Meanwhile, Tomi's frustration boiled over. He yanked his hand away from Arande's control with a jerk, his movements sharp and defiant.
"I'm done with you all… I can handle myself," he snapped, his voice tight as he began to descend.
"How about you cut it out, whatever your name is?" Layla's voice crackled through Tomi's comm, her frustration and stress palpable.
She was overwhelmed by the chaotic situation and Tomi's stubborn behavior, which only added to her mounting anxiety.
"Or do you want to risk being taken back?" Layla's voice was edged with a mix of anger and desperation.
As she spoke, her mecha's wings tightened around Tomi's lancer, a firm grip meant to keep him from making any rash moves.
Layla's breath came in short, heavy bursts. Her past traumas flared up at Tomi's reckless defiance, reminding her of a time when similar behavior led to tragedy—a death she still felt responsible for.
The weight of that guilt had driven her to destroy Yuri's dark mecha earlier, her fear for Arande's safety fueling her anger.
"Because if you keep this up, you might end up—" Layla was cut off as a deafening explosion erupted, filling the cockpit with blinding smoke and debris.
Her words were swallowed by the blast, which had come from Tijona's attack.
"What happened? Are you suddenly mute?" Tijona's voice oozed arrogance, her tone cold as she peered through the smoke toward Nia's mecha.
Her gaze was sharp, her confidence unshaken.
"I'm sure that's not the case, right?" Tijona added with a mocking edge.
As the smoke began to clear, revealing the aftermath of her powerful strike, she surveyed the battlefield with a satisfied smirk.
"So this is your true personality, huh?" Nia's voice, filled with intrigue, cut through the dissipating smoke.
She observed Tijona's arrogance with a keen interest, clearly fascinated by her adversary's demeanor.
"I hope you won't disappoint… though, then again, you all are weak!" Nia's voice dripped with arrogance as she laughed, her damaged core visibly being replaced with a new one.
The shattered remnants of the old core clattered to the floor, a stark contrast to her smug demeanor.
"Tijona's right… don't Bored me now," Nia taunted, her laughter mingling with a palpable thrill.
The energy for the fight coursed through her veins as she prepared for another assault.
"Griggs and Jean," Tijona's voice cut through the chaos, authoritative and commanding. "You and the rest take care of those incoming purified dark AI robots and leave Nia to me!"
Tijona's gaze was unwavering as she watched Nia's humanoid mecha extend two sets of medium-sized wings.
The mechanical appendages unfurled with a metallic hiss, each wing bristling with potential power.
"And let Layla and Arande keep the boy safe while you all engage, including Ace," Tijona added, her orders precise and unyielding.
Her eyes locked onto Nia's Rita as it began to ascend with incredible speed, preparing for a devastating aerial attack.
"Roger that!" Griggs and Jean responded in unison, their voices steady with resolve as they prepared to confront the advancing army of AI robotic humanoid robots.
Finally released by Layla, Tomi felt a surge of excitement as he readied himself for battle.
"Finally," he thought, a sense of relief washing over him as he and his team focused on Tijona's light lancer, which was now transforming into its full winged form.
The transformation was dramatic: Tijona's mecha, now equipped with four expansive wings, took to the sky.
Massive laser beams rained down like daytime fireworks, each shot streaking toward the ground with intense brilliance.
"Activating Ra'is," Tijona commanded, her voice cutting through the noise of the battlefield.
[Ra'is activated.]
The system's voice chimed in response, and Tijona's wings pivoted to reveal six openings on each.
Blue laser beams erupted in rapid succession from these apertures, clashing against Nia's red lasers in a spectacular display of light and power.
The beams collided mid-air, causing explosions that lit up the sky, their force sending shockwaves down the path
"Impressive… you're certainly making this interesting,"
Nia remarked, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of intrigue and disdain as the red laser beams continued to clash in the sky.
"But let's see how long you can last!"
Nia challenged, her voice laced with fierce determination as she propelled herself forward, brandishing her red laser sword.
"Since you're so eager to be destroyed… I'll gladly grant you your wish,"
Tijona responded coldly, her eyes steely as she prepared for the incoming attack.
As Nia's laser beams converged on her, Tijona's beams ceased, and she deftly swung her sword to deflect Nia's assault.
"Activating Shadows Blade!" Tijona commanded, her voice authoritative and resolute.
[Shadows Blade Activated!]
The system announced, and Tijona's Ra'is mecha drew forth the Shadows Blade, a dark, shimmering weapon.
The blade met Nia's laser sword with a powerful clash, sending shockwaves through the air.
"Judging by your skills, you're also a test subject of the Eclipse Organization," Tijona stated coldly, her grip firm as their weapons locked mid-air.
"Good eye, but not quite," Nia retorted, deftly sidestepping a swing from Tijona's Shadows Blade.
A smirk curled at the corners of her lips as she expertly dodged each attack.
"You're using the Shadows Blade, which means you're an S-3 test subject with advanced abilities!"
Nia taunted, her movements precise and agile.
She avoided Tijona's strikes with ease, her confidence growing.
"Can't afford to let that blade touch me," Nia thought, her mind racing.
Yuri had warned her about the Shadows Blade's ability to release a chemical paralysis that could immobilize a mecha's system almost instantly.
The thought of the blade's potential effect was a chilling reminder of her precarious situation.
"Only one option left: distract her and launch my final attack," Nia resolved.
Her mission was clear—retrieve Tomi and return him to the Eclipse Organization, a task that now carried even greater urgency due to the leader's rage over Tomi's escape.
"No matter what, I'm taking that boy with me!" Nia declared, her voice fierce with determination.
She swung her laser sword downward with deadly precision, her weapon transforming into a straight, piercing beam aimed to slice Tijona's mecha in half.
The air crackled with energy, and an explosion erupted from the ground where Tijona had left her team, marking the crescendo of their fierce confrontation.