[Short Fantasy] Elemental Royale #12
Chapter 11: Corrosive Bonds
In the old chemical storage area, the death match between Titanium Knight (Ti) and Zirconium Knight (Zr) had already been going on for several tens of minutes. Titanium, with its lightweight, high-strength, and high-mobility, versus Zirconium, with its heavy armor and high heat resistance. Neither could land a decisive blow, yet a breathless, intense battle continued where neither could afford to let their guard down for even a second.
Titanium moved at high speed, weaving between the corroded tanks, aiming for Zirconium's blind spot with the high-frequency blade on its arm. Zirconium read the move, caught it with its heavy Zr-armor arm, and instantly radiated high heat from its waist unit to keep Titanium in check.
“That move, how many times is that now, Titanium! Try something new for once!” Zirconium spat out.
“Shut up, Zirco! Then you try keeping up with my speed!” Titanium retorted. Zirco—that was the name he had given his long-time rival, Zirconium Knight, a name only he used. Zirconium would never acknowledge it, but for Titanium, it was a sign of affection for a worthy rival. If only it weren't in a place like this, where they were trying to kill each other.
They knew each other's moves inside and out. Since the development stage, they had repeated mock battles as virtual enemies, understanding each other's armor limit strength, reaction speed, energy efficiency, habits—everything as data, and as a gut feeling. That is precisely why the battle remained deadlocked.
(Damn it, Zirco really is tough...! But that waist unit, it's been venting a lot of heat lately. Is that the target...?) Just as Titanium tried to find a way out.
“Warning. Sector Zr-Ti area, environmental stress test phase δ (delta) starting.”
Again! The cold announcement echoed from the ceiling speakers. Immediately after, a purple, viscous liquid began to seep from cracks in the floor and walls throughout the area, and it began to volatilize. It reacted with the moisture in the air, turning into an unknown, ultra-corrosive gas that had the property of eroding even the special passivation films of Titanium and Zirconium if given enough time!
“Tch...! The organizers, pulling more unnecessary stunts!” Zirconium grimaced. Zr-armor had excellent corrosion resistance, but it was unclear if it was universal against this unknown gas. The same was true for Titanium.
“Zirco, we're pulling back for now!” Titanium shouted, trying to retreat.
However, as if to block that movement, a new figure appeared silently from one of the gas vents. It had dull lead-colored armor with somewhat organic lines, unlike any Knight seen before. In its hand, it held a strangely shaped irradiation device.
“Subject Ti, Zr. Resistance is unsightly. Please be ‘recycled’ promptly.” The voice was strangely calm, which only served to heighten the eeriness. Tellurium Knight (Te). Its existence was completely unknown to both of them.
[Characteristics of the Te-Disassembler]
Tellurium (Te) is a metalloid; it is brittle on its own, but when added to certain metals, it has the property of improving their machinability (ease of processing). Also, compounds like bismuth telluride are used as thermoelectric conversion materials (converting temperature differences into electricity). The Te-Disassembler applies this 'weakening of bonds' property by irradiating a special energy field or particle beam to temporarily destabilize the crystal structure or molecular bonds of the target's metal armor, significantly reducing its strength and toughness. It is an ability that can truly be called a natural enemy for metals.
Tellurium Knight first pointed its irradiation device at Titanium Knight. An invisible energy field enveloped Titanium.
“!?” Titanium was struck by the sensation that the surface of its Ti-frame was becoming as brittle as sand. It was a sensation of the material itself becoming “weaker” on a level separate from corrosion resistance or strength.
“Titanium!” Zirconium's voice rang out. He made an immediate decision and fired a maximum-output heat ray from his waist unit at Tellurium Knight! It was less of a support move and more of an expression of his own sense of rivalry—that he couldn't let Titanium be taken out before their battle was settled.
“Oops, that's hot,” Tellurium Knight said, easily deflecting the heat ray. Its armor also seemed to have considerable heat resistance. However, Zirconium's attack gave Titanium a moment of respite.
“...Zirco!”
Titanium shouted. Zirconium reacted instantly to that voice. Long-time rivals. Words were unnecessary.
Zirconium performed a feint, firing heat rays again and throwing fragments of the destroyed tank to draw Tellurium Knight's attention. In that opening, Titanium Knight concentrated all its power into its legs, which were less affected by the weakening, and circled around to Tellurium Knight's side!
Tellurium Knight's ability was powerful, but it required concentration to irradiate. The feint and surprise attack coordinated by the two exceeded his processing capacity.
“—Too slow!”
Titanium's high-frequency blade severed the arm holding Tellurium Knight's irradiation device at the root!
“Wha...!?” Tellurium Knight let out a voice of astonishment. Not missing that opening, Zirconium moved this time. He used his heat ray to boil and scatter the strong alkaline waste liquid that had flowed from the tank destroyed earlier, dousing Tellurium Knight with it!
Although Tellurium Knight's armor had heat resistance, its resistance to special chemicals was not as high as that of Titanium or Zirconium. Various parts of the armor began to emit white smoke and malfunction.
“Th... this... by such old-generation coordination...!”
Tellurium Knight fell to his knees in disbelief, and then his activity ceased completely. Before the perfectly synchronized coordination born from the long-standing rivalry between Titanium and Zirconium, the organizer's assassin was silenced with ease.
"--No. 52, Tellurium Knight, function stopped. Eliminating."
The cold announcement echoed once more. The floor opened, and Tellurium Knight's remains were collected.
Left behind were Titanium and Zirconium, and the hyper-corrosive gas that still lingered.
"...Hmph. What a hassle." Zirconium grumbled, even as he set his Zr-armor's filter functions to maximum.
"Which one of us, Zirc?" Titanium laughed as he sheathed his high-frequency blade. "...I won't thank you."
"Don't. I just couldn't afford to lose to you."
They did not say much. However, a strange sense of solidarity, different from their mere rivalry until now, had begun to form between them. They had both recognized the existence of a common enemy—the organizer—and the abnormality of this Royale.
"...So, what now? Are we going to wait here to be finished off by the corrosive gas?" Titanium said, looking around.
"...No." Zirconium stared in the direction where Tellurium Knight had appeared—the passage leading deeper into the facility. "Let's go and have a word with that 'organizer' of theirs."
The two knights nodded briefly to each other, as if confirming their safety, and began to walk once more into the depths of the arena, which was filled with hyper-corrosive gas.
[Chapter 11 Production Notes]
Original Element: Tellurium (Te). A metalloid with atomic number 52.
Characteristics: Brittle, but as an alloy additive, it improves the machinability of metals (one could say it has an embrittling effect). Compounds with bismuth and others are used as thermoelectric conversion elements. It also has semiconductor properties.
Application in the Story: A special field or particle beam that reduces the structural strength of metal armor (causes embrittlement) through irradiation. An ability that could be a natural enemy to metal knights. However, he could not respond to the surprise attack from their coordinated assault and was defeated. Perhaps he holds the position of a "special operative" for the organizer.
Real-World Challenges: Relatively rare. Mainly recovered as a byproduct (anode slime) during the electrolytic refining of copper. Some compounds exhibit toxicity.
Titanium Knight & Zirconium Knight (Coordination):
Combat History: Due to their deep understanding of each other from their long-standing rivalry, they immediately coordinated to repel the crisis under the intervention of the organizer and the appearance of a new assassin (Tellurium). It depicts not just a simple alliance, but the perfect synchronization that only rivals could achieve.
Change in Relationship: They were in a relationship where they acknowledged each other as worthy rivals but couldn't be honest about it; however, by recognizing a common enemy and goal (investigating the truth of the Royale and defeating the organizer), they show signs of shifting into a new kind of relationship.
Real-World Connection: Titanium and Zirconium are in the same group on the periodic table and have similar characteristics (corrosion resistance, heat resistance), so they are in a relationship where they compete and complement each other in industrial applications as well. This real-world relationship serves as the background for their rival setting in the story.
