NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53: War
We spent the night in the building, preparing for the mission ahead. It was important to be well-rested and well-equipped, especially when dealing with the unpredictable Chaos Beasts.
Our team geared up for the mission as the sun rose over the city. We all knew what was at stake - the safety of the city and its people.
Hana, Violet Tempest, and Shasta, the three Magical Girls, flew away from our base in shimmering waves of gold, violet, and red. I watched them go with a sense of pride and admiration. They were fearless and capable, each one a force to be reckoned with in their own right.
Dad's intel had pinpointed a handful of Chaos Beast nests strewn across Downtown Brooklyn, so Spencer had deployed drones to survey the area ahead of the girls' arrival. The drones had picked up strange energy readings, making us more cautious as we prepared for the mission ahead.
The mission started without incident, of course, but we soon discovered that not everything was as it appeared. As our team landed, the girls were greeted with a flurry of activity. Chaos Beasts of all shapes and sizes were swarming the area, the ground shaking beneath their feet as they clashed.
Hana raised her hand and unleashed a blast of energy, sending a group of quadrupedal, boar-like beasts flying. Simultaneously, Violet Tempest twirled her scythe and summoned a vortex of wind, sending several winged Chaos Beasts tumbling through the air.
I scanned the area, taking in the desolation that had taken place over the past decade. Dilapidated buildings towered over us, some on the brink of collapse. It was a reminder of the chaos and destruction that had ravaged the city and the danger that still lurked around every corner.
I felt a pang of childhood nostalgia as the drone I was operating passed an apartment complex I used to live in. Memories flooded my mind, and I found myself momentarily lost in thought. I didn't remember much from the Third Chaos War — it was a blurry, jumbled mess of fear for the most part. Still, I associated this neighborhood with the warmth of family and the comfort of home. Regardless, I knew that this was the area where my mother had passed away during the war, and it made my heart ache.
But I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me. I had a job to do, and I had to do it to the best of my ability.
"Ikki, I'm getting a weird reading underground," Spencer's voice crackled over our earpieces. "It's breaking the Feynman scale. I think there might be a bigger nest down there."
I tensed at his words, my eyes scanning the area for signs of an underground nest.
"Hang on, we're right over the abandoned Court Street station," I said, pointing towards a boarded-up entrance to the subway system beneath one of the drones. "That could be it."
"Looks like there's a hole in the entrance. Let's fly these down there ahead of the girls," Spencer said.
As we flew the drones toward the subway station, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The air was thick with an eerie silence, and this area's city streets were empty. The girls were embattled a distance away, dealing with the Chaos Beasts at the surface level. But beneath the ground, there was something else entirely.
We reached the subway station and hovered the drones above the entrance, scanning the area for any signs of movement. The station was dark and abandoned, with rubble and broken concrete littering the entrance.
But as our drones scanned deeper into the subway tunnels, they picked up movement. The Feynman Device's energy reading spiked, and a low growling sound echoed through the tunnels.
My voice crackled through the comms as my eyes traced over the scanner. "We've got movement. Multiple Chaos Beasts in the tunnels, and they're getting closer."
Spencer's voice was steady but firm. "Keep the drones up and continue scanning, Sparky. We need to gather as much intel as possible."
I nodded, my fingers flying over the controls as I maneuvered the drones deeper into the subway tunnels. The chaos energy grew stronger as we got closer to the nests, and I could see the outlines of several snarling, savage beasts in the darkness.
"The hell? What's going on here?" I muttered.
The walls and floor of the abandoned station were, for the lack of a better word, corrupted. Blue, pulsating veins were spreading like a disease, carrying the chaos energy that fueled the Chaos Beasts. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.
I couldn't believe it. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. We were dealing with something much more sinister than we had thought.
"What's going on down there?" Violet Tempest asked over the comms.
"We've got multiple Chaos Beasts in the tunnels, and the energy readings are off the charts. This is definitely not a normal nest," I replied, my voice shaking slightly as I watched the chaos energy pulse through the veins.
"It looks like they've made a hive of some sort," Spencer said, his voice tense. "What the fuck?"
"We are going to go investigate. Please keep us updated," Hana said firmly.
I nodded, my fingers still hovering over the controls as I watched the chaos energy pulsing through the veins. I wasn't physically present, but I could practically smell the stench of ozone and decay.
The drones continued to scan the tunnels as our girls made their way deeper into the subway station. It was clear that something big was happening down there, and we were all on edge.
Suddenly, the comms crackled to life. "Friends, you need to see this," Shasta's stoic voice said.
I quickly switched the feed to her personal camera, and my heart dropped at what I saw. The chaos energy was pulsing and swirling in a massive blue portal. In the center of it was a gigantic, hulking figure. It was humanoid in shape but with twisted, gnarled limbs and an unsettling, featureless face. Its body was covered in pulsing veins, radiating an aura of pure chaos energy. The monstrosity was a giant, standing at easily two or three times the size of the girls.
"What the hell is that?" Spencer asked, his voice quivering.
"Let's not find out in closed quarters," Shasta said, her voice firm. "Everyone, retreat but please maintain formation."
Our girls began to back away slowly, their eyes locked on the behemoth emerging from the vortex.
And that was when everything went to hell.
The behemoth suddenly whipped its head toward Shasta. It charged, its massive form barreling toward them with alarming speed as raptor-like Ayakashi flooded the tunnels.
Hana raised her scepter, forming a protective shield around them just in time to deflect the beast's attack. The impact sent tremors through the subway tunnels, and the dust and debris rained down on them as the beast roared in anger.
Static filled my ears as I heard the girls yelling over the sound of the beast's roars. I watched in horror as the beast slammed a massive paw against the shield, shattering it in a burst of mana.
Then, the comms went out. I quickly tried to regain the feed, but the drone was probably fried.
But there was no response. The comms linked to it were completely dead.
Panic ripped through me like a bolt of lightning. We could not know what was happening down there or if our girls were still alive.
"Spencer, still got your drone?" I said out loud.
"Nope, it's dead. Shit."
"W-what do we do?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"Hold faith," Talia said, her voice steady. "Trust that the team is strong enough to handle whatever is down there. And if they need us, we'll be ready to go in and help with backup."
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. Talia was right. We had to have faith in our girls and trust that they could handle whatever was thrown at them.
Finally, Violet Tempest's voice crackled through the comms.
"We're okay," she said, her voice shaky. "We got away, but we need backup. We're a HUNDRED percent dealing with something we've never seen before."
Midori's eyes widened in alarm. "What kind of something?"
"It's big. Really big. And it's not just one beast. It's like they've all merged together into this massive, hulking monster. More and more chaos beasts are piling into it, barreling straight for Manhattan.
Spencer cursed under his breath. "Fuck. Okay. Fire off something in the air, we'll try to get in contact with the other magical girls that are volunteering."
I quickly grabbed a flare gun and dashed to the rooftop, firing it into the air. The bright red light illuminated the darkened sky, and I took a deep breath. We needed all the help we could get for this. What the hell was this thing?
As we waited for backup, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled like a stone in my gut. This was something beyond our worst nightmares. To my knowledge, the Chaos Beasts had never displayed the ability to merge together and form a monster of this size and power.
"Guys, I can see it in the distance," I said, my voice shaking slightly.
Spencer's eyes widened in alarm. "Why aren't the chaos sirens going off?!"
I hope it wasn't just because the infrastructure here sucked. The sight of the massive beast, with its pulsating veins and chaotic energy, was enough to make my blood run cold. We needed to act fast if we were going to stop this thing from tearing the city apart.
It was bipedal and covered in grotesque, paper-mache-like armor. Its arms were elongated and slender, with sharp claws at the end that glinted in the faint light of the city. The horrifying visage was accentuated by its mouth full of jagged teeth and the lack of a visible face.
The colossal beast descended upon the East River, its massive form creating waves that crashed against the shore. More and more chaos beasts were piling onto its body, and it seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment.
Suddenly, four magical girls landed on our rooftop, their eyes locked onto the beast in the distance. They had answered our call for help. One had light blue hair with elf ears and a massive battle axe, and another had bronze skin and dark hair with golden jewelry. Another was dressed like a burgundy-paletted belly dancer, and one had a sizeable purple staff with a witch's hat.
"Jesus. What the hell is that thing?" the girl with the witch hat asked.
"Thank god you guys are here," I said, relief flooding through me.
"We saw the flare," one of the magical girls said, her eyes scanning the horizon. "Magical Girls Astrid, Eostre, Sable Reverie, and Raine reporting for relief. What are we dealing with here?"
"Thank you for coming," Talia said, nodding at them, looking beyond the horizon. "As you can see, we have... a bit of a problem on our hands."
"What the hell is that thing?!" Sable Reverie exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock as she saw the massive behemoth in the distance.
"It's the result of Chaos Beasts merging together," I explained, my voice grim. "We don't know how they managed to do it, but it's heading straight for Manhattan and pulling in more chaos beasts with every moment. It's the size of a skyscraper right now."
"Well, we need a plan," Astrid said firmly, her eyes scanning the horizon. "We can't just charge in blindly, or we'll be torn apart."
"Maybe we can find some fault lines," Raine suggested, her eyes glinting with determination. "If we can identify where the Chaos Beasts merged, maybe it'll be weaker there?"
"That's a start," Eostre said, nodding in agreement. "But we'll need to get close enough to do that."
"Maybe we can distract it," Sable Reverie said, a sly grin crossing her face. "I have an idea."
The magical girls huddled together to plan their attack, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for them.
"I know Celestial Sonata is in the area," Astrid muttered. "Anyone know how to get in contact?"
"She's way out of our league," Raine said, shaking her head. "She has a funny way of showing up right on time when things are really bad, though."
"I can get in contact with her," Midori suddenly chimed up, her eyes shining with determination. "I have a way to reach her."
The other magical girls turned to look at her in surprise, but they didn't have time to question her. We needed all the help we could get. Midori fumbled with her phone, her fingers flying over her phone screen as she dialed a number.
We waited with bated breath as we watched the magical girls prepare for battle. Midori cursed under her breath as the call went to voicemail. She tried again and again, but still no answer. It seemed like Celestial Sonata was unreachable.
"C'mon, Ikki," Spencer tapped me on the shoulder. Help me set these drones up to warn the citizens."
I nodded and followed Spencer to the drones, my heart racing as I thought about the looming threat heading straight for us. We needed to act fast, and we needed to work intelligently.
We quickly worked to set up the drones, and I watched as the magical girls took to the sky, their forms illuminated by the moonlight. They moved with otherworldly grace, their movements fluid and precise as they prepared to take on the monstrous beast.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as I watched them go. We didn't know what we were dealing with, and the idea of them being torn apart by this creature was enough to make my stomach turn.
But the magical girls were fearless, their determination unwavering as they flew toward the behemoth. They were putting their lives on the line to protect the city, and I couldn't help but feel a deep respect and admiration for them.
Sable Reverie took the lead, intent on serving as a distraction for the monster. She summoned a group of illusions, creating a false target for the monster to attack. I winced as the massive beast turned its attention toward the decoy, its enormous claws swiping at the air in a rapid-fire frenzy. It reared back, charging in what looked like plasma in its mouth, ready to unleash a devastating attack.
The other magical girls took advantage of the distraction, flying close to identify weak points in the monster's massive form. They looked like tiny specks compared to the beast, but their attacks were precise and effective.
I watched in awe as their powers clashed with the chaos energy of the monster, the bright flashes of light illuminating the night sky like a fireworks display. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, a battle that felt like it belonged in a fantasy novel rather than the streets of New York City.
Suddenly, the monster let out an ear-splitting roar, sending shockwaves throughout the city. The magical girls were sent hurtling backward, their bodies slamming into buildings and sending debris raining down from above.
My heart leaped into my throat as I saw them fall from the sky, their bodies crumpling onto the pavement below. Time slowed down as I watched them hit the ground, the impacts sending shockwaves through my body.
But the magical girls were not going to be deterred. They got back up, their bodies battered and bruised but their spirits unbroken. They continued to fight, their attacks growing increasingly fierce as they battled the monster with all their might. I saw more magical girls join the battle off in the distance.
I whipped my head around as the Raiju apparatus suddenly lit up, and I felt a presence in my mind.
"Operator Ikazu..." The voice was robotic, but the presence was powerful.
"Yes?" I responded, my heart racing. "Raiju, is that you?!"
The orb in our equipment pile suddenly lit up with a mechanical whir.
"Raiju system rebooting from hibernation. Running evaluation parameters. Novel Chaos Beast detected. Estimated threat level: Duke-class. Establishing feed upload for Operator Ikazuchi."
"Oh sweet mercy," Spencer shouted. "We might not have to do this manually."
Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I could see. It was an indescribable feeling, but I simultaneously gained an intuitive perception from a dozen drones. I could see the battle raging on in real time, my mind processing the information at an incredible speed. I could see the action unfolding from every angle, the magical girls fighting with all their might to take down the monster.
The Raiju system had activated, providing me with live feeds from the drones. I could see everything in high definition. I could see the magical girls dodging the monster's attacks; their movements were graceful and precise. I could see the monster's cracked hide clearly, the areas where the magical girls had managed to inflict damage. Weak points, that were ultimately superfluous.
"Scanning for weaknesses is proving futile," Raiju remarked.
"Forget that for now, Raiju!" I shouted, "Broadcast evacuation orders through the drones, Raiju. Wake the entire fucking city up!"
I could hear the urgency in my voice as I spoke, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on me. We needed to get as many people out of the city as possible. I couldn't imagine the destruction if this creature reached a major population center.
"Broadcasting sheltering orders through all available channels," Raiju responded, its robotic voice echoing in my mind. "Estimated time until Chaos Beast reaches critical population clusters: eight minutes."
I felt a shiver run down my spine as I looked out at the horizon. The creature was getting closer, its massive form growing larger with each passing moment. We didn't have much time left.
But the magical girls were relentless, their attacks growing more and more potent as they battled the monster with all they had. It was like watching a dance; their movements synchronized and were graceful as they dodged the monster's attacks and struck back with their own.
Sable Reverie retook the lead, her illusions drawing the beast's attention away from the other magical girls as they focused their attacks on its weaker points.
Astrid unleashed a flurry of hundreds of glowing tomahawks, each finding its mark and causing the monster to roar in pain.
"Attention, citizens of New York City. This is a city-wide evacuation order. Please make your way to designated safe zones immediately. I repeat, this is a city-wide evacuation order. Make your way to designated safe zones and shelters immediately. This is not a drill."
The magical girls redoubled their efforts, their attacks growing more and more intense as they battled the monster with all their might. I watched in awe as they fought, their movements like poetry in motion as they dodged the creature's massive limbs and struck back with their own powers.
But the monster was resilient, its massive form barely flinching as it took hit after hit from the magical girls. It roared again, a sound that shook the very air around us, and I felt my legs buckle under the pressure. It was so far away, but my eardrums felt like they would burst.
Midori let out a whoop of joy as her phone finally rang, and she scrambled to answer it. "Celestial Sonata!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with relief. "Yeah. We have a huge problem on our hands. Literally. Southeast. What? You're a bit caught up? We've been getting our asses handed to us here. We can really use the backup. Your help, I mean."
Eostre flew up in the air, wrapped in vines that seemed to glow with magical energy. She stretched her arms out, and the vines grew longer and longer until they wrapped around the beast's massive form, entangling it and restricting its movements.
The other magical girls took advantage of Eostre's distraction, their attacks growing more and more fierce as they chipped away at the creature's defenses. But the monster was not going down without a fight, its massive limbs thrashing and smashing into buildings as it tried to break free from Eostre's hold.
Just then, a bright light appeared in the sky, and we all turned our attention toward it. A figure descended from the light, her lengthy hair trailing behind her like a flowing river.
It was the trio of magical girls that'd been... making my life interesting for the last week. Magical girls Selene, Ingenue, and... whatsherface, the girl with the karate gi landed on the rooftop with a thunderous, exaggerated entrance, their magical powers radiating off of them in waves.
"Oh?" Ingenue scrutinized our group on the roof. "Now, this is a surprise. Ikazuchi is a support operative?"
I rolled my eyes, "Yeah, I am," I snapped back, not willing to take any shit from her right now. "And we're in the middle of a goddamn crisis, so if you could lend a hand instead of hitting on me, that would be fantastic."
Selene stepped forward, her eyes scanning the battlefield below. "We heard there was a Chaos Beast on the loose," she said, calm and collected. "This is... quite the understatement. Sisyphus should be on the move to support us in a few minutes."
I felt a sense of relief wash over me as the trio exploded away in a flash of light, joining the fight, their powers adding to the already impressive display of magical prowess. It was like a symphony, each magical girl adding their own unique cadence to the mix as they battled the monster with all their might.
But the beast was not going to go down without a fight. It let out another roar, its massive form shaking the ground beneath our feet. The magical girls were sent flying again, tumbling away from it.
Then, something strange happened.
I watched in horror as the monster turned its attention towards us from a considerable distance away, its eyeless 'gaze' fixating on our group. A headache gripped me, a strange pressure building in my mind. It was like the creature was trying to communicate with me and invade my thoughts.
Raiju's voice suddenly echoed in my mind, "Operator Ikazu, the Chaos Beast is attempting to initiate a psionic link. Establishing defense protocols now."
Despite Raiju's comforting presence, I could feel my mind being pulled towards the beast, my thoughts becoming jumbled and confused. I gritted my teeth, trying to fend off the intrusion. The monster's power was immense, and I felt like I was drowning in its presence. It was like a pressure cooker, and I was the meat inside.
I could feel its alien thoughts, its very essence. It was like a raging fire, burning hot and fierce within my mind. It desired to absorb the world itself. The universe, and all that was, into a primordial void.
But I refused to be consumed. With all the willpower and strength that I had, I pushed back against the creature's psionic onslaught. It was like holding back a tidal wave, but I refused to let it break me.
I could feel a spark of resistance within the monster's mind, like a glimmer of hope in a sea of darkness. It was a voice, a human man's voice, calling out to me.
"Do not give in, Ikazuchi," the voice said. "You're stronger than this. You can beat it."
I focused on the voice, clinging to it like a lifeline. The monster's presence began to fade, its power waning as I pushed back against its influence.
Against the monster's power.
The monster's massive form shuddered, and I could feel its thoughts growing weaker, its grip on my mind faltering.
With a final push, I broke free from the monster's grasp, my mind feeling raw and exposed. I stumbled backward, my vision swimming as I regained my bearings.
"Ikki, are you okay?" Talia's voice snapped me back to reality. I looked up at her, taking a deep breath to steady myself in her arms.
"I'm... I'm okay," I said, my voice shaking. "That was... intense."
Midori's scream pulled my attention toward her. She gripped her head with both hands, her body convulsing as if in immense pain. Her phone flew through the air and dropped to the ground, and its screen cracked from the impact.
"It's the psionic link," Raiju's voice explained. "The Chaos Beast's attack must have affected her mind. We must extract her into a safe zone immediately."
I nodded, my eyes darting to the other magical girls still fighting the Chaos Beast. They were holding their ground, but it was obvious that they were struggling against the creature's immense power.
"We need to get everyone out of here," I said, my voice firm. "Now."
Talia nodded, and we helped Midori to her feet. She was still shaking but seemed to be regaining some of her senses.
"G-guys, we've got a problem," Spencer muttered.
I turned to look at the Chaos Beast. Its massive form began to charge toward us. It sprinted straight through the water, its limbs smashing into buildings and sending debris flying through the air.
"Oh, fuck," Spencer breathed out, his eyes widening in terror. "Is it coming right for us!? What the fuck?!?!"
I felt a sense of panic wash over me as the monster closed in, its massive form growing larger with each passing moment. I could hear the sounds of people screaming and running in the distance as they heeded our evacuation orders, but it felt like we were all alone. The monster was the only thing in the world that mattered right now.
We had to act fast.
Then, out of nowhere, a massive explosion rocked the city below us. The monster stumbled backward, its form writhing and twisting as the blast tore into it. I turned my attention toward the source of the explosion, my heart racing as I saw a figure standing on a rooftop in the distance.
It was a magical girl, her form shrouded in a cloak of red. She lifted her hand, and I could see a massive wall of... candy canes?!
The sight would have been ridiculous if it weren't so badass. The candy cane wall transformed into a hail of sharp, multi-colored shards that sliced through the air like a tornado.
They hit the monster with such force that it shook the ground and left a cloud of dust in their wake. The otherworldly material that served at its hide protected it from the attack, but it was clear that the monster was hurt.
The magical girl seemed to grin as she saw the effect of her attack, and she lifted her other hand toward the sky. Suddenly, a massive sword made out of light and sparkles appeared in her grasp, its edges bursting aflame with a brilliant glow.
The sight of the familiar magical girl taking on the monster was awe-inspiring. She charged forward, her sword held high as she leaped into the air, bringing the blade down on the creature's head. The monster roared as the sword sliced through its hide, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. A thick aroma of burnt sugar filled the air as the monster stumbled backward, trying to shake off the attack.
The magical girl didn't stop there. She flipped in the air, her cloak fluttering behind her like wings as she landed on the ground. With a fierce battle cry, she charged forward again, her sword held aloft as Selene jumped into the air to coordinate with her.
Selene drew her oversized sword from its sheath with a metallic ring, the blade flashing with an otherworldly light. She charged in alongside Red Riding Hood, the two working together in perfect synchronicity as they sliced and diced the monster's hide.
The rest of us watched in awe, transfixed by the display of power and skill. But it wasn't enough. The monster was still standing, and its attacks were getting increasingly erratic as it struggled to fend off the magical girls. Still, the best we could do was hold it back.
Hana and Raine paired up on a roof, scepter, and staff raised in the air. They chanted in unison, their voices blending in a harmonic melody resonating through the air. Their magic began to swirl around them, building into a massive ball of red and yellow, then orange energy that shot toward the monster.
The energy ball hit the monster with a deafening explosion, throwing it backward and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake as it was thrown back through the river. A water geyser erupted in its place, drenching the city in a torrential downpour.
But the Chaos Beast wasn't done yet. It roared in defiance, its massive form rising from the water as it prepared to attack again.
"Holy fuck, that thing just won't go down," Spencer exclaimed, his voice tense.
I nodded in agreement. We needed to do something more drastic if we were going to defeat the monster.
I jumped in surprise as a large formation of mechs suddenly descended from the sky, their engines roaring as one landed on the rooftop next to us. The pilot emerged, greeting me with a salute.
"Sorry for the delay, support teams," one of them said in a deep voice. "Lieutenant Moctezuma of Epsilon Company reporting for action. We've been held up by pesky insurgents all night. Unfortunately, half our forces are preoccupied right now."
I didn't have time to question why military mechs had shown up to help us. All I knew was that we needed all the help we could get if we were going to take down the Chaos Beast.
"Thank you for coming," I said, my voice firm. "Any chance you guys have anything with enough firepower to take down that monster?"
The mech pilot's eyes flicked towards the monster as it charged towards us again, wading through the river.
"Afraid not, but we can keep it busy for the girls getting into position," he said. "We have some decent weapons, but nothing that can take down a creature that size. Our job is to provide support and distraction while the magical girls work on taking it down."
Red Riding Hood and Selene continued to lead the charge, their swords flashing as they moved in perfect harmony. Hana and Raine continued to chant, their magic swirling around them as they prepared another attack.
Midori groaned in pain, clutching her head. Still, Talia was there to help her, her hand on Midori's back as she whispered words of encouragement.
"Shit," Midori mumbled. "That thing can pack a psychic wallop."
"Raiju," I said, turning to the AI. "Do we have any information on the Chaos Beast's weaknesses?"
Raiju processed for a moment before responding. "There is limited information available, but according to some reports from previous attacks, even a Duke-Class chaos beast will have a core. If the magical girls can focus their attacks on its core, it should weaken the creature and provide an opening for a stronger attack to take it down. As of right now, the location of its core is unknown."
"Everyone, listen up!" I shouted, my voice ringing out over the chaos of the battle through the drones. "We need to focus our attacks on finding the Chaos Beast's core. If we can find it and take it out, we may have a chance at defeating it!"
More and more streaks of light arrived in the distance, indicating that more magical girls were on their way to help. I could tell that it would be an all-out battle, and we needed to be prepared for anything.
Red Riding Hood and Selene continued to strike at the monster, their swords flashing with every attack. The mechs opened fire, their weapons blaring as they aimed for the monster's limbs. Hana and Raine continued chanting, their magic building into another powerful attack.
I could feel the tension building within us as we fought against the Chaos Beast. It was a matter of time before one of us would make the mistake that would cost us our lives.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The ground shook as a massive explosion erupted from somewhere far away, causing a lattice of previously-invisible fields to shimmer all around the city. The mechs stopped their fire as they watched in awe. I felt a rush of energy pulsing through me, and panic set in as I feared the worst.
The monster let out a deafening roar, its form shaking like something had just hit it. A moment later, the beast thrashed wildly, its limbs flailing in fervor.
Portal after portal opened up in the air and near the ground, and monsters began to pour forth from them. I had a sinking feeling in my gut as I realized we weren't just fighting one Chaos Beast.
"Alert: Level 5 Chaos Event has occurred," Raiju's voice said urgently in my ear. "Multiple Chaos Beasts have emerged from the portals. This is a Code Red situation. All forces, fall back and regroup."
Midori screamed again, grabbing her head in pain as I felt an echo ripple through my head. The portals continued opening, and I suddenly felt this was only the beginning.
We had to act fast if we would have any hope of surviving this onslaught.
The city shook as the Chaos Beasts clashed with the mechs on the streets, and I quickly realized that the battle was now beyond our control. We had no choice but to run if we wanted to survive.
There was no time to waste.
The portals continued to open, and the monsters kept pouring out. Fear gripped my heart as I thought of the destruction this would bring.
I took off running with the others, unsure where we were going or if we'd even make it out alive.
All I could do was hope that we'd survive this attack and we'd be able to regroup and find a way to fight back once again.