Hit stood amidst the chaos, his gaze steady as he calmly regarded Griggs, Tijona, and Jean.
The intensity in the air around him was palpable, the metallic clangs of clashing swords and the hum of energy from Range's full Era activation filling the space.
"Well then," Hit muttered, a slight smirk tugging at his lips as he felt the surge of power above him.
The sky was alive with Range's assault—dozens of swords raining down from every direction, their lethal edges shimmering like stars in the night. "I suppose I should get serious too."
Meanwhile, Above, Archer was already moving with impossible speed, dodging the incoming blades with effortless grace.
His flaming sword, blazing with searing intensity, deflected several swords in a flash, sending them spiraling back toward Range.
The battlefield crackled with energy as Range, his mind fully synced with his sword network system, willed the deflected blades back at Archer with deadly precision.
"You're very impressive, Archer Tyrone!" Range's voice was filled with exhilaration, his blood rushing with the thrill of facing a worthy opponent.
"But how long will you last against my full era!"
He commanded one of his summoned swords to intercept Archer's fiery blade, and as the two weapons met, an explosion erupted on contact, sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield.
The ground trembled beneath the force of the blast, and dust and debris swirled in the aftermath seeing his multiple swords cracking archer's AI-enhanced suit armor.
Range stood amidst the chaos, a manic smile stretched across his face as his full Era swords floated around him like loyal soldiers.
He directed them all at once—both explosive and non-explosive blades—toward Archer in a deadly synchronized attack.
One explosion after another rocked the battlefield, a chain reaction of devastating force aimed solely at the captain.
As the smoke began to settle, Range's breathing quickened, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
He wanted to see it—the damage, the destruction his attack had wrought on Archer. But as the haze cleared, his grin faltered.
"What?" Range's voice was laced with disbelief as he stared at Archer, who stood seemingly untouched, surrounded by a shimmering orb of energy.
Archer's AI-enhanced armor emitted a faint glow, the energy shield absorbing the full brunt of Range's assault.
Range's swords continued to shower down, relentlessly crashing into Archer's energy shield.
Each impact caused bursts of sparks and brief flashes of light, but none were able to penetrate the barrier.
Archer's eyes glinted coldly beneath the visor of his AI suit armor, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched the display.
"You know," he said calmly, his voice dripping with disdain, "your ability isn't bad."
The relentless assault raged on, yet Archer stood unmoved. He glanced upward at the raining blades, his expression unbothered, almost mocking. "Unless it's against me and my energy shield."
With a flick of his wrist, Archer caused the shield to pulse briefly, repelling several swords back into the air.
His voice dropped, colder now, more deliberate. "Anyway, I've had enough of your fancy display."
The smile faded as his mind flashed to Gina's warning. He recalled her voice from the mission briefing, her tone clinical and unnervingly composed.
"That guy Range, right… after barely hacking into his S-3?" Gina had said, seated at her station, screens flashing data in front of her.
Her fingers danced across the keyboard as she attempted to unravel the mystery of Range's full-era ability.
"He's quite the real danger. And that S-3 chip is one of the 3rd most rarest from among all the S-3 chips, and If that attack of his evolves any further, it'll be real trouble taking him down."
She'd adjusted her glasses, the light reflecting off the lenses hiding her eyes. "And I have a very good hunch he'll cross paths with them today, after all, they looking for the kid."
she'd said, a small, knowing smile on her face. "So what will it be? Archer!"
Archer snapped back to the present, the memory fading as his shield held firm under the continued barrage.
He narrowed his eyes at Range, whose crazed smile remained even as sweat trickled down his face. Archer couldn't afford to let Range evolve any further. The Eclipse organization's S-3 subjects were unpredictable, and if Range's true chip power, linked to his mecha on another planet, was fully unleashed, the consequences could be catastrophic.
"Activate AM," Archer commanded in his mind, his voice as cold as steel.
Atmospheric Manipulator, Activated, responded the AI within Archer's suit, its voice that of a young boy, almost unsettling in its contrast to the carnage around them.
Instantly, the battlefield began to change. The air thickened, and a dense, swirling fog began to form around them, obscuring the already chaotic scene.
The temperature dropped, and Range blinked in confusion, trying to keep his focus as his mind wavered in the unfamiliar environment. The swords he had summoned began to lose their precision, some veering off course in the mist.
Archer's helmet snapped shut, sealing him in as his enhanced AI systems activated.
"Vision enhancement," he commanded quietly, and the interface flickered, his visor now displaying the battlefield in sharp, nightmarish clarity.
The fog twisted into strange shapes, eerie shadows dancing in the corners of Range's vision.
His breath quickened as he struggled to regain control, but the disturbances were too much. His mind was faltering.
"You can't win this," Archer's voice echoed from the fog, disembodied, as if coming from all directions.
His tone was calm, and unbothered, yet carried a weight that made the air feel heavier.
Range, fighting to maintain focus, gritted his teeth. His swords, now erratic, clashed uselessly against Archer's shield as the fog thickened, swirling in unnatural patterns that seemed to pull at his very thoughts.
The thrill that had surged through him earlier was fading, replaced by a growing frustration.
His mind raced, desperately trying to keep up with the shifting environment.
Archer stepped forward through the fog, his sword still glowing faintly with flame energy. With each step, the ground beneath him seemed to tremble slightly, his presence looming ever closer.
"This ends now," Archer's voice cut through the fog like a blade, a chilling finality to his words.
With a single fluid motion, Archer dissipated his energy shield, his eyes narrowing as he sensed Range's surprise attack from above. Without hesitation, Archer swung his sword in a wide, sweeping arc, flames bursting from the blade.
The heat ignited the air, forming a blazing barrier that instantly incinerated the shards from Range's assault.
The sound of metal meeting searing flame echoed across the battlefield, followed by the sharp hiss of the shards turning to glowing embers, which fluttered to the ground like burning leaves.
The heat shimmered in the air as Archer, with a casual flick of his wrist, redirected the remaining flames toward Range, who twisted mid-air in a desperate bid to avoid the searing blaze.
His body spun gracefully, but the grin that had once adorned his face was now fading, replaced by a wariness he hadn't felt before.
He landed a few feet away, his stance slightly off-balance, his eyes darting between Archer and the relentless assault of swords still hammering against Archer's energy shield.
"Expect nothing more from a second captain, after all," Range muttered, his voice cold but betraying the strain he was feeling.
He tried to maintain his façade of confidence, but the caution in his eyes gave him away.
Archer strode forward, the flames still flickering off his sword, his steps slow and deliberate.
His energy shield shimmered around him, deflecting the ceaseless barrage of swords with ease. His expression was calm, almost mocking, as he approached Range.
"If that boy is important to your organization, then I offer my condolences to you all for his escape," Archer said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
A cruel smile spread across his face as he watched Range's attack falter.
Behind them, the relentless swords continued to rain down, clanging futilely against Archer's shield, but it was clear that Range's assault was weakening.
"Spare me your façade, Archer," Range spat, though his voice lacked its usual edge.
His mind struggled to maintain control of the Era swords, but the strain was beginning to show.
His temples throbbed, a sharp, insistent pain building as his focus wavered. Slowly, he let the swords dissipate, the showering blades fizzling out one by one.
His breaths came quicker, each one more labored than the last.
"I need to finish him now, before it kicks in."
Range thought, before his chip devastating side effects take a toll on his body.
eyeing Archer with growing dread. The cold, measured way Archer moved toward him, without uttering a single word, unnerved him in a way no opponent had before.
There was a terrifying grace in Archer's steps, a quiet confidence that made Range's skin crawl.
Suddenly, Archer dashed forward with blinding speed, closing the distance in an instant.
His flame-encased sword flared as he swung, his energy shield seamlessly morphing to fit his AI-enhanced suit armor, protecting him from the remnants of Range's failing Era attack.
The once-overwhelming rain of swords had slowed to a near halt, as the toll of overexertion began to cripple Range's abilities.
Range's eyes widened in panic as he saw the end approaching—his mind, once sharp and commanding, was now dulled by the side effects of pushing his power too far.
He barely had time to react as Archer's sword, blazing with an almost blinding heat, descended toward him.
"Activate Sleek Slice!" Archer commanded coldly, his sword slicing down with precision, flames flickering along the blade's edge.
Meanwhile, before arche's slice. Range's eyes widened in shock as Archer's blade hurtled toward him. Desperation clawed at him, forcing him to stop his Era attack. In a split second, he summoned a massive ball of electric energy, the air crackling as the ground beneath his feet trembled.
Massive tendrils of electric ball, formed from his AI-enhanced suit armor, shot up in front of him, weaving together into a jagged shield from his outstretched hand.
The barrier barely held, just inches from his face, as Archer's sleek strike came crashing down.
The moment their attacks met, the sky lit up with a deafening explosion, the collision releasing a massive wave of energy that sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. The force of the blast distorted the air.
From afar, Tijona, Griggs, and Jean, locked in their fierce battle with Hit, turned their heads, catching the flash of light and feeling the tremors under their feet.