Chapter 158: Two-sided Attack
On the other side, El ran through the dark and dense forest. His feet moved swiftly between the roots of trees and shrubs, his body seemingly merging with the shadows.
The visual information shared by his mystic bird guided his steps without error, pinpointing the location of his Adjuvant with accuracy.
The faint scent of his Adjuvat slowly wafted over, mixing with the smell of blood and gunpowder carried by the wind.
El quickened his pace, his movements getting more agile, until finally he saw the light at the end of the forest.
Emerging from the grove of trees, El paused at the edge of the forest. Before him, a steep cliff overlooked the battlefield.
There, Satomi, Kisara, Shoma, Tamaki, Enju, Tina, Midori, Yuzuki, and Kayo stood, watching the violent explosions that dotted the battlefield.
Fire, smoke, and the sound of explosions filled the air, signaling the relentless struggle between humans and Gastrea.
El watched the scene. The Gastrea fell one by one, their bodies staggering before collapsing to the ground.
However, human casualties were far more numerous, humans being eaten or killed outright, the ground of the battlefield bearing silent witness to the courage of those who continued to fight despite realizing the possibility of death.
Wasting no time, El stepped forward, approaching Satomi. "Satomi!" said El in a stern tone. "What's your plan?"
Satomi turned his head toward the voice, followed by the others. They all looked surprised when they saw El, especially his eyes.
"Adrian... Your eyes!" exclaimed Kisara, her face filled with a shocked expression.
"Oi, your eye is fine, right?" Tamaki looked at El with a furrowed brow, his tone slightly worried.
Shoma looked into El's eyes in surprise, but kept his composure. "What happened to your eye? It wasn't... soflen, was it?" he asked in a confused tone.
El did not look at them directly, making them not fully feel the aura of emphasis from his Rinnegan eyes.
However, the look in El's eyes that seemed cold and powerful was enough to make them feel that something was different.
Kayo, the only one who was not surprised, just stood still and observed. 'Those eyes... Is this ice sculpture going to use that power?' Kauo thought, recalling the events of the morning.
El remained calm, his gaze focused on the battlefield. There was no time to explain, there was only one goal in his mind: save as many lives as possible and stop this disaster.
El stared intently at those surrounding his. "Don't worry about my eyes," he said coldly, his voice flat but without malice. He turned his gaze to Satomi. "The important thing is, Satomi. Answer my question."
"
El stared intently at those surrounding her. "Don't worry about my eyes," he said coldly, his voice flat but without malice. He turned his gaze to Satomi. "The important thing is, Satomi. Answer my question."
Satomi sighed heavily, a look of exhaustion in his eyes. "It's good that you've come," he said, then frowned. "This situation is... too bad. Too many victims keep falling. We can't allow this, but we can't act rashly either."
El turned her gaze to the battlefield, his eyes sweeping over the fierce battle below. "I agree," he said, her tone remaining cold but firm.
"This is risky. Our lives could be lost at any moment, but we don't have the option to stand still. So, what's your plan?" El asked again.
Satomi nodded, determination written all over his face. "Yes," he said as he prepared to jump down onto the battlefield.
Before that, he looked at his Adjuvats one by one, his gaze full of responsibility. "Again, this is very risky-"
"We understand, Satomi," Shoma cut in suddenly, his voice full of firmness. "We are prepared to take this risk."
Satomi smiled slightly, gratitude radiating from his face. "Thank you! Shoma-ni, you guys..." he said, but before he could continue, a sharp buzzing sound cut off.
From afar, several giant insect-shaped Gastrea burst out of the sky.
They resembled dragonflies, but with their hideous bodies their flesh looked distorted, almost moth-like as if they were creatures trapped in an eternal transformation.
Their huge wings vibrated at an incredible speed, producing a noise that put everyone on guard.
The Gastrea insects flew low, darting quickly above their heads. With aggressive movements, they dropped large egg-like objects in various areas of the forest.
All, including the path where El had come from earlier. The eggs made a rattling sound, like they would hatch at any moment.
El looked seriously at the forest, his jaw hardening. "Satomi, this is bad!" he said in a sharp tone, a chill emanating from his voice. "Is there a need for a change of plan?"
Everyone immediately understood the situation. If they let the eggs hatch, they would face attacks from both front and back.
The forest that was once a sanctuary could turn into a den of death. The risk was too great; humanity would be on the brink of destruction.
"If left unchecked, we're finished!" said Kisara in a worried tone, gripping his sword tightly. All attention was now focused on Satomi, awaiting her final decision.
Satomi stood transfixed, cold sweat running down his temples. His hands were clenched tightly into fists, inner conflict evident on his face. However, he finally took a deep breath and made a decision.
"This action is crazy... and might be considered defection," Satomi said quietly, but firmly. "But if we do nothing, we will lose."
Without hesitation, Satomi ran toward the forest. "Tsk, everyone, follow me, we'll take out the Gastrea in the back before they can attack from both directions!" he called, signaling his group to move.
El, who was standing not far from them, immediately darted forward with astonishing speed. "I'll take care of two o'clock. You guys take ten," he said coldly.
El's body moved so fast that the air around him seemed to vibrate, like a distortion of space passing through for a moment.
Everyone was astonished at his speed, including Satomi who almost lost focus. But before they could utter a word, Kayo stepped forward calmly.
"Don't worry," Kayo said, her voice cold but reassuring. "Even if he's reckless, Adrian-san can take care of all that Gastrea by himself."
Without waiting for a response, Kayo darted into the forest, leaving the others behind.
Inevitably, his words gave Satomi's group confidence. They knew that if anyone knew El's power best, it was the promoter himself.
"Okay! We're moving!" exclaimed Shoma, breaking the silence. The group immediately followed Satomi and Kayo, entering the darkness of the forest that had now turned into a new battlefield.
...
From a distance, a man in his twenties with round glasses stood in the center of the fierce battle.
His body was protected by dark brown samurai armor, reinforced with Varanium iron plate that glittered faintly under the light of battle.
The man was Hidehiko Gado, the son of Nagamasa Gado, one of the top leaders in the war against Gastrea.
As one of the high-ranking officers, Hidehiko commanded several squads, including Satomi's squad under him.
Hidehiko's gaze narrowed as he watched from a distance. Satomi's group, instead of taking to the battlefield as expected, was running towards the forest. His brows furrowed in confusion.
"Satomi leader... What is he doing?" muttered Hidehiko as he watched them intently. "Why didn't he join the battlefield immediately? Does he want to escape?"
The thought hung in his mind, but his instincts as an envoy of commander Gado Nagamasa compelled him to continue leading his troops who were fighting fiercely against Gastrea.
However, his eyes could not escape Satomi's group that disappeared behind the trees, leaving Hidehiko with unanswered questions.