Previously they stood at a cliff looking at the army from a superior view. When Uesugi landed, a big cloud was formed before it broke with a leap toward the zombie legion
*Crash*
Without finesse, Uesugi collided with the enemy front lines as he picked on them one by one with his bare fists
Bronya followed after and began shooting cannonballs toward the most condensed zombies, charging 1 unit of Energy every time causing clouds of smoke to rise
Uesugi could only rely on Weapon Creation for an AOE attack as he caught up to Bronya's kills since she had to charge and rest between each shot
The wraiths behind noticed the commotion and screeched for other zombies to attack the intruders
Alongside the Dead Silence and Frosty Liches, there was a new type of wraith
'Deathly Doom'. If the two wraiths are elites then this new type is a boss character. It doesn't contain any close combat skills but being a supporting character makes the battlefield unstoppable
Deathly Doom can summon pillars that grant debuffs to enemies, buff and heal allies, and deal damage with the pillars. Furthermore, it can go into stealth, making it a tricky adversary
Only 3 of them are seen and one went to support the horde. Uesugi noticed its figure and frowned slightly before ignoring the mobs around him to encounter it
'Defeating the weaklings can still consume Honkai Energy, if a Deathly Doom joins the phrase then it'd be disastrous for us'. His figure was coated in lightning as he approached the boss
The wraith sensed the incoming danger and summoned its pillars before going into stealth
Realizing that he couldn't detect it with these numbers. Uesugi immediately headed towards the green pillar that can heal others
It looked like a stainless glass in a rectangle shape but it's durability unlike its materials. Uesugi required over 10 hits to destroy it before the zombies besieged him instantly
'I need to pick up an AOE move or at least increase my Energy reserves'. He then glanced in Bronya's direction and saw she was fine
Using a hit-and-run tactic, she didn't suffer any damage as she conserved her stamina with little difficulty
The battle lasted for a while. During this time, Uesugi tried to land a blow on the Deathly Doom but its stealth ability was stronger than its game version
While he could decimate the surrounding area with a gigantic Weapon Creation attack, his stamina would deplete and he'd be left hopeless against the horde
A lightbulb popped up and he immediately implemented the idea
Refraining from Weapon Creation, he slowed his killing speed and closed his eyes, using mental energy to detect incoming attacks and presence
Swaying with minimal movement and countering with an appropriate amount of force. He wasted not a single move and struck like a precise machine
However, this state quickly broke down as a ripple in his mental space shook his concentration
Unprepared for the change, Uesugi nearly got struck by the incoming scythes obstructing him as waves of arrows were about to make him a porcupine
"Hah", yelled fiercely, he tensed his entire body and punched out heavily causing a wind pressure that deflected the arrows as he shifted his body to block the scythes
*Shing* *Ching*
Clangs of metal clashed, leaving scratches on the Battlesuit.
Uesugi panted slightly as he began to shift towards Bronya's position. Hoping to gain her help as he tried out a new method
This technique was inspired by an anime he watched, while it lacked destructiveness, it possessed versatility in detection, reflexes, and calmness in its movements
Sphere of Control (Seikuuken) is the name. Requiring a spirit of stillness, the user can create a mental sphere that determines absolute control within its space
It's not as exaggerated in the original but if Uesugi were to master it then his defense would be impenetrable, while he would be able to detect the hiding Deathly Doom if it comes near him
Nearly reaching Bronya, Uesugi shouted, "Guard me for a few minutes, I need to try something", sitting down in a meditative state
Bronya thought, 'What a selfish person... And trustworthy one. She fulfilled his trust and began unleashing her preserved Honkai Energy to push away the incoming zombies
Their backs were behind a mountain as the enemies rushed in a cone shape which allowed Bronya to deal with them easily
Inside Uesugi's mental space. The blank figure appeared alongside his equipment floating around it
He didn't go to it as Uesugi covered the space with darkness, emptying his mind.
'Previously, I was able to project a forest environment when I meditated, this time I want a pond that contains my mental energy'.
To achieve calmness, he needed complete trust in Bronya who was fending the enemies as he was completely open to attacks
Fortunately, his nature was calm to begin with. The visualization of a pond gradually became more distinct as he concentrated on the feeling
The pond soon materialized as Uesugi's figure in the mental space made contact with it.
His hands slipped through it and he noticed that ripples appeared in areas of the pond. These are signs of fluctuation in his spiritual wavelengths which is normal for everyone unless they shut down their emotions
Uesugi's goal was not to pause the ripples but to create a single drop that echoes from the center.
He didn't have the training method for Sphere of Control but the concept was known to him.
While he wasn't worried about Bronya, wasting time would be taking advantage of another's kindness.
Utilizing the pond of mental energy, he harmonized its nature with the ripples caused by his emotions. In reality, he was breathing evenly as if he was basking in nature despite it being snowy
However, he realized the technique couldn't be achieved in one sitting, not only was it difficult to achieve serenity but the utilization of mental energy requires stronger levels of manipulation and condensing to form
Uesugi didn't know about the humanoid figure's intention and wasn't planning on risking it
His only option was to achieve a pseudo Sphere of Control and the method would be similar to coating aura around his body but this time, it would be with mental energy
Awakening from the meditation, he used the method as it was simple and crude while the complete technique is more complex
Looking at Bronya who was beginning to struggle against the zombies, Uesugi quickly jumped into action.
Repeating his actions, he began crushing the zombies like pancakes while protecting Bronya who fainted from exhaustion
'There are so many obstacles to Anti-Entropy if only we had time'. Cursing about the mess, he didn't forget the rewards if he dealt with Chita and Zasopska zombies.
The second mission will soon be completed as he believes the assassins from earlier will ambush them at their weakest.
And surely his guess came like a jinx. A sphere of control is unlike his mental perception as it instinctively reacts to those who approach his 'domain'
The collapsed Bronya was the target as pillars of light shot towards her
Uesugi didn't panic as he repetitively summoned layers of walls with Weapon Creation, blocking its path
*Crack* *Crack*
Brittle like glass, the walls served only the purpose of delaying it. By the time it broke the last wall, Uesugi landed in front of Bronya and punched both bullets
The collision caused sparks to form, causing Uesugi to be stuck for a second
The enemy took this opportunity as two other figures dressed in white, blending in the snow dashed towards the blindspot of Uesugi
They didn't notice the smirk on Uesugi when their daggers were about to reach him
Suddenly, Bronya's body jolted, and with open eyes, Project Bunny 19C hiding under the snow rose and shot toward the two assailants
There were only two choices for them, one was to kill Uesugi at the cost of their lives while the other was to retreat
"Dodge it!" A female voice rang which shook their consciousness, stopping their attacks, they bounced back and steadied themselves for combat
Surprise appeared on Bronya's face as she thought, 'I thought they were more professional than that?' After all, assassins are nurtured to prioritize the mission after their lives, this group before them wasn't the case
'It seems that they either had no confidence dealing with us head-on or...' Glancing towards the apparition that reappeared, Bronya figured that they knew its existence
"Bronya". Uesugi called out realizing that she was distracted. "Fight before you think". He could sense that the enemy had A-Rank powers and distinctively, the voice that rang should be at the peak of its rank
Uesugi's eyes burned with fighting spirit. Waves of enemies weren't his cup of tea and only with a strong opponent could he improve
Bronya nodded as she began charging up her cannon.
The nearby zombies didn't approach them as if they received a message. A big circle with two parties in the middle was formed. While they worried about the humanoid figure's intentions, the fight required their full attention
A two vs two battle was about to occur without the two snipers and leader present