Reincarnated In A World Of Mana As A Mechanic
Chapter 26: The Chase

Chapter 26: The Chase

The man’s eyes widened in shock as he caught sight of the amethyst light left behind by the three’s Battlesuit as they retreated at top speed, uncaring of the noise they’re propulsion modules released.

"Clever little rats." He growled, wiping the blood from his ears with the back of his hand. The sonic attack had been unexpected—most E-rank Awakened relied on brute force rather than tactical ingenuity, their limited mana and skill set didn’t allow for much complexity while they attacked. But these three had managed to catch him off guard, and that realization only fueled his mounting rage.

The man’s scarlet eyes blazed with fury as he watched the trio disappear into the distance. "You think you can embarrass Hanses Ramont and simply fly away?!!" His voice traveled across the rocky terrain and echoed off the canyon walls with power. The very air around him began to shimmer with intense heat, small rocks at his feet starting to glow red-hot from the ambient temperature caused by his mana.

He was a man who had caused the fall of many, a feared individual in the underground world of assassins and mercenaries, known far and wide for his cruel and efficient mastery over the fire element. Even as a C ranked individual, few would dare to cross his path.

But today, four brats, yet to even join a proper academy, had managed to wound him and escape. Granted, he was injured from his earlier battle, but that excuse would never sit right with him. The humiliation burnt hotter than any flame he had ever conjured, turning his eyes bloodshot red.

Meanwhile, several hundred meters away, Ezekiel pushed his Battlesuit to its absolute limits. The Windchasers on his legs roared with mechanical fury, their output pushed beyond recommended parameters. Warning indicators flashed across his HUD informing him of his overheating suit, but he ignored them all. Speed was their only ally now.

Listening to the man’s shout, he made no response but simply threw out a smoke bomb the moment he and his friends flew into the expanse of mountains and canyons around them, their suit engine noises bouncing off the canyon walls in a misleading echo.

Anna, on the other hand, had already lost her previous bravado about being able to fight and had begun shaking in fear while in Ezekiel’s arms. Hanses’ killing intent was much too pure and focused for her, radiating so much bloodlust that it made her stomach clench with fear, her face turning pale as a result.

"Ez, the suit’s overheating!" Vahn’s voice crackled through the communication system, helplessness evident in his tone as his suit struggled to keep pace. The young teenager gritted his teeth in anger, knowing that he and his sister would have long been dead if not for his friend’s suits. He wished for nothing more than the ability to confront Hanses and buy time for them.

"I don’t care if it melts!" Ezekiel shouted back, his grip tightening around Anna’s waist as she clung to him. "We have to pull as much distance as we can!"

Yuri, flying slightly behind and to the left, suddenly called out in alarm. "He’s coming! I can see the heat signature on the thermal radar!"

Sure enough, a blazing trail of orange and red was rapidly approaching from behind them. Kieran had chosen the most straightforward manner to deal with the smoke Ezekiel had left to hinder him, his body wreathed in flames as he propelled himself through the air using controlled fire explosions. The technique was crude compared to their mechanical flight systems, but devastatingly effective.

"He’s gaining on us!" Vahn reported, his voice tight with panic.

(Ez, the drones we sent forward discovered a large canyon system with multiple branching paths. It’s practically a maze over there, it should help a bit.) Laura’s voice sounded out in the mechanic’s ear, bringing some good news with her announcement.

"There!" Ezekiel twisted wildly, shifting his position mid-air before suddenly taking a sharp turn to the right, nearly throwing the poor Anna from his shoulder. "Laura, help Vahn and Yuri with the flight controls! Anna, it’s gonna get bumpy, use what little mana you have to create a mana shield!"

The three Battlesuits dove toward a jagged canyon that cut through the landscape like a wound in the earth. The rocky walls rose high on either side, creating a maze of passages and dead ends. If they could lose Hanses in the labyrinth, they might have a chance.

Behind them, the mercenary obviously realized their plan only to sneer and yell out. "You cannot run forever, children! I will find you, and when I do, you will beg for the mercy of a quick death! If you hand me the girl, I could even let you go!"

Anna trembled in fright once she heard this, but to her surprise, Ezekiel didn’t even have a change of expression when he heard this.

’What a joke. Even a 10 year-old would be stupid enough to fall for such an obvious trick.’ He scoffed while internally calculating, ignoring the red flashes from his HUD that aimed to blind him.

As they plunged into the canyon, the walls closed in around them, providing both cover and constraint. The narrow passages forced them to slow down, their Battlesuits struggling to navigate the tight spaces. But it also meant Kieran would face the same limitations.

Anna’s mana shield had to bear some damage as it saved her from multiple rocks that aimed to tear into her skin while Ezekiel flew at such high speeds.

For a moment, there was only the sound of their mechanical flight and Anna’s labored breathing. Then, from somewhere behind them, came the unmistakable sound of an explosion. Rock and debris rained down, causing even more damage to the Battlesuits as Hanses literally blasted his way through obstacles that would have forced others to find alternate routes.

"He’s destroying the canyon!" Anna gasped, looking back to see flames and smoke pouring from multiple passages.

"Of course he is," Ezekiel muttered. "Why go around when you can go through?"

"There!" Anna pointed ahead to where a narrow ledge led up toward the canyon rim. "We can climb out!" The explosions seemed to be approaching even closer than before, flares seeping through the open spaces and almost catching up with their fleeing figures.

The three made an abrupt turn upwards, dodging the flames at the nick of time and escaping the canyon system, once more leaving themselves in the open.

A loud laugh echoed in the air as Hanses blasted out of the canyon directly and hovered before them, flames licking at his skin and clothes, giving him the image of a god of flames. He waved his hand, silently casting a wave of flaming spears that conjured all around him and faced the four.

Ezekiel revealed a helpless expression on his face. He had no tricks left. His Tempest Battlesuit was basically out of commission and even if he brought out his Hercules Battlesuit and powered it up fast enough, it didn’t possess enough power to defeat a C rank Mage.

Vahn and Yuri said nothing, merely staring at the mechanic’s figure with nothing but melancholy in their eyes, carrying no blame within their gazes whatsoever.

Hanses sneered, dissatisfied by their silence. He had hoped for more begging to soothe the anger boiling within him, but he had a job to do so he could only rouse his mana and send forth his flaming spears.

But his expression darkened as a sudden wave of mana spread out before his spears could reach their targets. He watched with a heavy frown as a wave of wind gathered around the four to repel his spears, leaving the teenagers surprised and untouched.

Ezekiel couldn’t help but release a pent up breath. ’We made it!’

They had survived!