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As the Bear Armor finished bringing its core systems online, a full panoramic display of the outside world appeared inside Aleksei's helmet.
His first question was immediate.
"We have reinforcements?"
At the same time, the Bear Armor established links with the nearby friendly units, exchanging battlefield data.
The first signals it received came from Little Duck and the three Sparrow reconnaissance drones.
The augmented-reality interface that Aleksei had previously viewed through his smart contact lenses was now fully integrated into the helmet display.
> Duck-Leopard Armor (Duck Form): Connected.
Bullhead: Connected.
Bunny: Connected.
Bear Armor: Self-diagnostic complete. All systems operational.
Environmental data gathered by every support drone, spy drone, and powered suit—including friend-or-foe identification—was immediately shared with the Bear Armor.
Only then did Aleksei realize that Henry hadn't come alone.
He could now clearly see the positions of the other two reinforcements.
Green Arrow Duck said,
"Quack quack quack."
After being received through the encrypted communication network, the helmet automatically translated it into Henry's voice.
"We should leave first. We'll talk once we're somewhere safe."
> Duck-Leopard Armor overriding control. Flight system deployed.
Aleksei noticed another line appear on his HUD.
Through one of the Sparrow drones' camera feeds, he also saw a pair of tiny wings—barely the size of a human palm—unfold from the Bear Armor's back.
"What could wings that small possibly do—"
Before he could finish—
"AAAAAHHHH!"
The Bear Armor's powerful anti-gravity system launched him straight into the air.
He hadn't been frightened.
He'd simply been caught completely off guard and failed to suppress the involuntary yell.
> Override active. Retrieving support drone.
Little Duck's mechanical arm locked itself onto the mounting points that had opened on the Bear Armor's back and waist, integrating seamlessly with the suit without interfering with its movement.
Another notification appeared.
> Override active. Destination confirmed: New York.
Hyper-Acceleration Launch System warming up.
Countdown: 30... 29...
"Wait!
"Hyper-Acceleration Launch System...
"You mean that one?!"
Aleksei exclaimed in alarm.
---
By then, Green Arrow Duck, Bullhead, and Bunny had all floated over beside him.
They deliberately maintained a safe distance from one another to prevent interference once the launch systems activated.
Before the countdown reached zero, Henry only had time to say,
"Relax.
"I adjusted the acceleration profile based on your physical condition and how you handled it last time.
"Tell me what you think after we arrive."
"Suka blya—AAAAAAAH!!"
The Bear Armor vanished.
A moment later...
Bullhead disappeared.
Then Bunny.
Before the vampires on the ground could figure out how to attack enemies hovering in midair...
Green Arrow Duck vanished as well.
---
Their targets gone...
The pursuing vampires were left standing in stunned silence.
These vampires were none other than the legendary Death Dealers.
Although the prey they'd originally been chasing had escaped...
The werewolves pursuing the exact same target were still present.
And to the Death Dealers...
Werewolves were enemies that had to be exterminated.
The brief silence lasted only a heartbeat.
Then both sides crashed into each other once again.
Compared to transformed werewolves, who fought largely through instinct and natural physical gifts...
The rigorously trained Death Dealers quickly gained the upper hand.
Their silver nitrate ammunition didn't merely weaken the werewolves.
Given enough hits...
It killed them outright.
Eventually, the werewolves—driven by animal instinct rather than any willingness to die fighting—abandoned the battle and fled.
The Death Dealers, however, remained.
They gathered around the building where Aleksei had made his last stand, carefully searching for clues.
After several minutes, they regrouped around a female vampire and reported in Hungarian.
"Selene.
"We found no evidence identifying the new enemy.
"We also have no idea where they went.
"They simply disappeared while still high in the air."
"...Aleksei Shostakov."
The leading female vampire spoke his name through clenched teeth.
They had always known exactly who they'd been chasing at first.
What they didn't know...
Was what that bizarre stuffed-duck-shaped machine accompanying him actually was.
Letting go of their fixation on the Red Guardian, they recognized that he'd simply been an unfortunate outsider who had wandered into their carefully prepared trap.
The Death Dealers' true enemies had always been the werewolves.
Only occasionally did they hunt vampire traitors.
The only real disappointment...
Was that the bait they'd used to lure the werewolves had been stolen by Aleksei.
That debt could wait.
They would settle it the next time the Red Guardian showed himself.
Although she shared the same name as a certain immortal mutant sorceress from another universe, this Selene had an entirely different identity and background.
She asked,
"How are the wounded?"
"Several appear to have been hit by large-caliber sniper rounds.
"Others look as though they stood directly in front of a heavy machine gun.
"Large portions of their bodies were blown apart.
"They aren't dead...
"But they'll need to recover in the blood pool before they fully heal."
Selene nodded.
"Call in the cleanup team.
"Erase every trace of the werewolves.
"We're withdrawing.
"Take the wounded home for treatment."
"Yes, Commander."
The leather-clad vampires—each strikingly handsome or beautiful—disappeared back into the darkness with their injured comrades.
Operating within Europe, the traditional sphere of influence of the Church, they couldn't roam openly through city streets like the vampires who had fled to North America.
Modern humanity was no longer the ignorant livestock of the Middle Ages.
Even the Church itself had learned restraint before the might of modern militaries.
Still...
Creatures who belonged to the night had long since adapted to modern society.
They continued ruling the world before sunrise.
Only...
By a different set of rules.
---
Leaving Europe behind...
The four powered suits returned to Manhattan, New York.
Entering through the rooftop ventilation shaft, they descended into the secret base on the eleventh floor.
Thanks to the now fully mature flight and hovering systems, every suit landed quietly and smoothly.
Whether it was because Henry had tuned the Hyper-Acceleration system...
Or because Aleksei had stubbornly forced himself not to vomit inside his brand-new armor...
No one knew.
The instant the Bear Armor touched down...
Aleksei immediately opened the rear armor plates.
He practically fell backward out of the cockpit.
Rolling onto the floor before forcing himself onto his knees, the Red Guardian finally lost the battle with his stomach.
"Bleeegh—!"
He vomited violently.
Bullhead, Bunny, and Green Arrow Duck landed moments later.
The three could only look at the severely airsick super-soldier with varying degrees of helplessness.
Green Arrow Duck quacked,
"Quack quack quack."
> "Is it really that bad? I already adjusted the acceleration parameters."
Bullhead answered with a low moo.
"Moooo."
> "You said this guy could serve as our tactical commander during urban combat? Honestly, I think we'd get better results recruiting some grandma who fought in World War II."
Green Arrow Duck quacked again.
"Quack."
> "A World War II grandma? I might actually know one... though I doubt she'd agree to help."
Wiping the vomit from his lips—without paying much attention to whether he'd smeared it into his beard—Aleksei staggered to his feet and shouted,
"Speak like normal people!"
Bullhead tilted his head.
"Moo?"
> "He can't understand us?"
Green Arrow Duck replied,
"Quack quack quack."
> "Apparently not. The suits' external audio defaults to encrypted animal sounds instead of broadcasting our real voices."
Curious, Thena removed her rabbit-shaped helmet and carried it under one arm by the ears.
Listening to Green Arrow Duck and Bullhead carry on a perfectly serious conversation that sounded externally like endless "quack quack quack" and "moo moo moo," she finally burst into laughter.
Bullhead looked at her.
"Moo?"
> "Our voices really sound that strange?"
Still laughing, Thena shook her head.
"Enough with the mooing.
"I honestly have no idea what you're saying."
Gilgamesh's bull helmet had never been designed to look intimidating.
Now, with its wide cartoonish eyes and permanently half-open mouth...
It looked utterly, irresistibly adorable.
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