Jefferson City 3: Bravo - The Knight

Mikhail had decided against eluding this unidentified machine in favor of confronting it. His courage was commendable, but she didn't have time to linger on it for long. This potential calamity was unleashing every attempt to thwart their charge toward their destination. Each tactic it employed only exacerbated her disbelief. With so many attacks converging upon it, it should've been compromised in every sense of the word.

At the current moment, that was anything but the case here. Qualkreis was nullified by a honeycomb-formation shield without landing so much as a whisper of damage. Preparing a follow-up spell was the correct choice, after all. Of course, if she allowed this thing to move too far away from its current position, her next arcane art wouldn't fare any better. Directing her soldat to bind this mechanical monstrosity where it stood, Natasha set into action.

Thunderously dashing through the air, weaving forward, evading any attack that swept past their own - Natasha appeared above it, offering her reiryoku as a final catalyst to accelerate the process, hoping this would momentarily impede its path. Well-equipped as it appeared to be, she wasn't quite sure what would obstruct its path.

"Sprenger!"

A pillar of reishi erupted in the sincere hope that it might envelop the mechanical beast, azure waves raging about like a storm-tossed sea. Of course, devoting all her attention toward the robot, meant Mikhail's role was accounting for the jeep. Would this spell even fare any better? Several strategies formed in her head, her focus reaching critical mass, she slapped her pistols together, manipulating her spirit weapon's shape until it resembled a veritably mobile cannon, set against her shoulder. Heavy artillery would be the next game plan. If that failed, she'd simply use her goddamn hands. Either way, she intended to see her duty fulfilled by any means necessary.

"...What the hell?"

Genuine disbelief painted her expression as she heard the impenetrable machine announce those words as if its entire configuration was ideally suited to a Quincy's arsenal. Of course, she had partially recognized that already as the battle progressed, but hearing it was another matter altogether.

Furthermore, it could be assumed that since it was equipped to defend against their arcane arts, its defenses likewise followed a similar principle. Indomitable machinery was built specifically for fighting against Quincy.

Unsettled though far from unnerved, the cannon poised above her shoulder, Natasha's hawklike gaze observed the egg-shaped object as it assumed a bipedal form, sword and shield in hand. Knight, huh? For a moment, Natasha wondered what her next objective ought to be here.

The main unit seemed to be experiencing a momentary compromise, but how long would that last? What would she do if she was at the head of the operation? Quite honestly, she'd seek to destroy the main operational source. That felt like the natural strategy here, but would it merit victory? Additionally, what if the newly former machinery standing before them was the main unit? She called out to Mikhail as she stepped forward.

"Don't let that knight get past us, Mikhail! Show them what a real knight is like, partner! Meantime, I'll be tryin' my damndest to destroy that main unit. Starting... now!"

There was no longer any time to waste. Act now. That would be the strategy. Dashing forward, a trail of reishi at her feet, she pulled at the trigger of her cannon. Ambient reishi were drawn toward the cannon's chamber. From where it was drawn, it returned to the atmosphere in an explosive array of innumerable bullets, akin to the ancient technique known as licht regen. Each shooting toward the main unit in its idle state.

Of course, this tactic all depended on whether or not the "knight" would impede her path. As before, she remained prepared, acting as though she had eyes in the back of her head in preparation for the possibility of a sneak attack.

"Listen here, ya overgrown heap of junk. We're makin' it out of here alive. Go ahead and pass along, will ya!?"

Hazel eyes grew violent for a moment as she saw the recovering machinery reassuming its position. There was no longer any pleasant reaction in her countenance. No, it was the expression of an efficient murderer who intended to send this piece of junk to kingdom come. From the looks of this thing, it wasn't going to go down without a fight until nothing was left of it.

That was fine by her. She'd already resolved to go to any length to kill it. If none of her innovative techniques would do the trick, she'd smash this pesky thing until it was nothing more than a mesh of oil and parts. Before she could prepare her cannon for another strike, a volley of missiles mercilessly fell upon it, as though stuck down by lightning. In the aftermath, it appeared that this thing was down for the count, but the glowing red eye told her otherwise.

Since she was already locked in, she didn't ask where that attack came from, though she had a hunch who it was. Jessica, maybe? She could worry about it later. Compared to Mikhail who had reached Letz Stil, Natasha wanted to ensure at least one of them had enough energy to operate moving forward.

As such, she forewent activating her own, her spirit weapon vanishing as reishi fluctuated around her body. Activating Blut Arterie, her muscles pulsated, her energy rumbled, and she charged toward the beast, drawing her fist back like an arrow against a bowstring.

A burst of steigen carried her forward as a thunderous fist crashed against that eye, energy radiating out from her fist at the point of impact. With resounding force and the full extent of her physical strength behind it, she sought to end this thing with a single strike. Of course, in the event it felt bold enough to keep going, she'd simply pile on the enhanced blows. Fist after fist. Punch after punch. She would continue striking this thing until her hands bled, until any sign of life was brutally snuffed out.