A Meteor Across the Sky (Meteoric Salvation)

When Lin Wei exposed Otto's weakness at precisely the right moment, Otto had no choice but to yield.

Had he tried this before the missile launch, he would have only enraged Otto. While he'd demonstrated his ability to threaten him with the Key of Corruption, he hadn't demonstrated the resolve.

Otto would have simply manipulated him into backing down.

Just as Otto had exploited Kevin's weakness, forcing his surrender, and had tried to do the same with Lin Wei, convinced he wouldn't dare attack.

But now, having launched a missile at a densely populated city, and reiterating his threat, Lin Wei had proven himself unpredictable.

You don't reason with a madman. You out-crazy them, showing them you have more to lose.

As Lin Wei had said, "It's a game of 'no holds barred.'" Now, having proven his madness, and playing the "Kallen card," Lin Wei had won. He had nothing to lose but his life. Otto, however, stood to lose his chance to revive Kallen.

Could he risk calling Lin Wei's bluff? The missile was already in the air.

"Damn it!" Otto glared at the smiling Lin Wei, as if trying to sear his image into his memory. "Durandal!"

Silence.

"Well then…" Lin Wei snapped his fingers, smiling. "You can continue now."

"Very well." Otto sighed, composing himself, then spoke in a calm, official tone. "Overseer, please issue your command."

The screen flickered, showing Durandal, clad in her blue and white Bright Knight: Excelsis battlesuit, standing atop a tall building, her expression grim, ready to depart.

"The previous intel was faulty. Intercept and neutralize that missile immediately."

"Yes, sir!" Durandal didn't hesitate, cutting the communication.

Lin Wei saw a blue streak of light pierce the sunset, following the missile's trail, leaving a brighter, more vibrant contrail in its wake.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He'd chosen Arc City for its distance from Schicksal HQ, maximizing the pressure on Otto.

I've done my part. I hope Durandal makes it in time…

"Now that your biggest threat, Durandal, is gone, you're free to kill me and escape," Otto said, his smile strained. If Lin Wei showed any sign of taking the bait, he'd activate Li Sushang's backup plan.

"Overseer, such accusations are… hurtful." Lin Wei chuckled, shaking his head. "I've been trying to show goodwill, yet I'm met with such… misinterpretations…"

"Goodwill? Ha… hahaha!" Otto burst into laughter. "You're truly… entertaining!" He's even more delusional than I am!

Lin Wei remained impassive, watching him, waiting for the laughter to subside. "Do you not… appreciate my goodwill, Overseer?"

"Goodwill?" Otto's eyes turned cold. "Such disgusting hypocrisy. You think I wouldn't dare kill you?"

"Overseer, your… affection is overwhelming. You were the aggressor, I merely defended myself. Besides…" Lin Wei smiled. "You're a cunning and ruthless man, Overseer. I learned that in Manila. If I truly wanted to harm you, given what I've demonstrated today… do you honestly believe you'd survive?"

Otto's blood ran cold.

"Now, Overseer, let's postpone this pointless banter." Lin Wei snapped his fingers, the satellite image reappearing on the screen. "I offered a solution, yet you wasted so much time… if Durandal doesn't intercept that missile…"

"She never disappoints," Otto said confidently.

...

As they flew east, dawn approached rapidly. While dusk lingered over Schicksal HQ, Durandal had crossed the terminator, entering night.

"Alvitr, calculate the trajectory!" Durandal, racing through the darkening sky, had no time for sightseeing.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" Alvitr's voice was frantic. "Captain, even though you're faster than the missile, you left too late. You won't catch it!"

Durandal's heart sank. She pushed her battlesuit to its limits, but it wasn't enough. "Calculate the impact point. Tell me the closest I can get."

"Data sent to your terminal, Captain!"

"Good!" Durandal adjusted her course.

"But Captain, it's still not enough!" Alvitr was near tears. Why is the Overseer doing this? Isn't there enough chaos already?

"We do what we can." Durandal, despite her own anxiety, smiled reassuringly. "Alvitr, track the missile. Notify me when it's three minutes from impact."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Durandal nodded, keeping the channel open, the blue light from her thrusters intensifying.

I have to catch it. I have to. She glanced at the fading contrail above, her heart pounding. She knew this sudden crisis, Otto's inexplicable order, was connected to the conflict with Lin Wei.

She didn't know the details, but she knew one thing—sacrificing innocent lives for personal vendettas was unacceptable. Especially an entire city.

As a subordinate, she had to rectify Otto's mistake.

As for Lin Wei, she didn't know his role in this. Otto had claimed responsibility, ordering her to stand by.

She couldn't understand, but she had to obey.

Now, their argument seemed to have reached a conclusion, and she finally had new orders.

It wasn't too late. As long as the missile hadn't detonated, there was still hope. She pushed her battlesuit harder, ignoring the potential damage. Battlesuits and weapons are meant to be used. Her eyes shone brightly as she raced towards the deepening night.

Ten minutes… twenty minutes… She didn't know how long she'd been flying. She only knew her battlesuit's speed was decreasing, and the anticipated message hadn't arrived.

"Captain, three minutes to impact!" Alvitr's voice crackled through the communicator.

"Understood!" Durandal's spirit soared. A golden light enveloped her. Then, like a meteor, she shot forward, her speed multiplying.

Unlike her Godsbane battlesuit, this golden armor, formed from her world bubble's power, felt weightless despite its immense power.

This dissonance often made her feel… exposed. And its unstable nature made her reluctant to use it.

But now, this combination of immense power and negligible weight gave her the edge she needed.

"Don't fail me now, Dea Anchora! Show me your full power!" She roared, her speed increasing, her aura illuminating the night sky.

…

Arc City, Northern Industrial District, Heliopolis Life Sciences Branch

"Personnel and data secured underground?" Jackal asked, nodding in satisfaction. She stepped into her private elevator. "Time to go." Despite her flaws, she was undeniably dedicated to her work.

The elevator doors opened to the underground facility.

"Report." She demanded an update on the missile.

"We're monitoring the situation. Otto claims Lin Wei won't actually let it detonate. We'll see."

Suddenly, alarms blared, lights flashing. But the personnel remained calm, continuing their work.

"Show me the surface."

The screen flickered, displaying a grid view of the northern industrial district. A missile, trailing fire, streaked towards Heliopolis.

"Damn that madman!" Jackal cursed. "This is his revenge! How dare he?!" Her fury was powerless to stop the inevitable. She closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight of her hard work being destroyed.

"Ma'am, look!" a subordinate said cautiously.

Jackal opened her eyes. Another point of light, trailing fire, was approaching the missile at incredible speed.

"Another one?! Is he insane?!" She assumed it was another attack.

…

"There!" Durandal, finally spotting the missile, surged forward, intercepting it just seconds before impact. Bracing against the immense force, she redirected the still-firing missile.

"You did it, Captain!" Alvitr cheered, then added urgently, "Eight seconds to detonation! Get away from there!"

"I have to take it somewhere safe," Durandal said, estimating the remaining duration of her power-up. "Five seconds. Enough."

She pushed the missile skyward.

Into space.

The two fiery streaks merged, hurtling upwards.

"Captain! It's too dangerous!" Alvitr cried.

Durandal continued her countdown. Two… one…

At the last second, she released the missile, kicking it further into space, using the recoil to propel herself downwards.

"Boom!" She fired a concentrated blast of energy at the missile, then stabilized her descent, letting gravity pull her back towards Earth.

"Boom!" The missile detonated in the distant void, the shockwave reaching her as a gentle breeze.

Durandal frowned. That felt… strange. She looked down, realizing her Dea Anchora form had dissipated, leaving her… naked. The sensation was so similar, she hadn't noticed the change.

"…I shouldn't use that power so often." She summoned her battlesuit, arresting her fall, leaving a blue contrail as she headed west.

This feels much better.

…

In Arc City, a little girl, taking a break from her homework, looked up, her eyes widening.

"Mommy! Mommy! A shooting star!" she exclaimed, then paused, confused. "Do shooting stars… go up?"

"Finish your homework! It's late!" her mother's voice called from the living room.

"Okay…" The little girl sighed, making a wish before returning to her books.

The weight of reality, it seemed, was heavier than any shooting star.