Chapter 643: Machina Under Martial Law (3)

Slosh, slosh…!!

On a storm-battered coastline. A secluded beach where dark, murky rain poured down.

The waves surged several meters high, pounding against the rocks and relentlessly eroding the sandy shore.

A half-destroyed metal object lay half-buried in the sand.

The metal, covered in rain and sand, subtly stirred, then slowly, one side began to open.

Click!

“Cough!!”

Someone who had emerged from the explorer’s hatch vomited water and collapsed onto the sand.

With hands that could barely feel, he struggled to press a button on the helmet covering his head.

[Decompression 86%]

[Insufficient remaining power. 5 seconds until function shutdown]

Hisss…!!

The helmet, disassembling from the back of his neck, split apart, and Lennok buried his head in the ground.

His complexion was so pale it was almost grayish-black. He could only gasp for breath, unable to even think of spitting out the seawater that drenched his mouth.

“Haa…!!”

He managed to lift a finger, connect a thread of mana to the rock, and slowly drag his body.

Lennok, pulled out from the waves as if sliding, lay on his back in the sand, staring blankly.

He drank in the rainwater pouring from the hazy, cloud-covered sky.

[Here, Master.]

Davi crawled out from Lennok’s arms, holding a potion with his front paws and diligently pouring it into his mouth.

Lennok, swallowing the potion mixed with rainwater, snapped his fingers again, and the suit he was wearing split open, revealing his work clothes underneath.

Lennok, clad in his soaking wet work clothes, leaned against the rocks and muttered.

“I expected it wouldn’t be easy, but…”

During his escape from the Machina Navy’s encirclement, he had been forced into repeated drastic ascents, nearly causing his body to burst. Even with the explorer made of Armadelta Alloy, his pre-prepared pressure-resistant suit, and dozens of layers of protective magic, it had been difficult to withstand the recoil.

Despite this, Lennok had managed to shake off the 12th Fleet and Triton and escape to an unknown sea area.

‘If I hadn’t had the ring, it might have been truly dangerous.’

Lennok thought this, then gazed intently at the ring on his left index finger.

Hanghasa Labyrinth. One of the two artifacts brought from Jindun’s Cradle, Feigenbaum’s Eye.

Its original ability was to grant the user the power to observe the imaginary dimension with their naked eye, but it possessed one more hidden ability.

By overloading the ring’s power, it could forcibly move the wearer into the imaginary dimension for 0.75 seconds.

It wasn’t an originally intended function; rather, it was closer to a side effect where the user would forcefully enter the imaginary dimension after deeply observing it.

But Lennok knew that if this ability was used well, it could allow him to temporarily evade any attack.

Just before the explorer’s internal water pressure wildly fluctuated and almost destroyed it, Lennok overloaded the ring, temporarily entering the imaginary dimension.

Immediately after, he shed the entire burden and recoil that had been impacting the explorer and returned to reality.

In terms of time, it was a near-instantaneous gap of only 0.75 seconds.

Moreover, considering the need to overload the ring’s ability in advance, timing it perfectly was extremely difficult.

But Lennok, even while escaping the Machina Navy’s pursuit and torpedoes, quickly analyzed the path Davi had set.

He aimed for the moment he passed the inflection point where water pressure changed most drastically and accurately evacuated his body into the imaginary dimension.

He had been confident he would succeed, but if he had failed, not only the explorer but Lennok himself would not have emerged unscathed.

He had prepared several lifelines for the worst-case scenario, but Feigenbaum’s Eye was a method ranked quite low among them.

‘I won’t be able to use the ring’s power for a while. It will also become difficult to recharge Flicker…’

After using the ability to temporarily evacuate the user to the imaginary dimension, the ring becomes unusable for at least a month.

This was a side effect of forcibly boosting its function and overloading it.

The problem was that Lennok had been using the ring’s power to store his Flicker spell formulas in Papyrus Argenteus.

Though Lennok could directly cast the Flicker spell itself, its mana consumption was so immense that he had been pre-storing it in the artifact whenever he had time.

Although he still had some Flicker spell formulas remaining, the inability to recharge Flicker for a while was another risk factor.

Lennok recalled the last time he had used the ring’s ability, then remembered the 10th Apostle, Amrita Fraubel, and chuckled.

“…Even then, I fought while half-counting Flicker charges.”

The 10th Apostle, who possessed the body of an Apostle and the precognitive abilities of a priestess, and wielded ultra-high-speed spatial combat, was one of the trickiest opponents in terms of combat technique. Lennok had even learned a few things by getting pummeled by her spatial combat techniques and methods.

After that, Lennok sat still, enduring the wind and rain until the medicine took effect, then slowly rose to his feet.

With trembling legs, he tidied up the traces of his suit and the explorer, and meticulously erased any remaining mana and presence. Since there had been no anomalies until he checked his condition, it seemed he hadn’t been tracked, but he still needed to erase his traces.

Lennok, roughly rubbing pain reliever on his still-aching body, got up and walked out onto the coastline. He stepped onto the asphalt road where the wind and rain raged, standing on the empty roadway, and looked up.

“Davi, do you know where this is?”

[Well… I can’t get a proper location lock.]

Davi replied with a troubled expression.

[Inside Machina, there are four reference points used to calculate relative coordinates, but the data derived from them is completely scrambled.]

“…”

[It seems like there might be a temporary error in the coordinate calculation system or the city’s network…]

Lennok listened to Davi’s words in silence, then quietly began to walk.

Along the coast, rows of various shops, accommodations, commercial districts, and entertainment areas were completely devoid of people, with only the cold wind and rain raging.

It was a chilling silence, an unsettling quiet, as if Lennok was the only one left in the middle of this city.

Even Davi held his breath at the ominous atmosphere.

[Is it a trap?]

What if the Machina Navy’s pursuit hadn’t stopped because they’d lost track of Lennok, but to herd him into this area?

And what if they had prepared a trap in advance to encircle and utterly annihilate Lennok here?

Countless missile strikes might pour down beyond the barrier, turning this city into an inferno.

But Lennok faintly shook his head at Davi’s words.

“I considered that possibility first, but… I don’t think so.”

Lennok immediately entered a nearby shop and surveyed the small room inside.

“There are traces of people living here. The dishes even have residual warmth. People were here until very recently.”

Clothes hastily strewn about, and remnants of unfinished food on the dining table.

Lennok ran a finger over a dish, his eyes calmly sweeping the surroundings.

“Compared to the hastily scattered clothes, there are no traces of valuables in the room. The cash register, where money should be, is also empty. It’s highly likely they gathered only their important belongings and left immediately.”

[So the people on this street heard the news beforehand and evacuated.]

Lennok had decided to take this escape route to this sea area less than 20 minutes ago. Judging by various indications, the evacuation order issued for this street must have been given at least 45 minutes ago.

If so, the possibility of it being a trap to lure Lennok here significantly decreases.

“The evacuation order was given 45 minutes ago. An urgent matter serious enough that everyone in the district had to evacuate immediately upon receiving the order… Considering the time then…”

Lennok pondered, reviewing his perceived timeline, and his eyes gleamed sharply.

“It was right after I escaped the Seafloor Barrier.”

[If Master noticed the anomaly right after escaping the barrier and sent a signal, the timing roughly matches.]

Davi said with a slight urgency.

[But then, isn’t the evacuation order itself issued as a precaution against Master’s presence…?]

“No, that’s not it…”

Lennok said, slowly closing his eyes and beginning to gather his mana.

Vwoom…!!

Using the artificially stabilized condition lent by the medicine, he forcibly suppressed the still-rampaging mana.

His perception, amplified by mana, transcended the limits of his five senses and spread in all directions.

It swept across the space beyond like a ripple, instantly surveying every detail within thousands of meters as if it were his own.

“The Seafloor Barrier opened when I escaped. I thought the commander of the Mechanized Troops opened it directly to pursue me… but that wasn’t it.”

Lennok muttered.

“The conditions required for the Seafloor Barrier to open were already being met above this city.”

[Master…?]

Only then did Davi realize the meaning of Lennok’s words and quickly poked his head out from Lennok’s arms.

A faint vibration felt from his toes rapidly grew in magnitude, transforming into a massive earthquake.

Grrrind…!!!

Thousands of meters away, the ground simultaneously rose vertically, approaching Lennok like a gigantic wave about to engulf him.

A bizarre transformation, almost unbelievable even to witness, as if the very ground was bending at a right angle and rotating.

CRRRACK!!

The asphalt beneath his feet split, and a colossal fissure appeared between the cracks, immediately beginning to swallow everything around.

In the distance, a massive, rippling mechanical barrier rose vertically and surged across the ground.

CRASHHHHH!!!

The entire surrounding landscape was in constant turmoil, moving and shifting its position without a moment’s rest.

This wasn’t happening only on this street.

The entire urban area within thousands of meters of Lennok’s perception was being inverted and reshuffled, regardless of vertical or horizontal direction.

“I see what Hermes did the moment he awoke in his new body…”

CRACK!!

Lennok muttered, watching the colossal mechanical barrier in the distance, falling over like a tidal wave and approaching.

“The scheduled section movement of Machina, which should happen quarterly, has been completely twisted. The entire city will plunge into chaos.”

Grrrind!!

Rising over dozens of meters high, the mechanical barriers blocking each section rotated violently.

The sheer weight of the enormous metal masses rotating and moving caused the very earth and sky to tremble.

An overwhelming and alien sight, as if mountains of steel were relentlessly charging across the ground.

And there wasn’t just one such barrier rotating, moving, and shifting in all directions; there were dozens visible to the eye.

All areas assigned to various locations in the city were simultaneously moving, systematically swapping places.

CRASHHHHH!!!

Lennok, having evaded the mechanical barrier crashing down before him, immediately mounted his bike.

Vroom!!

He rode his bike directly onto the diagonally tilted and sliding barrier, swiftly moving away from the area where the coast had been.

As soon as he crossed the barrier, he saw a garden of countless components, revealing colossal gears and constantly shifting.

Buildings, public facilities, and structures of all kinds were moving, inverting their positions and orientations without regard for up, down, left, or right.

Grrrrrrrrind!!

As if an invisible hand were arbitrarily moving colossal blocks, the ground tilted vertically, and buildings flipped upside down.

Maintaining balance and footing amidst the mechanical barriers and section blocks moving rapidly back and forth in all directions was incredibly difficult.

But Lennok, on his bike, raced through, rapidly leaping between buildings and components floating in the air.

“Given the time, Mouser should have already returned to the Upper Workshop District.”

Lennok, entrusting the controls to Davi’s autonomous driving algorithm, further heightened his mana perception and spoke.

“Since the city’s internal coordinates are completely scrambled, I’ll have to keep moving until I can detect Mouser’s presence with mana perception.”

If Mouser has returned to his workshop, tracking his life-response would be the fastest way to get back to the workshop itself.

Davi, who was controlling the bike on Lennok’s behalf, asked.

[Are you sure it’s alright not to pursue Hermes immediately?]

“The very act of forcibly accelerating the section movement schedule and turning the entire city upside down is proof that Hermes wants to hide his location.”

Lennok immediately replied.

“Mouser has not only lived in this city for a long time but is also one of the rare individuals who has gone through all workshops, from dedicated ones to lower-tier ones. If I’m to find a way, asking him would be the fastest.”

In addition, there’s unfinished business remaining at the workshop. He needs to complete all remaining preparations before Hermes finishes his plan and manifests himself as an Ascendant.

“…Found him.”

As he expanded his mana perception to its limit and leaped across the rapidly shifting barriers, he detected a familiar life-response.

Lennok’s workshop was located in the Upper Workshop District.

Though this area was also chaotic due to inter-district section movement, its original form was still preserved.

A unique point was that the workshop buildings weren’t collapsing; instead, they were neatly splitting into blocks and moving.

He needed to quickly catch up with the moving workshop district before it moved any further away.

Just as Lennok thought this and was about to increase the bike’s speed.

Whoosh!!

In the distance, a faint flash gleamed, then charged at terrifying speed, slamming directly into the spot where the bike had been.

CRASH!!

Above his head, the vast scenery of the dormitory residential district flashed by, inverted and rapidly receding.

[Suspect confirmed for infiltration of Seafloor Barrier Heart-Star Vault and assassination of a Meister.]

Dozens of Sidesquad agents, cloaked in shadows, hung upside down from the building, their eyes gleaming at Lennok.

[We will now commence pursuit…]

“No.”

Lennok immediately cut off the words being exchanged over the Sidesquad agent’s comms and raised his hand.

“From now on, there’s no reason to hold back.”

If Hermes was involved in Narcissa’s assassination, then the Sidesquad, who serve him, must be in league with him.

As he connected hundreds of mana threads to the district block, Davi linked with his will-thought.

The moment he rotated his raised hand half a turn, the residential district block where the agents were situated rotated half a turn, changing direction.

Grrrrrrind!!

[…!!!]

A sudden anomaly occurred amidst the dozens of district blocks moving in perfect order.

Deviations occurred among the blocks that were supposed to move according to a thorough plan, causing their paths to diverge and overlap.

Before the Sidesquad agents could even react to the residential district block’s sudden change of direction, another block rapidly ascended from below.

A park district block, complete with dense forests and public facilities, surged upward at an astonishing speed, giving no time to escape.

The collision between medium-sized districts, surrounded by mechanical barriers.

Before the Sidesquad agents, realizing the extent of the aftermath belatedly, could even struggle to escape the residential district.

“Bang.”

As Lennok clapped his hands, both district blocks collided head-on.

Unleashing a massive shockwave in the middle of the rapidly changing Machina.

KABOOOM!!!

[Aaaaaaargh!!]

The Sidesquad agents, attempting to escape, were swept away by the shockwave unleashed by the collision of two Machina districts.

Agents, crushed between tree and building fragments, let out desperate screams, and viscous blood oozed from their mangled suits.

The impact was so severe that the entire communication network was paralyzed and flooded with screams and groans.

One of the agents stammered, disbelievingly.

[Impossible… Unless it’s Ex Machina, how could he have manipulation authority over moving districts…!!]

“Manipulating management authority for a brief moment isn’t difficult amidst the city’s entire upheaval.”

Lennok replied, looking at the two districts, crushed and mangled by the collision.

He exploited the vulnerability of the security barrier, which was weakened as internal city authority was decentralized due to the section movement, and instantly seized control of the district’s movement operation.

All the district blocks moving at high speed in this vicinity were already unoccupied zones where residents had completed their evacuation.

That’s why, the moment Lennok spotted the Sidesquad agents, he used the city’s terrain, constantly shifting all around, as a weapon to crush them.

“Causing an error in the pre-programmed angles and directional values is enough. All I have to do is pre-determine the overlapping paths and set the impact force.”

[Ah, ahh…!!]

The agents, seeing another unoccupied zone block falling from above, let out despairing groans.

“If you want to catch me, you’ll have to contend with this entire district directly.”