NOVEL NEXT Chapter 279: [Hunt] Phase II:
The [Hunt] group was progressing smoothly, Wesley released the slaves towards the Preeliance's Rehab Center, Jevil was making moves around various towns, and the Unlisted Sentinels have also did some clears on other towns. However, one ominous message from Abigail and HQ made Wesley feel a bit unsure. "The scanner is picking up something from the town Jevil is fighting on currently, can you join him on this investigation?" Wesley had his shadows scatter completely on the Unlisted Sentinel's designated towns. He then swapped with one and arrive to the town Jevil was in currently. Wesley then moved around in search for Jevil as he knew that it may lead to a horrible position if they were to fight separately. He quickly detected that Jevil was in the noble mansion. Wesley tried to rush over but he felt an intense tremor coming from underground. "Wes, distance yourself from the mansion a bit, we're going to be fighting something insane today." Wesley took his order and went towards the town walls instead. "I'll meet you at the southern gate." "Got it."
After a few moments of tremors, the mansion crumbled down. In place of it, a ten meter tall giant machine appeared, two giant cannon arms, an artillery bombardment machine attached behind it, and missile pods all over its body. "What the hell..." Jevil arrived in that moment and called out to Wesley. "Wes, the noble is piloting that shit, seems like he was trained to be a pilot by the [People of Earth]." "Did they have any other machines like this?" Jevil nodded on Wesley's question. "Yeah, I saw an insanely wide underground area here, but it's mostly empty. They're likely sending one out against us to test, but they're likely going to have prepare them for a giant war soon." "We have to make a report on this, but considering that we now have footage of them on HQ, we'll just have to get rid of this." The giant machine moved, as one stomp instantly crushed a house. "How indiscriminate. Jevil, I'm going to evacuate the people real quick, grab its attention." Jevil smiled from Wesley's orders, and immediately rushed back in to fight against the giant machine.
The giant machine used its cannons and fired towards the walls, where Wesley and Jevil just left. Everything there was instantly pulverized as if there was nothing there. The noble inside the machine was smiling, as he was given a weapon of mass destruction by the [People of Earth]. After a few moments of making the machine walk forward, he noticed some alerts. "Tsk! Cunning brats!" The noble pressed a button on the missile pods, targeting the area around him without damaging the legs of the giant machine. He could then see the damage he was able to do with just a single press of the button. He was ecstatic, but was annoyed every time the alert system goes off for the damage done on the legs. He then decided to move around a bit, causing more chaos as each step by the machine initiated tremors as he crushed houses.
In the meantime, Jevil was simply enjoying his fight as he sliced off missiles approaching him. "[Kingfisher Bladework Fantasia], [Intermediate]!" Jevil turned around and prepared his scythe for a powerful set of attacks on a hit-and-run fashion. "[Passing Blade]!" Draxus' Bladework Fantasia was something Jevil had trained on completely. It is a combat style that is compatible with every bladed weapon as long as the setup and execution is properly done. That combat capability is one of his major trump cards that he's always been using from most of his battles. Just as he passed by behind the foot of the machine, he created multiple cuts, chopping off even the titanium plating the machine had as it created a giant circular mark with an [X] at the center of it. He then distanced himself for a moment to see how the noble would react.
Missile then start flying again towards Jevil as he dodged and sliced off the homing ones while running around. He continued this until he noticed that there are no longer any civilian presences around.
"Jevil, does this thing have a weakness?" "As far as I've been whacking its legs? Nope, I guess we would have to aim for the cockpit. That or we destroy this thing completely." Wesley arrived after evacuating all the citizens outside the walls. However, he realized that it was a complete mistake to bring them all outside the town walls. The giant machine faced the crowd outside the walls as the four artillery cannons start to move above the giant machine. "Wesley!" Jevil shouted as he knew what Wesley was about to do when he left. Jevil then started to run up the machine as his scythe starts glowing again. "[Kingfisher Bladework Fantasia]! [Intermediate]!" Just as he arrived at the top, the artillery cannons started firing. Jevil resisted the shockwaves that the cannons emanated and activated the skill. "[Scattered Blades]!" One of the four cannons was cut off instantly, while damaging the second one, which stopped it from firing. A giant shell barrier appeared just on the walls absorbing the cannon barrage as Jevil noticed Wesley bringing out his tools. Jevil moved to the middle of the last three cannons as his scythe started glowing again. "[Kingfisher Bladework Fantasia], [Stellar]!" Jevil held his scythe with one hand to the scythe in a wide fashion. "[Metallic Tornado]!" He spun and created a small tornado which struck the three artillery cannons, destroying it along with part of the head of the machine. The cockpit was still not exposed however as he was shaken off with the machine moving.
After falling down, Jevil landed gracefully on the ground and rolled. He didn't stop moving as the machine was starting to move to crush him down. With the artillery bombardment weapon now destroyed, Jevil wondered on how to deal with it next. Wesley arrived as he also ran up the machine and targeted the arm of the weapon. "Jevil, can you do a [Finale]?" Wesley's question surprised Jevil, as he had not used a [Finale] before. "I could try." "Good, first we need to get rid of the arms." Wesley ran up and arrived on top of the machine, preparing to cut off the cannon attached to its side. His armor activated, allowing him to see any possible weaknesses of every object. He inserted the dagger and spewed out dark aura through it. Jevil went to the other side and performed [Scattered Blades] again. After which Wesley scattered some of his shadows to cover the missile pods of the machine as Jevil moved in the center and jumped off with a backflip. He prepared his scythe from the waist as he channeled. "[Kingfisher Bladework Fantasia]... [Finale]!" Jevil started glowing from the energy he was harnessing on his body. He was able to feel the danger as missiles started firing and approaching his body. Half of the missiles couldn't be fired because of Wesley's shadows, but the missile pods that were hidden were able to fire.
Just when the missiles were about to hit Jevil and explode...
"[Beurteilung]!" Jevil swung the scythe precisely, and everything in the area was cut in many ways. Everything including the air, space, dimensions, and the machine, was dismembered completely. Jevil swung the scythe around and placed it hanging over his shoulder, and everything was corrected instantly. The machine then slowly slid down from the cut as pieces were removed completely. The noble, who was piloting the machine had a cut as his vision separated as part of his head slid down to the right. Wesley then arrived to Jevil's position as he looked around. "Great wor-" Just as Wesley was about to praise Jevil. "All units! Be advised! Take cover from the incoming rain! I repeat! Take cover!" They heard a panicked warning from Olivia. They then saw a giant pillar of light coming from the capital city of Aquila. Wesley and Jevil then realized what may have happened. The two of them entered a house to avoid the rain.
'HQ, what was the rain about?!" Wesley tried to communicate the moment they found cover from the rain. Olivia instantly responded while sounding panicked. "Gayle warned us of a soul awakening! The soul can manipulate the atmospheric particles and energy. The rain will be corrosive to the skin!" As Wesley heard her warning, Wesley swapped with a shadow.