Chapter 226: Perfection’s Birth

Gathered in Livia’s office, the squad’s eyes were glued to a map that showed the supposed network of the tunnels beneath Magmorious.

Of course it was far from being completed yet. Just the mere fact that they had managed to progress so much in just about a week was truly astonishing.

“We must be getting close!” Ruby exclaimed, her tail swinging from side to side.

Understandably, she was beyond anxious. Somewhere out there were her kin, people that had their souls altered, altering their physical appearance just like her.

Victoria nodded. “For one, I agree. Regardless of how colossal the capital is, with Livia’s aid it wouldn’t be long before we map the whole place.”

“And when that happens we would finally be able to put a stop to the rogue AIs.” Ava clenched her fists.

“Though some people really aren’t helping…” Robert chuckled as he opened the window. Suddenly the shouts of numerous gathered people reached their ears.

“AIs have feelings too!”

“How many people have they killed?!”

Outside the parliament, protests were underway. Something that had become quite common after the secret of the AIs came to light. Currently two protests were undergoing simultaneously, one spoke about how the AI has a conscience and should be given rights, and another wanted to ban the use of the technology altogether.

It was needless to say that the groups were at odds with each other. That was why countless soldiers had been deployed between the two groups, preventing any fighting from occurring.

“We have widespread ways to examine if an AI is contaminated, but we can’t simply pull them out of the production pipeline. The capital as well as any human city relies on them after all.” Livia heaved a sigh.

“As for giving them rights… it’s out of the question.” Michael shook his head in dejection.

“These people are just scared and are using the protest as a way to mask their fears.” Claire exclaimed. “We can’t blame the powerless for clinging to any sort of power in times of a crisis.”

Richard scoffed. “Bunch of crybabies if you ask me.”

“Ignore them!” Enzo said with a beaming smile. “When it’s all done and over with, I am sure—”

RUMBLE!

Abruptly he was interrupted, a shockwave passing over the foundations of the parliament.

Struggling to hold, the mighty building cracked, the rumbling intensifying every second.

Crack!

Unable to withstand the sheer pressure, the window shattered into countless pieces.

“An earthquake?!” Leo’s eyes shot open in astonishment. Magmorious wasn’t in a region prone to such disasters, so the sheer force of the tremor was beyond anything he could have expected.

Instinctively everybody dropped to the ground. Michael put his body over Ruby’s, since she was the weakness of the crew, she was under the most potential danger. As such, he sought to shield her. Robert acted just as swiftly, using his broad frame to cover Livia, ensuring the gothic woman was protected should anything fall.

Screaming resonated past the broken windows as protesters and soldiers hurried to lie on the ground. The slowest being thrown off their feet due to the intensity of the earthquake.

“What is going on?!”

“Emperor, help us!”

“God! We plead for your mercy!”

Panicked cries and frantic shouts echoed from every corner of the capital, taken by surprise from the unnatural phenomenon.

Houses toppled to the ground, and trees all around the city fell with their trunks utterly broken.

Rumble…

Gradually it lessened, the ground coming to a halt.

“Did it pass?” Enzo groaned in pain. His bones aching in agony.

“I think so…” Ava mumbled, a hand massaging her head.

“Are you okay?” Michael asked, his face a few inches above Ruby’s.

She shyly nodded, her cheeks slowly turning rosy. “I—I think so… and thank you…”

Rising to his feet, he glanced at Robert and Livia, who seemed just fine.

“What the hell was that? This is the first time I am hearing about earthquakes in the capital, especially one so intense.”

“I—I don’t know. This is the first for us too.” Livia answered with a frown, Robert gently helping her stand up.

By the expressions on their faces, Michael knew they were sincere, causing him to grimace. He hated it when something was beyond his expectations.

“Hey…” Claire slowly stood up. “Is it just me, or is it awfully quiet?”

Realizing that she was right, Michael’s frown deepened even more as he moved next to the broken window. Glass shards breaking under his heavy boots.

“…”

The protesters and soldiers had already risen to their feet, their mouths wide open in disbelief. They stood frozen in place, like statues, neither blinking nor moving, their eyes fixed on something far beyond the building.

“Something is wrong.”

After summoning Devil’s Tongue, Michael made the soul weapon levitate using his Psychokinesis technique. Without hesitation he settled on the sword and floated to the top of the parliament, eager to examine what got everybody so shocked.

Upon reaching the top, his breathing hitched momentarily.

’That… might be a problem.’ Devil’s Tongue remarked, its usual playful personality gone.

Amid the devastation left by the recent earthquake, one sight drew the horrified gaze of those unfortunate enough to witness it.

From the distant horizon, a thick black smoke rose high into the sky. Amidst it a metallic hand, one that towered over 200 meters, protruded from the bare earth.

Bending at its elbow, the arm moved, putting its hand firmly against the terrain, applying pressure.

Tons of earth were violently displaced as a threatening entity slowly emerged from the depths below, like the very planet was giving birth to a monster of colossal proportions.

“R—R—RUN!”

Just now, did the civilians nearby recover from their shock, scrambling to run in any direction.

With a deafening thud, the tall, howling figure emerged from the ground. Towering over five hundred meters, its massive form loomed like a living mountain over the capital, ready to sweep everything in its path with an unstoppable force.

Even worse, countless mechanical tentacles ending in sharp spikes emerged from its back. Instantly they moved with precision like they had a mind of their own, reaching the ground below and skewering unfortunate humans that still lingered close.

GASP!

The pain of their bodies being pierced paled in comparison when their blood and very essence were sucked up in the metal tubes going straight to the towering giant, acting as fuel.

[I shall prove it…]

An emotionless voice sounded from the being’s head, covering hundreds of meters with a single stride.

[That I reign supreme over all life there is.]

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep