The closer he got, the more intense the pressure became; it felt as though the air itself was weighing down on him from all sides. Vision began to blur, his head throbbed, his bones ached—it was a matter of time before he''d be a red mist.


    He raised his hand, attempting to throw his dagger, but he could no longer move his arm downward. Like a ma, his fist was being kept pointed at the [World].


    The tears from his eyes were siphoned; moisture from his mouth was pulled away, even feeling his blood pulsate in his body towards the sphere. It was bing impossible to breathe, as even oxygen was pulled from his lungs.


    As the vibrations intensified, echoing throughout his body, he readied himself–


    ["Phantom Retreat"] [0:09]


    The exact moment he forcibly moved himself back several meters as a shade, he flexed his arm:


    ["Orcish Boost"] [4:59]


    ["Supercharge"]


    He pushed his physical strength to its limits, cing everything in his right arm before tossing his dagger directly down. Enough power wasmitted to ovee the gravitational pull, shooting his weapon towards the street–


    ["de Warp"] [Mana: -100] [4500/4600]


    Catching his de, he blinked from the sky down to the torn streets below, having to roll across the concrete sidewalk. He caught himself on his knee, rising to his feet as he looked up just as the disastrous sphere emitted a groan–


    ''Here ites–!'' He thought.


    Up above, another orbital ring of debris was turned to ammunition for the hostile orb in the sky. He readied himself, though found himself with very few defensive options against yet another round of the projectile storm–


    "Fire!"


    Amanding shout rang throughout the asunder city as he found the sky filled with the giant, ck-steel mechanical pilots.


    ''Radegast units–? About time!'' He realized.


    The squadron of mechs intercepted the release of transonic debris as dozens of tiny, fast-moving missiles were released from each of the Radegasts. Each of the explosive rounds shed with waves of the high-speed rubble, not letting a single piece break through the resulting explosions.


    Seeing a counterattack tore away the veil of hopelessness, setting a fine reminder that he wasn''t alone.


    As he watched the lethal rubble be blown to smithereens in the air, the ground beside him rumbled as he looked over.


    The wind pushed at his hair as it pulsated like that of an aircraftnding near him. One of the giant, ck-steel mechanical suitsnded just a few meters to his right.


    ''A Radegast?'' He looked up at it.


    The tinted visor on its head retracted, revealing the one piloting it; a dark-skinned man with messy, brown hair.


    ["Sleuth Status"]


    [Name: Arnold] [Level: 36] [ss: Ranger]


    "You''re Finn Hawkthorne, correct?" The mech pilot asked from above.


    "Yeah, that''s me," he answered.


    "Nikko sent a message to you, but it likely wasn''t received," the pilot said.


    Only then did he realize to check his pockets, taking out the phone that was given to him. It had slipped his mind, though this was the exact situation as for why Nikko gifted him the device.


    As he tapped the screen awake, it showed a clear message at the top: "NO SIGNAL."


    "Right, you wouldn''t have been able to receive it anyway. Allmunications are down—the handiwork of one of the enemies," the pilot informed him.


    "Don''t tell me…It''s not just those two, is it?" Finn asked, already suspecting the answer.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Clear sweat dripped from the chin of the Radegast pilot, who nodded his head, "ording to our intel, there''s already four within the city. It''s likely more may converge. That''s why it''s important—the request Nikko has for you."


    "I''m not going to like this, but go ahead," Finn listened.


    What was presented to him were not the words from the mouth of Arnold, but the giant hand of the mech presenting a message ryed from its speakers:


    ["It seems the apocalypse has weed itself to our doorstep. Now, if you want to run or hide, I would suggest running—there may be nowhere left to hide soon enough. However, if you want to stay and fight—chances are, we''ll all die—but even so, if you choose so…I need your help.


    The Moon is disrupting allmunications with its gravitational emissions. As it stands, ny percent of my devices were jammed–our forces are being suppressed. At this rate, New Moscow will be turned to dust within just an hour–unless the Moon is dealt with–"]


    The pre-recorded message was cut off abruptly, though what was being asked was clear to Finn as he pondered for a moment amidst the battered streets.


    "He''s asking me to confront the Moon…Can''t a guy catch a break?" Finn breathed out, feeling exhausted just at the thought of the uphill task given to him.


    "As the message said, you''re not obligated to assist us. If you need an escort out of the city, then–" Arnold offered from the cockpit of his Radegast.


    "I know what he said. Looks like I''m stupid enough to jump into the heat, though," Finn begrudgingly admitted.


    It almost felt like a sick joke to him that this was even a discussion, as the whole city seemed to tremble beneath the chaotic forces at y.


    The air smelled of ash and bleach; sediment trickled down like snowfall.


    "Where am I heading?" Finn asked, looking up at the towering mechanical pilot.


    The man in the cockpit of the Radegast wore a smile before bringing the mechanical arm to point up to its right shoulder, "Hop on. I''ll give you a ride."


    Finn stood there for a moment before epting the gesture, hopping onto the extended, steel hand. A quick few jumps brought him up to the shoulder of the Radegast, leaning his hand against its head.


    "Hold on tight!" Arnold called out before the helmet of the mechanical suit closed itself.


    "Right!—" Finn responded.


    Quickly, the wind changed as he found himself brought into the air as the Radegast took flight.


    "We''ll need to move fast to avoid being pulled into that thing''s orbit up there—turning on Hermes boosters!" Arnold''s voice emitted from the mech.


    Finn kept a hold of a grip on the steel giant''s shoulder, bracing himself before it shot forward between buildings.


    To call it a rollercoaster would be an understatement, finding the humanoid mech flying through the streets with jet-like swiftness.


    While it was always a childlike dream of his to ride on a mech, it was the sort of fantasy he never expected toe true. With how his cheeks went numb and the moisture was drying from his eyes, the experience was certainly better in fantasies than reality.


    Intercepting their path through the evacuated sector of the city, a bright-orange sh expanded—


    "Iing!" Arnold shouted.