Chapter 5 : Shatter, Crashed

“Follow me.”

Hearing Shion’s words, I stepped out of the vehicle and reached out to escort the girl. She grabbed my hand and—

Hop—
“Whoa.”

—naturally jumped into my arms.
I was only planning to guide her, so I was a bit flustered but held her anyway. It felt awkward to put her down now, so I followed Shion’s lead.

…Come to think of it, she’s still barefoot.
Guess I’ll be carrying her all day.

Step, step—

“By the way, isn’t it uncomfortable?”
Tilt.
“…?”
“My armor’s hard, isn’t it?”

She burrowed deeper into my chest and shook her head.

“…Roland, like.”
“If you’re fine with it, then okay.”

My armor has a cleansing spell, so it’s clean.
…Still, clinging to this metal plate can’t be comfortable.

As I pondered this, Shion stopped, and a deep male voice came from ahead.

“You’re here.”

Under the long, overhanging roof of what looked like a factory stood a man with thick eyebrows and a weary face, his sturdy build matching his brows.

“Any notable developments?”
“It’s only been a short time since it appeared, so it’s lingering there, muttering in confusion. But we don’t know when it might move. By the way, I heard the Yoon, Yu, Myo, and Kamiz houses are all busy, yet someone’s already here in this remote place?”
“Yes, this is Lord Roland, commissioned by Kang Rimun, and… the young lady.”

At Shion’s words, he scanned me and the girl with tired eyes. He paused at my armor, then at her, but his expression barely changed.

“I’m Ozen of House Ha. Just call me Haozen.”
“I’m Roland. This girl… doesn’t have a name yet.”

I’d been thinking about giving her one, but this day just won’t end.

Bringing a child probably seemed odd, but Haozen didn’t show it and nodded toward a staircase.

“Go down those stairs to the end, and you’ll find the Crashed. It’s currently crouched near the people it killed, muttering.”
“Got it. I’ll handle it and be back.”
“Good luck.”

I nodded and started down the stairs.

Step, step—

The stairs turned every half-flight, and they were deeper than expected. I turned six times before reaching the end.

“…Okay… I’m… fine…”
“Hm?”

As I walked down a corridor, a faint, strange voice echoed from ahead.

“Everyone… was watching. I… moved well.”
“…Stay here.”
“Why… why, why…? I was just… here…”

I carefully set the girl on a nearby piece of furniture and approached.

Step, step—
“Why are my hands, my body… like this? Is it because of you?”
“…A shattered mind, a Crashed, was it?”
“What do you think? Why… no answer?”

The space that opened up was vast and tall, filled with massive wheel-like devices resembling watermills.
But a thick stench of blood hung in the air, and the devices were damaged, soaked in it.

“Move, no, move. Kill, stop. Block, block, block.”

He stood with his side to me, dragging a grotesquely large metal arm on his right and a twisted metal leg on his left through a pool of blood.
Cracks ran across his body, sparking and leaking light.

“Why, why, why, my hands, why, broken? Me, broken. Shut down, grind.”
Flash—
“What…”

He whipped his head toward me, revealing a left eye protruding outward, sparking and rolling unnaturally.
The sight made even me grimace, and it seemed to trigger him, making him more unstable.

“Attack, attack, no, must grind, grind, grind, grind—”
—Boom!!

The arm he’d been dragging smashed the spot where I stood moments ago. Even after missing, his protruding and normal eyes rolled, locking onto me.

Bang, bang—!
“Why dodge? Get ground, why, not, why?”
“…”

This is a Crashed.
Beyond my imagination.

Clank, crunch—
“Cut, grind, cut, die, kill, grind, please, why?”
Whirr—!

His massive arm transformed, revealing a giant circular saw blade.
His left leg, twisted further from the impact, broke, but he didn’t care, charging at me with a leap.

“Die, die, grind—!”
Kagagak—!

I dodged, and he sliced through a device behind me in one swing.

“Cut, kill, why, dodge?”
Kagak, kagagak, kwagagak—!

Moving minimally, I evaded attacks aimed at my head, shoulders, waist, and legs. The devices and floor shattered under his assault.

“Dodgewhydiegrindcutdiedie—!”
Kagak—kak, kwagagak—!!

Despite his broken leg, he attacked relentlessly, his erratic movements making his strikes harder to predict.
His attacks shredded everything in their path, and I realized that just dodging would bring the building down.

Kagagak—!
“Block, why? Block? Why? Why? Why? Why, why?”
Kigigigigik—!!

Coating my sword with aura, I blocked the saw. It vibrated fiercely, trying to chew through, but my blade held firm.

Roll, roll.

Despite the recoil that should’ve thrown him back, he pushed the saw down with incomprehensible strength, his eyes rolling.

“Die, die—”
Kang—!

I flicked the saw upward.

Slashing his raised arm from above, I cut it off, then sliced sideways, pruning it like a branch.

Thud, thud—!
“Die, die, grind, why, kill, die—”
Whoosh, whoosh—

Unaware of his severed arm, he swung the empty stump at me.

“Huh? Why? Why not ground? Why? Why? Can’t, do?”
“…Calm down.”
“Why, my arm, my arm—why like this? Why’s this attached?”

My words didn’t reach him. He stared at the empty air, muttering as if his massive arm was still there.

“You, you did this? Made me like this? You?”
“…”

What could I even say?
Could I fix this?
I had no idea.

Rustle, rustle.

Then the girl walked barefoot toward us.

“Hey, wait, why are you—”
“Die—!!!”

She must’ve looked like an easy target, as he launched himself with incomprehensible strength.

“Die—”
Thwack!

I instantly struck him with the flat of my blade, pushing him back, but I was more startled by her approach than his attack.

Twitch, twitch—
“Why, me, kill, grind, why.”
“Why did you come? It’s dangerous.”
“…”

Her faintly glowing pupils met mine, then she turned to him, reaching out.

Twitch, twitch…
“…Me, grind… grind? Why, me…”
“Huh.”

Did she do something?
His frenzied movements and muttering visibly calmed.

Twitch—
“Me, me… me… my name, what was it…?”

…But his life was fading too.
It seemed the madness had been holding him together in a state where he should’ve already died or been close to it.

“Name, me, ah… Mom…”
Twitch.

His unfocused hand, reaching into the air, fell limp.

“…Mom…”

With a heavy heart, I knelt beside his still body, closing his eyes.

“What… was that?”
“…Rest, go.”
“You helped him rest?”
Nod, nod.

She nodded and withdrew her hand. I bowed silently to him and stood.

“You gave peace to someone whose name we don’t know. He’d be grateful.”
“…Peace?”
“Yeah, peace.”

She tilted her head as if it was a difficult concept, then shook it vigorously and held out both hands.
I chuckled, lifted her, and gently brushed the dirt and blood from her feet with my gauntlet, the cleansing spell wiping it away.

Only then did I notice the blood-soaked environment the Crashed had created, but glancing at the girl, she seemed unfazed.
Relieved, I retraced my steps, climbing the stairs.

“…!”
“You’re back.”

Shion and Haozen, prepared for trouble, had their weapons drawn.
Seeing me return in the same condition as when I left, they sheathed their weapons and stood straight, though their eyes held curiosity about my quick, clean return.

“…It’s handled. Go check downstairs.”

When Kang Rimun mentioned Crashed, I wondered if there was a way to cure them, but facing one, it seemed impossible.
No wonder even a stable place like this gave up so easily.

“In such a short time…”
“Indeed… I wondered about an outsider, but Kang Rimun chose well.”

A Crashed, a person with a shattered mind.
I’d never seen such a thing in my world. Could it be caused by the metal they attach to their bodies?
He did have grotesque attachments.

“Lord Roland?”
“Hm? Oh, what did you say?”
“I said I’d guide you to a place to rest.”
“Ah… finally.”

Even before coming here, so much happened, and since arriving, I haven’t had time to process the new information as things kept piling up.
Finally, I can rest.