Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 140 - Operation Scorched Skies

Chapter 140 - Operation Scorched Skies

"Head's up. The capital is in sight," Cindy announced, her synthetic voice slicing through the hum of the boar Frame Unit like a cold chime. The sound pulled me out of my short nap, jolting me awake.

Instinctively, I reached for my phone. Just twelve minutes of sleep. I turned my head and found Myrrh beside me, barely awake, her pale face made even paler by the harsh interior lights, and dark eyebags casting soft shadows beneath her eyes like bruises. She looked like a porcelain panda, equal parts adorable and exhausted. 

Slowly, she leaned over and nudged Fei, who was still peacefully asleep.

"Wake up, Fei," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the rumble of the engine.

Fei stirred, rubbing her eyes groggily. Once I saw her blink into consciousness, I allowed myself a small, relieved smile, then turned my gaze forward—toward the windshield.

Stretching out ahead was a seemingly endless highway, cutting through the twilight haze like a silver ribbon. And at the far end of that road, rising like an otherworldly monument, stood a colossal spiral tower. It loomed over the horizon, its twisting spire spiraling into the sky as if trying to pierce the clouds. 

Four smaller towers flanked it, echoing its form like loyal sentinels. Unlike the vibrant neon sprawl of the surrounding metropolis, the tower emanated only stark white light—pure, cold, almost divine.

We were still at least five kilometers away, but even from this distance, the structure seemed impossibly massive—and it only grew more imposing with every passing second.

"Is that Exestia?" I asked, my voice hushed in awe.

"Yes," Myrrh replied with a gentle smile, her eyes gleaming faintly. "See those four towers surrounding the main spire? Each one is an Archonlight Tower. Together, they generate a fourfold barrier that protects the entire capital. Exestia might be only a quarter the size of the metropolis, but it's four times as fortified. No Cosmic Beast has ever broken through its defenses."

"Are you sure?" I asked, squinting at the glowing silhouette of the towers. "I mean, the Cosmic Beasts already got through the metropolis..."

"Myrrh's right," Remuel said, nodding solemnly. "Throughout all recorded history, the Archonlight Towers of Exestia have never faltered. Not once. They've kept the capital safe through every major incursion."

"Hey, don't jinx us like that!" Fei cried, her voice trembling as she clutched the edge of her seat. Her eyes welled up a bit, though she tried to hide it behind a laugh. "No need to invite disaster."

"R-right... sorry," Remuel muttered, suddenly sheepish.

I turned and glanced out the rear window. Far behind us, barely visible against the dusky sky, was a swarm of Cosmic Beasts. From this distance, they looked like a cloud of buzzing insects—tiny, flickering shadows against the horizon. But I knew better. Up close, they were nightmares given flesh. And they were still chasing us.

Then—without warning—there was a violent crash.

A deafening bang echoed through the cabin as our massive cyber-boar taxi slammed into an abrupt stop. The force launched all four of us forward, and I found myself colliding forehead-first into Myrrh.

"Ow!" I yelped, clutching my face.

"Kyah!" Myrrh cried out, recoiling with wide, teary eyes, her hands holding her head.

The two of us sat there, stunned and wincing, as the vehicle's engine hissed and the shock of the jolt lingered in our bones.

"W-what the hell was that, Cindy?!" Remuel shouted, his voice cracking with panic. He was clutching the side of his face—his left cheek clearly bruised from slamming into the windshield.