Chapter 70 - 69: Blessed oblivion[GTG]
The air hung thick with the acrid tang of ozone and pulverized concrete. Half the building had vanished in a shower of debris, leaving us perched precariously on the remaining half like shipwreck survivors clinging to a splintered raft.
But the reprieve was short-lived. The once innocuous metal rods and twisted rebar scattered around the floor began to writhe and contort, levitating a few inches off the ground.
"Yeah, right, like that was gonna be that easy," I muttered under my breath, the sarcasm dripping from my voice like oil.
Scarlet clicked her tongue, her jaw clenched tight. "Tsk," she hissed, her gaze scanning the now-hostile environment. "We need to get out of here. This place gives her too much leverage." It was a statement of the obvious. The twisted metal jungle gym before us was a playground for the pink-haired menace, and the confined space offered little room for maneuver. Just how in the world did she have such absolute dominion over the very air itself?
The answer, for now, was secondary. Survival took precedence. We sprinted towards the shattered edge of the building, the remaining wall offering a precarious escape route. Scarlet, I reasoned, could use her water manipulation to cushion our fall. My own shadow-based abilities were woefully inadequate in the face of such raw, elemental power.
Suddenly, a metal rod shot forward with a shriek, aimed like a bullet straight for Scarlet’s abdomen. Adrenaline surged through me, and with a practiced flick of my wrist, I summoned my katana. Darkness danced along the blade as I met the attack head-on.
**Klang!** The metallic screech echoed through the ruined building as I parried the blow. But the respite was momentary. A relentless barrage of metal projectiles rained down from all directions, a metallic storm orchestrated by the pink-haired harpy. This time, Scarlet was prepared. A wave of water erupted from her outstretched hand, forming a swirling shield that deflected the incoming onslaught.
We reached the precipice, the shattered edge offering a perilous glimpse of freedom. But just as I prepared to leap, an invisible force yanked me backwards. A strangled cry escaped my lips as my body became a marionette, limbs flailing uselessly.
"Damn her!" I roared in frustration, my voice echoing off the broken concrete. My vision landed on a nearby pillar where I found myself bound by invisible restraints, courtesy of the pink-haired girl.