Chapter 78: Firepower Coverage
Rovel and the other two found a secluded alley to catch their breath. The potent medicine Mobius had provided had healed their physical wounds, but the mental exhaustion from the constant fighting was a heavy weight on their shoulders. A tactical retreat was in order; they would break through the encirclement once their spirits had recovered.
Besides, with Mei still lost in a coma, Rovel knew it would be nearly impossible to fight his way through a swarm of Descenders and hulking Anti-Entropy mechs while simultaneously protecting her.
The old saying about an ant colony felling an elephant was no mere proverb; it was a grim reality in situations like this.
Worse, all communication with the outside world was severed, and the logout function was disabled. This meant that more and more Descenders, blissfully unaware of the death trap they were walking into, would continue to pour into Nagazora. It didn't matter which faction they had chosen to align with; for now, every last one of them was an enemy.
'Enemies on all sides...'Rovel mused with a wry internal smile.'This really doesn't suit my preference for a low-key life.'
After this World Instance concluded, his identity would almost certainly be plastered across every forum and news feed. The thought alone was a headache.
If only there were some way to keep his identity under wraps.
As if in answer to his silent plea, a delicate, crystalline flower glowing with a soft pink luminescence floated out from his chest. The next second, a cascade of rose-tinted light washed over him, completely enveloping his form before sinking back into his body as quickly as it had appeared.
"?" Rovel blinked, a silent question mark forming in his mind.
A familiar chime echoed in his ears, followed by a cheerful, melodic voice.
[Miss Pink Elf♪ has heard your prayer and cast the 'Cognitive Obstacle' magic on you. Now others won't be able to recognize you~♪]
[Cognitive Obstacle: Other players cannot perceive your appearance, name, or identity.]
"!" Rovel's eyes widened in astonishment.
'Is Elysia actually stalking me?' he wondered, a mix of shock and gratitude swirling within him. He had barely finished the thought, and she had already granted him the perfect solution.
Whatever the case, he owed her one. With this, at least he wouldn't have to worry about his identity being exposed to the entire player base.
He took a moment to check his status, noting his Honkai Energy infection rate had thankfully stalled at 1.71%. Still, to have it climb that high in such a short period was a chilling reminder of the danger he was in.
"Rovel," Kiana's sharp whisper cut through his thoughts. She was perched at the edge of the alley, peering out. "Anti-Entropy's mechs. Looks like they're getting closer."
"Mechs, huh..." Rovel's brow furrowed. As numerous as the Descenders were, these machines were potentially an even greater threat.
He knew these weren't the cheap, flimsy models Funahiki Gyō had deployed earlier. These were the real deal: genuine Titan-class mechs. Each one was a walking fortress, powerful enough to rival a B-Rank Valkyrie and go toe-to-toe with a Chariot-class Honkai Beast. A Valkyrie without a battlesuit, at least. The combat enhancement a proper suit provided was a major change, but out here, against unequipped opponents, these Titans were monstrous.
"Kiana, you stay here and look after Mei," Rovel said, his voice low and serious. "I'll go deal with those machines."
"No way! It's too dangerous for you to go alone!" Kiana immediately shot down his proposal, her expression firm.
"I can use ranged energy strikes to take them out from a distance," he explained patiently. "I'll be fine, but Mei needs someone watching over her. She's completely defenseless right now."
Kiana's gaze flickered to their unconscious friend, her resolve wavering. In the end, she could only give a tight, reluctant nod.
"Alright," she conceded. "But you have to call for me if you run into trouble. Promise me."
She knew her pistols would barely scratch the armor on those Titans. If she were the one to get surrounded, even she would have a hard time escaping in one piece.
Rovel nodded in affirmation before sprinting away, quickly scaling a nearby dilapidated building to secure a high-vantage point.
From his perch, he saw the enemy's strategy. The Titan mechs had split into roughly a dozen squads, each composed of two or three units. They were forming a massive perimeter, a steel net that was slowly closing in on the city center. Every single one of them was Level 50.
Worse still, he spotted several specialized "Thunder Mechs" positioned further back, their long-barreled cannons primed and ready to provide devastating artillery support.
Concealed in the shadows of a rooftop, Rovel began to gather energy in his hands, a low hum filling the air around his palms.
"Inch Force: Thunderbolt!"
The moment the energy peaked, he thrust his palm forward. A silent, compressed bolt of power shot across the distance, slamming violently into one of the patrolling Titans.
[-761!]
A damage number flared above the machine's head. The massive mech staggered, its metallic frame groaning from the impact, but it didn't fall. Its optical sensors swiveled wildly, scanning the rooftops for the source of the attack, but found nothing.
"Unit T-9527 has sustained enemy attack. Hull integrity at 23.9%," a synthesized voice reported across the squad's private channel.
Immediately, the nearby Titans received their orders, their heavy footfalls thudding against the pavement as they began to converge on the area.
Rovel had already moved, melting back into the darkness. He fired a shot, then immediately changed positions, a ghost striking from the ruins. Before long, another bolt of energy lanced through the air, striking the same damaged mech.
[-740]
[Titan Mech (Level 50) destroyed. Experience Gained: 35,000!]
[Level increased to 12! All stats +1, Free Attribute Points +2.]
[Level increased to 13! All stats +1, Free Attribute Points +2.]
'More experience than a Chariot-class Honkai Beast,'Rovel noted with grim satisfaction.'Excellent.'
The massive experience payout from the mech, combined with his earnings from the Honkai Beast earlier, had pushed him up two levels in a single kill.
As the remaining mechs in the squad closed in, Rovel continued his deadly dance. He used the urban high ground to his advantage, employing hit-and-run tactics to methodically dismantle two more of the metal giants.
His level soared to 15.
"Phew..." Rovel leaned against a crumbling wall, wiping a sheen of sweat from his forehead. "Inch Force: Thunderbolt is great for long-range sniping, but... the stamina cost is brutal."
At a rate of two shots per mech, he calculated that his reserves would be completely depleted before he could take out another squad.
Suddenly, a cluster of what looked like shooting stars streaked across the dark, overcast sky.
Rovel narrowed his eyes, focusing on the approaching lights. His breath caught in his throat.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Those weren't shooting stars. They were missiles. Dozens of them, arcing directly toward his position.
There were too many. Even if he spammed Chaotic Thunder, he could never hope to intercept them all.
Abandoning all pretense of stealth, Rovel broke into a desperate sprint, leaping between rooftops and vaulting over debris, trying to outrun the blast radius. He was too late. One of the missiles slammed into the building just a few meters away from him.
The world dissolved into a deafening roar and a wave of pure force. Rovel was thrown through the air like a ragdoll. Before he could even reorient himself, he saw another missile screaming toward him from behind.
'A combo attack? Seriously?' Even in mortal peril, he couldn't suppress a flicker of dry exasperation. He twisted in mid-air, thrusting a hand out and firing a desperate blast of Chaotic Thunder. The missile detonated prematurely, showering him with shrapnel.
But it was no use. His position was locked. Missiles rained from the sky in a relentless, overwhelming torrent. Rovel was forced to not only dodge the incoming warheads but also anticipate which of the surrounding buildings would collapse next under the bombardment.
Under such suffocating firepower, his stamina plummeted.
Before long, another missile, this one glowing with the tell-tale sign of a tracking system, swerved in the air and locked onto him.
He was out of energy. He couldn't fire another Chaotic Thunder. All he could do was raise his arms in a desperate, futile block, bracing his body for the inevitable impact.
The explosion never came.
The missile detonated a few feet in front of him, its fiery blast contained by an unseen force. Looking down, Rovel saw a faint, shimmering barrier enveloping him. It was this shield that had just saved his life.
He turned, and his eyes widened. Floating silently in the air behind him was a stoic, impassive girl, descending slowly from the smoke-filled sky.
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