The silence of the trench was shattered by the hiss of high-velocity harpoons tearing through the water.
"THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!"
Valeria slammed her tower shield into the silt, activating [Titan's Barrier]. A golden wall of force erupted, pushing back the crushing pressure of the deep and deflecting the harpoons. The projectiles sparked against the barrier, their dark mana payloads fizzling out.
"They're using armor-piercing rounds," Valeria grunted, bracing her shoulder against the shield. "These guys aren't messing around."
"They're Elites," Alvian said, scanning the enemy formation. "Standard tactics. Suppression fire while the flankers move in."
He saw three commandos detaching from the main group, activating propulsion jets on their backs to circle around Valeria's shield. They moved with the fluidity of seals, their blades drawn—vibro-knives that hummed with a frequency designed to cut through molecular bonds.
"I'll handle the flankers," Alvian said. "You hold the front."
