The silence in the secret basement was the calm before the storm, until Fang broke it with a swift movement of his fingers over the control screens. Fang wasn't just an assistant; he was the mastermind behind the defenses.
"Master, they've breached the outer perimeter. The 'Seven Shadows' don't come for direct confrontation; they're using electromagnetically charged Xenon gas to paralyze your movements," Fang said coldly,
(Ari Internally, trembling slightly: Look at him.. Fang looks like he's playing a video game while we're about to die! Charged gas? Chains? It seems the "Organization" decided to spend its entire budget on us today. Damn, my hands are shaking.. will I be a burden to Lu Ming again?)
Suddenly, the ground shook violently. The steel gate shattered, and the "Shadows" entered like black smoke. Fang moved with incredible speed; he drew two strange pistols firing energy pulses and began covering Lu Ming and Ari's retreat toward the fortified zone.
"Master! Take Miss Ari to the other rooms !" Fang shouted. "I'll activate 'Shadow Protocol' to distract them, but the magnetic chains are coming.. beware!"
(Ari Internally, running behind Lu Ming: Fang is fighting like a metallic hurricane! Bullets pass right by him and he doesn't even blink. But wait.. those chains he warned about.. they're flying through the air like black snakes! They're targeting Lu Ming!)
Three massive chains of darkness shot out, wrapping around Lu Ming's arms and neck with lightning speed. Lu Ming roared in pain as the chains began emitting blue sparks, draining his "hybrid" energy. He fell to his knees, his veins bulging with a terrifying black hue.
(Ari Internally, stopping her run and looking back in shock: Lu Ming! The chains are strangling him.. they're sucking his life out! Look at his face.. he's in so much pain and can't transform. Fang is cornered on the other side and can't reach him. The leader is approaching Lu Ming with his blade.. he wants to end it now!)
The Shadow Leader stepped toward the wounded Lu Ming, raising his sword high. "The death of the beast will be the beginning of our new era."
At that moment, Ari felt the coldness of the world vanish. She no longer heard the explosions or Fang's bullets. All she saw was the blade nearly touching Lu Ming's neck.
(Ari Internally, feeling a terrifying boil in her chest: No.. not today. Not before my eyes. If my blood is cursed, then let the whole world burn with me! LEAVE HIM ALONE!)
The scream exploded from her throat, and with it, no blue lightning emerged this time.. but a mass of raging fire, a deep orange-red flame that erupted from her palms like an erupting volcano. The fire melted the magnetic chains in an instant, incinerating the Shadow Leader, who didn't even have time to scream.
A sudden silence fell, while Ari stood in the center of a circle of flames, her body trembling violently, before her eyes began to close slowly.. and she fell toward the abyss.