"The enemy's firepower is overwhelming! Retreat! Fall back to the next defensive line!"
"Damn it, they've pulverized our cover! I never knew Clockwork Mekas were this devastating!"
"Everyone, stay calm! Prioritize your own safety! Our mission is just to harass and delay them!"
"Hurry! Two more people needed here! Someone's wounded!"
Despite the unimaginable pressure they had faced from the start, the people of Fleuve Cendre maintained a remarkable level of morale. They all knew that one man was single-handedly holding off the Court of Justice squad that had been relentlessly crushing them.
Monsieur has shouldered so much for us—how can we possibly back down now!
Soon, the sounds of gunfire gradually subsided as many retreated to the next defensive line, preparing to buy more time.
Roggs coldly observed the Fleuve Cendre residents foolish enough to resist the Court of Justice, while simultaneously monitoring the situation through his comms.
After witnessing their retreat, he didn't immediately launch an attack. Instead, he ordered the Clockwork Mekas to eliminate the already-disrupted units, ensuring no rear threats remained before ordering the advance.
"Since you're so eager to die, don't blame me for showing no mercy!"
Still smarting from the last humiliating setback, Roggs had been tasked with provoking the Fleuve Cendre residents into rebellion, then crushing them with overwhelming force. He had been racking his brain for ways to fulfill this directive when those insolent wretches dared to strike first!
Roggs glanced at the scattered fragments of the Clockwork Meka on the ground, his lips twitching.
The losses were staggering. Even if he completed his mission now, he knew only recriminations awaited him.
"Damn it!"
The thought fueled his fury.
Sheltered within the remains of the Clockwork Meka, Roggs coldly observed the fleeing figures ahead. He had made his decision: every rebel caught would be executed on the spot!
Even those who remained in Fleuve Cendre...
After all, no one truly knew how many people lived in the district. Who would notice if a few went missing?
Amidst the intense firefights erupting across the Fleuve Cendre District, a small squad from the Court of Justice moved through the area with astonishing ease, encountering no resistance whatsoever.
Just as they were marveling at their good fortune, they suddenly spotted a figure lurking in the shadows ahead.
"On guard!"
Countless weapons snapped to aim, their dark muzzles instilling primal fear. Yet the figure remained motionless, seemingly oblivious to the threat.
After a tense standoff, scanning the area with various detectors to confirm no other hostiles were nearby, the squad cautiously advanced toward the lone figure.
What incredible luck! they thought. To stumble upon a straggler like this.
As they closed the distance, they were already planning their interrogation strategies, determined to extract the hiding places of other Fleuve Cendre residents and details about the faction's defensive layouts beneath the city.
In that moment, it felt as if a monumental victory had fallen into their laps, and they grew giddy with excitement.
"Hey kid, turn around if you don't want to die!"
"And spill everything you know! Otherwise, you'll regret it!"
This time, the boy finally seemed to notice the group behind him. He slowly turned around, revealing his youthful face.
Seeing that their opponent was just a young boy, the team's vigilance relaxed.
But then, a sinister smile spread across the boy's face, sending a chill down their spines.
"I have Pneuma Energy. I have Ousia Energy."
"Hmm~"
The boy clapped his hands together, slamming the Pneuma and Ousia energy crystals he had been holding in each hand against each other.
"It's going to explode..."
The moment the words left his lips, terror gripped the faces of everyone in the team. Before they could even react, a blinding light erupted in the Fleuve Cendre.
BOOM—!
An unimaginably massive roar echoed throughout the entire Fleuve Cendre District. The Clockwork Mekas detected the energy surge and activated their defensive protocols, but their energy shields shattered like paper. Their steel bodies melted into molten metal, pooling at the center of the newly formed colossal crater.
The explosive force of the Pneumousia Energy gradually diminished as it passed through the layers of Clockwork Mekas, eventually being blocked by their energy shields. Roughly half of the Clockwork Mekas remained operational.
The Court of Justice team had survived, though deafened and bleeding profusely from their ears and noses. But before they could even celebrate their narrow escape, a dark figure rushed toward them from the shadows.
Terrorized by the previous events, the team panicked and issued an order without hesitation, regardless of the newcomer's identity:
"Stop him! Stop him!"
The Clockwork Mekas responded instantly, their weapons swiveling to target the approaching figure. Multicolored energy began to glow from their barrels, but it was too late.
"I am the sun!"
Boom!
Another dazzling light, as brilliant as the sun, erupted in the Fleuve Cendre. The massive shockwave not only repelled the incoming attacks but also crushed countless Clockwork Mekas into scrap metal.
But this was not the end!
"Art is an explosion!"
Boom!
With the explosion of three Pneumousia Energy bombs, only a few Clockwork Mekas remained operational. Executing their final orders, they carried the unconscious survivors of their squads to safety.
Meanwhile, in the Upper District...
Now that the serial suicide case had finally ended, Fontaine was regaining its usual lively and prosperous atmosphere. People strolled through the streets, chatting and laughing, shopping for the latest fashions, sipping coffee, and discussing life.
But suddenly, the ground began to tremble violently, and three muffled explosions reverberated across the district.
"What's going on? An earthquake?!"
Panic swept through Fontaine as people grabbed onto the nearest fixed objects. To their surprise, the tremors subsided as quickly as they had begun.
"That didn't feel like an earthquake..."
Confusion clouded many faces as they wondered if something had gone wrong beneath Fontaine.
Everyone knew what lay beneath the city, and today was the day the Fleuve Cendre Purification Plan was scheduled to be implemented. Could those explosions be from heavy weaponry?
Soon, passersby who had seen members of the Court of Justice escorting large numbers of Clockwork Mekas into Fleuve Cendre spread the news. The public quickly found an outlet for their anger, and the Court of Justice was immediately flooded with a deluge of complaints.