Chapter 47: Preparing to attack the nest
Kadi had kept trying to move her essence around her body but would keep breaking concentration with each attempt. She had found herself getting quite mentally exhausted and even started sweating again.
"I think we leave it for today, you have already done so much." Kim thought they may as well stop for the day as Kadi had already made leaps in improving her essence.
"I can keep going." Kadi didn't want to give up as she felt close to being able to flow the essence through her entire body.
"Overworking is a no-go, you are still young so you need rest. You can practice all day tomorrow if you like, but don't push yourself as the essence can also cause you harm if you let it get out of control." Having not gone over the risks of essence, Kim realised she would need to explain how it can damage her body, but due to her progressing so fast it was hard to keep up.
"F-fine." Kadi, being unable to resist Kim's motherly attitude decided to stop for the day.
"Good." Kim smiled and patted Kadi on the head, causing her to look away while blushing.
"Done? She still has at least a hundred laps to do." Lou smirked as she saw the look of dread appear on Kadi's face.
"Pffhahaha, I'm kidding, go on and rest, you have done amazing." Lou wasn't going to be too cruel yet as Kadi was only at the start of her training.
"Hmph." Kadi returned to being a brat, so she could hide her excitement from receiving a compliment from Lou.
"Tch, I'll make sure I train that brat out of you." Lou clenched her fists, wanting Kadi to at least show a little bit of appreciation.
Kadi, not wanting her training to not get harder, quickly dropped the act and turned to Lou.
"T-thank you." Poking her fingers together, she spoke quietly and hid her face to hide the blush.
"Good~." Lou was happy and so she walked up to the bunker entrance opening it.
***
<2 days later>
Kadi had progressed with her training but was still stuck on moving her essence around her body. Lou had also fully recovered in that time and was now preparing to attack the nest.
"Okay with no injuries on us, we should be safe to go invade the nest and try to steal the core." Reia was standing at the head of the table with everyone else sitting down. Kadi was on the couch lazing around as she had been let off training for the day.
"So what's the plan?" Lou, who had been rather out of the loop since she didn't want to bother with planning, wondered what Reia had come up with.
"Like you did last time, Kim will be up on that billboard providing any cover fire while we enter. For us three, I will try to extract the core while Akira and you will be protecting me."
"As long as I'm killing, fine by me." Although Lou seemed rather rouge she would follow her mission perfectly as it became her personal goal and will do anything to accomplish it.
"For when we are leaving, we will try to run away and if they decide to chase us, we will use the buildings to our advantage. If they stay in the nest which is highly unlikely then we will be free. My only concern is the giant mutants that can use essence." Reia recalled the detail Lou brought up and that was the fact the variants were able to use essence.
"I would prefer we don't fight them as it sounds like a disaster waiting to be unleashed." Akira hated the sound of it as he assumed the range of the essence scales with size making their destructive capabilities 10x more.
"That's why I suggest if we can't get the core within the first 10 minutes we leave as I do not want to anger the giant mutants." Reia also took note of how they watched instead of fighting, so it was a good chance that if they just dropped everything and left, they would be okay.
"It will be a shame if we don't get the core, but Reia make sure you don't overcommit." Kim glared at Reia as she knew how Reia would push that little further even though she shouldn't as it could cost her life.
"I-I okay." Reia felt called out and didn't know how to respond as it brought back memories of when she had almost got herself killed.
"Well if we are ready to go, then we should head off." Akira stood up as they had seemingly discussed everything.
"Mhm, let's go." Reia nodded and they all got up from their seats. But before they left Kim had quickly gone to Kadi to tell her goodbye.
"We will be off now and should be back by the end of the day, so if you want, you can continue to train your essence. If you don't have any questions, make sure to eat and we will see you later~." Kim patted Kadi who had her head leaning over the arm of the couch.
"Byeee." Swinging her legs, Kadi had felt extremely worried as she didn't want to be left alone again.
'No, just believe they will be okay, plus I need to be strong on my own.' Talking to herself Kadi tried to swat away her fears.
Kim smiled and walked away exiting the bunker with everyone else.
**
Walking along the road towards the nest, Kim had split off to the billboard and got into position.
Lou had taken the lead and Reia was trying to see if they could use the environment to their advantage.
'It's rather flat and the only thing that is useful are the buildings.' Reia was a little disappointed and although the cars on the road were useful for the smaller mutants, if it turned out to be a massive horde, then it would be useless.
'Might have to find a way to quickly get onto the roof as it should eliminate most of the threat except for any flying mutants and the giants that can destroy the buildings.' Expecting them to be chased, it was going to be hard to get away especially with the core being relatively big according to Lou.
"We're here." Lou had stopped in front of the collapsed road that led into the nest, giving Reia and Akira a proper look.
"Hmm I see the core, it shouldn't be too much of a hassle, although Akira you may need to carry it instead." Reia wasn't confident in carrying it after seeing the size of the core.
"We will see when we get there." Akira was fine with whatever, but he preferred to protect Reia.
"Also you said the entire thing is covered in slime?" Reia saw that it was pitch black and even though light should be revealing the cave it looked as if it was complete darkness.
"It is indeed, it did not hinder my movements too much, but mutants can emerge from it so be extremely careful." While explaining, Lou had attached her other 2 berettas to her heels.
"Tch, that's going to be a big problem since my hands will be full." Reia had brought a bag, but it was too small and would need to carry it by hand.
"It's about the size of a beach ball, so it doesn't help that it's just too big to be stored, but small enough to be held." Akira considered just taking over the carry role as it would be easier.
"No matter, there is no turning back now and if worse comes to worst I absorb it right away if my theory is correct." Reia considered drawing the essence in the core, but that's if her theory was correct.
"Let's not risk that, as it may knock you out." Akira did not like the sound of it, as there were still too many unknowns.
"Mmm, I agree with Akira, we have no idea what will happen." Even though Lou had resonated with the core, it still could have side effects.
"Fine I won't, plus it should be a two-second job to cut off the slime that is suspending it in the air." Reia could not argue against their points and quickly moved on.
"We touch that core and we activate the horde, so we better rush this." Lou knew the mutants waited to attack her until she was close so it will be no surprise if they touched the core and the entire nest would go crazy.
"Hopefully Kim will be able to keep the entrance clear and your fire should be effective in clearing them." Reia's plan hinged on their essence so if one thing did not work, it would fall apart.
"If we see those essence mutants, hopefully, my corruption can kill them quickly or at least disable them." Akira was the secret weapon as it did not matter where he shot as long as he landed a bullet, they would slowly die.
"Indeed." Reia got stuck in thought reviewing the plan in her head before speaking up again.
"Alright, let's not stand around anymore, it's time to raid the nest." Reia pulling out her rifle filled it with essence and so did everyone else. Raising one of her hands into the sky she clicked her fingers as a signal and they began to sprint into the nest.
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