Chapter 36: Hades
In Academy City, District 2, Heavy Industrial Zone, on the streets.
Sparks flew as a robot cut into three sections attempted to stand, its electronic eye flickering a few times before the machine was scrapped.
The stench of blood permeated the air. A member of the Hound Unit leaned against a trash can on the street corner, clad in a black combat suit, one hand clutching his throat. As his body convulsed, blood gushed from the corners of his mouth and the gash across his throat.
If one followed this street toward the center of District 2, they would find wreckage of mechs and corpses of Hound Unit members scattered along the way. It was as if a "wild beast" had charged out from the center of District 2, crushing every obstacle in its path.
Edge of District 2.
Rat-a-tat-tat...
Heavy machine guns spewed flames. A soldier shook as the gun vibrated, a stream of bullets forming a chain, bombarding a wastewater treatment plant.
Not only were over twenty heavy machine guns hammering the plant, but unmanned fighter jets also howled through the sky, dropping small missiles that left trails of exhaust as they slammed into the facility.
The wastewater treatment plant was already more than two-thirds destroyed. Concrete fragments scattered, thick smoke rose, and faint flames could be seen within the haze.
Compared to this, the scene at the center of District 2 was even more chilling. Flames shot into the sky there, having burned for over half an hour.
Dozens of fire trucks raced through District 2, yet whether they used water or dry chemical extinguishing agents, the green flames refused to die out. Instead, they showed signs of spreading further. Even several air-type superpower users couldn't suppress the blaze.
Cement, metal, asphalt—anything the green flames touched had an over 80% chance of becoming fuel. By now, the center of District 2 had turned into a sea of fire, with more than a quarter of the entire district consumed by the green inferno.
Needless to say, this was the bomb Su Xiao had created. More precisely, it was an extremely unstable large-scale incendiary bomb. Its materials included: Fire Gold (642g), Uranium Concentrate (12,000g), Fissile Combustible Material (6,725g), Compressed Solid Oxygen (7,534g), and Green Phosphorus Solution Extract (756g).
These were the main components of the large incendiary bomb, along with various catalysts, stabilizers, and accelerants.
If Yan Chen or the fake clown saw these green flames, they would immediately recall the Green Phosphorus Fire Molotov Cocktail.
Su Xiao hadn't managed to create the Green Phosphorus Fire Molotov Cocktail—that was a weapon from the War World. Whether it was Su Xiao or Xi, if either took a direct hit, they could be burned to death.
Though he hadn't perfected the Molotov, Su Xiao had become very familiar with Green Phosphorus Solution. After the War World ended, instead of spending his time in Reincarnation Paradise's rest period at the arena, he had holed up in his exclusive room researching the solution.
Now, this large incendiary bomb was the product of combining Green Phosphorus Solution with technology. In terms of power, it couldn't match Apollo's instantaneous lethality, but for destroying buildings, it even surpassed Apollo.
When this inextinguishable incendiary bomb exploded in District 2, Aleister could no longer remain calm. Judging by the hundreds of unmanned fighter jets circling above District 2, along with the Dark Side members and several hundred Hound Unit soldiers, Aleister was using every method to kill Su Xiao—except leaving the Windowless Building. He had dispatched most of his subordinates to surround and eliminate Su Xiao.
However, those Dark Side members weren't putting in much effort. For instance, the second-ranked superpower user, Kakine Teitoku, was simply enjoying the fire show in District 2.
Rumbling sounds continued from the edge of District 2 as unmanned fighter jets zipped overhead.
Su Xiao was hiding inside a wastewater treatment plant, most of which had been destroyed. Through his Alchemical Raven, he could see the situation outside.
"No risk of being surrounded for now. 'Hades' has decent combustion properties, but the flame spread is too slow—slower than ordinary flames. It still needs modification. Adding uranium concentrate was a mistake. But... the enemy has already seen Hades' power. That makes things easier."
Su Xiao had named the Green Phosphorus Incendiary Bomb "Hades"—Flames of the Underworld, a fitting description for that green fire.
If Apollo was about violent fury—a single blast leaving a 1,000-meter radius barren—then Hades was about burning: continuous burning, relentless spreading. Hades' initial combustion range was only five meters, but if fully expanded, it could reach 5,000 to 6,000 meters—five to six kilometers.
Hades and Apollo served different purposes. In combat, Apollo was more suitable. As for Hades, it was a scorched-earth tactic, specifically for burning the enemy's home base. Using it to kill enemies? Forget it. Even an elderly person with bad legs could outrun Hades' spread speed.
Boom!
A rumble came from above Su Xiao, and dust fell onto his head. He had rested enough and needed to continue breaking through.
Clang!
A dozen blade auras flashed, shattering the concrete layer above. Bubu Wang carried Su Xiao as they burst out of the wastewater treatment plant.
The moment Su Xiao appeared, the unmanned fighter jets immediately dove toward him.
"Aleister, do you believe I'll send you another 'firework'?"
However, Su Xiao's threat seemed ineffective. The fighter jets continued their dive.
"The second one I'm sending you is in District 7."
As Su Xiao said this, he pulled out another detonator.
Inside the Windowless Building in District 7, Aleister hung upside down in a glass cylinder. Through his floating surveillance threads, he saw Su Xiao produce the second detonator. Aleister's expression changed, and his pupils rapidly contracted.
District 2 was a heavy industrial zone with few people. District 7 was different—it was home to many students, with over 70% of the city's student population living there. It was the largest of Academy City's twenty-three districts, consuming the most funding, and the one Aleister had invested the most effort into.
If burning District 2 was like cutting off one of Aleister's "hands," then burning District 7 would be like chopping off his "head."
Whether Su Xiao had actually planted a bomb in District 7 was unknown, but Aleister couldn't afford to gamble. Accelerator was already dead—a dead man had no value. Aleister had sent people to hunt Su Xiao only to establish authority externally.
Now that his "head" was about to be cut off, what was the point of establishing authority? He had to protect his "head" first. Even if he killed Su Xiao, what would it matter? Accelerator was already dead.
At the edge of District 2, as Su Xiao held up the detonator, all the drones stopped. The Hound Unit members ceased fire, and the Dark Side members lurking nearby also received orders.
All soldiers and superpower users hunting Su Xiao withdrew within thirty seconds. Over 90% of the floating surveillance threads in Academy City converged on District 7.
Seeing this, Su Xiao dismounted from Bubu Wang. Clearly, after witnessing the power of [Hades: Flames of the Underworld], Aleister had backed down.
What Academy City's big boss? What the greatest magician in history? When it came to his own critical interests, he would still flinch.