Darkness cloaked the clearing. You, Lena, Dorian, and Jax were in position, every breath measured, every muscle taut. Dorian, with his Perception Optimization active, was the living chronometer of the team. His eyes tracked every movement of the portal guards.
"They're moving. The guard pair is withdrawing…" he murmured.
The Tactical Pulse
The pair of Demons guarding the Portal/Generator stepped away to join the patrol. The new pair approached from the opposite direction, but they were still seconds away.
[ATTACK WINDOW OPEN: 15 SECONDS]
The clearing was tense, silent. Fifteen seconds. That was all they had.
You gestured to Jax, channeling energy. "Jax, get ready!"
Ten Mana surged from your hand into his shoulder. "Code Shield!"
A thin, translucent layer enveloped Jax's body. Invisible to ordinary eyes, but solid as a wall against the first strike.
Jax's Charge
"Dorian, Lena! Full cover! Jax, go!"
Shielded and carrying his three Code Explosives, Jax sprinted toward the portal. His heavy steps were muffled by the hum of the base. He crossed the improvised fence and reached the pulsating emerald crystal. In seconds, he placed the explosives at its base, where the energy converged.
The new guard pair was five seconds away. Jax had to retreat. The portal had to explode.
The Explosion
You did not hesitate. You channeled five Mana, not to attack, but to interfere with the code of the explosives. "Initial Flame!"
The invisible pulse struck the artifacts. The Portal/Generator erupted. The sound was not that of a normal bomb, but of a catastrophic system error. The crystal shattered, and a shockwave of chaotic Mana swept across the camp. Red and blue lights flickered wildly.
Result: Portal/Generator Destroyed! AI Mana and communication system failure.
The blast hurled Jax aside, but the shield absorbed the worst of it. As the base alarm echoed, you channeled fifteen Mana. "Algorithm Shift!"
Not for yourself, but for Jax. His inertia was rewritten. Instead of running, he vanished and reappeared at your side, deep in the forest's shadows.
Chaos
The guard pair arrived at the empty site of the explosion. The Demon Leader barked orders, but the system was collapsing.
Fifteen active Demons — patrols, engineers, and the leader — were disoriented. Robotic cries echoed:
"Server Failure! Target Failure! Revert to Combat Protocol! Eliminate Mana Anomalies!"
The Armored Gorilla, still incomplete, began to move, roaring in frustration.
"Mission accomplished, Kael! But they're furious," Jax panted. "The Gorilla is rising! We need to leave now, or Phase Two won't happen!" Lena warned.
"Chaos is our cover!" you ordered. "Dorian, show me the cages. Lena, prepare your magic!"
Liberation of the Prisoners
Dorian pointed to three large improvised metal cages near the engineering area. You advanced through the shadows, exploiting the chaos. The Demons, panicked, moved erratically, searching for the "Mana anomaly."
You reached the cages. Inside, terrified civilians.
"Jax, your axe! Quickly!"
With brute force, Jax smashed the locks and bars in seconds. "RUN! Into the forest! Don't look back!" you shouted.
Ten prisoners burst out in panic, fleeing in all directions.
Enemy Reaction
The chaos was immediate. The Demon Leader roared:
"PROXIMITY TARGET! ORGANIC TARGETS ESCAPING! PRIORITY: RECAPTURE!"
The protocol shifted. Eight patrol units sprinted after the fleeing prisoners. The Armored Gorilla roared, but remained trapped between the wreckage of the portal and the engineering bay.
Infiltration into the Factory — Phase 2
The path was clear. You slipped through the shadows, crossing the fence once more. Ahead loomed the Production Hangar: raw Code Metal, laser welding tools, piles of unfinished components. The beating heart of the factory.
Four Demons remained: two engineers and the looming threat of the Armored Gorilla.
The hangar burned with tension. You gestured to Lena and Jax, your command sharp and unwavering. "Lena, take them! Jax, finish it!"
The Charge
Lena surged forward, her eyes blazing with determination. Ten Mana points coursed through her body, channeled into her newly compiled skill. "Static Wave!"
A shimmering pulse of chaotic energy erupted from her, striking the two Engineer Demons feverishly working on the Gorilla's body. The creatures shrieked, their optical lights flickering wildly. Their systems looped, blinded and disoriented.
Jax did not hesitate. His axe fell with brutal precision. Blow after blow, he finished the two enemies before they could recover.
Result: 2 Engineer Demons Deactivated.
The Fire
While Jax dispatched the enemies, the Gorilla's rising roar echoed through the hangar. You turned toward the stockpiles of Code Metal and components. Five Mana surged into the tip of your staff. "Initial Flame!"
The blue pulse struck the piles of metal and tanks of lubricating oil. The Code Metal, saturated with residual energy, reacted violently. A blue-green inferno erupted across the hangar. The magical flames spread with supernatural speed, consuming the factory. The heat was instant, suffocating.
Maximum Threat
The fire was your distraction, but also your timer. The explosion forced the remaining patrols to turn toward the hangar. And within the blaze, the Armored Gorilla finally rose.
The colossal creature unleashed a deafening roar. Its body was a grotesque fusion of metal and cybernetic muscle. The flames did not harm it; it seemed immune to ordinary fire. Its optical eyes locked onto you — the Arcanist.
Armored Gorilla (deep hardware voice): "PRIMARY ANOMALY DETECTED. ARCANIST. ELIMINATE!"
The ground shook as it pounded its chest and advanced. Each step was an earthquake. The hangar burned, patrols returned, and time was running out.
You had to disable it. Fast.