Big Boss roared and immediately raised his shield to prepare for an attack. Saria frowned slightly. So this creature wasn't a mindless monster.
Big Boss didn't just wait passively either. He tried to control the blazing power within his body.
Explosive flames erupted from the cracks in his magma form, surging toward Saria.
Saria's eyes sharpened. She activated her Originium Arts, instantly forming a massive white crystalline shield before her.
The flames split and flowed around it, the steel floor beneath gradually melting.
Seeing this, the nearby security personnel immediately opened fire on Big Boss. However, the bullets melted even before they could get close, consumed by the heat.
Feeling the intense heat transmitted through her shield, Saria knew she couldn't remain passive. She pushed forward with the shield, charging straight at her opponent.
Big Boss was startled. Charging straight through the flames?
Saria was incredibly fast. Before Big Boss could fully process his panic, she, along with her shield, slammed into him.
Big Boss let out an involuntary cry of pain.
The voices of his brothers instantly rang out in the link, filled with concern.
[Little Two: Boss! Are you alright?!]
[Little Three: Boss, are you hurt!?]
[Little Four: Damn it! Boss, use your shield! Your skills!]
The violent impact made Big Boss feel like he'd been hit head-on by a speeding truck. His heavy magma form was forced to stagger back several meters. Saria's charge was far more powerful than he had imagined.
[I'm okay!] Big Boss hurriedly responded in the mental link, struggling to steady himself, [Her strength is immense, but I can still withstand it!]
In reality, a flicker of seriousness passed through Saria's eyes. She hadn't held back in that charge. Yet, this magma creature had only been forced back a few steps?
"Intruder, are you from Kazdel? What is your purpose in opposing Rhine Lab?"
She questioned again, trying to gather information, while her movements didn't cease for a moment. As the crystalline shield dissipated, a powerful, straight punch was already hurtling toward Big Boss's torso.
[Little Four: Boss, try to communicate with Saria! This character is relatively reasonable!]
[Big Boss: Do you think I don't want to? I can't speak at all!]
"[Unintelligible roar of an Ifrit]!"
Saria remained silent, simply continuing her relentless punches.
Big Boss inwardly groaned. Faced with Saria's swift, wind-like jabs, he could only desperately press his shield downward.
"Clang——!"
A dull, resounding crash echoed through the ruins. A solid impact traveled through the shield, along with a searing, rebounding force.
Suddenly inspired, Big Boss tried to guide the surging flame energy within him.
"Boom!"
A fiery shockwave instantly exploded across the shield's surface, attempting to force Saria back.
Saria reacted with lightning speed, withdrawing the moment her fist connected. The flames only licked at her knuckles.
Looking at the scorch marks on her Calcification gauntlets and the opponent's seemingly clumsy but surprisingly agile movements, her gaze grew even more serious. Its adaptation and improvement in utilizing its own abilities seemed to be happening rapidly.
"No communication. Possesses high threat level and growth potential..." Saria muttered quietly into her earpiece, then her eyes flashed with intensity, "Execute suppression protocol!"
The waiting Rhine Lab security personnel immediately opened fire. A dense barrage of Originium-enhanced grenades and etching bullets rained down like a storm.
[Little Two: Explosions? They have explosives too!]
[Little Three: What do we do?! Boss, run!]
[Little Four: Run? Where to? Don't be afraid, Boss! Time to test your skills!]
[Big Boss: I don't know how to use them!]
With a furious roar, Big Boss slammed his massive shield heavily onto the ground, his magma-like body crouching behind it.
A transparent blue barrier instantly unfolded, intercepting all incoming bullets and explosive fire.
[Big Boss: Holy shit! The shield works!]
[Little Four: It works? Boss, do you feel any mana consumption?]
[Big Boss: Not yet. Should be able to hold for a while.]
[Little Two: Be careful, Boss! That barrier doesn't block melee attacks!]
Bang——!
The moment Little Two's warning sounded, an irresistible, tremendous force struck the shield from the front.
Saria planted her feet firmly, drawing her right fist back. Her Calcification-crystal-covered heavy fist shot forward like a cannonball, slamming hard into the energy barrier.
"Boom!!!"
The blue energy barrier shattered with a crash. Big Boss felt a colossal force smash into him, sending his entire body flying backward. He crashed heavily into the broken metal wreckage behind him.
"Open fire." The icy command was issued.
The surrounding security personnel didn't hesitate, unleashing a torrent of firepower into the cloud of dust. Originium grenades and etching bullets poured in like a sudden storm.
However, most bullets striking that dark magma carapace only sparked sporadically, not even causing Big Boss any noticeable pain.
"Roar——!"
A low, anger-suppressing growl emanated from within the dust. Big Boss pushed himself up, fury churning in his chest.
As his emotions surged, the magma-like patterns on his body suddenly flared brightly. Uncontrolled, violent flames burst from within him.
The surrounding ruins and debris rapidly melted. Crimson lava flowed at his feet. The air warped from the intense heat.
[Boss! I've figured it out!]
Little Two's urgent voice sounded in the link.
[To use a skill, you have to call out its name! Or at least think it strongly! You need a strong intention to use it!]
[Got it!]
Big Boss swung his lava-covered arm. A scorching curtain of flame materialized, detonating several incoming high-explosive Originium grenades mid-air.
Just as he was about to follow the advice and call out a defensive skill's name, a stark white shape tore through the dust at the edge of his vision, a whistling sound announcing its arrival!
It was a massive, Calcification crystal spike, thicker than a man, conjured by Saria's Originium Arts.
Holy shit!
Big Boss only had time for a mental exclamation, utterly unable to mount an effective defense.
"Boom——!!"
The crystal spike collided squarely with his chest and abdomen. The terrifying impact carried him through several ruined walls behind him, finally pinning him firmly within a pile of twisted steel beams.
"Cough... ugh..."
This time, the pain was so sharp and violent, far exceeding any previous impact.
With difficulty, Big Boss looked down. The white crystal spike had nearly impaled him. At its edges, his magma carapace had shattered, revealing what seemed like flesh composed of blazing energy beneath.
It was constantly trying to heal, but the energy attached to the spike hindered it.
The real threat of death washed over him like ice water, instantly dispersing much of the heat born from his anger.
Once again, he realized with crystal clarity—this was not a game, not a dream!
The other side was serious. They intended to capture, even kill him!
Big Boss struggled fiercely, trying to pull out the spike, but Saria wouldn't give him the chance.
She charged forward again, her fists and feet clad in Calcification's white crystals. Each strike carried the force to shatter stone, pounding heavily onto Big Boss's magma form.
"Bang! Bang! Thud!"
The heavy sounds of impact were incessant. Big Boss was jolted violently with each blow, magma fragments flying everywhere.
He attempted to counterattack, swinging his burning arms in a wide sweep, but Saria always evaded with ease, delivering devastating blows precisely when he was most vulnerable.
[Big Boss: No good! Can't match her speed! At this rate, I'll be worn down and killed!]
Big Boss felt the very magma composing his body tremble. The threat of death spurred his nerves.
He released a curtain of flame to block an incoming attack and noticed Saria's fist stopping mid-air, her brow slightly furrowed.
Her earpiece immediately erupted with the frantic screams of her research colleagues:
"Stop! Saria! Stop now! Don't kill it! You're supposed to capture it!"
Seizing Saria's momentary pause, Big Boss urgently asked:
[Big Boss: Little Four! What are Saria's weaknesses?!]
[Little Four: Weaknesses? She's practically a six-sided warrior! If I had to say... she's better at dealing with large units and medium-to-long distances? Close-quarters combat? No, wait, she's a beast in close combat too!]
[Big Boss: This is not the time for nonsense like that!!!]
Saria ended the call and began striding toward him again. The leader ignored the chaotic shouting in the group chat.
This couldn't go on any longer…
Fear and fury intertwined, finally solidifying into a sliver of ruthless determination.
*[Chinese expletive!]*
You think just because I don't show my fangs, I'm some kind of Hello Kitty!!!
Enduring the excruciating pain, he erupted with flames, forcing Saria back once more.
With a roar mingling agony and resolve, his fists repeatedly clawed at his own torso.
Molten rock sprayed as he actually gouged a hollow in his own abdomen.
Saria's gaze sharpened, immediately crystallizing another spear.
"Energy Shield!"
*[Paladin Skill 1—Energy Shield]*
*[Effect: Activates an energy shield that absorbs all incoming damage. Absorbed damage is converted into energy.]*
A crimson molten domain instantly expanded, the temperature within the enveloped area skyrocketing, steel rapidly melting into liquid iron.
Not only that, the massive wound in the leader's abdomen healed at an incredible rate, vanishing completely in the blink of an eye.
Saria's eyes narrowed, and the crystal spear was immediately hurled.
Yet the spear that had previously pierced the leader was instantly erased the moment it touched the edge of the domain.
(Soul Knight's bullet deletion effect)
Feeling the energy within him surge once more, the leader raised his palm toward Saria, raging flames coalescing within.
"You think you can…"
"KILL ME!!!"