Chapter 260 - Realm King
Lioncourt planned it all too well. He didn't want the group to hide inside the building before they launched the rocket. With the various techs shown, it would have been possible for them to escape. Lioncourt also knew that these Exoskeletons were generally immune to the Light Breaker.
Yet, in order to hide the use of his powers, Lioncourt placed the miniature light breaker in that Sky Satellite and launched it to deceive and conceal his powers.
If the Light Breaker was used and the Exoskeletons suddenly lost power to move, it wouldn't reveal his powers. At most, whoever was commanding these Six Exoskeletons, would assume that what was used as a more powerful version of the Light Breaker.
But sadly, the leader of these six players was Lioncourt's own disciple in another life.
Tech Reveal and Tech Surprise were the real-life application of Skill Reveal and Skill Surprise that Git Godlike was most famous for. In each season, they would reveal and win matches with their trademark skills. But in reality, each of them had a secret maneuver or technique that they rarely used. This was especially advantageous since they had several Impact characters in their roster.
Impacts had a diverse set of attacks, and only several of them would be used to harass their enemies. But when the tide swings to their disadvantage, they would then use combos, the team plays, and skills that they never revealed publically. This was how they won the game even against Arthur's Precision.
The beacons that Twister created were all small hexagonal boxes that could be placed just anywhere. Yet, these pocket-size devices were now emitting powerful energies that would be detected by most tech detectors. Those that were planted on locations that were lower than the current position of the members of Git Godlike began to fly through a small rotor blade that allowed the device to fly like a small helicopter.
The beacons began to light up, and it all attacked the six with a flash of strange lightning.
"Oh? Are they trying to power the Exoskeletons? Interesting. It looks like I can't hold them too long without drawing suspicion." Lioncourt sneered. Although he couldn't see it clearly, he could sense the peculiar movements through his Realm.
He concluded that the six exoskeletons were trying to power themselves up. It made sense. Since the Light Breaker may have killed their systems, attempting to revive the apparently malfunctioning Exoskeleton suits with an emergency battery system provided in those small boxes was the right action.
"Hmm… It looks like these people didn't want to underestimate Australian tech and proceeded with the worst scenario in mind. I have to commend them." Lioncourt gave his praise.
"What's going on there? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing." Lioncourt simply shook his head. He knew that these six would die.
Lioncourt waited until the rocket neared the group to the point that it would be impossible for them to escape the blast or retreat to the nearby building and finally undid the telekinetic hold.
The rocket approached, and Lioncourt finally removed the shackles he placed on the six.
"Now!" Sensing that the weights were lifted, Cronus gave his orders.
The group began to shoot towards the incoming rocket. But their movements were sluggish as if something was pushing their aims far from the target.
It was here that the genius of Cronus's ability to predict human psychology would finally have its use in a real battle. Without seeing Lioncourt, he knew that at this moment, even that Overcomer believed he was victorious.
Lioncourt was simply waiting for the rocket to hit the ground. One of these six would be protected by Lioncourt's telekinetic powers. He needed one survivor to question and torture. With that, he was distracted. His attention was focused on creating a telekinetic shield around one of them.
Cronus's timing was just brilliant.
"Do it!" He hastily commanded.
Twister's hand had long been on top of the trigger, and he pressed it as quickly as he could.
Lightning Tow was activated.
Of the Seven beacons placed around the area, the furthest one was the beacon that sent the orders to pull the entire team. This was similar to the science that Meng used for his Armor and the very same tech applied in Dara's tank Exoskeleton. But this was an improved version. It acted like a reverse rail gun that will shoot the six Exoskeletons out. The rest of the Beacons were pulling the lightning threads that connected them all. And like a rock flying out of a slingshot, the six Exoskeletons were launched towards the last beacon.
Every single one of them gritted their teeth and prepared for the coming whiplash of accelerating at such a fast speed. The rocket landed on the area around them, and a large explosion occurred.
BOOM!
The six had flung to the air and used their boosters, but it wasn't necessary as the shockwave of the explosion reached them and threw them further.
Lioncourt's expression was stunned. His mouth was wide open.
The sudden movements caught him in surprise, and he couldn't react fast enough for it. His guard was down. Just like the many E-sport professionals who fell against Git Godlike, Lioncourt fell for the possum tactic.
Lioncourt's patience had reached its limit, and he decided just to kill the five and spare the six for questioning. No more hiding, but just pure brutality.
But just as he was about to do it…
THUMP! THUMP!
He felt it.
THUMP! THUMP!
His heart began to beat faster and faster, and an unusually chill rose from his spines.
That sensation cleared his head, and he finally began to consider the various things that he did not.
"Me… They are after me…" Lioncourt voiced out.
"What?" Chester asked at Lioncourt's sudden statements.
"The six exoskeletons… Their mission was the diversion. The attacks of those soldiers were just to hide it. This was a three-layered plan. The armies outside were intended to make me think that those Pioneers were the target. But they aren't!"
"What are you talking about?" Chester shouted. There wasn't any time for Lioncourt to suddenly be mumbling strange words with the war happening outside.
"This isn't about the Lost Primordials and the Anti-Primordials! No! Maybe it's one and the same! I could be one of those Lost Primordials!" Lioncourt continued.
"What? What are you talking about? You're the Lost Primordial?"
"I could be! I just didn't know it yet!"
"What do you mean?!"
"I am not the Lost Primordial because I knew myself to be the Progenitor's Seed. I am one of them!"
"Chester finally grabbed Lioncourt by the collar. He didn't care that this man could kill them all.
"Tell me?! Are you my enemy?!" Chester shouted.
"No. You guys and this whole city are caught in the crossfire between two fighting forces. To be accurate, you were used. I dedicated my entire life to hide so that when the time comes that the Progenitor's enemies would surface, I will gather my peers. I was instructed to hide, no matter what happens. No matter if hell broke loose until it was clear without a doubt who our enemies were, I would never make my mark or appear on this world!"
"Your enemies? Your enemies are at the gates of this city! At the heart of the burning remains of the Megalus Complex!"
"Probably. But if that person is my enemy, then I have failed the mission the Progenitor gave me." Lioncourt frowned.
"That person? Who?"
Waiting at the elevator was a young teen who looked at the small display which told him which floor he was on. His mind absentmindedly looked at it, but his head was looking somewhere else.
"Would you like to save the game?"
He selected Yes.
Lioncourt turned towards the entrance of this room and waited. Since his enemy was showing him the courtesy of not being rude and wanted to announce his arrival, Lioncourt didn't send his telekinetic attack on towards the elevator but waited.
SAVING… DON'T TURN OFF THE POWER.
"Who is coming?!" Chester asked once more as he noticed Lioncourt put on a serious expression and looked at the entrance.
"I'm guessing it's my enemy. None of the Progenitor's seed should know of my existence. I was granted this ability to find them and gather them for that battle. But now, this man approaches and used this entire war to mask his presence. He knew my powers from the start. And that's how he outsmarted me!" Lioncourt's expression had no trace of anger. But almost everything in the room where he was at was giving off light vibrations.
Everyone felt the fear in their bones as they trembled.
Edge saved the game.
Seeker closed the strange emulator in his head and sighed. He was wearing an Australian soldier's uniform, and inside it was his battle suit. It had several pockets and a belt that held the many marvelous weapons that were the fruit of the Overcomer's many Paths.
"Ugh… I can't believe I'm doing this." Seeker had been plying to keep his mind of the nervous sensations.
Seeker moved forward and faced the terrorizing pressure. He recalled how their enemies reacted whenever they felt the power of the Realm King. But now, Seeker was at the receiving end of it.
The hallway from the elevator to the main door was only several meters, but for Seeker, it felt like he was walking his last long walk as he was about to face his executioner.
It wasn't only fear. Seeker respected this man and knew just how powerful he was.
"I can only hope that my own preparations are enough." Seeker sighed as he reached the door.
A sword extended out of a small cylindrical tool, and Seeker slashed the door open.
The sudden cuts appeared and shocked General Chester and his men.
After two slashes were made, Seeker kicked the door open.
BANG!
The door stopped in mid-air, a few meters before Lioncourt. The door then bent together and, with a loud noise, was folded neatly and pushed to the side.
Seeker glanced at it and sighed.
"Lioncourt Diviner." Seeker smiled.
"And you are?" Lioncourt asked.
"Seeker Carlean?" The General was stunned.
"Who?"
"A Never-Gamer… Even though my fame ought to have reached your ears, you never bothered to remember my name?" Seeker frowned.
"That's Seeker Carlean! A famous E-Sport streamer and the member of the Covenant of Strongest!" General Chester explained.
"I'll get downright to business. Let's get out of here and fight somewhere further than this place. As you probably already guessed, this entire war was to get me to stand right in front of you."
"Who are you, really? And how did you know about my powers?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you and conclude that I'm an enemy if I told you. You never mentioned this the last time we met, but you're one of his seeds, aren't you?"
"True. It looks like I'll have to get the real answer out of you."
"Right now? That's Chester Charrington, right? General Chester, have you ever spent time with this old man and enjoyed his company in a jetted bathtub?"
Even Lioncourt had a strange expression when he heard those words.
"Ye-yes?" Chester answered as he was caught off guard by the sudden question.
"Oh. So this General's already your friend, right Ma- Lioncourt?"
"What's that to you?"
"Do you want to fight here and risk killing him? Or would you want us to fight somewhere else?"
Lioncourt glanced at Chester first before looking back at Seeker.
"Where do you propose we fight?"
"You choose. After all, if we fight here, then this city loses its General."
"Good. Then follow me." Lioncourt immediately moved.
A wall collapsed, and Lioncourt zoomed out with incredible speed.
Seeker glanced and turned his attention back at the General.
"Phew. I didn't want to mess this headquarters. At the end of our fight, I'm counting on you to protect us. Hopefully, I'll be alive after all this." Seeker suddenly levitated and was about to move when suddenly, Seeker turned his attention to the General.
"Not that it's any of my business, but you should pay attention to the guys your daughter dates." Seeker immediately blasted out of the room with his beloved booster.
Lioncourt waited at the top of the sky.
"I suggest we fight somewhere in the city. If we fight in an open place, then more people will know about our fight."
"Fine," Lioncourt said nothing and zoomed towards one of the large buildings which he knew held no people inside.
Seeker followed.
The city was in chaos. The fires on the outskirts of the city were spreading to the center. The brave firefighters remained even when war was happening outside. Seeker turned on his communicator and could hear Cronus constantly giving off commands. He was busy stopping several soldiers from killing each other while the rest were busy saving parts of the city.
Finally, the pair arrived at the location where Lioncourt decided the two would fight.
It was inside one of the production factories. When the war started, everyone decided to flee. This location was also near an ongoing battle between several soldiers. Soon, the fighting would reach their location, and it would somehow become a shroud to their battle against each other.
"You have a rather curious team. You sent them to distract me. And now, they are basically saving parts of the city and trying to stop the battle. On another side, one captain has gone crazy and began to talk about destroying the world."
"That must be Thomas. So, do you have any questions, or are we just going to start the fight?"
"I have some. How exactly did you know of my name and location?"
"You wouldn't believe it if I told you and assume that the Progenitor's Enemies found out about you. Anything I say will be suspicious."
"You seem rather pessimistic of this."
"Of course. I got it from you, though." Seeker chuckled.
"Well, you are right. Progenitor told us that we would know who our enemies will be. Because we will know that it's really them, but he told us to be very, very wary. Because the capabilities of our enemies will always surpass our expectations."
"Yeah. Something like that. If I told you the truth, you won't believe me and assume that I'm just trying to get to you to find the others. No matter what I say, it will only end in you trying to kill me and escape. So rather than do that, I'll just fight you and beat you and show you that I am at least sincere by sparing your life. But honestly, even if I did that, you still won't believe me." Seeker laughed.
"Then let's not waste time." Lioncourt extended his hands, and Seeker did the same thing.
Two telekinetic forces crashed in the dimensions beyond the three.
Seeker was thrown back and cursed. He was far too weaker compared to the Realm King.
But the Realm King was far more surprised at Seeker's power.
"So that's how you found me." He frowned.
"An enemy that has my abilities."
"And there's the pessimistic, skeptical and unbelieving master who always assumes the worst. That's why I didn't waste time explaining things. You would have come to this conclusion when you discover that I also have a form of telekinesis!" Seeker cursed. He took out three items that were found within the side-pockets of his outfit: a small greenish horn, a round black ball, and a silver cube.
"Let me show you how much I've grown, Realm King!" Seeker shouted as he crushed all three items.