Chapter 417. A Step Toward Desolation (4)
-Rumble!-
The Great Allen Ravine.
The giant ravine that had acted as the boundary between the Pompeion Empire and the Neropa Union had long lost its purpose due to the new boundary that was now the giant barrier.
-Whooosh!-
The giant barrier rose up in from between the ravine and into the sky, creating various sounds beneath it, deep within the ravine.
-Oooong!-
A giant tower rose up from below the ravine, but the difference between its size and the ravine’s was so vast that people couldn’t see the tower. However, the tower was actually massive as well.
Next to the tower that was located in an extremely dangerous environment, covered in the heat and pressure that rose up from the Red Jade deep within the planet…
-Whoosh!-
White clouds started to appear, and suddenly…
-Whooooosh!-
… The clouds spread apart as a couple appeared from within them.
The moment they appeared, the surrounding heat and pressure started converging upon their location as if fighting an intruder. It was an environment that the people of Angkara had given up due to its harsh conditions, which even kept the Dragon God Soldiers from being able to work.
However, the couple that had appeared didn’t mind it. They quickly surrounded themselves with reinforcements. If that amount of heat and pressure had been able to damage them, then the tower wouldn’t have been there in the first place.
Samuel, one of the two, frowned as he looked at Kiriel, who had just helped him teleport there instantaneously.
“Damn… That memory reading ability this really is disturbing.”
Who would feel good having someone rummage through their mind?
Kiriel shrugged.
“Nothing I can do. I can only move to places I know.”
“Tsk!”
Samuel continued frowning as he said,
“That… about Mihee. Don’t tell her. I will…”
“I know, I know.”
Was he really worried about a thing like that in a situation like theirs?
“Just confess already.”
Kiriel shook her head at the thought and looked around the area.
‘So, it was in a place like this.’
-Rumble!-
The powerful heat that came up from the Red Jade had covered the surroundings, and Kiriel stared at the giant metal tower that was standing within the flames. It really looked out of place.
If Samuel hadn’t been the one to erect them, it would’ve been really hard to find where those things were. Even if the towers were huge, finding something like that in those vast lands would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
‘But hey, we found it.’
-Oooooong!-
Kiriel continued to look at the giant metal tower that shone brightly within the red flames. Though the size didn’t make destroying it an issue, the thin protective barrier surrounding it did.
Samuel’s complaints could be heard coming from next to her as well.
“Tsk! I thought it would be simple.”
Samuel mumbled at the metal tower.
Destroying the tower itself was easy. However, the protective barrier that was absorbing the energy of the Relic to maintain and sustain itself really got in the way. Though it wasn’t as powerful as the giant barrier, the protective layer seemed as if it was still quite sturdy.
‘With just a three-star… It wouldn’t be enough.’
Not only that, but the moment they attacked it, the three clan heads would be notified. They would rush over there the moment the alarms reached them.
Samuel sighed as he thought up to that point and then looked at Kiriel.
“… This is impossible. Let’s just give up.”
“Stop spouting nonsense. You know what will happen if you give up.”
The moment they gave up, every living creature outside the barrier would burn to death, and Hansoo would be driven deep into the planet’s core.
However, Samuel continued to shake his head.
“I really cannot think of a way. The metal tower’s protective barrier is stronger than I thought.”
They were able to teleport, but the clean heads had access to photon transmission. If the clan heads used the energy that had originally been designated for fighting Pompeion to run the photon transmission, then essentially teleporting the three clan heads would be an easy feat.
It would be more than enough to match Kiriel’s skill.
Maybe if their location wasn’t exposed… But the moment they started to attack a tower, the clan heads would rush over and stop them.
‘Damn! I just need to destroy one, but we don’t have enough people.’
Kiriel clenched her jaw. If someone distracted the clan heads and bought them time, maybe. However, as they were, they were nowhere near enough.
As Kiriel made a tight fist, looking depressed…
-Booooooom!-
… The giant barrier that rose high up into the sky shook.
It was as if the entire land was being broken apart.
-Rummmmbleee!-
The land beneath it reverberated with noise and vibration as the Red Jade went on overdrive, and the barrier cracked apart slowly as the towers that were maintaining it made huge noises and started to shine blindingly.
-Ooong!-
And in the midst of all this, Samuel and Kiriel looked on in disbelief.
‘… What the?’
Even the attacks from the ships hadn’t been enough to shake the barrier, so who could be affecting the barrier to that degree?
‘Who…? Is it him?’
Kiriel turned around and looked past the barrier.
***
-Kuooooo!-
Cracks were appearing on the giant barrier that split apart the earth and heavens.
-Ooooong!-
As the barrier struggled to regenerate the cracks and stabilize…
-Boooom!-
… A red beam cut through the land and smashed against the blue barrier again, a power that was dimensions stronger than a ship’s attack.
If the bright barrier was the shield of the gods, the red beam that smashed against the it was the spear that served to punish them.
And from the end of that spear, a man, who stood on the other side of the barrier, chuckled coldly.
“It doesn’t tarnish the hard work that went into it, haha.”
-Chiiiiik!-
It was the emperor of the Pompeion Empire, Pompeion himself.
The crystal that was being held in Pompeion’s hand shone menacingly red, and from beneath his feet, a giant cannon the size of a city let out smoke as it cooled down.
— Initiating Nano Coolant!
— Relic Overloaded… Twenty-nine seconds left until next available attack!
— … The 114th Zone, 291th Zone have entirely melted away!
Various panels appeared around Pompeion reporting the giant cannon’s status.
The cannon’s name was Gungnir.
Though the cannon looked as if it had been designed to shoot down gods, the current situation wasn’t that good. Smoke rose up from various parts, and the sounds of things blowing up could be heard constantly.
And, as Pompeion frowned at that, the Technorat’s flustered face appeared.
— My lord, there is only one strike left. Though the lord and the Relic are perfectly fine, I don’t think Gungnir can hold on anymore.
“Understood, hurry and prepare.”
Pompeion frowned and then looked toward the bright barrier. The cannon that had cost an entire year’s worth of the Empire’s earnings was breaking down with just two attacks.
Though they had both used a Relic to produce results, unlike the barrier that was slowly recovering itself, the giant spear seemed to have received a large amount of damage.
‘Tsk! Is this the limit?’
The stolen technology seemed to be too much for their capabilities.
Pompeion chuckled as he he said,
“That Neropa… Is it helping me while knowing what that alien is thinking?”
No, Neropa didn’t know. If it had, then it wouldn’t have been helping him like this.
Of course, Pompeion’s question didn’t receive an answer.
‘He’s like a bloody statue…’
Pompeion took a glance at Sangjin, who had been watching the barrier silently, and then refocused.
One attack left.
However, even if he finished the barrier this way, he wouldn’t be able to rest.
“After I deal with this, I need to face him. So, I can only trust you to handle the rest.”
As Sangjin nodded…
-Oooooong!-
… The tremendous energy that seeped out from the Relic under the emperor’s control created a long spear within Gungnir.
And this time, the spear won.
-Booooom!-
The barrier that had been recovering was pierced, a giant hole punched through it. But, it didn’t seem like they had a lot of time.
The barrier continued to regenerate, and the hole dwindled quickly. However, Pompeion didn’t worry. From that point on, things wouldn’t be his responsibility.
“Hurry and go in!”
-Whooosh!-
Sangjin’s shone a bright violet as he quickly flew toward the hole into the Neropa Union.
***
-Boooooooooom!-
“What the…? What’s going on!”
R-Gregorian Nell freaked out as he turned around to the huge noise.
The barrier that split the earth across and rose up into the sky now had a hole in it.
‘… They pierced it?’
But, his shock only lasted a moment.
-Kuduk! Kuuududuk!-
R-Gregorian Nell quickly turned around again to the sounds that occured behind him, and the thing he was supposed to watch over came into view.
At that moment, he realized that the pierced barrier wasn’t the biggest issue.
He remembered his objective, so R-Gregorian Nell quickly activated his visor and shouted,
“Damn! Emergency! Code Red! The strange life form has started to move! I repeat, this is not a drill! Code Red! The strange life form has started to move again!”
His objective: watch over the mountain-like monster and report the moment a changed occurred.
“Dammit! Respond!”
-Kadududuk!-
-Roaaarr!-
R-Gregorian Nell started to cry as he shouted while watching the moving mountain.