File: mooks.jpg (1.19 MB, 1772x886)

1.19 MB JPG

>>3371989
You don’t “watch” the clock, per se, you have an internal chronometer you call up like any number of your internal functions. Nonetheless, you track the timestamp 23:59:59 take a long, meandering course to its inevitable conclusion.

00:00:00

“Today’s the day,” you announce to nobody in particular.

Yeah, today’s the day. But for what? You sigh, sitting up in your chair and re-opening Maresuke’s dossier for the third time. While a fair bit of it is redacted, you were pleased to see that the defense notes, at least, were available to you.

Maverick Hunters:
Uehara Maresuke (Oversight Council Representative)
Hikangeki Higurashi (Rapid mobility close-response)

Canadian Armed Forces:
Donovan Laliberté (Canadian Minister, National Defense)
4x MOCsn (special forces)
2x Cardin L1 (VIP protection)
1x RCM Polaris (cold systems specialist)
2x CaLIK (rapid response)
10x RRA (AtA/AtG defense)
Mondearc Papillon (overhead cover)

City of Vancouver:
Mayor Katabor Kermod (cold specialist)
VPD helicopter patrols, Jamminger sweeps (unknown qty)

United States Defense Department:
Nathan Granado (American Secretary of Defense)
6x MCCLaNes (special forces)
1x SP8 (investigative/camerawork)
4x SP0C (noncombatant military intelligence)
10x RAm80 (air patrol, close engagement)
2x TIM (Secret Service)

Australia:
Tahlia Hawdon (Australian Minister for Defense)
4x Saturday (Australian military irregulars)

Japan:
Kyouta Ishibashi (Japanese Minister of Defense)
2x Yojin 80 (JSDF protectives)

Philippines:
Nemesio Garcia Allopog: (Philippine Secretary of National Defense)

Korea:
Kang-Min Kim (Korean Minister of National Defense)

New Zealand:
Tottot Johnathan (Representing the Government of New Zealand)

Other Representatives (CAF escort provided):
Laos
Mexico
Papua New Guinea
Malaysia
Peru

Response plans are, in the broad sense, at least, simple and straightforward. In the event of an attack, attached bodyguards will evacuate their charges while most of their military contingent will respond in their respective ways. You’ve got strong air response and a wide net, particularly with the American military contribution. Any intrusion is going to be swiftly surrounded.

Your first thought, then, is their avenues of attack. Camera interference seems inevitable, and baiting a response to draw away defenders, or pull forces away from the front to protect their VIPs is obvious.

Moloch has his strange box, and at least a half a dozen mavericks, presumably all equipped with VWES. Crewd, Claxton, Ivan, Hutchins, D9D9, and Pauling. Vehicles, air, ground, close-combat, countersig, and intel. Plus Moloch himself.

You have to expect Dalet will get involved again, but you wonder how--his hand is well and truly tipped.

The question is how the hell Moloch will strike. On paper, at least, he hasn’t got a prayer. Long experience has taught you otherwise, though.

File: grach.jpg (47 KB, 401x424)

47 KB JPG

>>3371996
“Burning the midnight oil?”

You look up at Grach as he steps in, sitting beside you. “Just going over everything one last time,” you reply.

You toss him the datapad, and he scans it quickly before handing it back. “And what do you think?”

“My gut feeling is that if he gets to the stadium, it’s already too late. So first, we scout. I’ve already asked the 10th to survey what kind of trouble we’re about to get into.”

“Sound assessment. And then?”

“We patch what leaks we can, and then once it goes loud…” You sigh. “We set up traps, enlisted fall back to bring us in, and we stall him out until response can overwhelm.”

Grach nods. “For once, time will be on our side.”

“Only once he actually makes his move.”

“True,” Grach agrees. “And we have to let him, then be forced to react.”

“The essence of maverick hunting, right there,” you note.

He chuckles, falling back off into silence. “Cherie was very difficult to work with.”

You side-eye him. “You get anything?”

Grach shakes his head, hand on his chin. “Nothing on Moloch or his operations. Raschen could stand to learn a thing or two from her.”

“Lucky he didn’t. What did she give up?”

“Very little. Some on herself, with coaxing. It was a … distressingly familiar story.”

You sit up. “Yeah?”

“She turned maverick out of desperation, afraid of having no place in the world without the framework of armed service, no reason to justify her existence. For fear of no threat to respond to, she opted to create her own. Eventually, she was caught and fled. She isn’t wholly sane, and I think...I think she knows that.”

You remain silent, letting him go on. He’s not the type to express troubles--at least not in so many words--but you can read a great deal into his league-long stare.

“I saw much of White Rook in her. I saw much of all my brothers and sisters. I think Kingfisher must have, too.”

You’re not really sure what to say--Grach had to live through the very real nightmare of losing his sibling. Not once, but twice--first as she went maverick, and second as he had to deal with her himself.

“They met before she turned, or so she claimed,” Grach continues. “In lieu of the funds for endoconstruction, Kingfisher taught her how to hide her nature as best she could. Cherie spoke well of her.”

“When’s the last time they saw each other?”

“Early last year.”

“Did she tell you where?”

“She did, but I know the place--Kingfisher would not have lingered. She was genuinely apologetic that she could not help further.”

Oof. “Do you think they’ll go easy on her, for the… mental issues?”

Grach shakes his head slowly. “Without offering any cooperation on Moloch, no.“

“Mm.”

“There’s nothing to be done,” he says, as much to himself as you. “Just… wait until it all starts.”

File: Anode encounters another (...).png (178 KB, 600x332)

178 KB PNG

>>3372002
The silence creeps back in as you both dwell in your thoughts, alone together.

>There’s nothing to be done. You’ve done all you can.
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

File: Welcome to Day 4.jpg (20 KB, 480x360)

20 KB JPG

>>3371989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTIZBSqhh0g

>>3372010
>>Take a midnight walk and clear your head
Morning Hunter Command
>>3372018
Morning CL
You gents ready to resume making my hometown a warzone

>>3372010
>>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.
this is going to be hell and a half. Got a gut feeling about it. Still, we have managed to limit as much resources as possible. They lack their spy who could sneak in and they lack heavy artillery and the geist. Dalet has no more resources, but any mechanoid is gonna be trouble if it cannot be manually controlled.
>>3372018
You know, when it's you playing kirby music, I know shit is going down.

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

>>3372018
We’re fucked. Prepare for BIRDS.

>>3372032
> You gents ready to resume making my hometown a warzone

Literally always.

>>3372010
>>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.
Say hi to pinky. and his best bud

>>3372124
Got a few ways this can go bad. I recall that the detective did go missing early on around the dock area, and there was Pink. Worst case is pink doing a wolfspider and is wearing his identity to get close.

>>3372214
Or you know, teleportation pads, a means to get into the building from underground, birds, secret mavericks, all of Phantom, just a big ol' list of things really.

>>3372250
Mavericks that are half-bird, half-bat. Can't forget those.

>>3372259
That shoot ice and are immune to electricity. Makes more bats as it fights.

>>3372010
>>Take a midnight walk and clear your head

File: accept.jpg (348 KB, 1280x714)

348 KB JPG

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

File: The inner working of CL's mind.jpg (81 KB, 720x410)

81 KB JPG

>>3372080

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

I'm sure this will result in nothing bad happening whatsoever. Can we check in on Iris while we're at it? How's she doing after we almost got killed on her watch?

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

>Is watching Planefag stream XCOM
>People shittalking recruits.
>Brings up Pantheons.
>I now want an XCOM styled Maverick Hunter Command Game.
WHY DO WE EXIST, JUST TO SUFFER!?

>>3373636
Probably a good idea. Helps us calm down and if we get static, shenanigans is afoot. Really, a concern that has hit me is that Pink's shenanigans with illusions and a late trip with a teleport pad would be bad. Cut right through our lines of defense and open up the council to trouble. After all, he never left and he could try a Winter Wolfspider.

>>3373690
As someone who tried running stuff, it is likely doable if everyone goes grunt tier, probably. Could even use metroid marines without all the quick fixes for abilities and such, probably. If you mean a videogame, there's probably people who could make a skins patch that would be HC themed

>>3373921
Neat.

>>3373690
>I now want an XCOM styled Maverick Hunter Command Game.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one, it'd be kickass if it were a thing!

File: has clocked herself in th(...).png (556 KB, 785x878)

556 KB PNG

>>3372002
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

You sigh and stand up, unable to quell the restlessness. “I’ll be back.”

Grach looks up at you. “Keep in touch. Just in case.”

“Just in case.” You agree.

It’s a cool, damp night, light drizzle saturating the air. You grimace a little with each step--you normally don’t pay much mind to the small jolts of charge each step gives you, but as it dissipates, there’s an unmistakable ticky sort of sensation prickling away under your armor. The damaged capillaries, you think. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s enough to be unpleasantly distracting. Lucky you got off with just that, you suppose--something tells you there’s no Capacitor 3.0 waiting for you back at Liberty.

You look up at the distant lights of the SkyCity, still floating high overhead, only the windows visible through the fog. “You there?” You comm quietly.

“I’m here,” Iris says. “Can’t sleep?”

“Just trying to still my thoughts. Wondering about…” You gesture vaguely at the skyline. “All this.”

“What do you mean?” She asks, puzzled.

“You’ve heard the reports, right? ‘Maverick renaissance’ in the Pacific Northwest.”

“Yes…”

“So why stay? Why keep going to work? Why not evacuate this whole city?”

“I don’t think that would be feasible,” she offers. “I mean… maybe, but even just how the SkyCity evacuations went. The chaos and panic...”

“That’s my point, though.” You stare a hole in those lights in the sky, wondering if any of them are the ones that dipped and flickered under your power draw up on the rail. “They waited. In Richmond, they waited. Everyone just kept… going about their business, like nothing was wrong.”

Iris sounds hesitant. “People like stability, I think. To keep hold of whatever is normal, especially when something’s not.”

“I guess.” Your meandering walk slows as you examine an empty bus stop, yellow text crawling across the signpost. ‘...LOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE. DUE TO THE ONGOING MAVERICK ACTIVITY, THIS STATION IS ON REDUCED HOURS. WE APPRECIATE…’

“...It just seems so stupid,” you finally say.

“What is there to do, though?“ She sounds rhetorical, wistful even. And you know, probably better than her. There are Reploids--mavericks--out there that are tantamount to acts of God. There is just no preparing for them, nothing you can do if one just… chooses you, your city, your home that day.

You think back to France, and Wren slaughtering eight thousand people before the military could even raise a whisper of response against her. “Yeah.”

“I sometimes wonder…” She trails off.

“Yeah?”

“...No,” she says. “Never mind. Not what I’d call my most productive thought anyway.”

File: Diamond commands the Hima(...).webm (2.91 MB, 693x390)

2.91 MB WEBM

>>3374415
You decide to let it go--she doesn’t sound comfortable talking about it anyway. “No shortage of those tonight, it seems.”

She giggles lightly. “I suppose not. Perhaps we should try to focus on what we can help?”

“I suppose so. You have anything new for me?”

“Everything's coming up just fine, so far,” she replies, shifting back into that businesslike Navigator voice she’s steadily honing. “I’ve negotiated the channels provided with each security detachment, and set up fallbacks should any of them should be compromised. What about things on your end?”

“Tapped out our last WEAPON cells,” you confirm. “Coils and Drivers. The Berets have one last shot with the cannon, and after that I don’t want them sticking it out anyway.”

“I’m drawing up likely avenues of approach and good blockade zones,” Iris adds, “along with any blueprints on public record. Shall I plan around minimum direct contact for the Fourth, then?”

“Yeah,” you reply. “At this point, most of what Moloch has left are back row intel and heavy hitters, and he’s not going to give us a real pop at the former.”

“Then I think we’re as prepared as we’re able,” she says crisply… before her tone turns sunny again. “Feeling better now?”

“A little bit,” you admit. “Thanks, Iris.”

“Any time, C… Anode,” she replies.

-----

The drizzle has cleared and the sun cuts through overcast skies as the various parties gather at the BC Place stadium. You’ve placed 4th at a checkpoint outside--with a murderhole-trap waiting to punish an aggressor with the last Culverin shot before the whole squad gets out of dodge.

10th is posted among the crowd, more easily hidden with only three, and Grach somewhere with them. They’re stationed individually, keeping an eye on the interior of the Stadium.

1st is patrolling loosely on the roads surrounding the stadium--all closed off and cordoned by VPD blockades. They’re moving as one, with their RCMP substitute in the formation.

As for you…
>Post on the perimeter. You want threats cleared as they come in.
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.
>Stay midfield. That’s where the action will be heading.

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.

>>3374419
>>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.

File: long walk.jpg (22 KB, 800x471)

22 KB JPG

>>3372010
>Take a midnight walk and clear your head.

>>3374419
>>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.
with wires, momentum, and our long range VWES weapons, it'll allow us to make pot shots and attack the area of concern. It also means we can use the fall and some other stuff to further charge ourselves up.

>>3374419
>Stay midfield. That’s where the action will be heading.

The city is already full of eyes, and staying midfield lets the perimeter forces do the work of giving you warning while screening the mere annoyances.

>>3374419
Probably a little late to the party, but make sure to suggest seismic scanners are in place. Air and direct are well covered, but not below, and Moloch has earth affinities.

>>3374419
>>Stay midfield. That’s where the action will be heading.

>>3374419
>Post on the perimeter. You want threats cleared as they come in.
Draw attention to the electrified anvil that is yourself, it's the #1 strategy at keeping everyone else alive.

>>3372018
I know where you're heading with this...
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGkUBmBm8OY

>>3374510
The high point isn't just about the view, right now there is one strength we have that they do not. Extreme range. Our lock on hunters are super fast, and our shells could land a heavy blow to them. The Culvern trap is good, but its only going to work once and on one vehicle. If they have multiple ones, we will be in trouble and we should make sure none can get close.

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.

Between the two extremes, it's an acceptable compromise. Someone once said that the generalist approach pays off, after all...

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.
Maybe, just maybe, we can use Shell Driver for its original design purpose and shell enemies from a distance.

You know. For once.

>>3374754
Its the perfect surprise. Bet the only intel they have on that move is 'its a strong explosive punch, avoid it.'. Really, if they didn't know, they would think Anode has mostly mid options. He is 'Range Defense' after all.

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.

>The drizzle has cleared and the sun cuts through overcast skies
Man you've clearly never spent any length of time in Van
Rain for weeks on end and then gray overcast

>>3374419
I have to ask, what is the clip from?

>>3375198
Found it, The Wizard of Aus.

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.
Hopefully we get a shot at Claxton, be good to take out their remaining air force early on

>>3374822
Local's reaction to Maverick attacks: Oh well
Local's reaction to sun: SHUT IT ALL DOWN, BLAME THE BLUE TESLA COIL

>>3375257
waste of forces and focus with as much anti-air as they're packing. Targets of opportunity sure but don't deplete our scarcer resources on it.

>>3376017
Not necessarily, Claxon has been a outright pain. He was able to harrass our forces enough that they were open to Moloch and other enemies. He also seems to be a lower flyer as opposed to the birds. Either case, bastard is the most likely to open things up for the others and I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few Jewel Waspings left.

>>3374419
>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.
Be ready to charge into the midst of it though in case our boys need the extra oomph.
Also, are sewers/maintenance access going to be an issue? We should probably have someone make sure they aren't.

>>3377387
Should have oxygen masks on hand for the humans as well, for when they inevitably decide to gas everyone while not even making an appearance.

File: optics in the gloom.png (186 KB, 600x614)

186 KB PNG

>Take a high vantage in the stands--good visibility and range.

“I’m going high,” you inform your team, receiving a chorus of silent pings affirmative.

Up in the bleachers, the dome overhead retracted, you’re treated to a digitized reprint of the dull grey-white skies overhead. You cycle through the comm bands Iris provided--ground, air, hunter, VPD, USD, CAF.

“Scans?” You ask her.

“All clean. Seismics negative, infrasound sweep clear. Delegates are in and accounted for. I--hm.”

“What is it?”

“In the lower stands. I got a strange ping, but only for a moment. No FoF or other identifiers.”

“Who’s closest?”

“You are,” she replies. “It’s two floors down from your current location. Should I...”

“Not yet,” you say. “If I go quiet, raise hell.”

“Copy.”

You hop down one row of bleachers--altimeter plunge reminding you that these really are the nosebleeds--and come down with a clang on the next flight down. One of the lines has chatter--you toggle over to the air patrol feed. “Black Bear 803, adjust your altitude.”

You look up--a little dot on the screen, a simulated grain against the overcast is slowly drawing down low.

“Heads up,” you mutter. “Iris, can you retask someone else?”

“Checking…”

“Black Bear 803, raise elevation.”

“You recognize that callsign?” You ask.

You hear the concentration in her voice. “Affirmative--they’ve been up there all morning, no incidents.”

“Black Bear 803--”

By now, the growing silhouette of the police helicopter is casting a strange through-the-fishbowl shadow over its own projection on the translucent dome. It sweeps across you as you do a quick scan of the area around you in OPAL.

There--for just an instant, a tiny instant, the dark shines back at you with five expressionless lights, sweeping back and forth like the pendulum on a clock, and then nothing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DRp_XME44o&t=1m21s

“Anode, I just lost the signal--”

Here it goes.

File: Grach arrives in Soviet Geneva.gif (497 KB, 500x307)

497 KB GIF

>>3377699
“This is Kermod,” that same voice who greenlit your destruction of the SkyLoop comes in. “Black Bear 803, wave off or we will open fire in three seconds.”

No response. You ready a Lockon Hunter as you turn back towards center field.

“One… two… Mondearc.”

As if the heavens themselves reply, the clouds whip violently as a flash of light punches through the descending chopper--from above. It falls to earth straight through the open middle of the arena as a sonic boom rips overhead before it’s even crossed the meridian.

“All teams, evacuate your persons.”

You barely hear it over the calamitous impact as the helicopter is pinned to the Earth, buckled inward on itself, vapor and mist from the storm overhead still clinging to a long, slender javelin of metal. The rotors grind to a halt with an audible chip-chip-chip-chip as the curled-in fuselage bumps the very edge of the rotor against the metal rod.

“All other aircraft, maintain your elevations or you will be…”

The last is drowned out as the helicopter explodes in the center of the arena.

From below.

“All teams, move in!”

But to your left, deeper into the bowels of the stadium, you hear surprised cries, cut short, and a sudden buffeting gale shrieking out through the pillars and into the outside air.

>Respond midfield.
>Respond indoors.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.
time to find Dalet. Or the chameleon guy. Might be same guy.

I don't suppose the SP0Cs on our side can help with pinpointing his location?

>>3377778
Think Chameleon guy was the guy we retired already, the Geist.

>>3377832
Chameleon guy didn't rely on fog to shank people.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.
ffffffffffffffffffffffFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

>>3377713
Hello Dalet, or whomever you are. Course they would go for using our own assets. Damn it, you'd figure after the skyloop and the cars they would keep hackable stuff away from the stadium.
>Respond indoors.
Worst comes to worst we have the means to open doors and assist the others. Don't chase too far.

>>3377860
To add on this, Iris, get us the schematics of this place plus points we can bust through. This is Moloch's best location. If he tries shit, we open a path and pick a better field.

>>3377713
>>Respond indoors.

>>3377713
Whichever one of those options leads to killing D9D9, I support.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.

FUCK. Sounds like the helicopter was a distraction. Let's go see what they're up to.

File: gun on helicoter the from(...).jpg (17 KB, 559x223)

17 KB JPG

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.
Regroup before you counterattack

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.

MR. PRESIDENT

>>3377713
>>Respond indoors.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.

File: fite me nerd.jpg (118 KB, 900x718)

118 KB JPG

>>3377713
>Respond indoors.
“Heading inside,” you report.

“Copy,” Iris replies. “I’ll route other assets to the field.”

You dash down the corridor and out into a wide promenade, empty stalls and unlit storefronts lining the walls. Empty buckets and cups are blown from their stacks in the wind still ebbing away from downstream. You hook the next doorjam--the gates blown open from inside--and swing yourself around inside.

Two Reploids and a human are scattered--in both senses--around what was once a maintenance accessway. A large floor-to-ceiling cleft has been hewn out from the figure standing in the middle. Behind him, you see that featureless visor again, making out the drab-colored body of its owner before it retreats again.

“Keep moving,” directs a voice you recognize.

The maverick in the middle raises his buster on you, but by now, you recognize the attack. You dive aside as another scything whirlwind streaks down the corridor behind you.

It’s Claxton.

He leaps backwards, and only vaguely presents the JLT profile you now recognize; stubbed wings and a changed paintjob have worked to disguise him. Nonetheless, jets flare to life at the small of his back--wings or no, he still has flight--and he retreats after the SIfer.

You lunge after, burning the dash and rounding the corner hot on his heels, too fast for his wind blade to cycle. His eyes widen as he saturates the hall with magnetic chaff--bad move--and you surge right on through, firing a close-range T. Shell just as he switches back to his buster and fires a spreading cone at point-blank.

It’s like he spiked a ball and it bounced back and hit him in the face. The shell detonates under the shotgun blast of plasma pellets, sending him tumbling back, shields flaring.

“Anode, seismic just went off.” Iris warns.

“Whe--”

“Everywhere,” she interjects. “And four identical signals, all across the arena. I think it’s Moloch.”

You barely juke past another wind blade, the air sucking at your footing as the axe of shrieking force passes by. You snap a Lockon up and punch a snap-shot in his side, then dive in with the lance as he adjusts. Only just too late--he weaves down, out of the arc of your blade.

So you continue your dash and knee him in the chin.

He slams into the ceiling first and the wall second, listing as something sparks on his left. The tunnel splits, and he jukes right, barely avoiding your chasing fire. Without his wings, he’s not half as nimble.

“Four IDENTICAL signals?” You ask.

“They must be spoofed. With that SIfer…”

You just make him out again, OPAL locking him in as he breaks opposite Claxton.

>Pursue D9D9.
>Pursue Claxton.
>Break off and make for the VIPs.

>>3380342
>Break off and make for the VIPs.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.
Dunno if we can take potshots at either if we don't follow them. Claxton's dead if he comes across any other combat Reploid in the building.

>>3380349
>Break off and make for the VIPs.
I feel like this is still a terrible decision, but at least we scored a little intel, and on paper, it's the best thing to do.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9
This is how shit went down in the Himilayas. The fucker messes with the signal, various groups give conflicting orders and then Saetos cleaned house. We have wires, we have lock on. Get him down and end him fast with something good.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.

He needs to go down.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.

They're expecting us to go to the VIPs and there are other assets on the field heading there in any case. Claxton's a waste of time. What are they really up to?

>>3380415
A cluster fuck. We have a lot of soldiers here and a lot of very important people each following their own orders and evac routes. 4 signals mean 4 points for those groups to either approach or avoid which means our forces are quartered and our VIPS and targets that much more open.
Moloch's weapons are ESPECIALLY good in buildings and underground if it creates a spike from local elements, and with everyone running about, he can just pick and choose who to kill. We need to organize, remove doubt, and get everyone coordinated. One Mav running rampant while everyone is conflicted is what we don't need.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.
GO. FAST.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.
CIA GO HOME REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Did someone say pursuit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAByWyvuu7s

File: Bird Up.jpg (85 KB, 1280x720)

85 KB JPG

>>3380676
FUCKING DAMNIT

>>3380342
>>Pursue D9D9.
Kneejerk hunch. Claxton is diminished and en route; so can at least put him lower priority and off to the side for the moment. Going to the VIP when we have a chance to clear out the thing already making that confusing seems less good.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.
This asshole just made the top of our shitlist. That said,
>four identical signals
I hope that big black box from earlier didn't actually clone Moloch from his own DNA somehow.

>>3381144
I think thats more D9D9. Sensor fuckery is his thing. My bet is that the Black Box is a teleporter. Just seems odd. How did they get in so fast? How did they get past so many eyes? We are not the only one with good sensors, so they likely had a means to slip in.
Course, if they are trying to go out that way, we could use it to fuck em up and pay them a home visit. Maybe save the hostages.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9.
It's a tactical move and gets us revenge!

>>3381144
I'd just assumed the box was whatever Moloch keeps throwing Reploid corpses into to get new VWES.

>>3380342
>Pursue D9D9

File: Ghostbusters.jpg (45 KB, 256x319)

45 KB JPG

>Pursue D9D9.

“SIfer in sight,” you comm. “Status?”

“Hutchins is midfield. VIPs still evacuating.”

“Claxton’s in here, heavy damage but he’s still got VWES.”

“Relaying.” Though you can hear the tension in her voice, you can also feel the laser focus on her task.

And you have yours.

D9D9, for how hellishly effective he’s been, is not a fighter. Not even equipped with a dash, he’s forced to run, run away, from you. Crackling with lightning that burns unpleasantly under your skin, you outstrip him effortlessly. Your lance bites deep into his side, lifting him clear off his feet and slinging him down the hall like a wet rag. He tumbles end-over-end, sliding up against the wall, slack.

You approach, buster up, listening warily for Claxton coming up behind you. The SIfer’s visor raises to meet eyes with those empty lights, still processing left-right left-right as if nothing were wrong.

Your comms crackle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OnVyXp-6aM

“Fringe?” A voice asks.

You pause, curious.

"Fringe? Shocklight? Shocklight, are you receiving?"

He… is he…?

Unblinking without eyes, the visor stays fixed on you.

"Gravitons? Why thank you for noticing," D9D9 doesn’t say.

He is. Your eyes narrow as you recognize the voice he’s borrowing. He changes to another.

Diamond laughs over the line. "Sounds about right. He keeps getting on my case about carrying sidearms, you know? They're not exactly aerodynamic, bro..."

“Real funny,” you growl.

"What about the other Reploids, can you see them?" Diamond asks.

You charge your busters.

“Kick his ass,” D9D9 parrots, the last thing you ever heard from a dead brother.

Your shots empty his chest. He falls silent, those little lights going dead.

Iris’s voice immediately floods your channels--he was isolating your signal. “Anode? Anode, the signals dropped! Only one left! He’s in the middle! Higurashi is moving to engage--”

You turn and burn.

By the time sunlight hits you again, the field is ablaze. Half of the pitch is askance, raised up in a slab from below, a great upheaval you neither heard nor felt.

The helicopter remains stuck to a slope, pierced through with the stake of tungsten, Hutchins darting behind it as a strange, shifting gyre seems to swell the air beneath you. Hikangeki raises a hand, pausing as the ground beneath him clatters and gives way.

Higurashi vanishes into a rift, plunging into the dark below. You rocket in after, launching off the top of the stands and skid to a stop just beside. You leap down after, vision swimming in a mix of warping space, upturned earth, and… electricity?

Iris’s warning shatters the moment of freefall. “Wait--!”

File: Graverend Moloch.png (418 KB, 642x642)

418 KB PNG

>>3382373
Beneath you, Higurashi’s reality-bending void immerses the dark of the tunnel, and then vanishes in a flash of crackling energy. The stoic officer makes a strangled cry as a ring bolts upright out of the soil, aglare, and binds him in concentric rings of lightning. An instant later, long talonlike spikes of stone jut out around the prison, enfolding him in an earthen prison.

From below, tunneling up through the ground, comes your quarry. Low, hunching, almost ponderous, with wide-set eyes ringed in a white bonelike mask of plating. Spikes ring his surfaces, the backs of his hands, arms, back, tail. Dark green protrusions extend the demonic figure further, rising up from his back, the tips of his mask, and the forks of his tail. It lashes back and forth as he wastes no worry, curling around the stone flower wreathed about Hikangeki Higurashi.

You raise your buster, but Hutchins’ fist meets your jaw first, sending you flying back up out of the tunnel and into the light above. He touches down, shaking out his hand and grinning wildly.

“I was hoping to see you again!” He jeers.

Somewhere below, Graverend Moloch is making off with his quarry.

>Act.

Showdown with a bird in fancy dress, eh?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEvxbJROGuQ

>>3382376
Check if Iris can track the seismic bullshit. Beyond that, I got nothing besides get past him in any way possible.

>>3382376
Literally suplex Hutchins into the dirt. We've got priorities here, and Hutchins is not a priority.

>>3382376
Today's a good day for unfinished business.

We can't just ignore Hutchins, and we can't afford him at our back.

What worked last time, and what tricks did Hutchins see and not see?

>>3382376
>>3382429
The one thing he really hasn't seen yet is the Misericorde. He also hasn't seen our flares. We could blind him then shiv him. Moloch seems pretty risky up close for the icy damage, and the flare seems handy in general.
If he isn't done, proceed down and use our wires as a trap. Trip lines, a garrot if he follows. Get Iris to work on seismic activity, Higurashi's signal, and maybe see if the Advance team can either follow from above or help track where the end of this tunnel could be. We need to cut him off at the pass.

>>3382429
Our most effective tricks were Shell Driver and the Blueshift. We haven't shown him the Misericorde, the throwing knives or the flare. We seemed to hold back on Mass Shriver, so he might not fully understand how hard Anode can hit.

We should remember he can magnetize us, so if we're going to try and bail, we need to watch out for that.

>>3382376
Deploy the flare, misericorde, pursue Moloch

Also, why do our S-Ranks always get taken out like chumps?

>>3382499
Yeah why couldn't it be the A-Ranks?

>>3382499
>Also, why do our S-Ranks always get taken out like chumps?
To demonstrate how much of a threat our latest threat is.

>>3382376
Do our best to cripple Hutchins. if we could take himout quick, go for it, buts its more important to make sure he cant catch up, and go after Moloch.
Try the flares, and maybe see if we can tag him in a leg with the Misericorde, probably during a kick. Kicks are strong, but you need to adjust your balance for them, he should have a tell.

>>3382499
Well, there are ways to demagnetize metal, and we are electric. Could mess with the polarity even and have him push us away, propelling us further.

I'm pretty sure he'll recognize the flare, given his fascination with toys, and will react accordingly. If we're going to use it on him, we need to pair it with something that can't be countered with a melee combo he can do while blind.

>>3382376
>Flare
>hibeam throwing ball
>Lance spray, followed by a good old Lance DashCharge
>Use your free hand to swap to Shriver misericorde
we need to hit his weakness and disable that magnet lock, STAT

>>3382520
We might as well demote them to Red Shirt fifth class at this rate.
>>3382376
This >>3382576

>>3382561
What if we make him punch himself in the face with his own magnets?

Just some speculation. The electric ring definitely leverages some magnetic property to get someone stuck in place, but...

Is it also the thing that disables shields? Can Hutchins do that to anyone he fights long enough?

File: Graverend Moloch mocks Anode.gif (1.34 MB, 800x533)

1.34 MB GIF

>>3382376
Disable the shit out of Hutchins and leave him for the cleanup crews, then full burn after Moloch. Iris ought to be able to assist tracking him with the signal-spoofer out of commission.

File: 0_1e34c83f-31a6-49d3-9897(...).jpg (40 KB, 500x500)

40 KB JPG

>>3383074
I kinda want to see if we can demagnetize his face from his face.

Might need to go easy on the juice, we're still achin' from the train.

>>3383403
Its why several of us are going with gear and our whammies. Some juice use is going to happen, especially with Moloch's no fun spikes. Same with the jet pack.

So the "big score" was them grabbing an S-rank all along, most likely to infect. Wonderful.

Anode's strength comes from Sabamole. Would it let him literally punch through the stone part of the bindings? Or is that not how things work?

>>3384225
Maybe not infect, but to take that rediculous ability of his. Moloch seems pretty slow, but his attacks are fatal. Imagine a teleporting bastard who can hit through shields, capture, and use the earth as a defense? Would be a nightmare to deal with.
Still, it makes sense. They capture a bunch of hunters alive and then get their weapons. Of course a S rank would be good.

>>3384225
The strength is less an effect of Sabomole and more that the tech he had been infected with happened to be very useful. Doesn't have anything to do with digging, sorry bud. Could still theoretically break the stone bonds though.

>>3384361
Well, that and our shells. A Mass Shriver Shell Driver is pretty damn destructive. Could easily crush rocks and boulders. Likewise, we could use our lock on hunter, calibrate it right to penetrate the rock then try and disable the rings. We have options.

>>3384419
If we get Voidflinger Weeaboo open and free thats a 2v1 vs Moloch when it happens.

>>3384612
Possibly, or he could use that teleporty trick to get us out of the tunnels and into a better arena for us. Either case, best to have Advance to follow the signal with Iris' help and anyone else. If we can track where the end of the tunnel is, we likely have Moloch's base and black box.

File: bloods and crips square off.jpg (614 KB, 1600x469)

614 KB JPG

>>3382408
>>3382412
>>3382499
>>3382558
>>3382576
>>3383074
You don’t have time to play with this clown.

You dash straight in from a crouch, leading the way with a salvo of buster shots. He slings one of his energy waves upward, nulling them all out, and leaping to clear it with a flying kick, aiming to shear you down between one or the other.

Rather than leap into the jaws, you plunge a coil straight down at your feet and sling yourself back the way you came. The line shears clean from the sweeping blue wave, but you’ve leapt back, buying yourself the time to draw your lance, engage Shriver, and meet Hutchins head-on.

He’s not expecting the force of your strike--as the null-crescent passes beneath, he rebounds back the way he came, hard and fast. You don’t waste time making for Moloch’s escape route again.

The light from above flares green as he barrels back in after you, slamming you back down into the earth as your shields flare, the Pullu cell still cycling from his opening strike. You roll aside as he smashes through the floor with his heel, and tag him in the side with your buster, half-charged.

“Did you really think it’d be that easy?!” He howls gleefully, batting your follow-up shot aside with the back of his hand and surging towards you again, knee leading.

Your turn for the air-boost as you engage your jump jets, blue glare filling the pit as you blueshift into and through him, slamming him back into the far side. It cracks and gives, the tremor kicking up stones and breaking apart the battered turf even further. Above you, a table lists into the widening entryway and tumbles in with a scatter of papers and datapads. He grabs your arms, and you respond with a painful surge of lightning through your capacitors, stunning him long enough for you to hurl him back up whence you came. He’s already righting himself midair, but you expected that, leaping up after him.

On your way back topside, your hand wraps around that tungsten pole speared into the helicopter, slowly turning your way from the buckling slope it’s pinned to. Two things about tungsten: It’s very sturdy, and it’s very conductive.

Hutchins is coiling to spring when you engage your Shrivers, uprooting the stake and the helicopter and a chunk of the astroturf in one, wheel it around the side, and smash him into the backstop with a helicopter on a stick.

There’s a moment of silence as you ready your misericorde--next time he lunges, you’re taking his leg off at the knee--before his fist slams into the copter from beneath, the fuselage trembling with an audible clang.

“Need some interference, Iris,” you comm, looking back at the hole.

“On it,” she replies. “Two friendlies taking the field.”

Sure enough, down come a pair of figures--one marked in US military paintwork, the other Canadian, slashes of camouflage and a crimson headband on the one, a flat tan cap and deeper, more subdued reds on the other.

File: Magma Dragoon rejects tel(...).gif (1.89 MB, 480x360)

1.89 MB GIF

>>3385114
“We have this, Captain,” says the American. The Canadian nods quietly.

“Be careful,” you call over your shoulder, heading back to the pit, “he’s good.”

They nod to you and then to each other, readying up as the helicopter buckles outward, gleeful, howling laughter just audible behind it.

You leap back in and take off at a dash, trying to make up for lost time. “Can our air cover do anything, Iris?”

“Negative,” she replies tersely. “He’s still engaged. I’m not sure how, he’s up at--”

“Focus,” you tell her. “The SIfer’s down and I need a sitrep.”

“Copy,” she replies, you’re very sure squashing an apology. “Evacuations going as planned, once they’ve cleared the arena no one is reporting further hostiles. Casualties…” She hesitates, trying to remain on-task. “American security reports ‘within expectations.’”

Christ, this tunnel is long. “Any inkling how this happened?”

“We found a SP0C dead in a utility room,” she reports grimly.

You can do the math.

You barrel through, opting to conserve the rest of your charge (and still a bit itchy from the full-body flare to throw Hutchins), the tunnel turning downward and transitioning from earth to stone.

Light begins to greet you as, of all things, you emerge out into the undercity--dim but still under an open sky, beneath the tree-trunk bridge pylons and ribbons of overpass.

Ahead, two figures scramble--one into the cab of a truck, and the other with the back door.

Claxton scrambles into the driver’s seat as Moloch slams the door shut, Higurashi vanishing once more as the latch closes home. “Wait!” Moloch barks. “Axe him!”

“I’m out!” Claxton calls back, disbelief bleeding through from the tension.

Moloch roars in frustration and slams his fist into the door. “Fine, then! “Go!”

You raise your busters, but a wall of stone spikes raises up and denies you the shot, the transport’s wheels screaming away from behind it.

Fortunately for you, OPAL works fast. You wordlessly ping Iris with a still of the license number, make, color, everything you could catch in an eyeblink, and spring back as another wall of earthen blades jut through the ground beneath you. Moloch lurks behind the earthen wall, unseen, and the ground is rumbling from every corner.

>Go.

>>3385119
Hookay, this is a zoning battle and its a good thing we have our anti moloch weapons. Use a Shell Driver to blast the wall and Wires are to be used liberally to keep ourselves off the ground and to help us maneuver. If his attacks are earth based, then we need to get him off the ground... which can work with our Shell Driver, Mass Shriver combo, and wires.
Lock on Hunters can also allow us to take quick shots just before he gets the walls up.
Use our jumpjets as a get out of dodge option for his super, and use that zoning Em told us about. Swing with our lance and threaten him with one of our punches if he tries to get close.
He may use his tail for various attacks. Both as set up or as a flail.
We still have that flare and our throwing weapons too along with the miseriecord.

So, for the sake of keeping up the theme,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb6DADk2oxQ

>>3385199
...but since I do love me some proper MMX music,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHUZTGDNzHQ

>>3385119
We're definitely punching him into the sky. Given how his attacks require pinpointing enemy precision, Flares could be good against him too.

Lasers will force him to block, which in turn reduces what he can throw at us. Wires could easily put us into trouble, given how he can just earthshape whatever the wires connect to and mess up the rope tension. If we manage to coil Moloch himself, though, we can engage max pull. Him cutting the wire could easily send the whiplash back on himself, unless he like giving himself close range earthspike shaves.

If we can' I'd like to plug the misericorde into his back or tail. Less damage, more disarm.

>>3385280
Mmm, my one concern is Moloch has tremor sense. Being able to feel the ground and all that. Its why that wall hinders us, but not him. A high penetration lock on hunter might be able to go through the wall as well, but we'd need to know where he is.
I agree with cutting off the tail and back head/nub/thing. Not so much with the wires. The thing is we have a lot of wires on hand. We can keep cycling and 'wasting' wires to prevent him from properly dislodging us. After all, I don't think he can shift the earth and move at the same time. Making a lot of taps would make predicting where we are, land or air, difficult.

>>3385119
Dash over/through the wall, then get up higher. Use the wires to hook onto the buildings and spiderman our way to the truck, then shell driver the truck.

>>3385397
No trying to touch the wall made by the earth specialist. Thats sounds like a bad idea. Sides, we have the Advance team on their tail. Claxton is likely a worse driver than Crewd, and they lack the harrassing potential they had before. We also have the VPD and other forces watching them.
Right now we get Moloch and trust our friends and allies. Also, our shell drivers should be enough to destroy the wall itself, exposing Moloch.

>>3385325
I'm just concerned about situations where we need to coil to juke out of something, only to notice that the coil remains slack for way too long and we get smacked.

>>3385431
Its why we keep our jet pack in reserve. Rather than use it for attacks, it could save us from such a oops, and the moment it happens, we will know enough to prevent it from happening again.
In either case, best to consider the floor is lava and the lest contact the better. Remember, we are LOUD and while Moloch can likely detect us while we can't see him through the wall.

>>3385119
Ground's rumbling? Get off it. Don't worry about the truck. See what extra eyes you can get on yourself in case he goes Drill Man in a place out of sight.

If he pulls the ring trap on us, don't try to top off the capacitor with it.

>>3385325
cut tail, get sword?

>>3385779
Well, if we beat him, maybe we can use his data for a whip head? I remember there being methods of buying a means to make specialized heads for the wire. Perhaps we could make a harpoon for when we face tanker?

Also, few side notes: Considering its Claxon driving, either Crewd is dead from being too stupid to live, or he's piloting the thing in the sky thats bugging our butterfly friend. We also have 4 shells remaining, I think. Should be enough to deny him walls, send him flying, and hit him from a distance.

>>3385803
Eh, nvm. Molochs not a dragon. Wouldn't work.

>>3385779
This ain't dark souls

>>3385196
Annnd I just realized something important. Sabomole's claws are designed to tunnel and bust through rocks using his tech and a bomb. If we want to take it down, I think we will need to punch the wall and Moloch with the shriver driver.
Good news though, from what Claxon showed us, trying to hit the Shriver Driver is a bad idea. Might give us an edge.
It would also put the weakness order something like this: Sabomole is weak to Chaff, Moloch is weak to Sabomole breaking his rocks, Mortarphant doesn't take too well to armor piercing attacks. At the very least we'd be hitting him with two possible weaknesses with this.

>>3385803
Moloch whip head? possibly. A charged variant that fires faster and grips faster. On contact, it shapes the metal of the target's own armor into a vice grip, possibly tearing the whole chunk off if you pull hard enough.

>>3385119
Well if nothing else, at least we've ensured that Claxton will have nightmares about this mission.

Use cables to get elevation and stay mobile. Keep at range until we get an idea what VWES he's packing.

>>3386160
Why do you keep talking about sabomole's claws? The Shriver isn't a mole-themed upgrade, it was just 'hey some tech in here would let you hook your capacitor into something'

>>3385119
High combat rank+weissritter membership = Higgy is presumably significantly more durable than the truck carrying him.
>If any of our air cover can break off, call in an airstrike on the truck
There's a chance he took damage from Moloch while we weren't looking, but that would have to be a lot for this to put him in danger. (Assuming standard transport truck not filled to the brim with explosives, which they wasted on the skyloop anyway)

>>3386325
because figuring out how weaknesses work tells us how many shots we have. If we can simply Shriver punch through the wall, we can save shells to bring down Moloch. And while its not the same, the methods for how he demolished the rocks were similar. We just have less claw and more boom.
Also realized the shell mentioned with Clazon was a tumult instead of a shell driver.

File: flaming.png (802 KB, 934x892)

802 KB PNG

>>3385119
You don’t wait, leaping and snagging an overpass with a coil.

Beneath you, the ground erupts.

You watch Claxton’s truck vanish as the highway above it buckles and gives, collapsing with a tremor that runs through your arm. Breaking off the cable, you wrap your arm around it and switch off to Shell Driver, sighting on and charging up. All around, spikes tunnel through the earth, caging spires and brutalist palisades.

You sight on to Moloch’s original wall and release the shell, flying in a flat, high-velocity arc, and detonating it at its core.

“Wh--” Moloch balks from behind it, the center blown out and exposing the lizard to the light of day. He yowls in pain as you tag him with a Lockon Hunter. Shields strobing, he glares up at you and raises his arms.

The side of the overpass beside you begins to groan. An instant later, a reaping plume of metal flakes and concrete dust plunges out, shearing through your line. You fall as he barks a laugh, gesturing down at the rapidly-encroaching ground with one hand. You see the earth begin to part as a spire claws its way out through it.

You’re not having any of it, twisting around and planting another coil right next to Moloch’s head, feel it go taut, and yank yourself away from the spike aimed to punch up through you.

He takes a step back, reaching for something that springs alight in his hand. “Hell’s--”

You engage your jumpjets and barrel into-and-through the hole you carved in his wall, slamming into him chest-first and driving him through the back of the rubble behind him. The coalescing line of flame in his hand abruptly rockets skywards with what can only be described as an oddly cheerful ‘fweee!’ He’s weighty, but it feels hollow, arresting your motion as he streaks back and slams against a fallen car. You touch down with him, you on your feet, him on his ass.

He looks up at you with an unhappy groan, the last pulse of his shield dimming away. “You...you wanna go?! Fine! Fine, let’s go!” He fairly well hurls himself to his feet, tail thrashing violently.

You shoot him in the chest with a Shell Driver.

He stumbles back over the rubble, clutching his chest with an undignified “Ghkk--” noise. You see thrashing purple threads of metal lash through the air where he fell.

Then you hear footsteps. Retreating footsteps.

He’s actually running from you.

You break into a dash after him, leaping off the mound of highway rubble and pouncing from above.

He turns and makes a broad overhead slamming motion, and with it comes a crushing pulse of weight from above, slamming you into the earth on your hands and knees. Your Pullu cell rolls over, but holds, a 5 meter radius around Moloch compressed down a full four feet into the earth. It passes quickly, but he’s taken off again.

>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.
>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.

>>3387616
>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.
We have 2 air dashes, he's only seen 1.

Also, if we T.Coil forwards with the right timing, we can pendulum swing and convert the gravity press into forward velocity.

>>3387616
>>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.
Stay off the ground. At least Shell Driver seems to be doing a number on him. Keep up the pressure.

>>3387616
>Mantle rubble.

>He turns and makes a broad overhead slamming motion, and with it comes a crushing pulse of weight from above, slamming you into the earth on your hands and knees. Your Pullu cell rolls over, but holds, a 5 meter radius around Moloch compressed down a full four feet into the earth. It passes quickly, but he’s taken off again.

...Interesting. What is that, some kind of gravitic effect? Might not be a good idea to get too close to him.

>>3387675
it's a gravity VWES. He can't do it forever, evidenced by him just running.

>>3387616
>>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.
The guy has options it seems, but it looks like the shell driver is his weakness. Let the jet pack rest up, get some charge on the ground for more punches.
Spikes from the sky isn't a problem. We can likely shoot them or toss something at him. What we want is to slow him down, prevent him from getting to a good spot for his tricks and apply constant pressure. Hell, it seems whenever he attacks, he has to stop for his earth moves. Which means we get closer for another shriver driver.

>>3387616
>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.

The fact that our newer maverick nickname is cooler than our actual name must be avenged appropriately

>>3387795
We can still use our wire on the ground. The junk over head can allow us to swing, it just means a chance of spikes in exchange for better mobility and flanking. If we play smart, we could avoid the spikes. Maybe throw junk in the way of it? Shoot with tumult shells and lemons as we run? I want to prevent him from getting into a tunnel or a tight place.
Though, we could always smash through the stone if need be.

>>3387683
Hm.

So if the firework is one VWES entity, and the purple threads are another, and this is one too... Does that mean he's got a 4-slot?

>>3387616
>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.

Seems like he has the means to bring down pesky fliers and shred tension coils anyway, so I doubt going high would do much more than draw the fight out.

I wonder if that's how Moloch convinced so many fliers to work for him? It wouldn't be hard to bully them around with the 1-2 punch of grounding them and then hitting them with the... ground. If they got uppity.

Oh, and maybe be careful of the funny Flare weapon. From the Baccarat thread:
>His armor is cut in sleek, low-profile lines, cast in dark hues--no wonder no one found him down here. The smooth lines are broken up by the telltale scarring of repeated plasma impacts, but no sign of shield failure. Gently raising his head, you’re taken aback momentarily by absence. His midsection is just gone, cored out, with only what looks like pooling, cooled solder filling his emptied chest cavity.
Unless it was someone other than Moloch or I completely misinterpreted the molten hole in Baccarat's chest, the Fwee Gun seems to be the likeliest candidate for the shield-penetrating thing that ate through him.

>>3387616
>>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.

>>3387616
>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.

Moloch, you're mine.

>>3387616
>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.
He's seen the coils, he doesn't have Raikousen's timing yet.

>>3387683
It's interesting that he didn't try to follow up with an earth spike after pinning Anode to the ground, wonder if he can't attack while maintaining it?

>>3388018
If anyone in his gang was going to have a 4-slot, it'd be him. Probably should figure out what his remaining weapon is before offering him a chance to surrender. Maybe the lightning rings that froze Higurashi?

>>3387616
>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.

>>3388243
>>3388069
I'm still thinking it was Hutchins that disables shields.

>>3388243
Moloch seems too into the Maverick life to be the sort to surrender, though.

>>3388243
VWES moves always seem the sort that if you don't put money into them or they don't synergize right, trying to combo them is tough. The gravity hit was pushing everything down, even the dirt. Would make raising it tougher.
Really, its hard to tell how much intel they have on Anode. Hutchins called us the blue guy, so they don't know about Live Wire, our attacks have been a mix of electricity, fire, explosions, lasers, wires, barriers, and strong melee. Not to mention Raschen was shocked when his huge electro laser powered us up.
Too mobile for a big style fighter, too much punch for a small style. If this were Maverick Quest, we would be Moloch's Solstrike Saetos.

File: Gave him the shocker.jpg (81 KB, 700x700)

81 KB JPG

>>3387616

File: I will be so freaking nettled.png (123 KB, 350x263)

123 KB PNG

>>3387616
I can't help but picture this scene right about the time of the second Shell Driver...

File: Graverend Moloch surrenders.jpg (95 KB, 358x568)

95 KB JPG

>>3387616
>Mantle rubble. Better mobility, but he could rain spikes.

Could. But he seems frustrated and therefore less liable to hit well.

Mostly I don't like that "less control" in the other option.

>>3387616
>Go high with coils. Less control, but less obstacles.
Tough choice, but I think it lets us exploit our speed advantage better. Moloch can carve out his own paths, but we can catch up to him before that happens.

>>3388069
Iris' analysis implied the hole was made by Moloch's main weapon

File: All of his hate.jpg (9 KB, 207x243)

9 KB JPG

This goddamn Maverick Hunter asshole... who does he think he's dealing with? You are Graverend Moloch, dammit, you've been tearing up Vancouver all week.

And now this speedy hard-hitting bastard has had the gall to blast you halfway across town with an explosive shell.

You debate just turning tail and running - you got what you came for and he can't keep blowing up your barriers forever. Your natural inclination definitely favors taking a powder.

But he's just got such a punchable face.

> Try Hell's Javelin again, he'll never see it coming
> Go for the Graviton Hammer, it can't miss probably
> Fling another Grave Cutter to shear his wires
> Grab him and spike him
> Actually you know what, what you could do is -

And then he leaps out and punches you right in the face

> Nope out immediately

>>3389783
In response to >>3388879

>>3389783
>>3389796
CAN'T BE THE BEST WITHOUT FIST!

>>3388879
Speaking of Saetos, I just realized what the WORST possible outcome of all of this would be!

File: angsty teen HC writes Emerald.png (25 KB, 525x550)

25 KB PNG

Right, mantle the rubble takes it. Working on that now.

Also, in other news, I'm shooting for two concurrent threads for April Fools, one regular story, one joke thread.

Who feels like revisiting everyone's favorite edgy Original the Character? With illegal amounts of alcohol involved?

>>3390053
An iX chapter!?

>>3390053
Gimme dat Dammahnation Blues.

>>3390053
honestly HC

Let's focus on the main story, yeah? At least until this Op is over.

>>3390053
Yes. Yes I am.

>>3390086
pretty sure this op is reaching the end. Not sure how much life Moloch has, but I don't think he's walking away from this.
Sides, good cheer is nice to have and I am still cracking up at Hell's Fwee.

File: X provides mechaniloid support.jpg (174 KB, 731x932)

174 KB JPG

>>3390086
>>3390119
It very much is. My actual goal is to have the mission wrapped up by the 31st. I'm hoping to get multiple posts in tomorrow to help bring it home.

File: uh oh.png (621 KB, 559x612)

621 KB PNG

>>3387675
>>3387687
>>3388069
>>3388212
>>3388243
>>3388281
>>3389678
Oh no you don’t, you thorny son of a bitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dckSRGDwNlg

You vault the cover, slide across, and touch down already boosting, narrowly clearing a falling stalactite coalesced out of the freeway above.

Moloch doesn’t seem to be taking the time to aim, glancing furtively back at you over hunched shoulders as he wildly gestures, the clumsy sprint-and-wave looking like nothing so much as a particularly staggered reel.

“Iris, what’s our status?” You comm back as you move. “Can Papillon get a shot?”

“Negative, they’re taking roads on the lowest levels,” she reports. “I’m petitioning to lift comms blackout, interdiction will stay in place--”

You cut the dash to juke around a high spike, then long-jump to clear a long gauntlet of little ones. With a frustrated growl, he clamps his arms together like mashing teeth, and a cascade of spikes, some three meters large, fall and rise, crashing through listing pylons and turning straight sections of road into Philly winters.

This time, as the wall builds, you draw your lance and hack straight across it, arms crackling with Shriver force. The whole thing parts clean, a long, flat surface for you to plant a boot on and lunge.

“Aha!” he shouts, casting an axeblade of rebar into your arc--you see it coming a mile away with his stupid little gestures. OPAL chimes trace his arm motions to the seismic faults he’s opening, dotting your vision with little red radials, snagging a free section of roof and swinging on a coil, up and away.

Pulled high, he stops on a particularly uphill chunk of road, stumbling on uneven feet. His shoulder hatches pop open and wink alight, OPAL kicking up another warning about target acquisition. A laser sweeps the underpass, scanning for you.

You release your coil at top speed, coming down and breaking the laser tripwire as you fall. Unfortunately for Moloch, he can’t not telegraph, and you briefly enjoy being on the other side of a no-sold Lockon Hunter as your pre-fired T. Shell blocks his shoulder lasers. Good thing, too--those beams are blinding bright and five or six times wider than the signal designator. You continue to plummet straight for him as you hear the shell shatter overhead, quickly overloaded to bursting from the constant beams. Moloch’s dull eyes widen as your boots come down right for him, his mottled purple plates swimming and taking on new shapes.

Your spar with Em pays dividends once again as you bring a Tumult Shell down with your fist. Nowhere near the uncatchable little shit, the blast spikes him down to the ground and back up, and you wind up with your Shriver and punch.

File: uh.png (260 KB, 374x328)

260 KB PNG

>>3390444
Moloch flies back, a dent popping out of his chestplate as it reforms, trailing hooks and barbs that were a second too late to fold in around you. He lands on his feet, stumbling back four steps to keep them beneath him. You lunge in, lance up, and slash.

“It isn’t fair!” He roars. There’s fear in his eyes, but he reacts swiftly for a change, batting your lance aside with the reinforced, spiked armor bracer on his right arm. He comes back with a straight punch, claws poised to core out your middle. You reverse and smash the back of his hand with the pommel, driving the punch off course, across your chest in a shallow nick that claims only paint. He steps in and throws an elbow, hitting you in the side of the head--giving you that much more torsion and strength when you twohand your lance back down and smash him off of you with a wide diagonal cut, shoulder to hip.

He skids away, and you sight on with a Lockon Hunter and bore it into his neck as he tumbles. Planting hands, heels, knees, and even splitting open his midsection into a hundred tines, he digs into the ground to drag himself to a halt, just managing it when you surge in on crackling heels and knee him in the fucking face, cracking that mask and lifting him off his feet.

“Not fair? Not fair?” you ask, incredulous.

”Why do you have so many guys?!” He whines, sheltering from a plasma barrage beneath another stalactite drop. “Hutchins! Ivan! Where are y--”

He howls in pain as you nail him again, a Lockon punching straight through his cover and into his abused stomach. “Two for flinching.”

“No…”

You leap atop the spike and kick off it, your dash thrust biting a chunk off the side. He scrambles away, blindly thrashing another earthen blade at you, poorly aimed and soaring beneath you, slicing through a half dozen more spikes on its way by. Somehow, this--this cowardice, after he’s hurt so many and done so much… it’s the most infuriating thing this mission has thrown at you.

“You’re just a bully, aren’t you, Moloch?” You say, disgusted. “You’re a thug. You’re just a big fucking thug.”

“Shut up!” He snarls. “Shut the fuck up!”

He slams his hands down, warding you off with another gravitic slam. Then another, like a bawling baby throwing a tantrum. You’re forced to break to the side as another cascade of spikes erupts, gnashing wherever he flails.

“I’LL KILL YOU!” He roars. “I’LL WIN! I ALWAYS WIN!”

He’s blocked from sight once again, and this time, you feel a lurch as the entire, mutilated underpass breaks down. You fall, Moloch falls, and for a moment, in a rain of rubble, the sun goes out.

Lights wink in and out from threadbare copper, industrial lights and corroded pipework your introduction to the deepest, darkest bowels of Vancouver.

File: NOW YOU FUCKED UP.jpg (114 KB, 500x502)

114 KB JPG

>>3390455
Moloch is already in flight by the time you land, flinging a building aircon box at you to cover his retreat. It smashes off your shoulder, narrowly spoiling your aim as you try to snag his ass with a Coil. He smashes through metal and hurls it behind him as he breaks away. “Almost…” echoes down the corridor, ringing off every pipe and overhang. “Almost…! Not now--!”

Finally, the rocks stop falling and the ground stops heaving, and you’re able to chase after him. The gloom yawns ahead, and though you hear his frantic clanging and scratching, you’ve lost sight of the bastard. OPAL pierces the gloom, seeking any sign of him--and there, a trail. You take a moment to collect yourself before you resume the hunt.

>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.
>You get one--one--chance to live. Surrender.

>>3390461
>You get one--one--chance to live. Surrender.

We need to find out where the researchers are, we need to find out where they're taking Higurashi, we need to find out what that black box is, and we need to learn about the red bastard. Moloch's a fuckin' idiot and probably a puppet (there's no way so many intelligent operatives put their trust in him), and it would be great to just end him, but if there's a chance he knows any of that stuff, we have to take it.

>>3390461
>>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.
Ahah, no. No last minute chances for him. No possibility of stabbing us. This guy has proven to be petty and dangerous in every sense of the word. We have the city on lockdown and others on Claxon's tail. We can rescue them without moloch. No more risks.

File: Xhangover.png (65 KB, 512x262)

65 KB PNG

>>3390444
Also, in case it wasn't clear, I meant Shell Driver, not Tumult Shell here.

File: Graverend Moloch sees wha(...).jpg (156 KB, 900x600)

156 KB JPG

>>3390461
>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

Assets get to surrender. Thugs get put down.

Also, I really enjoyed the "boss chase" sequence with that music.

>>3390461
>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.
He can earthshape. We do NOT have a means to disable that infield, while everyone else is still fighting. He is going to run the first chance he gets, and hes not going to stop because he cant even comprehend consequences.

>>3390461
>You get one--one--chance to live. Surrender.

>>3390461
>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.
>Moloch being this much of a bitch
Actually a pretty hilarious fight

>>3390461
>You get one--one--chance to live. Surrender.

He's not going to do it, but we have a code, god damn it. If he refuses, cut him off mid-refusal.

File: Someone is not going to w(...).jpg (12 KB, 259x194)

12 KB JPG

>>3390455
...well I suppose this is apt right about now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn_eRpC9PxQ

>>3390560
A code is one thing, but we did not apply it to the likes of Mortarphant. There was no changing her. She would be a danger to everyone. Moloch? Moloch is worse. Mortarphant had madness as an excuse, but the only thing Moloch cares about is winning. Doesn't matter who suffers, like that scientist's family or his own crew. If we have him lead us to them, he'd likely kill them to win one last time.
He is the very thing Tanker warned about in Skipjack's stage. I am all for accepting surrender.. but Moloch? I don't want to give Tanker the chance to be right and have him be the one to take more lives.

>>3390461
>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

Fuck this guy, he doesn't get another chance to fuck us in the ass.

>>3390560
>>3390585
Well, when you put it like that... We would feel pretty goddamn bad if he took the chance to kill someone. Alright. I'll change my vote to the immensely more satisfying option. You've twisted my arm.

>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

File: Sonic the Monster Hunter.jpg (97 KB, 850x676)

97 KB JPG

>>3390570
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMJ-3NDuLhc

Fourth Fleet hunter Anode takes on Nergigante.

>>3390461

>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

File: thequickanddead.png (200 KB, 930x889)

200 KB PNG

Although it's a moot point, I'm changing my vote to finishing him off. Time spent trying to deal with his chicanery probably outweighs any usefulness he has.

>>3390461
>>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

File: DpuaARjW0AEyG6j.jpg (33 KB, 560x418)

33 KB JPG

>>3390461
>You've got 4 VWES weapons on you.
>There's at least 6 unique weapons THAT I KNOW OF equipped on your lackeys, and another that you turned into a gun.
>Two of my teammates have had friends go MIA in the area. I found one of them on the first day of my visit.
>That's thirteen Reploids that your club's killed to make yourselves better at killing. This is the response that gets you. THIS is why we brought so many guys. And why you should have made an effort to keep your own alive.

>And thanks for that gun. (cue the Bravely Broken, if they're in position with the Culverin)
>You go after Claxton

File: HowIsHeEvenDrivingThat.png (1.46 MB, 846x1069)

1.46 MB PNG

>>3390585
A part of me pities Moloch: he was built by crazy/evil robots to knockdown buildings and kill people, and he turned out to be really good at it, so now he has to die. Raschen and Cherie both turned against humanity for one reason or another, but Moloch was born on the other side. Did he ever make a choice to be a Maverick? Did he ever try to resist like Conda and get reprogrammed, or did he blindly just do what he was born to do? Moloch's only been active as a Maverick for a few months, is Anode fighting a pathetic bully or the equivalent of a Reploid Child Soldier? Is Molcoh's cavalier attitude towards killing his own men encouraged by his masters? A side effect of being made as a machine for slaughter? Or is just a part of who he is?

tldr; I should have probably felt a lot more conflicted about beating the crap out of Wire Sponge in X2

>>3391374
Anon there is a thing called responsibility, if you are in charge of a group of people on a mission and they die due too dumb shit on your part, that's on you. If your going to go too war and treat it like a game, that is immensely irresponsible and consequences should be had, especially if many lives are lost due too your personal fuck ups without any attempt what so ever too make amends. Someone equated us to being molach's saetos and there is a massive difference, anode tried to make amends at the many lives lost in order to take him down on the mission, molach's is running away from the problem for losing all his men and only doing it for his complexes. There is a reason there are good sides and bad sides anon.

File: iam-faster-than-sonic-i-a(...).png (148 KB, 500x527)

148 KB PNG

>>3391374
First thought.

>>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

In a scenario where many could die if he gets away, we can't extend mercy. If he's still alive but disabled at our feet, THEN we can ask, not before.

>>3390461
>>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

>>3390461
>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

>>3390560
Supporting.
He just might say yes. But for me it's less about a live capture; and more the massive intel drop and the box that goes with it at full information.
Yeah it might go sideways and he might renege but the bonus chance seems worth the shot.
Like... who told him about the event? What were his confirmed targets? What loose ends can we close? Any new VWES tech to confiscate? Etc.

>>3390461
>Two for flinching.

Guy's been tearing apart a city for kicks, he's not going to get mercy even if we bring him in alive. I feel for Wren and Mortarphant, and wish we could have there, but we were told we lacked the resources to effect live capture then. I feel it would be true here too.

File: Spoiler Image (933 KB, 1300x1300)

933 KB PNG

>I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.

You advance deeper in, shadows tall and slender spires beneath each pipe and duct. Pieces and parts litter Moloch’s trail, shoved aside, claw-marks and dents telling of a hasty path smashed through them. The formless, angular guts of the undercity find structure in another downward slope. Caged lights buzz like flies, the scant light the unhealthy pall of old halogen bulbs in a place that progress forgot.

Ahead, you see the of Moloch’s tail slither around the corner, just ahead. You burn it around the corner on a streak of lightning, charge hitting top as you round the bend. You snap your shot out the instant you clear the wall.

“I said two for flinching, you son of a bitch.”

The shot splashes across his shoulder, shields flashing bright and then dimming back into the gloom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDhhT5_4gIk

“Yes,” Moloch says, turning. “I heard you.”

The ground trembles.

You leap back as a spike crashes up at a forty-five degree angle, aiming to pierce through your chest. You raise your busters warily, as Moloch takes a step forward.

“So,” he says lightly, planting a foot on the spike, the tip crumbling off and falling to earth. “What happens now?”

You shoot.

He moves.

The earth rips open again as you spring aside, no warning, no flailing, and the shaking does not cease. Lashing barbs of steel and stone hack at your heels, keeping you on the defense. The spikes rise in a steady drumbeat cadence, one, two, three, walling you apart once again. Silence and stillness slowly return, line of sight to the lizard broken.

Then a flaming spear pierces through the earthen fort, punching into your shoulder.

The wall shatters from the other side, raining you in stone as he leaps straight through it, claws poised.

>

File: Party time.jpg (14 KB, 256x197)

14 KB JPG

>>3392398

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3BTZDQEPn4

File: shield tech.jpg (164 KB, 1110x565)

164 KB JPG

>>3392398

... Something's up and I don't like it.

Go on hard defensive, see what his game is now.

>>3392398
Oh, so he's got X armor.That's not good. Although it does explain some things.

>Break his chest plate with the Misericorde.

>>3392515
>>
We used it on Hutchins. It might still be recharging.

>>3392398
We need to get off the ground and reposition. He planned for us to be here.

>>3392398
That's more like it.
>On the defensive with the lance. Capacitor charge should be high now

>>3392398
Hunter_Command_> 21 coils, 6 tumults, 3 lockons, 3 shell drivers.
..Mother fucker had a false head. A second brain.
In either case, this is likely the one we need to be concerned about. Do NOT try to rush in! Use our Shell driver. If he tries to come at us with his claws, use it and jetpack to buy us distance. This will be a zoning battle. Use false lines, fake outs, and our gear to get at him.
His eyes are unprotected, so use the flare. Could have it buy us some more time.
Assume he knows the tricks we did on him. Be mindful of zoning, and DO NOT USE OUR CAPACITOR DIRECTLY ON HIM! He's very likely grounded and will soak that up. Shriver if we must, but don't bloody melee him! Try a Shell driver.

>>3392398
This >>3392645

>>3392645
"Maverick Project." A reploid with dual personalities, for different situations. I wondered how a cowardly brute would command the loyalty of someone like Hutchins, I guess I have my answer.

>>3392398
Anyway, adding support to this analysis.

>>3392645
Some secondary thoughts to consider. Our throwing knives will be handy at mixing things up as well if we need something to distract or maybe even cut something of our own.
As for the armor, I realized something as we fought him. Whenever we stab, or cut or crack his armor, it moves about and starts to repair. It was even used to attack. For all intents and purposes, assume the armor itself is self repairing. HOWEVER, that does not mean penetration is the only means to deal with the horny lizard. His belly has taken a lot of abuse, the systems are likely taking good damage. If we treat that armor like a knight's, blunt force damage is just as effective, maybe more if we have the metal cave in and jab his belly.
The miseriecord is still a option, but it should be used in conjunction with such things.

>>3392630
>>3392645

Backing defensive maneuvers and flare. Appraise Iris of the situation, if we can reach her signal.

>>3392398
>Fight defensively
Stay alert and don't take unnecessary risks, we've given him terrain advantage letting him get underground
Ah good the shadowruns I was feeling about how well this fight was going were justified

He's got more fight in him, excellent, we wouldn't want to let him die quickly would we
Can't be the best by beating up weaklings

>>3392398
I want to doublecheck if he still has his chest damage. Juuuuust to make sure this is a second personality and not, like, an entire second "Graverend Moloch" that we're fighting.

>Lance Spray. Just a bit, to lure any grounding technique out into the open, then pay him back with a non-electric attack for his trouble.
>Assume he DOES have that seismic sensor, and Flare will be of limited effectiveness
>If we coil him, detach immediately. Use the slack to make the coils as awkward to cut as possible
Yeah, I think it IS time to throw Pence and wear him down fakeouts of buster and shell driver.

Just be careful of the gravity slam being done in a significantly more effective combo.

>>3392398
>>
Defense and trashtalk. His style has changed but gotta figure out his new 'tude, too.

>>3392398
>>3392645

This! Play it cautious, play it defensive, do NOT underestimate him

File: shitjustgotrekkouha.jpg (105 KB, 537x800)

105 KB JPG

>>3392398
You grimace as the flaming javelin gutters out, sputtering out into molten droplets of thermite leadening on your armor. Springing back, Moloch comes down in a low pounce, coiled to spring, and bolts aside as you snap return-fire his way. You have to break the opposite way as another row of stone teeth jut up at your feet. Those eyes, clear and canny, are the last thing you see, fixed on you astride the crack down his skullplate with calculating ruthlessness.

You tap comms. “Iris, something’s wrong.”

“What? What is it?” she asks, concerned.

You look around--no sign of him again. “Moloch just got competent. Have I got backup coming?”

“On it,” Iris replies, tense.

Keeping your lance at the ready, you reach for your flare, hand hovering over the clasp as you scan the industrial labyrinth he’s dragged you into.

You need to suss him out. “Pretty good game. Act like a dumbass until you get home to roost?” You call.

“All the world’s a stage,” Moloch calls back, voice rebounding through the pipes. “Didn’t you hear?”

“Must have missed that one,” you reply--nothing on OPAL. No ground tremors.

“You missed this one, too,” he says cheerfully.

You look up.

He springs from the ceiling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4B2YIfVqsg

The flare goes off. Your lance ignites. You bring it down in an overhead swing.

When the buzz and static in your eyes fades, you’re eye-to-eye with the lizard, waiting patiently, your blade caught between the fork in his tail, one hand closed around your wrist.

Up close, now, he’s a completely different monster. The damage is there, burns and dents and cracks in his plating, but the purple surfaces of his armor reassemble and shift, giving him an almost living, undulating pulse, spikes rolling across the planes like he’s breathing. The dull green throb of light from his dorsal spikes has taken on a toxic, lambent glow. His posture is completely different, no longer hunched and brutish--instead, drawn up to his full height, he’s a head taller than you, confident and clear-eyed.

His tone is airy and conversational. “Is it my turn now?”

His long tail rolls, and he shakes it out like a wrinkled sleeve, twisting your lance aside. You engage Shriver and yank it back, forcing it back down to ward off his bared claws. You push him back one, two, three steps.

Moloch’s creased eyes narrow with delight as his shoulder hatches spring open.

File: FU-.png (290 KB, 500x360)

290 KB PNG

>>3394990
The lasers rake across your front, knocking your Pullu cell back down as it takes the worst of the impact. You grimace and slowly wrestle your off-hand free--as he suddenly jerks the tail back and yanks you into his spiked hide, shield flash redoubling.

“Iris…” You grunt, labored as you pulse Shriver again, pulling the grapple back your way as you rabbitpunch a Shell Driver into his gut, sending him rocketing back.

The ground turns into undulating blades that hack ribbons from your boots, as you’re forced away from retaking the initiative yet again.

>Go aggressive. You can’t let him control the momentum.
>Bide for time. You’ve got backup coming, he doesn’t.

>>3394993
>Go aggressive. You can’t let him control the momentum.
He hasn't pulled out the Box yet. Also we've got a nice misericorde that should punch through that undulating hide.

Though I wonder. He pulled the WHOLE act, taking damage all the way, just to get us underground and in a tunnel? That's some dedication.

>>3394993
>Go aggressive. You can’t let him control the momentum
I got this feeling he’ll pick Anode apart if we let him.

>>3395000
This *is* his domain. Probably how he’s killed so many hunters.

>>3394993
How are our shields looking?

Offensive and defensive both sound like bad ideas. He -- seems -- to have a better environmental/ranged game that's best to avoid. But that's what the spikes are for. But we can punish him better at close range. But we surely haven't seen his full arsenal yet. But we -have- seen a bunch of it.

Thermite, gravity, rock spikes, lasers -- surely at least the spikes are native to his body, which means at least one more VWES entity. I'm betting it's a killer.

And we know enough of his tricks to gird for them and maybe hopefully exploit.

If our HP is over half:

>Bide for time.

I want to save capacitor charge for movement. We're underground, which means everywhere is a potential anchor point for the wires. Use them to dodge, or to fake him into severing them to deny us a dodge we never intended to take. And keep the Tumult shells handy.

If our HP is under half:

>Go aggressive.

Pour out everydamnthing and dump capacitor if he tries to stick us on his spiky bits again.

>>3394993
>>Bide for time. You’ve got backup coming, he doesn’t.
Need to play this one smart. Plus, if we get him talking, we might be able to weasel some info out of him.

>>3394990

>>3395042
This sounds good.

>>3394993
>>Go aggressive. You can’t let him control the momentum.
Its not just about momentum, it's about preventing him from building up to bigger attacks and shaving off what we can from him. If he is still in good shape when help arrives, they are going to die.
So, it becomes a matter on how we handle our damage safely. Take a 1 to avoid taking more and try to deliver some back. If we take a graze to deliver a big hit like the miseriecord, then so be it. We are going to be taking damage. Thats a given, but if we can keep him hurting, then we have a chance. Use the throwing knives as well for this. No point in saving up them or the miseriecord if we can get some confirmations.

>>3394990
>>3395042
Agreed.

>>3394993

>Go aggressive. You can’t let him control the momentum

>>3394993
>Go agressive.

>>3395410
There we go, calling it here.

File: shoo.jpg (389 KB, 800x1428)

389 KB JPG

>>3395410
>>3395301
>>3395163
>>3395006
>>3395000
His sudden reversal isn’t just skill, it’s mindgames--he wants you on the back foot. That means you need to force it back on him.

“Are you okay?” Iris asks.

“For now,” you reply. “Can you get a lock on him?”

“No, but he’s near. It’s strange, he--”

A plume of earth punches up right beside as Moloch bursts up, swiping at your feet. You snap-fire a Lockon back at him, but he’s already gone, vanishing back under the dirt.

Not this time, fucker. You immediately switch and fire another Shell Driver at your feet, blasting yourself skyward and coring out a crater as he tries to worm back out of sight, uprooting him. His shields flash, but he keeps his composure, answering back with another scorching javelin that clips by your ear, barely avoided for a quick zipline to the ceiling.

“Let’s try that again,” he offers, a moment before a blade lashes out from above and cuts your line.

You fire two more lines in opposite directions, and take the second, reeling yourself back to safety and onto your feet. Kicking up another wall, he disappears behind it, but you have a hunch on the fakeout, rapidly firing two Tumult Shells, one low, one high. You’re rewarded as the wall smashes down from the other side and his lasers sweep harmlessly. He shutters the hatches, but not before you spray him down with a storm of buster fire.

“Back to the busters? No more toys in the toybox?” He asks, fingers wrapping around a tangled tower of I-beams.

“Just making room for yours,” you shoot back, charging plasma. He’s right, though--4 Tumults, one base-power Lockon, and one Shell Driver. At least your T. Coil is above half.

“Do you have room for dessert?” Moloch replies lightly.

“Communications block revocation approved,” Iris says urgently. “Just a few more…”

You fire both shots and streak in after them, engaging Raikousen. His javelin counter-throw scrapes over your dipped back, taking the tip of your shoulder spike with it on its way past.

The floor rumbles again, and you can see pebbles clatter up ahead as he tries to forestall you. You stop short as they jut skyward--then engage the jumpjets and blast straight through.

You enjoy a brief moment of surprise in his eyes before his hands surge forward to catch you. He grinds back into the dirt, soil and rusty plates rising up to his ankles as his shields flicker and strobe. Your acceleration runs out as he yanks you into him again, and this time, you’re ready.

File: plateglasswindow.jpg (96 KB, 1075x646)

96 KB JPG

>>3395675
Lightning arcs through the both of you, redoubling the flash of his shields and loosening his grip. You shoulder in and slam him back, drawing your lance and advancing with a slash.

He rolls a shoulder and deflects it off his bracer, even as his tail curls around your foot and yanks. You lurch off-balance, dropping low as he comes in with an upper punch that slivers ribbons off your chestplate. You transition into a rising knee into him, folding him around you. You jump his thrashing tail and come down on it, pinning it in place as you slam a fist into his cheek and rebound him off it like a bungee. He comes back hard, headbutting you as you come in after. You juke around his follow-up cross, going for your knife, and carving a long, hissing line up his midsection. It parts like a zipper, but he grabs your wrist and denies you a killing twist.

Shoving you down, he boxes your head, crushing one of your ears. You stow the knife to two-hand the lance again, swinging wide and forcing him off you. You advance another step as he grabs your wrists, wrestling as you force him back. You burn more Shriver, surging forward and forcing him to snap his tail up to catch the blade, scant inches from his head.

“Interesting,” he says, casting an eye over the fading conduits on your arms. You snarl, pushing him back, back, back for the third time, wrestling him to a standstill.

Then a spike of earth punches through your sternum.

The Shriver dies as your shields spark wildly, the Pullu cell burning out under the strain. Your capacitors go cold. No readout whatsoever, as the crackling energy ebbs and dies in your arms.

You’ve been grounded.

”Anode!” Iris shouts.

Still locked in a grapple, Moloch’s tail slowly pushes your lance up and back, perched high overhead as his three limbs overpower your two. The green thorns on the spade brighten as something coalesces on them. He gives it an almost lazy flick, drops of toxic compound spattering on your face and starting to burn, even as his breastplate mends before your eyes and outgrowths of thorns grow into your hands. He steps back as your grip fails, hands up and palms outward, leaving you impaled on a rock. His tail dangles overhead, dripping a steady, caustic stream onto your face, now beginning to sizzle.

“Two for flinching? Was that it?” Moloch asks lightly. You grimace and try to pull free, but with his tail holding your lance back and your fingers unable to move to cut the beam, you’re helpless to do more than squirm as he paces around the side of the spire. “One…”

Then, he jams his claws into your gut.

File: rude.jpg (21 KB, 459x317)

21 KB JPG

>>3395679
Searing fills your insides, that unpleasant burning under your skin now a hellish fire. Unbidden, your capacitors spark and sizzle, accompanied by staccato pops as tormented capacitors blister and burst. They run from your burning midsection all the way down each of your limbs, as your chestplate starts to melt around his outstretched fist, syrupy rivers running down the length of the rock spike, pooling around the base.

“Two,” Moloch declares, withdrawing his fist and shaking it out.

“Anode, get out of there,” Iris calls frantically, the feed only coming in your uncrushed ear.

You grimace, finally forcing that chunk of rock out of your chest, now that there’s less chest to hold it there. “I can still--”

”No you can’t,”” she says emphatically. “Your signal is…”

>

>Tension Coil 18/32
>Tumult Shell 4/16
>Lockon Hunter 1/16
>Shell Driver 1/8
>C. Capacitor: --

File: Its super effective.png (7 KB, 256x192)

7 KB PNG

>>3395679
Oh that's right, how rude of me, I knew there was something I forgot to tell all of you.

Anode isn't weak to ice.

>>3395682
Oh, it’s gone again. Nice.

>>3395687
Gone? No. Damaged? Yes. Repairable: Assuming you survive.

>>3395682
Well, I doubt escape is much of an option at this point. Maneuvering is going to be a bitch without the capacitor, too. Looks like we gotta land a clutch Shell Diver to seal the deal, but it's gonna take almost everything else we have in our kit to make it happen. T. Shells for buying us cover and Coils to maneuver, with rapid fire to keep some pressure off. And we have to stay off the ground and away from the walls and ceilings. Be ready to coil as soon as we think something's up, but fake out our trajectory appropriately. Keep the javelin or ice knife handy for parries, but if he gets in our face again then get out of there: he wants us to overcommit so he can ground spike us.

>>3395707
Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh, Satan actually replied to me! Can I just quickly tell you how much I admire your work? Really, the job you did on Doppler was simple marvelous. And that green fellow- excellence, bar none.

>>3395684
So his vulnerability is armor piercing attacks.

>>3395737
No, it's literally being grounded. If something saps his charge, his core systems is useless.

>>3395732
Why thank you; I aim to please.

>>3395682
WHY IS IT ALWAYS OUR EARS

WHY

What did our ears ever do to Mavericks?! Our mouth, I could understand, but the ears?!

File: Maverick Hunter Quest.png (189 KB, 400x290)

189 KB PNG

>>3395682

Um.

Iris has the right idea, but this is a Collide-tier bad situation. Even with everything spent on expeditious retreat. Moloch has taken some significant damage and is obviously still planning on walking away. We jumpjet out, the ceiling eats us and he just comes back somewhere else with prep time.

Judging by how the votes played out, HP is only now between half and zero. I guessed then as I guess now that attempting an escape will cost about how much we have left. So it's all in, I suppose.

Anode still has four limbs and two blades and the Saetos jet. That's not nothing.

Moloch can be baited. He cuts every wire. Give him a reason to do that. Literally any distraction is useful at this point.

Drink every megalixir. Burn every consumable item. Throw every melee weapon if he's a hair out of range. Now is the time.

And save that Shell Driver for the gonna-die-otherwise emergency recoil distance unless we can get a guaranteed hit into the Misericorde rent in his chest.

>>3395799
That's basically the idea, yeah.

File: THE BALLS.jpg (71 KB, 1024x768)

71 KB JPG

>>3395682
This >>3395799 is pretty much our only recourse aside from someone pulling an opening stage Zero and saving our ass.

>>3395799
Seems like the best chance we got, honestly.

>>3395682
>>3395809
>>3395821
>>3395834

Oh. And in the meantime, taunt the shit out of him. Show him we can act too. It's saving face versus saving lives, here.

It's a tactic!

>>3395682
Agree with >3395799

Bait with Cable, alter momentum with jump jet to avoid the spike.

>>3395821
Maybe if Higurashi GOT HIS ASS OUT OF THE VAN! I don't actually have anything against you Higurashi, I'm just upset because we're dying again.

>>3395877
Meanwhile, Claxton has stopped at a McDonald's drivethrough, and is taunting Higurashi with his current inability to eat a McNugget.

There is no hope for Anode.

>>3395682
We're going to T.Coil. He knows we're going to T.Coil, and will send a spike to cut it.

But that's fine. Every spike doing that is one not hitting Anode.

I've got 3 combos left:
>Tumult+Flare, to screen the way for the last Lockon Hunter
>Shell Driver+Pence, because he'll be expecting a T.Coil and can't block a small ball as easily
>Jumpjets+Misericorde, our last option for driving enough force to punch into him and end this.

Any time we T.Coil defensively, we need to shoot two, one at Moloch himself to keep him guessing.

Moloch taunts us on resorting to busters after we run out of weapons? Fine. Buster-only runs are a thing.
Keep the Coils on hand to jump back with, we're down a dash option without our electricity.

>>3395684
Was Anode aware of this? Do they just not make a reploid's weakness common knowledge to them?

>>3395799
I'll back Scarab
And yeah we definitely haven't been issuing enough Verbal Sass

File: Serious Time.png (254 KB, 859x621)

254 KB PNG

>>3395799
“Negative,” you tell Iris quietly. “Can’t disengage.”

“You can’t--” Her line clicks off and on a few times. “...Understood. Reinforcements still en route.”

With a grimace, you push yourself away from the stone you were staked on, stumbling a little--your center of gravity is noticeably shifted with the damage to your armor.

Moloch meets your gaze with a cheerful little twirl of his fingers. “There he is. Such fine spirit! Bravo, good hunter.” He holds his arms out at length, inviting you with a theatrical sweep.

Your shots evaporate on a slab of upturned rock almost as soon as you fire them. You break to the side--at a sprint, not a dash--as his laser scythes through, cutting through the top.

You snag it out of the air with a flung coil, pivot, and sling, sending it straight for Moloch as he turns. You actually hear him laugh as he shoulders into it, the rock breaking upon him, but buying you the critical moment to evade his fire.

He laughs again as your Pençe knife embeds itself in his outstretched palm, the hibeam biting deep and sparking another ripple of his shields. They’re bright, but fading--and that cut was a strong one.

You’re forced to dive and sprawl as gnashing scythes of mortar and dust chase you aside. Moloch yanks the sphere free, raining spikes from the ceiling to ward you away.

You vault atop the wall, keeping on the pressure as best you’re able, firing another coil, this time straight for him. He almost nonchalantly waves it away, and a rising plume hacks it away. You fire another, then another, actually catching him in the chest. You reel it, just to pull him off balance for one more second, buy one more half-step. He shreds through the cable with his bladed elbow, shooing you away with another earthen upswell. You spring forward again, not back--he seems to like you zoned out--and snapfire a T. Shell to screen your advance. That caustic spray slashes across it with a nasty hiss, projected from the undersides of his wrists. He opts to meet you, ducking past the flying shell and lunging.

You swing your eighth and final Shell Driver ahead, not into him, but down into the ground, forestalling another tackle-hug into his spikes. His shields strobe as you fly backwards, no Shriver to arrest the momentum. Each of you slides to a halt across the pipes, him heavily, you off-kilter, stumbling and falling to one knee.

“Are we done?” Moloch coos.

You tag him with your last Lockon.

“Really, now,” he tuts. “That temper of yours could get you in some real troub--oh?” He pauses, pricking up his ears and looking off to the side. He turns back and looks at you with a sly grin, made only more predatory by his wideset features.

You build charge, wondering how many seconds you’ve stalled, whether they’re anywhere near enough, as your comms crackle.

“You really ought to hear this,” Moloch says grandly. “Claxton, from the top, please.”

File: what a charming fellow.png (604 KB, 1060x1500)

604 KB PNG

>>3396427
“I--oh, it’s you,” Claxton says. “I thought--”

“Ah-ah, you’re on speaker,” the lizard chides. “Now, what was it you called me about?”

You can hear hesitation in Claxton’s voice. “...I’ve shaken my tail. Captive secure.”

“Excellent, excellent. There, you see?” He turns back to face you fully, hopping down from an upraised tangle of cooling pipes to meet you on your level. “I am going to get away with my prize, you are going to die, and there is nothing--you can do--to stop it.”

“I’ve got a few ideas,” you growl, tensing up as you wait for his next move.

“I’m sure you do!” He exclaims, another blazing javelin crackling merrily in his hand. “Care to try them?” That ‘fwee’ as it zips past you doesn’t sound nearly as cheerful this time around.

Once again, you opt to dodge forward rather than back--the next time you lose sight of him could be your last. You spring, coming down from above under a screen of your plasma, dropping back for coils just as soon as you can.

Moloch makes a quick, downward jab, and the air shimmers in response before a gravitic pulse slams you right back down to the ground. The floor beneath you parts like Hell tearing open, a spike rising from below to spit you upon.

You engage your jump-jets, wreathed in the protective flame not an instant too soon. Moloch sidesteps your rush like a bullfighter, letting you streak past.

“Well then, was that another flinch?” He asks genially. He pumps his arm, buffeting you back down with another graviton blast, far quicker and more precise than the clumsy hammerhead smashes from before. Your dash cycles just in time to cheat the reaper one more time.

“Anode, support is imminent, just hold on!” Iris urges.

Moloch turns back to the far wall, frowning with exaggerated exasperation and a melodramatic sigh. “My, you are quite the hardy little cockroach, aren’t you?” He asks.

A moment later, you hear it--boots echoing on metal.

You held out.

He turns back to you, dropping the mock-annoyance like a discarded cigarette butt. “Yes, very hardy indeed. I much prefer cicadas.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ab_SYzUPA0

You fire a tumult shell, just to distract as you aim cables to either side. He doesn’t even bother dismissing them, slow-walking around the shell and turning away from you.

He makes his way to the far wall, running his fingers along it. “Did you know, hunter? I believe this is an emergence year for them.”

You remain silent, building charge, waiting for the rumble, waiting for the sword of Damocles to fall.

He looks back at you over his shoulder. “Just listen for their screams.”

File: he's just been sitting up(...).jpg (134 KB, 612x792)

134 KB JPG

>>3396436
He tunnels through the wall, vanishing into the dark. His voice lingers on in your ear, even as your busters slowly droop and fall to your sides.

“Tell him I’m coming.”

The shouts of the reinforcements--RCMP, maybe--are hazy and indistinct, only background noise to the velvet-soft, poised, and razor-sharp murmur of Moloch’s farewell in your ear.

“And I will have my revenge.”

File: Thanks.jpg (7 KB, 426x356)

7 KB JPG

And at the god damn buzzer, that is our thread, and the conclusion of the Vancouver megacity arc.

Thank you very much for reading.

>>3396446
Are you serious? We don't get to kill him? COULD we have killed him? He had to be hurting more than us.