🚧 Part I: The Level 20 Guardians
The Thames embankment was a corridor of rubble and instability, yet Waterloo Bridge stood, strangely intact. The entire central span of the bridge had been enveloped by a [Technological Defense V. 3.0] Fragment.
As Elara and Kael approached within a hundred meters, the air vibrated. Two massive entities, formed of molten scrap metal and antique brass, rose from the ground, their mechanical limbs scraping the pavement. Their central cores pulsed with a red-blue energy.
ENTITY DETECTED: ENFORCER-GOLEM (Lv. 20)
Type: Technological Construct
Attack: Kinetic Projectiles (Auto-Targeting)
Defense: Composite Armor (Resistance 85%)
Primary Weakness: [ELECTRIC]
"Level 20," Elara whispered, her hand already on her sword hilt. "My Holy damage won't work. I'm only 25% effective."
"Exactly. But your new speed and Aggro are perfect for diversion," Kael replied, his Code Acuity running at full throttle. The tension no longer paralyzed him; he treated it like a system log to be resolved.
Kael opened his Tactical Database: "The objective is the Electrical Weakness. We must overload them with their own source. Their power feed is a [Primary Junction Node] on the east side of the bridge. I see it—it's fragmented but active."
Kael pointed toward a semi-destroyed utility box near the water.
"You must reach that node, locate the code controlling the flow, and trigger a controlled short circuit," Kael explained. "I will handle the rest. Begin the diversion."
⚔️ Part II: Maximum Aggro
Elara did not need a second invitation. She leaped forward, her newfound speed a terrifying weapon.
The two Enforcer-Golems moved with surprising swiftness for their size, rotating their pulse cannons. Their objective was clear: the entity emitting the highest Aggro (Elara).
[Enforcer-Golem (L20) uses: Kinetic Lock]
The first kinetic projectile, the size of a fist, should have pulverized Elara. But Elara was faster than the projectile itself. She didn't dodge it; she anticipated it.
Her golden armor shimmered as she moved in a series of kinetic bursts. The projectile missed by inches, instead striking the asphalt and creating a smoking crater.
"Focus on me, scrap heaps!" Elara yelled, her gauntleted fist striking the Golem's leg. The hit did almost nothing (-34 HP), but the elemental feedback was instantaneous.
[Elara inflicts: HOLY DAMAGE (Ineffective) -> Aggro Generated: MASSIVE]
The Golems ignored Kael. Their internal Aggro logic was overloaded: the damage was low, but Elara's power signal was too great. They began concentrating fire solely on her, allowing Kael to sprint laterally across the bridge.
⚡ Part III: The Controlled Short Circuit
Kael reached the Primary Junction Node. It was an old fuse box, held together by electrical wiring that vibrated with the Fragmentation, all labeled with Level 4 power code.
It was a trap: the Golems could intercept a high-power Deconstruct Interface. Kael had to be surgical.
Kael did not use the full ability. He leveraged his [CODE ACUITY] to execute a low-cost function: [Intervention Sub-Script]. It was like injecting a single virus into a network.
> TARGET: Primary_Junction_Node > SCRIPT: Overload_Flow_Control.Set_Value [x400%] > DURATION: 5s > COST: Mental Energy -15%
Kael sent the command, feeling a manageable but significant drain. His mind was focused on the energy flow. He wasn't just increasing the power; he was forcing the System to route the Primary Weakness (Electrical) back into the Golems that were its source.
As the Junction Node began to sizzle, Kael saw one of the Golems' interfaces change: [WARNING: INCOMING FLUID OVERLOAD].
📉 Part IV: The Tactical Victory
The first Enforcer-Golem stopped firing. Its core, which had been red-blue, became a blinding white.
[ENFORCER-GOLEM exposed to: Primary_Weakness_Trigger: OVERLOAD_ELECTRICAL]
A moment later, the Golem exploded in a shower of sparks and thick smoke, its composite armor tearing open like a flower.
Elara, who had been busy dodging the second Golem's fire, didn't miss a beat. Seeing Kael resume his sprint, she understood: five seconds.
The second Golem, its defensive logic scrambling from the loss of its ally and its Aggro still locked on Elara, failed to re-program its defense.
Elara saw the hesitation in its interface. Instead of fleeing, she used a powerful kinetic dash to position herself behind it, just as the short circuit reached its peak.
The second Golem overloaded. Its body locked up, emitting a sharp hiss.
Elara drew her sword and plunged it precisely into the Golem's back, where the metal had been loosened by the electrical flow.
[Elara inflicts: HOLY DAMAGE (Execution)]
The Golem powered down without exploding, its form instantly collapsing into a pile of inactive debris. There was no smoke, no fire: only clean code.
🌅 Part V: The Big Ben Beacon
Silence returned to the bridge. Kael reached Elara, mentally exhausted from the effort, but filled with satisfaction. His Mental Energy was back at 83%—a small price for a double Level 20 takedown.
[High-Level Combat Data (Lv. 15 vs Lv. 20) Detected: TACTICAL_OVERRIDE. Log Running. Archiving Recommended.]
Kael performed the archival, feeling the data on electricity and Level 4 defense code integrate into his database.
"Your logic works," Elara conceded, wiping sweat from her neck with a gauntlet. "I only dealt minimal damage, but you used the environment to do the work. It was an Archivist's victory."
Kael looked past the cleared bridge. Directly ahead, the Big Ben Fragment dominated the skyline. The Elizabeth Tower was not the tourist icon it should have been, but a black and gold monolith, swathed in chaotic fragmentation energy. The interface clearly labeled it: [CORE FRAGMENT: HIGH RISK (Lv. 30+)].
"That is our objective," Elara said, her voice filled with controlled excitement. "But that Fragment is unstable. Before we go in, I need to know exactly what's inside. What does the code say?"
Kael prepared for the final scan. The heart of the Fragmentation's power was within reach.