Chapter 43: Bullet Train to Hell Lightning, Lead, and Absolute Mayhem
The subway car screamed down the rusted tracks — a howling storm of steel and lightning.
Sparks detonated from the wheels as Elliot poured raw electricity into the hacked-together circuits, the Raijin Protocol roaring at 320% and climbing. The car wasn't running on standard tech anymore — it was alive with blue lightning, glowing like a neon beast tearing through the dark tunnels of Nexus-9.
The more Elliot fed the car his Boost, the faster it went — the metal groaning, the old brakes fighting to hold together.
It was a runaway train powered by a thunder god.
And it wasn't slowing down.
Nova crouched at the back of the car, her stolen Spire Syndicate plasma rifle still humming with green energy as she fired round after round at the factions giving chase.
The Ashen Blades were relentless — sprinting along the parallel maintenance track, their plasma katanas hissing as they gained on the car.
The Chrome Reapers followed behind in a jacked-up hoverbike — twin plasma cannons mounted on the front, glowing blood-red as they prepared to fire.
Kain, still hanging onto a makeshift control panel in the corner, cackled. "This is insane! We're on a lightning-powered death train!"
Elliot's jaw was tight — his Boost flaring hotter, blue lightning snaking off his arms, feeding the train's speed like an overclocked reactor.
The System buzzed — glitching so hard it was practically screaming into Elliot's skull.
---
[New Mission: Fast and the Flurrious]
Objective: Outrun the factions through the subway tunnels.
Bonus: Don't derail the train.
Failure: Catastrophic crash… or getting stabbed by Nova again.
---
The train car lurched forward — its speed doubling — as Elliot's Boost surged to 340%.
Nova staggered for a second, grabbing a side rail. "Rookie! If you push any more power into this thing—"
"I'm TRYING to keep us ahead of the assassins chasing us!" Elliot roared back.
The System chimed.
---
[Pro Tip: Speed solves everything. Unless you crash.]
— Sonic the Hedgehog… probably.
---
Elliot's eye twitched. "I swear to god—"
Nova ducked as a plasma blast screamed past her head — the Chrome Reapers' hoverbike now riding alongside the train car, their twin plasma cannons charging up.
Rend — the Reapers' leader, his gunmetal body still sparking from their last battle — grinned like a lunatic. "You can't outrun me, spark boy!"
Nova didn't hesitate — she raised the plasma rifle and unloaded.
Green energy bolts tore through the air — slamming into the Reapers' hoverbike, sending it spinning against the tunnel wall — but the damn thing held together, sparks flying as the cannons locked onto the train again.
The System buzzed.
---
[New Side Quest: Grand Theft Hoverbike]
Objective: Disable the Chrome Reapers' bike before they blow up the train.
Bonus: Steal it for yourself.
Hidden Reward: Extreme cool points.
---
Kain whooped. "Nova, grab the bike!"
Nova gritted her teeth. "We're in a train going 200 miles an hour, Kain!"
Elliot's Boost surged again — 350% — and the car rocketed forward, slamming Nova into the wall as the lightning poured into the engine.
The metal screamed.
The train wasn't just going fast.
It was breaking the sound barrier.
Nova glared at Elliot. "Rookie! SLOW IT DOWN!"
The System buzzed.
---
[Warning: Speed Approaching Critical Velocity]
Status: Train integrity at 45%.
Pro Tip: Brakes are for cowards.
---
Elliot's voice cracked. "SYSTEM — NOT HELPING!"
The Ashen Blades caught up again — two of them leaping onto the train car mid-sprint, plasma katanas hissing as they landed on the roof.
Their glowing red visors locked onto Elliot through the shattered windows.
Nova's plasma rifle roared again — bolts of green energy tearing through the ceiling — but the assassins were too fast, dodging each blast with inhuman precision.
Kain grinned. "Looks like we've got guests!"
The System buzzed again.
---
[New Mission: Storm the Roof]
Objective: Get rid of the Ashen Blades before they tear the car apart.
Bonus: Don't electrocute yourself in the process.
Failure: Sudden death via plasma sword.
---
Nova didn't blink. "Rookie — roof. NOW."
Elliot didn't hesitate.
His Boost flared — a pulse of raw electricity howling around him — and he grabbed a metal bar above the doorframe.
With one surge of power, he launched himself onto the roof.
The moment his boots hit the metal, the Raijin Protocol roared to 370% — the static field around him so fierce the metal beams began melting from the heat.
The two Ashen Blades didn't flinch.
One of them raised his plasma katana. "You're a glitch."
Elliot's Boost snapped. "I'm a storm."
He didn't just summon Raijin's Lance this time.
He forged two — twin lightning spears howling in his hands, burning white-hot with raw energy.
The storm around him raged.
The System buzzed.
---
[New Ability Unlocked: Raijin's Twin Fang]
Effect: Dual-wield lightning spears for high-speed, close-quarters combat.
Cooldown: 5 seconds.
Bonus: +3 to intimidation factor.
---
The Ashen Blades attacked.
Their plasma katanas clashed with Elliot's lightning spears — the impact detonating a shockwave so fierce it ripped open the roof of the train car.
Nova cursed from below. "What the hell was that?!"
Kain laughed. "He's decorating!"
The train kept accelerating — Elliot still feeding it power — the storm roaring louder as the tunnels blurred into a neon blur of speed and violence.
The Chrome Reapers' hoverbike was still chasing the train, plasma cannons charging again.
Elliot growled. "Nova — the bike—"
She didn't wait.
Nova jumped onto the hoverbike mid-motion, plasma rifle in one hand, sword in the other.
The driver's eyes widened. "What the—"
She jammed the rifle into the engine and fired.
The bike detonated.
Nova flipped off as it spiraled into the tunnel wall, landing back on the train roof beside Elliot.
Her glowing eyes locked onto his. "You're not the only badass here, rookie."
The System buzzed.
---
[Achievement Unlocked: Hoverbike Hijack]
Reward: +5 Cool Points.
Penalty: Mild whiplash.
---
Elliot's Boost roared again — 380% now — the storm ready to erupt.
Nova smirked. "So… got a plan?"
Elliot's lightning spears howled.
"Yeah." He grinned. "Go faster."
The train — powered by a thunder god — roared into the abyss.
And the storm?
It was just getting started.