195 Return of the Mushroom

"To the left, a group of people aggressively running in our direction while also aggressively waving weapons around. To the right, another group of people who are also aggressively running in our direction while aggressively waving weapons around. And in front of us, these two groups beating each other over the head. Could be worse right? People could be behind us too," I say looking back, "good, nothing behind."

"Why do I feel you're being way too calm about this? Do you have some sort of plan?" Wanjing asks.

"Yeah, a secret technique I picked u from my time as an ocean dweller. A special last card to play."

"And what is it?" Wanjing asks.

"I'm gonna use my legs."

"Your legs? How?"

Turning around to the way we came, I bend my legs 90° and steadily position myself.

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me..." Aurelia says, probably having read my mind.

"To run away!" I yell as I begin dashing back the way we came.

Following after me, as the others quickly catch up, I have them come closer to me so I can bend the light around us for an easy escape. Looking back the members of the two groups have confused looks as they watch us disappear, but the quickly put it aside and begin fighting with each other.

I bring us off to the side in the nearby woodlands, giving us a bit of cover while also overlooking the place where we previously stood around the broken bridge.

"Teacher, that was a pretty lame move."

"Nonsense, being able to efficiently run away is both elegant and life saving. You should do well to remember that."

"It is one of the essentials of banditry, running away from the people stronger than you. Just as Milla says, you really are a natural bandit," Lia says as she pats my head.

"I feel like you're trying complimenting me, but it doesn't really feel like your complimenting me."

"They have a point. One of the most important things a person needs to know when they engage in illegal activities is how to properly run away. There is much to learn from Cordelia's physical form and how she was able to conceal our escape," Yue explains.

"I wouldn't exactly call running away an elegant move, but it is indeed a life saving one. There is no harm in learning when to do so and how to do so efficiently," Aurelia says.

"You're all praising it, but at the end of the day, it's just running away... you know what, I don't think I'm gonna win this argument, so I'll just shut up regarding this topic," Wanjing says as she turns her attention to the fight that broke out in our previous position, "so what are we going to do about that?"

"I'm glad you asked," I say as I start making a catapult behind us.

It doesn't take too long for me to finish, although it's pretty basic and doesn't have too much range, it'll get the job done. With the catapult finished, I begin coughing up the bombs that Hakase gave me and place them into the bucket.

"Do you even know how to detonate them? I don't recall Hakase explaining how to do so," Aurelia asks as I prepare for launch.

"Nope, but I'm sure it'll work out."

"I don't think explosives are a great ide-- too late," Yue says as I release the catapult and about thirty small metal balls go flying towards the battle near the broken bridge.

At first, it doesn't seem as if anyone paid attention to the small sphere heading in their direction as most just fall to the ground. But one of the combatants notice and swat the small sphere with his sword, and that's all that was needed. The metal coating on the outside is incredibly thin as the sword slices right through it, causing the ball to explode. I feel a pulse come out from it at the same time causing all the other balls to explode along with it.

*boom*

"Yep, Hakase was right. These are defiantly stronger than that explosive shit," I say while in midair, having been sent flying back from the force of the explosion.

Much like myself, Lia and the others also got sent flying from the force of the explosion. Lia, Yue, and I are the first to stabilise ourselves. Wanjing transforms and digs her claws into the ground to prevent being sent back further while Aurelia grabs onto Wanjing's leg to prevent herself from being knocked back any further.

Looking around, it seems like some of the trees have caught on fire from the heat of the explosion, but all of the nearby trees have had their leaves completely blown off. The devastation from the blast is massive as a crater is left behind where the explosion took place and the bodies of the people fighting there are nowhere to be seen.

With my immunities, I was basically unaffected by it and Yue has some resistance to heat and is relatively unscathed compared to the suckers who were fighting, having only sustained a few scratches from debris that hit her. Lia was lucky to be near me, shielding her from most of the potential damage and Wanjing has a few scratches and bits of her fur look singed, but for the most part seems fine. Aurelia on the other hand, for once, has gotten the short end of the stick. her clothes have partially burned and she sustained a few cuts and bruises from random debris that hit her.

The battles taking place beyond the river have all stoped as everyone is paying attention to the giant mushroom in the sky and since the explosion, not a single sound can be heard from the battlefield.

"Beautiful, absolutely perfect, I need to ask Hakase to give me more of these the next time I see her. It's a shame I only have seventy of them left."

"Weren't we walking through Shenzhou to be discreet and not attract attention," Yue says.

"... oh yeah, that was why we were walking instead of flying, I forgot."

"Screw it lets just fly, no point in being discreet now. With our previous escape in Shiping and now this, as soon as word gets back about the explosion they'll know about our return."

"How about we do it like this," Wanjing says, "first we'll fly to one side of Shenzhou and then..."

...

"That's not a bad idea, good job little kitty," Yue says.

"But doesn't that mean I have to do almost all the work?" I say, complaining about the work load.

"It's your own fault for putting us in this situation to begin with, now lets get moving," Aurelia says.