Below in the streets, Daluo clad in the Black Dragon Armor moved like a war god. His evolved Blood Qi ability, amplified by the armor's power, granted him nearly berserk strength. A single high-energy electric hammer fist strike blasted through a split-tailed horror and half the wall of a squat building behind it, the shockwave even sending a sniper rifle flying from an attacker's hands.
Daluo in his Black Dragon Armor smashed through an entire department store, hammering several Sanctum Organization soldiers along with chunks of concrete into the ground. Over comms, he reported: "They're not fighting to the death - seems they want to retreat!"
"These people came with objectives. Don't let them escape! The monster siege must be their doing. We need live prisoners."
Daluo responded calmly, preparing to capture two targets when a violent shockwave suddenly blasted him out into the street. Bracing himself, the Black Dragon Armor's hydraulic systems whined under strain as he carved two deep grooves in the pavement before stopping. Looking up, he saw a man in lightweight power armor appear like a ghost, purple mist swirling around his fists as he aimed for Daluo's armored visor.
"One down." The man's voice emerged calmly from his throat.
Yet in the next instant, his expression changed as his entire body froze mid-air. Glancing sideways, he saw a figure clad in black power armor with samurai blades hovering silently above the street.
But Takahashi Ryunosuke simply crossed his arms in a rotating motion. The two attackers only heard a violent "whoomph!" before all the street's debris levitated and began spinning anti-gravitationally, dragging the woman into the vortex. Seizing the opportunity, Daluo delivered a crushing punch toward the purple mist man.
On another street, a golden streak weaved between shadow creatures. Qian Dele's figure flickered across the battlefield until locking onto a fleeing hoverbike. Accelerating, he landed squarely on its rear seat.
"Where'd you board from? Pretty sneaky." Qian Dele asked.
The rider, shocked by Qian Dele's speed, panicked and drew his gun. But in the next instant, his weapon disappeared from his hand only to materialize pressed against his own visor.
Bang! One shot eliminated the threat. Qian Dele's eyes gleamed like blades: "Luo Yang, nine o'clock."
Perched on a rooftop corner with mechanical goggles, Luo Yang commanded four combat mechs into action below. They'd already engaged Sanctum squad members in fierce street combat. Though armor-piercing rounds and pulse beams riddled his heavy mech's plating, he charged through unfazed, crushing several foes before pursuing others into buildings.
"Many of them are mutating into humanoid abominations - seems they're getting attacked too. Looks like they didn't expect to summon that giant monster earlier," Luo Yang observed.
Shu Qin flipped between ruins, her shotgun obliterating an approaching enemy's skull while her power armor spun her entire body, sending another assailant crashing through a wall with a kick. Into her headset she reported: "Captain Lin's orders received. Pick up the pace!"
Swish! A spinning blade whizzed past as Lü Chang landed from above, warning seriously: "Sister Qin! This tough one's mutating - be careful!" Official source ıs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⚫𝙣𝙚𝙩
Ning Jing descended like a meteor, her fist annihilating a Red Bone from top to bottom, the impact cratering the ground and shattering surrounding windows with the shockwave.
"Strong spirit value fluctuations approaching!" Luo Yang fired a laser beam to down a passing aircraft before ducking behind cover: "Someone... 300 meters out closing fast!"
Before the warning finished, two steel cables shot past Luo Yang's head. Xiao Qing's power armor broke the sound barrier as she yanked him to safety just before their entire rooftop exploded into dust. A brawny middle-aged man with massive mechanical arms - wearing no armor - came sprinting through air, his punch releasing violent thermal energy that left superheated steam in the destruction's wake.
"Quick little rats. Impressive for non-crystallized specimens."
The man's eyes gleamed coldly. Without any visible thrusters, he suddenly ejected white gas mid-air, rocketing toward Xiao Qing and A Bai like a cannonball.
Xiao Qing shoved A Bai aside and raised her blade. While A Bai dodged and fired a supporting laser beam, the mechanical-armed man erupted scalding steam that dissipated the attack harmlessly. His next punch collided directly with Xiao Qing's gunblade.
Xiao Qing's power armor thrusters fired to absorb the impact as she used a grappling line to flip mid-air, preparing a counterstrike.
The man smirked at her maneuver. "Flashy nonsense."
His fist erupted with ability energy, blasting white superheated steam that enveloped Xiao Qing completely, denying her any mobility.
Just as he moved to finish her, the man froze - Xiao Qing had vanished from his steam trap. A shadow flickered behind him as Xiao Qing's icy gaze met his, her horizontal slash releasing an invisible shockwave that dispersed all steam. The following blade stroke drew a spray of blood.
"Like intel said - too strong. Even without crystal evolution, our current forces can't match them."
Meanwhile, on a distant high-rise, binoculars glinted as a cold-faced man spoke urgently into his headset: "Black Star, Da Yao, Old Cat, Zi Zheng - retreat immediately! No prolonged engagement!"
"They can't disengage easily," remarked a casually dressed middle-aged man beside him, stroking his stubble. Gold sunglasses contrasted sharply with the Sanctum Organization's uniform power armor aesthetic. "Your men's weak mentality caused those mutations. Lucky they weren't crystallized, or the Infinite wouldn't even need to lift a finger."
Gu Zheng's expression darkened as he glanced at their armed backup. Snapping at the man: "That large decoy device should've only attracted minor nuisances until nightfall when we could strike properly! Who knew daytime would summon the Oceanic Titan?!"
"Can't decide if that's incredibly lucky or unlucky," the sunglasses man shook his head. "Let's move. Your forces are crumbling."
A glare. "Aren't you intervening? Our Master's orders bind both Sanctum and your Sacred Revelation equally."
A cold laugh. "My part's done. If frontal assaults worked, why'd Sanctum resort to Bait Agents?" A sweeping gesture. "Face it - you're outmatched."
The cold-faced man's expression soured further.
"Move out," the shades-wearer said leisurely. "That island's surrounded by abnormals now. Thanks to the Titan, both orbital rings are cut off - even the Sword Bearer's trapped. We need to leave before dark. Who knows where that thing's lurking now-"
Their conversation cut off by an eerie hum from above. Looking up, both men paled - a massive rusted freighter was descending from the sky. Simultaneously, an icy voice spoke behind them:
"Where it's lurking? No idea. But I do know one thing - you're going nowhere."