When SixSix finally regained his senses, his body was already caught between Upgrade's massive pincers. His armored hands pressed desperately against the enormous claws, straining with all his strength to keep them from crushing him completely!
The mechanical grip tightened with relentless pressure!
"Come down here with me! Don't hide in the sky like a coward!" Upgrade's voice echoed with metallic authority.
The possessed Kraab's pincers maintained their iron grip on SixSix as both began falling toward the ground. Upgrade's control over the crab-like body was absolute, and he used the mercenary's own weight against him!
BOOM!!
The combined mass of both mechanical bodies crashed into the earth with devastating force. A massive cloud of dust and debris exploded outward, the shockwave cracking the ground beneath them. The impact created a crater several meters wide, completely obscuring both figures!
Through the haze of swirling particles, Tetrax, Max, and the others could only make out two dark silhouettes locked in fierce combat. It looked like two beasts tearing at each other in a primal struggle.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!!
Dull, metallic collisions rang out repeatedly as Upgrade's enhanced pincers crashed against SixSix's plasma katana! Each impact sent sparks flying through the dust cloud, brief flashes of light illuminating the savage melee!
Powerful gusts of wind radiated outward from the battle's epicenter, forcing everyone to shield their eyes against the flying debris. Small stones rolled away from the combatants, and cracks began spreading across the abandoned factory floor from the sheer force of their clash!
Ten seconds passed in this brutal exchange...
SHING!!
A dark object flashing with cold metallic light suddenly shot out from the dust cloud, spinning through the air before embedding itself deeply into the wall of a nearby abandoned building!
Most of the blade disappeared into the concrete!
"The katana's been destroyed!" Though Tetrax couldn't see the details through the dust, his experience told him exactly what had happened. That weapon fragment could only be SixSix's broken blade!
BOOM!
Another thunderous impact echoed across the battlefield!
This time, the figure sent flying from the smoke was none other than SixSix himself! His armored body tumbled through the air like a soccer ball that had been kicked with tremendous force, before crashing straight through the wall of an abandoned warehouse!
CRASH!!
The entire structure collapsed inward, reduced to rubble in seconds. SixSix's body disappeared beneath tons of broken concrete and twisted metal beams!
"You're too weak," Upgrade's voice rang out coldly as he emerged from the dissipating dust cloud. The possessed Kraab body moved with predatory grace, its red circuitry glowing ominously. "Even weaker than this crab's original combat programming."
The metallic alien's appearance was truly fearsome now!
Its combat capabilities exceeded even Kraab's base specifications!
In fact, Upgrade had pushed the cyborg bounty hunter's power to match that of a first-class universal mercenary!
"Hahaha! Excellent work! Use those big pincers to teach that armored freak a lesson!" Ben couldn't contain his excitement after being chased around helplessly for so long. Watching SixSix get dominated brought him immense satisfaction, and he cheered loudly from their hiding spot.
"Big mouth, keep your voice down! You're practically announcing our location with a megaphone at this point," Gwen whispered harshly, clamping her hand over Ben's mouth. That said, her eyes remained fixed on Upgrade's imposing form with barely concealed fascination. She just had better self-control than her cousin.
After all, she preferred maintaining a quiet, composed demeanor.
"Alright, stop playing dead in there!" Upgrade's mechanical voice carried a note of dark amusement.
The possessed Kraab strode toward the collapsed building, raised one massive pincer high, and brought it crashing down onto the rubble pile. Concrete and metal debris scattered in all directions, quickly revealing the mercenary's armored figure beneath!
Except...
SixSix wasn't injured at all! Instead, he'd been accumulating energy for a counterattack the entire time!
His gloved hand moved to his waist in a blur, drawing the laser pistol from its holster. In one fluid motion, he aimed directly at Upgrade's head and squeezed the trigger without hesitation!
FWOOM!!
The laser blast lit up at point-blank range, its brilliant crimson glow illuminating Upgrade's circular eye. The metallic alien's optical sensor contracted slightly, registering the genuine threat!
Upgrade's current form didn't possess exceptional defensive capabilities. More accurately, Kraab's crab-like body never had strong armor to begin with.
"Cheap tricks!!" Tetrax shouted from his aerial vantage point, stamping his crystalline foot against the hoverboard in frustration. "That's so underhanded!"
SixSix was clearly a mercenary who relied on dirty tactics when conventional combat failed!
"Did you really think my Battle Mode consists purely of brute force?" Upgrade's voice remained unnervingly calm despite the imminent threat.
The possessed Kraab didn't panic. Instead, it retracted one of its massive pincers and positioned it defensively. The mechanical appendage's components scattered instantly, individual parts floating in the air for a split second before reassembling into a solid energy shield!
CLANG!!
The protective barrier absorbed the laser blast without taking damage! Only a thin wisp of smoke rose from the point of impact!
FWOOM! FWOOM! FWOOM!
SixSix fired several more shots in rapid succession, draining his pistol's entire energy cell in a desperate barrage. Yet each crimson bolt splashed harmlessly against Upgrade's shield, leaving not even a scratch!
This...
This was the most terrifying aspect of Upgrade's Battle Mode!!
The Galvanic Mechamorph could disassemble any technology it possessed, then reconfigure those components into completely different weapons or defensive systems in mere seconds!
In other words, give Upgrade a block of steel, and he could dismantle it and reassemble the parts into a fully functional steel cannon!!
'What kind of ability is this?!' SixSix's mind reeled behind his helmet.
The Sotoraggian mercenary couldn't comprehend such incredible power. If his mechanical helmet hadn't been covering his face, his jaw would have dropped to the ground!
Click! Click!!
Upgrade's shield disintegrated once more, the countless components floating near his metallic wrist before gathering together again. This time they condensed into a steel fist, one that was nearly one-third the size of Kraab's entire body!!
The massive weapon looked devastating!
Cold sweat broke out across SixSix's body instantly as he stared at the gigantic iron fist. His survival instincts screamed danger! He jumped backward, his jetpack's rocket thrusters igniting with a trace of fire.
He needed to escape! Now!
"You think you can run after attacking me?" Upgrade's single eye narrowed dangerously.
"Dream on."
The moment those words left Upgrade's mechanical mouth, he hurled the enormous steel fist forward with tremendous force. The weapon flew through the air like a wrecking ball, closing the distance to SixSix with terrifying speed!
WHOOOOM!!
The displaced air created a visible shockwave! The wind pressure alone was overwhelming, causing massive cracks to spread across the walls of nearby abandoned buildings!
The distance between the giant fist and SixSix shrank rapidly, getting closer and closer with each millisecond!
The intense wind buffeted the mercenary's armored body, making it sway uncontrollably in the air. He couldn't maintain his balance, let alone stabilize his flight path!
There was no way he could dodge now!!
Then...
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion erupted across the battlefield!
Upgrade's massive iron fist connected with SixSix's torso with earth-shattering force! In that instant, countless cracks appeared across the mercenary's mechanical armor like shattered glass. His body flew backward dozens of meters through the air like a bullet!
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
The devastating punch sent SixSix careening through four abandoned warehouses while he was still airborne! His tumbling body demolished each structure it touched!
Even the ground where he bounced and rolled showed a long furrow, a deep trench that looked like it had been carved by heavy construction equipment!
It was an earth-shattering punch!!
Everyone witnessing the attack finally understood Upgrade's true combat capabilities!
He was still incredibly powerful!
In fact, in a direct confrontation, Upgrade had effectively demolished SixSix with a single devastating strike!
"Although Upgrade has the home-field advantage here," Tetrax admitted with genuine respect, "defeating that mercenary with essentially one punch is seriously impressive! This type of power definitely surpasses mine."
The crystalline figure couldn't help but feel awed by what he'd just witnessed.
"His body transforms just like a Transformer! This alien hero must be a Transformer!" Ben's blood was pumping with excitement as he watched. His voice rang with certainty as he declared the perfect name for this new alien.
"Oh yeah?! Then let's call him Upgrade!!" Upgrade responded enthusiastically, his metallic features brightening with approval.
The possessed Kraab accelerated again, rushing with violent determination toward the location where SixSix had crashed!
Upgrade's massive pincers reached down and clamped around SixSix's legs, hoisting the mercenary upside-down like a hunter carrying captured prey. The Sotoraggian bounty hunter dangled helplessly, all fight knocked out of him.
"Alright, this armored freak has been subdued," Upgrade announced as he dragged SixSix's limp form back across the battlefield.
Upgrade looked toward Ben and the others, his glowing eye conveying a clear message: they were safe now.
"You performed admirably! I definitely didn't misjudge your capabilities," Tetrax descended from his hoverboard with relief evident in his crystalline features. "If criminals on Earth ever encounter you, they'll be completely out of luck."
The veteran Petrosapien warrior knew talent when he saw it, and this Upgrade was clearly exceptional.
"I think so too," Upgrade replied without false modesty this time. Instead, he displayed a confident smile, or the metallic equivalent of one.
Those criminals wouldn't stand a chance.
"By the way, Tetrax, I need you to do something for me!!" Upgrade suddenly seemed to remember something important, and his circular eye blazed with fierce intensity. "I want you to use Earth's communication equipment, a camera specifically, to record a video! I'm going to completely flatten this mechanical mercenary on camera, and then deliver the footage to Vilgax!!"
"What?!"
Tetrax's expression became shocked. His crystalline mouth gaped open, his geometric eyes went wide with disbelief, and he stared at Upgrade as though the Galvanic Mechamorph had just suggested something completely insane!
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