"Wooohoooooo!!!"
Edward's excited voice pierced the air as he and Neron finally saw the Southern Gate in front of them.
It was too early to celebrate, though. There were a bunch of golems charging towards them at breakneck speed. With both parties exhausted, it was only a matter of time before they became overwhelmed—even if they did manage to reach their rendezvous point.
"Um… Neron?" Ed yelled, glancing at his partner.
"I'm on it!"
As they both leapt through the gate—their enemies right behind them—Neron initiated his countermeasure.
"T.M.P." He muttered, tapping an emerald jewel that hung low on his neck like a pendant on a golden chain.
Instantly, the Techno-Mana Pulse he had been saving up all this time spread around him, halting the functionality of the golems for about five minutes.
'Their Magic Cicuits are currently being overwhelmed. The effects should last us long enough to rejoin the others…'
Every team had a T.M.P. Device with them. If they both activated theirs at the right moment, then their plans would flow seamlessly.
'All that'll be left afterwards is the destruction of the whole building.' Neron smiled, running alongside his comrade as he made his way to the rest of his allies.
*
*
*
"Huu… you guys are late." Karlia said, her brows creased in concern as she watched Neron and Edward run towards her. "Kido and I were in the North and we still managed to get here faster."
The two best buddies were already out of breath as they approached the group. Just as Neron had predicted, they were the last to join the party.
Kido and Karlia, Stefan and Reed, Vaizer and Beruel, as well as Ciel. Everyone was already waiting for them.
"W-well… not all of us are as strong as you." Edward stuttered, pretty much worn out after using his techniques too many times in a row.
His muscles ached and he was already feeling the side effects that came with overexerting himself.
"Aren't you meant to automatically recover or something?" Kido muttered, staring at him.
Edward's face turned red, and he gritted his teeth in response. "That's not how it works, okay?"
He had lost count of how many times he'd explained this to everyone—especially Kido. His immortality didn't grant him unlimited stamina.
'I still feel pain and exhaustion, you know?'
If it had been his master, Edward knew she wouldn't have gotten tired this easily, yet he was already worn out after barely an hour of combat.
'Every second I spend as an immortal… I am reminded of my inadequacies.' He smiled sadly.
Glancing in Neron's direction, Edward hoped to find some comfort in his best friend. They always encouraged each other, despite their lack of talent in their respective fields.
That was why…
"... Guh!" Edward scrunched up his face the moment he saw Neron and Karlia kissing.
"G-get a room already!" He cried out, covering his eyes as he turned away.
"Maybe you should get someone you cherish." Beruel snickered in response.
"Aren't you 'old' enough?" Reed grinned.
"You're very handsome, Mister Edward. I'm sure you can find someone as well!" Stefan said, innocent to the intentional mockery they were all making of him.
Everyone was aware of Edward's celibacy, but such matters were perhaps too complicated for the young one to understand.
"S-shut up…" Edward's cheeks turned pink as he closed his eyes and covered his ears. "La la la!"
Everyone often tried to get him to move on, but how could he? As long as his master was still out there… How could he desire another woman?
'I know they mean well, but…' He couldn't see himself moving on anytime soon.
Unlike Neron, who had found Karlia as his lover, he was alone.
*
*
*
"Alright, Ciel, how much longer will it take for you to gather enough energy?" Neron asked.
"About ten more minutes. We still have about three more minutes before the T.M.P. wears out, right?"
"Indeed.
The T.M.P. was very effective in disrupting the Magic Circuit of anything around it. Unfortunately, that was also its major flaw.
'The bombs I placed close to the exit were affected. I'll have to wait three more minutes before I can detonate them.'
His remote detonator had also been affected by the T.M.P., so that was another factor to consider.
They would be cutting it close, but as soon as the three minutes were up, he would initiate the explosion and destroy the building.
The blast would be sure to attract a lot of attention, and while the escape of the workers would surely attract the appearance of reinforcements, it would take some time before a decent force was mobilized to stop them.
'With the destruction of the Building, the Resonating Effect will be gone, so they'll have to consume a great deal of Mana and time to reach us.'
They were most definitely going to be able to hold out for ten more minutes before Ciel returned them to base.
At least… That was how it was supposed to go.
However…
>WHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!<
In the blink of an eye, the Outgroup found themselves surrounded by enemies that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
The entire factory compound was covered in thousands of Golems—some even flying in the air.
"W-wha—?!" The Outers were filled with shock, and fear slowly began to creep into them.
The blue glow that suddenly brought the unexpected group here had to be the work of immensely powerful Magic. And worst of all… they could sense the source coming from the direction opposite their group's circle.
"So, you are the Outgroup, huh?" The warbling tone of the metallic figure echoed in the darkness as he approached the surrounded, flustered group.
This being's platinum body radiated prestige, and his humanoid appearance complimented his armour-like body.
"N-no… why did it have to be this one!" Beruel's eyes bulged as he glanced at Neron.
Everyone in the Outgroup felt the same level of fear and nervousness as Beruel when the Ultimate Automaton approached them.
It was revered as Jared's ultimate creation, after all.
"Gawain, The Platinum Knight Of Carnage!"
