'Let's do it. I don't believe that our combined strength can't bring at least some change to this battle!'
As Tyler made his decision, the rumbling earth below finally lost its structure.
RUMBLE!
Large cracks split across the ground as it shattered into an exponentially increasing number of pieces.
The ocean surrounding the continent began to flood inward.
VOOOOOM!
Yet another powerful fluctuation spread from the distance. A single clash between Damien and Sebastian was enough to destroy half of the continent and destabilize its entire structure, but the current battle had also reached a point where it did the same.
With so much force, how could the continent endure?
Its foundation was shattered. Hot magma spewed into the ocean, creating a reaction that massively impacted the atmosphere.
Tsunamis raged deeper into the ocean, ash covered the skies, and throughout all this destruction, Tyler…smiled.
'Perfect!'
It was something that would've happened eventually, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect.
With the continent sinking and an underwater volcano erupting, the environment had been perfectly prepared.
"Let's go!"
Tyler straightened his body and used mana to increase his speed. He charged into the ocean like a fish on its last breath, followed by Synth and Ash.
In the air, Zara's eyes glinted as she caught their actions.
'Bring them to the ocean?'
She smiled lightly. It was an interesting plan that she hadn't thought of.
She didn't know what kind of advantages the rest of the squad had underwater, but the darkness of the ocean was extremely beneficial for her.
'30 seconds.'
If they needed time to prepare, that was all she could give.
And as if they could feel Zara's expectations, the three geniuses swam deeper into the ocean with dignified faces.
Tyler exhaled to calm his mind.
'The fifth…'
His fifth summon was one he rarely used. The summon rarely allowed him to borrow its power, and the necessary conditions to guarantee its cooperation were too strenuous.
However, this situation was perfect.
'I still don't know what it is, and its effects always seem to be random…'
Tyler was hesitant about trusting a summon he didn't have a fully fleshed relationship with, but he knew for certain the level of power that his fifth summon possessed.
'I didn't choose it, it chose me.'
With a sigh, Tyler revolved his mana and activated his contract.
'You won't tell me your name so this process is pretty annoying. Just come out already.'
Immediately, Tyler's body began to change.
"W-what the fuck?!" A rare curse slipped out of his mouth due to the absurdity of the situation.
His body wasn't turning into another animal form, and he didn't feel many enhancements at all.
Instead, he was being condensed into something…metallic.
'How can this be called a summon?!'
Tyler's rational mind almost combusted. He couldn't make heads or tails of the situation, and he couldn't explain anything about his current predicament with what he knew about his power.
However, Tyler's thoughts didn't change the fact that he continued to change.
Until he was a metallic metal ball floating in the air.
A slew of information flowed into his mind.
'Flexible…Armor Parasite?'
Everything about his current form was explained to him through this mysterious flow of information. And when he finally understood the implications of his current form…
'Is this even allowed?'
…was the only thought in his head.
A giddy smile decorated his nonexistent face. 'I don't know what this summon is, but I wish he'd show up more often.'
Tyler's globular body shot through the ocean until it arrived in front of Ash. Without hesitation, he charged into her chest.
"W-what?!" Synth exclaimed.
But before she could say anything, the black glob suddenly expanded and covered Ash's body.
A suit of threatening black armor dawned her.
Calling the armor would be an insult to its brutality.
'Ash, Synth, can you hear me?'
A voice transmission appeared in the two's minds, leading them to simultaneously nod.
'Good. As I've just learned, this form is a parasite of sorts, but different from the ones we've been destroying.'
'Currently, my body has been connected to Ash's Mana Circuits. As long as we are connected, I'll be able to use her abilities and she'll be able to use mine.'
The duo's eyes widened at the revelation. If Tyler could use Ash's power, he could become a nigh-invincible armor. And if Ash could use Tyler's power, she could exponentially increase her own.
As for the problem with Ash using an ability she had no affinity with, since Tyler could utilize Ash's Mana Circuits, he could easily help her control the fusion so she could display its full potential.
'Now, for the final touch…'
Synth grinned. "It's my turn now? If you guys are going hard, then I guess I'll have to do the same."
Synth's surroundings immediately became filled with technology of various shapes and sizes, their uses unknown.
"Just stand there and let me overgear you like crazy! And, don't worry about learning what everything does and controlling it. I can do that remotely while supporting you."
The three smirked together.
It was a level of teamwork far surpassing anything they'd tried before, something they could only pull off due to circumstance.
But…would it be difficult for them?
They were comrades who'd been through hell and high water together. They were each other's support pillars and most trusted allies.
Even if they were to die here, they'd do it together.
It didn't take long for Synth to cover the armor with her gadgets. When the two factors combined, Ash truly looked like a titan sentinel who guarded the universe.
'Is it about time?'
Accompanying Tyler's thought was a massive explosion on the ocean's surface.
"AAAAGGGH!"
A muffled scream rang out. An explosion of ink dyed the ocean's surface black. The man's eyes widened. The ink overtook his body and flowed down his throat, disallowing him from rejecting his embrace.
His lungs collapsed.
He was suffocating.
His eyes widened to the point where they almost burst.
Until they finally did.
The man's head exploded violently into a pool of ink, but it was devoured by the massive splatter in the sea the instant it transformed.
"How dare you?!"
"Why can you use that power?!"
Various shouts emerged from the distance as more and more figures plunged into the ocean depths.
Within a few seconds, a little upward of 900 Higher Nox stood in a circular formation within the waters. In the center of their formation was a single woman.
A woman surrounded by a sea of black ink.
Her golden eyes glinted with bloodthirst as she looked at her enemies.
"Who are you to ask for my name?"
"I am—"
"Dead."
A pair of golden eyes covered the man's entire field of vision. Zara appeared in front of him before he could even register what was happening. Her arm snapped out like a whip and clutched his neck, digging into it with her claws.
The sea of black ink behind her moved on command, swallowing the man and slowly killing him as it did the man before.
Zara stood like a predator looking down on her prey and swept her gaze around the remaining Higher Nox.
As for Tyler and the rest who stood below, they were utterly flabbergasted.
This…
Weren't things supposed to be direr?
What were they supposed to do in this situation?
