Volume 1 – Chapter 3: Fire in the City
The evening skies above Novaria City burned with neon haze, but tonight, the glow was broken by fire. Sirens blared as explosions tore through the eastern industrial district. Drones swarmed the skies, their crimson optics pulsing with malice.
From the balcony of Life-Tech Tower, Bill Hardstone watched the smoke curl into the heavens. His emerald eyes hardened.
"This isn't random," he muttered. "It's coordinated."
Tim cracked his knuckles, a fire in his gazelle eyes. "Good. Been itching for a real fight. Let's crush them before they spread."
Aria, standing calm and poised, adjusted her high-tech gauntlets. "Don't underestimate them, Tim. Chaos like this always hides something deeper."
Bill smirked faintly. "And that's why I keep you two around—to keep him from punching first and thinking later."
Tim rolled his eyes but grinned. "And you from thinking too much."
Lena stepped forward, concern in her voice. "Brother, promise me you'll come back safe. All of you."
Bill touched her shoulder gently. "Always."
Industrial District ;
The trio arrived in full gear, their Hyperforce armor shimmering under the glow of fire. Civilians fled through the streets as mechanical monstrosities tore through buildings—twisted hybrids of drones and cybernetic beasts.
Bill scanned the battlefield through his visor. "Split formation. Aria, protect the civilians. Tim, take the frontline. I'll disable the command relays."
Tim smirked. "Frontline? Finally, you get it."
Aria shot him a sharp glance. "Just don't make me patch you up later."
The battle erupted.
Tim charged forward, fists shattering drone plating, his movements a blur of raw power. "Come on! You're not even worth sweating for!"
Aria leapt into action, graceful yet deadly, martial precision combined with tech-enhanced strikes. Every civilian she shielded was met with a reassuring, "Stay behind me—you'll make it out alive."
Bill, meanwhile, moved with calm focus. His cyber-blades glowed as he severed drone link lines, hacking into their corrupted network mid-combat. "Almost there… their command AI is primitive. Someone wants us to see this."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. A towering mech, unlike the drones, emerged from the flames—a prototype war machine, its armor etched with the insignia of the Federal Authority.
Bill's eyes widened. "That's not an enemy weapon… it's one of ours."
A voice crackled through loudspeakers, venom dripping from every word.
"Blake Hardstone. You and your little Hyperforce parade around as saviors. But to me, you're parasites. Tonight, your city burns to remind the world of your failures."
President Ronald Max Hogan's voice.
Tim snarled. "That bastard… he sent this?"
Aria clenched her fists, amber eyes burning. "To turn the people against us…"
Bill's jaw tightened, his emerald eyes locked on the mech. "He's not just testing us. He's sending a message."
The mech roared, launching missiles into the skyline.
"Hyperforce," Bill commanded, his calm voice sharp as steel. "We bring it down. Now."
Tim leapt onto the mech's leg, tearing through armor with brute force. "You're just metal! And I'm stronger than steel!"
Aria dodged incoming fire, her movements swift and precise, striking at weak points to buy time. "Bill, its core—where's the override?!"
Bill hacked into his wrist console, eyes narrowing. "Center chest cavity. But it's shielded. Tim, break me a path."
Tim grinned savagely. "With pleasure."
With a roar, Tim ripped off plating, exposing circuits beneath. Sparks flew as the mech staggered.
Bill vaulted forward, his emerald eyes glowing as his blade pierced the exposed core. His voice rang with conviction: "Life-Tech was built to protect, not destroy. And I won't let you twist it!"
The mech exploded in a burst of fire and light, collapsing to the ground.
Civilians cheered, but the moment was cut short as Hogan's voice echoed again.
"Enjoy your little victory, Hardstone. For every machine you break, I'll build ten more. The people will see your Hyperforce not as saviors, but as the reason the war never ends."
Static cut the transmission.
Tim spat on the ground. "Coward."
Aria frowned, concern deep in her voice. "He won't stop. He's turning the world against us."
Bill stared at the burning wreckage, emerald eyes glinting with resolve.
"Then we'll shine brighter. And when his lies crumble, we'll be ready to face what's hiding in the shadows behind him."
High above, unseen by all but the corrupted network, a faint whisper echoed.Yes… let hatred spread. It feeds me well.
Kwidhonda was listening.