Sky-cracking Rider

"Don't let your guard down, the real battle is just beginning!"

The first-rank fire mage, Adrian, had always been the most diligent one in Team 04. Perhaps his white hair was not natural, but rather a result of his hard life.

The fall of the Holy Knight served as a reminder to him that anything unexpected could happen in battle.

At any time, one must pay deliberate attention and prevent tragedies from happening again.

"Received!"

Mouri Misono held her twin swords at the ready, constantly glancing left and right, prepared to strike at any moment.

"Southwest, ground level, 500 meters away, number 377, maximum length 9 meters, minimum 1 meter, insects make up 70%, beasts 30%, mutant companion types present."

The loudspeaker of the artificial intelligence "Adam" issued another warning.

It was only logical that breaches in the city defense would be followed by flying-type mutants over the city and land-based mutants bursting through the gaps.

This battle was going to take a while.

From afar, the uproar of fierce fighting grew as ability users stationed in other areas successively joined the fight, yet they still couldn't stop the seemingly increasing numbers of mutants.

Fighting to the death was not an option; it was a matter of strategic tactics. Everyone understood that they could only rely on the city's terrain and depth to wear down these mutants that were rampaging through the city.

For the Blue Star Global United Defense Committee, as long as they held the essential core areas like zones ABC, which could essentially serve as the main battleground, even if they were terribly damaged, they could be rebuilt just as they were before in no time. At worst, they could cry to the various sovereign funders for a substantial budget.

"Southwest, ground level, distance 100 meters, number 99, maximum length 3 meters, minimum 1 meter, insects 40%, beasts 60%, mutant companion types present."

"Adam" once again reported the mutant intelligence that Team 04 needed to face.

The other ability users tasked with intercepting these mutants were incredibly effective, managing to stop a large majority, and even the largest one didn't have a chance to get through.

"Everyone, prepare!"

After Adrian finished speaking, he immediately began chanting incantations quickly. Firearm attacks led the way, followed closely by spells.

As the captain of Team 04, he launched a major spell to alleviate the pressure on his teammates.

"Don't worry, I've got this!"

Chen Fei jumped down from the mobile base vehicle, "Dragon King" enhancement activated!

Energy Points -5!

Personal Armor Basic Body Level 5, giantization!

Gravity Adjustment Module (1%)

The giantized "Dragon King" Assault-Type Heavy Combat Personal Tactical Armor was almost indistinguishable from a human-shaped combat mobility armor, standing 6 meters tall and weighing 5 tons, yet reduced to 50 kilograms.

Kiterley, a grade-A Metal Elemental Psychic Power user, glanced inadvertently and was immediately dumbfounded.

"Goodness gracious!"

Little brother, do you have to be so fierce?

Looking at his own gear, he suddenly felt incredibly frustrated. Despite both being Metal Elemental Psychic Power users, why could yours be so massive, and I couldn't have that too!

Kiterley couldn't believe that the superpower refined alloy he had finally managed to refine was completely different from the replicated version of the single soldier tactical armor obtained purely with energy points.

Even though the abilities in the same element could differ, so he couldn't even feel jealous despite trying.

Despite being a grade-B psychic, lower than his old brother's grade-A, he possessed dazzlingly various skills that allowed him to freely splurge to the limits of industrial-grade skills. Even if he was envious, it was an envy that couldn't be matched.

"Chirp!"

Little Bird habitually landed on the shoulder of the giantized "Dragon King," curiously pecking around.

Of course, it couldn't make a dent!

"Leave the 3-meter ones to me!"

With a slight shift of his feet, the giantized "Dragon King" magnified his movements and charged forth.

Despite standing a full 6 meters tall, no signs of sluggishness or clumsiness were visible; it was almost as if he were not wearing the tactical armor at all.

The large-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on the top of the mobile base vehicle was leveled, and tracers streaked out, flanking "Dragon King" on either side, covering Chen Fei as he plunged into the swarm of mutants, coming face-to-face with the largest mutant.

Energy Points -1

A thick-edged greatsword materialized, grasped in the hands of the "Dragon King," and without hesitation, it heavily slashed down.

A heavy sword with no edge is a masterwork of simplicity.

With weight adding to its kinetic energy, it sliced through the mutant's body effortlessly like cutting through tofu, with the gleaming blade requiring no edge at all.

A fierce flame burst from the blade's edge.

This thick-edged greatsword, over three meters long, boasted ten engraving units. Chen Fei had carved symmetrically four "Ignition (1)," two "Air Burst (2)," and two "Gravity (1)" on both sides of the blade, using up all ten engraving units.

Boom!~

The "Air Burst" magic array activated immediately, blowing the mutant open along the cut.

"Ignition" + "Air Burst"

The effect was akin to stuffing a shock bomb into the body of the mutant; though there were no shards, the instantly expanding air wave easily shattered the unprotected fragile organs. No mutant could withstand such an internal explosion.

What horrendous destructive power it was.

"Chirp!"

The shoulder-mounted Xiao Jiu laser cannon fired, a pale green beam cutting a mutant trying to sneak attack from behind in half. The beam's momentum did not lessen, inadvertently hitting several nearby mutants, sending limbs flying chaotically.

It remained firmly perched on the "Dragon King's" shoulder, not even thrown off.

The enlarged "Dragon King" turned nimbly, the thick-edged greatsword slashing about, splattering gore everywhere, as the dying roared in agony.

The 360-degree Xiao Jiu laser cannon covered both near and far distances.

The constant ping-ping-pang-pang of gunfire never stopped. Mutants under two meters tall couldn't withstand the direct fire of firearms; their bodies continuously emitted strangely colored bodily fluids as they fell dead along the charge path.

"White Flame Teng Snake!"

Adrian finally unleashed his fully-prepared fire spell after emptying his magazine.

With white flames rising all around, the bucket-thick serpent rolled among the mutants. Wherever the serpent of over ten meters long went, the ground turned scorched, and the mutants directly turned into char.

A-grade Metal Ability User Kiterley and Second Rank Thunder Series War Professional Apu both stood guard at Adrian's front on either side, not letting any mutant get close.

The fierce interception halted the nearly hundred mutants advancing toward the mobile base vehicle within thirty meters; they could no longer move a step further.

The mobile base vehicle's railgun couldn't find a chance to fire, fearing its long range and immense power might affect their own forces. Even if the strike radius wouldn't cover Squad 04, it could easily envelop nearby Ability User teams.

In the unexpected, a stray bullet from the railgun weapon would be quite lethal.

"Kill!~"

Two katanas swung, casting a brilliant light of blades. Mouri Misono moved with the swords, surrounded by sharp edges. No fish that slipped through the net could penetrate the interception zone of Squad 04.

The Ice Crystal Pyramid became a firepower point, with deliberately reserved shooting holes constantly spitting flames. Susanna hid inside, manipulating the machine gun, relying solely on the heat emitted by the barrel during firing to keep warm. The gun, surrounded by cold air, thereby gained a more sustained firepower output.

Earth Mage Ruan Tiankai, while maintaining the defensive position's cover and intercepting the mutants with "Pitfalls" and "Tripping Stones," stealthily activated earth spells. Spikes suddenly emerged, throwing the caught-off-guard mutants into the sky, and then they plummeted down, half-dead, or even impaled directly on the spikes.

Sixteen Constructed Puppet Warriors formed an interlocking fire network, focusing intense bullet showers on those mutants prone to causing trouble.

Mage Lulu'an, stationed at the back line alongside Puppet Master Joshua, constantly chanted incantations, manipulating nearby plants to trip the mutants, preventing so many of them from attacking all at once. This turned Chen Fei and those fully intercepting behind him into a rock stuck in the middle of the mutants.

Even among plants, there were brutally fierce kinds.

Their branches, covered with spikes bearing various toxins, had leaves sharp enough to rival saws, could spray corrosive liquid, and had fruits that could explode with a force comparable to hand grenades. The seeds planted in advance were now sprouting, and while they were not stopping all mutants, they were enough to make densely packed formations drag.

Minutes later, the last mutant was violently stabbed in the skull by A-grade Metal Ability User Kiterley, letting out an unwilling grunt before finally collapsing, drawing its last breath.

A somewhat breathless Adrian pulled out a magic potion, frowning as he downed it. Despite still having more than half of his spiritual power and magic power left, the forthcoming battles were still an unknown, and he had to maintain peak condition to face them.

Taking advantage of a brief recovery, Adrian loudly asked in the direction of the mobile base vehicle, "Adam, are there any more mutants coming?"

He had always thought that "Adam" was inside the mobile base vehicle, acting as the in-vehicle artificial intelligence AI.

Actually, not.

"Adam's" coding was singular and had never been moved.

"..."

Adam didn't respond to Adrian, although both their names started with "Ad."

"Adam, report the intelligence!"

It was Chen Fei who issued the command to "Adam." Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

He had no other tricks. If it didn't listen, he would simply delete it and compile a new obedient one.

If it still didn't listen, he would delete the running log as well, ensuring the next compiled version would absolutely be a naive newbie.

"North, ground, distance 2.1 kilometers, number 332, largest body length 13 meters, smallest 1 meter, insects constitute fifty percent, beasts fifty percent, no accompanying shape-changing mutants."

"West, sky, distance 2.3 kilometers, number 47, largest body length 15 meters, smallest 1 meter, insects constitute ninety percent, beasts ten percent, shape-changing mutants present."

...