Chapter 43: Chase
Violet blood spurted out of the cracks, and the Canzer was propelled back at fast speeds, with its body skipping through the water-like fibers like a flat stone. Its body crashed through multiple ledges, with the Canzer unable to control itself due to the sheer force of Atlan's punch.
Finally, after hundreds of meters, it crashed into the wall. The smug look on its face was nowhere to be seen. Violet blood flowed out of its forehead.
"!@$">$(*"
It couldn't believe what happened. Wasn't this puny human supposed to be a weak creature it could kill with just a flick of a finger? He looked as weak as those humans he met before. So, how was he able to muster terrifying power that could even crack the defenses of a Canzer like itself?
The Canzer looked down and saw its chest caved in, violet blood still spraying out into a mist. It winced in pain.
Step…step…step…
The Canzer had no chance for reprieve as it suddenly heard footsteps coming towards itself. It wasn't fast, yet it caused the Canzer's face to contort into panic and fear.
Atlan's strength was unlike anything it had ever seen but that wasn't the most frightening thing about him.
From the distance, it could see Atlan walking through the winding tunnels of the sewers.
Behind him were a pair of white wings, with thousands of ethereal feathers layered upon each other. Even in the white brick walls of the reverse-colored Remedium, these wings seemed to glow and shine as if the heavens itself shone a ray of light over them.
The Canzer's mouth quivered as it struggled to say the words;
"@^&[-\\"
It recognized it as Angel Wings. Its face turned into a mix of confusion and fear. Angels were supposed to be dead. They were supposed to be extinct. Yet, why did this human suddenly have the wings of an Angel? It was impossible.
Atlan looked back and felt the Angel Wings on his back. It was connected to him physically, with extra bones connecting his shoulder blades and his wings. He could feel his veins pumping blood into the wings, bringing it to life.
He didn't know how he was able to activate his mutation but now that it was, he felt the world turn slow.
The air around him felt like water. He could move up or down and move forward or backward without much effort at all. He was the master of his own space.
He flapped his wings, and they followed his command as if it were truly part of his body.
It feels like controlling a third arm. The moment the mutation manifested in reality, I feel as if the wings had always been a part of me.
Although he could control it with basic functions, he knew that he couldn't exert fine control over it just yet.
It was like a numb arm. He could still feel it and close his fist like normal, but he just couldn't exert as much strength as he could.
Meanwhile, the Canzer stood up, with its cockroach wings flapping awkwardly. In its panic at seeing Atlan slowly walk toward itself, it flew back and crashed into the walls.
It wanted to leave. It was scared witless once it saw those angel wings behind Atlan.
The very reason why the Canzer infiltrated this place was because it was so sure that Angels were gone. They no longer protected the humans. Yet, somehow one was able to return and give its wings to a mere human.
The Canzer flapped its wings and flew through the winding tunnels of the sewers at top speeds. It zoomed through the different tunnels, making sure to keep moving in different directions to escape from that human.
The Canzer's chest slowly healed and mended itself back into its original shape. The cracks patched themselves quickly, preventing any more violet blood from flowing out. In just a matter of a few seconds, the Canzer's injuries were completely healed.
This was one of the innate powers of a Destruction Canzer.
Yet, the Canzer still tried to escape away from Atlan. It didn't want to feel that awful pain from one of his punches. And even though its body was fully healed, its chest twitched in pain whenever it remembered that moment of Atlan, with his wings fully open, punching its chest.
It had to return home. It had to tell everybody that the Angels returned!
Only that way, he would gather reinforcements and kill this anomalous human. He had to be killed. Otherwise, the complete domination of Canzers could never be fulfilled.
The Canzer resolved to escape. However, it suddenly felt a tingling sensation at the back of its neck. And before it knew it, an extreme force punched it on the back, cracking its spine.
"$(@\\_#" The Canzer spat out violet blood. It couldn't understand how Atlan was able to keep up. The Remedium was supposed to be a maze for humans. He wasn't supposed to find his way here!
The Canzer pushed on with escaping, even with its back bent and its body beaten. Within a minute, the Canzer's body healed and it finally thought it got rid of Atlan's tail.
Yet, without fail, Atlan would suddenly come behind the Canzer and beat it bloody.
This cycle continued, with the Canzer unable to get rid of the pesky human.
At this point, the Canzer found itself at the very end of the tunnels that led to an open space filled with large open pipes, leaking out water-like fibers everywhere.
But before it could get comfortable, Atlan suddenly came from behind and ripped the Canzer's wings right out of its back.
"!(#U%)" It couldn't understand how Atlan was able to do it. How did he find the Canzer? He should be lost in the sewers!
Atlan looked at the large cockroach wings in his hands. It vibrated subtly, slowly losing its powers.
dum…dum dum…dum
Unbeknownst to the Canzer, the signature beating pattern of its wings was the very reason how Atlan could locate it in the Remedium.