The battle's opening salvo erupted as the Grow Savior's Halberd Launcher clashed with the Mega Beam Rifles of the mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs.
I neutralized two of their signature pink beams with the Halberd Launcher, dodging the remaining two with precise booster bursts.
Like when they absorbed Bullet, reducing their numbers was critical—otherwise, my options were limited. I'd hoped the Beowulf would hold back initially, as it had before, but that optimism shattered when I saw it aiming its triple machine cannon at me from the monitor.
"Tch!"
A regular triple machine cannon? I'd have blocked it with the Psychokinesis Field. But after seeing the vine-like growths—Einste's influence—fuse with the Gespenst Mk-III's parts in our last encounter, I knew defending against its attacks was too risky. What if those bullets carried Einste's corruption? Getting infected mid-battle was the last thing I needed. The Mk-III's distortion had worsened, its frame warped unnaturally.
I fired the boosters, escaping into the air, climbing rapidly, then flipping to dive with the sun at my back, using gravity's pull.
"Adaman Halberd, activate. Focus."
The Adaman Halberd shifted from scythe to a lance suited for charging—a jousting spear. I drew a Gun Rapier from Chronos' rack with my left hand.
As the mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs grew larger in my sights, I fired Fire Daggers for suppression. I hadn't expected hits, but a few struck, and one Mk-II belched black smoke.
"Haaaah!"
Gripping the lance, I charged the smoking unit. A grating screech rang out as the spear pierced its frame.
"Shred it, Adaman Halberd!"
With the lance embedded, the Adaman Halberd morphed into liquid-metal blades, carving the Mk-II from within. In seconds, it was scrap metal.
The T-LINK System pinged—another enemy approaching from the left. Trusting the instinct, I aimed the Gun Rapier and fired.
The near-point-blank shot should've been lethal, but this was a Beowulf unit—it dodged, taking only right-arm damage.
"!?"
The T-LINK System and Focus-enhanced senses detected something closing in. I jerked the Grow Savior back, spotting three spinning Slash Rippers. Full boosters pulled me out of their tracking range, and they veered off wildly.
Using the evasion momentum, I closed on the damaged Mk-II.
"Grapnel Thread!"
Still gripping the lance, I deployed the Grapnel Thread, entangling the enemy. Dragging it, I charged the Mk-II that launched the Slash Rippers. As it fired Split Missiles to intercept, I acted.
"Accelerate!"
The Accelerate Spirit Command boosted my speed, letting me weave through the missiles and slam the entangled Mk-II into its ally.
"Adaman Halberd, Nine-Tail Mode!"
The captured unit became a battering ram, smashing both Mk-IIs to the ground. The Adaman Halberd, now a nine-tailed whip, tore into them, shredding their frames.
"Three down. One and the beast left."
I pulled back from the wreckage, keeping distance from the Beowulfs.
"!?"
A gut-wrenching premonition hit as something flashed on the monitor. I reflexively boosted right, narrowly avoiding a projectile that pierced my previous position.
"Beowulf!"
The distorted Gespenst Mk-III stood, right arm outstretched. Its transformation had worsened—Einste vines now wove patterns across its surface, and its Revolving Stake aimed at me.
"…Right. The Revolving Stake does have a longer range for a melee weapon."
In the original, it had just one less range than the Alteisen's triple machine cannon. With weapons like the Neo Chakram Shooter or Boost Hammer, it wasn't surprising a mutated Beowulf could extend its reach.
Its blue surface was now cloaked in green vines, forming eerie patterns. Twice the size of a standard PT, it resembled a super robot. Not that I'd ever want to pilot something that sinister.
"You're the main course. Take this and calm down—Phantom!"
I'd prefer to hold some Phantoms in reserve, but against the Beowulfs, hesitation could be fatal. I launched all 28 Phantoms, peppering the Beowulf with mid-range laser fire for suppression. Shifting focus, I charged the last Mk-II, boosters at full.
It raised its Neo Plasma Cutter, but that was nothing now.
"Accelerate!"
Using Accelerate again, I wove an erratic path with short booster bursts. The Mk-II predicted my trajectory, swinging its cutter down.
"Too slow!"
One Phantom fired at another nearby, its laser-reflective coating—Lemon's upgrade—bouncing the shot toward the Mk-II's right arm. The weakened beam still shattered the arm, sending the Neo Plasma Cutter flying.
The Grow Savior was already in its face.
"Feast on this—Fire Dagger, launch!"
A barrage of Fire Daggers erupted from the Grow Savior's chest armor. Though small, the near-zero-range attack triggered a chain of explosions. When the smoke cleared, the Mk-II was a limbless torso, barely functional.
"That leaves just the Beowulf."
Taking a deep breath, I refocused on the Beowulf. Recalling all Phantoms, I let them hover behind me and checked for damage. There was some, but it was regenerating before my eyes.
"Einste, huh? Impressive."
In our last fight, it regenerated despite being torn apart. That resilience meant only an attack that obliterated it entirely—like the R-GUN's Metal Genocider, SRX's Telekinesis Burst Sword, Cybuster's Cosmo Nova, Hagane's Tronium Buster Cannon, or Huckebein 008L's Black Hole Cannon—could end it. The Grow Savior lacked that kind of firepower. Even using all Phantoms could match their power, but their pinpoint attacks couldn't deliver the area-wide devastation needed.
Absorbing it with the Adaman Halberd? Possible, but risky. Ingesting an Einste-infected Beowulf could corrupt me, turning me into an Einste. No thanks.
"Then I'll destroy it piece by piece and vaporize the scraps with the Halberd Launcher."
The Halberd Launcher was the Grow Savior's best option for area attacks.
"You waited politely, but let's get started."
The monitor showed the Beowulf, its Phantom-inflicted damage fully healed, looking fresh. Meanwhile, the Grow Savior was undamaged but low on SP and Fire Daggers. A glance at the clock showed ten minutes until Rykeios' activation, per Lemon's timer. I'd spent too long on the escorts.
"But this is my last stand in this world. Let's go!"
Drawing a Gun Rapier from Chronos' rack, I fired alongside the Phantoms' laser barrage. The Beowulf countered, launching stakes from its Revolving Stake and intercepting lasers with its triple machine cannon.
Thus began my final battle in this world.
Character Stats: Axel Almer
Level: 24
PP: 80
Melee: 202
Ranged: 220
Skill: 212
Defense: 209
Evasion: 237
Accuracy: 259
SP: 334
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Special
Terrain Adaptability:
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: B
Space: A
Spirit Commands:
Accelerate (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 20)
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Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9 & SP Recovery & Focus)
Psychokinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
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Kill Count: 91