章 93: She’s Trying Her Best To Penetrate Me!

Snuzzle's mug was all twisted up like he was deciphering some alien script as he gave Judgment Day a proper once-over. He checked out the sword with something that could be mistaken for reverence, you know, like the way a five-year-old stares at a chocolate sundae, before heading down the never-ending corridor. The walls, all shiny and metallic, mirrored the cold drone of the Pursuer droid clutching Hao in its tight grip.

"Err, ah…" Hao struggled but to no avail.

Snuzzle continued his long-lasting strides, then, out of the blue, their communicators came to life, cutting through the awkward stillness. Wiz's voice which was usually as steady as a mountain goat on a cliff edge, now had a tinge of worry. "Something's speeding your way, fellas. Can't tell what though, the monitors are showing only blurs!"

Colgate place his palm to his ear and scowled. "Run that by me again, Wiz," he demanded for clarity on what was said.

"Sir, you need to…"

Whoosh!

Before they even got a chance to process the situation, all hell broke loose. Euphy, moving like a cyclone, barrelled through the corridor. She was swift and slick, scooping up Hao from the robot's hold as if she'd been practising this stunt her entire life. Then she pulled out the stops, literally, with her water reserves, launching a wave of bubbles that morphed into icy projectiles mid-flight. They streaked towards the droids, Snuzzle, Colgate, and Diana, whipping up a fog so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

"What the hell!" Colgate blocked a couple of ice shards with his mechanical arm and yelled while trying to fan away the mist to locate the intruder.

Amid the pandemonium, Euphy's grasper shot out, snatching Judgment Day from Diana's grip quicker than a pickpocket in a crowded marketplace. With Hao in tow, she used the ensuing chaos as her cloak and did a runner.

"Wait, what just happened?" Snuzzle spluttered with his peepers wide as saucers. The corridor looked like a war zone, the remains of the droids were scattered about like leftovers from a toddler's tantrum. Only one unit was still intact.

"Is everyone in one piece?" Wiz's concern filtered through the communicator, similar to a lifeline thrown into a swirling sea of uncertainty. His vision of the building's interior had been cut off, temporarily thanks to the blitz attack that had taken out his droids.

It took the Imperial Hounds a hot minute to grasp the reality of the situation. Diana and Colgate, still shaken from the abrupt onslaught, started to find their bearings. Diana's hand instinctively sought out the scabbard of Judgment Day, finding nothing but empty air. "What the…?" She further inspected the area just to be certain that what she was thinking wasn't reality, sadly, it was.

"Chase them down! They've got the sword!" Diana's words reverberated through the corridor, laced with a cocktail of frustration and challenge. With her gaze ablaze like a vengeful spirit, she drew her Flash Essence from its scabbard. "This time, I swear, I'll slice him into sushi rolls." With that, she was off, bolting down the corridor after Hao and Euphy.

"Let's get moving." Colgate followed by Snuzzle gave chase to her shadow.

A couple of paces ahead, Euphy who was sporting Hao as her unexpected passenger, was weaving through the labyrinthine complex, her motions were like an adept air-swimmer. Using her soft grasper, she handed Judgment Day to Hao, who took it and gave her a grateful nod.

"Thanks for the assist, Euphy," Said Hao sincerely. He had been cornered back there, without his Vibe Edge or his augmented sight, he was as good as blindfolded in a game of pin the tail on the donkey.

Pointing into the depths of the structure, Hao directed, "That way. Need to grab my Vibe Edge. With any luck, mum's finished tinkering with it." Despite his current predicament, his memory of the building's layout was engrained into his brain like a treasure map, thanks to his childhood exploration.

"Move faster Euphy, I can feel them gaining on us." What Hao felt was Diana's rising rage being carried through the airwaves. With the Imperial Hounds breathing down their necks, they increased their speed.

Boom! Boom!

The explosive sounds of Mentos and Kiera going at it hammer and tongs in the middle of the distribution lot were nothing short of mesmerising, all but drowning out the background droning of the machines going about their business. Their brawl, more dance than duel, was a lethal performance that would give any prima ballerina a run for her money. They were on top of a container at this point, looking down at a sprawling carpet of uniform boxes that got cleaved through by their swords as if they were slabs of warm butter on a hot summer's day.

Brandishing his Shark Skimmer, Mentos delivered well-executed slashes to his opponent. His Blade Edge was like a phantom streak that gave the phrase 'quick as a flash' a whole new meaning.

Kiera, though, was nothing short of resilient, her movements were crisp and cutting and her blows were so precise that they could've been laser-guided. Minor injuries were pronounced on her character but so was Mentos.

Clang!

Their blades met again in an explosive clash, sending sparks flying in a dazzling display that turned the shade into a faux dawn.

"Wow, both of them are evenly matched." Commented Yoad. He and Barkcode were on their tails, all the while, their peepers were practically popping out of their heads as they took in the ballet of destruction. The same could be said for the remaining workers who were there watching the spectacle.

"Growl!" Maelstrom and Symphy had scarpered to the exit, hanging around for Mentos to wrap up his little dance routine and provide further instructions.

Symphy mumbled a tune of bubbles that soaped from her mouth. Thanks to her pre-existing bond with her twin Euphy, she was experiencing this weird, second-hand wave of emotions, akin to eavesdropping on a conversation that wasn't hers to hear.

"Take a right at the next junction!" Up top, the Sword Fish was being led on a guided tour. As they rounded the corner, the sound of a mini gale whipping up behind them made their blood run cold.

"Vee! I'm coming to gut you!" Diana was hot on their heels with her Flash Essence at the helm bearing forth its sharpness. Her arrival heralded the oncoming storm, a presence so overwhelming that it was as clear as day even to the most unobservant among them.

With the ferocity of a lioness protecting her cub, Diana's voice reverberated once more, "Chasing Cyclone Prowler!" SLASH!! Her spirit blazed like the roaring fires of the sun, unwavering and indomitable. In her hands, Flash Essence technique was more than a mere slash. It was an extension of her cutting will that created a tornado of raw, brutal power. The attack was a declaration of war against the Sword Fish, Euphy. It snaked forth and began bombarding her with a hail of calculated slashes. BOOM! The subsequent impact mirrored the violence of a hurricane, hurling Euphy into a wall at a violent velocity.

In the midst of this chaos, Hao managed to dismount mid-leap and continued dashing towards his mother's workshop, which wasn't so far away from where Euphy got knocked out.

"I'm almost there. Mum, please let it be ready." He had high hopes for his Vibe Edge's repairs being finished. His hand was just a whisper away from the sensors designed to unlock the door when Diana struck.

"Come here!" It was swift, a viper's strike, meant to immobilize.

"Ah!" But Hao swung around and deflected the assault with the scabbard of Judgment Day, the reverberating metallic clash a cacophonous soundtrack to their fierce exchange.

Screaming angrily, Diana spat, "Your butt is mine now, Vee! I'm going to split your ass cheeks wide open!"

Hao retorted, "Hey, you don't have to be so graphic. Kids might be reading this you know."

"Shut up and die!" Her weapon danced with a speed that blurred its outline, she was like a storm with each attack similar to a lightning strike, quick and deadly.

Boom! Boom!

'Damn! She's putting pressure on me.' Hao parried and struck back as best he could with the sheathed X-Class sword. He had his ears listening to every flutter of his opponent's clothes and every vibration that her sinews were making. Their clash was not just a physical struggle but a war of wills, two indomitable spirits locked in a motion of steel and speed within the narrow corridor's confines.

Hao was slick, he manipulated each chance to intimidate Diana with the hilt of Judgment Day. This strategy provoked a change in her combat approach. She began to tread more cautiously. She was so fearful of the ancient weapon's Bio Esp functionality that her attacks became a chess player's calculated moves. Little did she know, it no longer functioned due to Vicky's tampering. Hao who was aware of this, turned the situation to his advantage, bluffing masterfully.

In the next room, Hao's mother, Quory Vee, was engrossed in her laborious task. The clashing swords' rhythm, the grunts of exertion, and the sharp, fast breaths of two combatants resonated in her ears. Yet, she stayed her course, her concentration absolute, riveted to her task. Working on Vibe Edge's Sword Spirit was like playing a symphony on a delicate violin – it demanded finesse, precision, and patience. The repairs were slow but steady, like a turtle determined to finish a race.