As the team pressed forward, a chilling sight awaited them. A cunning demonic being had gathered the remains of its fallen allies to create a grotesque shield against the hail of bullets. With an eerie intelligence, it used the corpses as a grotesque wall, advancing relentlessly toward the hulking power-armored men.
The team leader, a battle-hardened veteran with nerves of steel, instantly recognized the threat and adjusted his tactics. As his team members began reloading their heavy machine guns, he swiftly switched to his heavy shotgun, knowing it was their only chance to break through the gruesome barricade.
Without hesitation, the team leader aimed with precision and fired a single shot from his shotgun.
Boooom!
The powerful blast tore through the makeshift shield, splintering bones and sending chunks of demonic flesh flying. The demonic being behind the shield was caught off guard and met its demise in a gruesome explosion.
However, the cunning nature of the rat-like demonic beings became evident as the pack closed in on the team during their moment of vulnerability while changing magazines. The hulking power-armored men remained unfazed by the ambush, their training and instincts taking over.
The team leader, with a calm and collected demeanor, swiftly reached for a holy grenade from his belt, pulling the pin and tossing it into the encroaching horde. The grenade detonated with a brilliant burst of divine light, bathing the surroundings in a cleansing glow. The rat-like demonic beings were caught in the blast, their twisted bodies disintegrating into oblivion.
Without missing a beat, the team leader rallied his men, who seamlessly resumed firing upon the remaining demonic abominations. The firefight intensified once more, but the team's resolve remained unshaken. The rat-like creatures may have tried to exploit their moment of vulnerability, but they were no match for the hulking power-armored men and their arsenal of holy weaponry.
With relentless determination and lethal precision, the team relentlessly mowed down the demonic beings one after another, a never-ending horde that seemed to surge endlessly from the dark depths of the sewage system. The deafening sound of heavy machine guns and shotguns echoed through the tunnels, mixed with the eerie screeches and growls of the corrupted creatures.
The team was part of a larger force, all of them assaulting the sewage system from various entrances to smoke out Lucian Blackscar from his hiding. The demonic beings' numbers were staggering, ranging from ten to twenty thousand, and this battle was far from over. As the first team began to exhaust their ammunition and energy, they seamlessly fell back, replaced by a fresh team ready to continue the grueling fight.
This was a prolonged and relentless battle, but the hardened veterans Atlantean Vanguard were undeterred.
– Morning - 2 Days before the reinstatement of Lucian Councilor status
More than 12 hours had passed, and now it was morning. Daniel made his way to the command center to check on the progress of the operation.
Inside the command center, Daniel observed the ongoing battle through the camera feeds from the soldiers' helmets. The sewage system had been transformed into a relentless battlefield, with the extermination of demons continuing without respite.
"How is the operation going?" Daniel inquired, approaching Penthesilea, who had been monitoring the operation since the previous night.
"My lord, based on the readings, it appears that the demonic horde is starting to dwindle. Their assaults have significantly reduced, and we have already reclaimed more than 50% of the sewage system. As of this moment, we have no casualties, only injuries," Penthesilea replied.
"That's good to hear," Daniel said with relief. He had been adamant about minimizing the loss of life during this operation, and the hulking power armor they were wearing had been one of the solutions to protect his subordinates.
As Daniel continued to monitor the operation, he couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions. The sight of his forces bravely battling against the demonic infestation filled him with pride, but he also knew that the battle was far from over.
More than 50% of the area had been reclaimed, and many places that they had speculated to be Lucian's hiding spots had been cleared and purged. However, the battle was still raging on. Daniel closely studied the real-time data on the screen, his eyes narrowing as he noticed an alarming trend. The progress of reclaiming the sewage system seemed to be slowing down, as if an unseen force was impeding their advance.
Daniel's keen eyes focused on the main screen, displaying images from one of the teams wearing scarlet hulking power armor. It was evident that the issue wasn't due to a lack of skill or experience; something else was at play. His men in the power armor were slowing down considerably, despite facing fewer demonic attacks. It was as if some mysterious spell was sapping their energy and will.
"Penthesilea, it appears our men are under the influence of a debilitating spell, hindering their progress," Daniel remarked, concerned for his brave soldiers. He compared the speed of their advance from the start of the operation to the current sluggish pace and saw a stark difference. In the beginning, they had faced relentless assaults from the demonic beings, yet they pressed on with great fervor.
Now, with fewer attacks, they seemed to struggle. Daniel knew his men, especially the elite Atlantean Vanguard in the power armor, were resilient and not easily fatigued. Even after fighting through the night, their power armor's assist systems should have mitigated their exhaustion significantly.
Upon hearing her lord mention the issue, Penthesilea swiftly turned to her team responsible for monitoring the life signs and fatigue readings from the power armor.
"Check and compare the fatigue readings of all the teams from last night to the present!" Penthesilea commanded her subordinates in the bustling command center, and they quickly complied.
Moments later, the results were in.
"Ma'am, our men's fatigue has abnormally increased compared to the drain from last night. Based on our calculations, if we include the war fatigue from the previous night without any outside disturbances except for the fighting, our men should have captured at least 70% of the sewage system by now," the subordinates reported to a frustrated Penthesilea, realizing her oversight.
"My lord, I failed you. I apologize... Let me rectify the situation myself... I..." Penthesilea was about to continue, but Daniel cut her off gently.
"No, you're not at fault. You just haven't had enough experience when it comes to mages and their mystical ways of fighting. So, this oversight is understandable. Besides... I'll go there myself with some backup," Daniel said, his expression turning mysterious as he let out a confident smile.
— Sector Alpha City - Suburban Area - St. Michaela's Church —
In the basement lounge area of the church, a large flat-screen TV adorned one wall, broadcasting a stand-up comedy program. The room echoed with laughter as members of the church community, including Christopher Ward, the Grand Paladin, gathered around the TV, enjoying the light-hearted humor.
Christopher, with his new prosthetic arms from Daniel, laughed heartily, the joy evident on his face as he watched the show. The prosthetic arms were a perfect match to his old ones, and he marveled at the seamless transition. With newfound mobility and a sense of normalcy restored, his laughter filled the space, contagious and genuine.
As the stand-up comedian on the TV cracked a joke, laughter filled the cozy lounge: "You know you're in LA when you're stuck in traffic, and the billboards are saying, 'Are you tired of waiting? Come inside and gamble for a chance to win a helicopter!'" The Grand Paladin, Christopher Ward, laughed like an idiot, thoroughly enjoying his new prosthetic arm that still held a can of root beer.
"Gaaaaa HaHa HaHa, that was fucking true!" Christopher exclaimed, taking a sip of his favorite root beer.
"Sir… You know… You seem to be… a little bit too comfortable." Matthew, the young Sacred Smith of the church, commented on Christopher, who appeared to be overly at ease in Tessia Kingdom, unlike the other paladins staying at the church.
"Ahhhh c'mon, don't be a party pooper, lad!" Christopher teased, just as his phone began to ring.
<Hallelujah - Theme Song>
Without waiting for the Hallelujah part to finish, Christopher glanced at the caller's name.
"Speaking of a party pooper, and a party pooper calls me," he remarked to the caller before answering the call.
"Hello? If you wanted to ask me about my prosthetic, then it's very good. It was as if I never lost my arm before," Christopher reassured the caller.
"Oh? Not this? Then what is it you're calling me for?" Christopher asked curiously.
The other side explained the reason to Christopher.
"Ohhhh Ho ho ho… That was nice, very nice. Fine! I'll help, but don't forget that you owe me one. Oh? Not that? You'll give me something far better than the sacred weapon I use!? Ohhh, coming from you, it's making me tingle with anticipation! Ok… Be seeing you!" Christopher said before hanging up.
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