Chapter 79: the freedom convoy gathers
Author’s request -
I apologise Once again for interrupting the story .
Once again this shameless author is requesting all the readers to please leave behind a review behind whether good or bad .
Your reviews will help me to improve my writing and make me know whether the pacing is good or still draggy.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed across the battlefield.
Atlas came sprinting back, his face filled with panic.
"Nina! Nina! I’m sorry!" he cried out, his voice cracking. "I couldn’t kill it!"
Leo turned his gaze toward Atlas.
Following a few steps behind the boy was a woman of breathtaking beauty. She looked to be around twenty-nine or thirty years old. Her waist-length silver hair shimmered like moonlight, creating a striking contrast against her deep emerald eyes—calm, yet piercing. She wore a fitted dark combat uniform beneath a long white coat trimmed with silver, giving her an elegant yet commanding presence.
A gentle expression rested on her face, but an unmistakable dignity hung about her, the kind that made people instinctively straighten their backs.
Leo caught the resemblance right away.
With her silver hair and distinct emerald eyes, she shared the exact features of the silver-haired youth. They were clearly close family.
Nina’s eyes lit up.
"Big Sis Valentine!" she gasped. "You came back!"
Without a second thought, she rushed past Atlas and threw herself into the woman’s arms.
Valentine caught her with ease. Although Nina tried her best to hold back her tears, her trembling shoulders betrayed her emotions. Valentine smiled warmly and slowly stroked the girl’s back, comforting her the way an older sister calms a frightened child.
"It’s alright," Valentine murmured. "I’m here now."
The moment Valentine stepped into view...
The two-horned alien’s posture subtly shifted.
Even after watching the silver-haired youth reduce its prized blade to dust using a Zen Technique, the creature had remained relatively calm. Surprised, sure—but not afraid.
Yet the instant this woman set foot on the field, a sharp sense of danger flared in its heart.
Its crimson pupils narrowed. Without a word, it sent out a swift telepathic order.
The approaching one-horned mutants changed direction on a dime and charged straight toward Valentine. They weren’t moving to kill anymore—they were probing her strength.
Before they could even reach her—
Rumble!
The heavy roar of an engine shook the battlefield.
Everyone turned toward the sound.
A heavily modified yellow bus burst through the survivor camp, crushing abandoned cars and scattered debris under its massive tires. Standing right on top of the speeding bus was Grandpa Jiro, his silver gray hair flying wild in the wind. In his grip, a crimson sword glowed with intense heat, warping the air around it.
As the bus swept past, Grandpa Jiro pushed off with one foot.
He launched into the night air, descending toward the nearest mutant like a blazing meteor.
His calm voice echoed over the noise.
"Takami Sword Style..."
"Searing Slash."
The crimson blade swung down.
The mutant threw up both metallic claws to block, but it was useless. The sword bit straight through the claws, sliced through its skull, and cleaved right down the center of its body. It met no resistance at all.
The creature split clean in two. The fresh cuts glowed bright red, looking as though they had been branded by molten lava.
A moment later, both halves hit the ground.
Grandpa Jiro didn’t give the corpse a second glance. Taking a single step, he charged toward the next target.
Right on his heels, three modified off-road vehicles crashed into the camp, drifting to a halt as dust billowed around them. Armed survivors leaned out of every window, automatic rifles raised.
Sitting casually in the front seat of the lead vehicle, Rex offered a cheerful wave.
"Sorry we’re late!" he called out.
The next instant—
"Fire!"
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
A storm of gunfire broke out. Muzzle flashes lit up the dark as dozens of rounds slammed into the charging mutants. The battlefield descended into even greater chaos.
Watching reinforcements pour in one after another, the two-horned alien’s brow twitched. A short while ago, victory was practically guaranteed. Now, one troublesome human after another kept appearing out of thin air.
Just then—
Clink.
A faint metallic sound caught its attention.
The alien looked down. Two grenades had rolled to a stop right beside its feet, their safety pins already gone.
Its pupils shrank.
Boom!!
A deafening explosion tore through the area, sending flames, dust, and shattered concrete flying in every direction.
Everyone looked toward the blast.
As the smoke cleared, the alien was still standing in the exact same spot, completely unharmed. A translucent crimson barrier wrapped around its body, faint ripples washing across the surface from the force of the blast.
Its cold gaze drifted toward the culprit.
Standing several dozen meters away, Leo lowered the hand that had tossed the grenades. A Glock remained raised in his other hand, its barrel pointed straight at the creature.
The alien spoke, its voice icy.
"You insignificant ant..." it sneered. "You truly believe such pathetic tricks can harm me?"
It raised a hand, and a crimson sphere of condensed energy formed over its palm, pulsing with terrifying power.
Just as it prepared to strike—
A telepathic voice rang out inside its mind.
"Return to base."
"There has been an emergency at headquarters. Someone has launched an attack."
"I cannot reveal myself yet. If I move now, the Rizen Group will become suspicious."
The alien’s expression darkened.
After a tense pause, it glared at Leo.
"Consider yourself fortunate."
It slammed the crimson sphere into the ground.
Boom!!
A massive explosion erupted. A violent shockwave tore across the dirt, hurling dust and debris high into the air and blocking everyone’s view.
By the time the cloud settled, the two-horned alien was gone. Only a massive crater remained where it had been standing.
Across the field, the shadows gathering around the camp altered their course. One by one, the remaining mutants slipped back into the dark, vanishing as fast as they had arrived.
Slowly, an eerie silence settled over the battlefield.