When dawn broke, the horrors of the previous day became painfully clear. The wide plains were littered with the scars of battle—bloodstains, ashes, and pits torn deep into the earth. The once-flat land was now so marred with jagged trenches and craters that it looked pitiable.

Yet amidst the devastation, scavengers were joyfully picking through the corpses.

Vehicles, weapons, tools—every last thing on a body was a valuable asset. Scavengers who had fled during the battle now swarmed back to claim the legacy left behind by the Winged Drake Unit and other groups.

In this macabre festival of corpses, the scavengers filled their bellies. The only reason fresh corpses weren’t piling up was due to the camp leader’s strict enforcement of order.

“Hey! If you loot a corpse, you’re responsible for burying it properly!”

A scavenger who had been about to leave with only the goods clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Geez, what a stickler. It’s not like the guy cares—he’s dead anyway.”

“I’m not asking you to show respect to the dead, but at least show respect to your benefactor!”

“Fine. Digging a hole and burying him is the least I can do for the guy.”

Grumbling, the scavenger began burying the body, while the camp leader heaved a deep sigh and approached us.

“Apologies for keeping you waiting. I wanted to deal with the bodies before Peru left. If these corpses remain, the Winged Drake Unit might return to recover them.”

Of course, it wasn’t out of camaraderie. The corpses of the Winged Drake Unit were loaded with resources they would need—wings, thrusters, and other essential parts. The leader likely feared they’d stage a quick raid, grab what they needed, and escape with their high mobility.

Still… I glanced at Hilde. She noticed my gaze and grinned playfully.

“Heheh. What is it, Father?”

“Nothing.”

Really? After all, she was the one who killed most of the Winged Drake Unit—by stealing the faces of their comrades and picking them off mid-air, one by one. The unit scattered not because they were disorganized but because they couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.

What a terrifying ability. It sends chills down my spine.

The Regressor addressed the camp leader.

“What about the Verdigris Lord?”

“She’s in the camp, breaking down the Juggernaut.”

“Still at it?”

“She should be about done by now. Follow me.”

The camp leader delegated the rest of the cleanup to his subordinates and led us back toward the camp.

Most of the scavengers were busy outside making the most of the loot, so the camp itself was pleasantly quiet. Despite being the site of so much bloodshed, it was surprisingly lively, as though the past carnage were an afterthought.

It wasn’t particularly strange. The Heat Nation was a wandering land, and scavengers rarely crossed paths again after parting ways. To them, death was little different from separation.

Passing through scavengers collecting their spoils, the camp leader spoke.

“Since it’s already known, I’ll say it plainly. Peru is the Verdigris Lord. However, she hasn’t established a faction and travels alone.”

“So, she’s a loner. Makes sense, given her demeanor.”

“…You’re not wrong. Her ability makes it difficult for her to accumulate wealth.”

Speaking an uncomfortable truth, the leader added defensively.

“Still, you won’t find a safer chieftain than her. Take Flame Chieftain Locket, for example. He and his subordinates burn through money recklessly, always hunting others to sustain their excess. By contrast, Peru has little interest in wealth.”

“Because even if she gathers it, it’ll eventually disappear due to her ability?”

“…I’ve never been inside her head, so I can’t say for sure. But Peru is a peaceful person who avoids conflict.”

The leader shot me a subtle glare before turning to look off to the side.

“She won’t welcome you warmly, but there’s no reason to be hostile either. I’ll leave her in your hands.”

“Yes, Father. Don’t worry. We’ll take good care of her.”

“…Is this person always this noisy?”

Finally losing his patience, the leader directed his frustration toward the Regressor, who turned to me.

“What’s your problem?”

“He keeps beating around the bush. I provoked him to get to the point.”

“That’s his reason.”

“…I see. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

The leader shook his head and continued walking. We followed him deeper into the camp.

“We’re here. That’s the place.”

Ahead stood a smelting furnace shrouded in white smoke. Peru stood in front of it, tossing broken pieces of metal into the flames. Her movements carried a somber air. The leader called out to her.

“Lady Peru. They’re here to see you.”

Peru turned her head at the sound of his voice. After glancing at us, she turned back to the furnace and spoke.

“…Wait a moment. I’m almost done.”

“Understood. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave. Stay well.”

“…Thank you.”

The leader bowed slightly and left. Silence fell. Peru continued to toss metal into the furnace without a word.

Growing impatient, the Regressor asked, “What’s left to throw in?”

“…The Winged Drake.”

“The Winged Drake? An animal?”

“…No. Locket’s weapon.”

If it’s Locket’s weapon, there’s only one possibility: his Juggernaut. Realizing this, the Regressor’s eyes widened in shock.

“The Juggernaut? That’s in the furnace?”

“…Yes.”

“I thought only Golden Mirror could refine a Juggernaut. What are you?”

“…I’m not refining it. I can only break it down.”

Peru shook her head and tossed the final fragment into the furnace. The furnace, filled to capacity, trembled as if it might explode.

“…Locket tried to self-destruct with the Juggernaut. If he had, that precious Juggernaut would have been lost. So I stopped him. Saving you wasn’t my intent.”

“Hah. Like that little explosion would’ve killed us?”

“…That doesn’t matter.”

Peru turned the lever attached to the furnace. The lid tilted shut, and a loud rumble echoed. Amid the noise, Peru spoke softly.

“…When war breaks out, when debris piles up, the Heat Nation grows richer. But more people will die. Scavengers. Soldiers from the Military Nation.”

“Hmmm? I don’t know~. I doubt the Military Nation would lose to the Heat Nation~.”

“…That doesn’t matter either.”

The Regressor and Hilde didn’t seem to grasp Peru’s words.

Their perspectives missed the mark. They debated the outcomes of battles, but Peru didn’t care about the results. Her alchemist’s mindset wasn’t concerned with which side won.

“What matters to you isn’t victory or defeat—it’s the total value remaining. You avoid conflicts because of the losses they bring, right?”

“…Yes.”

“That’s a true alchemist’s perspective. Though I didn’t expect someone to weigh the value of an entire nation on their scales.”

“…Not my scales. They belong to Golden Mirror.”

Peru activated her unique magic for the final touch. Alarmed, I instinctively stepped back, but fortunately, her power didn’t extend to me this time. The force that dismantled matter was confined to the furnace.

When her power fused with the furnace, it truly came alive.

Furnaces primarily run on magical energy. Before alchemy, fires were used to smelt metal, but after the advancement of alchemy and white magic, such methods became obsolete. Now, magical energy itself refines metal or fuels fires for processing.

But the Juggernaut, bestowed by Golden Mirror, absorbed Peru’s unique magic as fuel. A unique magic overlays personal rules on reality, incompatible with most things. Yet the Juggernaut transcended even unique magic.

Steel dismantled by her power released heat and energy, which became further compressed within the metal crafted by Golden Mirror. At a critical point, the energy coursed through the Juggernaut’s complex mechanisms.

The furnace shuddered, then began to move.

Emerging from the earth, a massive juggernaut rose like a ship surfacing. Its caterpillar tracks churned through the soil and sand, revealing a colossal machine buried underground.

The furnace was just a small part of this Juggernaut. Including the buried portions, it was many times larger. Its streamlined tracks made it look like a gigantic ship with the furnace as its engine room.

The Juggernaut descended heavily onto the ground. Unluckily, it crushed a fence beneath its wheels, but no one paid attention. Compared to this massive vehicle, towering over three meters high, the fence was nothing but a twig.

“…That’s why I hope there will be no more fighting.”

Peru climbed atop the Juggernaut. Pausing at the steps, she turned to us.

“…Get on. I’ll guide you.”

There was no reason to refuse. We nodded silently and boarded the Juggernaut.

As we settled in, Hilde suddenly asked, as if struck by a thought.

“Wait a moment. What about our Cataphract?”

“This looks much better. Let’s just leave it behind.”

“What?! The Military Nation’s Cataphract is the pinnacle of technology—a versatile, high-performance vehicle that’s efficient, quiet, and accessible for ordinary soldiers! It’s the pride of our engineering!”

“Sorry, Hilde. But once you ride a Juggernaut… those measly vehicles don’t quite compare anymore.”

“That’s why men are hopeless! Always chasing after big, flashy things! You can’t just abandon your first love!”

“Technically, Azi’s sled was our first vehicle. That’s the oldest one we’ve used.”

“Woof! Never again! Too hard!”

Azi shook his head furiously, clearly exhausted. It wasn’t so much the physical effort but the strain of worrying about my safety that had worn him down. Looks like sled rides are off the table for now.

Peru, listening in, gestured toward the deck.

“…Bring it. There’s space to load it.”

“I don’t like this suggestion! It’s like you’re bragging that your Juggernaut can carry our Cataphract without any trouble!”

“She probably didn’t mean it that way until you said that.”

“That makes it worse! At least brag about it properly!”

Why is she so fussy? Is it just Heat Nation envy? Honestly, she must love the Military Nation more than anyone else.

Oh, wait.

“Hold on, Hilde. Where did you park the Cataphract?”

“Outside the fence, of course… Wait.”

Hilde looked down. Beneath the crushed fence, a familiar sight came into view. The broken, mangled remains of a familiar machine lay scattered.

One point for the Heat Nation.