Platinum Skies (The Manifests Series #2)

{[40]} False Snow

Everybody already knew who their enemy was: the luck-driven Koul'in subordinate Damascus.

How he survived his death from the hands of Zeke and Jihyo is quite the mystery for the team. Yet, there is no time to ponder on the reason of his still running existence. What mattered was he had to go down once more.

Fortunately, they have an advantage. Thanks to Zeke and Jihyo's previous encounter, they already know of his weakness: his core, which gives him life and his abilities.

But knowing where to hit is just one thing.

Pulling it off is another.

The Manifest Aethersalt, spinning rapidly, runs through the snowy enemy's exterior, disecting him in half before it returns to its wielder, Yejun. But the enemy reforms himself immediately and unleashes a myriad of snowy attacks towards IU, Hyungwon, and Vanta. IU steps back as Vanta takes cover, deflecting the snowy projectiles with his icy spear.

This gives IU a clear shot of the enemy, and fires off a powerful shot directly to his chest. The bullet travels and explodes in a showering flower aura, sending Damascus back. It mangles his body, but soon, he recovers once more, much to her surprise.

"He is tough...! What--" IU muttered as she anticipates a gigantic snowy tendril suddenly coming after her, and dodges with ease as she takes aim again.

Damascus attempts to reach IU with blisrering speed. A fearsome torrent of snow suddenly begins to stir up on Damascus' arm.

"Snowfall Cannon!"

A mound of snow immediately forms on Damascus' fist, preparing to explode right into the idol's face.

Suddenly, Yejun jumps infront of IU, ready to defend her with smoldering intensity.

"Come, try your shitty move against me!" Yejun roared as he ferociously swings his boomerang at Damascus' attack. The resulting clash causes a massive explosion of snow and salt all over thr area, and it forces Dama

"Theyre fast, they seem to keep up with me... It's as if they know my attacks already..." Damascus muttered.

With all in the clear of Damascus' onslaught thanks to Yejun, IU fired another round. This time, Damascus manages to evade. IU is now forced into the defensive, towards Hyungwon.

"I cant find his core...!" IU muttered. "We are trying everything. But I guess his previous battle gave him so much experience that he knows we are after it immediately..."

Hyungwon soon turns his head and observes the snowy battlefield, dodging the attacks alongside Vanta and Yejun. He was trying to analyze the situation, his mind racing to find a good countermeasure for the threat infront of them.

For a few minutes, they've been barraging Damascus with various attacks. But none of them seem to reveal the core they were looking for. Hyungwon deduces that they have to execute heavier attacks.

But what heavy attack was truly amicable in this situation? A rifle wouldnt do. None of Vanta and Yejun's melee attacks leave a scratch. Even IU's Manifest isnt dealing enough damage to incapacitate the snowy threat.

The only thing he can think of was to experiment, like he always does.

Hyungwon reveals a round, golden grenade sitting comfortably at the palm of his hand. A grenade he has invented that has been proven useful time and time again in various tight areas and spaces.

"Zeke mentioned that the core will stop being invisible once its damaged. Damascus still has his form, and wherever the core goes, he goes. I just have to calculate the exact angle in which to throw or lob the explosive towards him. Should be able to detonate within reach of the core itself, wherever it may be..." Hyngwon pondered as he raced nearer the clash of snow of steel, with Yejun leading the assault and Vanta supporting him from the back end.