---
The escape pod drifted through the endless sea of stars, its course steady as it left the smoldering wreckage of *The Argentum* far behind. Saitama leaned back in his seat, staring out into the void, his thoughts swirling. The victory over the Shadowmaster had come at a cost. The ship was destroyed, and though he'd survived the impossible, he couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was still lurking.
---
[Warning: Imminent system disturbance detected. Prepare for interference.]
---
The calm in the escape pod was shattered by the system's message. Saitama's eyes narrowed, his senses sharpening. "What now?" he muttered, his hand instinctively resting on his glowing, molten arm. Magmate growled from within, alert and ready.
Before Saitama could react, a blinding flash engulfed the pod, and suddenly, the entire world twisted. The stars outside bent like a distorted mirror, and everything felt like it was collapsing in on itself.
---
[System Disruption Detected — All players being relocated.]
---
Saitama's vision blurred, and he felt the weightlessness of his body being pulled through space, time, and dimensions. It was disorienting, overwhelming, and when the light finally faded, he found himself standing—not in the safety of the pod—but in the middle of a desolate, barren world.
---
"Where... where am I?"
The ground beneath his feet was cracked, volcanic rock. Rivers of molten lava snaked across the landscape, and the sky above was a hellish red, filled with dark clouds and constant lightning strikes. It looked like the world had been torn apart by centuries of war.
"Welcome," a familiar voice echoed through the air. It was distorted, twisted with malice, but Saitama recognized it instantly.
"No... it can't be..." Saitama whispered.
From the shadows, a figure emerged—*Lila*, one of the impostors he'd thought was long gone, her face twisted into a wicked smile. Her eyes gleamed with power that shouldn't have been hers. Behind her, several more familiar figures stepped out, all of them impostors—*Zephyr*, *Kairos*, *Lylah*, and *Grey*. They stood there, united, each one radiating a sinister energy that made Saitama's blood boil.
"You didn't really think we were all gone, did you, Saitama?" Lila sneered, her voice dripping with venom. "This game is far from over."
---
[Warning: Imminent hostile encounter. All remaining impostors have combined forces.]
---
Saitama clenched his fists, molten energy flickering around his hands. "I should've known. You're all still alive… but how?"
Zephyr, the tallest among them, smirked. "You might have the system on your side, but so do we now. Thanks to that little glitch, we've got more power than ever before."
Kairos cracked his knuckles, his body shimmering with a dark aura. "And now, we're going to take you down for good."
Saitama's heart raced, but he forced himself to remain calm. His eyes darted from one impostor to the next, analyzing their power levels, watching for any weaknesses. They had strength in numbers, and together, they were far more dangerous than any of them had been alone.
---
[Magmate Fusion Energy: 63%.]
---
Magmate's low growl rumbled in Saitama's mind, a reminder of the limited energy they had left. He couldn't afford to waste time. This was going to be the toughest fight yet.
"Bring it on," Saitama muttered under his breath, his molten flames flaring brighter. "I've taken down one nightmare. I can handle the rest of you."
Lila's smile widened. "You're confident. I'll give you that. But confidence won't save you now."
She raised her hand, and with a flick of her wrist, the ground beneath Saitama cracked open. Flames shot up from the fissures, but Saitama jumped, flipping in the air to avoid the attack.
Kairos lunged at him from the side, his fist coated in dark energy, but Saitama reacted just in time. He twisted in mid-air, meeting Kairos' punch with his own fiery fist. The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the air, but Saitama barely flinched. His molten strength far outmatched Kairos' shadowy power.
"I'm stronger than you think," Saitama growled, sending Kairos flying back with a single blow.
Zephyr wasn't far behind, rushing forward with speed that blurred his form. He came at Saitama with a whirlwind of kicks and punches, each one faster than the last. Saitama dodged and blocked, his movements fluid, but even he could feel the pressure of fighting so many enemies at once.
---
[System Update: New Skill Acquired — *Pyro Shield (Lv. 2): Create a barrier of molten energy to block incoming attacks.*]
---
Without hesitation, Saitama activated the skill. A dome of fiery energy erupted around him, blocking Zephyr's barrage of attacks. The impostor cursed under his breath as his strikes hit nothing but flame.
But Lila wasn't done. "You can't hide in there forever, Saitama!"
She summoned a massive wave of dark energy and hurled it at Saitama's shield. The force of the attack was so great that cracks began to form in the molten barrier.
Saitama gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his face as he struggled to hold the shield in place. The impostors were relentless, attacking from all sides, and even with Magmate's power, he knew he couldn't hold out forever.
But just when it seemed like the shield would shatter, a deep, familiar growl echoed across the battlefield.
*BOOOOM!*
A pillar of molten rock erupted from the ground, and from it, a massive figure emerged—Magmate in its true form. The creature was larger than ever before, its body a hulking mass of molten stone and fire. It roared, and the entire battlefield trembled under its power.
Magmate slammed into the impostors, scattering them like ragdolls. Lila screamed as she was thrown across the field, her body slamming into a rock formation. Zephyr and Kairos barely managed to dodge the attack, but they were clearly shaken.
Saitama grinned, feeling the surge of power from Magmate's arrival. "You're late," he muttered to the beast, but there was a hint of pride in his voice.
Magmate growled in response, its fiery eyes locked on the impostors. Together, they were unstoppable.
Saitama stood tall, flames crackling around him as he faced his enemies once more. "This ends now," he declared, his voice filled with unwavering determination.
Lila, battered but not defeated, glared at him from across the battlefield. "We'll see about that."
---
[Final Phase Initiated: Survive the Impostor Alliance.]
---
The real battle had just begun.