Chapter 38

Miharu, seething with anger, glared at her opponent. It seemed to be a group called the "Chimera." Despite being in the slums, they had a magician, which suggested they were not a small-time organization.

I'm making sure my presence isn't detected, but I should still be careful. However, my anger isn't subsiding.

"I'll eliminate even those who aren't here."

I'm Miharu, the pest exterminator. I'll eliminate them all. My insides are churning. Maximum firepower, evil must be destroyed. Those who prey on children can't be left alive.

The goat-headed man, seeing Miharu trembling with anger, regained his composure. There were two of them. Even if they were magicians, they weren't wearing "Majick Armor." We have the upper hand.

"It seems you came here with some noble intentions, but can you win against this many? This is the latest model, the 'Majick Armor Sylph 22.'"

The man calling himself Goat-Head pumped himself up and showed off the latest mass-produced light armor "Majick Armor Sylph 22." Without "Majick Armor," even a magician would be no match.

Miharu looked around, thinking. There were nearly thirty people, with about three magicians.

Initially, I planned to use "Hide II" to infiltrate and observe the situation. My "Hide II" can conceal the entire party. Odin had refused, but if he hadn't, we could have entered so easily. It would be hard to detect us unless they were at least level 30.

But I couldn't bear the way they were treating the children.

"I can finally feel the reality of 'Majick Night.' Damn it."

This is where I realize this world is different from my past life. The reality here is a fusion of real-world and fictional norms. Using children as bait to defeat a mithril eater? It's a common, dark trope.

In my past life, if something like this happened, even in the slums of some country, it would cause a commotion. Especially in Japan?

But the reality of "Majick Night" is a bit different. Sometimes, the actions of the villains are extreme. Like in "Yggdrasil" and with this villain.

"Majick Night" is a popular novel, a classic. The key is that it's a classic. It has battles, romantic comedy, and a dark atmosphere.

In the original, many people suffered. Heroines are often saved by convenient plot devices, but there were also potential heroines who were killed and many extras.

They were killed quite easily. That's why "Majick Night" became a popular novel, was adapted into an anime, and even a game. Many events were cut from the game. I got bored with the novel halfway through, which is why there are discrepancies.

The author of the original knew that merciless deaths could be both touching and cruel, and that they would be popular. An author who always considers popularity wouldn't miss such a juicy scenario.

That's the influence we see here. In the slums, there are scumbags who use children as bait to gather materials.

It's even in the game. In one event, the client tells you, "These people were sacrificed..." and you see a pile of bodies, and the protagonist looks pained, saying, "That's terrible."

Those children are right in front of me. I have to save them. As an extra, I have to change their fate.

Miharu bared her fangs like a wild beast and muttered softly.

"Fight"

By selecting the "Fight" command, her physical abilities skyrocket. Mana fills her body, transforming the ordinary girl into a powerful warrior.

"Let me teach you the foolishness of coming here without equipping 'Majick Armor'! This is the latest model!"

Wind burst from the body of the man calling himself Goat-Head, and the armor of the "Majick Armor Sylph 22" unfolded, powered by mana. The magicians surrounding us also deployed their worn "Majick Armor" and readied their weapons. The one in front of us had a rapier, and the other two had staves.

And there were many thugs.

"How many times did you buy this on loan? You'll be in loan hell in hell!"

It looks brand new, but it will be scrapped soon. I won't show mercy.

"Odin! Eliminate the grunts!"

"Aye, I understand."

At my words, Odin raised his hand, his single eye glowing with a blue, ghostly light as he cast a spell.

"Hero Selection"

A white magic circle instantly appeared in his palm, and a flash of light was emitted. The enemies squinted and became wary of the blinding light.

"It's a distraction! Don't let them escape!"

Goat-Head warned his subordinates, expecting them to respond. But he was surprised when he heard the continuous thuds of bodies falling and the flash of light stopped. He opened his eyes in shock.

"What! What are you all doing, sleeping on the job?!"

His subordinates, except for the magicians, were all lying on the floor, face down.

"Sleep spell! To be able to use it on such a wide area, you must be a status effect mage!"

He glared at Odin, who had cast the spell, and deduced that this old man was a status effect mage. Status effect mages can be quite troublesome, even with "Majick Armor," as they can deal severe damage.

But Odin stroked his white beard and answered uninterestedly.

"No, they're all dead."

"Huh?"

Goat-Head's mind refused to understand the short sentence. What did this old man just say?

"Didn't you hear? I'll say it again. They're dead. They couldn't withstand my 'Hero Selection.'"

"Dead? ...Did you kill them?"

"Yes. They were tested to become heroes. They failed the trial to become heroes in Valhalla. Hmm, my power is still weak. You survived, after all."

Goat-Head stared at Odin's calm face in disbelief. The silence was deafening. There had been over thirty subordinates, including lookouts. Now, the world was dominated by silence.

"Can you believe that? It's a bluff! You, take them down!"

Intimidated by Odin's one-eyed presence, Goat-Head retreated and gave orders to the surviving magicians.

But Miharu's turn wasn't over yet.

"Critical Strike"

"Kah!"

Suddenly, a small robed figure lunged and swung a dagger, decapitating one of the magicians. The magician, who should have been protected by the powerful magic barrier of the "Majick Armor," fell to the ground, headless.

"Double Fangs"

Two wolves, like the wind, attacked the other magician. Their fangs, glowing with light, tore through the magician's neck, and they gracefully landed on the floor. Blood dripped from the wolves' mouths.

"But, there's a magic barrier—"

A magic barrier that could repel bullets. The fact that it was broken by the fangs of a wolf, even if it was as large as a tiger, was unbelievable. The magician, clutching his neck, fell to the ground.

"Hmm. Level 8 magicians are just grunts, even with 'Majick Armor.'"

Miharu was relieved that the combat power was as in the game. The magicians were levels 8 and 9. Gery and Flex, the wolves, could fight on equal terms with enemies equipped with "Majick Armor." A magic barrier was just a number in defense.

My "Hide II" sneak attack worked as in the game. Enemies who didn't notice me while I was hidden received a special attack.

"Thief II" has a special ability where attacks from "Hide II" deal double damage. Additionally, the combat skill "Critical Strike" increases the critical hit rate. The formula is unclear, but it deals significant damage.

Thieves have slightly higher attack power than magicians, making them weak as warriors but specialized in dealing damage from "Hide." The issue is that "Hide" takes one turn, making it equivalent to two attacks. The goal is to land critical hits, which penetrate defenses except for those with special skills.

The magicians I killed were evil. They fit the role of villains in "Majick Night."

When I chose "Fight"

"Goat-Head appeared"

"Evil magicians A and B appeared"

"A group of thugs appeared"

"Security cameras appeared"

The display confirmed it. Well, they were already out when they tried to use children as bait. I'll take them down like in the game. May they atone for their sins in hell.

"What's going on? You're not wearing 'Majick Armor,' so how can you break through the magic barrier? What's wrong with you?"

"'Majick Armor,' huh? You seem to have a misunderstanding. I came fully equipped."

I swayed my robe and grinned like a beast. A magic circle briefly appeared on the surface of the robe and then disappeared.

"Huh? What's that? Are you wearing old-fashioned equipment?"

Goat-Head frowned, realizing that our clothing was magical equipment. He must think it's old equipment from before "Majick Armor" was made.

He glared at us, his fighting spirit rising. He seemed to have regained his composure.

My equipment is the "Thief's Evasion Robe." In the game, there were other types of equipment besides "Majick Armor." This is a unique item, a level 10 thief's exclusive robe that increases the success rate of "Hide." Odin's is a divine artifact, so no explanation needed.

It can be made with "Magic Stone E30, scraps of cloth 20." Unique items require recipes, but they were already in the list. The knowledge system seems to carry over from the game.

I secretly made two of these robes using my own clothes. I just hope my mother doesn't notice. If she does, I'll say the cat took them.

"Hmph, you two must be confident. But this is just the beginning!"

Goat-Head took out a smartphone from his pocket and pressed a button. I was wary of him trying to escape, but he seemed determined to fight.

A container in the corner of the warehouse creaked open, and something heavy stomped out. There were five of them.

"Here's a treat for you. Learn the fear of 'Chimera'! Kill them, 'Majick Automaton Ogre 22'!"

Goat-Head cackled. The container revealed mechanical giants. They were made from monster materials, with muscle fibers integrated into their mechanical bodies. They were metal giants, about three meters tall.

"This world is quite interesting. To create mechanical giants using 'Majick' is impressive."

Odin seemed fascinated by "Majick."

"Perfect, Odin. Let's test their performance."

"Majick Automatons." The main system of this world. I've been thinking about how to deal with them, game-wise.

Surrounded by enemies, Miharu bared her fangs and looked excited.