A thunderous crack, like the roar of an impending storm, echoed across the pseudo-realm. The egg shattered abruptly, bursting into a rain of glimmering shards. From the dazzling light emerged a colossal, jet-black hand. Before Ryosuke could react, the hand closed around his neck, hoisting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.
A terrifying creature stepped into view, its full nightmarish form revealed. It had an imposing humanoid build, but its head was that of a serpent, adorned with glistening, elongated scales. A thick, powerful reptilian tail swished behind it, slicing through the air with an ominous hiss. Its golden eyes, glowing with a cold, unyielding fury, locked onto Ryosuke with disdain.
"How dare you disrupt my evolution, insect?" it hissed, its deep, chilling voice reverberating through the air like a deadly warning.
"Ryosuke!" Mechamaru shouted.
Alarmed, he shoved away the creatures clinging to him and unleashed a searing blast toward the serpent-headed being. The beam cut through the air in a straight line, targeting its serpentine head. But the monstrosity moved with an inhuman swiftness. Its free hand swatted the attack aside effortlessly, dispersing the energy like a mere gust of wind. Slowly, it turned its head toward Mechamaru, its glowing eyes radiating icy contempt.
"Insignificant toy... I have no time to waste on you."
With a fluid motion, it unleashed a wave of dark energy. The blast slammed into Mechamaru, driving him back several steps. Before he could regain his footing, the horrors around him seized the opportunity, swarming him once more, their claws latching onto his metallic limbs. Despite his relentless struggle, they seemed more organized, more powerful.
Meanwhile, Ryosuke hung suspended in the air, the creature's massive hand gripping his neck tightly. Though his breath came in short, labored gasps, his face showed neither fear nor pain. Instead, he still wore a faint smile, his expression tinged with an almost teasing amusement.
"Well... you're pretty impressive," he muttered, his voice raspy yet strangely calm.
The creature tightened its grip, its slit pupils contracting with anger.
"I will destroy you for your insolence."
But just as it was about to squeeze harder, a muffled voice broke the tension.
"Don't disappoint me..."
The creature froze abruptly, its large golden eyes widening in shock. Without warning, it raised its massive hand and, with blinding speed, hurled Ryosuke through the air with incredible force.
His body streaked like a projectile before slamming into a rocky wall, the impact resounding like thunder. Shards of stone exploded outward as part of the structure crumbled.
"Ryosuke!" Mechamaru shouted, trying to rush toward him.
But the grotesque minions, suddenly moving with eerie coordination, swarmed him in an unending tide. They clawed, bit, and threw themselves at his metallic limbs, intent on pinning him down. Though overwhelmed, Mechamaru managed to fend off some of the attacks with precise strikes from his integrated blades. Each blow, however, required immense effort as the creatures seemed to regenerate or multiply before his eyes.
Amid the rubble, a slight movement caught everyone's attention. Slowly, a figure rose from the debris, sending chunks of stone tumbling away. Ryosuke emerged, unscathed—without so much as a scratch. His outfit was spotless, and a casual expression lit up his face.
With a nonchalant hand, he rubbed the back of his neck, stretching slightly as if he had just woken up.
"Ah, that feels great," he murmured, his voice laced with calm satisfaction.
The creature, still motionless, narrowed its eyes.
"You... you're dangerous."
Ryosuke smirked, a hint of mockery in his expression. He raised a single finger, as if scoring a point.
"Bingo! I knew you were smart. Honestly, it's always a pleasure to meet someone with a bit of sense."
He turned slightly away from the creature, glancing over his shoulder at Mechamaru. The latter was still locked in a fierce battle with the minions, fighting tooth and nail to avoid being overwhelmed.
"Hey, Mechamaru, mind keeping those little monsters busy while I deal with their boss?"
Mechamaru, cornered, blocked a blow by crossing his blades and then blasted a creature back with a focused laser shot. Panting, he shot an angry glare at his companion.
"You've got to be kidding me! These things aren't toys, and neither am I! If you're done fooling around, how about lending me a hand?!"
Ryosuke shrugged, an amused grin on his face. "Oh, come on, you're doing great. Honestly, it's barely worth my effort to fend them off."
But as the words left his lips, a piercing sound tore through the air.
In a blink, the creature lunged, moving with inhuman speed. Its massive fist cut through the air, charged with devastating power, and slammed directly into Ryosuke.
BOOM.
The impact was cataclysmic. A massive shockwave rippled outward, obliterating everything in its path. The ground cracked and exploded, hurling chunks of earth and stone in every direction. Even the minions were swept away by the blast, some disintegrating on the spot. Mechamaru, caught in the wave, anchored himself by driving his blades deep into the ground to avoid being thrown back.
As the dust settled, a gaping crater marked the spot where the blow had landed.
At the center of the destruction, Ryosuke remained standing.
Unmoved. Unharmed.
The creature's fist, still pressed against his chest, hadn't budged him an inch. His clothes were pristine, his face untouched by strain.
The creature instinctively recoiled, withdrawing its hand as though it had touched something incomprehensible. Its slit pupils locked onto Ryosuke with a mixture of shock and unease.
Ryosuke lifted his head, his smile widening with unmistakable satisfaction. "Wow, not bad for a warm-up. But honestly, I was expecting a little more."
The creature growled, its thick tail lashing the air in frustration. "Arrogant fool… I'll crush you for your insolence!"
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, feigning disappointment. "Really? That's all you've got? Come on, be creative."
Mechamaru, watching the scene while fending off attackers, groaned in frustration. "Ryosuke, stop playing the hero! Are you trying to get us killed?!"
Ryosuke burst into laughter, raising a hand to give him a playful wink. "Relax, Mechamaru. You're the hero today. I'm just here to… have a little fun."
Then, as if to further taunt the creature, he cracked his knuckles and settled into a fighting stance, his trademark smirk still firmly in place.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Next Chapter: First Mission (4)