Just when the bone got totally absorbed, the bomb started to issue a loud banging noise. It shone slightly, giving me a bad impression and feeling about this. Then all of sudden, that flash of light dimmed and vanished, as if it got extinguished or something.
*Thud!*
During which, the bomb rose slightly in the air, held by an unknown force. I couldn't tell what drove it all the way up, but it ended falling to the ground in the next moment, giving me a deep relief.
"It works!" I shouted in delight when that happened, and couldn't help but look at the other bombs, and started to defuse them in the same way.
The bombs in the warehouse here weren't that many to begin with. And taking care of these didn't take much time actually.
When I finished, I didn't spend more than an hour doing so. And I knew if I taught this method to others, then things would be easier.
However I didn't have enough time to do so. And there was still the risk that they'd end up detonating and arming up the bombs instead of defusing them.
"I shall limit this task for my capable and trusted generals," I muttered while getting out of this place. And a few names popped up in my mind when I thought about this.
I didn't forget to take all the defused bombs into my inventory. They got no value or use by staying here. And I wouldn't risk them getting reactivated again under any circumstances.
From what I understood, trying to take these bombs before into inventory failed. After all, if that could work, then there was no need for me to defuse them in the first place.
[Where are you] and as I flew out from that dome shaped building, I received this message from Lily, [We are waiting for you at the portal place]
[Coming!] I closed the chat and controlled my chariot to fly fast towards the distance. There, I spotted a large gathering of many people, numbering in the hundreds.
She called out everyone, including even the race leaders we already saved. What was coming next was going to impact not only us, but everyone. And so it was a good move to invite everyone here.
"Welcome everyone," they were all standing in a big open place on the side of the portal zone. They all noticed me coming from afar, and despite that they kept standing motionless with a dark look on their faces.
"I see that Lily already briefed you about what's going to happen," I didn't need anyone to tell me about this. Just from the look on their faces, I can tell everything. "But… Things aren't that bad actually."
"We heard that our worlds will merge together soon enough, our forces will get apart, and we'll scatter over a newly built world. How can this be good?"
One of the leaders of a race that I saw before at the worlds when I travelled to detonate the bombs spoke in a distressed tone.
"I know what you said is all true, and it sounds like it's the end of the world… But there is hope here."
"What hope?" Legend stepped up and spoke, aiding me in front of all these seemingly anxious and terrified people.
"I'm going to tell you once, the enemy did this to make something crazy in the end. There are bombs installed in the home planets of the enemy. We already dug many out, but there are still too many of them to find."
"This…"
"Come on! How come this is good news?"
"Are you trying to console us at our last moments?"
"What can these bombs do? Can we find them?"
"Yes, we can help to dig everything, pick every single rock out there and see if it has a bomb underneath or what!"
"Easy there," I waved my arms, to calm down the irritated bunch of leaders fearing their races. "I know what I said may seem like bad news, but it's actually great."
"...!!!"
"Just listen to my words before saying anymore," I took a deep breath before starting to tell them everything I knew about these bombs.
I kept the way to defuse and detonate them hidden, also the way I got to know all these. I told them how the enemy planned to activate these bombs, and ended up by stating my counter plan.
"... So, our task is to go out there, pressure the enemy hard, and stop them from doing anything stupid."
"This…" Lily's face didn't look that good actually. She looked at others she knew and trusted before adding, "isn't this a kind of a risky bet?"
"If it was me, I'd like to dispatch another team to search for these bombs and find a way to defuse them!" Toramos spoke, and many nodded in agreement.
Only those who accompanied me long enough, those who knew me better, didn't make a move. They got that I wouldn't take a bet with a guarantee, without a plan to turn on tables at the right time.
"I will lead a solo campaign out there," I loudly said, in a strong and confident tone, "if you want to dig for these bombs, then be my guest. I'm sure no matter how hard we tried, most of these bombs will be hidden in the deep enemy lands. And if we venture there, we won't find everything in time."
"But we can still drive the enemy crazy by doing this," Toramos didn't give up on his idea, "I'm with dispatching teams to search and dig for these bombs."
"Then it's settled," I looked around, not finding the ugly mask of that jump around, "where is the jumper anyway?"
"He…" Lily paused, moved her eyes around, "he selected to be there in the enemy territory when the merge will happen."
"Quite reckless…" I paused, as a flash of an idea appeared in my mind, "but it can also work! Let's dispatch teams to each and every world of the enemy. When the time comes, make sure to establish portals there before doing reconnaissance."