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Volume 5
Chapter 16: Project Salvation
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Like a swarm of black colored bees with stings that can annihilate someone with one shot of their plasma bursts from a distance, the three ships that clung on the side of the cliff spurt forth countless flying units.
“They’re herding!” Volt yelled.
Close to five hundred flying demon units converged into a giant organism that doesn’t have a fixed shape and was constantly pulsating, expanding and contracting rhythmically as it followed the trajectory of their three escaping victims.
“Was it an ambush?”
“No I don’t think so. I think they’re just here for an occasional patrol.”
“But there are three of them!”
“I know! They should have been detected by the radar of the nearest city. If not, then I believe that there is a demon camp here or that they’ve just made an atmospheric descent and is organizing.”
“Damn it, either of the two, we’re still in a pinch. We have to get away from here fast!”
The three were practically anxious. They were flying as fast as they can but the demons are still gaining in fast, making them anxious.
Checking the situation, Siva gave a thought command to his Auricle. After a while, he spoke, “Follow me, I have a plan!”
There was no time to ask or check what was the plan as the two changed directions and followed Siva who flew towards their right side.
“Siva, we’re currently facing north. We can still use this direction and fly in a straight line towards our destination but that would mean that we are going to have a large detour.”
With Thorn’s words, Siva gritted his teeth. “If this works, we don’t have to change our directions and just have to fight our way through.”
“So what’s your plan?” asked Volt.
Looking back, Siva pulled out plasma smoke screens then handed them over to the two.
“Scatter them in a wide area on my signal!”
Thorn and Volt nodded and Siva looked back to the fast coming horde of demon flying units.
Siva changed his equipment into the Dragunov and used their function. The disintegration of the four limbs of the Dragunov was displayed like a dark set of wings behind Siva and this sight made Thorn frown as a thought flashed in his mind.
“Ready!” Siva’s voice rang in their Auricles.
The distance from the enemies were at around 300m and their speed was actually too fast as they closed in with their speed.
When the 300m distance were closed, plasma bursts began to fire as the Siva purposely paused and then pulled out two plasma smoke screens from his quick item panel on both hands.
“Now!” with that signal, Thorn and Volt threw two sets of bombs on different distances and timings.
The smoke screen exploded as they stopped the plasma bursts from passing through. This was the main purpose of the plasma smoke screen and the reason why it was sold in the item shops.
“What are you doing?!” Thorn yelled as he saw that Siva was deliberately falling behind them.
“Just go!” he yelled and the horde who still continued to approach them reached the plasma screen in no time. Thorn and Volt sped through but continued to watch the scene as Siva released another set of grenades on both his hands.
The wind picked up the plasma smoke screen in the direction of where they were traveling and thus it maintained its cloud form as it expanded wide.
Volt and Thorn’s two additional sets of grenades that was thrown on different angles and time made an even wider area for the smoke screen and adding Siva’s last two bombs, even further expanded the area of the cloud.
The plasma bursts of the aliens can’t pass through the smoke screen and as soon as Siva’s two grenades spurt their last smoke, he switched into a different grenade that he crushed into his right hand.
“Raijin!” He yelled and with but just a flash, a loud and very large explosion of lightning occurred.
The fire was minimal but loudness of the thunder and the roaring sound of its clap shattered the wind, its sonic boom traveling like a surging tidal wave, and its tremor run through every direction and destroyed every particle on its path.
Bright blue and blinding white, the flash of lightning that blinded the sky eradicated every demon that was on its AOE as its resounding thunder clap included those who were not inside the plasma field and rendered their swarming formation into a complete and utter annihilation.
Like a swarm of wasps that went straight into a wall of insecticide, they fell dead towards the forest down below.
And yet, Siva wasn’t finished.
With the Killing Zone active, he pulled out his guns and fired with abandon. He targeted those who managed to survive as he was protected by Dragunov who neutralized the surging lightning to travel around his body.
Seeing this, Thorn and Volt was impressed. This is his signature move that was first seen during the War of two Powers.
“I think «Raijin» is what he called this skill.” Volt said.
“God of Thunder and Lightning?” Thorn chuckled. “A fitting name.”
“The good thing about this skill is that it doesn’t use Mana or Stamina and aside from the wide AOE and almost impossible to block or dodge effect, it’s only dependent on item usage so there’s a variety of ways to set it up as a trap as well.”
“Other players may be able to use the same principle but because of his Dragunov, he was the only one who are actually immune to the effects and can be the only invincible existence in the midst of it.”
“And that’s what makes this skill useful and scary.”
They were still watching from afar and was still on their fastest speed possible when escaping.
Siva on the other hand continued to eradicate the entire fleet and only flew back and followed the other two when completely all of the enemies were decimated.
“The warships are coming!” Siva called and as he did, he threw four more plasma grenades in the air.
At just the right moment, from a kilometer away, a blast of extremely bright and hot plasma burst came forth and blasted Siva off from the screen he made.
“Siva!”
Thorn and Volt screamed as they looked back to see him flying at the fastest speed possible. Along the way, he was throwing one plasma grenade after another, making sure that there was screen enough to neutralize the plasma bursts from the warships.
But for every plasma screen he threw, it was all used up by just one single plasma burst form the warships.
“It’s no good!” Thorn yelled.
“We have to find cover!”
Siva was frantically trying to follow them and this was already his fastest speed. And yet, with the warships hot on his trail, even if they are still just maneuvering around from the cliff they hid themselves in, their cannons are still able to move around in almost every angle possible.
“Damn it! I don’t have enough Grenades in me!”
The two ahead gained distance from the warships and as they were free unlike Siva who was frantically escaping with all his might, they have time to think about ways of escaping.
Looking around all they could see is an endless expanse of forest. Although it was in the cold regions of the north, this was a rainforest made up of snow-resistant vegetation. Thus, they can still resist the cold but still retain the humidity and warmness of a rainforest in their midst.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“We have no choice. We have to use the forest as a cover.”
Hearing Volt, Thorn looked down and gave him a nod and looked back at Siva. “Let’s use the forest!”
“Go!”
The two dived down and Siva followed.
In the forest, they maintained their auricles because if there was anything that they don’t want to happen, it’s to be separated without any means of contacting each other.
As soon as the trio jumped down, the last of the warships’ flying units escaped their hatches as the three warships had completed their turn to head their way.
The swarm that escaped went straight to where they dived down as the three converged together but still went straight towards the north direction.
Looking back, Thorn saw that on the three warships that are now going straight towards them, it was actually deploying ground units who can move in sync with the scourging warm above.
“I have an idea.” Thorn said. “Siva, how many more plasma smoke bombs do you have left in you?”
“Not much. I only have thirteen left.”
Thorn thought for a moment. “If it was any other player, then they would have been doomed this time but we have and you have us. We can escape them with planning and a little bit of strategy.”
“I’m all ears.” Volt said.
“What do we do?” Siva nodded.
As the three continued to jump over trees and roots, they ran at full speed as they made their way towards the northern direction.
Thorn spoke, “We can use the fact that we are heading north to our advantage. On the northwest is the river and according to the map I downloaded, this river also flows towards the direction of Alexandria.”
“I see.” Volt smiled at Thorn. “We use the timers for the plasma screen grenades and create a diversion with explosion. We take them out, cause damage, and at the same time we escape through the river.”
“That’s the plan.” Thorn added. “But the problem is,” at this point, he looked at Siva. “One of us must be left behind to trigger the explosion and of us three, you are the only one who are immune to the electric discharge so… are you okay with this plan?”
Looking at Siva, the two noticed a weird but visible kind of glint in his eyes. Even though his skin but black and smoke, the shape and the intensity on his gaze was still the same as before.
To Volt, he was familiar with this kind of look in Siva’s eyes. It was the kind that he shows when he’s about to do something. He had seen it –felt it, in fact– back when he fought that Forest Dragon in Hagonoy.
Siva nodded, “Mn. Actually, I can also spice things up but I will have to request you two to endure for a little bit more time.”
Thorn and Volt looked at each other.
““I have a bad feeling about this.””
*****
“I knew it!”
“We’re going to die!”
“…”
“Is this… your plan?!”
“More importantly, how come there are a lot of these S-Ranked monster in this place?!”
“…”
“And there’re even two Lapis Lazuli!”
“Run. Run! RUN!”
“You two just shut up will ya?”
“Look carefully! We’re flying! We’re beyond running!”
“Boulder! Watch out!”
With a loud crashing sound that seemed to destroy all existence, a rock boulder 10m in size fell like a meteor towards the three figures.
The three were already equipped with their flight armors but they were still being gained upon by the horde of monsters that Siva had summoned.
“Being an S-Ranked Hunter in an S-Ranked forest with my ability is the most dangerous thing in the world.”
The Killing Zone… aside from the fact that it can make even the strongest player in Terroa twinge in fear because of its ability to reduce defenses by 70%, it can also provoke upon a horde of monsters depending on the rank of the user as its price.
Siva, right now, is already a genuine S-Ranked Hunter.
With his rank, he was already at the top of the food chain and thus the monsters that he can provoke with the Killing Zone’s effect are those from B-Rank to S-Rank monsters.
Every monster of those ranks around his 500m radius will be summoned to his direction. They will lose their minds and they will be called upon by a will that only wants to tear him apart piece by piece.
As powerful as the «Killing Zone» is, it was still not a perfect ability that doesn’t warrant a price to be paid whenever it is used. In this case, the price for that kind of abnormally powerful effect is to attract all the dangers of the wild towards his direction.
In the end, it was an ability that can display all of its might against a single opponent but was in its most disadvantageous when in a monster forest. Also, the higher the Danger Rank of the forest, the more frightening its effect will be.
The ability’s name, ‘Killing Zone’, in its entirety, really does lives up to its name.
In addition, although Siva was already an S-Rank Hunter, his skills are still so meager that Volt and Thorn are still considered stronger than him.
To be chased by all these hungry B to S-Ranked horde of monsters was a nightmare to the three.
In total, there were almost close to two hundred of them monsters.
The forest churned as the land trembled. The sound of stampeding monsters could be heard coming from almost all directions even from afar. Like the sound of a dam releasing flood waters and there was a family crossing the river two kilometers away, the horror of this thought was enough to cause one’s skin to tense.
The shuddering roar of hooves and feet stomping the ground one after another was so ominous if heard from a mile away. It caused a terrifying impression of a sound beyond what tens of thousands of horses rampaging upon to trample upon a general in the battlefield.
The more they escaped them, the further Siva’s Killing Zone effect spread about and this invited more monsters, thus multiplying the danger by a many a scale.
“Aren’t you satisfied yet?!” roared Volt in panic. “We are already surrounded by monsters! There’s almost nowhere else to run!”
“Siva! Do you think this is enough?”
Volt and Thorn was clearly in a panic. The monsters were already almost upon them and what more, the direction they were heading is…
“No, not yet! We must bring them as close to these aliens. Now that we’re already here, why not get a bit of reward for our trouble? Trust me. This will work because we’ve done this before…”
The other two shivered as they heard this statement.
Especially Volt.
He had indeed done this before.
Thorn gave him a look but instead of anger, he felt fear when looking at the pale expression on the man’s visage.
If they don’t know better, Siva is planning to ambush the aliens and use the horde of monsters to kill a commander to get his hands on a Black Ball.
The «Black Ball» is an item that can be used to upgrade S-Ranked equipment into a free-forming Universal Weapon called a «Black Tech». In theory, the higher the quality of the material, the better the final form of equipment will be.
FlowerLord’s sword weapon, the «Ceres», was a peak level S-Ranked weapon when it was upgraded into a Black Tech weapon.
On the outside, it can still retain its original functions as a weapon as well as its appearance, but the large difference is that it will have an additional feature which is its «Black Form» –which resembles pretty much like a moldable gooey-like sphere of black mass.
With but a thought, it can change its form depending on the user’s imagination with the only down side being that it can’t be stocked with a MOD.
Even the MOD equipped to the equipment before the Black Tech upgrade will be removed after the upgrade.
Thinking about this obvious plan, the two could only follow as they really have no choice.
Right at this moment because of the natural air of the forest that’s preventing their scanners to work properly they were still not pinned down by the alien warship hovering not far away.
After all, if they so much as to get into the sights of the aliens’ sky right now, their [Plasma Tech] will not think twice on obliterating them in one shot.
“Keep your ears out for my signal.” Siva suddenly spoke in their ears.
The two reluctantly nods and then parted ways from him. They were still wary because they were afraid that the monsters will follow them but as soon as they looked back, they discovered that what Siva did say was the truth…
No monster followed them.
“So the Killing Zone can focus the monsters’ aggro towards himself huh?” Thorn couldn’t help but murmur to himself.
Volt looked upfront and then replied on the line, “In a way, it’s both a powerful weapon and as well as a very clever self-torture.”
“Thinking about it, only someone as obsessed with strength like him would be the only one who is going to be okay with using that ability in a monster infested forest.”
As soon as Thorn’s words escaped his mouth, he also instantly shut them up.
Volt could only sigh at it. Good thing Siva was already cut off on this separate channel so Volt said, “Of all the players in Terroa, while they are enjoying the game like normal, he was suffering from the fear of losing the last family he had left.”
Thorn thought for a moment, “That’s both his strength and his weakness.”
“Yeah. If his enemies discovers of this weakness, I could only think of what would happen to Rex in the real world…”
“…”
“I don’t want to see him that way again…”
Thorn took note of it, “Again?”
Volt paused, seeming to regret it but then the pause only lasted for a few breaths before he spoke again.
“Extreme Vertigo… that’s what they said.”
But as soon as Thorn heard it, he stopped midway on his movement and then yelled, “Did you just say it’s Extreme Vertigo?!”
Volt, shocked, exclaimed, “What? What’s wrong?”
He could hear Thorn whispering some things on the other line, “No. It’s can’t be… Planet Salvation… The Father… I thought it was a failure…”
From this point on, the line was cut and there were no more sounds that came from Siva or from Thorn.
Volt began to worry and called, “Hey! What was that just now?”
It wasn’t after a moments more that Volt heard Thorn speak again. But this time, his tone carried with it urgency and alarm, “Volt, tell me, when he said that it was Extreme Vertigo… was his nose bleeding back then?”
Volt took a few moments to think and said, “Yes.”
“Did he tell anymore symptoms?”
“Hmmm… he did, like his body was shaking and his head was like being drilled from the inside that it felt like something was splitting from within.”
“Did he say he’s been having dreams or hallucinations lately or at least before you got separated?”
Volt recalled that moment in Loire and Rex’s stories but he wasn’t sure if he could say that it was some sort of hallucination or something so he just gave him a safe reply.
“Well, back in our trip in Hagonoy, I think I heard him say that whenever he was inside the game, he always felt like it seems there was a side of him that he was only discovering for the first time; like especially when he does that [dreaded laugh] he always does when he’s enjoying the moment of victory or the thrill of an intense fight… or something.”
Again, Thorn became silent. After a while, “As I thought. This is rather more serious than it seems.”
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
“Volt, I’m just gonna tell you this but don’t tell anyone yet…”
“Huh?”
“…It’s Project Salvation…”
“Project… Salvation…?”
“It’s one of UNICORN’s top secret government projects that included a very dangerous aspect to it.”
Volt felt a premonition to Thorn’s words but still kept his pulse steady as he inquired further, “How seriously dangerous was it?”
“It included Human Experiments…”
“…!”
“But that’s not what worries me.”
“Then what is?!”
“Well, prior to releasing Terroa, I was in my father’s office one day and saw a piece of paper that prompted me to log to Terroa and establish the TOS Guild for a few specific and one personal purpose.”
“Personal purpose?” Volt slowed to a pause as he waited for a reply.
“To stop the implementation of Project Salvation.”
As soon as he said those words, an explosion occurred from not far from Thorn’s location as well as Siva’s voice ringing on their ears.
“Begin Operation.”
.
.
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Captain vs Vice-Captain!!!
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