Chapter 48: Still got it
Lower Levels — Iron Bastion
The Warden didn't hesitate.
It charged straight at Zachia.
BOOM!!!
Their fists collided—
WHOOSH!
CRACK!
Shockwaves ripping through the hallway, concrete splitting beneath their feet.
Zachia grinned blood running down his lip.
"…Now this is a fight."
The Warden answered with rage and power.
KA-POW!!
A punch, heavy and way brutal.
Zachia blocked but the force drove him back—
SKREETCH!
Boots scraping, leaving deep marks across the floor.
He retaliated, witn a hook to the ribs—
CRACK!
Metal dented—
Glang!
But didn't break.
GRAB!
The Warden grabbed him
And slammed him into the wall.
BOOM!!
FWOOSH!
Dust exploded into the air.
Zachia coughed...Then lunged again—
SWOOSH!
"…If I had my sword…"
He spat blood—
"…you wouldn't last this long."
Behind them, Fah-jin turned sharply.
"…We don't have time for this!"
Wei-Wan nodded.
"…Daito!"
But Daito wasn't looking at them instead, he was looking at the battlefield.
The cracks, debris, the rubble.
Fwoo....
His eyes moved calculating.
Then he stepped forward.
Reached down and picked up a jagged piece of metal.
Cling....
It looked sharp and rusted.
Deadly enough.
"…This will do."
Zachia blocked another hit—
POW!
"…Then hurry up!"
Daito's voice cut through the chaos.
"…Back up."
Zachia paused for just a second, then smirked.
"…Don't take too long."
SWOOSH!
He pushed off sliding back creating distance.
The Warden turned.
It's eyes locked onto Daito with rage and pure violence.
"…You…"
It's voice was distorted mechanical and broken—
"…What can you possibly do?"
Step...
Step...
Daito didn't answer, instead he just walked forward slow and steady.
Step...
Step.....
Each step deliberate, his eyes never leaving the Warden.
Fwoo...
The world around him faded both the team and the noise were gone.
It was just him and the target.
The Warden roared, charging forward, arm raised, ready to crush him.
Then Daito vanished.
—SHHHHKT!
Silence.
For a split second the Warden froze.
It's attack never landed.
Behind him Daito stood, still and calm.
Drip.....
The piece of metal dripping blood.
A thin line a cross the Warden's neck.
Then—
THUD!
It's head slid clean off body standing for just a moment before collapsing.
BOOM!
Silence returned.
Zachia blinked.
"…No way…"
Fah-jin lowered her stance eyes wide.
Wei-Wan exhaled slowly.
"…Clean."
Wasabi stared processing—
"…That… wasn't even a sword…"
Avenor smiled faintly.
"…It didn't need to be."
Daito looked at the metal in his hand then tossed it aside.
A small smirk forming.
"…Yeah…"
"…I still got it."
The team stood there stunned, then Wei-Wan spoke.
"…Move."
The moment broke.
They rushed forward past the fallen Warden toward the secured vault.
Wasabi stepped up her hands moving fast unlocking systems and bypassing the layers—
CLICK!
Doors opened.
Inside their weapons, their gear, their power.
Swoosh....
Zachia walked in grabbing his sword and pinning it once—
Shwing....
"…Now we're talking."
Fah-jin adjusted her stance fully armed.
Wei-Wan tightened his grip.
Wasabi equipped her tech and was sharp again.
Avenor faded slightly camouflage stabilizing.
Click....
And Daito picked up his sword.
The moment his hand touched it everything vibrated.
Fwoosh....
The air itself shifted as he turned, facing the exit.
His eyes calm but burning.
"…Let's finish this."
* * *
BOOM!
BAM!
BRRRR!
Above them chaos still reigned.
And waiting at the top was Cassian.
Fwoosh!
Smoke swallowed everything.
What was once a prison, was now a battlefield torn open.
Burnt walls, collapsed pillars, flickering fires.
And in the middle of it stood Monday Valhalla.
Bzztl!
Electricity crawled across his body snapping and cracking like a storm barely contained.
Around him prisoners stood, not as inmates anymore but as fighters.
One of them shouted—
"…You came back for us!"
Another raised a weapon—
"…We fight with you!"
Monday didn't respond but his eyes said enough.
For a moment they were united a broken army with one goal.
Take down Cassian.
Nearby—
CRASHH!
Brandon crushed through two guards precise and efficient.
POW–POW–PANG!
FWOOSH!
Champagne moved like flowing energy, strikes clean, no wasted motion.
They regrouped briefly—
"…Where's Daito?"
Brandon asked.
Champagne wiped blood from his lip—
"…And the gear… what's taking them so long?"
Aerin landed beside them light on her feet but serious.
"…They probably ran into something."
Her eyes shifted toward the lower levels.
"…Something trying to stop them."
Monday stepped forward energy rising again—
BZZZZTLE!
"…Then we stop waiting."
He looked around annoyed.
There were too many people, making too much movement.
"…Move."
No one reacted his voice sharpened.
"…MOVE!"
This time they listened.
TRUDGE–TRUDGE!
The prisoners scattered clearing space and backing away.
Silence for half a second.
Then—
CRAAAAAAAAACK!!!
Lightning exploded outward.
A massive shockwave, blinding, deafening and devastating.
BOOOM!
WHOOOM!
CRAAASH!
Walls shattered vehicles outside flipped and crushed and storage units torn apart.
Half of Iron Bastion—
FWOOSH!
Gone.
Reduced to rubble and smoke.
When it cleared nothing stood in their way.
All the guards and soldiers were gone.
Wiped out by Monday alone.
Whoosh.....
The air hummed residual energy dancing like ghosts.
"Hufff..."
"Huff.....huff!"
Everyone stood still staring and breathing heavy.
Then—
Step…
Step…
Footsteps from the staircase.
They were slow and felt too deliberate.
Monday's expression changed to serious as he sensed danger.
He glanced at Aerin then at the others.
"…Get ready."
His voice dropped.
"…Something powerful is coming."
STEP!
The footsteps stopped, then she appeared.
Shinsei.
Calm.
She looked around at the destruction, at the bodies and at the silence.
Then sighed, annoyed.
"…Pathetic."
She glanced at the fallen guards.
"…Get out of my sight."
Her tone was cold.
"…It's clear you couldn't handle this."
Monday's eyes narrowed.
Insulted.
SWOOSH!
Without a word he moved, full speed and explosive.
BZZZ!
SWOOSH!
He dashed, then leaped high, like very high.
Straight toward the glass structure above where Cassian sat relaxed, coffee in hand and marshmallows beside him.
Watching.
He saw Monday—
Fwoo...
And waved.
Like it was entertainment.
Monday's eyes flared—
BZZZZZTL!
Electricity gathering in his mouth a massive blast forming
Ready to fire.
But he never got the chance as Shinsei appeared beneath him—
WHAM!!
Her fist drove into his torso—
KA-POW
Then an uppercut brutal and precise.
FWOOSH!
Launching him higher forcing the energy—
SKYYYYY-CRACK!!!
The blast fired upwards.
Splitting the sky itself lighting everything in white.
Clouds torn apart as the air was trembling.
GRAB!
Then Shinsei grabbed him mid-air effortless.
And—
BOOOOOOM!!!
Slammed him into the ground.
The impact shook everything.
CRAACK!
BRRMMMM!
Debris blasted outward, shockwaves rippled across the ruins.
Before anyone could react, she kicked him.
KA–BAM!
Hard.
Sending him flying straight into Brandon Champagne and Aerin—
CRASH!!!
They all went down blown back by the force.
Dust filled the air again, and silence followed, heavy and oppressive.
Then Shinsei stepped forward, unshaken, untouched and dominant.
Her voice cut through the smoke cold and absolute.
"…No one…"
A step closer.
"…reaches Cassian…"
Her eyes locked onto them—
"…without going through me."
Behind her.....Above
Cassian leaned back in his seat.
Sipping his coffee, watching smiling.
As if this was all just part of the show.
to be continued.....