Chapter 952: Rebel ambush


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    The ckguards pursued the rebels across the war-torn city. Erik raced alongside Shatterfist and the others.


    The streets of New Alexandria were littered with shattered buildings and rubble, providing the rebels with various hiding and assault points.


    As the ckguards advanced deeper into the city, minor fights erupted here and there. These were mostly carried out by the rebels covering for the retreat.


    The pursuit wound through minor roads and abandoned buildings. Erik pondered hard about what the rebels might do next exactly, but it was no wonder that Van Dyke nned an ambush.


    It was no more than a hunch, of course. Van Dyke had a n to achieve at least a minor victory. This entire operation was a distraction, albeit a huge one, but this didn''t mean Van Dyke was going to let his men and women die like that.


    Besides, the rebels appeared to be too calm and well-organized to be fleeing away.


    The most puzzling thing was why the ckguards chased them despite the ambush being rtively obvious.


    These guys chased the rebels to the bitter end until they reached arge, open za.


    Erik had been there many times in the past. He still remembered the bright colors of the tents that covered stalls filled with exotic fruits, aromatic spices, and handcrafted products.


    Merchants used to scream out their products, their voices mixing with children''sughter and consumers'' bartering.


    The booths remained, their bright textiles faded, and their merchandise scattered among the wreckage.


    As they advanced, a chaotic maelstrom of attacks erupted from all directions.


    Brain crystal rifle fire crackled, punctuated by the whistling of arrows and the eerie hum of unleashed powers.


    Balls of fire whizzed past, leaving trails of smoke and singeing the edges of crumbling buildings.


    Icy shards pierced the air, freezing puddles on impact and leaving a treacherous sheen on the broken pavement.


    The very earth itself seemed to rise against the ckguards.


    Rebels wielding earth-based powers tore open the ground, creating deep pits and fissures that swallowed unsuspecting soldiers.


    Some used their powers to create makeshift barricades, while others manipted the terrain to create vantage points for ranged fighters and ambushes.


    The ckguards found themselves slowed, while rebels zipped around with unnatural speed, dodging attacks andunching surprise strikes.


    Some fighters used power that made their muscles bulging with unnatural strength as they tore through the ranks of their enemies. Most of those dying were Volkov''s men.


    The rebels'' wreaked havoc on Volkov''s forces, throwing them into disarray. However, the ckguards proved more resilient.


    They adapted quickly to counter the rebels'' attacks, and their superior training allowed them to exploit any openings.


    "Formation Delta!" Shatterfist said. Erik snapped to attention beside hisrades, Brute Ape and Missing Air.


    His mana surged, coalescing into a shimmering de that extended from his right hand.


    With a flick of his wrist, he deflected a bolt of energy that sizzled past his ear.


    "Watch your left, Brute Ape!" he said, just as a rebel wielding earth magic attempted to ensnare the hulking man in a tangle of earth tendrils.


    Brute Ape roared, his transformation into a hulking gori already underway.


    His massive arms ripped through the stone, scattering dirt and debris as he charged towards the rebel.


    His fist, now the size of a boulder, connected with a sickening crunch, sending the unfortunate rebel flying.


    Missing Air flitted around the edges of the battle, her form flickering in and out of existence.


    She harried the enemy, sending gusts of wind to disrupt their aim and suffocate them.


    A well-ced gust sent a rebel tumbling from his perch atop a building.


    "Shatterfist, iing!" Erik spotted a trio of rebels closing in on their leader.


    Shatterfist grinned. "Let theme!"


    As the rebels lunged, Shatterfist unleashed a devastating shockwave as he punched, sending them sprawling across the shattered pavement.


    One of the rebels staggered to her feet. Sheunched a volley of fireballs towards Shatterfist, but he simply shrugged them off.


    "You''re going to have to do better than that, little girl!" he said, advancing towards her.


    "Leave her to me," Erik said, intercepting the fiery redhead. He parried her attacks with his mana de.


    "You''re fast," the redhead acknowledged. "But can you keep up with this?"


    Her body ignited, mes dancing across her skin as she charged towards Erik.


    He raised his mana de. The heat was intense, but Erik held his ground, his eyes locked on the fiery figure before him.


    "Impressive," he said. "But fire alone won''t be enough to stop me."


    He lunged forward, his mana de shing in the fading sunlight.


    He realized this woman was most likely a Red Pce member.


    The redhead met his attack with a fiery st, but Erik''s speed and agility allowed him to evade the worst of it.


    In a blindingly fast exchange, Erik''s de found its mark, severing the redhead''s arm at the


    elbow.


    The mes that had engulfed her body flickered and died, revealing a look of shock and pain on her face.


    She stumbled back, clutching her wounded arm, as Erik lowered his de, his expression grim.


    But despite Erik winning, the situation wasn''t turning out well for Volkov and the ckguards. Most of New Alexandria''s soldiers had been killed by the rebels'' trap.


    The za resembled a ughterhouse. The bodies of Volkov''s soldiersy scattered amongst the debris and craters.


    Some were riddled with bullet holes; others bore the gruesome marks of elemental attacks- charred flesh, frozen limbs, or bodies twisted into unnatural shapes.


    The cries of the wounded still echoed through the za. The rebels, emboldened by their sess, pressed their advantage, picking off the remaining soldiers with ruthless efficiency. Their eyes gleamed with a feral light. Van Dyke and Fischer''s strategy worked. "Retreat!" A voice from theirmunication device said. Only the ckguards remained, and they couldn''t face so many rebels despite their prowess. Besides, some ckguards died


    during the attack.


    But a ghost of a smile yed on Erik''s lips. Themand was music to his ears.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Though he yed the part of a loyal ckguard, he was still part of the rebels. Every fallen soldier in uniform was a minor victory, but a victory nheless.