Chương 229: Chapter 225 - Second Ascent (XXIX)

My senses lock onto its movements—the subtle shifts, the slight adjustments of its tails before they take aim. I see the lines. Vectors extending from its tails, mapping where the next shots will land. I move. A twist of my torso. A sudden burst of acceleration. My head shifts just enough—the bullets rip through the air, whistling past where I stood a fraction of a second ago. Then another. And another. The ground trembles with each impact, dirt and debris kicked up in violent bursts.

A metallic tang clings to the air—burnt ozone from whatever unnatural force fuels those projectiles. I don't close the distance. Not yet. I stay near Wang, forcing the creature to keep its focus on me. Right now, I don't need to win. No… I can't win. I just need to buy time. Buy time for the others to enter. Ayu moves in, her steps soundless against the shifting dust, her form weaving between the unseen lines of fire before they even exist. I intercept a shot with my blade.

The impact rings through the metal, sending a shudder up my arm, a jolt of force in my bones. Sparks fly, scattering in the air. Steady. The pattern is there. I just need to keep reading it. I lock onto the creature's eyes—cold, reptilian slits, unblinking. The space between us hums with tension, the distant rumble of shifting rock filling the silence between the shots. A flicker. A shift in the way it watches me. Recognition. It understands. It's studying me as I study it.

My heartbeat pounds in my ears, matching the pulse of something deeper, something primal. This is no mindless monster. Yet, it doesn't advance. It stays anchored at the center, its two tails adjusting angles, firing relentlessly. There's no logic to it. Why won't it close the distance? An imposed limitation? A constraint on this near-impossible challenge? I stay calm. The more it shoots, the clearer the pattern becomes. I dial down Overdrive, just enough to clear my train of thoughts.

I send out my waves, probing for the others—but the space blocks them. No matter. I know they'll come." Wang, how are you holding up?"" I'm okay…. Thanks for coming."" Don't mention it." Then, a shift. A ripple in the air. Imani steps in first, shield raised. Lukas, Chiara, and Arjun follow behind.

"We saw the situation from outside," Lukas says.

"Avoid getting close. Let's hold the status quo while I heal Wang. Imani, cover us."

"I have reason to believe the boss cannot move from its position," I tell everyone.

"It can't move? A handicap?"

"Perhaps. Or a condition from its first phase. Maybe even a trick to bait us in. Don't act impulsively. Engage from range and analyze its reaction." Chiara, Arjun, and I fire. Our bullets spin and are quickly released, cutting through the air, released in sharp, precise arcs. Arjun's reach the target first. The creature doesn't move. Its two obsidian-like blades lash out, impossibly fast, intercepting each shot. But it's not just deflecting them—it's redirecting the bullets.

Chiara's shots twist mid-flight, veering off course. Arjun's curve at the last second, sent hurtling toward the walls. Mine are swept aside, their trajectories breaking apart as if caught in an invisible tide.

"No way," Arjun mutters. I sense it. The space around the boss isn't just shielding it—it's shifting, distorting. Not a barrier, not raw repulsion. It's manipulating the EM field itself, bending our attacks before they can land. But for that to happen… how intense of an EM field can it manipulate? Imani moves fast, raising his shield. A split second later, the deflected shots rebound towards him. Sparks scatter as they slam into his guard. His stance holds, absorbing each impact, the charge building in his body.

"It's adjusting the field," Chiara transmits, sharp and controlled.

"We won't be able to hit it from here. But that level of control and power… it's toying with us." The creature tilts its head, a wicked glint in its eyes. It's almost as if… it's amused. Then its tails shift— —and it unleashes a barrage of bullets toward us. I shift from my position and manage to deflect two bullets by tracking their vectors. The impact reverberates through my hand, and I hear the clang of several more slamming into Imani's shield. I glance at it, noting the fresh marks left behind.

The shield is thick enough to hold… for now. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Scattered across the uneven ground, several of the projectiles lie still. Their shape is surprisingly round, a black metallic sheen coating them—yet something about them feels… organic. The smell, too. A faint resemblance to gunpowder, but not quite. My eyes lock onto the cylinders at the end of its tails. Do they function like cannons?

Can it naturally secrete and create its own organic powder-like explosions? Another barrage comes, cutting through my thoughts. I dodge two and deflect the last. I scan with my waves—Ayu is comfortable, the rest are behind Imani. I check on Wang. It'll take some time before he can rejoin the fight. As things stand, there shouldn't be an issue… even Imani is charging, which is good, but… Something is off. That creature is definitely sapient. I catch the way its pupils shift.

Even if its face isn't human, I can sense it. It's enjoying this.

"Alonso, how confident are you in engaging that creature one-on-one?" Lukas suddenly asks. I remain silent. My heart pounds, fast and heavy. My hand trembles slightly at the thought, but I push it all down.

"I'm not," I admit.

"Even with your links active, if that creature wanted me dead… best case scenario, I'd survive two or three exchanges after going all out."

"Alright. In that case—" he pauses.

"Alonso, hit Imani's shield to help him charge. Imani, prepare to engage. Hit it with everything you've got once you're fully charged. If it really can't move, great—but don't count on it. Alonso, Ayu, you'll follow up right after, zero delay. Chiara, Arjun, and I will provide cover fire."

"But Lukas, if Imani charges forward then you—""I'll be fine, Chiara. I may not have Imani's shield, but I have my trusty buckler. And… this is a fight we can't retreat from. We can't stay defensive and try to wear it down. We need to go all-in." Chiara doesn't say anything else. I understand her worry, but… I'm with Lukas. We have no choice. I weave through another barrage of projectiles, twisting past the deadly arcs as they cut through the air. I reach Imani and slam the pommels of my swords against his shield.

A sharp metallic clang rings out, the force channeling into him.

"I'm ready," he says, pressing his boots into the dirt, scraping against the ground as he braces.

"Go." The earth splits beneath him. Imani lunges forward like a living battering ram, shield locked in front of him, body low, momentum building. Dust explodes in his wake, stones kicked up and sent tumbling as his sheer force tears through the battlefield. The weight of his charge compresses the soil beneath each step, footprints left embedded in the ground. Sparks dance along the edges of Imani's shield, crackling with energy, each burst sending tiny arcs of light into the dust-choked air.

His entire form glows, charged with the force of every deflected shot, every impact absorbed. The creature's tails flick. Its pupils dilate—just slightly. But that is all. Unfazed. Watching. Waiting. I take his right. Ayu moves to the left. We surge forward. Another barrage of bullets rips through the air, their sharp whines cutting past my ears. The creature isn't reacting to our approach—it's testing us. I deflect one, the impact rattling through my arm.

For an instant, the bullet lingers in the air, suspended in the wake of my strike. My gaze lingers on it. It doesn't deform. Still perfectly round, its black metallic sheen untouched. Curious, I channel my waves, reaching for it—and my mind clicks with recognition. It's conductive. Highly conductive. Alarms blare in my thoughts. If it's this conductive, and if the creature's EM field is strong enough to redirect our shots, then— The creature's eyes snap to mine. A chill spikes down my spine. My breath catches.

It knows. Cold sweat clings to my skin. Those eyes… piercing, stripping me bare. And then— I swear… I see it smile. Its two tails angle slightly, adjusting at its sides— —and then they aim straight at Imani's shield. Not a barrage. Not a spray. A single, precise shot from each of them. No! I slam Overdrive to the limit. It fires. I step to the side, moving behind Imani. My waves burst outward, scanning, mapping the bullets' trajectories at the highest frequency I can muster. But they're fast. Too fast.

They shoot straight—then, just before impact— They curve. A sharp, unnatural bend around Imani's shield. Their target— Lukas. But… I'm there. My swords blur, slashing forward at the predicted paths. The steel sings through the air, and then— Clang! Only one sound. Only one impact. My stomach twists. My grip tightens. The second bullet passes through— Mere millimeters away from where I thought it would be. I missed. The bullet streaks past. A heartbeat later, a sharp clang rings out. Metal on metal.

My heart pounds in my ears. The world stills. Then—relief. The projectile hit Lukas' buckler. Good. No words exchanged. No hesitation. I rush forward. Imani is about to impact the creature. I need to synchronize with Ayu for the follow-up. As I rush forward, my eyes lock onto the creature's once more. No surprise. No frustration. Not even a flicker of apprehension. Imani is closing in, mere meters away, charging forward like an unstoppable force—yet the creature doesn't react. Will it take the hit head-on?

Impossible. If it can withstand a fully charged strike from Imani, then that's it. The fight is over. There'd be no chance of winning. But then— Something feels off. My senses track everything. Every micromovement. The slightest shifts in its tails. The subtle flick of its gaze. I try to predict its action, but all I see is fuzz. What are you thinking? Imani is about to hit. But the creature doesn't aim its tails. Doesn't adjust its stance. Its limbs are still, its tails resting against the ground. Then—I see it.

Its body lowers. Its knees bend. Imani roars forward, releasing everything in a single strike. His shield collides with full force—his entire weight, his stored energy, his sheer momentum behind it. A shockwave detonates through the space. The air booms. Dust and debris explode outward, slamming against the edges of the dome. The force ripples through the ground, kicking up loose stones, sending them tumbling. But— Even before the dust settles, I know. There's nothing there. Imani missed.

The creature— My gaze snaps upward. It stands. Upside down. At the top of the dome.