Cyberpunk: Ultimate Cyborg System-Chapter 528: Heavenly Bliss. (Part Five)

A powerful thrust pierced his armor, and a vicious slash carved a deep gash through it. A violent impact followed. As the world swayed around him, Dante caught its source in the corner of his eye. The blond bastard was back. His clothes were torn, but other than that, he looked completely fine.

Unlike the last few times he got hit, Dante's perception was still accelerated to the max. Everything around him happened in slow motion. The Aether spear in his hand shattered, and his body went flying. As his vision suddenly went red, Volcan's panicked voice sounded in his mind.

[Dante! We are taking considerable damage! At this rate-]

9-3 will be destroyed. Dante knew as much, but he couldn't do much about it. His body refused to respond. He couldn't move at all, and just thinking about it felt a labor of incredible magnitude.

When he spun in the air, his eyes happened to land on the muscular man at the back of the theater. Even in that state, Dante still felt that something was off about him, and the three Sorcerers standing guard around him only strengthened that feeling.

Just then, the words Volcan spoke before all this mess started played in Dante's mind.

[Something is blocking my senses. He is a high level Aetherion, but I am unable to determine anything else.]

The muscular man had been responsible for the barrier encasing the underground theater, and something told Dante that his current state was the man's doing as well.

'I need…'

Even as he smashed head first into another wall, Dante was still unable to move an inch. It wasn't that his body refused to listen to him—his mind was what failed to give its commands, almost as if something was blocking his brain from having any thought that might lead to an action.

James appeared, readying another flying kick. It felt like dodging would be impossible, but-

[VOLCAN!!!]

Without him having to think it out loud, his resident AI took the wheel and gave the command to activate Aether Distortion. Light exploded from the white armor, washing over the theater. Dante acted without confirming whether he could move or not. His arm shot up and grabbed James off the air, activating Aether shield at the same time.

Absolute Awareness confirmed that the ultra thin threads cast by the witch had been blocked. Before anyone else could stop him, Dante slammed the blond man into the ground, breaking the chairs that had been in the way. Not stopping, he brought down a fist enhanced with both Force Amplification and Impact amplification.

Something smashed into him before he could swing. Dante realized it was the dwarf and his massive shield. Clicking his tongue, he shifted his body and launched an uppercut at the dwarf who tried to block it, leading to him being blasted into the ceiling.

For some reason, Dante was convinced that his enhanced punch wouldn't break the dwarf's shield, so he moved to get rid of the first nuisance that made the fight more difficult than it should.

He wanted to go after the high level Sorcerer in the back, but with another three guarding him, Dante wasn't sure he could take all of them out in the small opening he had, so he went after the Screamer instead. James chased after him, and the sword bearer jumped in front of his target, holding his weapon in a reverse grip and thrusting it into the ground.

Light gathered in Dante's hands. He felt the resistance of numerous threads barring his way, but all they did was slow his advance. He wasn't going to throw the spear this time, intending on using it to impale both the Screamer and the sword user protecting him.

"HALT"

In the end, his speed wasn't enough. Another red hot needle pierced the depths of his mind, and Dante found himself unable to move. A blow to the stomach launched him in the air. James had caught up with him and attacked from below.

The spear wielder came at him next, piercing his shoulder. He thought a sword slash would follow next, but instead, his body was wrapped in countless thin threads. He was about to give Volcan permission to use Aether Distortion when the temperature suddenly dropped, and before he could wonder why, a massive glacier encased him fully.

The cold seeped through 9-3's alloy and components, reaching inside the armor. Dante felt the biting chill on his face and the rest of his body. His legs suffered the most, being the only part of his body that retained its flesh and bone.

Gritting his teeth, he gave his resident AI control. Light exploded once more, but the cold didn't subside. Dante regained control over his actions just as he realized the ice was the work of a Genome, but just when he moved to break it-

"NO ESCAPE"

Once again, all of his movements were locked. He didn't lose the will this time. Countless illusory chains manifested, wrapping around his limbs and body. Convinced that it was Sorcery, Dante rushed to give the command to activate Aether Distortion.

'... huh?'

The explosion of light that should have followed never came.

"HALT"

Another burning needle pierced Dante's mind, trapping his thoughts the same way his body was trapped. He realized that his armor had run out of energy. He even burned through the amount granted to him by 4-3's module. Panic set in, and he instantly went to change his armor, intending to bring out a higher version of Type 9.

"HALT" Another needle pierced Dante's consciousness, but it was far from the last. "STASIS"

Time seemed to come to a halt, and not in the way he was used to. Dante lost awareness, his thoughts ceasing entirely. It was almost as if he had spaced out, or as if he fell into a dreamless slumber, waking up feeling like no time had passed.

When he came back to his senses, Dante found himself in a dark place.