29 Book 3 Chapter 25 (2/2)
Peter's role here was over, so Shenlong swiftly took command, ”Jason, you're tanking Catherine. Tan Qiang, Sun Kun, Finn, Wendy, handle those bodyguards. As for the others, you know which tank to follow. Advance!”
As the two hundred members of the berserk division retreated, fifty ascenders jumped from the top of the wall without regard for safety. Within moments they hit the ground, the concrete shattering beneath them as they charged forward. The division split into five squads, each lead by an ascender decked out in heavy armor.
”Contact in ten seconds,” Ebba announced as another specter disintegrated.
Jason felt the ground tremble. Looking ahead, he saw four mechawolves the size of tanks come into view. Their design was incredibly intricate – silver metal weaved together to form their body, inside which blue energy pulsed as if it were alive.
Commands to split up came from behind just as Jason felt something. Two mechawolves leaped, clinging themselves to a building on each side of the street. Their chests expanded as tendrils of blue energy escaped from their mouths.
”Barriers!” Shenlong roared from behind.
Countless mana barriers sprang into existence while an enormous dome of illusory water covered the raid, created by Tank's Tsunami, the evolved form of Bulwark. As support-type ascenders enhanced the barrier's stats, two dark blue beams arrived.
When the barriers melted under the intense heat, the illusory water was enraged. Silver streaks of battle energy attacked from all directions until finally, the lasers vanished.
Without delay, Jason charged forward as the street came back into view. Sun Kun and Wendy followed, casting defensive skills just in time to block two jaws from clamping down on Jason's body. With complete confidence in his allies, Jason sped up without batting an eye. His target lay beyond.
Taking a deep breath, he clenched his illusionary divine grade sword, then used Cleave. A razor-thin line of battle energy spread out in an arc, followed by a muffled cry. Behind the mechawolf on his left stood Catherine, a woman of unimaginable beauty if not for the inch-deep cut across her face.
(Mutant Raid Boss) The 17th Artificial Intelligence, Catherine - Level 160
Health: 749,230/750,000
”You lowly hum-” An attack from the side forced her to defend. Although her hand blocked the spear, a blade covered in lightning cut into her exposed back. Shockingly, unlike with Hector, each attack left a visible wound on Catherine's body. Divine grade weapons were no joke, though unfortunately, Andy could only conjure three for a limited time as of now.
With the four mechawolves pinned down, Catherine seemed to be cosplaying as a salad. Tossed over here, then over there, she was helpless under the power of equipment. The only thing she could do was unleash a barrage of insults, though that only seemed to increase the damage she took.
After several minutes, much to her relief, the divine grade weapons vanished. Now able to fight back, she retreated a short distance and glanced around, only to find herself surrounded. Her mechawolves were far away – clearly now was no time to hold back. Looking back at her opponents, she straightened her hair and hummed, ”I must be having a bad day. Playtime is over now, humans.”
Much like Hector, she hovered off the ground with tendrils of energy extending from her body. Catherine's confidence soared as the suppression of energy spread out to cover Jason and his allies. She expected to see expressions of horror and despair – yet all she saw were fifty humans stretching about as if they were in a yoga class.
Catherine's brain shortcircuited. She was unable to understand why her abilities, which had controlled countless humans, were suddenly unable to function correctly. A wave of attacks soon arrived, and for the first time, she felt fear.
She didn't live to feel anything soon after.