Odyssey || ArknightsXPunishing: Gray Raven (OLD BOOK)

Chapter 27: Balanced Instability

"Found you."

Vera said as she stepped in the middle of the room. Smoke was still coming from her clothes, a telltale sign that she went through an intense battle. She raised the black rapier in her hand and pointed it at Lee.

"How pathetic. When I heard the report that the missing construct from seven years ago was back, I was enthralled by the news. My dear Lee has finally returned, yet not as a friend, but a possible threat to Babylonia and the human race." She smiles at him, revealing a set of white teeth. Though the distance between them was still large, she could see the black and red, vein like, electric currents coursing through his body.

"Heh...you never change...Vera.." Lee muttered and looked at her straight in the eye. He had a hellish look plastered on his face, and his eyes were filled with lunacy.

"Kill...me..." He took a step forward.

"Oh I will."

"...Please..."

"Damn, you should see yourself in a mirror, you're appearance is--"

*flash*

Her sentence was cut off when she felt a shockwave hit her. Her brows furrowed when the corrupted in front of her was nowhere to be seen.

"Ve..ra...Gahk!" She looked to her right, only to see scout and another attacker construct named Matt dead. An amalgamation of punishing virus pierced the both of them, their bodies suspended in the air, killing them instantly.

"I said...kill me!" The corrupted Lee yelled at the top of his lungs. He aimed his gun at the vulnerable support construct in the back lines and fired. The gun has been modified by the virus, and the shot cleanly took off one of her arms.

"AHHH!" A high-pitched screaming filled the room, coming from the poor construct. The high intensity plasma melted her arm to her shoulder.

"Tsk, Doyle! Help Lisa!" Vera ordered at their tank and motioned for the other to follow her. "Hawk, you're with me!"

Doyle ran and went beside the wounded Lisa and stabilized her arm. It was completely cut off, so he carried her and placed her against the wall. Her complexion was pale, and her breathing started becoming shallow.

"Lisa, don't you dare die on us. We'll finish him off and have you treated once we get back." He pats her in the head, and she whimpered back.

*clang*

Steel clashing against steel filled the entirety of the room. Sparks occasionally fly off as the fighting intensified. Vera had underestimated the corruption of Lee's core. She knew it wouldn't be an easy task putting down a corrupted construct, but she hadn't expected that half her team would be wiped out in just a span of a minute.

"Crap!" Doyle shouted as he parried another strike, his sword arching sideways. Lee was relentlessly attacking the three of them at the same time, not giving anyone a break. Hawk had managed to shoot the modified gun off his arm, so Lee resorted into melee attacks.

"Urghh..." He lets out a guttural growl and charges at Vera. The dual swords he uses are completely formed from the Punishing virus. The sleek, red blade was coated with black and red electric currents from the virus. It was lethal, once you get cut, the virus will infect you.

*slash*

The corrupted Lee lashed sideways, making Vera dodge. She was having a hard time attacking, and was forced to be at the receiving end. Her hands were beginning to feel sore.

"Shit! I'm always on the defensive.." she wheezed as she parried another blow. The blade of her weapon was slowly being wore down, and in time, it will most likely break.