Chapter 123: One Shot

Giliath demands your power stones! Let's try getting above 500 again!

*

Back on our side...

With the coast clear, I could now be seen standing next to Fie leaning against some rocks, still feeling blood pumping from the battle we just had. Across from us now stood Sara, Tal, Iseria and Marty, as well as several other Jaegers clad in purple armor who were trying to catch their breath right now. Even though we only fended off the first wave, the battling was already intense.

Several dead bodies laid around us. One would think the smell of gunpowder would linger in the air, but it was mostly the smell of their blood that was wafting around our noses right now.

That's one of the beauties of Zemuria. The age of gunpowder and fossil fuels that were popular in my past life were long gone over here. I smelt no burnt gunpowder. Thanks to the Orbal Revolution led by the Epstein Foundation over forty years ago, orbal energy became the norm, and it is years apart from how gunpowder and other fuels worked. It is a much cleaner source of energy.

With that said, we were currently taking a breather.

In the distance on top of one of the stone crags, I saw Emma and Claire chatting away with each other. Large puffs of smoke burst forth from Emma's rifle after that one shot, but it appeared no damage had come her way.

During this time, I activated my Vermillion eyes. Those more experienced in battle were able to detect this subtle shift as a vermillion hue wrapped around my golden irises. Fie also blinked at me, seeing my eyes change.

"That's pretty cool. What does that do?", Fie decided to ask.

"Haha. Lot's of things.", I replied to Fie, only to start looking around. To get a better view of the area, I jumped up on one of the rocks that were near us, going up several feet.

"I can sorta see why the Boss placed you in one of our scouting squads along with me now.", Fie responded as I started to look toward the beyond. More close toward the roads to where the trees laid, and the large military gate in the distance.

It didn't take long before I saw many hidden figures hiding away behind the trees and shrubs. Many of them wore armor clad in black, along with armor clad with red. To which I could only assume they were Nidhoggr and the Red Constellation.

My eyes shifted toward the front of the forest as I immediately spotted a towering figure speaking to a fancy armored figure clad in back with an orbal assault rifle on them.

The moment I spotted this towering figure, I immediately frowned. I haven't seen this person in quite some time...

Fie also noticed that I frowned, and spoke out to me.

"What do you see, Phoenix?", Fie asked me, seeing my worry.

"The War God is here.", I said, raising my voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Some blinked at me while disbelief appeared in other's eyes. Even Talion's eyes burst out in surprise.

"Are you shitting me? You're telling us that bastard is here? Red Constellation's vice-commander?", Talion asked, letting out a curse.

"I'm afraid so.", I said, nodding my head as I continued to observe the two's movements. I started to look around again. Seeing that the War God himself was here, I expected the worst, considering how bloodthirsty he can get during battle. What I wanted to find out was to see if a certain someone decided to tag along with him.

However, after another moment or two, I could not find the person in question I was trying to locate, which only confused me even more.

"It seems the Red Reaper ain't here. Just the War God along with Nidhoggr.", I continued to say to the rest.

"The Red Reaper...I haven't seen him partake in any battles lately when us Northern Jaegers clashed against the Red Constellation.", Marty said, which drew my attention to him.

"You guys have fought the Red Constellation before?", I decided to ask.

"Once or twice. They wreak havoc wherever they go and leave no one alive. We're going to be in for a hell of a run tonight if what we just fought were only their scouts. And on a side note, you're able to observe quite the distance away. Kinda makes me jealous, heh.", Marty replied with a grin.

"Haha, thanks. These eyes can do a lot of things, but they definitely are quite beneficial to help scout the area out.", I said, only to shift my eyes back to the forest to where Nidhoggr and the Red Constellation lay in wait. I saw what appeared to be Nidhoggr's Commander chatting away with each other.

Letting my eyes wander around them, it took a good second to get a clear picture of a rather small figure compared to the two tall men. She was a small fiery red haired girl with armor on that revealed a lot of her skin. My eyes blinked seeing this girl, who seemed to be around Fie's age.

To think I would come across this person so early...Now it makes sense as to why I could not find Randy here at all.

That's because in his place was his cousin. The War God's daughter no less. Shirley Orlando.

Was it fate for us to cross paths before the start of the games? In being a Jaeger, the chances were rather high, especially since I was with Zephyr. Zephyr and the Red Constellation were known rivals.

I could only shake my head a bit seeing Shirley stay silent as she watched Nidhoggr's Commander and the War God chat away with each other.

This chatting lasted for a few moments, before I saw Nidhoggr's Commander reveal a signal. Several trees shook in response, before I saw a whole bunch of figures clad in black retreat beyond the forest, only to depart in the shadows, likely to the next village. In its path they were heading to laid the capital, Haliask.

"Nidhoggr's moving. It looks like this place wasn't there only target tonight.", I concluded seeing many of Nidhoggr's squad depart.

"Hoho, so that's what these bastards are playing at, eh?", A rather aged voice suddenly reached our ears. Sara was the first to react as I detected many presences reach our peripheral from behind.

Among the first to arrive was a Jaeger not clad in purple armor but one of blue. And yet those around him treated him with respect. Of the groups that were arriving, he was one of the older figures, and his helmet could be seen taken off. His hair was already aged white too, but still sported a white mustache.

"You made it, Papa!", Sara said seeing the aged figure jump down next to us, along with several other Jaegers clad in purple armor.

"No thanks to you no less, my daughter. It was thanks to your speed we were able to get here to fend off the first wave from Nidhoggr's and the Red Constellation's attacks. But Phoenix, did you say that Nidhoggr is splitting up?", The aged man asked me, causing my eyes to shift toward him with a nod.

"That's right, Colonel Valestein. I saw Nidhoggr's commander take several squads with him, but the War God's staying here.", I said, answering the old man who arrived as Sara's lips bloomed into a smile.

"Tch. Looks like our doubts were confirmed, Colonel.", A person clad in purple armor said, next to him.

"It's not like we didn't take any action on that front at least, Rogan. We came here knowing that we are to provide backup. The rest of us have the home advantage back in the capital. That route is far more secure than over here.", A third older voice said, who also had his helmet off. He was also an aged man much like the first man was.

"Man, I didn't think the Colonel himself along with two Captains would come to give us backup. You guys came at a good time too. The next wave hasn't started yet.", Marty said, giving a welcome to the many figures that arrived here.

"I don't see the Boss or our guys with you Northern Jaegers. I'm guessing he stayed?", Fie asked as she remained beside me beneath the large rock.

"That's right, Sylphid. Thanks to the intel from earlier we were able to divert some of our forces. The Jaeger King and his squads are going to intercept Nidhoggr back at the capital while we are to hold the line here. We mustn't let the Red Constellation break the line here. If they do, it's a straight shot to the capital.", The man called Colonel Valestein responded

"It's just getting more and more messy, isn't it?", Talion responded clicking his tongue a bit. Hearing that, the armored Jaeger named Rogan revealed a grin.

"Heh, if we can't do this much then we can't be called Jaegers for nothing. Holding the line is what we're good at doing. We'll send these bastards straight to Gehenna. Besides, I always wanted to one up the Red Constellation after our couple of previous clashes.", Rogan retorted Tal.

"You do realize that I said the War God is here right?", I couldn't help but ask, hearing Rogan's demeanor.

"Hah? And who the hell are you supposed to be, brat? I'm surprised they let a kid like you stand on a battlefield.", Rogan retorted, seeing a violet haired boy standing on top of a rock not too far away, looking back at him. He also saw a white haired girl who was even younger than me. Fie looked at him as if he was a piece of dirt. The look in Fie's eyes caused an anger mark to appear on Rogan's eyes.

However, before I could respond back to this person named Rogan, Sara quickly spoke out to him.

"Cut the crap, Rogan. We paid Zephyr to assist us in this fight, and that's what they're doing. If you got any complaints you can take your sorry ass back to the capital. And for your record, the guy who you just called a brat is one of Zephyr's Captains.", Sara retorted with an angry voice herself.

"This brat is a Captain?", Rogan retorted back, observing the the violet haired boy again. "They sure do let anyone join Zephyr nowadays, don't they?", Rogan continued with a scoff in his tone. However, before Fie could respond back at him, I revealed a smile.

"Haha, you definitely seem to be full of yourself for being a Captain as well, Rogan, was it? Tell you what, I have a proposition.", I decided to say, which drew the rest's attention onto me.

"Oh? It sounds like you have something in mind, Phoenix.", Colonel Valestein said with an interested look. I nodded back at him to confirm.

"I do. I can deliver a large blow to the Red Constellation's forces. All I need is a little bit of preparation.", I proposed, only to have Rogan look at me with a disapproving look.

"You might excel in combat but what can a brat like you do by himself to deliver such a large blow to our enemy?", Rogan said with a scoff.

Hearing that, I just smiled back at Rogan without answering him. Instead I spoke out but not to anyone who was standing here beside me.

"Emma, I'm going to use that.", I spoke out. Seeing no one respond for a second, a few of the Jaegers just blinked at me, confused. Yet some turned wide-eyed, hearing a voice of a girl speak out.

"...Are you sure, Naoto?", Emma's voice suddenly resounded around us, causing the older Jaegers to garner more interest at the sudden voice. They started to look around, only to spot two figures far off in the distance, but Emma's voice sounded as if she was right beside me.

"Yes. I need your mana supply. You'll assist me, won't you?", I continued to ask, ignoring everyone.

"Understood. I'll be down there in a moment.", Emma's voice responded. After Emma responded, our line cut off. Further beyond on the crag in the distance, the plum haired armored girl turned toward Claire again, only to speak out to her.

"I'll be heading to where Naoto is, Miss Claire. Please do not move around.", Emma said to Claire.

"Eh?", Claire tried to respond, only to see Emma lay down her rifle. She then took out a staff, causing more surprise to reach Claire's eyes. "...Is that a staff?", Claire decided to ask, but Emma didn't respond to her. Emma only raised her staff upward. Claire then saw a blueish aura wrap around Emma's body.

In the next moment, Claire found herself being teleported from her current spot, causing her to become wide-eyed. The two vanished from on top of the crag, only to reappear right next to me.

Seeing Emma and Claire arrive beside me, many of the purple Jaegers turned wide-eyed in surprise as well.

"The hell?', Marty tried to retort. "Weren't the two of you all the way over there?", Marty continued to ask.

"I'm ready, Phoenix.", Emma answered, ignoring Marty's question.

"Good. As for you Rogan, I'll show you what what I can do.", I responded, revealing a grin. Rogen only clicked his tongue a bit but stayed quiet. Seeing that, I turned toward Colonel Valestein and spoke to him.

"I need a few moments to prepare my attack. Can you guys make sure no one gets close to me?", I asked.

"Hoho, that we definitely can do. You heard the lad, guys! Go to your positions!", Colonel Valestein issued. In no time did the Jaegers move out, each taking over an area around us. Seeing this, I nodded.

As for Talion, Iseria, Marty, Sara, and Fie, they watched on with interest, along with Colonel Valestein, Rogan, and the other aged man with them.

"Come.", I simply said, only to punch out into the air. The other Jaegers watched on, not expecting much to happen. However, in the next moment, the air started to crack around where I moved my arm to. Similar to McBurn calling out Angbar, the space around me began to distort, only to reveal a crack of darkness hidden away. In the next moment, I took out Verbrannteis, revealing a pitch black obsidian bow.

Without any words, I activated my mana, and the obsidian bow started to grow in size, up by a notch or two, becoming much larger than a standard longbow. I then took my stance, only to look back at the forest where the Red Constellation laid.

Pulling back on Verbrannteis, a mana arrow began to form in its notch. My mana started to rapidly drain as the mana arrow continued to condense and take shape. Ignoring everyone's surprise, Emma acted swiftly, and began to use her own mana as a backup unit to mine after placing her hand on my back.

As I began to launch my attack, back inside the forest...

The War God continued to talk to his daughter, Shirley Orlando for a bit, telling her it was not quite yet ready to launch their next attack. His squads remained in waiting for the right time. However, it didn't take long for the War God to sense a change in the air.

"This feeling...", The War God uttered softly, drawing Shirley's attention seeing a somewhat serious expression appear in his eyes.

"Daddy?", Shirley couldn't help but ask with a look of interest. The War God then looked down at her.

"Go take cover in one of the trees, Shirley. The enemy is attacking.", The War God said to her.

"Seriously? The distance is several hundred arge away!", Shirley exclaimed.

"Heh. I haven't felt this way in a good minute. They're taking the battle to us and if its a battle they want, it'll be a goddamn battle they get!", The War God said, letting out a laugh. Shirley then became shocked once more, seeing the War God grab his axe, only to let out a fiery battle aura.

The War God then pointed toward the rocky terrain with his axe. "Come, I'll take on whatever you throw at me, bastards!", The War God exclaimed, letting his battle aura soar around the nearby trees.

Seeing an attack was immanent and her father's excited look, Shirley took her squad and retreated behind the trees, waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack of her own...