Chapter 126: Damnit
The heavens split apart.
Monday Valhalla lowered his arm with calm, almost effortless precision, and the compressed mass of lightning that had gathered above him descended from the clouds like divine judgment.
KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK!!!
A pillar of white-blue lightning, thicker than the tallest buildings in Playmore, tore through the sky with enough force to illuminate the entire battlefield. Every guardian, every Freaker, every Star, and every surviving civilian instinctively shielded their eyes as the overwhelming brilliance swallowed the horizon.
The lightning struck its target without mercy.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The hoverboard vanished inside the explosion.
Electricity erupted in every direction, arcing across the clouds before crashing into distant rooftops and towers. The shockwave alone shattered hundreds of windows throughout the city as thunder rolled across Playmore like the roar of an enraged god.
For one endless heartbeat... No one could see anything.
Then, as the blinding light slowly faded... the hoverboard emerged or rather... what remained of it.
It had been split perfectly down the middle.
SHWOOFFF!
Both halves spun violently away from each other, trailing smoke and sparks as they tumbled through the open sky.
Inside the aircraft, Nyx leapt to her feet.
"We got them!"
Fah-jin pumped her fist into the air, unable to hide the grin spreading across her face.
"YES!!"
Even Daito, now free-falling through the sky alongside the Boss, allowed himself the faintest smile.
"...Nice shot."
For the first time since the chase had begun, it looked as though the Boss had finally run out of options.
FWOOSH!
The wind howled violently around them as both men plummeted toward the ruined streets far below.
The Boss looked at the destroyed pieces of the hoverboard spinning away into the distance.
Then... he laughed.
"...Impressive."
The sound was calm, almost appreciative. Then a metallic click echoed from beneath his sleeve.
CLICK.
Tiny mechanical components shifted beneath the armor covering his forearm.
WHIRRRR...
Daito's smile slowly disappeared.
"...What?"
The pieces of the shattered halves of the hoverboard suddenly stopped falling. Then, as though responding to an invisible command, they changed direction.
FWOOOOOSH!!
One of the halves shot back toward the Boss. Panels folded inward. Mechanical joints rotated into place. Hidden engines extended from within the frame.
Thousands of tiny components compressed, rotated, and reassembled with breathtaking speed.
CLACK! CLICK! WHIRRRR!
Within seconds... The destroyed hoverboard no longer resembled a board at all. It had transformed into a sleek black gauntlet wrapped tightly around the Boss's right arm. Blue propulsion vents ignited along its sides.
FWOOOOOOOM!!
Flames burst from the engines as the Boss smiled at Daito.
"...Technology."
Before Daito could react the propulsion system roared to life.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The flying gauntlet launched the Boss forward like a missile. The sudden acceleration left a circular shockwave hanging in the sky as he blasted away from Daito, cutting through the clouds with unbelievable speed.
Daito's eyes widened.
"...Oh no..."
Gravity continued pulling him downward.
Meanwhile, the Boss surged ahead, faster, and definitely closer.
His destination remained unchanged.
The aircraft.
FWOOSH!
Wind screamed around him as he extended one arm forward, the mechanical gauntlet leaving a brilliant trail of blue fire behind him.
He glanced back over his shoulder. Despite everything Daito and the others had thrown at him... he was still smiling.
"I'll give all of you credit."
His voice carried effortlessly across the sky.
"You tried."
The propulsion system howled louder, pushing him to even greater speeds. The aircraft grew larger inside the reflection of his sunglasses.
Inside the cockpit, warning alarms suddenly erupted.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Nyx immediately looked toward the rapidly approaching figure.
Her pupils shrank.
"...He's still coming?!"
Fah-jin gritted her teeth before frantically recharging her rifle.
"No way..."
Monday narrowed his eyes.
BZZZTLE!
Lightning crackled violently around his body once more.
"...Persistent."
The Boss stretched his hand toward the aircraft as though he could already feel the briefcase within his grasp.
His smile slowly widened.
"There won't be anything..."
The engines on his gauntlet flared brighter.
"...Stopping me..."
The distance continued shrinking, one hundred, eighty, sixty meters.
The aircraft's defensive systems desperately opened fire.
RATATATATATAT!!
Streams of energy rounds streaked toward him.
The Boss weaved between them effortlessly without slowing and without hesitation.
His voice remained calm.
"...From achieving..."
Forty meters, thirty, then twenty.
".....My goals."
Nyx's heartbeat thundered inside her chest.
Fah-jin prepared one final shot.
Monday stepped to the edge of the wall, lightning exploding around him as the clouds above began to churn once again.
Below them...still falling through the sky...Daito clenched his jaw.
Blood streamed from his wounds as he stared at the Boss accelerating beyond his reach.
"...Damn it..."
For the first time since arriving in Playmore... he couldn't catch his enemy.
The Boss's fingers slowly reached forward.
Only a few more seconds...and everything they had fought to protect would be his.
To Be Continued...