Chapter 177: Chapter 177- Power Flow
Rea’s blade sang through the air again and again, its arc cutting down swarms of dragonflies that buzzed too close to the cannon. Sparks of their fragmented wings scattered like shards of glass, but more kept coming, drawn to the weapon’s glow. His breathing grew heavier, yet his strikes never faltered.
Behind him, Cindy pressed herself against the steel plating, one hand clutching her side where fresh blood seeped through bandages. Her other hand held her gun loosely, trembling, though she barely had the strength to lift it. For now, all she could do was survive in Rea’s shadow.
Belle remained steady despite the chaos, her rifle snapping with sharp, controlled bursts. Each shot found its mark, capung after capung spiraling lifelessly to the ground. Her precision was the thin thread keeping the monsters from overwhelming them.
Above, Lucy dove like a phantom hawk, her wings slicing the air. Every swoop ended in a kill, talons ripping through the fragile bodies of the insects. The sky rained with broken shells, but still the swarm thickened.
At his console, Sebas wiped sweat from his brow and kept his eyes locked on the monitors. He opened a channel, voice clipped and urgent. "City Lord, this is Division Five. We’re still holding, but the swarm is intensifying. If reinforcements can—"
His words cut off.
The hum of the great cannon, ever-present, the heartbeat of their defense, stuttered. Then silence. The lights along its frame dimmed, and the streams of energy that had been gathering inside vanished like water down a drain.
The air felt suddenly heavier, the battlefield eerily hollow without that constant pulse of power.
Sebas froze, eyes wide as the monitors flickered. "No..." he whispered, voice trembling. "The cannon... it’s dead."
The silence of the cannon was heavier than any roar of the enemy.
"What the hell—?!" Rea’s voice cracked through the comms as his blade carved another dragonfly in half. He swung harder, faster, desperation leaking into every strike. "Why now, damn it!" His movements were sharp, erratic, panic dripping into his usually precise form.
"Rea, stop shouting!" Cindy barked, though her voice trembled as much as her hands. She tried to sound sharp, to sound like a leader, but the fear in her eyes betrayed her. "Yelling won’t fix the cannon!"
Rea spun on her, eyes wild. "We’re screwed without it! Do you even realize—"
"Shut up and keep fighting!" she snapped, her voice breaking. She was just as terrified.
Belle’s rifle cracked three precise shots, three dragonflies falling in perfect rhythm. Without even glancing back, she hissed through clenched teeth, "Both of you—Shut up. Panicking won’t save us."
The sound of grinding metal echoed as a hatch in the cannon opened. Kevin stumbled out of the charging chamber, face pale, sweat dripping from his jaw. "What happened?" His eyes darted to Sebas, alarm tightening his voice. "I fed it everything I had, did the machine break?"
Sebas’s fingers flew over the console, his expression growing darker by the second. "No... it’s not you, Sir Kevin. The machine itself isn’t damaged." His voice was clipped, professional, but his tone betrayed the strain. "The power flow... it’s been cut. The main supply line is dead."
"What do you mean cut?!" Rea shouted, slicing through another swarm that nearly clipped him. "It doesn’t just die on its own!"
Sebas grimaced, trying different channels. "I’m attempting to contact the supply grid now—" His comm crackled with static, no response. Again. Again. His jaw tightened. "No answer. Either the grid is compromised, or the lines are being jammed. Either way... the cannon’s blind."
The team fell silent for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in.
Then the intercom buzzed, and the deep, commanding voice of the City Lord broke through. "Division Five. Report. Has something happened?"
Sebas inhaled sharply, his knuckles white on the console. "Yes, Lord. The cannon’s power source has been severed. We’re holding the swarm, but unless we restore the flow... the weapon is useless."
Within the City Lord’s sight, Division Zero’s formation blazed across the skies. Their strikes fell one after another against the Sky Whale, coordinated like clockwork, relentless yet fragile in their rhythm. None of them knew how long their barrage would hold, nor when they would desperately need the cannon’s fire again.
The City Lord’s jaw tightened. He leaned closer to the comm, his voice cold and measured. "Sebas. That cannon is not a luxury, it is our lifeline. Division Zero bleeds every second to keep the Sky Whale occupied. If the weapon fails again when they falter..." He let the silence finish the thought.
He exhaled, steadied, then asked, "Can you repair it? Quickly?"
Sebas straightened, his back stiff though sweat glistened at his temple. His tone was respectful, his words precise. "Yes, my Lord. We are prepared. Whatever it takes, we’ll restore the cannon."
For a moment, the City Lord’s eyes softened, a rare break in his iron command. "Then do it. But above all else, remain alive. If you fall, the cannon is nothing but steel."
The comm cut, leaving only static, the hum of failing circuits, and the thunder of the battle outside.
Sebas drew a sharp breath, then turned to the others. "The power cut came from the energy conduits. Someone needs to check the severed line."
Kevin immediately stepped forward, his voice firm. "I’ll go. I can—"
"No." Belle’s refusal came quick and hard, cutting him off. Her rifle still warm in her hands, she turned her sharp gaze on him. "You’ve already pushed your limits. Save your strength. If anyone goes, it’s me."
Kevin opened his mouth to argue, but Sebas’s eyes lingered on Belle. He weighed her words in silence, then gave a small nod. "She’s right. Belle will go."
Belle exhaled softly, a flicker of relief in her eyes, then glanced toward Lucy. Lucy had been unnervingly quiet, her crimson feathers glinting in the harsh lights, watching but saying nothing. Their eyes met for a brief moment, just enough. Belle shifted her gaze back to Sebas. He understood without a word and returned the nod.
"Hold them off," Belle said, snapping a fresh cartridge into her rifle before slinging it across her back. "I won’t be long."