The skill he once dismissed as "for miners only," [Steel Instinct], now outlined the most chilling path of death in his vision.
Deep underground, countless red dots representing metallic claws were shifting toward the center of the camp at speeds transcending biological limits.
He deconstructed the data further, his heart hammering against his ribs as he reached a terrifying conclusion: those were the metallic talons of Volt-Claws!
"Everyone, alert! Underground! They're coming from below!"
Lawson's roar had barely left his throat when a sharp gunshot tore through the Camp, followed by a bone-chilling scream that hammered everyone's nerves.
The earth split and dozens of Volt-Claws sparked with lethal electricity as they burst from the shadows. Panic spread exponentially; chaos boiled instantly.
Lawson sprinted toward the perimeter. Because the main force had left with Rickman, only a dozen guards remained, struggling behind the wreckage of abandoned vehicles.
Against the tidal wave of monsters, their meager firepower was like a candle trying to extinguish a forest fire.
"The flanks are collapsing!" a guard screamed in despair.
"No choice then... {MERCY HAMMER}!"
Lawson's right hand gripped the air. Golden particles materialized into a sleek, holy one-handed hammer.
The head was a matte gold, engraved with flowing runes that radiated a weight as heavy as a mountain.
Simultaneously, the paper-thin but indestructible light of [Grace of the Armor God] enveloped his body.
"GET BACK!"
Lawson let out a low growl, a strange light flashing in his eyes. He was no longer the polite craftsman; he became a golden blur, slamming into the enemy ranks! The hammer was a lethal living thing in his hand.
Bang! Bang! Bang! The strikes were muffled but powerful. Using the terrifying insight of [Steel Instinct], he shattered the core of every monster that dared approach, sending metallic shards and foul fluids flying.
But individual bravery couldn't stop the tide. The monsters were too many, filling the gaps left by their fallen kin, tearing at the crumbling barricades.
"Mr. Lawson! The left! They've broken through the left!"
Lawson looked back. Dozens of monsters had bypassed the scrap metal and were lunging toward the shivering children.
Sweat poured down his face as his hammer vibrated with extreme energy compression.
"SHRINK THE PERIMETER!! PREPARE TO EVACUATE!"
Lawson roared, his voice hoarse as he wiped foul blood from his face. "Anyone who can hold a weapon, stand with me at the front! Everyone else, take the children and get out of here! NOW! DON'T LOOK BACK!"
Under his thunderous command, the chaotic camp found a brief moment of order.
Mothers covered their children's mouths and fled into the smoke. Only Lawson and a dozen trembling guards remained—a lonely, fragile dam against an endless sea of beasts.
"Leave this to me!" Lawson shouted.
In that instant, his pores seemed to erupt with golden electricity. A dazzling, arrogant golden corona burst from him, dispelling the smoke and fear. This was not a gentle light of prayer; it was an absolute power of Order.
"With this 'God Gear' protecting me, these trash mobs can't touch me!" He turned his head slightly, the golden light outlining his cold profile. "Stop wasting time! GO!!"
The remaining guards were awestruck. To them, that golden silhouette was an insurmountable Great Wall of Steel. They turned with reddened eyes, escorting the last of the families toward the retreat point.
On the front line, Lawson stood alone. Thousands of red, greedy eyes stared back at him. Golden Order clashed with Scarlet Greed. He raised the pulsing hammer, a wild, cold smirk playing on his lips.
"Alright, you bastards... the stage belongs to me now."
The earth trembled. [Zero Armor Zone] gathered around him with the force of total annihilation.
"{Mercy Hammer} hidden ability: Triple Amplification!"
"TRIPLE ZERO ARMOR ZONE OF THE ARMOR GOD!"
Time froze. A violent golden torrent exploded outward. The terrifying pack of Volt-Claws didn't even have time to shriek before they were bleached into ash by the holy light. The screaming battlefield returned to absolute void.
"Whoa... did I overdo the power settings?" Lawson stared at his "masterpiece." Even as a ten-year veteran, the destruction exceeded his calculations.
He looked back. The fleeing crowd had stopped. The soul-shaking sight of the battlefield held them captive. Then, a wave of cheers erupted:
"THE GOLDEN HERO! HURRAH!!"
"MASTER LAWSON! YOU'RE THE SAVIOR!!"
Lawson scratched the back of his head, his face flushing red. "You guys are overpraising me... If I didn't have this 'cheat,' I'd be digesting in their stomachs right now." He fell into deep thought. So [Steel Instinct] isn't a trash skill after all...
Suddenly, two streaks of light—one a violent molten orange, the other a cold lunar blue—tore through the smoke.
BOOM!
The impact shook the ground. Lawson looked at the two familiar silhouettes. "You two are ridiculously late. "We nearly ended up as snacks for those things."
The light faded. Dodge and Katie de-armored.
"MY BRO! I finally found you!" Dodge grabbed Lawson, checking him over like a piece of rare treasure.
"Get off me! Stop touching me, you perverted brown bear!"
Lawson pried himself away from Dodge's overly enthusiastic embrace with a look of utter disgust. Then, he shifted his tone, adding a touch of mockery.
"Back at the factory, weren't you ready to beat me to death? What happened? Did you have a change of heart that quickly?"
Dodge let out a helpless, bitter smile and shrugged.
"Bro, it was all a huge misunderstanding! We just wanted to force you 'offline' so you could finally take a damn break. We couldn't think of any other way, so we put on that little show. Who knew Ester would go full-on berserk? She accidentally did us a huge favor by overacting."
Katie lowered her head in embarrassment, whispering her apology. "Sorry, Senior Lawson. It was my idea... I just didn't expect the final result to... well, exceed expectations."
Listening to his friends confess the "crime" bit by bit, Lawson's jaw nearly hit the floor. He stood there, completely petrified.
"So you're telling me... you were all just acting?!"
He clutched his hair, teetering on the edge of a mental breakdown, and let out a soul-crushing howl. "And while you were 'acting,' you just happened to demolish my entire Armor Factory?! Hey! I don't have enough LP in my account to repair that titanium door, let alone those precision instruments!"
Just then, the roar of an engine shattered the awkward silence. Rickman and his men had returned to the camp after completing their resource scavenging mission.
They jumped off the trucks and stood paralyzed by the sight of the absolute "Extermination Zone" Lawson had created.
"Dad—!!! You're still alive!"
Dodge turned into a human cannonball, slamming into the chest of the golden-haired giant, Rickman.
The impact made everyone's ribs ache, but the two massive men just locked together like grizzly bears, sobbing loudly.
"Hahaha! Is your old man that weak? Look at these muscles!" Rickman laughed. He tried to pull Dodge away, but Dodge held his father's wrist with immovable strength.
"Sorry, Dad. The mission isn't over. I have to liberate this place. When it's over, we'll drink until we drop!"
Rickman laughed heartily, patting his son's shoulder. "That's my boy! You've grown up... go! Go be a hero! I'll guard this place. No one passes!"
"Looking at them, Lawson thought of his own father, and a sharp needle pierced his heart. If he were still alive, would he have smiled like that?
Then, the cold memory returned. He still heard the sound of his heart breaking that day—the day of the 'Accident.'
Yet, as he looked at the reunited families and the mothers holding their children, the terror in his eyes was replaced by a suppressed, iron-clad resolve."
He knew the taste of a broken heart too well, which made him realize how precious a 'Hero's Heart' was in this wasteland.
He might never clear the hurdle of his past, but he could become a Great Wall of Steel to block the wind for the innocent.
Lawson's fists trembled. A fire was being reborn in the embers of his soul.
"I've decided!!"
These simple words, but they carried the weight of a soul. Katie's heart skipped a beat.
"Since I've lost the right to protect what was important to me... since my world is already broken..." Lawson roared into the gale,
"Then at least I will protect what others haven't lost yet! As long as these hands have a spark of warmth, "I will NEVER let the cycle of tragedy... claim another soul while I still breathe!"
At the moment of his oath, his phone vibrated in his pocket with a crisp, cold notification:
Ding! Strong Will Resonance detected. Armor Smith Exclusive Hidden Mission Accomplished!