#946 Shin-Alexander

It has begun.

Seasoned pros vs. an army of Orc Battlers (gigantic castle mechas).

There are about thirty Orc Battlers.

Opposing them are a few hundred pros.

The numbers are in favor of the pros, but each individual robot packs way more punch.

Well, they are giant robots, after all.

To stop them, one must hit the emergency stop switch on the back of their neck, but sprinting up to that spot is a herculean task.

That’s definitely the case with ordinary human strength.

No matter how many times one might set a new record in conquering Orkubo’s Castle, without some serious martial arts skills, a regular person has no business fighting a giant robot.

All they could do was scramble desperately.

“Gyaaaaaaa! Help meeeeeeeeee!”

“I’m! I’m getting squasheeeeeeeeed!”

By the way, the soles and palms of the Orc Battlers are equipped with forced teleportation magic.

If they’re about to squash someone, teleportation kicks in right at the last second, sending the unfortunate soul to the disqualification area.

Utmost care is taken to avoid actual peril, but the scene still turns into utter chaos.

“Come on, everyone, fight back. You saw the example I set, right?”

“And you think we can do that?!”

Pathetic, ruling it out without even trying.

Well, admittedly, the only reason I could maneuver in 3D with my chains and sickle was thanks to the Hand of Supremacy’s power drawing out their potential. It’s not something other people can easily recreate.

But still, there should be some way for a normal person to climb up the robot castle and press that emergency stop... At least, that’s what I thought.

We’ve even thrown tools like grappling hooks and rakes onto the field... It’s set up like a boss battle in an action game.

But now, they’ve completely lost their fighting spirit and are just running away.

This is turning into a public execution.

“Maybe it’s time to wrap this up...?”

With that, I give a nod to Orkubo, who’s taking the lead.

Since I’m also undercover as a contestant in this high-stakes game.

“Guys? Is nobody willing to step up to the challengeee? You’ll be disqualified if you don’t, you know?”

Building this new Orkubo’s Castle model was probably satisfying enough for Orkubo and the orcs; now, they’re like, “Whatever happens, happens.”

“If you accept disqualification, I’ll have to end this attraction immediately. How about it?”

“Do it!” “Disqualify us!”

For regulars, they sure threw in the towel quickly.

I was hoping for a bit more grit.

With that settled, shall we move on to the second phase of the event?

“Let’s call upon an invincible hero to protect the people from these swarming mechanized soldiers!”

It’s starting to feel like a superhero show.

Now, it’s time to bring in a special guest.

The audience watches intently, eagerly anticipating the next development.

It’s not just about punishing these profit-driven contestants; the event needs another spike to uphold our reputation as organizers.

And so, Orkubo calls out.

“Everyone, call out the hero’s name! Their name is...!”

Their name is...!

“Alexander!”

A dragon descends from the sky on cue.

This winged serpent is larger than usual.

Its scales are as white as new snow under a clear sky, radiating in the sunlight.

The mightiest among the mightiest, reigning supreme even among the formidable dragon race.

For some mysterious reason, the superior dragon Alexander graces us with his electrifying guest appearance.

“I never imagined joining Orkubo’s Castle would be so straightforward.”

Yes, Alexander, despite being a dragon capable of wiping out all other races in an instant, is profoundly impressed by human culture and the obstacles at Orkubo’s Castle.

After being invited to participate, he readily agreed.

Indeed, Alexander’s arrival stirred great excitement.

It’s odd how his presence doesn’t cause any panic; Orkubo’s Castle seems to operate under its own set of rules where anything goes.

“All right, Lord Alexander! Please obliterate the terrifying army of mechanical giants with your mighty dragon blow!”

Even this scene looks like it’s straight out of a superhero show.

If Alexander could spectacularly blow them away, the audience would be absolutely thunderstruck.

“Well then, shall we clear out these unusual buildings?” he says, carefully picking up each Orc Battler and carrying them out of the arena.

For Alexander, in his dragon form, even gigantic robots capable of crushing people are mere mannequins.

Of course, this display is nothing flashy, but Alexander always had a soft spot for treasures crafted by mankind.

Well, orckind, in this case.

“I simply cannot bring myself to wantonly destroy such fascinating creations. Are their creators truly all right with this?”

“Moderate destruction is fixable.” “And a bit of mess adds to the authenticity.”

The orcs have quite the knack for reasonable responses.

And with that, the grand unveiling event at the new Orkubo’s Castle wrapped up nicely, setting the stage for the main event to come.

“Hold on, hold on, hold on!!!”

What now?

We were just about to settle things nicely, you know?

Oh. Turns out it’s one of the supposedly disqualified professional competitors making a fuss.

“What’s with this setup?! You never intended to let us clear it from the start! We demand a redo!!!”

You folks accepted your disqualification earlier, didn’t you?

To complain after everything’s over... that’s some poor sportsmanship. Where did that earlier grace go?

“We can’t possibly be graceful about it! Our livelihoods are at stake here!”

Don’t stake your life on a competition.

Since I can’t exactly show my face, Orkubo himself steps up to respond.

“Although your participation has always been a bit problematic, given you’re not here purely for the love of the game. But we’re always brainstorming new ways to ensure everyone can purely enjoy Orkubo’s Castle.”

“We have every right to enjoy Orkubo’s Castle too!”

“Perhaps say that after you’ve separated it from your livelihood.”

They’re desperate, too, it seems. They’re not backing down easily.

“Still, you’re disqualified for this year, so please kindly leave. We won’t bother you about next year’s participation.”

“Is that right? Quite the cold shoulder, eh?”

“Excuse me?”

What now?

Suddenly they’re playing hardball. Do they have an ace up their sleeve?

“We’ve been part of Orkubo’s Castle as professional competitors for years. We’re well-known among the fans on the spectator side!”

“Imagine how disappointed they will be if they find out we can’t compete!”

“If fans leave unhappy, Orkubo’s Castle’s popularity might plummet! It might even bring an end to these events!”

What a smoothly delivered threat.

“If you dislike that scenario, then allow us to participate! Let’s go for mutual prosperity and support each other!”

“We enhance Orkubo’s Castle as a platform, and in return, you draw the crowds! It’s a win-win situation!”

They sure do make it sound convincing.

Our response is...

“We remain steadfast with our decision.”

One of our favorite things is to say “NO” to someone who thinks they’re in a position of strength.

And Orkubo feels the same, giving me a quick look before smoothly saying no.

“If no one comes and we’re ignored, we’ll simply close the event. We run it because we enjoy it, and we can stop whenever we feel like it.”

Lord Dalkish, the feudal lord of Orkubo’s Castle’s venue, is fine with this too.

Orkubo’s Castle is a large event, drawing many visitors and boosting the local economy.

Yet, the locals don’t rely solely on this income; they invest their earnings in land development and creating new industries, always preparing for tomorrow.

“Besides, we believe we can keep Orkubo’s Castle exciting without relying on you. Therefore, we see no reason to accept your offer. That is all.”

“Hah, let’s see if that baseless confidence lasts. Don’t come crying when your income drastically drops.”

“We’ll welcome a change of heart, but you’ll pay extra for making us wait. How about that as a performance fee?”

Wow. Confident to the end.

They really must believe in their popularity.

Now, let’s see whose confidence will be shattered as Orkubo’s Castle enters a new phase!