Liberators

Chapter 35 - Phantom

"Oracle, what's really going on here?" Axel asked who covered his nose and mouth from the amount of dust in this building.

From the massive explosion just now, Axel was able to react fast enough to avoid fatal injuries.

But as a result, Axel himself was unable to see what had previously happened. He didn't know if the guy just caused the machine to explode as a form of self-defense or something.

What he knew, now was just a machine that had been destroyed and the body of the previous man that had been crushed into a pulp.

"The data you sent about the machine is in. Give us time to find out the truth. As it progresses, help the rest of the squad to escort the plane landing from East Asia." Reply to the Oracle in the call before shutting down the conversation.

Axel, now standing behind the ruins of the airport control center building, began to pay attention to the surrounding conditions.

Where the monster army began to retreat since the machine was destroyed.

'Is there really anyone who betrayed humanity? To the point of summoning the monster here for us to perish?' Axel asked in himself.

I don't know if the answer is right or wrong. What he knew, was the fact that the machines to summon the monsters approached were actually there.

However, at the time Axel was a little relaxed over the great victory of mankind in Los Angeles....

"BZZZ! East Asia Branch to North America! You guys hear us?!" Shouted a woman in that communication channel.

His English is not perfect. But everyone who heard it could understand it.

Immediately, Axel answered the question.

"We heard you. What's up?" Ask Axel.

"Gather all Liberators there and prepare to retreat! An A-class, Phantom monster suddenly appeared at the moment all the other monsters retreated!" Shouted The woman.

"Phantoms?"

Axel's confused.

He had never heard of the code name before.

But hearing his rank, Axel knew. That this is not a good thing.

Axel immediately looked towards the sky.4 The plane was still flying in a circle in the air with the Dread Rider almost completely finished off. There are only three Dread Riders left.

But nevertheless....

There was something Axel had never seen before.

Right in the sky, a huge crack could be seen. Behind the crack, all that was visible was a dark black color with a slight purplish complexion.

From that crack, a monster figure he had never seen before appeared.

The monster had the form of a human wearing a thick and long black robe. However, there is no real form behind the cloak. It was only an endless darkness that could be seen.

The size of the monster was the same. Just as big as a grown man.

"To all the regular soldiers! Direct command! Get out of there immediately! The Liberator below B rank immediately retreated. While the rest support the East Asia Branch to face the Phantom!" Oracle orders from the main headquarters.

Axel was unable to hear the entirety of the order.

Right now, I don't know why....

It was as if he was frozen.

Unable to move. Unable to think. All that remains is fear that cannot be explained.

The more Axel noticed it, the black-robed monster that emerged from the dimensional crack looked a little translucent.

It was as if the creature was not supposed to be in this world.

"Axel! What are you doing! Get away from there!" Shouted Emma who was paying attention to all the situations of the battle location from that distance.

Instantly, Axel regained his consciousness. With quick reflexes, he immediately jumped back and away from the place.

As Axel looked back at the monster referred to as the [Phantom], he saw the monster flying through towards one of the planes.

'Swuuushhh!'

However, instead of crashing or being destroyed, the body of the Phantom seemed to only penetrate the body of the plane. There was absolutely no physical damage to the aircraft.

But soon after that....

The plane began to lose control. Slowly, it starts to dive vertically and free-fall to the ground.

'Blaaar!!!'

Axel who saw that started to have a bit of a rough picture over the figure of the black-robed monster called the Phantom.

"Oracle! How do I finish him?!" Axel asked immediately after seeing the horror of the monster.

But the reply he got was not at all satisfactory.

"We.... Don't know yet." Reply Oracle.

"Huh?! What do you mean by that?!" Axel asked as he continued running.

"Previously, the North American branch had faced it, and suffered a great defeat. That monster, it can't be hurt at all. That's why he's at A." Reply to the Oracle with a faint voice.

The ranking for monsters themselves was slightly different to the ranking for humans. Where the highest rank for monsters only reached the letter A.

The scale of the monster rank itself was greater compared to the human rank. For example, a C rank monster could defeat an A rank Liberator easily.

With the exception of these, there were 4 monsters that were classified as S rank. Where the presence alone, able to subjugate the military of a country so easily.

And now....

"Sih, shit!" Reply Axel while immediately unlocking from his spear. Turn it back into an arrow.

'Sreeet!'

After opening his bag once more, Axel pulled out an arrow with the greenish tip.

Pull it with all his might and point it right at that black-robed monster in the sky.

"Damn it!!!" Axel shouted in frustration.

He put a lot of his lightning element energy in the arrow. So much so that when Axel released it, dozens of powerful lightning strikes spread from around the arrow shot.

Destroying the concrete walls and streets around where Axel stood so easily.

'Blaaaaarrr!!!'

The arrow shot out as fast as lightning. And in an instant, it hit right on the black-robed monster's body.

But nevertheless....

Just like what the Oracle said before.

The monster could not be hurt at all. Axel's arrow that was enveloped by many thunderbolts just passed through it. It was as if the monster's body had never existed in this world.

'Swuuushh!!'

After passing through the Phantom's body, the arrow was still continuing to shoot higher and higher into the sky. While continuing to draw lightning into the surroundings.

Seeing that incident, Axel now began to limp.

Unlike before, where the enemy was only much harder and stronger than him, Axel could still force himself against them.

Even if he had to sacrifice his life, Axel would still be satisfied as long as he could provide a counterattack that injured his enemy.

But this time....

Axel couldn't even hurt him.

On the other hand, precisely above one of the fuselage, a woman with red hair appeared to be standing quietly.

A hook with steel straps tied around his waist. Keep him from falling off that plane.

Meanwhile, his right hand had been enveloped by the fire with a reddish-yellow color.

'Is the Phantom really unharmed?' Ask the woman.

He questioned that shortly after seeing Axel's lightning arrow shot through the black-robed monster quickly.

Even if it was just a moment, the woman realized it.

That there was little reaction from the monster after being hit by Axel's attack.

Assuming that, the woman by the name of Akane asked again.

'If he had really reacted to the attack just now.... Doesn't that mean he can be hurt?'

Without questioning anything else, Akane immediately pointed her right hand forward. Spitting fire on a scale never before seen by a single Liberator in North America.