Ch 83: Breaking the Walls

The Alarm Calls Death

Gron's eastern district erupted in pandemonium.

The moment Kael's heavily modified crawler powered up, the security grid flagged it as a hostile entity.

"Unauthorized combat vehicle detected!"

"It's moving! Tracking now—stationary turrets coming online!"

A barrage of alerts flooded Gron's security channels. Within seconds, floodlights from watchtowers locked onto Kael's armored monstrosity, illuminating it like prey beneath a hunter's gaze.

Kael sat in the reinforced pilot's seat, watching red markers populate his HUD.

Turrets activating. Drone response in 12 seconds. Heavy unit deployment in 40. Gate lockdown in 90.

Ninety seconds. That was all he had before every exit in this sector was sealed shut.

He flipped a switch on the dashboard.

Poison Gas: ONLINE.

Hissing vents burst open from the sides of the crawler, spilling dense, green fog into the streets.

Guards nearest to him gagged and stumbled back, clutching their throats. Some collapsed instantly, their weapons falling from numb fingers. Others scrambled for respirators, adrenaline spiking as they rushed toward cover.

"Gas! He's releasing poison gas!"

"Close the barricades! Bring out the suppression units!"

A loud klaxon wailed over the district. Reinforcements flooded into position—armored mercenaries employed by the Bank and local Consortium enforcers.

Kael smirked.

Let them come.

The Metal Avalanche

The crawler lurched forward, its thick treads grinding against the pavement, churning debris beneath its weight.

The first barricade was a reinforced security checkpoint, built to stop unauthorized transport.

Useless.

Kael rammed through it without hesitation.

The impact sent guards flying, bodies tumbling across the pavement like ragdolls.

The structure itself crumpled inward, folding under the unstoppable weight of his vehicle.

"The checkpoint's down! We need heavy weapons!"

"Deploy anti-armor teams—now!"

Mercenaries rushed forward, carrying shoulder-mounted railguns designed to pierce tanks.

A gunner knelt, locking onto the crawler's side panel.

"Target locked—firing!"

A piercing round tore through the air, slamming into Kael's left plating.

Warning: Left Panel Durability - 63%.

Kael barely reacted. His armor sensors updated in real-time, tracking the condition of every plate.

Still holding. No replacement needed yet.

He flipped another switch.

Small Explosives: ARMED.

From hidden compartments, small bombs launched outward, detonating mid-air.

The first gunner was instantly vaporized.

A second one barely had time to scream before the shockwave tore through his suit.

Drones hovered overhead, targeting systems primed.

Kael grabbed the manual turret controls and squeezed the trigger.

Direct hit.

The drone exploded into fragments, raining shrapnel onto the pavement.

"Keep firing! Don't let it reach the gate!"

A squad of heavy enforcers moved in—carrying plasma rifles capable of melting through armored plating.

Kael gritted his teeth.

They're throwing everything they have.

Good.

Final Obstacle: The Eastern Gate

The real challenge was ahead.

Gron's eastern gate wasn't some flimsy barricade. It was a fortified slab of reinforced titanium, designed to withstand military assaults.

Guards manned turrets, their laser sights dancing over the crawler's chassis.

Above them, a command officer shouted orders.

"Deploy suppression teams! Keep him contained until the lockdown completes!"

"He won't break through! Hold the line!"

Kael exhaled slowly.

Time to test the upgrade.

He activated the special bomb compartment.

At the front of the crawler, a hidden chamber slid open, revealing a breaching charge specifically designed to punch through reinforced gates.

He aimed.

He fired.

The bomb streaked forward, embedding itself in the center of the gate.

For half a second—

Nothing.

Then—

BOOOOOM.

The explosion rippled outward, cracking titanium like brittle ice.

Guards scrambled backward, thrown off their feet by the shockwave.

A massive, jagged hole now stood where the gate had been.

And Kael?

He was already accelerating.

With a final, brutal impact, the crawler smashed through the ruined gate, tearing through the breach like a beast set free.

For the first time in years—

The walls of Gron had been broken.

Smoke billowed behind him. Alarms blared within the city walls.

No pursuit followed.

Kael knew why.

Gron wasn't willing to risk its forces outside its own walls.

The lawless wastelands beyond were not a battlefield they could control.

Kael leaned back in his seat, adjusting the solver screen.

One week ago, he had received a message:

Mira:

Leaving Gron. Following the trail. I know you've been watching. If you're still alive, you know where to find me.

Kael smirked.

"Baku it is."

A lawless trade hub at the edge of the world.

The perfect place for ghosts to hide.

And Kael was about to find one.