Chapter 328: Retreat
Kai moved deeper into Citadel‑09...
As the air conditioning of the base was basically gone, sweat was already dripping down his brow.
’It’s getting hot here... Maybe this thing will just overheat soon? Mhmm? Can they even overheat?’ Kai mused as he saw that the Energy Cores of the Mechanical Units seemed to have different principles compared to the batteries or processing units he was aware of.
Nonetheless, Chamber guided him toward the final nodes.
The fortress seemed to sense his intrusion now... every corridor was alive with shifting walls, hidden panels, and traps designed to break his rhythm.
’It’s getting harder and harder to respond even with Chamber giving instructions...’
Kai sighed as he just escaped a series of traps.
[ Alert: Neural Traps detected. ]
Chamber’s voice was hurried...
Kai froze as the floor lit up with faint markings...
Soon, a pulse of energy surged through the air, rattling his nerves.
His muscles stiffened and his vision blurred.
’It’s Neural Trap indeed...’
Just like what Chamber explained before, these traps emit pulses to disrupt Spirit Energy, causing disorientation or paralysis!
"Damn... they’re trying to fry my Spirit Energy." He gritted his teeth, forcing his Strength Gauntlet to activate...
Whom~
The gauntlet’s resonance steadied him long enough to roll clear of the trap!
Adaptive Constructs swarmed next... These mechanical units turned into turrets, even beasts, and humanoid killers!
Plasma bolts rained down.
Kai hurled a smoke grenade, filling the corridor with thick haze!
The machines fired blindly, their sensors disrupted. He slipped through the smoke, War Lance flashing as he pierced a turret’s core.
Another construct lunged, claws snapping. Kai tossed a decoy emitter; a holographic projection of himself sprinted down the hall. The construct chased the false target, giving Kai the opening to smash its dorsal joint with his gauntlet. Sparks erupted, and the machine collapsed.
But the fortress wasn’t done.
Neural Traps pulsed again, chains of energy lashing at his Spirit reserves.
Kai felt his Titan Step failing... It wasn’t just the disturbance... It seemed his Spirit Points were no longer enough!
Kai pulled a Spirit‑Boosting flask from his belt, downing it in one gulp.
Energy surged back into his veins... fifty points was restored instantly. His body roared with renewed vigor...
"Back in the fight."
He activated Titan Step, blurring forward.
Soon, his lance struck one construct three times in rapid succession, exploiting Chamber’s tactical feed.
The third thrust shattered its armor completely!
"Tsk... Why are there so many of you? Shouldn’t you go outside?!" Kai complained as Sentinels stormed in...
They had rifles aimed at him. Kai could only duck behind cover, pulling out his M9 Beretta.
He fired precise shots, each round guided by Chamber’s analysis.
One Sentinel’s rifle exploded in its hands, another slowed down as a bullet pierced its sensor. As soon as the smoke covered them as well, Kai finished them with his gauntlet, smashing cores into scrap!
’It’s easier to fight inside the smoke... But I can’t be too confident.’
Just like that, they got access to another node...
[ Intrusion progress: 64%. ]
Chamber’s voice echoed as Kai defended the spot...
He threw a flashbang grenade into the corridor.
Bang!
The explosion of light blinded the incoming constructs, their sensors overloaded.
Kai then charged forward with War Lance stabbing through their weakened defenses.
Finally, the node’s light started blinking...
Chamber’s hum intensified.
[ Intrusion progress: 100%. Node compromised. Control channel rerouted. ]
Kai exhaled, leaning against the console. "That’s two down... one more. Let’s leave this place...
But Chamber’s tone shifted, almost hesitant.
[ Master... I have discovered something. Control is impossible. The Citadel’s systems are hard‑coded to reject autonomous override. Even if we seize all nodes, I cannot claim ownership. ]
Kai’s eyes narrowed. "So all this hacking... Is it just weakening them? Wait... That should be more than enough... Even if we can’t claim ownership, that’s not a problem."
[ Correct. But we can at least shut the power down. Once the final node collapses, the core will destabilize. The fortress will stop functioning, but it cannot be controlled. ]
Kai clenched his fist. "Figures. Nothing’s ever simple. But that should be more than enough."
Soon, they left the area, heading straight to the last node...
The path to this place was the hardest yet.
Adaptive Constructs poured in waves, shifting forms mid‑battle.
Neural Traps pulsed constantly, draining his Spirit Energy. Kai fought like a storm, every weapon in his arsenal unleashed.
Perhaps, if it wasn’t him fighting here, they would immediately fail.
After all, they wouldn’t have Chamber and numerous resources that could be used...
"The smokescreen is overpowered..." Kai muttered as he realized that the sensor‑disrupting smoke grenades were the real deal... It was truly disrupting the scanners they had on him.
They couldn’t lock unto him because of this!
Furthermore, because the A.I. probably didn’t want to destroy itself, it wasn’t using powerful explosives to kill him!
They were still holding back!
Of course, Kai wouldn’t miss this opportunity...
Smoke grenades cloaked his movements, letting him strike unseen.
Flashbangs stunned machines long enough for his War Lance to pierce their cores.
Decoy emitters drew fire away, buying him precious seconds.
His M9 Beretta would shoot in the dark, crippling sensors and joints of the sentinels and the adaptive constructs...
The Strength Gauntlet smashed through armor and cores, and the War Lance just needed three hits in the same place to destroy almost all types of armor, exploiting every weak point Chamber illuminated.
Whenever his Spirit ran low, Kai drank another Spirit‑Boosting potion, energy flooding back into his body.
At last, battered and bloodied, Kai reached the final chamber. The node pulsed violently. There was glowing like veins of molten light.
[ Master, connect me. This is the last one. ]
Kai unclasped the pendant, pressing it against the port. The filament locked in place. Chamber’s hum filled the room.
[ Initiating final intrusion... progress at 12%. ]
The fortress screamed in response!
The A.I. knew that once they succeeded, it would be over!
This time, even the Ascendants fighting the Level 80 Survivors outside retreated!
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