The Witch Hunter Object was an experimental weapon developed by the Empire.
Appearance[]
The Object looks like a giant mechanical soldier with black-colored plating. In the anime, it took the appearance of a large quadrupedal mechanical dragon.
Personality[]
As a robot, the Object only followed what it was programmed to do, which was to capture Sisbell. This was shown when it prioritized restraining Sisbell despite detecting 6 other Astral Mages in the vicinity.
History[]
The Object was the generic model name for unmanned mechanical soldiers whose main function was the hunt of witches. As weapons developed to fight against astral powers, they could only have come from the Omen Institute for Astral Research.[1]
In particular, this one was an experimental model stationed at Heaven's Prison. The tenth seat Sir Karosos Newton would later request permission from the ninth seat Statulle to borrow it in order to capture a "purebred witch".[2]
Synopsis[]
Volume 4[]
After arriving at the independent nation of Alsamira, Object tracked down Sisbell and attempted to capture her, only to be met with resistance from Iska. With the help of Nene and her satellite's piercing shots, the Object's sword and shield were destroyed, causing it to detach its platings and switch to its secondary energy — Astral Energy.
The Object then began to fire a powerful laser beam, starting a fire in Alsamira's oil plant. When it attempted to fire again, Nene sent another piercing shot, forcing it to kneel. This causes the witch hunter to unlock all functionality and deploy its satellite-like drones, whose sensors detect Nene's grenades and shoot them down before they could hit the Object.
As it prepared to fire another beam, Sisbell created the illusion of a basilisk to trick the machine, allowing Iska to destroy the Object's core with his black Astral Sword and knock it down. Unable to move, the Object ejected its core and astral flames started from within, causing an explosion that engulfed the surrounding area.[3] Fortunately, Alice arrives just in time to create a wall of ice, protecting both Sisbell and Iska.
When the fire was extinguished, a dull object slowly crawled up from the ground, radiating astral energy from its whole body.[3] The Object then switched to astral energy again, this time without its core, and fires its laser one last time. However, Iska urges Alice to use her "Ice Flower", shielding her from the death ray and narrowly saving her.
Without much energy left, the witch hunter attempted to self-destruct midair, which would've been devastating considering they were in a oil drilling plant. Alice freezes the Object, but this doesn't stop the countdown, so she directs Iska towards a frozen fence, giving him a foothold to reach the Object and shatter it.
Anime-exclusive changes[]
After the Object ejected its core, the Beast of Catalysc suddenly took the form of an astral spirit and imprisoned Sisbell inside itself. Although Iska initially fought it alone, he was eventually joined by Alice who just arrived. The astral spirit then concentrates astral energy at its abdomen, before firing it at the two. However, the attack doesn't connect since Alice used her "Ice Flower". The duo then fight back, firing a beam consisting of ice crystals and the astral energy that was cut by the astral swords, completely destroying it.
Abilities[]
- Robotic Physiology: As a machine that was built to hunt witches, the Object had many features that helped it achieve that.
- Superhuman Durability: Its armor was durable enough to shrug off various elemental attacks by several astral mages, and even physical attacks from Iska's swords.
- Flight: While the general model isn't capable of flight, this Object in specific is able to do so. In addition, Nene wasn't aware of the existence of something that could create enough propulsion for this huge machine to fly despite her extensive knowledge of Imperial technology.[1] This allowed it to travel at fast speeds and catch up to its targets.
- Astral Power Detection: The witch hunter can detect the astral energy inside people, allowing it to differentiate regular humans from Astral Mages.
- Fail-safe Function: Once the Object is low in energy, or when it can't fulfill its mission anymore, it will begin a self-destruction sequence.[3] The countdown is ten seconds.
- Physical Combat: In the light novel, the Object fought with a sword and shield, and was able to keep up with a master swordsman like Iska. Because the Object resembled a dragon in the anime, it used its sharp claws and tail instead.
Equipment[]
- Core of Katalisk: Object's core and its secondary source of energy. It is an artificial astral spirit.
- Life-form Integra (cannon for planetary disassembly): Object concentrates astral energy into a single point, before firing a devastating laser beam. It was powerful enough to cause widespread destruction and cut through a gigantic steel crane like butter.[3]
- Satellites: Drone-like units that were deployed from Object, their sensors allow them to fire a weaker version of Life-form Integra with deadly accuracy. In the anime, they could also project a small barrier to protect Object from projectile attacks, like Nene's missiles. They are called satellites due to how they orbit the Object.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- According to author Kei Sazane, the anime change with the astral spirit was a rewritten scenario for the "if" route that was scrapped in the original volume – What if the Beast of Catalysc had grown one more day?[4] This was because he wanted the final episode to "feel more like a proper climax".[5]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World Light Novel: Volume 4 Chapter 4
- ↑ Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World Light Novel: Volume 4 Intermission 1
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World Light Novel: Volume 4 Chapter 5
- ↑ Kei Sazane's Tweet
- ↑ Mipon Interview
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