Even through the static lines and grainy resolution, Iris could not look away from the screen. Her father was alive. He looked older, thinner, worn down by the world, but he was still there. Breathing. Smiling.
And that was enough.
She had started this journey with vague intent. Pushing Bob to keep moving. Training her abilities. Using the idea of visiting her parents as a reason to stay focused.
But now, seeing him in front of her, something inside her cracked wide open.
Her voice cracked as tears welled in her eyes. "Dad... how are you? Where is Mom?"
Her father gave a tired but warm smile. "I am fine, Iris. I am so glad to see you."
He hesitated, then continued.
"Your mother is not here. Before the meteor hit, she went to visit her parents. Your grandparents. Her mother, your grandmother, was sick. I stayed behind for work and planned to follow a few days later. Then the meteor happened."
He looked down for a moment, his expression tightening.
"But do not worry. We were able to talk before the impact. Your mom and your grandparents were safe then. I have been trying to find a way to contact her, but I believe they are still okay."
Iris nodded quickly, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. There were so many questions she wanted to ask. About the city. About his health. About everything he had endured. But she held them back.
Her hand trembled as she gripped the edge of the table, steadying herself.
"We are coming soon, Dad. We are already in Phantom City. Just two cities away."
His eyes softened again. "Then I will be here waiting. By the way, your brother..."
Before he could finish, the door behind him burst open. A group of people rushed into the room, and the camera shifted slightly as Mayor Renjiro looked up.
"Mayor, we have a problem," one of them said quickly. "We have a situation. Boss-level Fade spotted just outside the eastern perimeter. Initial visuals confirm it is holding position near the outskirts. Patrols are falling back to reinforce the inner defense lines."
Renjiro stood immediately. "Sound the alert. Prepare for full defense."
Iris's father turned back to the screen, the tension already climbing behind him.
"I need to go," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Do not worry about us, Iris. We have strong people here. We will be fine."
"No. Just hang in there. We are coming now," she said, her voice hardening.
She stepped away from the console, her hands already curling into fists. Her mother was far away in District 8-04, Vincora City. Her father was here in District 5-01, facing a Boss-level Fade assault. She had waited long enough.
"We leave now."
Nobody argued.
Just as Iris stepped away from the monitor, preparing to move out, a Phantom soldier burst into the command center.
"Reporting, General. We have spotted a Boss-level Fade between Phantom City and Greystone City. It is moving. Heading this way."
Vance stood immediately. "Ready the Wreck Sweepers and all frontline Glints. Intercept team, prepare for combat."
He turned to Bob and the crew. "I am sorry. I cannot go with you from here. I have to lead the defense. If you are planning to leave, do it now. The Fade might block the only clear road between here and Greystone."
Bob gave a casual nod. "No problem. We will move out."
Vance did not ask for help. With a thousand trained fighters, the Phantom Battalion could hold its own.
Or so he thought.
The Wild Bites crew wasted no time. Bob started the engine, and the Last Bite food truck roared to life. Gabe, Iris, and Sly climbed aboard. Gabe and Iris took the passenger seats, while Sly climbed to the roof and perched beside the giant, rattling L in the truck's sign.
"Next time, I am bolting a lawn chair up here," Sly muttered.
The plan was simple. Use the cleared road to reach Greystone as fast as possible. There, they would wait for their Glint forms to recharge, then push toward Minawa City. Traveling on foot while waiting for transformations was not just risky. It was slow. Using the vehicle would get them to Greystone much faster.
But as they drove, they saw the battle unfold.
The Phantom Battalion was already engaged. Vance, in full Glint form as a high orc, had transformed in less than three minutes and now led the charge against a towering, armor-plated Boss Minotaur and its herd of lesser Minotaurs.
High orcs were known for their sheer muscle density, their skin a mossy green streaked with glowing crimson lines that pulsed with energy. Vance stood nearly eight feet tall, with tusks protruding from his lower jaw and thick, brutish limbs built for heavy strikes. His armor was minimal, just enough to protect vital areas without slowing him down.
The Boss Minotaur had black steel horns reinforced with plating, with corrupted energy glowing along its arms.
In the rearview mirror, Bob caught a glimpse of Vance hurling himself at the beast, swinging a crude, oversized axe. He made contact, but the Minotaur barely flinched. Vance was thrown through the air, crashing into debris.
Bob frowned.
"He is not Stage Three. No fog weapon. Boss-level Fades are built to fight Stage Threes. He is at a huge disadvantage."
He slammed the brakes.
"Continue the plan. I will see you in Minawa."
Before anyone could object, Bob leapt from the truck and hit the ground running. As soon as his boots touched the dirt, his body surged with fog and light. He transformed into his Goliath form mid-stride, his silhouette swelling and shifting as power exploded through his frame.
Gabe did not even argue. If they could help, they would. But waiting for their Glint forms to activate would take too long, and they would only waste precious time trying to join a fight Bob could handle alone. Gabe knew Bob did not ask for backup unless he truly needed it.
So, he did the next best thing. He slid into the driver's seat and kept the mission moving.
Iris clenched her fists but stayed silent.
Sly watched from the roof, his expression unreadable.
-----
Vance blinked in surprise as a blur of movement charged back toward the fight. Bob.
In a flash, Bob's Goliath form slammed into the battlefield, conjuring a massive fog-forged club and bringing it down like a hammer.
CLANG.
The Minotaur raised its twin-bladed axe just in time, blocking the impact with both arms. The ground cracked under its hooves.
Bob raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you can block."
He did not stop. He hammered the same spot again. And again. And again. Each swing sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The Minotaur's hooves sank deeper into the soil with every strike.
"RAWR!!".
With a violent shove, the Minotaur locked weapons with Bob, then suddenly released, throwing both weapons aside.
Bob reacted instantly, launching a punch straight at the Minotaur's chest.
"Take this."
Caught.
The Minotaur's massive hand clamped around Bob's fist. Bob followed up with his other hand. Caught again.
Their hands locked, muscles bulging. Neither moved. A pure test of strength.
The Boss Minotaur threw back its head and let out a deep, guttural roar. This time, it was not a wild cry of rage. It was a command.
Across the battlefield, the lesser minotaurs reacted immediately. They grouped together, forming a tight formation with their heads lowered and hooves pounding the dirt.
A stampede began to build.
Vance, pulling himself from a broken cart, saw what was coming. "Fall back. Battalion, pull out. Do not get caught."
Bob held his ground.
He gritted his teeth, then yanked the Boss Minotaur's arms downward. The beast staggered forward, caught off balance.
With one fluid motion, Bob smashed his shoulder into the Minotaur's chest, launching it into the air straight into the oncoming herd.
GWAK.
Dust and bodies flew as the stampede shattered under the impact. Their leader crashed through them like a cannonball, breaking their momentum in an instant.
The Boss Minotaur scrambled back to its feet, faster than expected. It locked eyes on Bob, snorted once, and charged.
Bob stood firm.
SLAM.
They collided. Bob caught the Minotaur's horns in both hands. The creature tried to claw at him, but Bob blocked each strike. Their hands locked again, massive fingers gripping tightly, neither willing to yield. It was a brutal test of strength, both of them rooted to the ground, refusing to back down. Veins bulged. Muscles trembled. Neither blinked.
This time, the Minotaur braced its hooves. It had learned. No more being thrown.
Bob grunted.
"Alright. Let us use the head, then."
They slammed their foreheads together.
BLAG!
The impact cracked through the battlefield.
Both staggered from the collision, but Bob stumbled an extra step, blood running down his forehead from a deep gash. He did not care. He smeared the blood across his chest and grinned, refusing to show weakness.
Bob wiped the blood across his chest, smiling through the sting.
He squared his stance, locked eyes with the charging Minotaur, and bared his teeth in a grin that promised nothing good.
"Come on, Horn Boy," he said, voice low and steady. "Let's dance."