Chapter 47: Zombie Wave (9)
Despite the cartoonish overlay, she could sense its danger. The brute—known as the Lord—was nearly four meters tall, a hulking beast barreling forward like a tank.
Sophia acted without hesitation. She leaped off the platform, sprinting toward Annie. "Annie, MOVE!" she shouted, shoving her out of the creature's path just in time. The Lord's massive frame collided with Sophia instead, sending her flying like a ragdoll. Her MV-01 suit slammed into the steel wall with a deafening crash, leaving a dent before she crumpled to the ground.
"Sophia!" Annie screamed, horror filling her voice.
Sophia coughed, blood trickling from her lips. The outdated suit lacked modern shock absorption, leaving her badly injured from the impact. Her vision swam as she struggled to speak. "Annie... stay back..."
But the Lord wasn't done. It roared, raising its massive fists to crush Sophia where she lay.
Annie's eyes darkened, her playful demeanor vanishing. "Tarantula," she ordered, "turn off the image filter." The battlefield's true, bloody horror filled her vision as the cheerful overlay disappeared.
Her fury erupted. "Don't you dare hurt my sister!" she shouted, launching high-tensile spider silk from her mech's arms. The sticky threads latched onto the Lord, slowing its advance as Annie dug her mechanical legs into the ground, bracing against the strain.
"Tarantula, power warning! Insufficient energy!" the AI alerted her.
"I don't care!" Annie roared, pushing the mech to its limit. The silk stretched tighter and tighter until Annie suddenly let go, snapping the tension.
The impact sent Annie's spider mech flying through the air, propelling her like a missile straight at the towering Lord. As she hurtled forward, she extended her arm blades, locking onto the creature's exposed back.
With a metallic screech, her blades pierced deep into the monster's flesh. The Lord roared in anger, thrashing its massive arms to knock her off. But Annie held on, moving with the precision and grace of her mech, dodging its wild swipes while driving her blades even deeper. She aimed for its neck, hoping to sever its spine.