Apocalypse Forecast-Chapter 724 - 591 Mechanical Descent_2

"So, I was thinking... if someone has to die anyway, why couldn’t that person be me?"

The man said calmly, "—So, I saved it."

Amidst the deep words, the Ruin Dragon Rider, the truck once riddled with holes, suddenly fell apart. But hidden beneath its frame, a massive alloy skeleton and countless gigantic instruments, akin to internal organs, boomed together, emitting dazzling electrical sparks.

It was like a rebirth.

Alloy wings spread, and lights as bright as the sun flared from its eyes.

From the swirling dust, the once-dead Red Dragon, built from steel, once again revealed its immense silhouette from Hell.

"Fuck you, you old bastard!" the voice that once inhabited the Shackles cried out again, speaking eloquently, "Surprised? Unexpected, wasn’t it?"

The dust was scattered by the storm.

Having shed its cumbersome truck shell, the reborn Steel Dragon grinned, casting a vast, sky-blotting shadow.

After combining the remains of the Red Dragon with the Abyss Stone Heart, project teams from more than six Ivory Towers dedicated four project cycles to it. Sparing no expense, they employed the most lavish methods and cutting-edge technology to finally recreate it.

Named after the legendary chariot offered by humans to the gods of sky and thunder, the true ’Götterdämmerung’ is reborn here!

—Fate Chariot: Mechanical Deity!

Now, across the colossal mechanical dragon’s chest, layers of Armor unfolded, revealing immense weapons buried deep within its shell, and the ’Essence Sun’, ignited after being infused with all the Source Substance.

"Teacher, this time, I won."

Streams of scorching light erupted.

The outcome was decided... if the cannon’s barrel hadn’t been aimed not at Averson, but at the sky above his head—at the colossal tower behind him.

In an instant, a blinding torrent of light roared out, piercing the Sky Dome of the Town of Dusk from below and striking the tower right in its center. It violently tore apart the golden dream enveloping the area, crudely carving out a fatal breach. From the outside, it severed the very foundation upon which the Golden Palace stood...

This was the last straw.

Then, from within the crumbling theater, a violent silhouette arose. It unleashed destruction, delivered an ending, and revealed a profound radiance that stung the eyes.

Disaster, breaking free from its cage!

Raymond stood there, stunned.

After a long moment, he couldn’t help but laugh self-deprecatingly. "Too late to even put out a fire... ’Utterly unreliable,’ that’s probably me, huh?"

A shattering sound came from Avery. The Shackles broke.

The unscathed Asura emerged from the fragments. But after exhausting all its Source Substance, the Fate Chariot fell into a Deep Sleep, unable to move. It had no strength left to fight back.

Yet the old man’s face was terrifyingly ferocious, so utterly enraged.

"What are you doing, Renault?" Avery, gripping his Heavy Sword, stepped forward, demanding in fury, "Are you pitying me? Or am I now too old to be your opponent?"

"I’m just doing my job, Teacher," Raymond answered calmly. "Merely fulfilling my duties. For a Mercenary, that shouldn’t be hard to understand, right? When necessary, one must complete the employer’s mission, even at the cost of one’s life. Isn’t this the proud creed of the Eye of Nightmare?"

"A traitor has no right to speak of the Eye of Nightmare’s creed, Renault," Averson retorted impassively. "Who could be deceived by such excuses?"

"I merely wanted to do something meaningful," Renault raised his eyes, looking behind Averson. "Besides, with my life out of danger... who wouldn’t like to earn a little extra money?"

There, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed.

From the Iron Crystal Throne, Captain Foster revealed himself. Gripping an ancient Double-Barreled Shotgun, he surveyed them from above.

"Mr. Aveson, could you please move the sword away from our driver’s neck?" the grizzled old man asked. "Although I don’t know how ’Raymond’ has offended you, the Eye of Nightmare surely wouldn’t do anything that violates an employer’s orders, right?"

He heavily stressed the name ’Raymond’.

A faint killing intent emanated from the pitch-black barrels.

"Took you long enough, Captain," Raymond finally sighed in relief, complaining, "I almost died! Even if you don’t care about my life, you should at least care about the loan I owe you, right?" 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I would’ve been here sooner, but some damned Old Turtle knocked me out with a cup of tea. Nothing I could do." Foster scratched his messy hair, a helpless look on his face, yet his eyes remained fixed on Averson.

Averson remained motionless, merely gazing at the student before him.

"You’ve grown weak, Raymond," he said coldly. "Entrusting your life to someone else’s rescue is exceedingly unwise... You could have killed me."

"Spare me, Teacher," Raymond sighed. "I haven’t engaged in killing and arson for a long time. Why force a good-for-nothing with few days left to do something so cruel?"

"Even if it meant I would kill you here?"

As Averson asked this, his expression was utterly calm, unconcerned that his vital points were exposed before the Captain.

"Well, then it can’t be helped," Raymond laughed self-deprecatingly. "Perhaps I would have, in the past. But people grow, don’t they? For someone who could die at any moment, why care where it happens?"

"Five years ago, when I was on the verge of death, I realized that my entire life had been nothing but following orders and bloodshed. So, I thought, at least before I die, I should do something meaningful... do some... right things."

He looked up and told his teacher, "That way, there’ll be no regrets when I die."

"..."

In the prolonged silence, Asura stared at his student, an indescribable disappointment in his eyes, as if looking at a fool.

"Too foolish, and too ridiculous," he asked pityingly, "Renault, does someone like you also yearn for redemption?"

"Well, it’s not *that* melodramatic," Raymond shrugged awkwardly. "But there’s no rule against seeking meaning in life, is there?"

In the silence, the hovering Sword Blade slowly rose.

Averson stepped back, his face still expressionless. His expression betrayed neither mockery nor disdain; he merely glanced indifferently at the student before him and finally said, "Then enjoy what’s left of your foolish life, for there isn’t much of it."

Thus, he bade farewell.

Averson turned and departed.

When his teacher’s figure vanished from sight, Raymond finally lost the strength to support himself and collapsed backward.

A violent wave of dizziness swept over him. In his daze, he faintly saw a flash of light atop a distant tower. He couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Hang in there, big brother with the long hair... My loan repayment depends on you!

Clutching the betting slip he’d bought with all his savings, Raymond sank into a Deep Sleep.