CHAPTER 414: CLOSE THE PORTAL.

Volcan’s cloaked android retreated, standing guard in front of Dante. On the other end of the corridor, the green bastard was on the ground. His power suit had several gashes, left by the android’s energy blades. The sharp drones he was shooting around were on the floor, some split in half, others with holes in them, the edges of which were still glowing red.

It seemed like Volcan was on the verge of claiming victory, incapacitating the enemy without doing too much damage to their power suit. Regrettably, enemy reinforcements seemed to have just arrived, blocking them from capturing their second prize.

The new arrival wasn’t what Dante expected to see after witnessing one of the cloaked androids get sent flying. The man was huge, sure, but he was rather underdressed, wearing only a pair of knee-length shorts and a tropical shirt, which was left unbuttoned as if to show off his chest and abs. His most defining feature, however, was the metallic plating covering the lower half of his face.

’Huh?’ Dante squinted, feeling the need to rub his eyes. ’Are you being serious right now?’

In this situation, the last person he had expected to meet was the final boss. Jaguar came with about a dozen more minions, all equipped with identical power suits. Unlike the ones worn by the white and green bastards, theirs seemed a lot more basic, like a standard version with no special features. That was likely the reason they were carrying those large, bulky laser rifles.

[Don’t shoot.] The green bastard said. [He can reflect the attack on us.]

Jaguar gave him a glance then returned his gaze to Dante. The entire mob likely had their coms NIMs shut down, which is why the green one felt the need to say what he said out loud.

"Kortic?" Jaguar asked.

[He... was taken.]

The silence grew heavier by the second. As he glared back at his opponents, Dante looked into his options and tried to decide what to do next. He could kill Jaguar now and be done with the Daggers, but the big bastard was Finn’s prey. Besides, they needed the gang to weaken Black Skull further, so taking it out too early would go against their plans.

Jaguar said nothing as he continued to observe. One would expect him to act without thinking, just like what happened with that poor server who got his head blown off. However, for some reason, metal jaw was acting strangely calm.

[Threat evaluation: Level 4 Ascended Cyborg.] Said Volcan. [Dante, be careful. Level 3 armors might not be able to withstand more than one clash with him. I recommend changing to Type 4-4 or Type 5-4.]

’Damn...’

Dante took what his resident to mean that the big bastard was on the upper end of a Level 4. Taking on someone like that could prove to be difficult, especially when his time with the armor was running out.

In the end, retreat was definitively the best choice. Dante went about preparing the portal when issuing one mental command after another. The enemy seemed to have decided to move at almost the exact same time. Jaguar held his arm up, and one of the minions rushed over with a large duffel bag. Before he got too close, something shot out of it and slammed into the big bastard’s extending arm, mechanical parts hissing and snapping as they encased it into a menacing black shell.

Seeing the white circle at the palm of the newly formed gauntlet, Dante activated Rift Creation and opened the portal right behind him. As if he hadn’t heard the warning given to him by the green bastard, Jaguar whipped his arm to the front. The light in his palm grew brighter, and the next instant, a thick beam of light shot out.

’Get back!’

Dante stepped past Volcan’s androids and held his own right arm up, catching the beam with his palm. Maybe using both hands would have worked much better, because the laser spilled out from the sides and between the fingers, creating thinner beams that wreaked havoc on the surroundings.

One of those beams shot Dante in the face, causing his head to jerk back. It felt like he had gone blind for a moment, but then his body was suddenly pulled.

[Dante! Closed the portal!]

With his vision impaired, Dante brushed off the panic that had grasped his nerves and gave the mental command. He could feel his body being dragged backward then dropping to the floor, but his mind was occupied by the heat growing closer to his face, as well as several other parts of his body.

The portal was already closed, meaning the white bam could no longer reach him. Giving another mental command, Dante quickly switched his armor, hoping that would alleviate whatever danger he was currently in.

Once the switch was done, Dante felt a wave of relief wash over him as the source of the heat vanished entirely. Seconds later, his sight returned, and he found himself looking at the cracked roads of Hollowstreet.

Checking his surroundings one more time and confirming that no enemies have made it to the pocket dimension, he gave the command to remove his armor then let out a long sigh.

"... shit..."

[The damage dealt to Type 8-3 s reached 13%] Volcan said. [None of the essential components have been harmed, but it would still take approximately nineteen hours to repair.]

’Damn...’

That was a close call. This might have been the second time Dante received a reminder that VOLCAN wasn’t invulnerable. A direct hit from that white beam would have likely obliterated 8-3, and if it weren’t for Spatial Severing banishing most of it, he likely would have been dead by now.

’You said... You said he was an Ascended Cyborg, huh?’

[A Level 4 Ascended Cyborg, yes.]

’... Say, Finn,’ Letting out a chuckle, Dante collapses on his back. ’How the hell did you plan on killing that guy?’

With the strain from the prolonged use of the armor added to his exhaustion, Dante felt his consciousness slipping away. He considered putting on 8-4 so he could portal back to his room, but alas, the cold concrete felt as good as any bed at that moment.