Chapter 1003: Connecting the Ocean and the Sky
The Royal Blue Basin was a complete mess. Many of the cruisers were nothing more than scraps of metal, the lives and deaths of several were either unknown or never had a chance at the former, while those who survived were beaten and bloodied, finding it difficult even to breathe properly.
This wave was far worse than the previous ones and even now was still raging on. There had been a slight moment of reprieve when the koi fish released its dense ball of energy. But, after Vice appeared and that world was cut off from the Invalids, they had once again charged back toward the coast and the raining waters.
The only good news was that the heavy and dense clouds above were beginning to slowly disperse and the rain was weakening. Like this, they could be certain that this was the last wave. They just had to survive this… Just this…
…
"… I'd rather be running suicides."
Gil felt like his legs might fall off at any moment. He was supposed to be a Speedster proud of his speed. But, quite frankly, he wanted nothing to do with anything related to running any longer. All he could do was squeeze out currents of lightning in hopes of stopping these colossal creatures from assaulting the coast anymore.
By now, the military units had finally taken action. Large ballistae were firing and several cruisers had been sacrificed for the sake of battering ram maneuvers. However, it somehow felt that the road ahead was endless.
That said, there was good news too. They could finally claim the Force from the Invalids they were killing. The only unfortunate part was that while this helped with morale, it didn't do much for their stamina.
Invalids released a unique energy that strengthened a person, but this strengthening happened toward one's bottlenecks and progression, not necessarily toward one's immediate state. Even a breakthrough wouldn't bring their bodies back to tiptop shape as though nothing had happened. Unless, of course, they were breaking through a major Dimensional barrier.
There was another reason this rose morale, though. The eight brothers were certain that this change had something to do with Leonel. Not just the rain dispersing, but this control they regained over Invalids was definitely a sign that he had succeeded.
"Cap needs to hurry back, I'm dying over here." Raj groaned, sending another powerful fist forward.
The heavy metallic sand his controlled was only getting heavier by the minute. But this point, he couldn't even kill these creatures with a single blow any longer, he could only tear into their bodies and hope to rip them from the inside out.
"Some left tackle you are," Franco chided. "You're supposed to be protecting Cap's blindside, not the other way around."
"I protected him for ten years already, dammit. It's might turn to get protected. You think that just because I'm so big and muscular that I don't deserve love?"
Several gazes fell onto Raj at that moment, scanning him up and down.
It could be said that that only redeeming quality about Raj was his smooth brown skin. It was clear that it was soft and well taken care of. They all knew that Raj had an obsession with lotion. However, that was where it all stopped.
Raj was almost two meters tall but he seemed just as wide. His torso was so big that his long legs seemed small by comparison. And, his fat was so layered that it caused his clothing to fold in several layers along with it.
Muscular? Why was it that they couldn't tell this?
"You all need to stop ogling my immaculate physique. I'm a person, not an object for you to drool over. Have some common decency."
At that moment, the fluttering laughter of several beauties drifted over. Joyce, Aulina and the others couldn't stand Raj's jokes anymore. But, it was about the only thing that kept their heads straight amidst all the fatigue that was weighing down on their shoulders.
"Shit. It's another one." Joel's voice cut through the noise and roaring waves.
In the distance, a billowing pillar of water seemed to connect the ocean's surface and the skies above. The pressure was so fierce and the sound so loud that Joel's voice was quickly drowned out by it all before heavy, pelting drops of water began to rain down.
It was yet another enormous whale. They had been appearing one after another and were easily the most dangerous of the creatures yet.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The water rained down like bullets, growing harder and harder with each passing moment. In the distance, a soldier who didn't get out of the way in time was hit head on, his skull being driven into the deck of his cruiser. By the time the water dispersed and his face was revealed, a large dent was left in his head as his eyes stared vacantly into space… Dead.
"Milan!" Joel roared.
"Already on it."
Milan clapped his hands together, the last dregs of his Force being dragged up as he roared with everything he had.
His energy shield exploded in size growing from two meters to hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye. Veins popped up across Milan's forehead, blood seeping between his teeth as he tried to force his energy shield to grow in size.
However, as it grew, it also became thinner, causing the heavy droplets of water to crash through, shattering some sections into pieces.
Milan continued to hold on, his blood silently falling into the ocean beneath him. His own energy shield began to fuse with that of others with similar abilities, large sections of defensive formations glowing blinding lights as they lifted into the sky.
Right then, though, the worst case scenario occurred.
A second pillar of water connected the ocean to the skies. But, this one came from a completely different location than the first.
A second whale had appeared. And just behind it, there came a third.
[Just two today. Back with four tomorrow unless something happens]