Chapter 158: Chapter 158- Idiot
Rafael’s voice trembled as his eyes locked on the colossal beast drifting across the sky. "N-no... no, this can’t be real. What’s wrong with this world...?"
Leo glanced at him with a mocking smirk, a faint chuckle slipping out, his eyes filled with quiet disdain.
Joe scoffed and shook his head. "You’re such a coward. If you’re that scared, why don’t you step back and just watch from behind?"
Noah, still faithfully at Rafael’s side, spoke gently but firmly. "Calm yourself, sir. That monster will bow before your power. Believe in yourself."
Rafael lowered his gaze, voice heavy with doubt. "What could such small power ever do against... that...?"
Julian, who had been silently watching Rafael’s complaints, finally spoke, his tone sharp and cold. "Get your mind straight and be ready. If you falter, you’ll only become a burden."
Joe laughed loudly, pointing his fist toward the sky whale. "He’s right! Better steel yourself before that thing decides to swallow you whole."
At that moment, Glain approached with his usual calmness, his steps deliberate despite the chaos around them. A faint smile curved his lips as he glanced at the bickering group. "Huhu... it seems you’re all getting along quite well."
Noah quietly weighed the City Lord’s words, his gaze flicking toward Division Zero. To him, they looked less like comrades-in-arms and more like a pack of wolves ready to tear each other apart at the slightest spark.
Joe stretched his neck, then sneered. "Hey, old man, are your eyes failing already?"
Glain chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Unfortunately for you, my vision is still perfectly clear. And judging by the way you’re all speaking, it seems you’ve already made use of those special receivers."
Leo touched the earpiece hooked to his ear, a sharp grin tugging at his lips. "So it is working. If what you say is true, this device could become a revolution for humankind. How about we strike a deal once this is over?"
Glain’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his tone stayed composed. "The device itself is nothing more than a conductor. It only works because of a certain skill user’s power, without that, it’s just scrap metal. All it does is channel the ability to hear across distance and relay signals."
Leo sighed, clearly disappointed. "What a shame. I was hoping for more."
Before Glain could respond further, the Sky Whale loomed closer, its massive body blotting out the moonlight. Then came the sound, a piercing, bone-rattling roar that shook the very air. Instinctively, they all clutched at their ears, grimacing at the sheer force of it.
Glain raised his voice, cutting through the chaos. "Enough chatter! To your positions, now! Follow the plan exactly!"
Joe grinned from ear to ear, his eyes alight with reckless excitement.
"I’ll go first," he said, voice brimming with thrill.
In the next instant, his skin rippled and hardened into jagged black scales, horns sprouting from his head as if piercing through his skull. With a guttural snarl, enormous dragon-like wings unfurled from his back, the wind cracking around him as he launched himself into the air. His silhouette cut upward, heading straight for the Sky Whale.
Julian followed a heartbeat later. His body rose effortlessly, gravity bending to his will, arcs of electricity sparking across his form like restless serpents. With a sharp flash, he surged into the skies, streaking toward the colossal beast.
Not to be outdone, Leo smirked, his body twitching unnaturally as his skill flared. Chitin spread across his skin in insectile patterns, and translucent dragonfly wings sprouted from his back with a sickening snap. The air whirred violently as he took flight, shooting upward after the others.
That left only Rafael. He stood frozen, paralyzed, his entire body trembling under the crushing resonance of the Sky Whale’s call. His face was pale, his eyes wide and vacant, as though the world around him no longer reached his senses.
Noah, still at his side, leaned closer, speaking firmly.
"It’s time, my lord. You must advance as well."
But Rafael didn’t respond. His lips quivered, his body locked in place. Fear gripped him too tightly, holding him like chains.
High above the battlefield, Joe wasted no time. He shot forward, scales glinting in the pale light, his fists swelling with draconic energy.
"[Dragon Fist : Break]!" he roared, swinging his glowing, scaled knuckles straight into the colossal whale’s head.
The strike landed with an explosive crack, but the Sky Whale’s shimmering shield absorbed the blow effortlessly. Not even a ripple reached the beast beneath. It didn’t flinch. It didn’t even notice.
Instead, its immense eye rolled toward Joe, the leviathan finally registering him as an enemy. With a low, rumbling groan, energy gathered at its maw. Light condensed into a massive beam, humming with raw destruction.
Joe’s grin faltered. His wings beat furiously, trying to dodge, but he was far too slow to escape in time.
"Tch—!"
Julian, trailing close behind, caught the sight in an instant. His eyes narrowed.
"That idiot..."
He surged forward, calling on every ounce of his power. Gravity bent violently around him as he invoked his boost, lightning coiling tighter, sharper, faster. His body became a streak of blue-white energy racing through the sky.
The beam flared.
And just before it struck, Julian slammed into Joe, yanking him out of the path of annihilation.
The Sky Whale’s beam veered downward, a pillar of annihilation crashing toward the city below. Yet the soldiers on the ground did not panic.
"[Root Wall : Ascend]!" Glain’s voice thundered through the comms as colossal trees burst from the earth, their trunks twisting together into a living shield. Layers of enchanted bark, reinforced by Veronica’s buffs and other support spells, absorbed the impact. The blast rattled the barrier but held firm, dispersing into a rain of sparks.
A moment later, Glain’s weary voice came through the ear devices.
"Divisions zero, don’t let that thing keep aiming here. Our supports will burn out at this rate."
Crackles of static followed as the rest of the Zero Division synced into the channel.
"Lord Joe," Don’s voice cut in sharply, "please, do not act recklessly!"
Leo’s dry laugh followed, venomous and mocking.
"That was close... Tell me, lizard, did your tail survive, or did it get roasted off?"
Julian, still gripping Joe’s arm from the rescue, shot him a glare like daggers.
"Are you actually stupid? Charging at that thing head-on without a plan? You almost got yourself killed."
But Joe only laughed, chest rumbling with pride, even as smoke curled from the edges of his scales.
"Bwahaha! Relax, Brother. Even if you hadn’t swooped in, I would’ve been fine. My scales are tougher than any shield. That whale could blast me all day and I’d still be standing!"
Julian’s voice cut through, sharp as steel.
"Funny. Your claim doesn’t match your actions. You tried to dodge instead of tanking it head-on."
Leo, hovering nearby with his insectile wings humming, smirked at the spectacle. His tone was casual, almost bored, as he glanced at the massive Sky Whale.
"Save your lectures, Juli. Looks like you won’t have time to scold that muscle-brained idiot anyway. And as for the coward..." his eyes flicked toward Rafael, still lagging behind, "don’t expect him to step up."
Julian’s gaze hardened, ice cold.
"Leave him. With his mind in shambles, he won’t be of any use."
Joe, oblivious to the sting in Julian’s words, beat his scaled chest and bellowed with excitement.
"Alright then, let the slaughter begin!"
Julian narrowed his eyes at him.
"Don’t be reckless again. Just distract the beast, nothing more."
But before the words could even settle, Joe had already launched himself forward, wings slicing through the air, eager to clash with the whale once more. Julian clicked his tongue, glaring after him.
"He belongs in a prison cell and rotting away..."
Leo, unfazed, drifted closer with a languid smirk.
"Well then, let’s see just how tough that shield really is."
Julian exhaled sharply, shoving away his irritation. He’d wasted enough breath on Joe.
Joe roared as he surged ahead, wings beating violently, his body gleaming with black scales that shimmered under the pale moonlight. With a mighty flap, he closed the distance and slammed his clawed fist into the shimmering barrier that wrapped around the Sky Whale.
BOOOOM!
The impact rattled the air, but the shield didn’t even crack, it merely rippled like disturbed water, throwing Joe back several meters.
"Tch, harder than I thought!" Joe laughed, rolling midair to regain balance.
Through the earpiece, a clear, composed voice came from Division Five.
"This is Division Five, Sebas speaking. Do you copy, Division Zero?"
Julian pressed his finger lightly against the device, answering in his usual calm, low tone.
"Division Zero here. Is the weapon ready?"
Sebas replied promptly, polite but firm.
"The Shield Breaker will reach one hundred percent charge in fifteen seconds. Stand clear of the firing range."
Julian’s eyes stayed fixed on the colossal shadow of the Sky Whale above as he gave a clipped response.
"Copy."