Before Lawson's group encountered the female warrior, a battle of a much vaster scale had already reached its boiling point elsewhere. The hunt for the Thunder Sovereign was in full swing.
Facing this electrified titan—a jagged mountain of storm and steel—the warriors had established a multi-layered defensive perimeter. The Sovereign took a heavy step, triggering a radial shockwave of destructive current that made the very earth groan and disintegrate. Dense thickets of Volt-Claws erupted from the soil like blackened thorns, ruthlessly reaping everything in their path.
In the heavens above, thunderclouds swirled as lightning coalesced into cold, ethereal Volt-Snipers. For a moment, the battlefield was a pincer of death: a sea of claws below and a rain of lethal lasers from above.
Amidst the clash of plasma and plating, the Sovereign's killing intent suddenly locked onto a single, massive figure radiating a blinding, taunting glow.
"HELP! I'M GONNA DIE! STOP CHASING ME! WAAAAAH!"
The screams echoing from inside the armor nearly drowned out the roar of the engines. The {Bastion}, which should have been as steady as a mountain, was displaying agility that defied its massive frame. Like a cat with its tail stepped on, its thrusters roared at maximum output, pulling a frantic, zig-zagging Z-pattern across the scorched earth.
It was a bizarre spectacle: on one side, a tsunami of monsters; on the other, a weeping, sliding {Bastion} trying to outrun the Reaper. This "Steel Giant acting like a frightened pup" had inadvertently become the pivot of the entire engagement.
"Now! Strike while it's distracted!"
The gap in the enemy's fire created by Bastion's panicked sprint was the signal for the counter-offensive.
As the vanguard, {Saint Silver} erupted in a brilliant white light. Her energy shield slammed into the oncoming lightning like an unbreakable wall, while the {Plasma Blade} on her right arm extended three feet, glowing white-hot. With the sound of tearing silk, the Volt-Claws in her path were reduced to ash as she carved a path of ozone straight toward the heart of the storm.
Following closely was {Furious Shark}, a vision of fluid lethality. High-density water particles jetted from his soles, allowing him to surf the waves of the lightning storm. His high-pressure water-cutting lines acted as the threads of a silken reaper, slicing the Volt-Claws into precision fragments.
Suddenly, a Volt-Sniper fired from a blind spot, aiming directly at the center of Victor's back. In that split second, a streak of emerald light arrived from a kilometer away, detonating the bolt into harmless particles. Hidden in the ruins, {Sniper Eye} cycled the bolt-action lever of his rifle, his scope adjusted like a hawk's eye—no Shadow Shifter could escape his lock.
At the rear, {Mage Heart}, the team's AOE specialist, finally hit his mana threshold.
"[STAR-FALL BOMBARDMENT!]"
Massive meteors condensed in the sky, hurtling toward the horde chasing {Bastion}. He intended to bury the swarm under the crushing weight of stone. Meanwhile, the embodiment of raw power, {Blaze Punch}, charged down the path opened by {Saint Silver}, leaving charred footprints with every step. Her fists were clenched, gathering a strike capable of shattering mountains.
"Eh? That guy... just got a second phase?!"
At {Furious Shark}'s exclamation, the Thunder Sovereign's blurry outline of lightning collapsed. With the screech of twisting metal, a towering steel golem manifested—a Thunder Judge from hell with a beard of pure lightning-slurry hanging to its chest.
"You've got to be kidding me. Is it a mob factory too?"
Honeysuckle-like growths on the Sovereign's body pulsed. Suddenly, several Mutant Volt-Claw Kings dropped like overripe fruit, turning into streaks of black lightning to intercept {Blaze Punch}.
"—Out of my way!"
{Blaze Punch} swung her flaming fists in a fury, but the monsters spat out viscous plasma nets, pinning her feet like industrial glue. The true chill came when the Sovereign's right arm was replaced by a three-meter-long Thunder Greatsword.
VROOOOM—!
The Sovereign delivered a casual, horizontal sweep.
"Valerie, look out!!"
{Saint Silver} raised her energy shield to intercept. The arc of lightning, capable of bisecting a skyscraper, slammed into her. The impact was massive; {Saint Silver} was sent flying like a broken kite, her mechanical boots carving two charred trenches into the ground as sparks flew from the friction.
"This is bad..."
Far off, {Furious Shark} watched as every Volt-Sniper in the sky turned their heads in unison. "Those flying bastards... they're all locking on!"
The battlefield was a mess: {Bastion} was still performing her "Great Escape" while the assault team was pinned down.
"Disgusting as it is, it's just a bigger target."
Atop the distant ruins, {Sniper Eye} let out a cold snort. The accelerators in his arm armor emitted a high-frequency hum—[Overclocked Snipe Mode].
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The shots were so fast the intervals were indistinguishable. Emerald streaks pierced the sky with surgical precision, bypassing the allies and detonating perfectly on the Sovereign's pulsating growths.
"Ha! A hit!" {Furious Shark} cheered.
The growths shattered in a chain reaction. The Thunder Sovereign, who had intended to drown the field in summons, was instantly "neutered." Not a single minion could be birthed from the charred flesh.
But the finale was yet to come.
"Hey! {Bastion}, get clear!"
Mage Heart's voice exploded through the comms. The magic circle beneath him expanded to a terrifying scale. The meteor array in the sky roared! This wasn't a precision strike; it was a map-wipe. The monsters chasing {Bastion} were pulverized instantly, and the Volt-Snipers were crushed like flies into blue dust.
"Waaaaah! That was too close!" {Bastion} slid behind a fallen meteor, trembling as she looked at the wasteland behind her.
The Sovereign trembled in rage, its lightning beard sparking wildly. It hadn't realized yet that it had gone from "Commander" to "Loner."
"Victor! Stop dawdling! Time to dance!"
{Blaze Punch}'s thermal vents burst open, releasing scalding red steam. She became a literal meteor of lava.
"You got it, honey! Coming right up!"
{Furious Shark} kicked off the ground, his high-pressure thrusters screaming. As the couple crossed paths in mid-air, their fire and water mana locked together like perfect gears.
"Elemental Fusion: [Extreme Blaze-Tidal Spiral-Dance]!!"
Crimson flames and deep blue waves twisted into a steam dragon capable of swallowing the world! This red-and-blue torrent slammed through the Sovereign's final defenses.
"Heh! You two really are a match made in heaven. Let me add the finishing note!"
At the heart of the explosion, a silver blur shot upward. {Saint Silver} merged her arm modules, transforming her gear into a radiant, Saint-Silver Greatsword.
"The Final Strike: [Severe Silver-Blaze-Tidal Fusion Dance]!"
Swish—!
The silver light flashed by, faster than lightning itself. {Saint Silver} became a straight line, piercing through the boss's massive core. The conductivity of the water acted as the Sovereign's death warrant.
BOOM—!!!
Red, blue, and silver light blossomed like fireworks, annihilating the Thunder Sovereign. The area was littered with glowing loot drops.
As the [OBJECTIVE COMPLETE!] notification flashed, the apocalyptic scenery dissolved. High-rise buildings flickered back into existence; the shadows receded. Survivors emerged from the darkness, basking in the sudden sunlight. Rickman walked at the front of the group, letting out a thunderous cheer:
"Well done! HEROES!!!"
Ester stood up, announcing: "Congratulations! The liberation of Nova Star Town, East Sector 3 is complete! Everyone, take your rewards and return to base!"
With a flourish of her sleeve, the teleportation portal opened. But as the warriors' silhouettes vanished, Ester's fingertips trembled. She frantically swiped open her tablet.
Her entire world had narrowed down to one objective: locating Lawson. The message from Katie hit her like an icy sledgehammer—Lawson had been found, but he had fallen into yet another kidnapping crisis.
There was no time for second-guessing. Ester launched herself forward like an arrow, unleashing a terrifying speed never before seen in her career as she plunged resolutely into the flickering glow of the gate.