Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion - 33. The Neun's Joint Strike (Part 2/3)

Описание: Corus and the others left the forest settlement after helping out with the injuries. Arachne's attacks had caused a number of casualties and damage in the area. Corvus absorbed some of Arachne's Immortal Factor and gave her a discrete burial. The fact that she died after their conflict upset Corvus greatly though he never let it show. He remembered his time with her and the Neun. They were all like family at one point. The fact that she was not brainwashed or twisted by the Trinitas made this all the more painful. Were she and Bullet, whom Corvus let walk way, the only ones free? Or could it be that the only one among the Neun whose mind was broken and enslaved by the Trinitas was Corvus' dear friend, Nerve?

Continuing with their mission to rescue the Reclaimer bases and facilities that were under attack Corvus, Iris and Ash traveled towards the next location: Makarios Weapons Factory. A secret factory within the mountains used by the Reclaimers to arm themselves against the Sovereign Axiom. For it to be lost would greatly impede the resistance movement.

At the entrance they met Forge and Toby who had tried to arrive to help evacuate the people and salvage any weapons data they could find. But they were too late. The entire facility and its personnel had already fallen to Gearworm. The Neun who could utterly dominate any technology around him. Now they had to deal with not only the Axiom soldiers and drones that had infiltrated, but also deal with the factory's automated defenses that were now turned against them. With Gearworm's power, the weapons factory was a palace of death to Corvus and the others.

The five Reclaimers carefully navigated the hallways. The laser defenses of the factory in particular were quite deadly and greatly slowed their progress. Even so, Toby managed to deactivate them, one by one. Forge downloaded whatever weapons data he could find along the way. As they made their way to the second storage area outside the factory, Gearworm was waiting for them.

Gearworm confirmed what the Reclaimers had already suspected. The Neun were after Iris. The Alpha and future of all Outers. As Corvus refuted his attempt to persuade him to return to the Neun, Gearworm also confirmed another piece of information. It wasn't just Arachne who was free in her thinking. None of the Neun aside from Nerve were ever brainwashed or mentally enslaved to the Trinitas. Not Gearworm, and certainly not Void, the leader of the Neun. Every one of the Neun were fighting for their own personal goals. Corvus didn't know what it was. But it was clear the Neun only saw the other Neun as one of their own. Even Corvus. No one else mattered. Not the humans, Sovereign Axiom or the Trinitas.

An intense battle between Gearworm, Corvus, Iris and Ash began while Forge and Toby withdrew to temporarily. It was clear the two of them would only be a hindrance. Gearworm used his ability to activate the various vehicles and external defenses of the factory to take on Corvus and the others. But Corvus had already filled them in on the strategy: attack Gearworm during the brief moments he left himself vulnerable while he attempted to take control of the machines. Corvus had trained with Gearworm plenty of times in the Garden. He knew Gearworm was formidable both at melee and range. But Corvus was still among the best of the Neun. Against such an opponent by himself Gearworm was slowly beginning to be overwhelmed.

Just when it seemed Gearworm would be brought down by the team work of Corvus, Iris and Ash, Gearworm unleashed his trump card: his personal Heavy Armor. Corvus berated himself for not even having considered Gearworm would have brought his Heavy Armor as well when he had first arrived on the Ground. His own Heavy Armors, Falx and White Tiger, built by Forge were impressive. But Gearworm's Heavy Armor was clearly state-of-the-art. Could Corvus's Heavy Armor win against such a formidable weapon that was controlled by one who was the master of all weapons? But to everyone's fortune, help had arrived.

Toby and Forge returned to the battle with Toby now in his Heavy Armor. The odds were certainly more even now. Corvus quickly retreated from Gearworm while Toby distracted him. There was no time. Using the storage building for cover, he called for his Heavy Armor, Falx. Precious seconds ticked away before it finally arrived just in the nick of time, for Gearworm had Corvus in his sights already. The mega showdown between three Heavy Armors unfolded above the other Reclaimers.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Chapters
00:00 - Rendezvous with Forge & Toby
02:06 - Mountain Weapons Factory
20:42 - Boss: Gearworm
22:44 - Triple Heavy Armor Showdown!