Reboot: Mechanic

The sudden intrusion of a new voice added another layer of chaos to the already tense battlefield. 

Vanessa and Shi Tian momentarily shifted their attention towards the source of the voice, providing a fraction of a second's interval for Kralos Tal to press his advantage.

Kralos Tal seized this opportunity, his movements swift and decisive. 

He unleashed a flurry of attacks, each strike calculated and aimed with deadly precision. 

Realizing that Kralos Tal had seized the opportunity he was waiting for, Vanessa and Shi Tian deflected, dodged, and countered to the best of their abilities, but the intensity of Kralos Tal's assault was unrelenting.

Amidst the fighting, the person that interrupted earlier was laughing heartily. 

In a blink of an eye, the person appeared right in the middle of Kralos Tal and Shi Tian. 

And it was at this time that Shi Tian finally noticed who the person was. 

"Gerald?" Shi Tian raised an eyebrow and asked in a dazed tone. 

Clearly, he didn't expect Gerald to show up in Gearits City when he should have been outside in the wilderness. 

Meanwhile, Gerald didn't have the leisure time to greet Shi Tian properly as he raised his fist and punched Kralos Tal.

Kralos Tal attempted to use his Tomahawk to deflect the punch, but Gerald's strength proved to be superior. 

Severely underestimating Gerald, Kralos Tal was stunned by the unexpected development. He realized his Tomahawk now had a dent as he was pushed back, forcing him to retreat from an opportunity that he tried to seize earlier.

With Kralos Tal pushed back and remained perfectly still, seemingly determining who Gerald was and why he intervened. 

As Kralos Tal assessed his opponent, Gerald's stance remained firm, his expression resolute.

"That was for the ambush in Elmbrook Woods," Gerald's voice was filled with determination, his eyes never leaving Kralos Tal.

Hearing that, Vanessa and Shi Tian exchanged a quick glance, both surprised by the revelation. It seemed that Gerald had his own history with Kralos Tal, a history that fueled his determination to intervene in the ongoing battle.

Meanwhile, Kralos Tal's cold demeanor remained unchanged, but there was a hint of curiosity in his eyes. 

"Elmbrook Woods... Ah, I see. You're a survivor." Kralos Tal exclaimed in surprise, clearly recognizing Gerald now that he had gotten a hint. 

Gerald's fists clenched at Kralos Tal's words, his memories of that fateful encounter still vivid in his mind. The air crackled with tension as the two adversaries faced off, a silent understanding passing between them.

Vanessa took advantage of the momentary distraction to recalibrate her strategy. 

With Gerald's unexpected help, the dynamics of the battle shifted. She continued to manipulate Magicule, her focus now divided between maintaining her defensive barrier and seizing the opportunity to launch a counterattack.

Shi Tian, too, was prepared to exploit the situation. His mechanical arm hummed to life once more, ready to unleash a barrage of energy at any opening that presented itself.

Although he was unsure of the history between Gerald and Kralos Tal, one thing for sure was that Gerald was an ally. 

Not to mention, he had requested assistance earlier from Mary. It was just that he didn't expect the reinforcement to be Gerald. 

As the tension in the air thickened, the battlefield became a crucible of conflicting motivations. Kralos Tal's cold gaze shifted between Gerald and the other two, seemingly calculating the odds and potential outcomes. 

It was a momentary standoff, a tense silence that held the promise of explosive action.

Breaking off the silent standoff, Gerald's expression remained unyielding, his stance unwavering. "You've caused enough chaos," he said, his voice carrying a weight of authority that resonated through the surroundings.

Kralos Tal's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Chaos is but the natural order of things. You should know that better than most."

However, under the facade of his confidence, Kralos Tal knew the opportunity was lost.

'No wonder why my other two companions hadn't shown up despite the signals I have been echoing. It seems like Gerald had taken care of them already.' Kralos Tal thought to himself, analyzing the situation.

At first, this was supposed to be a quick and easy job, but now that the time had stalled so long, the situation became disadvantageous to him.

Gerald's presence was a wildcard that Kralos Tal had not anticipated. The strength of his punch had given Kralos Tal a glimpse of the man's power, and it was clear that going through him would not be an easy feat.

In addition, it wouldn't be long before the military would arrive, and by that time, escaping would be difficult. The battle scene was simply too loud and chaotic, and the people behind him aren't capable of suppressing the matter any further.

'Who would have thought the commission would end up in failure.' Having never failed a commission once, Kralos Tal was a bit reluctant to accept some dirt in his clean record, but there was no other choice.

His reputation for success had been marred, but the potential reward wasn't worth the escalating risks and losses he faced. 

After all, Shi Tian was like a cockroach, always appearing at the pivotal moment to deter him from harming Vanessa. Shi Tian might be weak, but he was clever in his utilization of the equipment he had. 

Understanding he could no longer obtain much value by staying, Kralos Tal raised his Tomahawk at Vanessa. 

"Looks like your luck isn't bad. You are the first target that I have failed to assassinate, but don't be too happy yet." Kralos Tal said and changed his target to Shi Tian. 

"As for you, we shall meet again. Hopefully, you won't rely on your pathetic mechanical right arm and show me something good." He added.

With the final threat hanging in the air, Kralos Tal activated his dark mist, effectively shrouding himself from view. The shadows enveloped him, concealing his presence and intentions as he prepared to make his escape.

"Not so fast!" Gerald shouted and dashed forward to grab the shadow, only to realize he had grabbed into nothingness.