The Transmigrated Author-Chapter 289: Central City (4)

The mechanical constructs closed in, their movements perfectly synchronized as they raised their weapons in unison.

Jan glancing around his surroundings assessed their situation with clarity knowing that they were outnumbered, partially depowered, and trapped in unknown territory.

"Valencia, can you break through on the eastern side?" Jan whispered, his sword held at the ready.

She gave an almost imperceptible nod. "Maybe, but the rest of you would still be caught in the crossfire."

-Damn it…

Jan's mind raced through possibilities.

His awakening could potentially destroy all the mechanical constructs at once, but the backlash would harm his friends too.

The anti-magic field further complicated matters - even if they managed to break through, their magic users would be severely handicapped.

"On my signal," Jan muttered, "everyone move toward—"

BOOOM!

A deafening explosion cut him off as something crashed through the invisible barrier above them.

The anti-magic field shimmered and dissolved like mist under harsh sunlight.

Pieces of machinery rained down around them as three masked figures descended from above.

The first figure, wielding an enormous mace, slammed into the ground with earth-shattering force.

A chain reaction of explosions rippled outward, reducing a cluster of mechanical constructs to smoldering scrap metal.

The second attacker unleashed twin streams of water and fire that spiraled together before engulfing another group of enemies in a devastating cyclone of elemental fury.

Before Jan could process what was happening, the third figure had already closed the distance to Darren.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

Moving with impossible speed, the masked man grabbed their former escort by the throat and slammed him against the nearest wall with enough force to crack the stone.

"What the—" Valencia began, but her words died as the mechanical army surrounding them was systematically dismantled in seconds.

The masked figure holding Darren leaned in close.

"Remember me?"

Darren's eyes widened with recognition.

"You! But how did you—"

His question was cut short as the masked attacker drove a fist into his solar plexus, folding him in half before letting him crumple to the ground.

The masked figure turned from Darren's crumpled form, surveying the chaos around them.

Mechanical parts still smoldered on the ground, and the remaining constructs lay in various states of destruction.

With deliberate slowness, he reached up and removed his gas mask.

Jan and the others tensed with their weapons still raised.

Despite the timely rescue, they remained wary since this new threat had dismantled advanced machines with terrifying ease.

Especially the anti magic barrier.

WHOOOSH!

"…!"

As the mask came away, Jan's eyes widened in shock.

"Rel?" he whispered, sheathing his sword quickly.

Rel's face had changed a bit since they'd last met.

His features were sharper, more defined, with a hardness that hadn't been there before.

His eyes held the weary look of someone who had seen too much.

But it was unmistakably him.

"It's been some time. How've you been?"

"Not to bad, but unlike you seems like you've seen worse."

Jan chuckled lightly, relaxing his shoulders.

On the other hand, Valencia's grip on her katana faltered slightly as her eyes locked onto Rel's new appearance.

The broader shoulders, the confident stance, the unmistakable presence he had.

All of this caused her to have a faint blush colored on her cheeks before she composed herself, adopting a neutral expression that hid the rapid beating of her heart.

"You saved us again," Jan said, stepping forward to clasp Rel's forearm in gratitude.

"Just like back at the museum. Always showing up at the last minute."

"I don't know about that," Rel replied with a shrug.

"But we can't stay here. Richard's forces will be sending reinforcements soon."

"Richard?" Camila asked, confusion evident on her face.

"Later," Rel said firmly.

"For now, we need to move. Christian, Anouz—clear the area. Standard protocol."

The two masked figures nodded in unison. Christian pulled several crystalline orbs from his bandolier, tossing them with precision at the fallen mechanical constructs. Each orb exploded in a brilliant flash of light, reducing the machinery to unrecognizable ash.

Meanwhile, Anouz swung his massive mace in wide arcs, pulverizing any remaining pieces of technology into dust.

"What are they doing?" Jae whispered to Jan.

"Making sure these things can't adapt to our fighting styles," Rel answered before Jan could respond.

"The machines here learn from every encounter. Leave a single circuit intact, and the next batch will be immune to whatever defeated this group."

"Let's move," Christian called, finishing his work. "We've got maybe ten minutes before the cleanup crew arrives."

***

[Rel's POV]

I guided the group through a maze of narrow alleyways, taking care to avoid the main streets where Richard's patrols would be heaviest.

Christian and Anouz flanked our party, constantly watching out for threats with the vigilance that comes from months of survival in hostile territory.

"This way,"

I whispered, ducking into a half-collapsed building.

We descended through what had once been a basement, now converted into a tunnel entrance cleverly disguised as rubble.

"Stay close and watch your step."

The tunnel was narrow, forcing us to move in single file.

The air grew thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic—the unmistakable smell of the central city's underground.

After what seemed like an eternity of twists and turns, we reached a reinforced door.

I pressed my palm against a small panel hidden in the wall.

A soft blue light scanned my hand before the heavy door slid open with a pneumatic hiss.

I couldn't help but feel a surge of relief as I watched Jan and the others step into our safe house.

After months of careful planning, reconnaissance, and close calls with Richard's forces, we'd finally managed to find them before they walked right into a trap.

If it hadn't been for this plot I'd written, they would have ended up captured and imprisoned in Richard's complex, and I would've had to embark on a rescue mission while simultaneously confronting the final boss.

This story arc was designed with a two-part structure: defeat the antagonist and save the captive women.

By intercepting Jan's group before they fell into Richard's hands, I'd effectively cut the work in half.

One less headache to deal with in this already complex situation.

"Make yourselves comfortable," I said, gesturing to the sparse furnishings of our hideout. "It's not much, but it's safe."

As everyone settled in, exchanging stories and catching up, I moved toward the door at the back of the room where we'd left Louise tied up. I needed to check on him before explaining the full situation to the others.

I pushed the door open and froze.

The chair sat empty in the middle of the room, ropes dangling uselessly from its arms and legs. A trail of scorched footprints led directly to the window, which now hung open, the metal frame warped and partially melted.

"Shit,"