ushernet Chapter 262: Battle of the White Bunker (2)
Chapter 262: Battle of the White Bunker (2)
Chapter 262: Battle of the White Bunker (2)
[Core power stone levels increasing.]
[Mana charge at 80%.]
Wingel Hart adjusted his goggles, his expression tense as he watched the thin mana plugs attached to his veins pulse. It looked like he was entangled in a spiderweb.
Zzzzzzzzzzng...
His field of vision expanded, and three magical screens materialized before his eyes.
[Stabilizing levels.]
[Revol system readiness at 94%.]
The holographic screen in front of him displayed characters in an ancient language.
“Ninety-four percent... It should be done within the hour,” he muttered, letting out a low sigh as he read through the complex data.
The task of deciphering and combining the scripts from numerous ruins would be impossible for anyone other than the genius Wingel Hart.
“I really hate fighting, but...”
Despite being on the brink of battle, Wingel’s voice trembled, and he couldn’t stop his leg from shaking.
“Phew...”
If there was one consolation, it was that he was alone in the cockpit. The man who piloted Revol, the massive golem known as the gatekeeper of the White Bunker, looked nothing like what one might have expected.
“I have to do this. There’s no one else...”
He kept repeating that to himself like a mantra, trying to steady his nerves. The reason was simple—unlike with the other golems, Wingel was the only one capable of piloting Revol.
Beep—
[Revol system readiness at 95%.]
In the stillness of the cockpit, the screen indicating the increasing percentage made the only sound, signaling the imminent start of a battle.
Rumble...
Amidst the gathering storm clouds, the skies roared as though preparing for the final battle that would mark the end of the civil war. It was as if the gods themselves were enraged.
Plop... Plop...
Cold snowflakes fell on Karyl’s head. He briefly looked up at the sky, then drew his Freezing Talon and sliced through the air.
“Hmm.”
Unlike the tense Wingel inside Revol, Karyl radiated calm confidence, even as he prepared to face the colossal golem.
“Is everything ready?”
“I’ve stationed the armored tribesmen within their respective units. I instructed them to prioritize killing the enemy commanders while remaining as discreet as possible, but...”
“They’re a wild bunch, so I understand,” Karyl said with a smirk. “Hashir, take your troops and move to the right. I’ll leave the center to Ruiche.”
“Will she be able to handle it?”
Recalling the young girl from earlier in the tent, Hashir’s voice was tinged with a hint of doubt.
“She’s just a figurehead. The real command will come from Anthem. Handling a child is simple enough—you just have to make her feel like the protagonist.”
“Assign a few of the most skilled shield bearers from the Tiger Shield tribe to guard her,” Karyl went on. “There might be some resistance from the knights, so keep a bit of distance.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Hashir, I don’t think you’re fully grasping why I’m trying to draw the enemy forces away from the battlefield.”
“...No, sir?”
“Do you think I’m doing this out of some misplaced mercy, risking unnecessary casualties among our own troops just to spare the lives of the enemy? Have I ever struck you as someone that soft?”
“I apologize, my lord.” Hashir quickly bowed his head.
“As you pointed out, Revol will cause significant destruction if it gets to fight. Every step it takes will claim dozens of lives, and each swing of its arm will be drenched in the blood of hundreds. But more importantly, what do you think will happen if that golem collapses onto the shelter?” Karyl’s tone turned icy.
“The thousands of civilians in the shelter would be crushed instantly.”
Hashir swallowed dry, not wanting to even imagine such a scenario.
“In that dire moment, I will save the people of the White Bunker from that monster. That’s why I left them there. Soldiers with morale might fight to the death, but civilians are different.”
Karyl’s eyes glinted with determination.
“I’ll make the people feel the dread of death and then snuff out the enemy’s will to fight with the overwhelming force that brings down the golem.”
A shiver ran down Hashir’s spine as he realized the full extent of Karyl’s plan.
He had it all planned out.
Hashir now realized that his earlier worries had been misplaced. Karyl had not only anticipated bringing down the golem but had also planned exactly how it would fall.
“That golem is an ancient relic. It’s said to be on par with, or even surpass, the Enderus created by the dwarves who once hunted dragons.”
“The Digon tribe hunted dragons too, but...”
Hashir hesitated, knowing the difference in scale. The Digon tribe had numbered in the tens of thousands, and it was impossible to know how many lives had been sacrificed to bring down even a single dragon.
Now Karyl was proposing to take down such a foe single-handedly. Naturally, Hashir couldn’t help feeling uneasy.
“Well, I might have to hunt that guy down myself someday... But for now, we’re not dealing with a dragon. We’re dealing with a golem.”
Hashir looked at Karyl with a gaze that questioned the difference.
“The one piloting that golem doesn’t have a dragon’s heart or a heart of stone. He’s just a man.”
A deep rumble filled the air.
Karyl watched as the golem standing tall within the distant fortress slowly opened its eyes.
“The gatekeeper is waking up.”
Karyl’s hand, which gripped the Freezing Talon, began to sweat slightly. Although he spoke confidently, he was slightly nervous, which was only natural in this situation. After all, this was the most powerful opponent he had encountered since his return.
“Revol...” he whispered.
The giant golem, known as the walking fortress or the colossus, had earned a new name during the Oracle War when Pharel had emerged.
“The Tarak Slayer.”
Its terrifying power, capable of crushing the corrupted beings that had devoured countless humans, was perhaps even greater than that of a dragon.
Revol’s power is immense. I couldn’t defeat it in my previous life. Even now, I’m probably only on par with it.
But despite this, Karyl was confident he could steer this battle in his favor.
Wingel Hart, unfortunately for you, you’re an engineer, not a warrior. No matter how skilled you are at piloting a golem, it’s meaningless if you can’t fight properly.
Karyl took a deep breath.
You’re not suited for this fight. There’s someone far better equipped to handle that golem.
He then spun around the Freezing Talon as if to point at himself.