Chapter 8: Genius Weapon Design
The two stood amidst the chaos, the remnants of their battle scattered like broken pieces of a macabre puzzle. The once-unstoppable horde of Mechanical Jaws lay disintegrated, their shattered frames glinting under the pale sky. Both fighters panted heavily, exhaustion etched into their faces.
Aksel's colossus mech had reverted, leaving him haggard and drained. His regeneration ability had slowed to a crawl, and the energy reserves were dangerously low. Nioh, meanwhile, had just pulled his vibrating dagger from the last standing feral beast, its mechanical frame collapsing with a final hiss of expelled steam.
"The battlefield's a disaster," Ekoh's voice buzzed in Nioh's ear. "No scavenger beasts in range—for now."
Nioh took a deep breath, his body trembling slightly as he reverted from his horned partial metamorphosis. "We've got five minutes before the scavenger beasts arrive," he announced firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "Let's harvest the biocores while we still can."
The sudden return to his frail human form hit AKsel hard. The sights and smells of the battlefield—the acrid stench of burning metal, the coppery tang of blood, and the charred scent of flesh—overwhelmed him. Without the rush of adrenaline, his body felt like a lead weight, his mind spinning.
Nioh noticed Aksel's dazed state and shook him roughly. "Hey! Get it together! We don't have time for this."
Snapped out of his stupor, Aksel shook his head and stumbled toward the nearest downed beast. The pair worked quickly, cutting through twisted metal and wires to extract the glowing biocores. Each one pulsed faintly, proving the energy stored within.
A sudden warning from Ekoh pierced the tense silence. "You need to leave. Now."
Nioh's body stiffened as he scanned the horizon. "We're out of time," he said, his voice sharp. Grabbing Aksel by the arm, he started dragging him toward the forest edge.
"What's happening?" Aksel managed, his voice shaky.
"Scavenger beasts," Nioh replied grimly, his pace unrelenting.