to the pillar came completely loose. I lifted that pillar and put it on the war-god’s shoulder.
The pillar was over one meter in diameter, and it was more than twelve meters long. It probably weighed over a ton, but I lifted it without any difficulty. It would work as a weapon, I decided.
I turned the war-god toward Yuigahama. Smoke was rising from the houses that were near the beach, and red flames were visible. Next to that, I could see two pairs of large war-gods that were fighting each other. The pass at Gokurakuji had apparently been broken through.
I moved the war-god out of the estate grounds, and I walked onto the road that led toward Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist mentioned piloting golems during the battle of Trabius while drinking with the monk – this is why the monk knew he could fight in a war-god.
The monk’s telepathy uses octopus-kazura vine fiber, which transmits thoughts far more clearly than the demon spider silk used in Western nations like Schweilitz.
The nun who knocked out Kenze moved before Kenze could act – her speed was exceptional even by this world’s standards.
The protagonist’s mana alone is enough to fully power the war-god, surprising even the monk.
The enemy has repositioned their war-gods: two were at Keshōzaka yesterday, but none are visible today, suggesting a coordinated redeployment.
Shimazu’s betrayal is confirmed by messenger, and the monk shows no surprise – he expected disloyalty within his ranks.
The watchtower’s central pillar – over one meter in diameter and twelve meters long – becomes the protagonist’s improvised weapon.
The war-god’s piloting system uses a box with white fibers, similar to synchronization systems in golems the protagonist has used before.
Notes:
• Nyodai – One of two nuns at Tōshōji Temple. Participates in holding Kenze hostage. Presses her palms together in a bow when addressed.
• Eizen – A second Buddhist nun mentioned alongside Nyodai. No spoken dialogue in this chapter. Assigned with Nyodai to escort the protagonist to the black ship after the battle. The other nun at Tōshōji Temple. The one who moves impossibly fast to drain Kenze’s mana. Stood with blood seeping through her robes after Kenze fought back.
• Kenze – Kenze is a muscular, brown-skinned Amazoness and former Tashkurgan operative turned research student. An observant, teasing guardian with dragon tattoos, she wears gauntlet-like armor and fights with formal precision. Formerly bonded with Earnest and now a rebel leader on the Izumo, she works with Tatyana, rooms with Larry—whom she prioritizes above all—and is currently nursing an egg while declining in health.
• Ange – Angelica Novakova, the three-month-old eldest daughter of Larry, Henrietta, and Marie, is a young infant living in Marie’s associated gate town. Born during the Haritz Rebellion, she uniquely possesses the outward appearance of a toddler and already displays signs of early development.
• Ho – Ho is the family name of Oliver, a 17-year-old deck crew member and comrade of the protagonist. As a member of the military unit that defended Garao Village, the young man was ultimately murdered during a night watch, slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Schweilitz – This kingdom, featuring towering academy spires and a full military arsenal of Royal Army troops, forces the protagonist to return. Ruled by a king involved in a hostage exchange, this political power holds a captive feared for execution. It also ordered the confirmation of Princess Rosa’s corpse, driving a scheme that the Queen has caught onto.
• Trabius – The city currently under siege and being defended by the protagonist and his allies.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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