When Chris's figure was annihilated into nothingness by the "Ice-Fire Sun," the entire "Feast Throne" fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
The fighters from various worlds now looked at Cloud's harem squad with expressions that had shifted from "amazement" to "horror."
"My god... was that... Mai Shiranui? I thought she only threw fans and used her butt to knock people around?" Ryo Sakazaki rubbed his eyes, feeling his worldview under assault.
"That girl with the ice-blue hair... did she just use... a sun?" Even Ryu's face showed confusion.
"Hmph, interesting women." Akuma was growing more intrigued by this grand melee.
Upon the throne, Otoma=Raga was silent for a moment before letting out a pleased laugh.
"Hehehe... Brilliant, truly brilliant."
"Fire, lightning, space, time... You're like a luxurious Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, every ingredient bursting with surprises."
"As a return courtesy, I've also prepared a dish with a futuristic flair for you."
As her voice fell, two figures slowly emerged from light and shadow at the arena's far end.
One was a man in a black trench coat, wearing a metal mask, cradling a black cat in his arms. His gaze was cold, emanating the pressure and authority of a superior. He was NESTS' high-ranking executive, the original body of Clone Zero—True Zero!
The other was even more magnificent. He wore divine white robes like a god, silver hair flowing in the wind, his face bearing a hypocritically compassionate smile. He was NESTS' supreme leader, the man who fancied himself a "god"—Igniz!
They too had been resurrected and enhanced by Otoma=Raga, but their enhancement focused on technology rather than divine power.
Their familiar battle suits now radiated a faint cosmic energy glow, with countless streams of data flickering and reorganizing across their surfaces.
These were no longer mere battle suits—they were "reality modifiers" capable of distorting physical laws within a limited range!
"Igniz... Zero..." K' looked at his two nemeses, his eyes turning ice-cold, flames roaring to life on his red glove.
"Oh? Isn't this my greatest creation?" Igniz spread his arms, sighing dramatically. "Seeing you still so spirited truly brings me great comfort."
"Save your breath!" K' growled. "Today, right here, I'm going to burn you and NESTS' disgusting past to ashes!"
"Just you alone?" True Zero snorted coldly. The black cat in his arms nuzzled against him, as if to soothe him.
"No, not just him."
A clear voice spoke up as Kula walked to K's side, warily eyeing her two former "bosses."
Though her current life was happy, she still held complicated feelings toward NESTS—the organization that created her and gave her so many painful memories.
Next came heavy footsteps, like a miniature mech approaching. The massive cyborg Maxima took his place on K's other side. His mechanical armor clicked and whirred as his data-eye scanned the enemies before him.
"Data analysis complete. Enemy battle suit energy readings exceed normal values by 3000%. Conclusion: This will be a tough fight." Maxima spoke in his emotionless electronic voice.
"All the traitors of NESTS, gathered together." Igniz's smile turned playful. "Perfect. Let me show you just how perfect my latest divine creation truly is!"
"Wait!"
Just as this "NESTS family drama" was about to unfold, Cloud suddenly spoke up.
He wasn't looking at Igniz but at K', Kula, and Maxima, wearing the smile of a shrewd merchant.
"You three, hold on a moment."
He strolled leisurely over to the "NESTS Resistance," like an arms dealer hawking weapons before battle.
"As they say, a craftsman is only as good as his tools. The enemy's already updated to the cosmic energy PLUS edition, and you're still using last century's antiques. How do you expect to fight?"
K': "...What's your point?"
"Nothing much," Cloud snapped his fingers. "Just thought I'd give you a pre-battle upgrade."
The moment he finished speaking, three golden data streams shot from Cloud's fingertips, instantly merging into K', Kula, and Maxima!
This was Cloud's custom "temporary cheat"—crafted using NESTS Technology, Dimensional Power, and Cosmic Energy specifically for them after fusing all his powers!
K' felt the flame power within him surge as if injected with top-grade aviation fuel! Golden circuit patterns appeared on his red glove, as if it had gained a life of its own!
Kula's body merged perfectly with her cute battle suit. Thousands of new applications for "ice" and "fire" flooded her mind, including ways to use these two forces for localized spatial freezing and energy annihilation!
The most dramatic change was Maxima. His heavy mechanical armor underwent a transformation worthy of Transformers, becoming sleeker and more streamlined. His data-eye upgraded to a "Causality Prediction Lens," capable of predicting an opponent's next move with extremely high probability!
"This... this is..." Maxima looked at his renewed body, his electronic voice carrying a hint of shock.
"Don't mention it. Consider it a VIP customer exclusive benefit." Cloud patted his shoulder, then turned to the dumbfounded Igniz and True Zero with a provocative smile.
"Now, your creations have become Cloud Tech PLUS Ultimate Collector's Edition."
"Alright, let the tech nerds handle the tech battle. Everyone else, enjoy the show."
With that, Cloud retreated to the rear, leaving behind the bewildered NESTS boss duo and the transformed "NESTS Resistance PLUS" trio.
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