You can’t know what’s happening outside the Tower in real-time while inside the Tower.
Likewise, those outside the Tower can’t know what’s happening inside in real-time either.
That’s why—
Even if you walk in boldly, hands in your pockets, back straight, and immediately summon Illinois to retreat to the safest location the moment you’re inside—no one can say anything about it.
Unless they witness it directly, it’ll just seem like a tactical decision.
And just like what happened once in the U.S., this is, from my perspective, a perfectly sound and accurate course of action.
“Guhk!”
A Hunter who followed me through the gate crashes into Illinois’s battleship hull and slams face-first into it.
He’s not a villain, just a government agent. So, whether he collapses to the side holding his face or not, I calmly operate Illinois and fire a bombardment toward the approaching beasts of the amusement park.
KWAANG!
A brilliant blast of light that looked like it would wipe out the entire amusement park.
But the field doesn’t break under the main gun’s fire, and the beasts, swept away by the light, simply drop to the ground, losing their wings as they fall.
“This turned from an amusement park into a horror express.”
[Commander, are you scared?]
“Me? Scared? No way.”
If I were truly scared, I wouldn’t be standing this confidently in front of everyone, and I wouldn’t have entered the dungeon myself either.
“No matter what kind of monster we’re facing, I can fight. It’s just that the most efficient way is for me to support you all from the rear.”
[That’s true. When Master is in the safest position, we fight our best.]
Drei, standing on the deck, fires her pistol to suppress the beasts trying to climb aboard.
Bang!
[H-hiiieek…!]
[Trying to climb up someone else’s roof like that? How rude.]
At the same time, she fires a warning shot at a Hunter who had climbed up Illinois’s hull and was just about to come over the deck.
[That was a warning shot. Next time—]
[O-oppai dekai!!]
“…Wow.”
At the sudden shout from a newly arrived Hunter, Drei’s expression stiffens.
[Commander, is my translation module malfunctioning?]
“No, I heard it too. He’s definitely talking about your chest armor right now.”
[Huh. How amusing.]
Drei grins, running her hand over her chest.
[It’s laughable, suddenly showing up and talking about someone else’s chest—but why would he?]
[I-I thought it might be a way to start a conversation! P-please, not Ironblood!!]
“…You brought it up yourself, and now it sounds like you’re begging to be turned into Ironblood.”
I quickly skim through the database stored on my tablet.
He’s not listed under villains, so I check the general Hunters list—and sure enough, there’s an A-rank Hunter named [Captain Fujisan], currently prostrating himself in front of Drei on the deck.
“That’s the famous homeland dogeza.”
Drei lets out a dry laugh at the sight of him bowing deeply, but she doesn’t drop her guard.
After all, she knows the tactic of kneeling to generate momentum for an attack—and an A-rank Hunter would absolutely be capable of pulling that off.
Still, based on Captain Fujisan’s record, he doesn’t seem that different from a normal Hunter—
[Please, accept me as your disciple!]
“…What kind of nonsense—”
[I want to learn dungeon strategies at your side, Master! Please, I beg you to at least let me observe your dungeon conquest!]
Just as I was wondering what this guy was on about, he suddenly drops to his knees like someone begging an old ramen master with 50 years of tradition to teach him. It’s such a sight that my brain momentarily shuts down.
“Drei. Hold on. I’m turning on the external mic.”
[Got it.]
Drei turns to point her gun at the approaching beasts again, while I reconnect the mic to speak externally.
“Ahem. Captain Fujisan. What exactly are you talking about?”
[Ah, Master!! I have admired you for so long!]
“Admired?”
[Your skill and determination in conquering dungeons faster than anyone else! You embody what it means to be an EX-rank Hunter—no, a transcendent being that surpasses even that EX-rank label! Out of deep respect, I would dare to call you… the <Grand Hunter>!!]
…That’s excessive praise.
It’s not like he can read my mind or anything, so it’s honestly a bit overwhelming to hear that out of the blue.
[Grand Hunter!!]
[Master!!]
Even worse, more Hunters are now climbing onto the deck in response to Captain Fujisan’s shouting.
They’re forcing their way through the gap between the Tower’s gate and Illinois, like a swarm of ants—
In short.
‘I see. So they’re not enforcing any control from the outside?’
In other words, while they’re keeping spectators in check, they’re not stopping other Hunters from entering the Tower.
They’re not villains.
They’re not evil enough to be turned into Ironblood. These are genuine Hunters, swarming in purely to challenge the Tower.
It’s just… there’s something about it.
When I can solo a boss just fine with my summoned characters, and I try to do a solo raid—only for a random matchmaking party to form and strangers to barge into my raid group.
Of course, having more people doesn’t make the boss any harder.
Whether a Master conquers it alone or a hundred Hunters join in, the Tower’s difficulty stays the same. So technically, it’d be reasonable to say “the more the merrier” and fight together.
“Well, fine. It’s not like I declared a solo-clear in advance, so I can tolerate a few intrusions.”
It’s not like I asked them to enforce control either.
Because if I demand control, then I’d also be bound by that same restriction.
“But I hope they understand one thing.”
[W-what is it?]
“My Tower obsession—‘Tower-fandom,’ if you will—is about seeing just how overwhelmingly powerful my summons can be against the Tower’s beasts.”
I don’t care about people jumping in.
I can handle that easily.
“But if anyone gets in the way of my team fighting—”
Then I won’t show any mercy.
I lowered the external mic and adjusted the control app on my smartphone.
“They say the boss of the Akihabara Tower is just the right kind for this… So you’ll be perfect for it.”
Customized strategy, initiated.
* * *
Akihabara S-Rank Tower, Top Floor.
“Guhk!”
“Watch out, Hanzo!”
A young Hunter with bangs down to his eyes steps back sharply, sword in hand.
“Are we no match for this…?!”
Japanese Hunters dressed as samurais, shrine maidens, in sci-fi suits and more—trembled as they faced a giant beast still in perfect form.
Kiiihihihihik!!
A massive monster standing on two legs.
Its roar echoed like a shockwave, resembling those kaiju from certain series—but its face looked like a villainous clone version, the kind that only shows up in spin-offs.
This beast, easily over 50 meters tall, loomed menacingly toward the Hunters.
Every stomp sent a quake through the ground, and some Hunters dropped to their knees from the tremors, sweating cold bullets.
“Damn…! If only she were here…!”
“No! We have to grow from fighting bosses like this ourselves!”
“If Master ends up clearing it, we’ll lose our chance to level up!”
The A-rank Hunters shouted in desperation—but their attacks couldn’t even scratch the boss.
“It’s okay! I… I’ll do it somehow…!”
The A-rank Hunter, Hanzo, stepped forward.
“The moment I saw that thing on video—I swore! I’d be the one to defeat—”
Flash.
Before he could even say “it”—the gate to the boss room sparkled.
A signal that someone had entered the boss room.
As the light shimmered and someone arrived, the Hunters already inside couldn’t see a thing.
“Huh?”
“Hanzo, look out!!”
While they were distracted by the unexpected intrusion, the massive beast raised a foot to stomp down on Hanzo.
Considering its size, he could’ve easily escaped if he moved quickly—
BZZZZT!!
“Gaaah?!”
A surge of electricity shot up from the ground, instantly paralyzing Hanzo’s body.
That attack had already downed countless Hunters before.
But then—
– Hanzo-kun. If you’re going to conquer Akihabara’s boss, then let’s—
“UWOOOOOOO!!”
At the fleeting glimpse of someone passing by, Hunter Hanzo erupted with mana, breaking free from the electric paralysis.
“I—”
Before he could even finish his sentence—
With a sudden flash, something began to enlarge.
[JUSTICE──────!!]
With that unidentifiable shout, something in a shining silver combat suit emerged from beneath the monster’s foot, thrusting a fist skyward—toppling the giant beast in a single blow.
BOOM—!
A towering giant of light, easily surpassing 50 meters.
It wasn’t so much a flesh-and-blood giant, but more like a massive robot in humanoid form.
And as it struck a battle stance, raising one hand in a blade-like gesture, Hunter Hanzo stood frozen in awe.
“W-what…?”
Stunned by the sheer presence of the figure before him.
And by the aura of blazing mana radiating around the giant.
A flash sparked—
A flare ignited—
A beep-beep-beep of warning mana flared as though declaring it would absolutely hit its target.
[For the clear skies of Akiba! Aid me, my comrade!]
As the giant reached into the air, a wormhole opened.
CLANG!
The giant pulled something from it—a greatsword.
“!!”
Was it just his imagination?
In Hanzo’s mind, a scene vividly played out.
Even though he was looking up from below the giant’s feet, he could see a vision of the giant pointing its blade forward, resolute.
“No way…”
That form.
It reminded him of something from childhood, countless times over—
“A… hero?”
[CHESTERRRRRRRRRRR!!!]
With another mysterious war cry, the giant leapt forward, swinging the greatsword at the beast.
SWOOSH—
The monster split in two cleanly.
And through the split, the giant’s face came into view.
With a flash of light from its eyes, the giant—now having leapt beyond the fallen beast—planted the greatsword into the ground and folded its arms.
KAAAAAA-BOOM!!!
A pink explosion detonated behind him, utterly obliterating the boss.
Critical!!
192437
“…Huh?”
Some incomprehensible message flashed before Hunter Hanzo’s eyes, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Rumble rumble rumble…
The monster was dead.
Felled in a single strike—
And it was, unmistakably, the boss of Akihabara’s S-Rank Tower.
And if that boss had been defeated—
“The Tower… it’s collapsing…?”
With the boss gone, the Tower would naturally vanish.
“A-ahhh…!”
In Hanzo’s vision, a memory of a high school girl smiling warmly at him turned to mist and faded away.
“I-I was supposed to…!”
“Hanzo! You’re alive! Master took down the boss…!”
“I wanted to clear it first!!!”
* * *
“Master. Was that what they call… NTR?”
“We weren’t even dating. That was just BSS.”
Sip.
“See? Should’ve cleared it first.”
