---
The ship's alarms had died down, but the tension in the air was palpable. Saitama knew the impostors wouldn't take their defeat lightly, and their next move was imminent. He had earned a temporary reprieve, thanks to Magmate's timely arrival, but rest was a luxury he couldn't afford.
As he and Magmate moved through the dimly lit corridors of *The Argentum*, the system interface flickered to life before his eyes, revealing a new set of objectives:
---
[Mission Update: Critical Repairs Required]
*The ship's oxygen system has been sabotaged. If not repaired within 30 minutes, oxygen levels will reach critical failure.*
*Crewmate Objective: Repair the oxygen system and survive.*
*Time Remaining: 30:00*
[Warning: Impostors detected near the oxygen room. New skills unlocked.]
---
Saitama sighed. "Of course, it couldn't just be a quiet day on the ship, could it?"
Magmate growled in agreement, its molten body emitting small flickers of flame as they hurried toward the oxygen room. The low hiss of the vents echoed around them, signaling the slow depletion of breathable air. There was no time to waste.
---
As they approached the oxygen room, Saitama could sense the danger ahead. His system's map showed the impostors lurking nearby, ready to ambush. He was outnumbered, but he had grown stronger with every battle, and now he had new skills to utilize.
The system's interface blinked again.
---
[Skill Acquisition: Shadow Veil — The host can create a zone of darkness that hides their presence and limits the vision of enemies.]
[Skill Enhancement: Inferno Strike — Infuses the host's strike with the full power of Magmate's fire, creating an explosive attack.]
---
Saitama grinned, feeling a surge of confidence as the skills took form within him. Shadow Veil would give him the upper hand in stealth, and Inferno Strike would be his weapon to obliterate any opposition. The impostors had no idea what was coming.
Magmate, sensing the imminent battle, flared its molten body, ready to unleash its power when the time came.
---
The oxygen room was just ahead. Saitama activated Holo-Camouflage, making both him and Magmate nearly invisible. The impostors were close, their footsteps barely audible. In the flickering light, he saw _Lila_, _Wren_, and _Grey_ patrolling the hallway outside the oxygen room, their eyes scanning for any signs of movement.
He held his breath. Timing would be everything.
With a swift mental command, Saitama activated Shadow Veil. The corridor plunged into darkness, cutting off all visibility for the impostors. Confusion spread among them as they stumbled blindly, their voices tense and panicked.
"W-what's going on?!" Wren shouted, his voice echoing through the pitch-black hall.
"It's a trap," Lila hissed. "Stay alert. He's here somewhere."
But Saitama was already in motion.
---
Silently, he crept behind Grey, the nearest impostor. Before Grey could react, Saitama unleashed Inferno Strike. The blow connected with devastating force, sending Grey crashing into the wall as fire erupted from the impact. The explosion rocked the corridor, temporarily lighting up the darkened space in an orange glow. Grey lay unconscious, knocked out cold from the sudden strike.
Magmate followed up by sending a stream of molten fire toward Lila, forcing her to retreat down the corridor in panic. Wren, realizing the danger, attempted to flee, but Saitama was already there. With a quick sweep of his leg, he knocked Wren off balance, sending him sprawling to the floor.
"You're not going anywhere," Saitama muttered, standing over the impostor.
He summoned the power of Magmate once again, flames surging in his fist as he prepared to finish the fight. But before he could strike, Lila regrouped and launched a desperate counterattack. She flung several projectiles from her hand—sharp, glowing disks of energy—directly at Saitama and Magmate.
With a quick motion, Saitama dodged, his reflexes heightened by the system's enhancements. Magmate, in turn, melted the projectiles mid-flight, its fiery body acting as a barrier.
Lila's eyes widened in disbelief. "What... what *are* you?"
Saitama's eyes glowed with intensity. "I'm the crewmate. The only real one."
With that, he charged forward, closing the gap between them in an instant. Lila barely had time to blink before she was sent crashing into the wall, knocked unconscious by the sheer force of Saitama's blow.
---
The corridor fell silent, save for the soft hum of the ship's damaged systems. Saitama took a deep breath, allowing the adrenaline to subside. He had taken down the impostors guarding the oxygen room, but there was still work to be done.
"We've got to move, Magmate," he said, turning to his loyal companion. "Time's running out."
Magmate nodded with a rumbling growl, and together they entered the oxygen room.
---
Inside, the damage was extensive. The impostors had sabotaged the system so thoroughly that the oxygen levels had dropped dangerously low. The console in front of them blinked red, warning of imminent failure.
But Saitama wasn't going to let The Argentum fall—not today.
With a series of quick inputs on the control panel, he began repairing the oxygen system, using his system-enhanced skills to bypass the damaged circuits. The process was complicated, and the clock was ticking down. His hands moved faster than humanly possible, guided by the system's interface.
The timer continued to count down: 10 minutes… 5 minutes… 2 minutes…
Magmate stood guard by the entrance, its molten body glowing brightly, prepared for any incoming threats. It seemed like they might just make it in time.
---
With less than a minute left, Saitama completed the final override, and the oxygen system roared back to life. Fresh air flooded the ship, and the red lights on the console turned green. They had done it.
[Mission Complete: Oxygen system repaired.]
[XP Gained: +500]
[Skill Mastery Increased: Holo-Camouflage, Inferno Strike, Shadow Veil.]
Saitama let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. But as he turned to leave, the system gave him one last message:
---
[Warning: The remaining impostors have begun the final phase. Prepare for the ultimate showdown.]
[New Quest Unlocked: Defeat the Impostors and secure The Argentum.]
---
Saitama clenched his fists. The battle wasn't over yet. But with Magmate by his side and his newfound strength, he was ready for whatever came next. The impostors had underestimated him once, and they wouldn't live to make that mistake again.
As he and Magmate exited the oxygen room, the ship's lights flickered ominously. The next phase of the battle was about to begin, and Saitama could feel the weight of it pressing down on him.
But he smiled, the fire in his heart burning brighter than ever.
---