-Winter-
Winter kicked the mangled, reinforced door with all the force she could muster, sending it flying from its warped frame. As she stepped out of the smoking wreckage, her legs betrayed her, forcing her to one knee as pain shot through her body, making her hiss as she hold one knee.
She quickly assessed her condition, checking the aura readout on her wrist panel.
Fifty percent of her aura reserves, not ideal, but manageable. The bruises that would form beneath her uniform were superficial compared to what could have happened if she didn't act fast. Her quick thinking with the glyphs on the energy cells had prevented both a catastrophic explosion and what would have been a fatal crash that would have left no survivors.
Her hand clenched into a tight fist as she surveyed the crash site. Prometheus Group would learn the price of such a cowardly act. Their actions were not just a violation of the rules of engagement – this was a direct attack on Atlas. Once she reported the events, General Ironwood would ensure their organization was blacklisted from every kingdom's registry and then have their leader arrested and court-martialed.
And every single of their wretched members present on this day would be… no… they were going to kill them on sight.
Around her, soldiers moved despite their injuries, establishing a defensive perimeter while a single medic attended to the wounded. They were alive, battered but breathing. She watched as her men dragged injured comrades to safety, administering emergency first aid. Atlas military training had served them well, but they needed proper medical attention soon, and that meant going back to the outpost.
A distant explosion drew her attention back to the three-way battle raging ahead. The Behemoth's roar echoed across the thick jungle, accompanied by the distinctive sound of dust rounds and the sharp crack of high-caliber weapons. She knew that time was running out.
"Status report!" she commanded, forcing herself to stand despite her body's protests to rest.
"Specialist Winter!" A soldier called out as he approached, clutching his side. "We've lost all contact with the vanguard unit after the explosion. Last transmission indicated the behemoth becoming enraged."
Winter's expression hardened at the news. "And our Knights?"
"Not responding to commands, ma'am. We're getting error messages across the board. Or went completely silent."
She pushed herself to her feet. The Knights were supposed to be their primary combat force, their shields, and now they were little more than expensive scrap metal. With the vanguard unit completely dark and her remaining forces occupied with the wounded...
The ground trembled beneath their feet, followed by distant sounds that could only be the Behemoth moving again. She needed to check on the survivors. However, she was aware that they were oozing a lot of negative emotions and she was worried this would draw Grimm to her position.
"Status of our long-range communications?"
"Still down, ma'am. We can't request reinforcements or alert command."
She clicked her tongue. While reinforcement wouldn't arrive on time, alerting command would have been a priority, but now that was impossible, as they didn't have a signal.
Winter drew her sword, its mechanisms whirring as she checked the dust chamber. They were isolated, outgunned, with wounded to protect, and an enraged Grimm of legendary proportions. The tactical situation couldn't be much worse.
Unless…
She clicked her comm on her ear but it was also broken, which she quickly threw away with a scowl.
"Get me a direct line to Penny's command frequency," she ordered, mouth tightening at the words she never thought she'd say. "If we've lost the Vanguard unit, she's our only heavy combat asset left."
"A-At once!"
The soldier snapped a quick salute before running to retrieve a spare comm unit. Winter pulled out a stimpack from her belt, gritting her teeth as she pressed it against her thigh. The injection sent a burst of searing pain through her body before blessed numbness began to spread, dulling her injuries as they wouldn't bother her for a while.
The soldier returned at a sprint, handing her the requested earpiece. Winter quickly fitted it and established the connection with the android girl. "Penny, report situation!"
"Specialist Winter, the Behemoth has entered an enraged state once it arrived and the vanguard has suffered catastrophic losses after it generated a massive explosive discharge around itself. Probability of survivors estimated at 15%."
Winter's jaw clenched, the news hitting her like a punch to the gut despite her military training. They'd known the Behemoth was dangerous, but this level of destructive capability was beyond the intelligence calculations. An entire vanguard unit - some of Atlas's finest soldiers - gone in a single explosion.
"Current position of the Behemoth?" she demanded, already calculating their rapidly dwindling options.
"The Behemoth is currently engaged with remaining Atlas and Prometheus forces at coordinates 39-7 mark 3. Three Atlas soldiers were confirmed alive, maintaining suppressing fire from a safe position. Prometheus forces were reduced to one heavy weapon vehicles, combat effectiveness at 12%. Target has sustained surface damage to approximately 49% of exterior plating, but shows no reduction in combat capabilities and danger rating."
There was a slight pause.
"Prometheus group casualties are extensive. The blast caught their main force - 87% of their combat units were within the affected radius. Remaining units are in disarray."
A grim satisfaction flickered across Winter's features at hearing of the mercenaries' fate. Their treachery had earned them this end.
"Additionally," Penny continued, "White Fang forces executed tactical withdrawal approximately 3.4 minutes before the explosion. They've maintained approximately 82% of their original numbers and are holding positions in the surrounding tree line."
Winter's eyes narrowed. Of course - those bastards were being typically opportunistic, waiting while their enemies wore each other down. Once the Behemoth had further decimated their forces, the White Fang would swoop in to eliminate any survivors.
"What are your current combat capabilities, Penny?" Winter asked, already formulating a counter-strategy.
"My systems are operating at 92.5% efficiency, Specialist Winter! Power core reserves at 72.8%, and I can generate another energy discharge in precisely 65 seconds. Based on current battle analytics, there is a 58% probability of terminating the target with the next discharge, and a 74% chance of inflicting critical damage!"
Winter weighed her options carefully. Calling Penny back to protect their wounded would be the cautious choice, but the Behemoth was already showing signs of damage. Such an opportunity might not present itself again, and letting the creature escape would mean dire consequences in the region, especially the town and settlements.
After a moment of thinking, she made her decision. "Proceed with the attack, Penny. If your discharge fails to eliminate the target, withdraw to my position immediately. That's an order."
"Okie dokie!"
The communication cut off, leaving Winter in relative silence, broken only by the distant sounds of combat. She turned her gaze toward the battle zone, eyes narrowing as she tracked the flashes of weapons fire. Then, pushing aside her concern about the decision, she turned back to the crash site. Her men needed attention, and she couldn't afford to let her attention slip away from the immediate crisis.
-Adam Taurus-
This is a mess. That's honestly the only way to describe the current situation.
Everything that could have gone wrong has gone catastrophically wrong. A raging behemoth dominates the battlefield, its red eyes gleaming with unnatural intelligence while molten rock drips from its bone-white armor. This monster of darkness has single-handedly transformed our battlefield into a lava pit with its latest attack, leaving only scattered remains and smoking, half-melted wreckage of Prometheus and Atlas forces.
Pod's calculations and reliable predictions proved invaluable. Without them, I wouldn't have been able to warn the Albain brothers to pull our forces back before the behemoth reached their position and unleashed that infernal attack. The Solar Surfer became another lifesaver – without it, I would never have outrun the beast to save my friend in time. For something so massive, it can truly run, making those explosive-slime covered appendages and bulky armor even more threatening than they were before.
I catch a glimpse of Ilia after the massive discharge. She's gone completely white with fright, and I can't blame her. If not for the company mental defenses, I would have been frozen in shock as well. This behemoth defies everything we thought we knew about its kind. We've thrown everything at it, yet it adapts and counters with concerning tactical acumen. I never imagined it capable of generating what amounts to a mini-nuke, let alone reaching new levels of rage beyond its initial fury.
But one thing is clear.
I need to get Ilia to safety before dealing with the monster. The survivors from the initial blast might keep it occupied, if only for a few precious minutes or seconds. Not even Penny's intervention, effective as it was, could bring the monster down.
The shipgirls come into view at our fallback position. Everyone either reinforces defenses or tends to the numerous wounded who escaped that three-way massacre.
Even Corsac lies injured – courtesy of Prometheus's Hunter-Cyborg and his strange but powerful semblance. Pod reported he single-handedly destroyed our first line of defense before the chaos with Atlas began. At least the brothers managed to contain that threat before it escalated further and claim more lives.
I hope that bastard got caught in the initial blast, though that's wishful thinking. Hunters don't die that easily.
My men rush to help Ilia and our wounded off the surfer. And I immediately take off again, heading straight back toward the Behemoth. I do wish I could stay even if it is to direct a few words, but there's no time – I need to deal with this enraged Grimm before smaller ones arrive in droves, drawn by all this negativity.
Behemoth or not, the sooner we kill it, the sooner we can leave.
I redirect the surfer and return to the heat of the conflict – quite literally, as the lava pit's temperature reaches me even from the sky and the air I breathe is really hot. I can't approach the Behemoth directly unless I want to be cooked alive; aura can only protect against so much. That means that I need to lure it out of the pit to more favorable terrain, so I can continue fighting it.
The Grimm responds with another roar – not ear-shattering this time – and slams its bulbous fists into the ground. Mini-volcanoes erupt around it, spreading more molten lava, as if the existing pit isn't enough of a problem already.
However, I catch another sight that makes me frown, scattered survivors from both factions attempting to fight back against the massive beast. Their weapons barely register as pinpricks against its form. Yet one brave – or desperate – soul launches a rocket that hits the neck, finally catching the monster's attention. It bellows, making a wild swing that sends red slime flying in all directions. That's when the remaining soldiers drop their weapons and run away in terror, but they're not fast enough. The slime reaches them, and in a grim instant, they explode into red mist, their armor proving absolutely worthless.
No survivors now.
A flash of green catches my eye as Penny soars into view, her array of mechanical swords spinning rapidly around her. Once close enough, she unleashes another concentrated blaster barrage, each hit systematically chipping away at the behemoth's armor. The Grimm tries to swat her like a fly, but she weaves through its attacks with precision, almost as if predicting its movements, maintaining constant pressure while gradually drawing it away from the lava pit.
I can't help but smirk as Penny shares my strategy. It will give us more room to maneuver. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, I summon my anti-material rifle again, targeting the loosened sections of armor plating. When I align the sights, I squeeze the trigger, and the high-caliber round tears off chunks of bone plates. It is a solid split-second plan to break more of that natural bone armor.
Without that armor, it'll be vulnerable to our attacks, and the shipgirls' cannons will cause critical damage if not killing it once and for all.
"Commander, calibrating cannons!" Kawakaze's voice crackles through the comm channel.
I can't help but appreciate the girl's initiative. "Target on the move! Wait for my signal!"
The robot girl press on the attack and manages to lure it away from the pit.
That's when we continue our coordinated assault, methodically destroying the beast's protection piece by piece while evading its wild swings. Whenever she weakens a spot, I shoot at it soon after, causing it to shatter. When it directs its attention to me, Penny quickly takes the pressure off me. She has proven to be an excellent teammate despite the dire situation and being on the enemy side.
With roughly half its armor gone, the behemoth growls menacingly at Penny as she takes a higher position. An action which I instantly grasp her real intention behind it.
"Target locked!"
And perfect timing.
"Suppressive Fire!"
The distinctive consecutive boom of cannons cracks the air, followed by the piercing whistle of falling shells. Artillery rains down around the behemoth, creating a cage of explosions. One shell strikes a remaining armored section, drawing out a pain-filled bellow. But that's of little importance because the artillery barrage has achieved its principal objective: keeping the beast pinned down.
And Penny seizes the moment I've given her, her floating swords realigning into a circular formation as energy gathering on a single point. With the behemoth's armor severely compromised, this concentrated laser beam might finally be enough to end this fight.
But suddenly my senses slow to a crawl as I spot a pair of shuriken cutting through the air.
Straight towards Penny.
"NO!"
The warning tears from my throat too late as the projectiles strike her foot and arm with surgical accuracy. The impact makes her stumble mid-sequence, her thrusters sputtering and failing as she drops from the sky like a stone.
She manages to recover fast, reactivating her thrusters in a burst of green energy – but I notice that the fall has brought her too close to the beast. A fact that it also takes notices off, and the behemoth seizes its new chance, its massive form coiling before making an impossibly fast leap into the air. Its red, bulbous fist connects with Penny in a perfect, devastating swing, followed by a thunderous explosion that lights up the battlefield, causing my stomach to drop.
I can only watch as her smoking form is sent hurtling through the air before crashing into the ground with a sickening crunch of metal.
THAT MOTHERFUCKER!
My eyes snap to the direction the shuriken came from, and there stands the bastard responsible for this catastrophe. The cyborg who'd torn through our first line of defense, looking straight at me through his own visor.
Yet behind it, I know he's fucking mocking me, taunting me.
"POD GO HELP PENNY! WE NEED HER!"
"AFFIRMATIVE. PROCEEDING TO TARGET LOCATION. ALERT: DETECTING SEVERE DAMAGE TO PENNY'S EXTERNAL SYSTEMS. PROCEEDING WITH EMERGENCY REPAIRS."
I slam my foot onto the accelerator and lower the veils of my surfer, increasing my diving speed even further. The wind screams past my helmet as I plummet towards my target. Using all the gathered momentum, I launch myself forward with Wilt drawn, the blade humming with stored energy. I come down on the cyborg with all my fury, but he manages to block my strike with his own blade. The ground beneath us cracks from the impact, sending out a shockwave that scatters debris in all directions.
But I couldn't care less about the destruction as I'm beyond PISSED now. This bastard just cost us our best chance at killing the Grimm, and for what? What does Prometheus even gain from this?
THEY FUCKING LOST EVERYTHING!
I push him away and charge again, aiming for his neck.
Our blades clash in a shower of sparks - he blocks when I strike, and I block when he attacks. But once having the bastard right in front of me, part of my anger dissipates as something clicks in my mind when I finally get a good look at him and his green katana.
The fluid movements, the cybernetic enhancements – this is Genji Shimada. Fragments of memories from my second life flash through my mind, but I instantly push them aside.
This isn't the time for distracting memories.
I deflect his next strike and in the same motion sheathe Wilt in Blush for both to seamlessly transform into shotgun mode, squeezing off a point-blank shot that hits dead center. The blast tears into his armor and forces him back a few steps, clutching his chest with one hand, but he just locks his gaze with mine.
And I can tell he is fuming, as if he found it offensive that I hit him.
He retaliates with a lightning-fast kick that forces me back half a step. Yet he seizes that tiny opening, his blade whistling through the air toward my right arm. Too slow to block it, and the sharp edge tears through my sleeve, but instead of flesh and bone, his blade meets the strong surface of my cybernetic arm with a loud metallic clang, causing a smirk to form as I catch the brief moment of surprise in his posture.
A surprise I capitalize on. With a quick step forward, I drive my fist into his face, hearing the distinctive sound of glass cracking, and I follow through with a sharp strike from the buttstock of my weapon that connects solidly with the side of his head.
Not letting up, I separate my weapon and channel my momentum into a wide cleaving strike. Wilt catches across his chest armor, sending sparks flying as it carves a large superficial gash through the plating as he tries to escape my reach.
Genji stumbles back several steps, taking in the damage I've inflicted, tracing his fingers along the gash. When he looks up, I notice his cracked and now colorless visor. Even through that expressionless face plate, I can sense the building rage emanating from him as he adjusts his stance. His entire posture now radiating killing intent.
The cyborg hunter then adopts a new stance, raising his katana above his head with both hands. In a burst of speed that catches me off guard, he comes down with a strike so blindingly fast I barely get Wilt up to block. But it was too late for me to realize that it was a feint - his armored knee drives straight into my stomach, forcing the air from my lungs. Before I can recover, he follows through with a vicious headbutt that cracks the reinforced plastic of my helmet.
The world spins briefly as disorientation sets in, leaving me open just long enough for him to execute a spinning kick to my head. The impact sends me rolling across the ground, though I manage to quickly regain my footing. I bite down the surge of pain, genuinely surprised by his explosive burst of speed and power.
However, that won't happen twice. I shift into a defensive stance, holding Wilt below my waist with knees slightly bent, ready to counter his next move.
Yet that has to wait as the ground beneath us begins to tremble violently and I curse under my breath. I got so caught up fighting this bastard that I completely forgot about the Behemoth being so close. We both leap away as the monster's massive, slime-covered fist crashes down where we stood mere seconds ago and avoids the subsequent explosion.
However, the Behemoth suddenly pivots left and unleashes a roar, charging after Genji, who immediately turns and flees with the enraged beast in hot pursuit.
I release a sharp breath and turn in the opposite direction, heading straight for Penny's crash site. But soon I realize that the distance is greater than I initially thought - she was thrown much further by that explosion. I quickly summon the Solar Surfer again and leap aboard, slamming the accelerator to maximum as I soar toward the impact zone.
Pod better has made progress with those repairs. He has been fixing Nines and 2B for who knows how long. Penny is much less advanced than YorHa androids, after all.
I arrive to find Pod hovering above what's left of Penny. The android girl lies in a crater, her frame mangled almost beyond recognition. Her right arm is completely severed, circuits and wiring dangling uselessly. Deep gashes and tears run across her synthetic skin from head to legs, revealing the complex machinery underneath. Her once pristine combat dress is shredded and scorched, and her chest is partially caved in from the Behemoth's direct punch. She doesn't have legs anymore, while sparks and small arcs of electricity dance across her exposed systems.
"DAMAGE REPORT: COMBAT FRAME INTEGRITY AT 12%. SEVERE STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO 78% OF EXTERNAL PLATING. RIGHT ARM ASSEMBLY: DISCONNECTED. LEFT LEG SERVOS: NON-FUNCTIONAL. POWER CORE CONTAINMENT: DAMAGED BUT STABLE. MOBILITY SYSTEMS: OFFLINE. WEAPONS SYSTEMS: OFFLINE. INTERNAL COOLING: CRITICAL. NEURAL NETWORK: EXPERIENCING SEVERE INTERFERENCE. AURA GENERATION: UNSTABLE. RECOMMENDATION: IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY REPAIRS REQUIRED."
I don't need my Science and Engineering talents to know how bad that is, or that it is a miracle that she is functioning if at all. That has to be her aura at work.
Penny turns her head toward me with visible strain, gears whining in protest. Her normally bright green eyes flicker erratically, one cracked and dim, as arcs of electricity spark from exposed circuitry across her body.
Shit…
Wait. The Body Tune Up!
"We have the same objective. Let me help."
"O-o-oKK-k-bZzt-aaAay..." Her voice glitches violently, producing bursts of static between syllables. "H-h-h-elp... ap-p-prec-c-ciated... kzzzt iT H-huzRztssz"
I quickly summon one of my company stamps and press it against her still-attached hand. The stamp won't instantly heal her, but it should accelerate Pod's repair process significantly. At least I hope so.
"ALERT: NEW REPAIR SOURCE DETECTED. CALCULATING... APPROXIMATELY 3 MINUTES REQUIRED FOR ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY."
"Th-th-thANk y-y-bzzt-youuuu..." Her damaged vocal systems struggle to form coherent words through the static, but I still understand them.
"Save it," I growl, waving my hand dismissively before leaping back onto the surfer and taking off toward the behemoth's last known position.
Three minutes is an eternity in a fight. Too much could go wrong in that short time, and I can only hope no more surprises await us. We've had more than enough of those today.
I spot the behemoth's massive form charging ahead, destroying more trees on its path, and my eyes narrow dangerously as I realize its trajectory - it's heading straight for my forces.
The fucking bastard is leading it right towards them to save his sorry ass.
I quickly gain altitude with the surfer before initiating a steep dive once more and using the gathered momentum to launch myself downward. Drawing my blade as I crash land on the monster exposed back.
Wilt plunges deep into the Grimm's exposed back, where its armor was previously shattered. I twist the blade violently, carving through muscle and bone as much as I can in seconds. I don't think I just act with the full intention of causing pain.
And I achieve good results as the monster's shriek of pain pierces the air as it skids to a complete stop. It begins thrashing wildly, jumping and spinning in an attempt to dislodge me from its back. But I don't resist - wrenching my blade free, I push off just before one of its massive arms could swipe me away.
Once it knows I'm no longer on top of it whirls around and locks its eyes on me before charging straight at me with an explosive punch that I easily jump away. The beast doesn't let up, advancing relentlessly as it slams its fists into the ground. Each impact triggers an explosion, forcing me to maintain my distance while keeping its attention firmly fixed on me.
Which is exactly my objective from the start.
Genji is gone now. While annoying, I cannot focus on him as I have bigger concerns now.
"Ready!" This time it was Asanagi's voice that cuts through the chaos.
They took a lot longer than before.
Is exhaustion creeping in?
I shake my head, dismissing those thoughts, and shout the order.
"Fire!"
Another explosive barrage rains down, but this time the shells find their mark. They strike the Grimm's head with pinpoint accuracy, completely obliterating its skull plate and that dangerous bulbous horn. The behemoth throws its head back with an agonized groan before collapsing heavily to the ground.
For a moment, I think we've actually killed it. But no - it's still alive, making pained whimpers as its legs twitch and flail uselessly against the dirt.
Without thinking it twice I rush toward the downed Grimm, intent on taking out its eyes. Blinding it would cripple its fighting capacity significantly. Even if a wounded beast is dangerous, a blind one is manageable and very predictable.
But halfway there, something hard slams into my right side with crushing force. My combat instincts kick in instantly, muscle memory taking over - I manage to plant my foot, pivot, and kick the ninja bastard away before he can fully pin me down.
I still can't comprehend why he's so hellbent on stopping us. It doesn't make any ounce of sense, not politically, economically, or strategically.
Then it clicks into place like a missing puzzle piece.
Cinder...
Cinder Fall is the leader of the Prometheus group, that I know from searching on the net.
And these mercenaries move on her orders.
Could it be that Cinder is working with Salem in this world as well?
I shake my head violently, dismissing these pointless thoughts. Must focus on survival first.
Our blades meet again in a violent shower of sparks, each of us deflecting and parrying the other's strikes with lethal precision. The sound of steel on steel rings muffling the whimpers of the fallen Grimm. Genji attempts a lightning-fast high kick which I block with my metallic forearm, the impact forcing him to retreat and reassess.
But something shifts in his stance. The ninja adopts a different position, holding his katana one-handed while his other hand forms an unfamiliar, almost mystical gesture. The surrounding air seems to crackle and vibrate with energy.
"Ryujin no ken wo kurae!"
Is that japa-ancient Mistralian?
A spectral green dragon materializes from his back, its ethereal form coiling and dancing around his body and blade like living energy.
That's his semblance.
He launches himself at me with dramatically increased speed and force in strikes, his movements now almost too fast to track even with my enhanced senses. I struggle to keep pace with his attacks, my own expertise barely enough to keep his blade from finding vital points. All the while, the ethereal dragon phases through my body and limbs as we clash - seemingly harmless at first as it dissipates.
Then the pain hits like a truck.
It feels like my insides are being boiled, every cell screaming in agony. I immediately create distance with a desperate leap backward, falling to one knee and clutching my chest as I gasp for air. My vision blurs at the edges, sweat beading under my helmet.
Looking up and pushing through the pain, I get to see the cyborg already assuming that same stance, the spectral dragon manifesting once more to dance around his form. The green glow of both dragon and blade reflect off his damaged visor, creating an unsettling effect.
At this rate, I'm going to lose - his semblance gives him too great an advantage. I grit my teeth, mind racing for a counter before it's too late. There has to be a weakness, a way to turn this around or at least fucking survive.
A blur of white suddenly crashes into the enemy hunter from behind, sending him rolling. As they tumble to a stop raising a big cloud of dirt, when it finally dissipates, I find Winter Schnee straddling him, unleashing a savage barrage of punches that seems jarringly out of character for the usually composed specialist from what I expected from her. She grabs her saber with clear intent to stab him between the eyes, but the ninja manages to kick her off and get away. They both spring to their feet, squaring off against each other.
Winter slightly turns her head, and we exchange a brief glance. In that moment, a silent understanding passes between us - temporary allies against mutual threats.
I give her a curt nod before pushing myself back to my feet, turning my attention to the Behemoth.
The beast has recovered, unfortunately, though I notice its explosive slime has reverted from angry red back to that saturated green color. So it isn't a complete loss.
However, I soon take notice that the Grimm's mouth drips heavily with saliva as it brings both massive hands to its maw. My eyes narrow as I recognize its intentions - it coats its fists with fresh slime, the viscous substance dripping onto the ground. When finished, it locks its blazing red eyes with mine and slams its fists together in a clear gesture to challenge me.
The message is clear - it's not done yet.
I narrow my eyes behind my mask and begin moving laterally, looking for an opening as I try to circle the giant beast.
It takes a few seconds before the behemoth charges forward again, swinging its d fists in wide arcs. I duck under the first swing. A quick sidestep takes me clear of the follow-up strike that craters the ground where I stood.
There is no explosion this time, just the fresh slime splashed everywhere, but it doesn't change the fact that one touch from those fists would end this fight permanently.
I keep moving and weaving between its swings, reading its increasingly predictable pattern. Left hook, right straight, ground slam. Each massive fist whistles past me as I maintain just enough distance to stay out of its reach while keeping its attention. The beast grows more frustrated with each miss, its movements becoming even more erratic.
A particularly vicious swing nearly catches me - I feel the slime spatter against my coat as I leap backward. And I immediately tear off that part of the coat before it detonates with several sharp cracks, leaving smoking charred remains..
That was a little too close to my comfort.
"COMMANDER. UNIT PENNY HAS BEEN PARTIALLY REPAIRED TO ACCEPTABLE LEVELS OF STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY," Pod's voice cuts through my comm, bringing a moment of relief.
I leap back from another of the beast's wild swings, my boots scraping against the earth as I put more distance between us. "Is she capable of firing her main weapon?"
A brief silence follows, only broken by the distant sounds of Winter and Genji's ongoing battle.
"CORRECT. BUT IT WON'T BE A FULL CAPACITY."
Damnit.
I glance toward their position, my mind already formulating a different plan.
My semblance should be able to absorb Penny's energy discharge - the raw power could be enough to end this battle that had dragged on for too long. But with Penny's systems operating at reduced capacity, the energy might not be sufficient for a killing blow.
We need more energy to make up for the deficit…
Then another solution crystallizes in my mind.
"Pod, you too charge your energy beam as much as you can!"
"UNDERSTOOD. COMBAT PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED. BEGINNING ENERGY ACCUMULATION."
Okay, my last plan is set in motion and cannot back out.
With that piece in place, I return my focus to the Behemoth. The monster stands there, its massive chest heaving as it growls and pants. Actual saliva - not the explosive slime - drips from its jaw in thick, viscous ropes, creating small pools at its feet.
However, that sight makes me pause because Grimm are creatures of pure darkness, they shouldn't be capable of that now that I think about. Even so, I quickly shake my head to forget about that because it doesn't matter.
Right now, I need to lure it to the perfect position.
I turn and break into a run, prompting another roar as the beast gives chase. Its exhaustion works to my advantage - its movements are sluggish compared to its earlier speed, each heavy footfall slightly delayed. I carefully maintain a relatively close distance, just far enough to stay safe while letting it believe it's about to catch its prey. The key is keeping its eyes fixed on me until we reach an optimal position for everyone involved.
Penny and Pod finally come into view, and catch sight of both still charging their weapons - Penny's floating array glowing with vibrant green energy while Pod forms a pulsing sphere of yellow light.
"Is it done?!" I shout over the thundering footsteps behind me.
"FIVE!" That's all what Pod says.
But that's all I need to understand him.
Right before the Behemoth lunges with its massive maw, intent on biting my upper half. Which I dodge.
"FOUR!"
I duck and weave around a massive punch, feeling the air whip past me.
"THREE!"
A leap carries me over its whipping tail.
"TWO!"
I bring Wilt up to block another tail strike; the impact reverberating through my arms.
"ONE!"
I plant my foot firmly, angling Wilt and Blush in front of me. This has to work.
This MUSTwork.
"SHOOT ME!" The final order tears from my throat.
They comply instantly. Twin beams of green and yellow energy merge into a single devastating blast aimed straight at me, capable of evaporating me on the spot. I partially unsheathe Wilt, its crimson edge catching the full force of their combined energy attack. The raw power threatens to overwhelm me, pushing me back several feet as my boots dig furrows in the earth. But I hold firm.
I grit my teeth as unprecedented energy courses through me, my semblance greedily drinking it up. The sensation is almost euphoric - a burning, pulsing high, unlike anything I've experienced before.
My entire body begins to glow, radiating crimson light like a small sun.
With tremendous effort, I fully sheathe Wilt and drop into my final stance - feet apart, knees bent, both hands gripping the weapon. As I look at the approaching beast.
I wait, time seeming to slow as the Behemoth bears down on me, its massive jaws spread wide enough to swallow me whole.
Everything narrows to this single moment. I feel the heat of its breath, see every detail of its razor-sharp teeth.
Art done by Vlizz, you can check out the artist works here:
Now.
A roar rips from my throat as the world blazes crimson. Moonslice activates as I draw Wilt in one perfect, devastating arc. Every ounce of absorbed energy, every fragment of my will and strength, channeled into this single, final strike.
My blade connects perfectly, cleaving through the Behemoth's head right at the joints of its maw. Half its skull separates cleanly and falling off, the beast stumbling forward a few more steps before collapsing onto the ground.
No sound, whimper, shrieking.
No movement or even a twitch.
That confirming it is finally dead.
The behemoth is dead.
I fall to one knee, gasping for air, suddenly drained of all strength. Wilt slips from my grip, clanging against the ground as I clutch my burning chest. A wave of bone-deep exhaustion crashes over me, threatening to drag me into unconsciousness. Every muscle screams at me for rest, even if it is just a short nap.
But I can ignore all of that. I don;t care about this because of one single but monumental fact.
I did it.
I fucking did it.
The Behemoth is dead.
I WON.
Even through the crushing exhaustion, I feel a smile spread across my face that erupts into victorious laughter. The sound is raw, almost manic - the release of tension and triumph too powerful to contain inside.
So this is what it feels like.
To win against all odds.
A sharp pain cuts through my chest, forcing me to hit it once before slowly pushing myself back to my feet on trembling legs. Now I need to head back and regroup with my troops and tell them the great news.
Suddenly, Winter bursts through the trees, flying backward before rolling and propelling herself upright. She brings her saber up in a defensive stance, facing the direction she came from. Though she shows no obvious injuries, exhaustion marks her every movement. Her pristine Atlas uniform is torn and filthy, a far cry from its usual immaculate state that they are so proud of.
Moments later, the enemy hunter emerges from the treeline, walking but clearly worse for wear. Pieces of his armor are missing, and his labored breathing echoes through his damaged systems. His grip on his katana trembles visibly, barely maintaining control of the weapon.
Yet rather than fight the ninja smoothly, sheaths his sword before reaching for his belt. He throws something to the ground that explodes into dense smoke, not giving Winter time to react.
When it clears, he vanishes without a trace.
Shame. I wished for him to stay and try to fight and get ripped to pieces.
But I won't try to give chase, and the Schnee neither seems to want to do that as well.
Shaking my head, I move to retrieve Wilt from the ground, my muscles pulsing as I sheathe it back into Blush. Now there is no reason to stay around. I need to leave this place.
Winter suddenly whirls toward me, blade leveled at my chest, her face contorted into a frown but much less furious compared to moments ago. However, her blue eyes widen briefly, the flash of recognition that crosses her features.
She knows. She just deduced who I am.
I don't want to fight her. But I have confidence that I can hold her off until reinforcements arrive, while she probably has nothing in reserve. Or I can use Penny as leverage. Pod is very close to her. He can destroy her just as he easily as he can repair her.
"Do you truly want to do this, Specialist? Don't you have men to tend to? Wasn't this enough death for a single day?" My voice remains calm, trying to appeal to her morality, or what others would call it, her humanity.
Even so, she is a rational woman. At least I believe she is more rational than others.
And my words seem to have the desired effect as her hand trembles. A muscle twitches in her jaw as she grinds her teeth together, her eyes glaring daggers at me.
"So my suspicions were correct." Her voice is ice cold, barely controlled by formality. "Somehow, you escaped."
I won't answer that.
"We are both too exhausted to settle whatever score you think exists between us. But go ahead, make your generals proud and lay down your life for a kingdom that doesn't care as you get torn to pieces by the Grimm." I cross my arms, letting out a low chuckle. "Besides, who will even believe you? Or better question, would they even want to believe you?"
Welcome to Atlas politics Winter. And you know it.
Winter keeps her weapon aimed at me.
"Try it, woman. Go ahead and we will wipe out your forces."
In this particular case, we have the upper hand in every aspect. If Winter acts irrationally, we will destroy them.
Her eyes frantically move around as she is considering my words, but tightening the grip on her sword until her knuckles turn white, clearly struggling to what to do.
Finally, she grunts as she sheathes her saber. "Under the law of common and conventions of warfare in Remnant, I request a truce between our forces to tend our wounded and mutual protection against the Grimm." Each syllable seems to cause her physical pain.
But not like I care about her opinion.
"I see..." I give her a measured nod. "Good thing that you can see reason, Specialist Winter. The Grimm don't discriminate between their prey. But let it be known that on this day our interest aligned. We both don't want a rampaging behemoth in our kinsmen land."
"Shut. Up." She snarls but doesn't do anything else.
Honestly, I am relieved that she didn't want to fight. As mentioned before, I am too exhausted and I don't want to lose more men if I can avoid it.
Winter stays in place taking deep breaths before her eyes suddenly catch sight of Penny's broken form behind me. "Penny!"
She calls out and rushes to the android's side as Pod quickly returns to hover by my shoulder.
"SITUATION REPORT: GRIMM ACTIVITY INCREASING IN SURROUNDING AREAS DUE TO NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF ALL WOUNDED. WHITE FANG FORCES MAINTAINING DEFENSIVE PERIMETER. AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS."
"Thank you. Now return to the skies and keep me updated."
"UNDERSTOOD. ADDITIONAL NOTE: SINGLE ENTITY ESCAPING WEST."
That must be the ninja bastard, but I shake my head, as I already made my mind to not give chase. Winter will definitely report the mercenary group, so their days are counted.
I begin the long walk back to our lines.
The surrounding battlefield is scarred beyond recognition of what a lush green jungle was supposed to look like, craters and scorched earth telling the story of our desperate fight. And the lava already hardened. Leaving a strange burnt smell.
But I keep walking forward.
Eventually I make it back.
"ADAM!" Ilia rushes to my side and offers me a shoulder for support, completely ignoring that she just announced my identity to everyone, but not like it matters now.
Because soon the silence breaks apart into a wave of cheers and triumphant calls of my name.
My soldiers - my people - celebrate not just survival, but victory against impossible odds.
The sound brings a slight smile to my face, hidden behind my mask. They deserve this moment of triumph.
We all do.
Although, I quite like the hero's welcome.
First a special thanks to my supporters! You guys are amazing!
AN: This was difficult to write, I will not lie. And this is supposed to be a small-scale battle. So yes it is a Brachydios that becomes a Raging Brachydios. Tried to make it as dangerous as they actually are and being a grimm it made even worse. Alongwith another surpirse apperance
Either way I hope you like it.
Remember you can read up to two chapters ahead in my and vote which story gets updated first.
Also you can get access to exclusive short stories and a poll to pick the next short story!
So just head my Patr eo n. com (slash) cholotales