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After successfully escorting the three soldiers back to the rooftop, Ignis realized that Sergeant Daryl was already gone, though his two subordinates remained behind.
After taking charge of the three trapped soldiers and providing them with emergency rations and medical supplies, they finally informed The Salamander that Sergeant Daryl had gone ahead to scout the lower levels.
This guy really doesn't know the meaning of "caution," does he? Heading off alone like that… Ignis thought, but with the team already deployed, he had no choice but to descend quickly to regroup.
After asking which floor Sergeant Daryl had gone to, Ignis once again stepped into the elevator with the two Bangboo proxies.
"I have a bad feeling about this operation," Belle's voice chimed from within Eous' body.
The Salamander didn't answer, though he also felt that something was off. His biggest problem now was the sudden surge in his psychic perception, an overwhelming influx of sensory data from the environment that he wasn't fully accustomed to.
Though both Embo and Eous were Bangboo, low-intelligence small robots without souls, Ignis could sense a faint emotional presence from Eous. It's subtle, but… it's there.
"What is it? You've been staring at Eous," Belle noticed his gaze. "Something wrong?"
"No…" Ignis quickly changed the subject. "I sense someone is preparing an ambush outside the elevator."
"Eh?" Belle's tone was curious. "How do you know? I just scanned, and there are a few life signals out there!"
"Basic tactical instinct," The Salamander said flatly. "Stay behind the shield."
The giant raised his shield; Eous ducked behind it, while Embo chambered his weapon.
As the elevator doors slid open, the sound of laser fire heating the air rang out. Ignis also noticed a three-man squad of hunters tossing grenades toward them. While these frag grenades were barely a nuisance to a Space Marine in Mark X Gravis Power Armor, they could damage the elevator—he might need it intact for extraction.
On a sudden impulse, The Salamander focused his enhanced psychic energy to suspend the grenades midair. Imagining them hovering, he managed it. The blast waves and shrapnel were halted just outside the elevator doors.
The fiery explosions faded, and Embo popped out from behind the shield, firing two precise shots. Thanks to his excellent targeting system, the recoil had minimal effect.
The metallic clicks of the spent shells hitting the floor accompanied the destruction of two enemy soldiers—the bullets punched through their armor plating, hollowing out their chests. Death came instantly.
Compared to the other three, their end was swift and merciful. Before dying, the grenade-throwing hunters witnessed the glowing thunder of the Salamander's colossal warhammer, the roar like a thunderclap, and the explosion of blood and flesh.
Even knowing they're enemies… Eous muttered, staring at the mess. …it still feels wrong.
"Apologies. I'll try to make it a more graceful death next time," Ignis said curtly.
The ambush force had been eliminated. Their setup hadn't accounted for a heavily armored target like Ignis. Their initial goal was clear: ambush the Defense Force squad.
He wondered how Sergeant Daryl was faring. If something happened to him, the reward for this operation would vanish. Nicole had been complaining about money again recently. Every month, she's like this…
Leaving the elevator foyer, Ignis immediately spotted a barricade made of crates in the opposite corridor, with two riflemen behind it. Finally, The Salamander had the chance to observe the enemy gear. Their armor was identical to the Defense Force's, except it was black instead of the standard green and lacked shoulder insignia.
It was interesting that rebels wore the same equipment as the active Defense Force. But New Eridu, coupled with the Hollow disaster, was already a struggle for survival—why would the city's primary military force harbor rebels?
Ignis couldn't understand. Isn't New Eridu supposed to be united? Why betray… unless some political or unavoidable reason exists?
He quickly grasped the truth: beneath New Eridu's shining exterior lay corruption. Even as a Space Marine, an outsider, it made him seethe. How much worse must it be for the locals?
The two riflemen, spotting the approaching giant, didn't hesitate to fire. Their laser bolts barely grazed The Salamander's power armor—it was like scratching an itch.
The enemy's weak firepower might have been a deliberate choice, taking a safer path. Ignis felt some pity; he didn't want to destroy them and considered letting them surrender, sparing their lives.
Before he could call out, the door behind the riflemen burst open. A hail of gunfire struck, and they collapsed.
Sergeant Daryl had launched a rear assault.
"I heard the commotion," he waved at Ignis. "Quick on your feet. I just finished scouting nearby."
"I was going to try to make them surrender…" The Salamander frowned.
"Don't bother. If they wanted to surrender, they wouldn't be hiding in a Hollow." Daryl kicked a corpse and looked at Eous. "Welcome back, 'Proxy.'" Alpha Squad had been rescued; the next target was Beta Squad.
Eous flinched, shrinking behind the Salamander's shield, slightly embarrassed at the codename.
Unconcerned, Daryl continued, "Beta Squad entered via another route, deeper into the building. Also…" He kicked another body. "Our real objective is to eliminate a rebel squad. Beta Squad's disappearance is likely linked to them—be careful."
"Understood," Ignis said. He wasn't worried about the rebels; their ambush force had no heavy weapons, only basic rifles, and could be countered from behind.
The rebels were under-equipped, outnumbered, and poorly positioned. If it weren't for personnel trapped in the Hollow, the Defense Force squads could easily handle this small rebel group.
Daryl gestured for Ignis to follow. They passed through the door into a hall. The overturned furniture indicated the rebels had planned layered resistance using the furniture as cover. But against Ignis, the ambush was doomed from the start.
"We've dropped plenty of military supplies in the operational area. Look carefully; whatever you find is yours as extra reward," Daryl said, scanning the room.
"Proxy, over there," Ignis pointed to a corner of stacked crates. Behind them, he noticed a liquid ether storage tank and a small cargo vehicle.
Eous hopped forward, attempting to climb the crates. The height was a bit challenging, but before the Salamander could kick the crates aside, Embo acted.
The chainsword roared, its spinning teeth tearing through the crates effortlessly. The Bangboo proxy happily reached the small cargo vehicle and input a series of commands.
Sergeant Daryl was fascinated by the chainsword. "Interesting."
Nearly a meter long, the blade was almost as tall as Embo. Its size would suit a human adult as well, though wielding it required considerable strength. Fortunately, as a robot, Embo had sufficient power and quickly adapted to using it.
The noise of destroying crates attracted some Ethereal—or rather, there was never a shortage of them in the Hollow. These yellow-brass-masked entities dived from the ceiling, only to be cut down by Daryl's precise shooting.
The Defense Force's laser rifles, though individually weak, fired fast enough to suppress effectively. A stream of bolts burned through one Ethereal's brass mask, destroying its core and sending it crashing down.
Embo fired several shots consecutively. Each gunshot meant an Ethereal fell. The recoil of the high-caliber rounds was absorbed by his mechanical body, and the high-velocity bullets were enough to take out an Ethereal in a single shot.
This Bangboo, so similar in stature to the Salamander, stunned Sergeant Daryl. He had seen combat Bangboo before, but this one's efficiency was extraordinary.
When an Ethereal approached, Embo swiftly stowed the gun and charged with the chainsword.
"In the name of Vulkan!" the little Bangboo shouted, mimicking Ignis, tearing through an Ethereal's brass arm and slicing its torso in half.
Daryl was bewildered. The little proxy's valor was beyond comprehension. With it drawing the enemies forward, he could focus on precision shooting.
Daryl and Embo handled the lesser Ethereal while an upper-rank Ethereal emerged from the shadows. Slim, elongated, draped in soft cloaks, and wielding a curved crescent blade—Thanatos had always been a thorn in the Salamander's side.
Its crescent blade could cut space, allowing short teleports through the Hollow. Facing such a "blink" opponent frustrated The Salamander immensely.
But today felt different.
When it slashed with its curved blade and vanished from view, Ignis sensed unusual movement to his left. Something seemed to guide him—Thanatos would appear there.
The Salamander raised his shield but didn't charge the warhammer. The sensation was unclear; he had to hold back.
The next second, space before him tore open. Thanatos emerged from the rift, crashing headlong into The Salamander's shield. The impact broke its crescent blade, and its body flew five or six meters before halting.
Ignis felt the emotion radiating from the Ethereal—astonishment. Just like with the Black Veil Marionette…
Thanatos immediately began absorbing ether from the Hollow to repair itself. The Salamander couldn't allow it the chance to recover, but before his warhammer fell, the Ethereal used its damaged crescent blade to cut through space, escaping several meters away.
By the time it emerged from the rift, most of its body had healed. The blade, though cracked, had regained its original shape.
Bang!Bang!
Two bullets raced toward Thanatos' core. Embo, having cleared the lesser Ethereal, now supported his master.
Thanatos didn't make it easy. The slender form twisted backward, vanishing into the air.
Where would it reappear? Ignis closed his eyes, extending his psychic senses into the surrounding space.
Suddenly, a sense of inexpressible danger arose behind him. The Salamander spun. Thanatos' half-formed body emerged from a rift. Shocked, it recoiled, trying to retreat.
Not this time. Ignis imagined a giant hand of psychic energy forming around the creature.
The psychic grip took effect; Thanatos froze, struggling futilely as the warhammer descended.
Its core shattered into fragments. The Ethereal returned to the Hollow.
Ignis finally confirmed his psychic power had greatly strengthened. Tasks previously impossible were now achievable.
But am I using this right? He had no Librarian to guide him, only trial and error. Cerakos had mentioned knowing a few psychic tricks—he'd ask after the mission.
"Impressive," Sergeant Daryl praised. "Proxy, did you locate my team?"
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