Chapter 18 Chapter 18: Facing the Catastrophe, We Are Not Helpless!
Chapter 18: Facing the Catastrophe, We Are Not Helpless!
MANTIS?
No, their technology is far from that mature.
Instead, it seems more like forcibly combining those fragments with humans to borrow their power.
"Kevin, is the battle over?"
Pozëmka popped out from behind Kevin, her pink wolf ears twitching slightly. However, her little face showed little worry; she believed Kevin could protect her.
That's right, during this entire process, she had been hiding behind Kevin. By now, she had gained quite some experience with such situations.
Don't make a sound, don't run around, don't cause trouble, and hide obediently.
These were the four key points she had summarized.
"No, not yet."
Kevin looked into the distance. His exceptional eyesight allowed him to see nearly seven dark figures speeding toward their location, about two kilometers away. It wouldn't take them long.
It was likely reinforcements from those in black coats—not a difficult guess.
However, more than that, perhaps he needed to worry about something else.
——
"Third squad has lost contact. Repeat, third squad has lost contact."
"Preliminary suspicion: all have been annihilated. Primary mission: surround and eliminate the target that wiped out the third squad. Secondary mission: recover the Evil Fragment pieces carried by the third squad."
A cold command came through the earpiece, though the person issuing it couldn't completely hide a trace of surprise in their tone.
Four Imperial Guards could sweep through a settlement—this was absolutely not an exaggeration; if anything, it was a kind of understatement.
If willing, every Imperial Guard was a walking "source of contamination." Under the influence of their "Nation," it was fatal to most people.
Apart from the threat of the "Nation," the Imperial Guards' own martial prowess placed them among the very best in all of Ursus. After all, they were selected from the most elite and resolute officers within the army groups.
It was hard to imagine what kind of person could annihilate the third squad in such a short time.
Given Ursus's current national strength, losing three Imperial Guards at once was undoubtedly quite painful. Regardless of perspective, the situation needed to be confirmed.
"Halt."
Suddenly, the leading Imperial Guard stopped, raising his left hand. The seven-member Imperial Guard squad instantly halted.
"Number Twenty-One, why have you stopped?"
The commander in the earpiece asked with some confusion.
"Catastrophe. Preliminary assessment: medium-scale or above. Requesting permission to take cover."
From beneath theseam of the Imperial Guard's helmet, a pair of crimson eyes slowly gazed toward the horizon. There, thick Catastrophe clouds were gathering, almost blotting out half the sky.
A dangerous aura wantonly leaked out, like a volcano lying dormant yet ready to erupt at any moment.
And that direction happened to be exactly where they were headed.
With the Imperial Guards' skills, they could withstand and traverse some small-scale Catastrophes. But a medium-scale or larger Catastrophe could truly be called a "force of nature"!
Even the Imperial Guards dared not casually expose themselves to suchharsh conditions. After all, no one knew what might fall from the sky.
"Signs indicate escalation to large-scale. Requesting permission to take cover."
The dense Catastrophe clouds gathered more and more. The leading Imperial Guard requested again.
If the commander insisted, out of a soldier's duty, they would obey orders and traverse the Catastrophe. However, regarding the outcome, the leading Imperial Guard didn't think a total wipeout would benefit Ursus.
"Tsk, Ursus expletive, why now of all times?!"
"Huff~ All squads, mission temporarily suspended. Seek cover andavoidthe Catastrophe. After the Catastrophe ends, resume mission."
The commander deeply exhaled a stifled breath and ultimately compromised.
Under a large-scale Catastrophe, an Imperial Guard squadforcibly breakinging through would have only one outcome: death.
Facing a true Catastrophe, humanity remained helpless.
——
"Catastrophe?!"
Pozëmka followed Kevin's gaze. Thick, gloomy Catastrophe clouds blotted out the sky and sun. A pervasive sense of oppression enveloped her heart.
Compared to that boundless expanse of Catastrophe clouds, the black ice field formed during Kevin's earlier battle was merely a tiny corner.
Her expression became somewhat panicked.
"So this is what you call a 'Catastrophe.'"
Kevin sensed an aura almost identical to that of the Originium on the ground from those heavy dark clouds.
"Kevin, we need to find a place to take shelter!"
"I remember there's a mountain behind us that can help block it."
Pozëmka instinctively grabbed Kevin's sleeve and said gravely.
Along their journey, even amidstthe blizzard, she had carefully observed their surroundings. In her memory, about a kilometer back in the direction they came from, there was a not-too-tall mountain.
That should be enough for the two of them toavoidthe Catastrophe. This was also the only thing she could do.
"Kevin?"
Seeing that Kevin showed no intention of leaving at all, Pozëmka felt puzzled and somewhat anxious in her heart.
"Pozëmka, I don't know how exactly you define this so-called 'Catastrophe'..."
Kevin gently removed her hand from his sleeve. His calm gaze actually gave her heart an almost absurd sense of reassurance.
Snow was swirling. The beautiful snowflakes turned bitingly cold, striking faces with points of cold hardness.
Wind was howling, sweeping up snow dust from the ground. The entire world seemed blown backward by this northern gale.
"But for me—no, for 'us'..."
The long tails of his coat were blown backward. Two magnificent firearms manifested in Kevin's hands.
The hair on his forehead was swept aside, revealing those azure eyes like the sky.
"Facing a Catastrophe..."
The Catastrophe clouds pressed closer. An eclipse-like shadow gradually enveloped the land beneath Kevin's feet. All things, living or not, seemed to tremble under thisdark cloud.
Under Pozëmka's astonished gaze, the Judgement of Shamash's Herrscher of Fire core was perfectly assembled. A greatsword blazing with flames manifested! Under this boundless shadow, it resembled the last wisp of flowing fire representing hope!
"...We are not helpless!"
The wave of heatrushed towards herforced Pozëmka back several steps. The millennia-old permafrost snow on this northern plain continuously melted under the high temperature, revealing the black soil beneath the snow layer.
With every step Kevin took on that land, he left behind an orange-red scorching footprint. As it once again fought alongside its most compatible wielder, Judgement of Shamash transformed, unleashing its true form!
JUDGEMENT OF SHAMASH!
"'Old' friend... long time no see."
The blade of JUDGEMENT OF SHAMASH glowed faintly as if in response.
A hint of relief and an almost imperceptible smile appeared in his eyes. Then he raised high this sword that spanned civilizations.
A terrifying blizzard churned heaven and earth. Overwhelming Originium chunks fell like meteors toward Kevin's location.
Nature was furious! Roaring! To strangle this usurper!
"Judgement of Shamash—Unsheathe!"
The greatsword swung down.
Asky-scorchingtorrent of flames erupted! The blazing sword light ignited the entire sky! The world-savingCalamity Flamesfinally displayed its true form and terror upon this land!
BOOM! The sky split open under this strike!
TheCatastrophe clouds that filled the skysplit in two! Wind and snow melted! Originium was incinerated into ashes by theTerrifying Flames!
The world-saving firelight dyed red every witness—whether Pozëmka nearby or the dumbfounded Imperial Guards.
Thedark cloudscompletely dispersed! Sunlight falling upon everyone again seemed to proclaim the purest meaning of that world-saving sword!
This is humanity'sstruggle!
This is humanity'swill!
And it is a miracle belonging solely to humanity!
ITS SO PEAKK