Chapter 24. On an Ice Satellite (12)
The terrifying monster tram that was chasing our shuttle with a fierce intensity met its match when it got hit by the black spike it launched, turning the attack back against itself. The broker triggered the self-destruct of the security robots, bringing silence at last.
The creature, devoured by the internal flames, was rendered powerless, unable to even scream.
Kkikikigig...
The monster tram, now silent, slowly faded into the distance. Our shuttle moved forward continuously, while the tram had lost its power and came to a halt.
"Phew..."
"Hyun-woo, you..."
As I gritted my teeth and grabbed my arm, feeling as though my muscles were knotted, the broker looked at me with surprise.
"What's the matter?"
She opened her lips as if she wanted to say something but ultimately chose not to. Instead, she changed the subject.
"... No, it's just surprising that you really did it."
"I was only able to do it because you helped. Otherwise, I couldn't have even tried."
Without the broker's security robots, the idea of throwing the spear wouldn't have even crossed my mind.
'My body moved just as I imagined.'
It might seem obvious, but today felt somehow different. I knew I was stronger than others. However, it was the first time I had mustered all my strength, and for the first time, it felt like I could really succeed.
I never even considered the possibility of missing. A strange, powerful certainty coursed through me. All I did was surrender to that certainty and hurled the black spike like a spear.
As a result, the monster tram met its end, its internal blue crystal shattered, and the self-destruct left its insides fully cooked. It died without even an audible death cry.
"You're pretty amazing—"
"Let's talk later. It's not over yet."
After asking the broker to close the rear door, I turned towards the cockpit. We had only dealt with the monster tram; the creatures clinging to the shuttle had yet to be taken care of.
I cast my gaze towards Nadia and those around her, working together to fight. Though I said we were working together, in truth, Nadia, Eric, and Carry were doing most of the fighting. The others weren't offering much help.
I picked up a plasma cutter. Fighting with a black spike was possible, but not a wise decision. We still didn't understand its full effects; I'd had enough of taking risks. The plasma cutter was formidable in close combat, even if it wasn't designed for this purpose; unlocked, it was quite the effective weapon.
Whoooo!
Wind rushed in through the cracked shuttle door. The rapidly passing scenery included creatures dripping ooze. They clung tenaciously, seemingly desperate to avoid falling.
As the creatures swayed, the shuttle rocked precariously, like a bridge on the verge of collapse.
The man controlling the shuttle with near acrobatic skill shouted out.
"Hey! Get rid of those creatures quickly! Their movement's throwing us off balance! Once is fun, twice I'm over it!"
Stunned by his attitude, which prioritized thrill over danger, I momentarily stood flabbergasted by such concern. Then, from the opposite scene I witnessed earlier, I stabbed forward with the plasma cutter.
The energy surged through the air with a blue afterglow, severing the arm of the creature that threatened Eric. The scorching heat of the cut boiled, the smell of flesh cooking wafted in.
"Hyun-woo!"
Seeing me meant that the monster tram threat was eliminated. Nadia's face brightened visibly, her previously drooping tail wagged spiritedly. She seemed uninjured at least.
Eric widened his eyes, asking, "Did you get it?"
"We were lucky. We lost a lot of robots."
Only three security robots remained. Considering we had over ten at the start, the losses were significant.
Noticing my assessing glance around, Eric spoke up.
"Well, we can breathe a little easier now. Apologies for the quick ask, but it seems there's no time to rest yet."
He held up an empty magazine. It seemed he'd run out of ammo while fighting the endless creatures.
Eric carried a spark-emitting military saber instead of tools like Nadia and I. Its surface was grimly splattered with flesh chunks, looking quite fierce.
【Kiyaaaak!】
"Hyaaak...!"
Instinctively, Nadia's fur bristled, and she screamed as a hideous creature tried to force its way in. She then scorched its face with a tool. Carry followed up with a multipurpose laser blast to finish off its face.
Severing the weaker joint area, the creature clinging to the shuttle dropped into the landscape. The lingering echo of its scream was the only trace it had existed.
Their seamless coordination left me momentarily speechless, making me think perhaps this situation wasn't as desperate as I had assumed.
Reading my thoughts, Eric spoke up.
"We're all quite exhausted. Those who are spent should step back, especially those less suited to combat."
Instantly, I understood Eric's point. He wasn't just referring to Nadia; it was about most of the group except a few.
Experience had taught me that letting your guard down for even an instant could be dangerous. Combat was as serious as any operation, requiring constant focus. Accidents happen when you grow complacent.
Many in our shuttle were closer to non-combatants. A handful of us, including me, continued to defend as best we could, but the others frankly weren't much help.
It wasn't about blaming them. Everyone has their strengths; they will prove invaluable outside combat one day.
That's when the broker, who had closed the rear door, tapped me.
"Where are you going in such a rush? The shuttle's not that large. Hyun-woo, you should rest. You're injured."
"What? Hyun-woo, you're hurt?!"
Nadia's eyes widened in panic as she checked my arm. Her inspection was so thorough I couldn't even pull my arm back. As I tried to dismiss it nonchalantly, I broke into a cold sweat, meeting her teary eyes and pursed lips.
I had kept quiet to avoid this exact situation. My efforts to keep it under wraps had been for nothing.
As Nadia swiftly removed my protective gear and tried to administer mid-rank meds, the final three security robots took their positions.
Eric's expression grew complex watching the robots fend off approaching creatures with shockwaves.
"I didn't expect you to help."
"Don't flatter yourself. It's not about helping you. Just— well, never mind."
The broker hesitated, glancing at me and Nadia before heading towards the cockpit.
"Roxy, how much further?"
"We're almost past Zone D. A little more and we can exit—whoa."
The man named Roxy suddenly shouted in surprise. The broker, puzzled, looked at the external camera feed. Her demeanor shifted instantly.
Instead of frustration, she appeared urgent. Her urgency likely would've pushed us, if not for the amused smile on Roxy's lips.
"Boss, you know my style? I don't dodge these. Not that I could if I tried."
"Are you out of your mind?! Start dodging right now! Why are you smiling...?"
"I'm telling you, I can't dodge. Might as well give it a shot, huh?"
The broker's face turned pale, her already fair complexion growing ghostly white—a clear sign of trouble.
"Hold on to something! We're gonna crash!"
"... Crash?"
Through the open shuttle door and the broker's path, I glimpsed the external camera feed showing debris blocking our path at the end of the track.
Maybe they were remnants of some attack by pureblood supremacists, but a massive ruin had crumbled onto the path. Once we grasped the situation, we inhaled sharply, bracing ourselves.
【Alert: All armaments and auxiliary armor have been detached.】
"Don't fret, no crash, okay!"
【Caution: Engines are overheating. Output becoming unstable. Temporary shutdown error potential high. Contact the maintenance team immediately.】
"Sorry, looks like we're gonna crash! Shouldn't have detached the auxiliary armor!"
"Roxy—!"
"Haha! Don't be mad! Even if we die, I'll be the first!"
The dopamine addict laughed, pulling the control stick with all his might. The armor shed, the now lighter shuttle stopped scraping along the track, briefly lifted, then plunged as the engines sputtered and died.
Debris loomed within reach in an instant. I rushed to steady myself and grabbed Nadia. Carry, the robots, and those amongst the crew quickly magnetized themselves to the shuttle.
In slow motion, I saw Roxy laughing wildly, the front of the shuttle disintegrating horrifically, people who lost their grip being hurled out into the open, and Celestia and Eric anchoring belts to the walls from their suits.
"... Must be expensive."
The thought that it had so many functions crossed my mind—a completely inappropriate thought for the situation. Mysterious blue eyes, captivating enough to entrance a person, turned toward me. I couldn't read what was hidden within them. And yet, for some reason, they felt strangely familiar.
I saw the creatures, clinging stubbornly, burst into bits from the impact, leaving streaks of blood across the shuttle fuselage. Right before—
Boom!
A loud noise thundered in, plunging the interior into chaos. My vision flickered, shutting in and out.
Each time my consciousness flickered, I was on the floor, then on the ceiling, and then back on the floor again. The only sensations I could barely register were that someone had collided with me, that I'd lost my balance and fallen, and that a shuttle, unable to resist its own inertia, had been flung outward.
The shuttle that escaped—no, was ejected through Exit 5 of the residential block—let out a scream as it briefly hovered in the air, then crashed straight into the icy ground near the district. Just like its name: Caliburn.
***
Roar...!
White ice particles billowed up like dust, engulfing the shuttle. The cold wave of particles swept all its fragmented pieces.
The snow-covered ground wasn't exactly soft, but it cushioned the impact somewhat. Sliding a long distance as if on a sleigh, the shuttle finally halted before a huge ice boulder.
Damaged so severely, it seemed impossible anyone survived. Yet, soft knocking could be heard from the battered shuttle door.
Thud...
Though creaky, it was too mangled to open. Minute noises came from inside, gradually crescendoing.
Thud... Thud!
As the saying goes, the stoutest tree will fall to repeated blows. Even a seemingly impenetrable door finally gave way under greater force. After a short while, bang! the door flew off.
"Whew—!"
Nadia emerged, poking her head out like a small animal. With a vigorous shake, she cleared her snow-dusted head.
After a tiny sneeze, Nadia exclaimed with a sniffle.
"We made it!"
It had been quite the harrowing escape.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
They just couldn't catch a break, can they?