DING!
"Sign-in object detected: Large group of Forever Knight subordinates!"
"Complete one of the following objectives to finish this Sign-In Event: Defeat all enemies, OR safely extract allies from this location!"
The system's notification echoed in Asher's mind as he assessed the battlefield. Surrounded by dozens of armored knights, trapped in a fortress courtyard with heavy artillery tracking his every movement, this was exactly the kind of high-stakes challenge that triggered system rewards.
Coexisting danger and opportunity, Asher thought. The harder the challenge, the better the reward.
"Asher, I'm guessing you need backup!" Ben's voice cut through the tension as his armored form landed beside Diamondhead with a thunderous impact. Electricity crackled across the red-gold plating, sparks dancing between the arc reactor's output ports. "Just say the word!"
The lightning core upgrade had transformed Ben's appearance completely. The modified armor now resembled Iron Man's Max III, sleek crimson plates trimmed with gold accents, energy outputs blazing with barely contained power.
"System, clarification needed," Asher muttered internally, eyeing the eager ten-year-old next to him. "If Ben and Gwen assist in this fight, does it invalidate the sign-in objective?"
"Affirmative. Allied participation results in automatic mission failure."
Of course it did.
Diamondhead glanced at his enthusiastic cousin, then at the converging enemy forces. Under normal circumstances, having backup would be the smart tactical choice. But this wasn't a normal circumstance, this was an opportunity to push his limits and earn a substantial reward in the process.
"Ben, Gwen, I don't need your help!" Diamondhead's crystalline voice carried absolute confidence as he addressed both his cousins. "Focus on what matters! Get Grandpa Max and Howell out of here! Go! Now!"
"You..." Ben hesitated, his helmet's display flickering as he processed the request. After several seconds, he sighed audibly through the armor's speakers. "Alright, fine. I'll prioritize rescuing Grandpa and that kid first."
He rotated the repulsors in his palms, angling them downward. Energy flared. The armor rocketed skyward with Gwen floating beside him, both heading toward the fortress's upper levels where their remaining allies were imprisoned.
"Foolish!" A Forever Knight raised his laser lance high, its tip crackling with deadly energy as he thrust it toward Diamondhead's jaw like a harpoon strike from below. "You've made a fatal tactical error, attempting to face all of us alone!"
"Shut up."
Diamondhead's eyes flashed with cold determination. He didn't even bother dodging. His crystalline fist moved faster than the knight's weapon, driving forward with devastating force and connecting squarely with the armored chest plate!
WHAM!!
The Forever Knight launched backward like a cannonball, armor crumpling inward from the impact. He crashed through two fellow soldiers before slamming into the fortress wall, leaving a knight-shaped crater in the ancient stonework. The man slumped unconscious, his breastplate irreparably shattered.
"CHARGE!!"
"ATTACK AS ONE!!"
Every remaining Forever Knight raised their weapons in unison, launching the most aggressive coordinated assault they could muster. Energy weapons discharged, laser lances thrust forward, and melee combatants rushed with drawn swords. The intensity was enough to tear through solid steel.
"FULL ARMOR EXTENSION!!"
Diamondhead's eyes burned with fierce determination. He clenched both fists tight, and instantly, crystalline spikes erupted from every surface of his body, transforming him into something resembling a massive crystalline hedgehog bristling with razor-sharp protrusions. Every inch of his form became a weapon.
His arms reshaped themselves into twin crystalline blades, sleek, deadly, perfectly balanced for close combat!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!
Dozens of weapons collided simultaneously with the diamond spikes, creating a cacophony of metallic impacts. Energy discharge illuminated the courtyard like lightning strikes. But the crystalline defenses held firm, not a single weapon penetrated Diamondhead's natural armor!
"HRRAAAGH!!"
Diamondhead's eyes flashed with primal combat instinct. With a roar that resonated through the entire courtyard, he moved. His crystalline blades became twin streaks of green light as he charged directly into the enemy formation!
Every few steps, those blades flashed through the air with surgical precision.
Wherever he moved,
Blood bloomed like crimson flowers!
The battlefield transformed into a canvas, and each sword stroke added another red splash to the composition. More and more crimson painted the scene as Diamondhead carved his path through the enemy ranks!
Those fortunate enough to face him received only surface wounds, chests slashed, shoulders opened, arms cut deep enough to end their combat effectiveness temporarily!
The unlucky ones suffered far worse. Some clutched at necks spurting arterial spray. Others collapsed with mortal wounds, trembling as their life force pooled beneath them!
Diamondhead could feel his blood surging through every crystalline vein, combat instincts burning hotter with each passing second. At this moment, only the enemy existed in his awareness, nothing else registered. His blades moved mechanically, efficiently, lethally!
Fight. Strike. Advance. Repeat.
He didn't even notice the growing pile of fallen enemies behind him, or that his black-and-white Omnitrix suit had been completely drenched in red!
"Is, is this creature truly something we can defeat?!" One knight's voice cracked with terror behind his helmet.
"Don't panic! We still have over thirty soldiers standing, and he's only defeated a dozen..." Another tried rallying the troops, but his voice wavered with uncertainty.
"Right, exactly! Keep attacking together, eventually he'll exhaust himself!" A third knight shouted, attempting to restore morale.
But their words rang hollow.
SHHHK! SHHHK! SHHHK!
The remaining Forever Knights coordinated another mass assault, their weapons successfully finding gaps in the crystal spike defense. Laser lances pierced through, energy swords found openings, physical strikes connected with Diamondhead's body, leaving small burns and shallow cuts across his crystalline surface!
But the damage barely registered.
The next instant, Diamondhead's eyes blazed crimson with fury. His blade swept through three attackers in a single fluid motion. Each collapsed in sequence, hitting the ground like dominoes as he advanced relentlessly!!
Time passed in a brutal rhythm of combat...
But Diamondhead showed no signs of exhaustion.
On the contrary, he had completely internalized the combat techniques the system had granted him, integrating warrior skills so deeply they felt carved into his DNA!!
Every movement became a killing technique. No flashy flourishes, no wasted motion. Just pure, efficient lethality focused on one objective: your complete defeat.
The transparent crystalline blades reflected the terrified expressions of his enemies in the moments before they fell. Each swing revealed trembling bodies beneath damaged armor, faces twisted with horror at what they now faced!!
More time elapsed in violent seconds...
Diamondhead stood there, breathing heavily like a winded bull, his eyes slowly returning from bloodshot crimson to their normal coloration. The battle fury receded enough for him to process his surroundings.
There were no more Forever Knights willing to engage him directly!
Only a dozen armored figures remained standing in the distance, and though their helmets concealed their faces, Diamondhead could practically feel their fear radiating from across the courtyard!!
"Wait... I took down this many?!"
Diamondhead glanced back at the battlefield behind him, genuinely surprised at the scope of destruction. Unconscious and wounded Forever Knights littered the ground in his wake, creating a path of carnage marking exactly where he'd fought.
He took one experimental step forward.
SHHK! SHHK! SHHK!
The remaining Forever Knights took three steps backward!
Diamondhead advanced, they retreated!
They no longer possessed even the courage to raise their weapons against him!
"His strength... could even our leader, the Eternal Knight, defeat something like this?" one whispered.
"Don't fight anymore, if the Eternal Knight finds out we fled, we'll face punishment, but at least we'll be alive!" another hissed desperately.
"He's coming closer!!"
The group of knights stared at Diamondhead with palpable fear, their armored bodies visibly trembling despite the protection their suits provided!
But then,
BOOM!!
A massive artillery shell screamed through the air, landing with devastating force directly where Diamondhead stood! The explosion's shockwave was catastrophic, not only launching the crystalline alien through the air, but excavating a crater easily fifteen feet in diameter!!
Smoke from the detonation billowed across a huge section of the courtyard, obscuring everything!
CRASH!!
Diamondhead's body slammed into the fortress wall with bone-crushing force, and those cold, calculating eyes immediately locked onto the source of the artillery strike!
WHOOOOSH!!
His arms shifted configuration mid-motion, transforming into honeycomb-patterned Gatling configurations mounted on both limbs! Without hesitation, he unleashed a devastating barrage of crystalline projectiles, thousands of diamond shards firing like machine gun rounds in rapid succession!
RATA-RATA-RATA-RATA!!
The sound was deafening!
Every artillery emplacement in the long-range section exploded in brilliant flashes of destruction! The surrounding fortress walls transformed into Swiss cheese as diamond shards punched through solid stone! Even the soldiers operating those weapons burst into red mist as the crystal projectiles tore through armor, flesh, and bone indiscriminately!!
Within seconds, the entire artillery section had been completely swept clean. The honeycomb-riddled area looked like it had been the target of sustained heavy weapons fire!
The remaining Forever Knights in the courtyard stood frozen in absolute terror, watching this display of overwhelming firepower!
"EVERYONE, FALL BACK!! RETREAT TO THE INNER FORTRESS!!" someone finally screamed.
The surviving knights broke formation and ran.
Diamondhead straightened slowly from his impact crater in the wall, crystal shards falling from his body as his form regenerated the minor damage from the artillery hit.
DING!
"Congratulations! Sign-In Event successfully completed!"
"Reward obtained: Gold-tier, Vajra Indestructibility Technique!"
The notification arrived as the last Forever Knight disappeared through an interior doorway.
Asher allowed himself a slight smile beneath the crystalline exterior.
Now that's what I call a proper workout.
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