12 — Chapter 12

“You cowardly Bomber! Stop the car! Surrender quietly!”

Angry shouts drifted over from a pursuing military vehicle. It looked like a light pickup truck and didn’t seem to be a golem-type. It kept a position diagonally behind us, maintaining the chase. Furthermore, the soldiers in the truck bed were raining down a non-stop barrage of gunfire.

“…A bit noisy, isn’t it?”

Feeling annoyed by them, I tapped the brakes, decelerating for just a moment. This brought me side-by-side with the pursuing vehicle. I locked eyes with the driver and gave him a casual wave.

“Hey there. Do me a favor and die.”

As I spoke, I sniped the driver with my rifle. The bullet shattered their window and exploded against the side of his head. Brain matter sprayed. The driver slumped over, blood pouring from his mouth.

The uncontrolled military vehicle accelerated suddenly—likely because the driver’s corpse was pinning the pedal to the floor. After swerving wildly, the vehicle slammed into a nearby building and flipped over. The soldiers in the back were tossed like ragdolls, groaning on the pavement.

I took a lit bomb and tossed it toward them.

“A special present for you! Have a nice life!”

We sped past the panicked soldiers. I wanted to honk the horn as a parting gift, but unfortunately, this car wasn’t equipped with one. Immediately after, an explosion rocked the street. The military vehicle went up in spectacular flames, followed shortly by a secondary explosion that completely blew it apart. The shockwave caused the already damaged building to lean and collapse. Dust and debris cascaded down like an avalanche, blocking the street behind us.

“Hahaha! That wakes you up better than black coffee.”

The golem car was performing perfectly. Despite the repeated attacks, it was almost completely undamaged. It was ridiculously sturdy. Since Alice was the one who designed and built it, it likely had magical protections layered onto it as well. Her cautious nature really shone through here. As long as nothing extreme happened, it felt safe to assume the interior was a sanctuary.

To be honest, the specs were higher than I’d anticipated. I’d have a hard time finding a machine this good even back in my original world.

“How is it? Do you like the car?”

Alice asked while reloading the rifle. She had a slightly proud look on her face. It was a very subtle change, but I could tell.

“Yeah, I like it a lot,” I replied, plowing through a soldier who had jumped out in front of us. “I almost want to take it back to my world with me.”

“I’m glad. I’m happy you like it. I can make improvements, so tell me your detailed feedback and requests later.”

“You bet. I’m already looking forward to the version-up.”

As we spoke, a barricade came into view up ahead. However, compared to the others, the defense looked thin—it gave off the impression of being hastily assembled. They probably hadn’t had time to prepare because we were taking such an unpredictable route.

“I guess we don’t need to detour around that,” I decided, observing the situation.

The golem car’s durability was already proven. I knew an improvised barricade wasn’t going to stop us.

“We’re breaking through. Hold on tight, okay?”

“Leave it to me. I’ll make it the optimal shape for a breakthrough.”

Alice replied and began an incantation. The front of the car started to transform. It was hard to see clearly from the driver’s seat, but sharp blades were forming—something similar to the plow on a bulldozer, but angled and pointed. It looked like a modification straight out of a zombie movie.

“Whew! That looks terrifying! Is this an armored vehicle rather than a sports car?”

“This is better for charging, isn’t it?”

“You read my mind! Nice call.”

Praising Alice, I pushed the golem car even faster. The engine roared with a heavy bass, blending with the brain-rattling hard rock. I felt a tightening sensation in my chest. My heart was pounding fiercely. It felt like I’d just finished a round-trip triathlon. My body was heating up.

My eyes went wide, and I grinned through gritted teeth. I could feel the massive surge of adrenaline. It was the best feeling in the world. I sharpened my nerves, focusing entirely on the barricade ahead.

The soldiers’ shots struck the car in rapid succession. Sparks flew with the sound of metal on metal, but the body took no damage. Even the windshield was unscathed. It looked like glass, but it was likely a different substance entirely. Even bulletproof glass wasn’t this strong.

Next came the magic. Fireballs and lightning strikes exploded against the golem car. However, the interior only jolted slightly; my driving wasn’t affected in the least.

“Damn it, retreat! Get away, now!”

“Don’t dawdle!”

“No, we won’t make it…!”

Seeing that the golem car wasn’t slowing down, the soldiers began to flee. They abandoned all attempts at interception and scrambled to the other side of the barricade. They were taking their sweet time, even though it was already too late.

“Hey, what’s the rush?”

I charged into the barricade. The blades at the front of the car snapped the chains stretched across the road and pulverized the wooden fences. I ran over or plowed through any fleeing soldiers in our way. I slammed into the vehicles parked there for the blockade, spinning them out of the way as we pushed through.

“Oh, perfect timing.”

“Gyah!?”

As we passed, I reached out and grabbed a soldier by the neck. I kept driving, dragging him along beside the car.

“Hey, could you spare some ammo? I’m running low.”

“Agh… guh… hhh…!”

The soldier groaned, his feet dragging against the ground. He was flailing in a panic. He managed to pull out some spare ammunition and held it out to me.

“H-help—”

“Thanks. I owe you one.”

I let go of the soldier’s neck and caught the spare ammo. The soldier screamed as he tumbled along the ground and disappeared from sight. If he was lucky, he’d still be alive.

I tossed the spare ammo I’d just acquired over to Alice.

“Got a little ‘share’ from a friend. This city is full of nothing but kind people; I can’t thank them enough.”

“…You certainly enjoy your jokes, Mr. Jack.”

“I’m a man who threw away his seriousness a long time ago.”

I gave a cynical laugh at Alice’s accurate assessment. After that, I continued to blast through the streets in the golem car. Any soldiers blocking the way were dealt with equally. With this monster machine at my command, it was truly easy work.

Eventually, the city exit came into view. Squinting, I could see the state of the gate. Soldiers were gathering, but with this vehicle’s breakthrough power, it wouldn’t be a problem. I’d be able to pulverize it at full throttle.

‘It won’t take even two minutes to get there… hm?’

In that moment, I sensed a sharp bloodlust. Without slowing down, I focused on the side mirror. Far behind us was a single knight. A young woman. She carried an unusually ornate sword and was mounted on a bizarre, scale-covered horse.

The killing intent was coming from her. I could feel an aura that suggested she was no ordinary opponent. The eyes staring us down held an extraordinary intensity. She was on a different level than the rank-and-file soldiers.

I knew that look. That was someone who had taken countless lives. A veteran of a thousand battles. Regardless, she was undoubtedly the greatest obstacle we faced right now.

“A real pain in the neck has set her sights on us…” I sighed.

Alice also noticed the presence closing in from behind. “That’s the Knight Captain of this city. She’s a famous hero within the kingdom and a user of a Magic Sword. If I recall, her name is—”

“No, don’t bother telling me.”

“Why not?”

“In five minutes, she’ll be dead. Names aren’t worth remembering if you’re just going to forget them.”

I grabbed a bomb while watching the side mirror. I had Alice light it and then tossed it outside. The bomb traced a parabola through the air and landed right in the knight’s path.

“Hah!”

With a spirited cry, the female knight pulled the reins. The scaled horse evaded the bomb with a graceful step, accelerating so fast it left the blast wave in its wake. I presented her with a few more bombs, but she dodged every single one. The knight continued to close the distance, her speed clearly surpassing that of the golem car.

“Not bad. She might be better suited as a jockey than a knight. That horse of hers, too.”

“That mount is a magic beast, a distant relative of the dragon species. It’s far stronger and faster than a horse. It seems even this vehicle can’t shake it.”

“Feeling a bit frustrated as the manufacturer?”

“…Yes, a little.”

While we were talking, the female knight finally pulled up alongside the golem car. She approached the driver’s side—right next to me. The killing intent was so thick it made my skin prickle. I locked eyes with her.

“Hello. Looking for a joint tour?”

“Madman… spare me your nonsense!”

The knight suddenly lunged with her sword. The one-handed slash tore through the golem car’s armor and body, surging into the interior without mercy. It was a trajectory meant to cleave me in two right in the driver’s seat.

“Oops.”

I reflexively let go of the wheel and caught the blade between my palms. I believe it’s called a “Blade Catch”—a technique I once saw in a Japanese manga. I’d only used it a handful of times in actual combat, but as expected, it proved useful.

I kept the accelerator floored with my right foot while steering with my left leg. I could pull off this level of acrobatics without a hitch. Looking at the blade caught between my palms, I was genuinely impressed. “Incredible sharpness.”

“That is a Magic Sword. Its destructive power is incomparable to normal weapons. Be careful,” Alice added from the side.

I didn’t know what a “Magic Sword” was exactly, but I understood it was dangerous. At the very least, the golem car’s defense was apparently meaningless against it.

“Wha… what!?”

The female knight, on the other hand, was struck with shock. She clearly hadn’t expected her strike to be stopped. She tried to pull the Magic Sword back, but it wouldn’t budge. I held it fast between my hands. The physical strength from my high-level correction was showing its worth here. Based on the feel of it, the gap between us was greater than that of an adult and a child.

I turned the wheel with my leg, veering the car toward the knight. I figured I’d just pin her against a wall and crush her. The scaled horse galloped along, pulverizing roadside stalls as it went. She couldn’t pull away because I was still holding the blade. We were forcing our way forward even as we slammed into obstacles. That mount was quite impressive to stay upright through all that.

However, the limit arrived quickly. The side of the golem car began to grind against the scaled horse. A constant screech of friction filled the air. I kept pushing her toward the wall.

“Gugh…!”

The struggling knight gripped the Magic Sword tighter. Suddenly, the blade began to glow. I let go instinctively. Taking advantage of the opening, the knight pulled back her sword and vanished in a leap.

The riderless scaled horse lost its footing in the collision and was sucked under the golem car’s tires. A massive jolt shuddered through the floor. It felt like we’d plowed right over it.

I brought the golem car back to the center of the road. A moment later, I heard a small thud on the roof. I glanced at the shadow on the ground. The knight was on top of the car. She must have jumped on at the last second.

Just as I realized this, the Magic Sword pierced through the roof from above. The glowing blade stabbed down right next to my thigh. With a twisting motion, the blade was immediately retracted. Less than a second later, it came down again, this time shredding the backrest of my seat before disappearing back through the roof.

“Mr. Jack.”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

I intentionally swerved the wheel, driving as violently as possible. I kept the car swaying, but I couldn’t shake her off. Occasionally, I’d stick my arm out the window and fire my handgun. Since I couldn’t see her, I was aiming by instinct. The priority was simply to keep her from attacking. Being targeted unilaterally from that position was a hassle.

With the knight still on the roof, the golem car smashed through the gate and finally left the city. We veered off the main road and charged into the grasslands. I checked my handgun, saw it was empty, and grimaced.

“Man, I really wish I had a submachine gun. Well, at least it did its job.”

Thanks to my persistent stalling, we’d finally reached a place where no one else would get in the way. Now I could counterattack without holding back. With the gunfire stopped, the knight resumed her assault. I evaded the blades using faint traces of presence and pure intuition. Watching the blade retract once more, I gave Alice an instruction.

“Set it to autopilot.”

Without waiting for an answer, I kicked the door open and climbed onto the roof, carrying a single dagger. The knight glared at me, Magic Sword in hand. Even on top of a speeding car, her stance was rock-solid. I toyed with my dagger and shrugged.

“Hey. I don’t appreciate stowaways. I’m going to have to ask you to get off now.”

A slash came in response. I leaned my upper body back and dodged it. It was terrifyingly fast, but as long as I predicted it, I could see it coming perfectly. Before she could finish her swing, I grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Ngh!?”

“Checkmate.”

I plunged the dagger into the knight’s thigh. As I let go, I pulled the pin on the hilt.

“Here’s your express ticket to the afterlife. Don’t mention it.”

I kicked the knight square in the stomach. Sent flying into the air, she slammed into the ground without being able to break her fall. Her body tumbled pathetically, falling far behind the speeding golem car in an instant.

Seconds later, she exploded. Her limbs were torn away, and her head, frozen in a look of agony, bounced across the grass. In the middle of the lush green field, only the epicenter of the blast was stained a dark crimson.

That was the work of the bomb I’d hidden in the dagger’s hilt. Pulling the pin had mixed the chemicals inside, triggering the reaction. It was a good explosion—decent performance. I might make a few spares later.

I noticed the Magic Sword lying at my feet. The knight had dropped it. Might as well take it as a trophy. Picking up the sword, I climbed back inside.

Alice was still in the passenger seat. The steering wheel was making micro-adjustments on its own; autopilot was active. I sat back down in the driver’s seat and laughed.

“We made it out. A total victory!”

I held up my palm toward Alice. She tilted her head curiously, a metaphorical question mark floating over her head. The intent hadn’t reached her. I lowered my hand with a wry smile.

“A high-five. You don’t know it?”

I demonstrated the movement with both hands. Alice looked intrigued. “It’s my first time hearing of it. When do you do it?”

“There’s no strict definition, but you use it to share a happy feeling or when you’re excited. It’s about the ‘vibe,’ I guess.”

“I see… a ‘high-five.’ I understand.”

Nodding solemnly, Alice slowly raised her arm, turning her palm toward me. She wore an elegant smile.

“Shall we… high-five?”

“…Okay, gladly.”

There was no way I could refuse an invitation like that. Having escaped the city, we clapped our hands together.