Chapter 68: The Roaring Train of Wolves

Chapter 68: The Roaring Train of Wolves

The mental vision was bathed in a crimson hue. The buzzing of the Ice Butterflies filled the air, shrill and cacophonous, piercing into Rong Mi's mind, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

A violent explosion sent the mecha reeling sideways, exacerbating Rong Mi's dizziness.

"Beep-beep-beep- Detecting intrusion of Ice Butterfly energy on the mecha's exterior. Pilot, please increase mental power input to enhance the shield performance—"

"I'm on it!"

Rong Mi bit down hard on his tongue to stay alert, forcefully pulling the control stick to swiftly correct the mecha's flight trajectory.

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he gazed out of the cockpit.

The crimson energy had taken on a tangible form, resembling thick streams of blood sliding down the windows, completely obstructing the view outside the mecha.

"Scratch-scratch-scratch—"

Communication, which had just stabilized with signal amplification, was severed once more. Rong Mi piloted the mecha upwards, using his mental vision to gauge their altitude.

"At zero point three... one... two... three stars! Altitude reached!"

"Beep... beep... beep... The mecha's exterior is under pressure from the Ice Butterfly's energy. Please increase mental input, pilot!"

A furious howl echoed amidst the vibrant red.

Centered around the silver mecha, all the red lights spiraled inward, converging into a colossal red orb, threatening to crush both Rong Mi and the mecha together.

The surrounding security team reacted swiftly, their warships and mechas aiming and firing their cannons in unison.

However, the enormous light sphere seemed impervious to the energy beams, pulsating like a living entity, expanding and contracting. It then let out a furious roar, abruptly squeezing inward, pressing tightly against Rong Mi's mecha.

The red on the surface grew darker, displaying dancing energy arcs – an ominous sign of hyperactive energy compressing, foretelling a catastrophic explosion.

It was unclear whether the intent was to squeeze the mecha and Rong Mi into a mangled mess or to blast them both apart simultaneously, or perhaps both.

"... Admiral!" The captain of the security team, drenched in sweat, quickly spoke from within the outer perimeter, "Cheng Die's mental energy has completely immunized her against our firepower..."

"Target the Ice Butterfly's spirit core," Lu Yi repeated his command. "Stand by."

"…Yes!" Under Lu Yi's oppressive gaze, the captain reluctantly set aside his doubts and carried out the order.

Exiting the command cabin, he wore a troubled expression.

When Lu Yi had turned to look at him just now, he thought he saw thick black lines creeping out from the collar of the admiral's tightly buttoned uniform, spreading across one side of his face.

The captain paused for a moment, wanting to take a closer look, but the door closed before he could do so.

Lu Yi's gaze returned to the scene outside. Suppressing the dual pain from prolonged use of his spirit power and the Ice Butterfly venom, he said in a cold voice, "Ayin."

The Silver Wolves, who had just set down Ellen and Cheng Wen, were also looking at the red sphere enveloping Rong Mi's mecha.

Perceiving that Rong Mi was trapped within the light ball, the wolves bared their fangs.

One hand on the control panel, Lu Yi's lids drooped slightly as he heightened his empathic connection with the Silver Wolves until they resonated completely.

In Lu Yi's mental domain, the silver ocean rushed upward toward the hovering, ethereal image.

"Woof!"

The wolf lowered its body, and a burst of silver radiance illuminated the surroundings.

Its figure expanded rapidly in mid-air, growing so immense that it seemed capable of swallowing the mecha and the red sphere in one gulp.

The light swirled around the wolf, blurring the boundaries between each strand of its fur.

The colossal Ice Plain Silver Wolf, bathed in the silvery moonlight, appeared to be an entity composed purely of energy, resembling a divine steed.

The frost and snow that blanketed the heavens and earth converged towards it, becoming part of its massive frame.

The wolf's ice-blue eyes were also tinged with silver light, adopting the same captivating hue as Lu Yi's irises.

"… Holy sh*t," exclaimed everyone in Marco's live stream who had been intently following the battle, using the same expletive.

"… What kind of star beast is this! So freaking cool!"

"It's a wolf, you idiot! It looks like the majestic wolf that suddenly appeared to save the day during the Ice and Fire Tournament!"

"Sure enough, the Supreme Commander Wolf followed Rong Mi!"

"What is the wolf planning to do now?"

"Is it... going to devour that red sphere? It looks like the wolf intends to swallow it whole!"

"It probably will," User Dual-A Mecha Pilot joined the live stream, cutting straight to the point. "If we allow the Ice Butterfly Energy Ball to explode unchecked, the damage won't be limited to just the amusement park. The entire Entertainment District of the Capital Star, where Marco is, and possibly even further... could be hit."

"After the wolf swallows the energy ball, it can act as a buffer to minimize the blast's impact on other areas."

"At the same time, there's a chance to protect the pilot inside the mecha."

"...This involves energy collision! It must be causing great harm to the wolf!"

The Dual-A Mecha Pilot didn't respond further.

As a member of the military, he recognized the spiritual energy fluctuations belonging to Lu Yi.

Swallowing the Ice Butterfly Energy Ball was by no means an ideal solution; it would cause significant harm to both the wolf and Lu Yi.

The admiral didn't act immediately, clearly holding back for another plan, waiting for something.

In the sky, the Silver Wolf's gaze locked onto the red orb, its tail swishing.

It wanted to rush forward right away to rescue Rong Mi, but Lu Yi hadn't given the order.

"Oooh!" It turned to the starship where Lu Yi was, repeatedly urging him with its howls.

But the admiral's face was cold and stern, his lips tightly pressed together in silence.

One hand supported the ship's control panel while the other held the communicator. The channel that had been connected to Rong Mi was now filled with static, ringing in Lu Yi's ears, causing his fingers to tremble slightly uncontrollably.

The wolf's emotions mirrored its subconscious, and Lu Yi wanted nothing more than to give the order to dismantle the ice butterfly energy sphere surrounding Rong Mi.

But reason told Lu Yi that he needed to trust Rong Mi.

Following their initial plan, they were to conserve their strength. In the moment when Rong Mi broke through the ice butterfly's mental energy sphere, they would coordinate their efforts to deliver the crucial, decisive blow.

Rong Mi can break through that energy sphere, Lu Yi reassured himself.

The young man appeared nonchalant at all times, but in reality, he was not an impulsive person.

He had interacted with Cecil and was aware of the Butterfly's capabilities, thus anticipating the challenges that lay ahead.

He had never been the kind to rely solely on others for rescue; he was the blade that broke the deadlock.

The Admiral's gaze was icy cold, concealing the intense struggle between his instincts and reason.

In what seemed like an eternity but was only a few seconds, a faint purple glow began to emerge within the crimson light.

The resonating energy of the Ice Butterfly made those watching Mark's live stream instinctively cover their ears.

Yet, the sound still managed to penetrate through their palms.

"Did any of you hear something else?" someone typed in the live chat, "Am I getting tinnitus from the buzzing of the Ice Butterfly?"

"There is indeed another sound! I thought it was just my ears ringing! Turns out you heard it too?!"

"Like the chirping of birds, isn't it?"

A clear trill echoed, akin to the mythical avian deity that's said to have brought fire to the dawn of human civilization.

Amidst the faint yet distinguishable melody that wasn't drowned by the buzzing of the ice butterflies, a fissure suddenly appeared in the red mental energy sphere.

From within, a hint of purple talons emerged.

The live stream viewers: "??"

"What... is that?!"

"It looks like a bird's claw, but also somewhat resembles the paw of a dragon-type stellar beast."

"What resemblance? How could there be a stellar beast inside an ice butterfly's mental energy sphere..."

"Look at the energy fluctuations! That must be Rong Mi's mental energy flame taking the shape of an animal!!"

Inside the cockpit, the pilot's suit was drenched in sweat. The metal walls of the cockpit creaked continuously as the mecha exerted pressure from the outside in.

The silver metal exterior was pockmarked with dents, as if it had been relentlessly bombarded by energy blasts, leaving the mecha battered and bruised. The cockpit interior was subsequently compressed. Rong Mi bent forward, his head pressing tightly against the ceiling.

He panted heavily, his gaze fixed ahead but not focusing on any particular point outside the cockpit.

His eyes seemed to wander, as if lost in a void due to excessive mental power input and the strain on the mecha, or perhaps... he was surveying the entire area from a third-person perspective, looking down from above.

"Crackling."

As the purple claws emerged, a faint flame suddenly ignited in the vacuum not far from the Ice Butterfly's light sphere.

Immediately after, a series of flaming explosions echoed. More and more purple flames materialized in the air above the amusement park base.

The flames were tiny, no longer than a finger, resembling candles flickering mid-air.

However, each flame that ignited seemed to provide a new focal point for Rong Mi's vision.

His original mental domain perception was no longer confined within the cockpit; now... his field of view had expanded even further.

Energy lines he could already see, those he couldn't make out, shapes and colors visible to the human eye – every detail was vividly depicted before him.

Rong Mi even had a sense of being more than just an observer.

He felt like an operator within this space.

If he wished, he could manipulate those threads...

It was a state Rong Mi had never experienced before, leaving his thoughts in a daze.

Rong Mi's mental energy fluttered, tentatively reaching out to touch the tightly woven scarlet mental energy threads belonging to Ice Butterfly, attempting to sever them.

"Buzz—!"

A powerful energy vibration reverberated from Ice Butterfly's mental energy threads, resisting Rong Mi's attempt at manipulation.

The tug of energy involuntarily elicited a pained groan from Rong Mi. His body began to tremble, and blood seeped from the corners of his lips, yet he didn't withdraw the mental energy that was tearing at Ice Butterfly's energy.

High above, the crack in Ice Butterfly's energy sphere grew larger and larger, with more and more of the creature formed by purple flame birds protruding outward.

Toes, sole... body... wings...

"Is that... a Dragonbird?" Those watching the live broadcast couldn't help holding their breath.

"It must be a Star Beast that lived on Farell. Born in flames and able to control them; I've seen it in the records..."

"After Farell was conquered and destroyed by the insectoids, we never saw that kind of Star Beast again! Wow, they really exist?! I thought they were extinct!"

"It's purple... So mysterious... So beautiful... Look at its crested feathers!"

"That's not a crest! It looks more like dragon horns!"

The purple Dragonbird slowly raised its head.

Its wings spread wide, with a vast wingspan, but instead of neat rows of feathers, they resembled burning flames extending from the sturdy wing bones, curling into the shape of wings beneath.

The wings displayed a deep, exquisite purple, and the body between them seemed dragon-like, with a hard, light-colored scales covering its chest.

The Dragonbird had four claws, each tipped with razor-sharp talons. Its long tail split into two from the base, resembling a flaming whip.

Its head bore a more avian appearance, with a sharp beak at the front, yet from behind its cheeks rose a curved, flaming crest akin to burning branches, resembling elongated dragon horns.

Amidst countless flickering flames dancing in the air, the dragonbird, like a stream of fiery meteors, opened its eyes.

It flapped its wings, emitting a clear, resonant cry, forcefully dividing the sphere into two.

Within the scattering scarlet mental energy, a silver armor, encircled by purple mental power, hovered in mid-air. Its particle cannons, extended to either side, discharged energy that connected with the tip of the dragonbird's tail.

Before the dragonbird stood its master, the bird's rider.

This scene, reminiscent of a myth come to life, not only left Marco and the viewers in the live stream mesmerized but also momentarily captivated the security guards surrounding the amusement park base.

Inside the starship, a hint of a smile touched Lu Yi's lips.

"Prepare to fire," he commanded, his calm voice echoing through all the security guards' communicators, sending a chill down their spines.

"Three seconds to countdown."

"Beep—" The warning signal sounded in every starship armor capable of communication, followed by an announcement of the three-second countdown, "Three—"

"Buzzzz!"

The Ice Butterfly's chirping did not cease with the appearance of the Dragonbird.

In midair, the scattered crimson fragments seemed to be drawn by a magnet, converging rapidly into a massive humanoid figure in front of Rong Mi's silver armor.

This winged humanoid was much larger than any human. It had a human head, with the wings of an Ice Butterfly sprouting from its back. Its features were indistinct, and beneath its split chest, a third eye could be seen rotating amidst countless Ice Butterfly tendrils.

"Rong... Mi..."

"Caw! Caw-caw!"

The cries of a bird echoed.

Countless venom sacs swarmed towards it, only to be shattered by the flames stirred up by the Dragonbird's flapping wings.

Inside the cockpit, Rong Mi's gaze finally focused, looking directly at the colossal creature that was now alarmingly close.

"...And you're still not dead...?" He panted, feeling the excruciating pain of energy depletion in his mental domain. He cursed irritably, "How thick is your health bar?! I've already exceeded my limits by summoning this firebird..."

Its eyes were fixed intently on the flaming dragonbird before Rong Mi. It wailed in despair, "Your abilities... are still... insufficient..."

"Until... there's... no second awakening..."

The Ice Butterfly fluttered its wings, unleashing a corrosive aura.

Rong Mi smiled.

"Oh," he said nonchalantly, "My abilities are insufficient."

"But humans don't solely rely on individual combat."

"Against some disgusting enemies... we actually enjoy ganging up!"

In mid-air, the silver mech leaped upward. The fire dragonbird ascended alongside it, revealing a glint of silver behind it.

The temperature around them plummeted abruptly.

As Rong Mi absorbed the majority of Cheng Die's mental power, an intense cold replaced the intense heat around them.

The concealed Silver Wolves, like a streak of light, dashed towards the red humanoid form, their wolf ears tilted back and bodies leaping into the air, baring their sharp fangs to sink them into the humanoid's neck!

Silver radiance seeped into the red, resembling a razor-sharp edge.

With a powerful pull, the wolf tore through the ice butterfly amidst its shrill buzzing and the explosive clash of energies, severing Cheng Die's neck.

Fresh, crimson mental energy entwined around the wolf, causing Ayin to howl in pain yet with a fierce intensity.

Its figure expanded another circle, opening its maw wide to engulf the ice butterfly's head entirely!

Above the wolf, the flames of the Dragon Bird swooped down, pecking at the heart of the ice butterfly.

Seizing the opportunity, it attacked relentlessly, its wings slicing through the air with the energy's roar, echoing with furious cries.

Stroke after stroke, each assault grew more forceful than the last.

Gradually, in the illuminated night sky, silvery frost and violet flames intertwined, forming a brilliant radiance that swiftly dissipated Chengdie's mental energy.

Despite her struggles, Chengdie managed to send out a few weakened threads of her mental energy, attempting to escape, only to be obliterated by the concentrated fire from the surrounding mechas and starships, which had been prepared for this moment.

In Marco's live stream, the dazzling silver-purplish hues on the distant horizon illuminated the capital planet's entertainment district as if it were daytime.

This intensity persisted for a good seven or eight minutes before gradually fading and dispersing slowly.

High above the amusement park base, the last trace of red mental energy was swallowed by the silver-violet flow.

The entwined colors separated, transforming into a lithe Silver Wolf and a slender dragon bird.

The flames descended first.

Mid-air, the dragon bird's figure disintegrated, dispersing like an ephemeral projection brought into reality, vanishing swiftly.

The particle cannons on either side of the silver mech dimmed, followed immediately by the sudden silence of its roaring engines.

The mech's energy reserves had been depleted entirely during the frenzied battle where it had relentlessly discharged its energy outward.

The cockpit automatically ejected outward, deploying floating parachutes on either side as it descended gently downward.

Ayin exclaimed, "Ahh!"

The Silver Wolves' radiance dimmed. It had shrunk significantly, but it was still the same wolf.

It traversed the air, ran forward, then opened its mouth, horizontally grasping the cockpit between its jaws.

"Woof!" The wolf let out another howl, filled with tension and concern.

Rong Mi's mental domain was in excruciating pain, pulled back to consciousness by the wolf's roar.

He groaned, straightening up in the cockpit and releasing the restraints.

"Hold on tight... Ayin!" The young man pushed open the cockpit hatch above him. Extending half his body out, he observed the wolf's stark white fangs, embedded in the cockpit's exterior without causing any damage, and the unrecognizable amusement park base below. Then, sitting on the edge of the cockpit door, he relaxed, stretched out his arms, and laid back on the outer shell.

"I'm feeling dizzy now," Rong Mi said, feeling the high-altitude wind and glancing at the wolf's head above. He then closed his eyes.

He was completely unconcerned about falling from such a great height.

"Smooth ride, Canis!" the young man chuckled. "Or else… the passenger might get motion sickness!"