Bodies. That was all that remained of the industrial sector. The scorched husks of Red Army mechs and the dismembered remains of Kaiju lit the streets like a macabre trail of breadcrumbs.
Will Rogers and the main squad didn't celebrate. They moved through the carnage with a grim, mechanical efficiency, their sensors pushed to the absolute limit. Every creak of a settling skyscraper sounded like a death rattle. On the eastern flank, Trevor's junior squad finally broke through the final line of resistance, merging with the main force in a massive, cratered plaza.
"Nice to have you back, Zero," Kiko's voice came through the comms. It wasn't an insult this time; there was a flicker of genuine respect in her tone.
"It's nice to be back," Xavier replied. He felt the phantom ache of the 10.5% mana output burning in his nerves, but his hands were steady. The panic attack had been incinerated in the heat of the duel.
They continued forward, entering the "Zero Zone"—the heart of the breach. Here, the air was no longer transparent; it was a thick, shimmering soup of high-density red mana. It felt like walking through blood.
Suddenly, the ground didn't just shake; it liquefied. A massive, swirling cloud of red smoke erupted from a collapsed stadium, and then came the sound.
ROOOOOOAR!
It wasn't a cry; it was a physical force. The sound wave shattered every remaining window within a three-mile radius. From the red mist, a Rank 1 Kaiju emerged. It stood 140 meters tall—a mountain of obsidian scales, glowing magma-veins, and four eyes that burned with the cold intelligence of a god.
"Rank 1," Will whispered, his voice hushed with awe. "The Gate Guardian."
The battle didn't start with a parley. The Guardian charged. For something so massive, it moved with a terrifying, rhythmic speed. It slammed into the frontline, its shoulder-check sending Wolf and Grim flying through entire city blocks like bowling pins.
Astra Prime and Astra Nova managed to gain distance. "Keep its attention!" Charlotte screamed. She braced her titan, her railgun humming a high-pitched note of pure power. KRA-BOOM! A slug of tungsten slammed into the Guardian's chest, the kinetic impact throwing the beast backward.
The Guardian snarled, diving into the shadows of the surrounding skyscrapers to avoid the follow-up shots. It was using the city as a shield. Suddenly, it lunged out from behind a collapsed hotel, its massive claws aimed directly at Charlotte's cockpit.
"Not today, you overgrown lizard!" Will roared.
Wolf intercepted the blow. Will caught the Guardian's wrist, the metal of his titan's arms groaning under the 140-meter weight. Grim surged in from the side, Spector's thermal scythe glowing white-hot as he carved a jagged line across the beast's thigh.
The two veterans fought as a perfect duo—Wolf taking the brunt of the physical strikes while Grim looked for the kill-strokes, all supported by the relentless cover fire from Charlotte and Mira. But the Guardian was a Rank 1 for a reason. Its hide began to glow. A pulse of red energy exploded from its body, a "Mana Burst" that sent the veterans reeling.
[WARNING: TITAN ENERGY AT 15%]
[MANA CORE DEPLETED]
"Trevor! Do you copy?!" Will's voice was strained. "We're under heavy fire! We need the cavalry, now!"
The Guardian stood over the downed veterans, its maw opening to reveal a swirling vortex of annihilation.
"HOORAH!"
From the top of a 100-story tower, Bolt jumped. Trevor didn't use a weapon; he turned his entire titan into a kinetic missile. He landed squarely on the Guardian's head, the impact driving the beast's chin into the pavement. Trevor didn't let go; he pressed his palms against the creature's skull and fired a "Stun Blast" at point-blank range.
The Guardian screeched in immense pain, its neural system momentarily fried by the electricity.
"Now! Pin it down!" Trevor yelled.
Finn and Mikhail rushed in. The two bulky titans grabbed the Guardian's massive hind legs. "Plunge!" Mikhail roared. The titans drove their spiked "Anchor Feet" deep into the ground, locking themselves—and the monster—to the bedrock.
Xavier saw his opening. He didn't have a railgun. He didn't have a scythe. He had the Kid Dynamite soul.
Ghost ignited its thrusters, a streak of black and white crossing the plaza. Xavier channeled every drop of his 10.5% output into a single point. He leapt, his titan spinning in the air to build momentum.
"SHT-6 SHOCKWAVE PUNCH!"
Ghost's fist connected with the Guardian's ribs with a sound like a mountain splitting in half. A visible ring of distorted air expanded from the point of impact, shattering the creature's armored scales and sending a shockwave through its internal organs.
The monster tried to thrash, its massive tail swinging wildly. But the veterans were back on their feet. Grim and Bolt lunged forward, grabbing the beast's rear legs to assist the juniors.
"Astra Team! Final volley!" Charlotte commanded.
"Xavier! Let's end this!" Will's voice boomed.
Wolf and Ghost moved in perfect synchronization—the old wolf and the new hound. They charged together, their silhouettes blurring into a singular streak of black, bronze, and white.
Wolf delivered a low, sweeping kick that knocked the Guardian off its remaining balance, while Ghost soared upward. As the beast fell, Wolf caught it with a massive uppercut, launching it back into Xavier's path.
Xavier pulled back Ghost's right arm, the hydraulics screaming as they pushed beyond the safety limits. "THIS IS FOR THE BLOOD HOUNDS!"
The two titans hit a badass "X-Strike" combo—their fists meeting in the center of the Guardian's throat. The combined mana of the 1st and 5th Garrison detonated.
The Rank 1's head was nearly severed from the force. The great Guardian of the East Asian Gate stood still for a heartbeat, its eyes flickering out, and then it collapsed. The 140-meter mountain of flesh hit the ground with a thud that was felt across the entire sector.
Silence fell over the city. The red fog began to dissipate, revealing the first rays of dawn breaking over the ocean.
Xavier sat in his cockpit, his chest heaving, the "Red Update" caution sign still flickering on his screen. But he didn't need the system. He looked at the fallen god before him and then at the titans of his friends.
"Mission... accomplished," Xavier whispered.