The sky above Aethelgard was a chaotic canvas of silver streaks and exploding metal. Caelum felt the vibration of every Sentinel he destroyed through the handle of his Data-Scythe. But he could see more waves of red-eyed vultures forming behind the clouds.
"They're coming from a central node," Caelum realized, his eyes narrowing. "A mobile carrier hidden in the static."
[SKILL_ACTIVATED: VOID_SCAN]
[LOCATION_FOUND: STEALTH_CARRIER_08]
Deep within the gray clouds of Sector Eight, a massive obsidian ship was lurking, pumping out hundreds of Sentinels every second. If Caelum didn't take down the source, the city's shield would eventually collapse.
"Kira! Take command of the Legion!" Caelum's voice boomed over the battlefield. "I'm going to the source."
With a sudden burst of silver energy, Caelum propelled himself higher, breaking the sound barrier. He became a comet of silver light, tearing through the flocks of Sentinels.
Inside the stealth carrier, the Guardian of Sector Eight, the Nullifier, watched the screen in disbelief. "His mana signature is increasing? That's impossible! He should be drained by now!"
Caelum slammed into the deck of the carrier like a meteor. The metal groaned under the pressure. As he stood up, his silver cloak was tattered, but his gaze was sharper than any blade.
"I told you to tell your masters that Sector Seven is free," Caelum said, his voice echoing through the ship's corridors. "Now, I'm going to make sure you can't tell them anything at all."
He raised his Scythe, and for the first time, it didn't just glow silver. A dark, void-like energy began to swirl around the blade—the power of the 'Forbidden Cultivation' he had mastered.
[SKILL_ACTIVATED: FORBIDDEN_DELETION]
With one horizontal swing, the entire interior of the ship began to dissolve into non-existence.