The pitch-black blade of the Soul-Bound Shadow dagger plunged deep into the glowing blue power core embedded in the Vultun Herald's collar.
To any observer operating within the standard parameters of the Chronos Spire, the strike was a complete execution.
But Zarek of Vultun was not bound by the Spire's medieval fantasy rules. He was a product of a Tier-2 civilization, and his armor possessed failsafes that defied simple kinetic damage.
The instant the blade breached the alien's primary energy housing, a blinding concussive wave of raw electromagnetic force erupted from the suit. It wasn't magic. It was a localized pulse of anti-gravity designed to violently repel foreign matter.
Vahn Ryker was thrown backward as his boots skidded across the ash-choked asphalt of Sovereign City. He dug his heels into the ruined street and used his monstrous base Strength to arrest his momentum after sliding exactly ten meters.
