Arknights: I'm Pretty Strong With Minecraft — Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Natural Disaster

The name Kashchey acted like a red-hot branding iron, instantly searing through the Black Serpent’s last shred of feigned sanity. Her burning crimson eyes contracted sharply, leaving behind only the most primitive, violent desire for absolute destruction.

“You… are… courting death!”

A distorted, sharp roar tore from her throat. The surging flames surrounding her swelled like an enraged dragon, transforming into a towering crimson tsunami meant to incinerate everything in its path. The sheer scale and heat were unmatched. It lunged directly toward Ivan and the clustered Rhodes Island personnel behind him. The temperature spiked so drastically that the exterior walls of distant buildings began to warp and melt into slag.

Facing this destructive torrent capable of instantly vaporizing solid steel, the Rhodes Island Operators wore expressions of absolute despair.

“Just as I thought.” Ivan had been waiting for this exact full-power, irrational strike.

‘Truly worthy of the Creator God, so thoughtful…’ Ivan muttered to himself.

Almost simultaneously, he accessed his [Inventory] and retrieved three [Splash Potion of Fire Resistance] that Him had provided. Without a second of hesitation, he forcefully smashed the three glass bottles directly at his feet and across the area where the Rhodes Island personnel were gathered.

Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!

The crisp sound of shattering glass was nearly drowned out by the deafening roar of the approaching flames. The moment the liquid exploded outward, it rapidly enveloped all the Rhodes Island Operators in a swirling aura of bright orange bubbles.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

The very next second, the destructive torrent of flames completely engulfed their position.

The Black Serpent stood just outside the raging sea of fire. She coldly watched the completely saturated area, her eyes reflecting only the hollow void that followed her explosive rage.

However, a few seconds later, the momentum of the flames began to diminish. The thick smoke and distorted heat haze gradually dissipated into the wind.

Incredibly, right in the center of the scorched, molten red ground, everyone stood completely unharmed. The Rhodes Island personnel instinctively touched their arms and cheeks, utterly bewildered as they confirmed they had actually survived such an apocalyptic attack.

Just then, a voice dripping with obvious mockery lazily cut through the tension. “Tsk, your fire… it’s not very good, is it?”

Ivan’s figure became clear through the thinning smoke. He even took a moment to deliberately pat away non-existent dust from his shoulders.

“Potion of Fire Resistance, immune to fire damage. Haven’t seen that one before, have you, old Black Serpent?”

“You!” The Black Serpent’s sanity was completely ignited by the humiliating words. The flames around her surged violently once more.

But Ivan moved faster. A dark purple [Ender Pearl] flew through the air, accurately smashing onto the ground right in front of Talulah.

Thud! The pearl shattered.

Ivan’s figure materialized in front of Talulah like a ghost. He swung his blade down in a brutal, direct slash.

Clang!

A dull but deafening roar echoed out as sparks flew wildly into the air. However, the blade failed to cut through its target. The strike was firmly blocked by a translucent, crimson Originium Arts barrier laced with lava-like patterns. It had appeared less than half a foot from Talulah’s forehead, stopping the weapon from advancing even a single inch.

‘Damn it,’Ivan cursed under his breath.’This turtle shell is really hard!’

His wrist twisted rapidly. Four more [Ender Pearl] were thrown at tricky, unpredictable angles, scattering in four distinct directions around Talulah.

The next moment, Ivan initiated a dazzling, teleporting assault. His figure flashed frantically between the different landing points. Each sudden appearance was accompanied by the black light of a full-power slash.

Yet, Talulah did not move a single inch. She simply stood there with cold indifference. The crimson barrier around her constantly flickered, blocking, disappearing, and reappearing instantly to match Ivan’s angle of attack. Each time, it precisely intercepted the blade. Continuous clanging sounds and sparks exploded around her, but Ivan could not harm a single hair on her head.

Unable to break through the defense, Ivan gritted his teeth. With the help of one final pearl, he teleported backward, creating a safe distance from Talulah. Gasping heavily, he stared intently at his opponent. The two fell into a tense standoff.

However, something unsettling happened. The Talulah standing before them, along with the previously restless Reunion Movement soldiers behind her, suddenly stopped moving entirely. It was as if a pause button had been pressed on the world. They stood silently in place.

“They… why did they stop moving?” Instructor Dobermann observed the enemy warily, muttering in a low voice. “Is it some kind of… tactic?”

She quickly ran to Ivan’s side and spoke with urgency. “Ivan, this is our opportunity! Prepare to retreat. We cannot afford to get entangled any longer!”

The Doctor immediately pointed toward a massive architectural ruin situated to their side-rear, a structure heavily deformed by previous battles. “Over there. In the middle of those ruins, there is a gap we can pass through. As long as we leave this plaza, there is a hidden spot near the exit where we can take cover…”

Before the Doctor could even finish speaking, the sky above them changed. The clouds, already stained a sickly yellowish hue by Originium dust and smoke, were suddenly obscured by countless meteor showers dragging crimson tails behind them.

They smashed densely toward the entirety of Chernobog Core City.

The Catastrophe had arrived.

“Quick! Ivan. Retreat!” Amiya and ACE shouted anxiously at the same time.

“Save me!”

“Don’t run into the fog!”

“Are we… destined to die here?”

A Feline Operator stared up at the doomsday-like sky and finally broke down. She squatted on the ground and cried, her tears mixing with the thick ashes coating her face. “I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die yet…”

Despair spread like a plague through the battered Rhodes Island team.

Just then, the brilliant glow of Originium Arts lit up above their heads.

“Please don’t… leave my side!” Amiya’s voice rang out from behind.

She raised her hands high, exerting every ounce of her strength to cast a protective spell. A massive, translucent magical shield expanded outward, blocking the first wave of the dense meteor shower. The flaming rocks smashed violently against the shield, exploding into huge balls of fire that caused the barrier to fluctuate wildly.

“This range… is already my limit…” Amiya gritted her teeth, struggling under the immense pressure.

The exact same disaster befell the Reunion Movement’s camp. Countless meteors smashed into the crowd, instantly turning soldiers into charred corpses. Mournful wails and the deafening sound of explosions echoed throughout the streets and alleys. The Black Serpent’s barrier easily protected her, but she clearly had absolutely no intention of extending that protection to the lower-ranked soldiers dying around her.

“The peak of the Catastrophe has passed its first wave! Go quickly before the second wave comes!” Nearl urged the team forward.

Just at this chaotic moment, the motionless Talulah suddenly moved again. She raised her hand and fired another highly concentrated crimson fireball, aiming accurately at the completely unprepared Amiya.

“Amiya!”

“Watch out!”

Ivan and ACE reacted with extreme speed. Moving with a shared mindset, they simultaneously burst forward and rushed right in front of Amiya. ACE raised his heavy shield, and Ivan instantly retrieved his own, stacking their defenses together.

Boom!

The fireball exploded with violent force. The massive impact pushed the two men back several steps, the surfaces of their shields glowing a dangerous crimson, but they managed to successfully block the insidious attack.

Ivan suddenly turned his head and shouted to the people behind him. “The Potion of Fire Resistance only lasts for two minutes! And it cannot grant immunity to explosion impact or physical damage! You all go quickly! I will cover the rear!”

“I will stay and help you too!” ACE stated without a second of hesitation, stepping up to stand beside Ivan.

Ivan suddenly pushed him away, his eyes incredibly firm. “Go! I am enough on my own! You all know I am very strong!”

He tried hard to force a reassuring smile, but the desperate situation made the expression look a bit strange. “Don’t worry! We will meet up later! Go quickly!”

There was no time left to hesitate. Instructor Dobermann gritted her teeth. “Everyone! Follow the Doctor! Get into the gap! Quick!”

The Rhodes Island personnel suppressed their grief and fear. Supporting the wounded, they stumbled frantically toward the ruin gap the Doctor had pointed out. Nearl guarded the entrance to the gap, constantly using her shield to deflect falling debris and sporadic meteor strikes.

At the tunnel exit, illuminated by the flickering firelight, Ivan’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is Ivan?!” Nearl asked anxiously.

“He… he went to stop Talulah…” an Operator replied, his voice choking with emotion.

Just at this moment, a deafening rumble shook the earth.

An exceptionally huge Catastrophe meteor fell like the fist of a giant god, slamming heavily into the entrance of the ruined tunnel they had just passed through. The impact triggered a violent chain collapse. Massive boulders and burning building materials cascaded down, completely blocking that sole exit.

“No!” Amiya frantically rushed toward the blocked entrance, futilely clawing at the scorching stones with her bare hands. “Ivan, wait. I will use Originium Arts to clear a path for you right now!”

Just then, Ivan’s voice crackled through the radio Amiya was carrying. It was mixed with the sound of violent explosions and the sharp clang of blades colliding, yet his words were unusually clear.

“Amiya, don’t worry about me. You all retreat quickly. Remember, the Potion of Fire Resistance only lasts two minutes. Watch out for explosions…”

After speaking, without giving Amiya any time to respond, the radio signal was forcibly cut off, leaving behind only a buzzing busy signal.

“Ivan! Ivan! Answer me!” Amiya cried into the radio, but there was no response.

She turned, preparing to use her Originium Arts to blast open the collapsed entrance and rush back out, but she was firmly held back by ACE and Instructor Dobermann.

“Amiya! Calm down!” ACE’s tone was incredibly heavy. “Do not let down the time Ivan… bought for us with his life. Go, go quickly!”

Instructor Dobermann, her eyes red with unshed tears, also forcefully pulled Amiya’s arm. Her voice was hoarse. “This is an order. Survive. That is the greatest respect you can show for his sacrifice.”

‘Ivan:??? But, I don’t think I’m dead yet.’The tunnel behind them continued to shake violently as more debris fell from the ceiling.’Now it’s just us. Come on.’