Chapter 140: Distracted

Chapter 140: Distracted



Valeria chased the MQ-9 Reaper, her dark energy propelling her faster through the air. At first, the drone was outpacing her with ease. The MQ-9 Reaper was designed for high-altitude surveillance and strike missions, with a cruising speed of around 230 miles per hour, making it difficult for her to keep up.

Valeria gritted her teeth, focusing her power. Little by little, she began to gain speed, closing the gap between her and the drone. The Reaper, realizing it was being pursued, switched to evasive maneuvers. The pilot banked sharply, releasing flares into the sky. Bright flashes filled the air, creating heat signatures designed to throw off missiles. Valeria dodged them easily, her focus locked on the Reaper.

As she sped up, the Reaper deployed chaff-clouds of thin metallic strips that disrupted radar. The chaff spread across the sky, creating confusion, but Valeria wasn't relying on radar. She could see through the interference, her eyes tracking the drone's every move. The drone zigzagged through the sky, trying to create distance, but Valeria was gaining fast.

Realizing it couldn't shake her, the MQ-9 Reaper tried another tactic. The drone fired its remaining Hellfire missiles-not to strike her, but to create a wall of explosions in the air. The missiles detonated in front of her, filling the sky with fire and debris. Valeria blasted through the flames, her dark barrier deflecting the shrapnel as she got closer.

She smirked, finally within striking distance. Valeria raised her hand, preparing to cast a spell and take down the drone.

Suddenly, a high-pitched screech came from the ground below.

The Patriot Missile System had locked onto her. Positioned on the island, this air-defense system was designed to target aircraft, drones, and incoming missiles. Its radar had been tracking Valeria's movements, and now, it was ready to fire.

In a split second, a surface-to-air missile launched from the Patriot system, speeding toward Valeria. The missile, traveling at nearly Mach 3, tore through the sky, its infrared guidance locked onto her heat signature.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Valeria barely had time to react before the missile was upon her.

The missile struck Valeria's barrier with a violent explosion, the shockwave echoing across the sky. She gritted her teeth as her translucent shield absorbed the impact, sparks flying as the dark energy crackled under the strain. The force of the explosion sent her reeling back slightly, but she maintained her composure, smirking as the remnants of the missile disintegrated against her shield.

As the vehicles rolled forward, their tracks grinding through the sand, Valeria lay momentarily still, her body smoldering from the Hellfire missile strike. Her regeneration had already started, but the process was slower than usual-her barrier had absorbed much of the blast, but her body was still battered. She could feel her power gradually returning, but the ground forces were approaching fast, and they weren't going to give her time.

The first Abrams tank fired with a thunderous boom, the 120mm round streaking toward Valeria at over 5,000 feet per second. It slammed into the sand just inches from her, the explosion sending dirt and debris flying into the air. The shockwave hit her hard, interrupting her regeneration and forcing her to roll out of the way.

She grimaced, her frustration growing. "These mortals... persistent insects," she growled under her breath.

Before she could regain her footing, the Bradleys opened fire, their M242 Bushmaster cannons unleashing a relentless hail of 25mm rounds. The bullets rained down on her position, tearing through the air with a deafening roar. Valeria raised her hand to summon her barrier, but the Hellfire strike had weakened her defenses. The translucent shield flickered,

struggling to hold against the onslaught.

Each hit delayed her regeneration further, the constant barrage making it impossible for her body to fully heal. She gritted her teeth, her eyes glowing with rage as she deflected what she could, but the pressure was mounting.

"She's not regenerating as fast. Keep the pressure on her!" the tank commander yelled, lining up another shot.

The second Abrams fired, and this time, the round clipped Valeria's shoulder. She snarled in pain, her anger reaching a boiling point. The dark energy around her flickered violently, her control faltering under the continuous bombardment.

"I will not be stopped by mortals!" she screamed, her voice echoing across the battlefield.

With a furious wave of her hand, Valeria slammed her palm into the ground. Dark energy surged from her, spreading out in all directions. The tanks and Bradleys kept firing, but it was too late-she had made her decision.

A massive wall of dark energy erupted from the earth, towering high above the battlefield. The barrier was thicker and denser than anything she had conjured before, its surface swirling with malevolent power. The wall encased her entirely, cutting her off from the incoming fire. The Abrams and Bradleys continued to rain lead and explosives against the wall, but their rounds simply disintegrated upon impact, unable to penetrate the thick barrier. Inside, Valeria smirked darkly. She had bought herself the time she needed.