Dimensional Descent

Beads of sweat fell down Raj's brows. He had to put in his everything just to get this thing finished in time and he still wasn't even sure of what it did. However, if it could be said that that Joel was the best leader they had after Leonel, then it could also be said that Allan had the greatest mind after him as well. In fact, before Leonel awakened to his ability, it was Allan who was ranked first over both him and Aina in Class A.

The rail gun was pieced together with Raj's metallic sand and squeezed until it formed a crystalline structure stronger than anything diamond could match up against. Its barrel had a top half and a bottom half separated by a gap just perfect to fit in a ballista Allan had long since slotted in.

From a certain angle, it almost looked like the maw of a dragon, Force pulsing about the tip of its barrel as Allan poured everything he had into it.

"Drake!"

Drake didn't need to be told twice. As the Pure Marksman of the group, he had already known exactly who would be tasked with shooting this shot.

"This is everything I've got." Allan said solemnly.

"Leave it to me." Drake's gaze glowed, a confidence that exuded from his bones pervading his surroundings.

The Metamorphosis had descended long before Drake got the chance to do so, but it had to be remembered that Drake was the heir apparent chosen to replace Leonel after he graduated by Coach Owen himself. He might have been a rookie four years ago, but now he had grown into his own man and had the broad back to prove it.

He grabbed onto the railgun's two anchor points, his gaze locking onto the distance. He could see Joel and Arnold running for their life, the fatigue painted on their faces being as clear as day. It looked as though they just might collapse at any time, their stamina running out before they could do anything.

However, Drake's gaze could also see the look in their eyes. Over the several kilometers that separated them, their gazes met. That look of confidence was one that he would never forget.

'Such a big, slow-moving target…' Drake grinned. '… As if I could miss.'

BANG!

The sound of the railgun firing resounded like a cacophonic boom, but it was quickly drown out by a whistle so loud it felt as though it could be heard around the world. The recoil was devastating, the ocean waves around them being no less violent than when Arnold palmed the fire bristle whale into the ocean.

Drake could feel his arms fracturing even beneath Raj's control. The latter had down everything he could do to mitigate the recoil, but even then, both of Drake's arms became useless in the end.

However, Drake didn't even seem to notice, his gaze focused on the projectile that was currently splitting the ocean in two.

It was so fast that it seemed to teleport. A single blink would cause it to vanish across hundreds of meters. In fact, it had already appeared by the second whale by the time the first wave of pain was registered by Drake's mind.

The whale's tough exterior was like a wet piece of paper. It didn't even seem to register what had happened to it until it swam forward half a kilometer more, bearing down on the Joel-Arnold pair with every intention of swallowing them whole.

As expected, for the intelligent whale's to try to obstruct their vision with steam, one of them had to have an auxiliary ability capable of helping them to maneuver such an environment. Joel and Arnold just happened to be lucky enough that the whale that recovered the quickest to rush after them was exactly this whale, leaving it with no other option of attack.

It was then that a second mournful cry in just as many minutes resounded. This one, though, was particularly sombre as though it was well aware it was leaving its last brother alone. And… Maybe that was why it was instantly followed by a roar the likes of which shook the battlefield.

The sound wave of the roar alone sent wave after wave of dark waters spreading outward. Cruisers that got caught in the mess were upended and flipped. Even Joel and Arnold who were in the process of running away was hit by a wall of this sound, their bones threatening to fracture beneath the pressure as they were sent flying.

"Joel! Arnold!"

Gil's gaze flashed. He took a deep breath, his chest expanding as he dug deep.

With a bang, he shot forward. Arcs of lightning followed his steps as he sliced through the sound wave. It felt almost like he was trying to run in water, his limbs pushing as hard as they could for less than half the usual result. But, he knew that he was the only one who could get to those two in time.

Joel and Arnold had already expended what Force they had left. Being so close to that sound wave, they had definitely taken the brunt of the pressure. With Force to protect them and under such a fatigued state, they had already lost consciousness. If no one went after them, they'd be finished.

Karolus' gaze flashed. Space fractured around him as he anchored himself. The moment he did this, it was as though he was standing in a world different from everyone else and the sound wall vanished.

He rushed after Gil. At this point, it was a free for all. If he didn't take action now, when would he?

The devastation the shook the coast only seemed to be getting worse with every passing moment. However, it was then that the final whale stopped roaring, its bloodred gaze rising from the ocean and bearing down on everyone before it as though the world itself was its enemy.

At that moment, a pressure crushed down from above, compressing the water and forcing many to pour more Force toward their feet so that they could stay afloat.

The whale raised its tail, bloody murder marring its gaze.