Meanwhile, Tomi battled fiercely against the AI robotic humanoids and animal robots, his frustration simmering as Arande's constant inquiries about his well-being only fueled his rage.
The chaotic sounds of clashing metal and the acrid scent of ozone filled the cockpit as Tomi fought on, his focus sharp despite the surrounding chaos.
Suddenly, Griggs's voice crackled through the comms, cutting through the din. "Need you all to split into teams of two. Arande with Layla."
Arande and Layla exchanged surprised glances, their shock evident.
They had been assigned to protect Tomi, and now they were to pair up with each other instead.
"Zane with Blaze," Griggs continued his voice firm.
The command seemed to contradict Tijona's orders, causing Blaze to erupt in frustration.
"What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Blaze shouted, his voice a mix of anger and disbelief as he smashed the core of an advancing AI robot.
"I have no clue," Zane replied, his mech's sensors scanning the encroaching threats as he and Blaze fought back-to-back.
"Ace, you're with the newbie," Griggs added, his tone brooking no argument.
Tomi and Ace, now paired, were surrounded by the robotic onslaught.
"And of course, me and Jean," Griggs concluded.
His directive was broadcast to the team, and each member adjusted their strategy according to the new orders.
"I know you're all confused, but both teams are cornered by these AI robots. To make matters worse, the dark mechs have noticed us and are heading this way,"
Griggs's voice was grim, underscoring the urgency of their situation.
He and Jean prepared to clear their path as the robotic army closed in.
Inside the ring of AI robots, Tomi watched in disbelief as Ace moved closer to the enemy.
The sight of Ace walking toward the fray, seemingly unperturbed by the danger, pushed Tomi to the edge.
"Hey, what are you doing? With your condition, this is a death wish!" Tomi yelled, frustration evident in his voice.
"Shut your damn mouth! You're not my mother!" Ace snapped back, his voice laced with a sharp edge.
The mention of death and its implications stirred memories of past trauma, and his response was tinged with a blend of irritation and pain.
Just then, a chilling, malevolent voice echoed from among the Purified dark robots encircling them with a sudden massive crashing sound.
"You boys seem lovely," the voice intoned, icy and detached.
"But too bad one of you will be dying, and the other will be coming with me."
Tomi and Ace exchanged wide-eyed glances, their faces paling as the ominous words sank in.
The battlefield fell into a stunned silence as a palpable sense of dread swept through the area.
Zane and Blaze, battling nearby, felt a bone-chilling force emanate from a single point, their sensors screaming in alarm as they turned toward Ace and Tomi.
Layla's eyes widened in horror, her breath catching as she sensed the raw, malignant energy.
Arande's heart sank with a deep concern for Tomi, her hands gripping the controls tightly. Griggs and Jean exchanged glances, their faces reflecting the mounting tension, while Tijona, high above in the sky, felt the oppressive energy as well.
She held Nia's face in her wings mecha palm, her expression unreadable as Nia's Rita humanoid mecha disintegrated above them, pieces scattering like shrapnel.
"So, the Ninth Master is here, huh?" Nia thought, a twisted smile spreading across her face as blood trickled from a wound.
"Well, consider yourself fortunate to be dying at my second master's hands—except for the boy, of course," Tijona heard Nia's voice, laced with pride and arrogance, even as she struggled with her situation.
"Right now, you're dying first!"
Tijona declared coldly, her voice slicing through the chaos.
With a swift motion, she descended rapidly from the sky, her wing mecha cutting through the air with a deafening roar.
The wind howled around her as she plummeted, her descent marked by the shrill screams of the rushing air.
Meanwhile, Tomi and Ace watched in stunned silence as a figure perched on the shoulder of a 40-foot-tall black-and-white humanoid male mecha.
The man's presence radiated a chilling energy from his mecha pilot suit that seeped through the air, causing their sensors to register an overwhelming force from the mecha's core.
The oppressive aura surrounding the figure was palpable, casting an eerie stillness over the battlefield.
"Dismantle," the man commanded with a dismissive snap of his fingers.
In an instant, the surrounding AI robotic units, which had been engaged in battle and surrounding Ace, and Tomi's team disintegrated into pieces.
Metal shards rained down as the once-threatening machines fell apart, leaving Tomi, Ace, and their entire team in shock. The sheer display of power was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.
Tomi and Ace stared at the man, whose calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the chaos unfolding around him. Perched nonchalantly on the shoulder of his mecha, the figure exuded a cold, menacing presence that seemed to mock their helplessness.
"You'll be coming with me!" the man declared, pointing directly at Tomi with an air of detached authority.
Tomi's heart pounded with a mix of fear and defiance. He met the man's gaze with a steely resolve, his voice steady despite his internal shaking. "In your dreams. I'm never going back."
Before Tomi could process the gravity of the situation, a blinding flash of movement caught his eye.
Ace's light lancer was struck with a forceful kick, its mecha frame shattering upon impact.
Ace was hurled through the air with terrifying speed, crashing into a nearby server building and scattering debris as his already-damaged mecha was further wrecked by the impact.
Tomi glanced back at the man, still perched on his mecha's shoulder, his pilot suit adorned with wings.
The man's voice cut through Tomi's comm system, his tone icy and clinical. "I don't want him to get hurt before bringing him to me. That was my order before I left."
Tomi's shock deepened as he absorbed the cold efficiency of the man's power.
The gravity of the situation hit him hard, leaving him paralyzed by the overwhelming force and the looming threat.
Just then, Arande's winged mecha shot towards Range with a fierce determination, her voice trembling with rage.
"Get the hell away from him!" she screamed, desperately trying to restrain her attack to avoid harming Tomi.
Meanwhile, Range glanced at her dispassionately, perched comfortably on Tomi's mecha's shoulder.
His calm demeanor contrasted sharply with the tension of the moment. He was acutely aware that she is acting as a diversion for the rest of their team—Zane, Blaze, Layla, Griggs, and Jean.
"Chase, activate Era," Range ordered coldly.
His command triggered the appearance of a small blue holographic figure, a miniaturized boy named Chase.
"Roger that, master," Chase responded with a cheerful tone, despite the gravity of the situation.
In response, a barrage of swords materialized from Range's mecha, extending from his outstretched palm.
The swords launched toward Zane, Blaze, Layla, Arande, Griggs, and Jean, forcing them into defensive maneuvers. The relentless assault left them scrambling to protect themselves from the incoming onslaught.
"Come with me willingly, and I'll spare your new friends," Range taunted, his voice icy and detached as he remained seated on Tomi's mecha.
"Or I'll destroy them and still take you by force. The choice is yours."
As the barrage of swords continued its relentless assault, the urgency of Range's ultimatum weighed heavily on Tomi and his team.