Armored Core 6: Cold Ghost

8. THE LIBERATION

He gritted his teeth and punched the Assault Boosters to full power, catapulting the AC into the air and blazing forward just barely above the ground level. It rapidly closed the distance between them and before the intruder AC could notice his approach, Leemo fired all the missiles on the shoulder mounted launchers, toggling the targeting systems to track the AC at max efficiency. The white AC would've spotted the missiles or at least the pilot would've been alerted to them yet it kept its assault onto the defenses, now actually breaking through the hardened armor and blowing them up. It was when the first couple missile hit that Leemo saw the white AC get shoved to the side out of harm's way by a powerful burst from its side boosters, allowing it to dodge the rest of the salvo making its ways to the empty spot on the ground where he was moments ago. Not only did that move just helped him avoid potential damage, it spun the AC around to face Leemo's AC, and fire a laser cannon beam at him in one fluid motion. Leemo jerked the controls and the AC shifted to the side, side stepping the laser beam in the last instant, still taking minor damage from the explosion, before the Assault Boost resumed its relentless charge towards the enemy AC. Leemo pulled back just before the energy bar ran out and land with a heavy thud on the ground, skidding the last few meters in a combat ready stance with its burst machine gun aimed at the enemy AC.

"He's here! Leemo! Back us up!"

Leemo took a deep breath, quickly running his threat in his head, only to be interrupted by the defense turrets resuming fire onto the AC. The enemy didn't dawdle either and was going its best to avoid as much damage as possible while returning fire with its laser rifle on its right arm and laser cannon on its right shoulder. Leemo, feeling stupid, shook out of it and leapt into the fray, firing his burst machine gun along with his shoulder missiles. The AC stuck with the same weaponry as retaliation to both the defenses and Leemo's AC but never utilizing the rest of its arsenal. Leemo could see other equipment on the left side but so far the enemy AC seemed to be intentionally handicapping itself by firing only two of them. Conserving ammo? Malfunction? Over confidence? Leemo didn't care for the answer either way and stuck to the AC's blindside, keeping it in the crossfire from the Scavengers defenses and his own AC. Eventually the AC faltered and more shells were hitting their mark, Leemo took the opportunity to rev the chainsaw attached on his AC's left arm and kept an eye out for an opening to catch the AC as he closed the distance. And then he had it, the AC was hit squarely by a mortar shell that staggered and stunned the AC midair, its boosters flickering to try and keep the AC upright. Leemo's AC lunged at the white AC, the chainsaw buzzing loudly as Leemo watched the AC swing it across his screen toward the enemy AC. His blood froze for a moment as his target spun around and belated used its side boosters to jump out if the way. Its right arm got caught between the chainsaw blades and got torn off at the bicep, the blades grinding the arm and weapon within.

"Nice one, Leemo!" Mari cheered in his ear.

Leemo heard a loud whoop in his headphones, as the rush of adrenaline flooded him at catching the AC in the grinders, even if momentarily. The enemy AC skidded to a halt close to one of the turret towers, seemingly in shock or confused. It kept its 180 degree wrap around illuminated lense, its eyes, at Leemo's AC as sparks sputtered from its torn limb. Everything went silent for the moment, aside from the cheering in his comms, but this gave Leemo the chance to deliver his threat to the intruder.

"This place has no love for your kind, corporate dog. Leave, or you'll lose far more than your arm."

With a flourish, Leemo's AC revved the chainsaw in front of him menacingly. He could hear his comrades cheering in his internal comms, and he had to admit it felt good. The AC held its position and stance the whole time, seemingly stuck or frozen in place.

"Let's just kill him here!" he heard someone say and the turret next to the AC spun to take aim and fired point blank. Except the explosion blew back towards the turret, engulfing it in fire. Leemo felt time slow to a crawl as he watched in full clarity the enemy AC deploy and retract over its shoulder what looked like an energy shield, and in a quick motion, swing its left arm multiple times across the turret with the left arm attachment fully extended and covered in electric currents. The turret exploded in a shower of sparks and the AC spun to face Leemo again, even with its right arm torn, it still had the laser cannon on its shoulder primed to fire alongside what he now identified as an energy shield and something of an energy melee weapon on the left. Not waiting for him to react, the enemy AC activated its Assault Boost, blue flares matching the laser cannon electric current as it charged. Leemo pulled back on the controls and to the side, maneuvering out of the direct vector of the incoming enemy AC, as well as maintaining enough distance for the missiles to track their target as he launched them alternatingly while keeping up fire from his burst machine gun. The enemy AC didn't relent its mad rush towards him despite the missiles angling towards it, only for Leemo to belatedly remember that its shield flipped over its shoulder and blocked the missile attacks, softening the blows that its speed was barely hindered by the attacks. He knew what was coming, he kept the AC strafing around his opponent as it rapidly closed the distance. And true enough, the AC shifted its posture midair, shifting its right side forward as the left arm melee extended and wrapped itself in electric currents. It lunged towards Leemo's AC only to have it dodge out of the way with burst from its side boosters, and retaliating with his own chainsaw aimed at the AC's sides. Only to catch nothing but air as his target dashed forward out of range of the swing, spun around and lunged again towards him. Leemo tried desperately to move out of the way but the AC was still locked in its chainsaw swing, too slow to recover or retract its arm. He braced for the attack as the enemy AC now filled the left half of his screen with its left arm held near its head, then in flash of motion jab at the side of his AC and leap back away from him, seeming to brace firmly on both feet on the ground.