The pickup truck pushed through the dense fog shrouding the mountain peak. The path ahead was treacherous, littered with gravel and debris. Tires crunched loudly against the loose rocks, the sound echoing through the silent valley.
Before them lay a sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying... "The Valley of Silent Dishes."
Dozens of colossal satellite dishes lined the mountain slopes like giant iron mushrooms sprouting from the earth. Their support structures were rusted blood-red, contrasting sharply against the grey fog and ominous sky. Some had collapsed, flattening old buildings beneath their weight. Cables thick as a man's torso dangled loosely, swaying in the wind, creating a mournful whistling sound—as if the mountain itself was weeping.
"It's... a graveyard," Philip whispered, staring at the decaying remains of a once-great civilization.
The truck came to a halt in front of a "Massive Steel Gate" embedded into the largest mountain. The dish atop this peak was the only one standing upright, a faint red light blinking rhythmically at its tip.
But blocking the entrance... was a massive pile of scrap metal, towering over them.
"Watch out!" Murphy yelled, his fighter instincts screaming.
RUMBLE—!!!
The scrap pile began to move! Debris and metal sheets cascaded down, revealing the true form hidden beneath.
It was a "Goliath Loader"—a war-era construction mech resembling a mechanical gorilla, standing over 4 meters tall. Its pale yellow armor was riddled with bullet holes and caked with dried oil. A single red optic eye glowed in the center of its face. Its right arm ended in a "Giant Rock Drill" that began to spin with an ear-piercing shriek, while its left arm was a three-pronged "Hydraulic Claw" large enough to crush a truck.
"INTRUDER... ELIMINATE..." A distorted, robotic voice dragged out from broken speakers.
BOOM!!
The Goliath slammed its drill arm into the ground. The concrete shattered, sending sharp rocks flying like shrapnel.
"Philip! Back the truck up! I'll draw its fire!"
Murphy leaped out, sprinting toward the giant to draw aggro. He looked like an ant compared to the beast.
The Goliath snapped its head toward the sound. It swung the drill arm horizontally, sweeping everything in its path. Murphy slid under the mechanical limb just in time, the spinning tip missing his head by inches. The heat from the friction scorched his face.
"Big but slow, ugly!"
Using his agility, Murphy scrambled up a fallen concrete pillar and launched himself at the mech's torso, cocking his Titan Gauntlet back fully.
CLANG!!
The punch connected with the Goliath's chest plate. The sound of metal on metal was deafening. The giant staggered back two steps, but the armor was too thick... it only left a small dent.
"Armor's too thick!" Murphy cursed.
Suddenly, the hydraulic claw on the left snatched Murphy out of the air!
"Damn it!"
Creak... Creak... Massive pressure began to crush him. Murphy felt his ribs protesting, but luckily, he managed to wedge his right arm against the claw's jaws to hold them open.
"Murphy!!" Philip screamed. He floored the gas pedal, ramming the truck into the Goliath's leg to help his brother.
CRASH! The giant stumbled slightly. The grip loosened for a fraction of a second.
"Now... Recycle System... Full Charge!"
Murphy didn't fight the pressure... instead, he let the gauntlet's system "absorb" the crushing force, converting it into stored energy. The gauge on his wrist spiked to full, whining with power.
"EAT THIS!!"
BOOOM!!!
Murphy unleashed an explosive punch directly into the claw's "finger hinge" at point-blank range. The massive release of compressed air shredded the steel. The three claw fingers were blasted off.
Freed from the grip, Murphy spun in mid-air, using the momentum to slam his fist down onto the glowing red "Optic Eye".
SHATTER!
Glass rained down. Sparks flew wildly. The Goliath's massive frame convulsed violently before toppling over with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Murphy landed gracefully, panting heavily. Steam hissed from the gauntlet vents like a dragon exhaling.
...
When silence returned, Philip rushed over. "Bro! You okay!?"
"That was close..." Murphy rubbed his shoulder. "But this arm is the real deal."
They walked up to the giant steel gate. Suddenly, The Core in Philip's backpack flared with light. It shot a blue beam at the control panel. The gate, sealed for centuries, groaned as mechanisms ground against rust, slowly sliding open.
But the moment the gap appeared... Philip collapsed to his knees, clutching his ears.
"Arghhh... That noise!"
"What noise? I don't hear anything," Murphy helped his brother up.
"It's coming from inside... It sounds like screaming... like corrupted computer code..." Philip's face was pale, sweat pouring down his brow. "It's saying... Successor... Arrived..."
Murphy stared into the darkness beyond the gate. The atmosphere inside was freezing, lit only by rotating red emergency lights. He didn't know what the sound was, but he knew one thing... round two of the fight was waiting for them inside.