Rudger not only repaired the battleship using steel cubes but also modified it into an even more impressive form.
The enormous blade rising proudly at the bow seemed to solemnly declare that the battleship itself had become a sword.
"Oh, ohhh!"
"Isn't that cool!"
The magicians, especially the men, reacted enthusiastically to the sight.
A modifiable giant battleship? Even someone with a cold heart would have felt their heart burning at this sight.
"Hmm. Not bad."
Even Chris Benimore adjusted his glasses and responded favorably.
"Ms. Merilda. Is that impressive?"
"...I really can't understand men's sensibilities."But regardless, everyone could tangibly feel how extraordinary Rudger's magic was.
He had turned the battleship itself into a sharply honed sword.
Even a fool could tell where that blade was pointing.
"Run at maximum output!"
They couldn't waste time dealing with the creatures swarming around them.
The Dream Walkers stopped interception and poured all energy into the battleship's engines.
The airship, which had become sluggish in the storm of creatures, accelerated once again.
-Thump!
The creatures threw themselves at the battleship, but not even a scratch appeared on the reinforced vessel.
People cheered at the clearly different appearance from before.
But it didn't take long for that joy to turn to dismay.
-Swoosh.
The sound of a massive torrent flowing filled their ears.
As the creatures' wing sounds began to gather in one place, it felt as if space itself was vibrating continuously.
"What are they trying to do?"
The question was quickly answered.
The creatures that had been attacking indiscriminately gathered in one place and then collided with the airship.
Creatures hitting the front were sliced by the giant sword and scattered in all directions.
It was literally a suicidal act of placing their necks on the blade.
If anything, they were like mayflies following a moving car.
However, the overwhelming numbers made even this crude method effective.
"The speed is decreasing!"
The acceleration of the fast-moving airship gradually decreased.
Moreover, the giant blade attached to the front was slowly getting nicked.
No matter how sturdy and sharp the sword was, it couldn't withstand such quantities attacking at once.
"Everyone, make a path! If we get stuck here, it's over for all of us!"
At Clara's cry, everyone gritted their teeth and began to move.
Countless spells cutting through the void struck the swarm of creatures.
Unlike when dealing with attackers from all directions, they could concentrate firepower on the front.
Even considering that, the magic was swallowed by the creatures that kept pouring in endlessly.
Some magicians lost their fighting spirit at the overwhelming sight.
To be crushed by sheer numbers even before magic could explode?
Thanks to the cubes rapidly rotating around the battleship that sliced away creatures, there had been no casualties yet, but it was uncertain how long this would last.
"We need stronger breakthrough power."
Rudger began to assemble something again by moving the steel cubes he had placed around.
-Screech!
The creatures wouldn't just leave him alone.
Sensing that Rudger was trying to do something, they let out strange cries.
When one creature cried out, others also howled in resonance, moving with a unified will.
-Boom boom boom.
The swarm of creatures gathered on the sword began to gather like a storm.
People turned pale seeing a black cloud much larger than before.
"This is insane! The biggest one is coming!"
"How do we block that! If we crash into that, we'll all die!"
"We need to prepare magic, something big...!"
But it was too late for that.
While our side couldn't unify opinions, their side moved according to a single will.
Defend, counterattack, or flee?
By the time they concluded they had to block it somehow, the black vortex was already flying toward the airship.
This couldn't be blocked.
In the moment when everyone unconsciously stepped back in despair and fear of death, there were people who boldly stepped forward.
-Step.
Standing on the bow deck were two masked men.
Some people who saw them opened their eyes wide.
"Those people..."
They were the unidentified people who had appeared with Franz.
People were confused about whether to call their action in such a moment courage or recklessness.
Most thought it was the latter.
"Hey. Looks like the leader is preparing something big again."
"Hmm."
"Shouldn't we join forces to make a path?"
"Don't give me orders. I was going to do that anyway."
"It's not an order, it's a suggestion. Idiot."
"They're the same to me."
Though the words were curt, the conversation felt more friendly than hostile.
That was enough to share opinions.
"Here I go."
-Swish.
Alex held his sword and took a stance.
They could sense what roles each needed to perform without lengthy conversation.
Pantos also nodded after gripping a giant harpoon in his hand.
Seeing the creatures violently entangled in the black storm that approached right up to their faces was utterly grotesque.
"Ugh, disgusting."
Alex laughed playfully, but his actions were opposite to his tone.
Though he was just taking a stance, he wasn't doing anything.
-Whoosh.
The air began to rotate in a spiral form at the tip of Alex's sword.
The vortex forming at the sword tip affected the surrounding landscape, visible to the naked eye.
"This world is really nice. What you have to perform physically in reality can be implemented here with pure enlightenment."
Inspirations that flashed like lightning for others felt long enough to grasp with his hands for Alex.
With talent like Alex's, the sensations felt in the Dreamland were truly amazing.
Is this what it feels like when you accomplish something mentally after leaving the physical body?
Perhaps fragments of the supreme state of knighthood were here.
The fact that he instinctively thought this corresponded with his talent suggesting such a path.
There would be no falsehood in this path.
But thinking about future states or whatever was getting too far ahead right now.
"Let's see what happens."
Alex swung his sword with all his might.
-Flash!
Though he just swung his sword, it flashed intensely as if a beam of light had fallen from the sky.
The power of the huge gray spiral formed at the sword tip shot forward and collided with the black vortex.
It was a massive black storm created by the gathering of over hundreds of thousands of creatures.
No matter how strong Alex was, it was too much for just one person to block.
"Anyway, I wasn't planning to properly block it."
It was enough just to slow the storm's momentum a bit.
The direction of the storm's vortex was clockwise.
If he could just slightly wedge a counterclockwise spiral aura into the gap...
"The storm is weakening!"
The movement of the tightly clustered creatures stuttered, and the storm riding on huge momentum subsided.
The art of exploiting the gap in power, using that power in reverse to disperse momentum.
Even to someone unfamiliar with swordsmanship, it was obvious whose unique swordsmanship this resembled.
"Is that Commander Luther Wardot's swordsmanship?"
"It's similar but different. But only Luther should be able to use that."
"Who is that man? Did Luther Wardot train a disciple?"
The questions couldn't continue for long.
Though the storm's momentum had weakened, it hadn't completely disappeared.
The creatures began to move again.
At this rate, they would become a storm again and devour the battleship.
In that fleeting moment, Pantos stepped forward.
Pantos' role had been for this moment from the beginning.
As he tensed his right arm, his muscles bulged as if about to burst.
The explosive power from that fierce grip was channeled into the harpoon, which shot like lightning toward the center of the storm.
-Boom boom boom.
Like a salmon swimming against a massive current, Pantos' harpoon showed no sign of stopping as it crossed, tore, and destroyed the black storm.
-Bang!
In the center of the pitch-black storm where nothing could be seen, a small hole opened.
Everyone was shocked at the unbelievable sight.
"A path has opened!"
"Just two people did that? Who are those people?!"
"Whatever the case, a path is open! If not now, there's no chance!"
Alex and Pantos had bought them precious time in the critical moment.
"Well done."
Rudger activated the magic he had prepared.
-Clatter.
Countless cube fragments floating in the air gathered at the ship's bow and attached to the blade.
A simple piercing sword was not enough.
Something with stronger penetration power that could crush the opponent was needed.
The shape he arrived at was a cylindrical drill with a double helix rotating at the end.
-Screech.
The massive drill attached to the battleship's bow began to rotate fiercely.
"Damn! That's cool!"
"I knew that teacher had something special from the first time I saw him!"
"Hmm. Not bad."
At that heart-warming sight, Bruno, standing on the bridge, was literally shedding tears of emotion.
-Boom!
The airship broke through the center of the pierced black storm.
The creatures desperately threw themselves to block it, but they were thrown off upon touching the rapidly rotating drill.
-Screech!
Realizing they couldn't stop it from the front, the creatures surrounded from all directions and rushed in at once.
This happened because they had entered the heart of enemy territory by breaking through the storm.
Rudger smirked at the sight.
"President. I think I've given you enough time."
"Yes, all preparations are complete."
Elisa closed her eyes, leaking pink magical power.
Although President Elisa often showed powerful firepower, there had never been such a long preparation process for her to unfold magic as now.
The power of magic that a magician unfolds is proportional to the preparation time of the spell.
In other words, the magic Elisa was about to unfold was more powerful than any magic she had shown so far.
"Everyone, hold onto something tight. The battleship will shake a lot."
Elisa warned and opened her eyes.
The compressed magical power in the center of her golden eyes flashed intensely.
[Dawn Star Illuminating Paradise]
Seeing the fiercely shining radiance, Rudger suddenly recalled a sentence he had read long ago.
Let there be light.
Even the creatures stripped of the fear of death began to turn their backs and flee upon seeing that light but the action was meaningless.
Once within range, there was no way to escape Elisa's magic.
The creatures touched by the spreading pink light exploded with strange cries.
That explosion gifted another explosion to other creatures it touched.
Explosions occurred in chain reaction and countless lights bloomed.
As if the most brilliant star had descended, the surroundings instantly brightened as it tore apart the black storm.
People watching from the deck couldn't close their gaping mouths.
This had long surpassed the level of 6th-tier magic.
It occurred to them that perhaps Elisa Willow had now grasped a clue to the realm of the 7th tier.
"My goodness. An explosion better than mine! That's unfair! Magic is unfair!"
Seridan instead stomped her feet seeing the dazzling explosion.
But at the same time, she couldn't help but acknowledge Elisa Willow, captivated by her explosion.
"That lady really is an amazing person."
At that moment, Seridan felt the hair all over her body stand on end.
It was a small mutter to herself, but somehow Elisa turned to look at her.
It wasn't a coincidence, as her golden eyes were clearly staring in this direction, at herself on the bridge.
Seridan turned pale at the sight of Elisa smiling brightly and quickly hid behind Bruno's back.
Thanks to Elisa's brilliant finale, the path was properly opened.
The airship broke through the wall of creatures and charged toward the divine instrument [Nursery Rhyme] summoned by Noxana.
"I see it! We've finally arrived!"
If they could just destroy [Nursery Rhyme], it would be over.
The airship with the giant drill charged toward the black bell.
Just as the sharp tip was about to touch [Nursery Rhyme], intense power burst from the black bell and created an octagonal shield around it.
-Bang!
As the battleship collided with the barrier, people's bodies lurched forward.
Rudger clicked his tongue at the sight.
"I thought there would be some defenses since it's a tool handled by a god, but..."
To think it wouldn't budge even when rammed at full power by the battleship.
-Crack crack crack!
Even now the drill was rotating trying to pierce the barrier, but the barrier didn't budge at all.
Rather, the tip of the drill sparked and wore down.
To think the drill created with steel magic, not ordinary metal, would be ground away by the barrier.
Then an unwelcome sound echoed in their ears.
-Bang!
One of the battleship's wing engines overheated and exploded.