The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 759: Step 4: Push!

’I failed?’

As I lifted my gaze, my mind dragged to a sluggish halt. The Drakoshi unleashing fire at my cover again failed to unsettle me. My stare locked firmly on the weapon.

’This is my fault and I- Uughh’

Pain erupted savagely through my whole body.

My origin started thrashing wildly in its spot. My Psionics churned into a raging tempest. Then a voice roared across my Mindspace, nearly splintering it with the sheer force of every syllable.

"WE! NOT! FAIL! NEVER! FAIL!"

Every word struck like an unyielding truth, beyond mere declaration.

My Origin hadn’t voiced itself in ages. No need had arisen, since it stopped trying to end me and we’d reached harmony at last, yet this... This disrupted all equilibrium. So I reflected inwardly.

"I’ve tried everything possible! I’m pinned here. I can’t-"

"We. Can. Do...ANYTHING! Like. Jewel. Like Lover."

My Origin and body plunged into chaos. Though one and the same, clashing ideas gnawed at our core. The clash between its absolute truth and my harsh reality paralyzed me completely. Motionless, I kept staring at the enormous gun as my thoughts battled fiercely within.

*Crrrrrkkk*

With Drakoshi drawing nearer to my position, the emotional storm in my mind abruptly hushed, granting me sharp clarity. The overhead weapon, the boomstick, shifted. It tilted. Just a fraction.

It suffered more harm than I’d realized... Maybe destruction remained possible, maybe I hadn’t...

...

Sounds flooded back into my environment fully, time snapped out of its stretch, and my mind shifted to decisive moves. Seizing the moment, I jabbed a stim into myself. No room existed for another surge of pointless pride now.

Breaking from my cornered shelter, I angled my form and unleashed my minigun at the closest Drakoshi. Bullets shredded the nearest foes to pulp as I dashed, though enemy fire immediately hammered me. My suit rang like a battered metal barrel during the sprint, yet I ignored it. The Drakoshi seemed short on ammo, but plenty lingered to squander on me...

Onyx inquired if she should emerge to support, but numbers overwhelmed now. Her true form offered the sole aid, yet tactically unwise.

Reaching the structure reduced to metal beams, I climbed upward. Leaping beam to beam. Exchanging fire nonstop.

Greater exposure meant heavier suit damage. Deep dents scarred the armor from large rounds, a handful piercing joints. Still, I pressed on. Until cresting the summit again.

Atop, I evaluated the harm. The gun endured more destruction than anticipated, yet retained firing power. Truly resilient, explosives from weapon depots likely wouldn’t have sufficed, but over half the support beams lay wrecked, survivors badly mangled by the explosion—explaining the tilt I’d spotted.

Weighing choices swiftly. Detonating it with a mini sun risked my doom too, or sparing the weapon itself but rendering it battle-irrelevant tomorrow.

The second path appealed more, so I advanced, shrugging off ricocheting bullets on my armor. Disregarding rounds slicing into my flesh. I stationed beneath the gun.

Anchored between twin beams, I heaved with utmost strength, venting all pent-up fury from my setback.

"RAAAAHHHHH!"

...

"We need to leave! Where are they!" Skaja bellowed as her squad clashed with approaching Drakoshi at the entry point.

"Over there!" Nerissa shouted, her Deimos rifle barking with lethal precision.

Skaja glanced briefly and spotted two pink-haired women plus a snake beneath, scaling the wall.

"Give covering fire!" She commanded, her troops complying until they summited."

"Alright! Let’s move! We need to fall back now-Aahh! Son of a bitch! Where is Apollo!" She roared after a bullet nicked her cheek and ear."

Tamara, Willow, and Sithrik whipped around in alarm, anticipating Apollo’s presence—he was absent...

Their expressions told the tale. Skaja eyed the intact weapon above and swore. "Shit. We can’t wait for him. Everyone. Over the wall! Now!"

Her soldiers obeyed, retreating and vaulting the wall amid resounding splashes below.

Willow appeared ready to protest, but Rhea seized her shoulder and hauled her over.

Tamara hesitated too. Her comrade lingered above; she yearned to assist, but... Reascending proved impossible.

*fwwosh*

Especially as Zircon slipped her hold and soared back to the base’s peak. She unleashed a furious cry before leaping over.

The evacuation continued till merely three remained on the parapet: Skaja, Nerissa, and Sithrik.

"Nerissa, we have to go!" She ordered, yet the Praetorian refused. She kept blasting multiple Drakoshi per volley.

Heeding her spear, she bellowed again. "Nerissa! We order you in the name of your goddess! Leave this wall. It is a lost cause. We cannot wait for-

"-I am not leaving Apollo! I follow him where he goes! If my life ends here. So be it!"

Artemis reeled at the nymph’s defiance. For one to address her so... She urged Skaja to glance upward where Apollo’s presence pulsed. ’I wonder...’

Skaja called out amid her shots. "Very well Nerissa, I hope you all make it back."

...

Once Skaja vaulted from the platform, Nerissa and Sithrik exchanged looks before resuming battle. Nerissa, frantic for Apollo’s welfare, aimed to secure this parapet for his return—or perish in the attempt. She swore that while breath remained, no other Apollo would slip away. One loss’s sorrow crushed her; another cherished one’s end would shatter utterly.

Sithrik, devoted concubine, hadn’t yet shared intimacy with her mate, yet adored his alien allure, intellect, and poise. Kingship sweetened the feast. Thus, she blazed fiercer in his honor. She’d hold until his safety confirmed, or her own cessation. With that resolve, stone beneath her melted as Pyrokinesis unleashed fully. Any wretch daring to sully her king-exclusive form with lowly grasps would forfeit limbs and existence.

....

"RAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"

I bellowed in torment. Muscles ripped as I shattered boundaries, channeling full Gyrokinetic force to shove this massive weapon upward. Armor shredded, body drenched ever bloodier.

Yet I bore Apollo’s name, bestowed by my beloved hive. Failing under it meant failing her. Thus, I refused to halt until.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

I thrust relentlessly, vision blurring crimson. Veins bulged from straining muscles. I poured every ounce—physical, Psionic—until metal wailed in protest.

Shrieking fiercely, the beam yielded, hurling me off-balance.

Tumbling, the boomstick loomed below instead of above. It plummeted too, smashing walls in descent. Success.

’I need to rest.’

Eyes shutting, I surrendered to the drop until abruptly halting.

’Weird, I’m not using Gyrokinesis?’ I pondered hazily, then noted protrusions in my armor’s gaps. Peering down at the rescuer, I grinned.

"Zircon... Such a good girl. Did the others make it... out."

Fatigue vanished instantly as I scanned toward the entry point.

"No, you idiots! Get out!" I hollered at full volume, somehow dredging faint Psionics from Mindspace’s depths.

Disregarding my wounded, ravaged frame, I braked the fall, then launched airborne toward them.

No loss of my people. Those dear to me.

That spelled defeat.

And I do not fail.