"Diamond Bursting Strike!"
BOOM! BOOM!
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
Faced with the upgraded Diamond Armor, the three Captains stood absolutely no chance. Ren Kurogane swung his massive axe, sending several cascading arcs of slicing energy tearing through the air. The impact left all three of them engulfed in an eerie, sputtering negative energy fire.
"Captains? That's it?" Ren sneered, his voice dripping with pure disdain. "To execute you unprincipled monsters, I don't even need to borrow the power of the Five Elements!"
Anmixiu, Kuffins, and Qiao Shefei knelt on the shattered pavement, their faces contorted in agony as they glared up at him.
"Impossible! You're just a mere Earthling... how could you possibly achieve an Armor Upgrade?!" Qiao Shefei choked out, coughing violently. "This is a realm that even the finest elite warriors of Ares struggle to unlock!"
"What do you mean, 'how could I'?" Ren mocked relentlessly. "Do you high-and-mighty Aresians still view life on other planets as nothing more than insects? Haven't you realized the truth by now? Our Earth is only lagging behind you in terms of basic space technology. When it comes to raw supernatural combat power, our three Emperor Armors are enough to completely raze your precious planet Ares!"
"The Emperor Armor? Based on just him?" Qiao Shefei scoffed through his teeth. "You fools quaked in fear before the Dark Emperor, but do you know why he came to Earth in the first place? Ha! It was because his entire home planet was systematically annihilated by our General Lufa! Stranded and utterly desperate, those pathetic remnants could only crawl to Earth to hide!"
"Oh, wow. Aren't you guys just so amazing~" Ren replied with a thoroughly unimpressed wave of his hand. "Whatever. At the end of the day, you're just a minor mid-tier officer in a regional galaxy fleet, not a high commander serving under the cosmic king himself. It's perfectly natural that you're blind to the true scale of things."
"What do you mean by that?!"
Faced with their desperate confusion, Ren simply lost all patience to elaborate. "It means... you can all die now!"
"Diamond Thunder Strike!"
Ren fluidly drew a card from his container and slammed it home into the Thunder-Steel Explosive Axe. The moment the card locked into place, the heavy one-handed axe dissolved into a roaring white-gold phantom blade. In a fraction of a heartbeat, a blinding flash of energy sliced through the three Captains simultaneously!
RUMBLE!!!
A chain of violent explosions rocked the street as the three Nether-Demon Captains were systematically blasted back into their core QR code matrix states. Ren placed his palm over his summoner, sealing all three codes cleanly into his system.
Just as the residual smoke began to clear, two bright streaks of sonic light tore through the sky—Punishment Heaven and Flying Ridge had finally arrived.
As the two heroes touched down, Ren deactivated his upgraded form and looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "What took you guys so long?"
Xiao Tian replied immediately, "Welcome contacted us saying you were being ambushed and locked down by the three Nether-Demon Captains. She told us to move at maximum speed to reinforce you."
"Reinforce me?" Ren chuckled.
At that moment, Welcome threw open the passenger door of the car and sprinted over, her face pale with worry. "Ren! Are you okay? Are you hurt?!"
"Relax. Based on just those three? They don't have the teeth to scratch me," Ren smiled confidently. "But... Xiao Tian, your girl is probably in real trouble right now!"
"Youzi?! Oh no!" Xiao Tian's voice cracked with sudden panic. Without wasting a single breath, he jumped onto his transport shuttle and roared off into the sky toward his apartment.
Unfortunately, despite his frantic speed, he was a step too late. By the time he breached the perimeter, Youzi had already vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, hidden deep within a secluded wasteland on the outskirts of Hope City.
"We congratulate the General on his glorious resurrection!"
Kula and Kubixiu knelt deeply on the cracked earth. Standing directly before them was a towering figure clad in heavy, crimson-and-gold alien armor, his face a terrifying visage of shifting red energy. This was the true body of Lufa!
"I can no longer sense the unique genetic beacon signatures of Anmixiu, Kuffins, or Qiao Shefei... it appears they have completely broken away from my control," Lufa murmured, his voice rumbling like thunder.
As for the possibility of the three Captains being executed by the Armor Heroes? Lufa didn't even entertain the thought for a single second. Those were three battle-hardened veterans who had conquered sectors across the stars; Qiao Shefei alone was a legendary executioner who boasted the record of single-handedly purging an entire life-bearing planet! How could warriors of that caliber lose to a few raw, wet-behind-the-ears Earthlings?
Therefore, since he could no longer establish a link, Lufa naturally assumed they had chosen to completely sever ties with him and go into hiding like cowards.
Though his forces had failed to secure the Gengnu Diamond Scepter during the chaotic ambush, his primary objective was achieved—he was finally resurrected in his own flesh.
"However, the Ba-Dou Group headquarters is no longer a viable safehouse..." Lufa turned his glowing eyes toward Kula. "Kula, do you know the precise planetary coordinates of our flagship right now?"
"Reporting to the General! The Earthlings discovered the vessel and retrofitted the exterior hull to serve as their 'Demon Suppression Tower'!"
"So that's it!" Lufa chuckled darkly in sudden realization. "No wonder my scanning arrays couldn't pinpoint the ship's signal anywhere across the continent; it was hiding right beneath their noses the entire time."
Now that the Gengnu Diamond Scepter had resurfaced, the flagship's location was verified, and he was back in his true form, all he needed was the Magnetic Core Sphereto restore his operational war capabilities! Thus, Lufa demanded, "Where is the Core Sphere currently being stored?"
Kula lowered her head, her voice laced with immense shame. "This subordinate... does not know!"
The tracking and maintenance of the Magnetic Core Sphere was an absolute secret that even Qing Zizai himself was only partially aware of. Kula naturally had no way of intercepting those data streams.
Lufa didn't berate her. Looking down at the mere handful of surviving soldiers left in his command, a more insidious psychological strategy formed in his mind.
"Kula, suppress your core form and return to their perimeter. Continue to embed yourself among them as a sleeper agent to glean data on the Gengnu Diamond Scepter."
"Yes, General!"
"Kubixiu—and the rest of you. Suppress your dark signatures, assume human disguises, and infiltrate the peripheral operations of the Armor Squad. Gain their absolute trust, and then systematically tear them apart from the inside out!"
"As you command, General!"
Once his remaining troops scattered into the shadows, Lufa looked up at the rising sun, letting out a deep, echoing laugh. "Enjoy your final days of freedom, little heroes. Once the Shura Armor is firmly back in my grasp, who in this pathetic universe will be capable of standing against me?"
Meanwhile, back at Huan Huan Teppanyaki.
"Youzi must have been kidnapped!" Xiao Tian paced frantically around the iron table, his aura unstable and radiating waves of raw, volatile anxiety.
"Not necessarily a kidnapping," Ren interjected calmly, leaning back in his chair. "Don't forget, Youzi's physical matrix hosts the cellular imprint of Kula. My guess is that while you were away reinforcing the perimeter, Kula simply woke up, took control of the host, and marched right back to Lufa."
"Speculating from a thousand leagues away won't give us answers," Xiao Fei snorted, adjusting his collar arrogantly. "Why don't we just breach the Ba-Dou Group building and take it by force? The truth will be obvious then."
"Fair enough!" Ren nodded. Just as he and Xiao Tian stood up to mobilize, the front door chimed, and Youzi walked into the shop.
Seeing the entire squad gathered there, she offered a sweet, perfectly innocent smile. "I saw you guys hadn't come back to the apartment for so long, so I figured you'd all be here."
Xiao Tian's face instantly lit up with relief. He dashed across the room, grabbing her hands with intense worry. "Youzi! Where did you go? I went back to the apartment and couldn't find you anywhere!"
"I just went out to buy a few groceries and household items!" Youzi explained with a warm chuckle.
"Tch, what a waste of breath. She just went shopping~" Xiao Fei rolled his eyes hard, turning on his heel. "Alright, since the damsel is safe and sound, I'm taking off. My advanced training schedule is packed." With that, Xiao Fei sauntered out of the shop.
Ren watched Youzi closely, a subtle frown playing on his face. Something feels off. Youzi knows her physical condition is highly unstable; she would never just wander off like this without leaving a note. Even if she did go out, she would have sent Xiao Tian a message to keep him from panicking.
...I need to monitor her more closely. Whether this is truly Youzi or Kula running a deep-cover play remains to be seen.
At the same time, a counter-strategy began to take shape in Ren's mind. Keep moving, Lufa. Don't slow down now.
Once Xiao Tian and Youzi departed for the apartment, Ren turned to Welcome. "Welcome, leave the Gengnu Diamond Scepter right here on the counter for the next few days. I'm setting a trap."
"A trap? What kind of trap?"
Ren leaned down, bringing his lips close to Welcome's ear, whispering the intricate details of his plan. As she listened, a look of deep anxiety crossed her face. "Isn't that a bit too dangerous?"
"Relax. Lufa's current mental state and impure intent mean he can't tap into the true universe-level power of the Shura Armor. He isn't my match!"
"This... alright! I trust you!"
"Hehe! I knew my beautiful Welcome would back me up!"
"Cut it out!" Welcome slapped his arm playfully, her face instantly turning stern and serious. "This plan has a zero-margin error. You are only allowed to succeed; failure is not an option!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Over the next few days, several strange, highly overly eager individuals popped up around the squad's studio, applying for low-level positions in their logistics and e-commerce livestream team under the guise of desperate job seekers.
That afternoon, taking advantage of a window where Ren and Xiao Tian were away at a filming location, Kula led two of her disguised infiltrators stealthily into the back rooms of the teppanyaki shop.
"The Gengnu Diamond Scepter is being kept directly in her living quarters. The three of us will breach the room and seize it; the rest of you stay at the perimeter and keep watch!"
With a sharp wave of her hand, Kula and her two lackeys slipped noiselessly into Welcome's room. Sitting directly on the nightstand, completely out in the open, was the gleaming Gengnu Diamond Scepter.
"Kula, look! Right there!"
Kula snatched the Scepter into her hands, running a localized energy diagnostic across the frame. It was undeniably the authentic article. "We move! Now!" In a flash of dark mist, they vanished.
At that exact moment, sitting in a surveillance van a block away, Ren looked down at his smartphone screen, watching the feed of Kula and her lackeys disappearing from the room. He couldn't help but chuckle. "These absolute blockheads don't possess a single brain cell between them."
Welcome, sitting right beside him, noted, "I honestly thought they would at least try to investigate or track down the final missing fragment of the Scepter before fleeing, but they just grabbed it and ran."
"It's better this way. Saves you the hassle of cleaning up a trashed room when we get back." Ren closed the app, his expression sharpening into utter seriousness. "I wonder how Xiao Tian and Xiao Fei's mental training is coming along. To guarantee a total lock on the Shura Armor, it's best if the three of us strike in unison to eliminate any margin for error!"
Meanwhile, Lufa had spent the last few days completely suppressing his energetic signature, hiding out in the deep wilderness to avoid detection by the Armor satellite arrays. Though a legendary conqueror, a general of his standing knew the value of calculated caution.
"Dammit, if Anmixiu and those ungrateful fools had just obeyed my commands, I wouldn't be forced into such a pathetic, degraded position!" Even now, Lufa remained utterly convinced his Captains were simply playing a game of hide-and-seek, completely oblivious to their execution.
Voom!
A distortion of dark energy flared in the clearing, and Kula's squad manifested before him. Seeing the pristine Gengnu Diamond Scepter clutched in Kula's hand, a look of profound triumph washed over Lufa's face.
"Superb work!"
"We live only to serve the General's vision!"
With the Gengnu Diamond Scepter secured, Lufa immediately mobilized his remaining forces toward the ancient, hidden vault where he had secured the ultimate weapon. Once the Shura Armor was on his frame, he would systematically crush the Armor heroes, reactivate his flagship, and blast Earth into stardust!
While Lufa was moving to claim his prize, Ren dialed Xiao Tian and Xiao Fei, summoning them to the designated assembly zone at maximum urgency.
"What do you mean the Gengnu Diamond Scepter was stolen?!" Xiao Fei barked, glaring at Ren the moment he arrived. "Are you insane?! That was a universal artifact! How could you let a pack of low-level scavengers just walk out with it?!"
Ren frowned slightly, his tone completely steady. "I intentionally allowed the Nether-Demons to intercept the Scepter. It serves a specific strategic goal of mine, so stop throwing a tantrum. I summoned you here because once Lufa integrates that scepter, he will possess the key to unlock the Shura Armor. If we remain scattered, he will hunt you down and eliminate you one by one."
"He'll eliminate me? What a joke!" Xiao Fei sneered, crossing his arms arrogantly. "I've already unlocked the advanced technical parameters for my armor upgrade. A degraded relic like Lufa is someone I can handle entirely on my own!"
Hearing Xiao Fei's boast, Ren nearly burst out laughing. However, utilizing his immense mental discipline, he forced down the amusement, turning a grave gaze toward Xiao Tian. "The Shura Armor is an ultimate weapon birthed directly from the core laws of the universe. Its raw performance parameters vastly exceed the standard operating limits of our three main armors. Even with our advanced upgrades active, we can only hope to stall him out through absolute coordination. Do not underestimate him!"
"Understood. I never take an enemy lightly," Xiao Tian said, his expression solemn.
Just as the three finished their tactical briefing, a booming, arrogant laugh echoed across the clearing from the ridgeline behind them. "Stall me out? Even if I permit you to deploy every trick in your primitive arsenal, what makes you think you possess the weight to stand before a true god?"
The trio spun around. Standing atop the rocky ridge was a majestic, silver-and-violet armor radiating a dark, suffocating pressure—the Ares (Shura) Armor!
"The Shura Armor!" Ren's eyes flared with intense focus. He hadn't expected the old monster to move this quickly; it had been less than half an hour since the scepter was stolen, and he was already fully integrated with the ultimate suit.
"Hmph! At least you possess the eyes to recognize true cosmic authority!" Lufa's voice rumbled through the Shura vocal filters. "Since you comprehend the absolute disparity of the weapon I wield, this General shall grant you one merciful opportunity: surrender your summoners, swear fealty to my command, and march with me to reclaim the throne of Ares!"
"Not interested! Diamond Armor! Fusion!" "Punishment Heaven Armor! Fusion!" "Flying Shadow Armor! Fusion!"
SHING—!
Three blinding pillars of colored light erupted in unison, revealing the three classic armors squared up against the silver-and-violet titan.
"Stubborn insects!" Lufa growled coldly. "In that case, you can perish right here! Spatial Displacement!"
A violent, reality-warping gravitational tempest swept over the clearing. Ren, Xiao Tian, and Xiao Fei felt their visual fields twist into a blur of raw motion. A fraction of a second later, they manifested in the center of a massive, completely deserted industrial plaza miles away from the city.
"What is this?!" Xiao Fei gasped, his tactical arrays struggling to re-calibrate after the sudden shift.
"It's Spatial Displacement—the apex evolutionary form of our shifting techniques! A user with a vastly superior Extra-Dimensional energy output can forcibly drag anyone along their transit vector across space!" Xiao Tian explained rapidly. During his advanced mental training sessions with Qing Zizai, the master had detailed this specific cosmic technique. Xiao Tian had been attempting to unlock it, but his current energy levels fell short of the threshold. He hadn't expected Lufa to execute it so effortlessly.
"You possess a decent theoretical grasp, little brat," Lufa laughed mockingly, stepping forward as his armored boots clanked heavily against the concrete. "Now that you have looked upon the absolute chasm of power that separates us, do you still possess the foolish arrogance to claim you know no fear?"
Lufa was thoroughly enjoying himself. Ever since his resurrection, he had been constantly pressured and cornered by these three annoying armors. Today, he was finally venting millennia of suppressed rage!
"A superior energy output doesn't mean a damn thing! To put a relic like you down, I'm more than enough on my own!" Xiao Fei barked, stepping past his comrades. He snapped back toward Ren and Xiao Tian, ordering, "This is my duel! Neither of you is permitted to interfere!"
Ren sighed internally, stepping back alongside Xiao Tian. "Are we truly going to let him throw himself into a wall?" Xiao Tian whispered, his stance tense.
"Let him go. Xiao Fei has achieved his advanced upgrade; he needs to understand the baseline capabilities of the enemy firsthand." Ren replied, before adding silently in his mind: Too bad a standard upgrade means absolutely nothing before the apex parameters of Shura!
Xiao Fei gave a satisfied nod, turning a sharp gaze back toward Lufa. "Nether-Demon Overlord, today I will show you the true operating limits of the Flying Shadow Armor!" He swiped an advanced card from his container, slotting it home with a sharp click. "Lightning Flying Shadow! Upgrade!"
Ku-ku-ku-kei-kei~
The armor plates shifted and expanded, revealing a sleek, aerodynamic white-and-blue configuration covered in shimmering crystalline highlights.
"An Armor Upgrade? Hmph! Even if you unlock your advanced operating parameters, before the majesty of Shura, you remain nothing more than dust!"
"Save the big talk for when you're on the ground. Let's see what you've got!" Xiao Fei roared, summoning his dual-headed blade. "Absolute Shadow Cyclone Sword!"
He twirled the double-bladed weapon into a roaring blur, his movements transforming into a series of blistering, high-speed slashes as he closed the distance toward Lufa.
"Kid, you vastly underestimate me—and you know absolutely nothing of the true terror of Shura!" Faced with the incoming assault, Lufa didn't even bother drawing a weapon. He stood his ground, casually raising an armored forearm to meet the strike bare-handed.
CLANG—!!!
Xiao Fei's lightning-fast downward slash slammed directly into Lufa's forearm plate. The heavy silver armor didn't budge an inch, arresting the kinetic energy of the upgraded weapon completely.
"What?!" Xiao Fei's optical visors widened in absolute shock.
"I told you—you understand nothing!" Lufa sneered. His free hand wound back, condensing a massive pocket of dark energy, and drove a brutal punch straight into Xiao Fei's chest plate!
SPARK—!!!
A violent cascade of energetic sparks exploded from the impact zone. The sheer force hurled Xiao Fei across the plaza, his armored form skidding and rolling violently across the concrete before he forced himself back up onto one knee, his systems registering critical structural stress.
"Have you finally begun to comprehend the chasm between us, brat?" Lufa laughed darkly.
Seeing the initial exchange play out, Ren and Xiao Tian knew the luxury of waiting was over. They stepped forward in unison, flanking Lufa from both sides.
"Bursting Diamond! Upgrade!" "War-God Punishment Heaven! Upgrade!"
Two thunderous mechanical snaps echoed across the industrial plaza as Ren and Xiao Tian fully unlocked their apex configurations.
"Mars Punishment Heaven Execution Sword!" "Thunder-Steel Explosive Axe!"
Faced with the shifting weight of the ultimate armor, neither of them held anything back, instantly manifesting their highest-tier weaponry.
Ren locked his optics onto Lufa, his voice amplified through his upgraded Diamond vocal processors, booming across the concrete: "Lufa! King Peir has already been officially removed from power for systemic corruption across the galaxy! If you stand down, halt your campaign against Earth, and return to Ares right now, the newly established planetary council will be forced to review your military records. To stabilize their political standing, they will have no choice but to clear your names and restore your military titles! Why are you still pathologically obsessed with pillaging Earth's Core Crystal?! Your current campaign is no longer a war of liberation—it is a descent into absolute slaughter! Have you completely forgotten the very justice you once swore your soul to protect?!"