Chapter 79: War in the sky! Bloody explosions.
I took a deep breath.
My heart was still pounding like a drum inside my chest, but my initial anger began to fade.
Shouting wouldn’t change anything.
The only thing that could still keep me alive was thinking.
I closed my eyes for a brief moment.
When I opened them again, my mind was already completely focused.
My gaze returned to the sea of black balloons scattered across the horizon.
— Biochip.
— Project the continent map.
[Beep!]
Immediately, a bluish projection appeared before my eyes.
A few seconds later, a massive holographic map of the entire continent was suspended in front of me.
My balloon appeared as a small green dot.
Arcangrove Tower glowed just behind it.
Meanwhile, the countless black balloons appeared as a gigantic mass of red dots advancing across the sky.
— Calculate an evasive route.
[Beep!]
[Insufficient data.]
I frowned.
Another message appeared just below.
[Average speed of enemy forces must be measured.]
[Request: Increase observation magnification and perform vector analysis.]
I nodded immediately.
— Understood.
I looked once more at one of the groups of black balloons.
— Biochip.
— Increase the zoom again.
[Beep!]
[ZOOM: 20x.]
[100x.]
[250x.]
The image became incredibly sharp.
Now I could observe the enemy balloons in detail.
The enormous black envelopes vibrated violently.
But there was something strange.
Very strange.
Behind nearly all of them, long white trails swirled around the structure.
Wind Elemental Particles.
Green runes glowed at various points along the ropes and wooden framework.
Constant gusts propelled those balloons forward.
They’re using Wind Magic...
I observed them for several seconds.
The balloons practically sliced through the sky.
Their speed was incredible.
Far superior to my ordinary commercial balloon.
Mine had been built for cargo transportation.
Theirs...
They were clearly military models.
A cold bead of sweat ran down the back of my neck.
— Biochip.
— Calculate their speed.
[Analyzing...]
[Calculation complete.]
[Estimated average speed: approximately 3.4 times greater than the transport balloon currently in use.]
My heart tightened.
It was worse than I had imagined.
Much worse.
— Now...
— Calculate an escape route.
.
.
.
.
Finally...
Everything stopped.
A single blue line remained on the map.
It made a wide arc, completely abandoning the standard route.
It headed straight toward an extensive mountain range.
The result appeared below.
[Evasive route calculated.]
[Estimated probability of avoiding direct contact with enemy forces before reaching the destination: 30.7%.]
My blood ran cold.
Thirty percent.
That meant...
A seventy percent chance of encountering at least one of those balloons.
For the first time since arriving in this world...
Death truly seemed close.
This wasn’t a lone monster.
It wasn’t a duel.
Nor was it merely a dangerous mission.
It was a war.
And I was just a small acolyte trying to cross the skies at the exact moment two armies had begun to move.
I slowly tightened my grip on the edge of the basket.
Then I raised my head.
I looked at the mountain range displayed on the holographic map.
Then I walked over to the control cabin.
I firmly gripped the steering levers.
I slowly turned the navigation mechanism.
The auxiliary sails began to shift their position.
The enormous balloon responded sluggishly.
Little by little...
It abandoned its original route.
Its nose turned west.
Toward the mountains.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The mountains rose like stone walls before me.
I gripped the balloon’s controls tightly.
The cold wind struck my helmet.
My eyes frantically scanned every ravine, every valley, and every narrow passage that could hide my trajectory.
The enormous white balloon of Arcangrove Tower slid between the rocky peaks while the canvas cracked above my head.
— Come on...
— Come on...
— Just a little more...
The air current changed.
I pulled the left lever.
The balloon slowly tilted.
It descended several meters, entering between two enormous stone walls.
The shadows of the mountains completely swallowed my balloon.
For a few seconds...
I smiled.
Maybe...
Maybe it worked...
That was when I heard it.
In the distance.
A deep sound.
Like dozens of enormous sails being inflated at the same time.
I looked back.
My smile disappeared.
Out of the thousands of black balloons heading toward Arcangrove Tower...
Three had abandoned the main formation.
The three changed their routes simultaneously.
And now...
They were flying directly toward me.
Even separated by a massive distance, it was obvious that their balloons were far faster.
The enchanted wind currents pushed those vessels through the sky like arrows.
The distance was rapidly decreasing.
My Biochip didn’t even need to calculate.
They were catching up to me.
I pushed the controls again.
My balloon entered another ravine.
The stone walls passed so close that I could hear the wind rebounding against them.
Behind me...
The pursuers continued closing the distance.
That was when a black glow appeared.
One.
Then another.
Then several.
The next instant...
Black magical projectiles crossed the sky.
They whistled over my head.
Instinctively, I pulled the control to the right.
The enormous balloon responded slowly.
By a hair...
The first projectile grazed past the upper canvas.
It continued forward.
BOOOOOOM!!
The mountain behind me exploded into a rain of stones.
Gigantic fragments tumbled down the slope.
The shockwave made my balloon shake violently.
I barely managed to regain balance.
Damn it!
Another flash.
More projectiles.
Three.
Five.
Seven.
They all came from different directions.
My balloon was slow.
Heavy.
But the mountains were working in my favor.
I knew exactly how large structures responded to inertia.
Anticipating each turn a few seconds in advance, I guided the balloon between the rocky walls.
Sometimes I passed so close to the stone that I could have touched the rough surface if I stretched out my arm.
The black projectiles tried to follow my changes in direction.
But they were too fast.
BOOM!
Another impact.
An entire column of stone collapsed.
BOOOOOM!!
A second explosion opened a massive crater in the mountainside.
Clouds of dust completely covered the valley.
My balloon passed through that curtain of rocks and earth almost blindly.
Behind me...
The three black balloons continued their pursuit.
Inside the first enemy balloon...
A group of acolytes watched my escape.
— He knows how to pilot.
One of them said while narrowing his eyes.
— He’s using the terrain to cut off our line of fire.
Another laughed.
— Even so...
— That balloon is far too slow.
— He won’t escape.
A third one pointed at my vessel.
— Look at that.
— He’s an engineer.
— I recognize the armor he’s wearing.
— And he’s also an idiot.
— Who puts three horses inside a balloon?
Several of them laughed.
— Maybe he thinks he’ll ride them once he lands.
— Or he simply didn’t want to abandon the animals.
One of them then pointed again.
— Wait...
— Look at the carriage.
Their smiles widened.
From above, it was possible to clearly see two large chests surrounded by books, boxes, and various materials.
— That looks like an entire relocation...
— He must be carrying equipment.
— Or resources from the Tower.
The eyes of several acolytes lit up.
The pursuit was no longer just an order.
Now there was loot involved.
Inside the balloon that flew ahead of the others...
Silence reigned.
At the bow stood a single acolyte.
His black robe swayed in the wind.
He did not laugh.
He simply watched.
His gaze remained fixed on me.
From time to time, he subtly moved two fingers, indicating small trajectory corrections to the balloons behind him.
The others immediately obeyed.
The three black balloons continued closing the distance.
Then an idea emerged.
Risky.
Insane.
But it was all I had.
I slowly raised my left arm.
The metallic structure of my armor rotated with a mechanical sound.
The explosive crystal launcher slid out from my forearm.
Small red runes began to glow.
— Biochip.
— Calculate a perfect shot.
— Use the mountains.
— Objective: cause a collapse along their route.
[Beep!]
Several green lines appeared before my eyes.
The Biochip began measuring distances.
Then...
A red line appeared.
It ended exactly at a massive rocky formation above the path of the rightmost balloon.
[Probability of success: 67.4%.]
I smiled.
— Good enough.
I aimed my arm.
I held my breath.
ZOOSSHHH!!
The explosive crystal shot out of the launcher like a red meteor.
It did not head toward the enemies.
It flew directly toward the mountain.
One of the enemy acolytes widened his eyes.
— Did he miss?
The leader remained motionless.
Watching.
The next second...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The mountain wall exploded.
A gigantic cloud of dust swallowed the narrow passage.
Rocks the size of carriages came crashing down.
Fragments flew in every direction.
The entire ravine disappeared beneath a storm of stones.
— Watch out!! one of the acolytes shouted.
But it was too late.
The balloon coming from the right flew directly into that curtain of dust.
Its pilot couldn’t see the stone wall appearing directly ahead.
CRAAAAASHHH!!
The side of the enormous balloon collided violently with the mountain.
The entire structure split in half.
The support runes exploded.
The gas ignited instantly.
BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!
A massive sphere of fire illuminated the entire valley.
Fragments of the black canvas began falling from the sky.
Burning wood.
Bodies.
Equipment.
Everything tumbled down the mountainside.
The flash reflected against my metallic visor.
For a moment...
The entire sky turned orange.
I didn’t waste that opportunity.
I stood up inside my balloon.
My voice echoed between the mountains.
— LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY!!
The two remaining balloons slightly reduced their speed.
I looked directly at them.
Even separated by dozens of meters, I knew they could see my eyes glowing behind the helmet lenses.
I clenched my fists.
— EVEN IF YOU BRING ME DOWN...
— I WILL MAKE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU PAY A VERY HIGH PRICE!!
— EVEN IF I HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF YOU WITH ME!!
The entire valley fell silent.
None of the acolytes responded immediately.
They had all just witnessed a single Level Two Engineer destroy an entire balloon using nothing but the terrain.
The determination displayed in my posture made it seem like I truly intended to die taking as many enemies with me as possible.
Inside the front balloon...
The leader finally smiled.
It was the first time.
A low laugh escaped from beneath his hood.
— Heh...
— Hahahaha...
He slowly raised his head.
His eyes met mine.
— You will bleed and you will pay for this!
He slowly opened his hand.
A black mass began spinning above his palm.
Dark particles rapidly condensed.
The sphere grew.
Larger and larger.
Denser and denser.
Until it looked like a small black sun.
— Just like every bastard who serves the light must bleed.
[Extreme danger!!]
[Turn the balloon 30 degrees!!!]
The next instant...
He launched the sphere.
It flew like a supersonic projectile.
It disappeared.
And reappeared dozens of meters ahead.
My heart froze.
— Damn it!!
I desperately pulled the balloon’s controls.
But it was too late.
BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!
The explosion tore the fabric apart completely.
The enormous balloon lost all of its lift.
I saw massive tears ripping through the canvas from top to bottom.
The gas escaped violently.
The color drained from my face.
— NOOOOOOOOOO!!
The horses neighed in complete panic.
HIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNN!!
The entire basket tilted.
The ropes began snapping one after another.
CRACK!!
CRACK!!
CRACK!!
The carriage slid.
The enormous chests broke free from their restraints.
Boxes.
Books.
Tools.
Everything was thrown into the air.
The basket completely flipped over.
I felt the ground disappear beneath my feet.
My body was thrown out.
I began falling at high speed toward the valley far below.
Behind me...
The two black balloons slowed down.
The acolytes watched my fall.
Some of them began laughing.
Then others joined in.
Soon...
The entire basket echoed with laughter.
— Finally!
— He fell!
— That bastard killed our brothers!
— Now he’s paid for it!
....
1998 Words