The heavy footsteps pounded the floor like war drums. Each step cracked the laboratory tiles with intricate fissures. Dark red magical auras spread outward with every thud, tinting the surrounding air an ominous blood hue. Ryan fixed his True Sight on the depths of the lab, and the massive black shadow gradually came into focus—nearly five meters tall, its body a fusion of dark purple flesh and silver-gray machinery. Its arms were twin energy cannons flashing cold light; its legs thick as stone pillars, each hair stiff as steel needles. A horn atop its head glowed with an eerie green, and its giant crimson eyes held no emotion, only pure killing intent. This was Dr. Kallen's "King of Half-Finished Cyborgs."
"Roar—" The cyborg king let out a deafening roar, shockwaves radiating outward. Glass instruments shattered across the lab. Ryan's ears throbbed painfully, forcing him to clutch them as he stepped back. The protective amulet on his chest glowed faintly, barely shielding him from the dark magical energy embedded in the soundwave.
Ayla, suspended midair, froze. Her strike toward the energy core halted abruptly. She knew the threat this creature posed far exceeded anything they had faced. If it reached Ryan and Linton, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Damn it!" Ayla cursed under her breath, abandoning the energy core. Golden energy surged around her, silver-gray fur instantly covering her body. Her werewolf form was fully unleashed. She spun and leapt toward the cyborg king, claws slicing through the wind, aiming for its crimson eyes—the universal weak spot of all creatures. Even magic-modified, it was likely no exception.
The cyborg king did not flinch. Its horn glowed a ghostly green, and a thick beam of energy shot straight at Ayla. Her pupils shrank in alarm. Twisting midair, she narrowly avoided it; the beam grazed her shoulder and slammed into the wall behind, blowing a hole several meters wide. Debris mixed with black magical energy rained down. The brief dodge cost her the attack opportunity. She landed in a stagger, her shoulder scorched, fur charred, skin blackened, the sting burning through her nerves.
"This is my masterpiece! The King of Half-Finished Cyborgs, a fusion of thirteen species' genes and cutting-edge machinery. Even a pureblood werewolf is no match!" Dr. Kallen's manic voice echoed through the loudspeakers. "Ayla, you just destroyed so many of my experiments—now, use your bloodline to nourish its growth!"
The cyborg king obeyed an invisible command. Its mechanical arms suddenly raised; the twin cannons charged, ghostly purple energy converging at their muzzles with a sizzling sound. Ayla didn't dare delay, springing off the ground like a golden lightning bolt, dodging the twin energy beams. The beams struck the floor, creating deep pits, black energy churning and corroding the tiles.
Ryan pressed against the wall, heart racing. He could see clearly: the cyborg king's speed and strength were extraordinary. Ayla, despite the agility of her werewolf form, was forced into constant defense, unable to find an opening. Worse, its body was enveloped in a thick magical shield. Even when Ayla's claws struck, the shield repelled her attacks, leaving no real damage.
"I have to help Ayla!" Ryan gritted his teeth, forcing himself calm. He activated True Sight again. Inside the cyborg king, biological vessels intertwined with mechanical circuits, a red-glowing energy core at its center powering it. Its magical shield drew energy from three black rune arrays on its back.
"Ayla! Attack the runes on its back! That's the source of its magical shield!" Ryan shouted, pointing toward the cyborg king's back.
Ayla's eyes brightened. She had been focused on the head, ignoring other vulnerabilities. Adjusting her strategy, she flashed to its side, evading the swinging mechanical arm. Leaping, her claws crackled with golden energy as they struck a rune on the king's back. "Ssshhk!" The claws pierced its skin, slicing through the rune.
The rune's glow dimmed instantly. The shield weakened slightly. The cyborg king roared in pain, metallic spikes protruding from its back toward Ayla's abdomen. She reacted quickly, retreating before being impaled, chest heaving—her attack had drained considerable stamina.
"Effective! Keep hitting the runes!" Ryan shouted.
But the cyborg king had sensed the threat. Its runes began spinning rapidly, ghostly purple energy converging. Its mechanical arms transformed, cannons shifting into massive alloy blades etched with black magical runes, exuding dense dark magic.
The cyborg king swung the blades wildly. The whistling wind tore at the air. Ayla's dodging space shrank; she weaved through the flurry of blades, wounds multiplying, golden blood dripping onto the floor with a sizzling, corrosive hiss. Her breaths grew ragged; golden energy fluctuations weakened. She was clearly being overwhelmed.
Ryan's anxiety surged. He knew if this continued, Ayla would be severely injured. He had to find a solution quickly—and the laboratory itself might hold the key.
Using True Sight, his gaze swept over shattered lab tables, spilling chemicals, and intertwined pipes, finally landing on a room labeled "Chemical Reagents Storage." Inside, the vision revealed highly flammable and explosive substances, a stockpile of chemicals and fuel.
"Got it!" Ryan's heart raced. He remembered the Fireball Spell he had exchanged. Its power alone was modest, but igniting the chemical storage could unleash an explosion strong enough to severely damage the cyborg king, even possibly destroy its magical shield. The problem: the metal door was heavily reinforced, and the distance to the storage was significant. Doing this under the watchful eyes of the cyborg king and Dr. Kallen would be extremely difficult.
At that moment, the cyborg king's blade struck Ayla's back. Her golden fur instantly carbonized. She grunted, spraying golden blood, stumbling forward, nearly falling. The cyborg king seized the moment, mechanical arm shooting out, grabbing Ayla's shoulder, lifting her high. Its crimson eyes locked on her, letting out a deep growl, savoring the struggle of its prey.
"Ayla!" Ryan yelled, heart in his throat. He could no longer hesitate. Sprinting toward the chemical storage, he knew he had to ignite it, or Ayla's life was in immediate danger.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Dr. Kallen's cold, sinister laugh echoed. "Cyborg King, kill that werewolf! Then deal with the little detective!"
The cyborg king followed the command, opening its maw. Ghostly purple energy swirled, clearly preparing a lethal attack.
Ayla, trapped in its grasp, could not struggle. She saw Ryan sprinting toward the storage and a flash of resolve crossed her eyes. Clenching her teeth, golden energy surged violently, stronger than before. She strained her shoulders, breaking free from the cyborg king's grip. Though a large chunk of flesh tore from her shoulder, blood streaming, she seized the moment and kicked its knee—where machine met flesh, a relatively weak point.
"Crack!" The knee joint deformed, slowing its movements slightly. Ayla took the chance to retreat, creating distance. Pale and gasping, she had reached her limit.
Ryan reached the metal door of the chemical storage. He drew his short blade, hacking at the lock. But it was reinforced with magic and technology; the blade could not break it. The cyborg king, recovered, advanced slowly, its crimson eyes locking on him, arms switching back to cannons and charging.
"Open already!" Ryan sweated, scanning the lock with True Sight. The core was a small magical rune array; destroying it would unlock the door. Gathering his remaining magical energy, he prepared to strike with Fireball Spell.
Before he could focus, the cyborg king's energy cannon fired. A thick purple beam shot straight at his back, scorching hot. Ryan had no time to dodge, instinctively closing his eyes.
At the critical moment, a golden figure lunged in front of him, blocking the beam with her own body.
"Ayla!" Ryan opened his eyes, seeing her bloodied form shielding him. Golden energy barely shimmered; her back where the beam hit was charred black, deep to the bone.
Ayla turned, weakly smiling at him. "Quick… open the storage…" She collapsed, unconscious.
"Ayla!" Ryan held her, guilt and rage surging. He glanced at the advancing cyborg king, a wild resolve sparking in his eyes. He gently placed Ayla against the wall, stood, clenched his fist, and magical energy began surging rapidly under his anger.
The cyborg king loomed before him, its shadow immense. Raising its cannon arm, purple energy glowed ominously, illuminating Ryan's face. He didn't flinch. Fixing his gaze on the rune array of the storage lock, he focused all magical energy into his right palm. A red fireball brighter than before formed. This time, he would risk everything—using the Fireball Spell to strike both the lock and the cyborg king's energy core. Success or failure here would determine not only his survival, but whether Ayla lived…