Arcane: Winds of Change

For more chapters (10+) or if you want to support me, visit https://www.patreon.com/FFAddict. Thank you!

Chapter 34: Saiga Overrun Auto City

Soon, the workers in the factory were quickly subdued. "Hands on your head!" "Stay still!" The enforcers drove the workers to the corner like herding mice. Jayce also jumped out of the vehicle, wielding his newly developed Mercury Hammer. As the factory was about to be fully controlled, a quick-witted supervisor secretly pressed the alarm. A piercing sound echoed through the factory, and red lights flashed within.

In the control room of the alchemical mechs housed in the upper levels of the pharmaceutical factory, purple smoke suddenly erupted. These were alchemical mechs powered by turbo alchemy canisters. However, due to the toxic nature of the canisters, anyone operating these mechs would not survive the process. From a humanitarian perspective, these pilots were openly recruited by Phil from the undercity, many of whom had already been contaminated by waste and had limited time left to live. Before being made into weapons, Silco would ensure their children's safety or fulfill any unfinished wishes as best as possible. It was a grim reality of the undercity of Zaun.

Although the operators were one-time-use, the mechs were not. These mechs were not equipped with explosives for a last-ditch, do-or-die attack. A line of over ten armored units, with green lights gleaming at their joints as the purple smoke spread, swept through the enforcers like tigers among sheep. Equipped with sharp blades and sturdy armor, they swiftly harvested enforcer lives one by one. Ordinary firearms were utterly ineffective against them, and some enforcers hadn't even managed to fire a shot before falling under a sword.

Jayce stood on the bridge, hammer in hand. Two mechs locked onto him and launched a swift attack. Lacking combat experience, Jayce found himself at a loss despite his robust physique and quality weapon, especially when encircled. "Ah! Die!" Vi descended from above, her gauntlets pounding hard on one mech's faceplate. The glass faceplate shattered directly, letting the purple smoke seep out. It was clear this mech had lost its combat capability. Seeing Vi send the enemy flying, Jayce stood there, somewhat dazed, as Vi gave him a wink.

The two fought back-to-back, igniting with fighting spirit as they faced numerous mechs. Vi let out a roar, steam billowed from her gauntlets, and she charged forward, landing a punch on a mech. It merely staggered under the protection of its armor before continuing its attack on Vi. She dodged left and right, seeking an opportunity for a fatal strike. On the other side, noticing Vi had engaged, Jayce picked up his hammer. With his strong arms, he swung it wide, smashing into a mech. The mech which stood undeterred by Vi's charged punch was sent flying under Jayce's attack.

Once in combat mode, Jayce quickly exhibited his combat prowess, becoming more and more valiant. The hammer in his hand was used for both offense and defense. Simply put, any single mech was no match for his attacks. Meanwhile, Vi grasped how to utilize her gauntlets. The steam gauge turned towards the red zone, releasing a burst of steam and tremendous energy. Since the battle took place on the bridge, both only faced one enemy at a time. They stood firm, showcasing indomitable valor.

As the battle raged on, a knife cut across Jayce's cheek. At this moment, his adrenal glands secreted furiously, and the hammer in hand felt almost weightless. Emitting a bright orange light, he blasted the enclosing mechs away. He pulled the handle of his hammer, causing it to split apart, releasing a massive energy burst that swept clean the mechs within reach, as if there were no cooldown.

"The charade ends here." Another massive mech descended from above, flames erupting from its legs to support its flight. The platinum streamlined mech shone brilliantly, with a beastly head on its chest looking fierce. Four tail fins at its back, all jetting flames, and mechanical eyes giving off a bone-chilling gleam. This mech's unique appearance stood out amongst every other creation from Zaun, unlike anything seen before. The flames from its tail fins slowly died down as it landed in the middle of the bridge. "Zaun made this? Such talent seems impossible," Jayce murmured in disbelief, shaking his head.

"I've always said, don't underestimate Zaun," Vi declared, raising her fists and assuming a fighting stance. She had seen this mech before, so it wasn't too surprising, especially since she hadn't witnessed its power and Phil hadn't shown it off.

Sevika, confident in this armor, stood daringly between the two, ready to face threats from both sides. "Stay here," a synthesized mechanical voice emanated from the [Kingdom Mech Blue Wolf].

"Little Elk Blitz at the Brewery!" With Sevika's shout, a flash of golden light appeared on the mech's fists, and the turbocharger at the back instantly activated, bringing her directly in front of Vi. A jab was blocked by Vi, but it broke her defense. Then, an uppercut launched Vi into the air harshly.

This peculiar move name was part of an awkward conversation Sevika had with Silco earlier. Due to the lack of buttons and switches inside the wearable mech, Phil found the design challenging. Adding buttons for every minor component was neither feasible nor practical. As Phil pondered, Jinx suggested, "How about voice control? Use internal audio to associate fixed names with specific switches."

This suggestion sparked an idea in Phil, and after naming several moves, he and Jinx crafted this set of move names.

Just after sending Vi flying, Jayce's cannon form unleashed an energy blast, striking the mech with electric arcs flashing around it.

"Armadillo Explosion at the Soda Factory!" came another shout as an energy shield blocked the following attacks. A white light emerged from Sevika's fists, followed by energy spewing from the wolf's head on her chest, engulfing Jayce entirely. Luckily, Jayce quickly switched his form and activated an energy shield, though it pushed him back.

At this point, the [Kingdom Mech]'s massive consumption triggered a low energy warning, given the inefficient Zaun alchemy technology. It was akin to fueling a rocket with kerosene, yielding two hours of charging for two minutes of fun. This inefficiency explained why Phil didn't bring this mech along — there was nowhere to recharge aboard the ship.

With that in mind, it was time to conclude the battle with a final strike: "Finisher move! Antelope Crush in Autocity!" As the nitrogen jet at the back of the mech activated, immense energy surged towards Jayce at breakneck speed. Although Jayce's energy shield hadn't entirely dissipated, it flickered on the verge of collapse.

The mech lifted Jayce and, with a gravity-accelerated maneuver, slammed him to the ground with an elbow strike. The factory floor split with enormous cracks, forming a deep pit, and there lay Jayce. His energy shield vanished, his Mercury Hammer shattered in two, and he was left in a daze.