Chapter 824: Rescued
Time passed quickly.
Soon, as the slow-moving Floating Fortress got closer and closer, Shane watched the ruined city no longer from a holographic map made by Cloud but from its real images below…
Since Cloud was also fully aware of the plan, it immediately highlighted their target.
Well, Cloud had easily invaded the Floating Fortress’s internal system since it came from the highly advanced Anima Civilization. In just an hour, Cloud could now safely override the Fortress’s systems.
Just like that, the Fortress’s targeting systems immediately locked onto the western boulevard that Tessa had previously noted…
“We’ll stick to the precision strike, Cloud… We need to suppress, don’t level.”
Cloud immediately acknowledged.
[ Calculating safe output. Reapers ready. Turrets online. Awaiting your command. ]
“Fire when you’re ready…”
Shane gave his command.
The legendary Elves watched everything from within the bridge, and the other Epic Elves decided to watch from the viewing platform outside.
The Floating Fortress suddenly started gathering a vast amount of energy, and the first of its long-range artillery came alive.
Far below, a thunderclap was heard… However, it wasn’t just one but a sequence.
The Fortress’s twin Spirit Cannons opened first, releasing compressed waves of spirit-energy rounds that flashed across the sky and smashed into the western boulevard!
Boom!
Boom!
The ground folded inward under concentrated impacts!
Just like that, modular artillery mounts followed with their own barrage to create more chaos…
Each shell was also designed to detonate at different times to maximize confusion rather than indiscriminate destruction.
Simultaneously, the four Aegis-05 Reapers locked on and sent down some accurate bombardments.
Well, they were targeting a cluster of armored Vampires who were brave enough to fly at them in rage!
Their long-range artillery blasted the vampires into mist, and it continued to punch through the rooflines below…
Of course, even with the Reaper Mechs, they could only cover a small area…
Because of that, the anti-air ballistae of the Floating Fortress activated and targeted winged vampires…
They weren’t using silver bullets, but it was enough to bring the Vampires down.
After all, puncturing several holes in their wings would be more than enough for that.
On the other hand, the Vampires on the ground continued to escape from the bombardment.
Many of the Vampire Knights who had been standing guard a while ago were hurled off their feet by shockwaves or were pinned under falling stone.
Those who could fly were forced into the sky to regroup…
“By the Abyss…” one of them finally saw the Floating Fortress in the sky…
“What… what is that thing?”
While many of the Vampire Knights didn’t hesitate to fly in the sky to try and destroy the fortress, many of them weren’t that brave.
The fortress that was above them was like a mountain of iron and stone. It was filled with cannons that were still firing at them…
“That’s no human craft,” another Vampire Knight said in disbelief. He had just come out of the underground base and felt the earthquake.
He didn’t expect that they would be attacked right now. After all, it was still quite far from the nearest human shelter, and they wouldn’t dare to attack with only a few people.
Because of that, the Vampires believed that if there were a huge movement, they would notice it immediately and make preparations. If they didn’t notice any, then they thought that they should only worry about possible assassins or scouts.
None of them expected to be attacked from the sky!
“This is impossible… It’s a fortress in the sky!”
The newer vampires flinched as the Reapers Mechs fired another salvo…
“How can this be! They should not have this power!!
In the meantime, from the citadel’s balcony, Statham, the Vampire Lord, slammed his hand onto his table…
His red eyes burned as he miscalculated the quick advancement of the Survivors here.
‘A floating fortress this early?! This is cheating!’
“Fools! Don’t stand and watch it continue firing! Bring it down! Tear it from the sky!” He ordered.
Even those far from him heard his message and swiftly acted.
***
This time, while everyone was focusing on the fortress above, Tessa and the others immediately acted.
With her Legendary Dusk Silk cloak and the darkening surroundings, she melted into shadow as she slipped down from her spot and moved toward the northern cages.
The explosions had thrown guards into confusion…
Most of the sentries who survived were orienting toward the boulevard to assist…
Her plan worked…
She dashed forward and immediately checked the northern quarter…
Soon, she found the cages of humans…
Dozen scrawny figures huddled within.
They looked terrible and dirty…
‘If you’re going to drink their blood, won’t you at least clean them or make them healthy?’ Tessa frowned as she felt something off.
It seemed that the humans they captured weren’t for the blood supply…
‘Maybe it’s to turn them into Vampires?’ She thought.
However, there was no time to think more about it.
As soon as she arrived, they flinched.
Well, her arrival coincided with another distant explosion.
Nonetheless, none of them cried as they realized that the one before them was a human!
She wanted to use her lock-picking skills here but she was in a hurry.
She simply used her blade to cut everything. The locks, their cuffs, and ropes… They were all easily cut by her…
One by one, the cages opened.
“Move. Keep low… Quiet… Follow me and don’t look up.”
The captives were fragile with fear, but they knew that there was a chance to live if they followed her.
Just like that, Tessa guided them toward the aqueduct. She kept them in a single file, cloaking their movement with her cloak’s illusion to blur their shapes.
It was straining her as she used 20 Spirit Points per 5 seconds just to keep this up…
As they continued forward, she thought that everything would be fine.
However, not everything went perfectly.
A Vampire Knight realized the northern cages were empty and sounded a signal!
Suddenly, a handful of armored Vampires started searching for any traces!
Even with her Legendary Cloak’s illusion, there was no way they wouldn’t leave any traces. She had rescued about 34 people after all!