Chapter 3: Immovable Forces

The Fire Storm Centipede monster crashed head first into the serrated mountains with a ground-shaking boom.

The impact sent shockwaves through the island, causing the ground to tremble violently beneath its massive weight. The saliva spewed from the centipede’s mouth and splattered across the jagged landscape. The ground sizzled as vapor rose from the corrosive liquid that consumed chunks off the terrain.

The place was transformed into a toxic wasteland. 

Close behind, the remains of the battlecraft hurdled from the sky. Fire still relentless along its hull, growing more dangerous by the second. The ship landed abruptly with an ear-splitting thud, destroyed and burning. Smoke billowed into the air as the flames devoured what small pieces were left. 

Teus, still spinning, plummeting into the chaos, thrusts his sword into the sharp edge of one the mountains. His blade dug deep into the rocks, it grinded to a halt as sparks flew. 

He slowly descended, but the force of his landing still strained his arms as he hung from the handle of his blade. Dangling a few meters from the ground beneath. His breath was heavy, watching the unfolding destruction before him. 

Hot air, filled with the stench of burning metal and acidic drool.

“This went south so quickly…” he said.

“There’s about a 60% chance that your crew members are locked inside the ship due to the fire. Their chances of dying are higher if that beast gets to them before we do. Are you still sure you want to save them…?” Alberion asked.

“Yep.” Teus said weakly, sweat dripping down his forehead, hanging off his sword.

“Teus…This is your final warning. Here on out, you’ll be forfeiting your chance to escape. The monster is incapacitated right now, but they won’t stay that way for long. All we did was irritate it. When that thing comes too, it will most likely be thoroughly enraged—far more dangerous than before.” Alberion said.

Teus’ eyes were fixated on the carnage taking place. Smoke and flames lifting from the debris of the ship, and worse than that; the gargantuan form of the monster. The Fire Storm Centipede, laying there, still writhing in pain and agony, heaving labored gasps for air.

The armor lights flickered with the usual blue plasma as Alberion pinpointed the locations of the surviving crewmates.

A holographic map appeared in front of Teus with markings where the others were.

“They are all beyond the monster, Teus.”

Alberion’s voice was flat. “Are you sure about this? You still have time to get away. If we get into a head on collision with that thing, the chances of our survival are estimated at 0.28%.”

Teus felt the bead of sweat roll down his chin. His heart pounded from seeing the sheer size of the Fire Storm Centipede and not just being inside it. Reminding him just how big this threat truly was.

“It could have killed me.”  Teus thought.

The Fire Storm Centipede’s body stretched past two or three mountains off of it’s sheer length alone. Teus continued to think to himself.

“And they—”

He clenched his open hand into a fist out of frustration. The memory of Captain Hawk’s betrayal  was ever present in his mind.

“They even tried to use me as bait…”

“They really did try to kill me…”

“They really do view me as trash, huh…?”

Teus shook his head in disbelief whilst letting out a slight chuckle. 

“And the penalty for not taking a mission was already death, anyway! Damn! They must’ve really hated my guts, right?” He chortled.

“Stop joking around!” Alberion shouted.

“That’s not going to make saving them any more easy now is it, haha!” 

He pulled his sword from the mountain and swiftly landed onto the island’s floor.

“Are you… are you not afraid of dying…?” Alberion asked, as if to check if he had gone insane.

A heavy silence took over the both of them before Teus answered.

“...I’m afraid of living with overwhelming regret.”

Alberion sensed Teus’ hesitation and spoke again. 

“Teus, I was entrusted to you by your late master. Ryael for the purpose of keeping you safe. This decision openly goes against that, you know that don’t you?” 

Teus closed his eyes, still aware that leaving them as bait instead, would make it so easy for him to escape. Though his resolve did not waver. Sweat still falling from his brow.

“...It was old man Ryael from way back when, who inspired me to be a giga-hunter. And even though I hate the fact that this is for the empire, people like them of all people. That monster will still have to get to them over my dead body… Why? Because if old man Ryael were here, he would have saved everybody without a second thought.”

His eyes opened, with resolve set ablaze within.

“And so will I.”

“...”

“...”

“Very well,” 

Alberion responded, his voice carrying resignation. 

“If you’re going to do this: I recommend utilizing these following techniques for the task:”

[Spiral Style: Severance Flutter]

[Spiral Style: Swell Pressure]

[Spiral Style: Silver Flood]

[Spiral Style: Air Ripple], and of course

[Spiral Style: Rotation’s Shield]."

Teus gazed at the floating screen in front of him as Alberion briefly paused before adding.

“The technique [Spiral Style: Whirling Overdrive] should be your last resort, only. Due to the immense strain and energy that it will drain from you. That, and you have only mastered the first and second step, you can’t activate the third yet. So don’t be callous with this technique and use it wisely. I imagine after two times you will probably be out of commission.”

He nodded, cataloging the list of abilities recommended to him. His mind still raced, trying to figure how he would make his way past the titanic beast.

“It’d do you good to plan a route now to get your crewmates, I don’t estimate we have long.” Alberion replied.

“...Well, how soon do we get before it gets up?” Teus asked.

“Not too long, I suggest you plan a—”

Though before Alberion could finish, a deafening roar erupted from the centipede, the Island began trembling in response. The monster stirred, its segmented body asynchronously rippling as it began to rise. 

The sound of its deafening roar reverberated through the mountains, sending immense shockwaves that rattled the very ground beneath Teus’ feet.

“....route soon.” Alberion reluctantly finished.

“Guess it’s time to move.”

Teus said as he braced himself. He flung his sword in the air before catching it again. With a deep exhale he disappeared from his spot like a bolt of lightning. He darted in the midst of the chaos, weaving between descending debris and the razor sharp holes that were bored into the mountains.

Teus’ focus was acute, eyes fixated on the fiend. He needed to avoid the beast’s gaze. He was fast, but the tumultuous territory as well as the Fire Storm Centipede made every last second a bid for survival.

“Watch out, Teus, three o’clock!” Alberion shouted.

A sudden blast of fire erupted from Teus’ left side, catching him off his guard. 

The inferno slammed viciously into him. The brutal force knocking him into a different course, propelling him through the air. He crashed into the edge of another mountain, skidding past one of its many ridges before finally coming to a halt. Pain radiated throughout his body.

“Gah, Alberion…!”

Teus gasped, struggling to push himself up.

“Teus, be more aware!” Alberion’s cold voice cut through the ongoing haze.

“That beast wasn’t doing what we thought it was…”

Teus looked down from his extremely precarious position, eyes widening as he spotted a cluster of smaller, but still ferocious; Fire Storm Centipedes, crawling from below him. Their fiery bodies writhed and seethed, joining the fray with nothing but malicious intent. 

Alberion’s voice sounded heavy with concern.

“That centipede we encountered is most likely the mother of these offspring.” 

Alberion grimly stated. “That roar from earlier was not simply a cry of suffering, but actually a call for her babies. I’m detecting at least fifteen hostile life forms… possibly more are coming this way.”

Teus’ heart raced stupendously as he scanned the growing number of centipedes below him, The situation clearly spiraled out of control, faster than he thought, faster than he could imagine. The once single massive threat had now become a horde of dastardly predators, closing in on his current position. 

“...Teus, if you continue with this endeavor, you are likely going to die...”

“I need to save them, Alberion…I need to save them.”

“Seventeen hostile lifeforms are detected, you need to act quickly, Teus.”

Teus steadied his breath, he pushed through the pain. With no room for hesitation, he observed how the odds were against him. 

The suit emitted a shrill, a dangerously bright light, as it began beeping. The suit signaled a urgent alert.

[Warning: Critical damage was sustained. Retreat advised.]

[Warning: Critical damage was sustained. Retreat advised.]

“Already!? From one hit!?!” Teus thought.

The display flashed red warnings as the system reported a substantial amount of damage taken. Alberion’s voice cut in, tense yet focused. 

“Teus, most of the monsters down there are still enough to kill you, easily if you’re not careful; but they’re not beyond your capabilities. Fire Storm Centipedes only develop hard exteriors, later in maturity. For now they are basically glass cannons. If you get past them quickly you should be fine, the real danger here is if the mother notices you.”

A hovering text appeared in front of him

[Fire Storm Centipede]

[Disaster level: ★★★★]

“Most of them are not beyond that.” said Alberion.

“Roger that!”

Plasma erupted from Teus’ sword as he gave a nod.

“Sealed Technique—Spiral Style: Severance Flutter!”