Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 101. Echoes of Iron: Jack vs Pael

In the heart of the battlefield, amidst futuristic warfare, thunderous explosions and the humming of thrusters echoed in erratic patterns — like agents of chaos. Jack advanced through the enemy defences, dodging their axes and returning fire.

Slithering atop the tree branches, a modified cruiser dove at full speed, its thrusters streaking across the sky. Three Armatus suits gave chase, unleashing plasma rounds at the vessel in an attempt to capture it.

“Steve! Hang in there!” Jack roared, his voice strained with a mix of irritation and frustration. The enemy refused to let him pass, even if it meant sacrificing their own units.

“Yes! I’m doing my best!” Steve called back, rolling his craft to evade another barrage of energy rounds.

Suddenly, a flying axe hurtled toward Jack, catching him off guard. It struck squarely, cleaving his cannon in half.

“Damn it!” Jack grunted, spinning toward the surging red unit.

The enemy spammed their trigger — plasma rounds tearing through the air. Several slammed into Jack’s barrier, but it held strong.

Jack shifted his stance, gripping his sword with both hands. “Now, I’m serious!” he bellowed, launching his Armatus forward.

His mind entered a trance-like state, locked in maximum concentration. Time seemed to slow with each heartbeat. He predicted the enemy’s movements, accounting for every advance.

His red eyes snapped open.

“Now!”

The closest enemy lifted their axe, swinging it with full force. Jack pulled back instinctively, the heated blade narrowly grazing his shoulder armour.

With extreme speed, he lashed out, cutting the enemy clean in half.

Another rushed in, swinging horizontally toward his torso. Jack predicted the strike, spun 180 degrees, and retaliated with a sharp slash. The blade tore through the enemy's left side, exiting at the right shoulder.

Three more surged forward, fearless—and foolish.

They soon tasted the extent of Jack’s swordplay. He hacked and slashed, tearing through them with brutal precision.

Arcanite explosions erupted in rapid succession as Jack emerged, now in pursuit of the three enemies chasing Steve’s craft.

“Kill him! Destroy the Silver Armatus!” the bronze unit shouted, exasperated.

Abruptly, the pursuers turned from Steve and dashed toward Jack.

“Futile!” Jack roared, grinding his teeth. A vein bulged across his forehead.

With two fluid slashes, two foes fell.

The last attacker flew in, axe raised. Jack parried the first blow, but the axe rebounded for a second strike.

Seizing the moment, Jack thrust his blade toward the enemy’s cockpit — but the enemy spun away, dodging the strike. The returning axe slammed into Jack’s sword, knocking it aside.

“Huh?!” Jack gasped.

Thinking fast, he surged forward and raised his Armatus’s leg. The kick landed squarely in the enemy’s torso, sending shockwaves through their frame.

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Jack followed up with an elbow to the visor, shattering the enemy’s head.

Surprised but determined, Jack raised his blade overhead and swept upwards. The ionised weapon tore through the super duplex armour. The enemy split into two halves before exploding into ash.

“Ha… Haaa…” Jack hovered in mid-air, catching his breath as Aurelia’s craft broke through enemy lines.

Boom!

A shockwave tore through his defensive barrier, sending his Armatus spiralling. Jack crash-landed into the forest, splinters and soil erupting into the air.

His vision swam. Red lights blinked across his screen.

“What just happened?” he muttered, running diagnostics. Slight damage — left leg and shoulder.

Without delay, Jack rolled aside and forced his Armatus up with his sword.

“How do you like it now, Squire?” Pael’s voice cut through the air as he flew toward Jack, firing one of his massive cannons.

Jack boosted to the side, barely dodging in time. In that split second, he noticed the plasma rounds disintegrating the trees into mist.

A straight path of destruction lay behind the shot, smoke rising like howling ghosts.

“That intensity… almost as high as the Lancer’s,” he analysed.

Pael landed roughly a kilometre away, crouching for stability. One of his cannons boomed again — Jack tried to evade, but the shockwave knocked his Armatus off balance.

“What the heck was that?!” Jack shouted, his thrusters straining to stabilise mid-air.

“Jack Jack Jack! Squirm more!” Pael’s maniacal taunt echoed across the battlefield.

Another beam lanced through the forest. Jack dove to the ground, barely avoiding it. His mind raced.

“I get it now. His Armatus is built for ground combat. His cannons have two firing modes — an energy beam and a shock bomb.”

“Giving up already, Jack? Come out and play!” Pael sneered, scanning through the smoke.

“Let’s test my theory,” Jack muttered, grabbing a tree trunk and hurling it at Pael.

Boom!

Pael countered with another shockwave. His Armatus didn’t move an inch.

“Are you stupid? Though I’ll give you points for fighting with a stick — very funny!”

Jack didn’t respond.

“Knew it. That shockwave attack has a weakness. Limited mobility!” he realised, sprinting forward.

Suddenly, two enemy units swooped down. One swung an axe.

Jack dodged and smashed an elbow into its face, destroying the head.

Another followed close behind, swinging from below. Jack grabbed the headless Armatus and used its body as a shield.

CLANG!

The axe slammed into its torso, embedding deep into the metal.

The attacking foe froze in shock.

With swift motion, Jack drove his sword into the Armatus before he spun to the collapsing unit and yanked the axe free.

The two enemy Armatus combusted in flames.

Boom!

A shockwave struck again, launching Jack 30 metres into the air.

Jack scrambled up, boosting forward. One hand gripped his sword and the other, the enemy’s axe.

“Oh! Still standing, are we?” Pael mocked. His eyes darted to his squad — none remained. Jack had destroyed them all.

Grinding his teeth, Pael seethed.

“Come at me!” Jack roared, lunging at full speed.

A beam of condensed energy fired. Jack rolled aside, evading the blast.

Thrill surged in his veins. Jack hurled the axe with a full-body rotation. It spun toward Pael.

Pael fired a shock bomb, redirecting the axe off course.

Too late.

Jack had already closed the distance. He brought his blade down hard. Pael retreated, but the sword carved through one of his massive cannons.

“Nice try!” Pael growled, swinging his axe in retaliation.

Jack parried, sending a shower of sparks into the air. The heat caught the shrubs below, setting them ablaze.

His opponent now exposed, Jack twisted his blade and plunged it toward Pael’s torso.

A deafening shockwave exploded between them, blasting both in opposite directions.

“Hehehehe! Well played, well played…” Pael’s Armatus landed atop a mound, crushing trees beneath its weight.

Meanwhile, Jack tumbled backward, finally halting after jamming his sword into the ground. His status screen flashed — his left arm was dark.