Jake climbed onto my back without hesitation, locking his arms securely around my shoulders.
"Come out!" I commanded.
With a mechanical whir, my Rocket Boosters deployed from the sole of my feet and to my surprise the suit's backplate, venting a burst of golden-hot exhaust. The rooftop beneath us cracked from the force, sending dust and debris scattering.
BOOM!
We shot into the sky like a space rocket, cutting through the thick, toxin-laden fog.
The city below was a nightmare; fires raging, infected swarming the streets, their hollow moansseemingly blending into the chaos.
"How long till we get there?" Jake shouted over the roar of the thrusters.
"Two minutes if we don't get intercepted!" I replied, eyes locked on the ISA Research Lab's coordinates flashing on my HUD.
My motion sensors flared red.
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
X50.
Damn it.
A squad of Gravehowl's airborne minions emerged from the fog, grotesque figures with elongated limbs and tattered wings. Their soulless eyes glowed nothing but night black as they locked onto us.
"Hold on tight, Jake!" I warned.
Then, I cut the boosters, letting us freefall for a split second.
Right before I fired them again at an angle, sending us into a sharp dive to evade incoming projectiles.
The creatures screeched and gave chase.
I clenched my jaw. "Looks like we're gonna have to fight our way there!"
I spun around, tilting my head to track the incoming projectiles. They were fast, faster than most would expect, but I could easily burst away from their trajectory. However, they came in numbers, and I was curious to see how the suit would hold up against them.
Extending my arm, I leveled my palm at the swarm of airborne creatures slicing through the air toward me. Their erratic flight patterns made them unpredictable, but my HUD was already tracking them.
"Hey..." I called out, tilting my head slightly to get Boomerang Man's attention.
"Yeah?" His voice was muffled, his arm still pressed against his airways.
"Wanna see what this core can really do?"
"Heck yeah!"
A smirk tugged at my lips. "Incinerate..."
Instantly, my HUD locked onto the incoming swarm, highlighting each creature in a bright red outline.
[Multiple Targets Detected: System recommends utilizing a greater force.]
"Use 30% Incinerate power."
[Charging...]
A sharp chime echoed in my ears.
Tti-ring.
[Charging Complete...]
[Trigger word required.]
I exhaled. "Oi!"
"Incinerate!"
A massive golden energy blast erupted from my gauntlet, consuming the swarm in an instant. The creatures barely had time to react before they were reduced to nothing but scattered embers drifting through the air.
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
[Compass Needle Activated!]
X50.
"Tch!" I gritted my teeth as another massive swarm of airborne undead emerged from the thick, dense clouds to my left.
Without hesitation, I kept the energy flowing from my gauntlet, shifting my aim toward them. The moment they entered my sights, I unleashed another devastating blast, wiping them from existence.
Tti-ring.
The familiar chime of the system rang in my ears.
[Congratulations.]
[You've Leveled Up!]
[You've Leveled Up!]
[You've Leveled Up!]
[You've Leveled Up!]
[You've Leveled Up!]
I exhaled sharply, spinning mid-air as I readjusted my trajectory toward the ISA research lab. As much as I wanted to stay and clear out more of these undead pests, time was slipping through my fingers.
We needed that antidote as fast as possible. If we delayed any longer, Gravehowl's minions and the infected would reach the Sector D safe house. And more importantly, Boomerang Man wouldn't last much longer with his constant exposure to the biochemical gas.
I crashed onto the pavement at the lab's entrance, my boots slamming against the ground with a sharp crack. Boomerang Man immediately slid off my back and, without a word, bolted past me like a wild animal set free, sprinting toward the gate.
"Tell my mom I'm alright! She must be worried!" I shouted after him.
"Will do!" he called back without turning around.
[Antidote Theoretical Research Complete!]
[Antidote Formulation Success Rate Upon Administration...]
[Calculating...]
A human anatomical diagram flickered into my peripheral vision, and the system went to work. My fingers clenched into a fist as frustration bubbled inside me. There was no time for calculations, we needed results now.
I slammed my fist into my helmet out of frustration before turning my gaze down the road. A new swarm of Gravehowl's minions was making their way toward the lab.
No. I wouldn't let them get anywhere near it.
My HUD zoomed in, scanning the approaching herd. Sure enough there were no infected civilians, only minions. That made things easier.
They finally spotted me. My Compass Needle activated instantly.
[Initiate Skill: Incinerate.]
"I know!" I growled.
I gritted my teeth intensively as I flexed my fingers. "Let's take it a bit further, shall we?"
BAM!