“The Androsprite’s skull for the knee guards, the Metalpeasprite’s cannon for the Infinity Cannon, the Megadrasprite’s skull for the head, the Gigadrasprite’s right arm for one claw, the Metaldrasprite’s frame for the torso, the Metal Tyrannosprite’s left arm for the other claw, and the Black Box core...”
Inside the core control room, Loki used the Black Box to access the ruins’ inventory and started the Machinedrasprite’s final assembly.
“These components are only replicas made from Dragon Metal, but once assembled into a Pseudo-Machinedrasprite, it should reach at least the World rank!” Loki muttered, “It couldn’t be a more perfect final form for my Tyrannosprite unit’s evolution.”
The assembly progress bar inched forward.
[90%]
[91%]
Just as the assembly neared completion, with less than ten percent remaining, a thunderous crash echoed from above. Steel panels rained down from the ceiling.
Loki looked up and saw a strange dragon-type Digital Sprite clad in golden armor descending from above.
Loki gasped. “What is that? Did another contestant break into the ruins?”
Yinglong spotted Loki and attacked without hesitation. It launched Turbo Claw, extending its right claw straight at him. The glass panels shielding him blocked the strike. Yinglong’s Dragon Metal claw scraped across the surface, leaving only faint scratches.
Even so, Loki was shaken. He knew the glass was strong enough to withstand World attacks. The fact that Yinglong could even leave marks on it meant that its power couldn’t be underestimated.
While Loki was still trying to determine to whom Yinglong belonged, Han Wu and his two War Saint Locustmen descended into the core control room.
Loki’s eyes widened. “You’re alive?”
By his estimation, the Megadrasprite and Gigadrasprite together were possibly even harder to deal with than the Machinedrasprite itself. Han Wu should have been overwhelmed, with his protection barrier depleted and his elimination all but certain. In the worst case, he could have been killed outright, yet there he was without a scratch.
“I should be thanking you, actually. It was your little trap that got me this powerful ally,” Han Wu said as Yinglong obediently flew to his side.
Loki’s jaw dropped. This powerful dragon-type Digital Sprite belonged to Han Wu!
“Even if you’ve got a strong dragon-type Digital Sprite, don’t get cocky. My Machinedrasprite will be assembled soon. When it is, none of you will escape,” Loki spat, his voice carrying a hint of jealousy.
He desperately wanted Yinglong for himself. The fact that it belonged to his enemy stung worse than any wound.
Han Wu ignored the threat and ordered his three Digital Sprites to attack the glass protecting Loki.
Stinger’s piercing attacks only left negligible dots on the surface. Thunder Halberd’s strikes carried tremendous force, yet they couldn’t even leave a scratch. Yinglong fared better. Its enhanced arms, combined with its skills, managed to leave fine marks on the glass, but it was nowhere near enough to break through. At this rate, it would take three to five hours.
The assembly progress had already reached ninety-five percent. Even Han Wu recognized that time was running out. Should I keep chipping away at the glass to drag Loki out or cut my losses and retreat?
Seeing that Han Wu couldn’t damage the glass, Loki taunted, “With trash Digital Sprites like yours, you think you can compete with me? Once my Machinedrasprite is complete, I’ll be the strongest in this entire event. Nobody will be able to stop me! The Iron Fist Family’s reputation will soar to its peak under my glory!”
Loki was already celebrating. After all, the progress bar had reached ninety-seven percent.
Han Wu stared at the increasingly scratched glass, thought for three seconds, then pulled an item from his material storage. It was Thor’s Hammer, the very one he’d traded from Loki.
[Thor’s Hammer: A hammer forged from Digital Alloy. Indestructible. It can serve as a weapon for Digital Sprites or as a material for ultimate evolution.]
The moment Loki saw it, his expression froze for a second. He quickly masked it with false composure. “That hammer is useless! This barrier can withstand World attacks.”
Han Wu ignored Loki completely and ordered, “Yinglong, use this hammer to destroy his defense.”
Yinglong grabbed Thor’s Hammer and swung it into the glass. The first strike landed, but the glass still held.
Loki exhaled in relief. “See? That hammer is use—”
Before he could finish, a sharp cracking sound cut him off. A web of fractures spread across the glass, expanding with every passing second.
Panic flashed across Loki’s face. He checked the assembly progress. It was already at ninety-eight percent. Only two percent remained. However, that final two percent was completely beyond his control.
Yinglong brought the hammer down a second time, and the glass shattered completely. With his protection gone, Loki stood exposed before Han Wu’s three ultimate Digital Sprites.
“Kill him,” Han Wu said.
Stinger, Thunder Halberd, and Yinglong attacked in unison. Death Pierce, a thunderous cleave, and Turbo Claw struck simultaneously. The three powerful skills reduced Loki’s protection barrier to zero. The instant it reached zero, the event teleported him away. He was eliminated.
The Machinedrasprite’s assembly progress had reached ninety-nine percent. Han Wu rushed to the control panel and worked the interface, changing the Machinedrasprite’s master designation to himself.
For him, that was child’s play. While he had been fighting the Megadrasprite and Gigadrasprite, his avatars had been studying the operating system through the broadcast feed. By now, they had completely cracked it.
A beep sounded.
[Assembly progress: 100%]
Below, a towering mechanical figure emerged, ferocious and imposing. Its information appeared before Han Wu.
[Pseudo-Machinedrasprite (ultimate, Microcosm life form). Skills: Turbo Claw, Infinity Arm, Infinity Cannon. Description: Assembled from numerous Dragon Metal components. Extremely powerful.]
As Han Wu studied the Pseudo-Machinedrasprite, it stared back at him with glowing crimson eyes and asked in a synthetic voice, “Are you my master?”