【In an instant, a howling gale swept up snowflakes, churning up clouds of dust and gravel that blotted out the the sky, threatening to swallow everything in its path.】

【Fortunately, Stelle and her companions dodged just in time. Though the Automaton Engine's ferocious punch missed them, it slammed into the ground, gouging out a massive crater.】

【The giant mechanical arm slowly rose, and a robot as massive as a mountain finally unveiled its true form through the blizzard. Holding an ice lance, Cocolia floated in midair, gazing down at everyone like a true god of creation.】

【"A—A robot ten thousand times bigger than Svarog!" March 7th's jaw dropped in shock. Facing a monster of this scale was far beyond what her Six-Phased Ice could handle!】

【"Engine, crush them!"】

【Blinding light flashed and gathered atop the Automaton Engine's head. At Cocolia's command, a crimson Heat Vision beam shot forth, instantly sweeping across the distant mountains. Amidst the booming explosions of shattering rock, the beam swerved, rapidly closing in on the group!】

"It seems this ancient machine can employ attacks similar to 'offensive magic,'" Jian Ze said, his eyes wide with wonder.

"...No, Jian Ze, look closer." Serie raised her right hand, her index finger twitching slightly as she used magic to freeze and replicate an image from the light screen, suspending it in midair.

It was the image of Stelle dodging the Heat Vision, but Serie was far more interested in the slightly blurred background behind her.

—The mountain range beyond Everwinter Hill. The mountains swept by the Heat Vision seemed to wail in agony as explosions erupted one after another. Snow-covered rocks slowly shifted and tumbled down the steep slopes, sliced along neat, precise planes as if hewn by the axe of a god.

"Just how far can the casting range of human offensive magic reach?"

Serie held up a few fingers, counting slowly. "Five hundred meters? A thousand meters? In recent decades, from what I recall... even the most skilled Grade 1 Mage could not cast offensive magic beyond two thousand meters."

"The reason is that concentrated Magic tends to spread over distance. Even if it travels thousands of meters and hits its mark, its power is drastically diminished."

"Jian Ze, look closely at the mountains behind them. Can you guess how far away that attack was? It must be dozens of miles, if not more. Can you still call something that destroys mountains and triggers explosions from such a distance merely 'offensive magic'?"

Hearing Serie's analysis, Jian Ze fell silent.

"If you ask me... this is a power that far surpasses 'offensive magic.'"

"Though its attack method is somewhat straightforward, its destructive power is unmatched. If taken head-on, even I... might struggle to block it completely." A faint smile tugged at the corners of Serie's lips.

【"How are we supposed to destroy a behemoth like this?"】

【Dodging around, Bronya raised her rifle and fired, but her bullets dealt less damage to the Automaton Engine than a scratch. Just as the Engine raised its fist to smash down, a flash of red light ripped through the the sky—Himeko's orbital cannon struck from above, piercing straight through the Automaton Engine's left arm!】

【"...Himeko! It's Himeko!" March 7th shouted excitedly.】

【"Hello? Can you hear me? The signal is terrible..." Himeko's voice came through intermittently over Stelle's comm device.】

【"Himeko! You finally remembered us!"】

【"What do you mean? Mr. Welt and I have been keeping an eye on you all from orbit the entire time. This Trailblaze expedition has been quite spectacular."】

【"I wonder how this big guy managed to move... But for now, it's best to keep it still, don't you think? The rest is up to you!"】

"I was actually looking forward to seeing them gang up on that giant robot..."

Inside Night Raid's headquarters, Lubbock wore a disappointed expression. "If the Empire ever revealed a Teigu the size of the Automaton Engine, I was hoping to see how they'd take it down so I'd have a reference."

Leone slapped Lubbock on the back with a hearty laugh. "Come on, what kind of lame joke is that? A Teigu as big as the Automaton Engine? If something like that were in the Imperial Capital, there's no way we wouldn't have noticed it!"

"I said *what if*, what if...!" Lubbock pouted. "If there really were one, Mine, could you use Pumpkin to blast off that mechanical monster's arm with one shot, like Himeko's orbital cannon?"

"How could anyone do that?! Miss Himeko's orbital cannon is practically cheating!"

Mine clutched the rifle-type Teigu in her arms. Although Pumpkin: Romantic Artillery grew stronger the greater the danger she was in, it also took a heavy toll on the user's Mental Energy.

Theoretically, her Pumpkin could indeed match the firepower of an orbital cannon, but that remained purely theoretical... If Pumpkin ever truly unleashed that kind of power one day, just what level of threat would they be facing?

...It was unimaginable.

"Mine, I will protect you," Akame suddenly chimed in, staring earnestly at Mine. "You just need to stay behind me."

"...As if I would!" Mine crossed her arms and turned away with a huff that practically radiated tsundere energy for miles. "If we really had to face a massive mechanical Teigu like that, your Murasame wouldn't do a thing to it, Akame. Your Teigu is meant for slaying humans... Someone like Cocolia, for instance. You'd be suited to fight her."

"Come to think of it, Lady Cocolia is made of flesh and blood, specializes in ice, and holds high office in a nation... She really resembles Esdeath."

"Akame, why don't you try putting yourself in their shoes and see if you could beat Cocolia?"

【After exchanging glances with Bronya, Stelle decisively leaped onto the Automaton Engine's arm.】

【Charging straight up the arm, Stelle's objective was unmistakable.】

【—Cocolia!】

【As for the Fragmentum Monsters blocking Stelle's path, Bronya raised her rifle and took them down one by one. She would do everything in her power to ensure Stelle reached Cocolia safely.】

【Along the way, the Automaton Engine restarted, its massive frame slowly rising. The sudden steep incline of its arm sent Stelle tumbling off.】

【"Grab on!"】

【Just as she was about to fall, a flash of deep blue appeared behind her. Seele dashed to Stelle's side in an instant and grabbed her hand firmly. With a spinning throw, the tremendous momentum propelled Stelle soaring back into the air.】

【Though her feet were dangling in midair, Dan Heng's spear arrived with pinpoint precision beneath her. Stelle grabbed it swiftly, swung herself around, and safely landed on the topmost platform.】

【And there before her stood Cocolia, clutching an icy lance and hovering in midair, gazing coldly at the uninvited guest.】