Chapter 46: Terminal Velocity When the Storm Hits Back
The subway car was a bullet — a runaway missile of steel and lightning tearing through the tunnels at Mach 6 — the walls warping from the sheer force of their speed. Every rail they touched melted from friction, and shockwaves ripped apart the tunnel lights, leaving only the glow of Elliot's Boost to light the way.
Blue lightning poured from his body — raw electricity snarling off his arms, slamming into the metal walls, and feeding directly into the car's hacked-together engine.
But Elliot wasn't running the train anymore.
The storm was.
His Raijin Protocol was still roaring at 530% — surging past its limits — and the feedback loop with Nova's suit hadn't just reactivated…
It was fused.
Every time his Boost snapped, Nova's bioluminescent suit responded — the neon lines down her ribs, back, and thighs flaring in sync with Elliot's pulses.
The connection between them wasn't broken anymore.
It was feeding off him.
Her glowing eyes flicked to Elliot, his whole body a living lightning rod. "Rookie — you're gonna blow."
The System buzzed — screaming now — glitching so hard its voice cracked like static.
---
[Critical Alert: Boost at Terminal Overload]
Current Output: 540%
Warning: Neural collapse imminent.
Pro Tip: If you explode, aim for something cool.
---
Elliot didn't respond.
His body jerked — arcs of blue lightning writhing around him — and his Boost kept pouring into the train.
The car roared past Mach 7.
The walls of the tunnel weren't just vibrating anymore — they were splitting open, steel beams twisting from the pressure.
Kain — still clutching the controls, his chrome fingers sparking from stray static — roared over the chaos. "Kid — you're gonna turn this thing into a damn bomb!"
Nova's jaw was tight, plasma rifle still glowing at her side. "He's frying the train's circuits — it's gonna disintegrate if we go any faster."
The System buzzed again — its voice spiraling into meme chaos.
---
[New Mission: Save the Lightning Rod]
Objective: Stop Elliot from hitting 550% Boost.
Bonus: Don't derail the train.
Failure: Total neural collapse… or spontaneous human combustion.
---
But the Ashen Blades still weren't done.
The last two assassins — matte-black armor still sparking from Elliot's earlier attack — were clinging to the sides of the train car. Their plasma katanas hissed with red-hot energy as they sliced through the walls, tearing their way inside.
One assassin leapt toward Elliot — katana aimed at his chest — but Nova moved faster.
Her plasma rifle roared — a bolt of green energy ripping through the assassin's head — and the merc dropped, his visor flickering out as he tumbled off the train, disappearing into the neon blur of the tunnel.
The second assassin charged for Kain — blade swinging at his neck — but Nova was already there.
She fired again.
The plasma shot exploded into the assassin's chest — sending him crashing through the wall and out into the tunnel at Mach 7 speed — vanishing in a flash of blue and red.
Kain blinked. "Damn, Nova."
The System buzzed.
---
[Achievement Unlocked: Plasma Sniper Queen]
Reward: +5 Combat Reflex.
Penalty: Unbearable levels of badass energy.
---
Nova reloaded the rifle, her glowing gaze snapping back to Elliot.
His Boost was at 545%.
The storm wasn't stopping.
Kain's grin vanished. "He's not gonna last much longer."
The train shuddered — sparks flying as Elliot's raw lightning overloaded the circuits, sending the car jerking harder, the walls splitting further.
Nova's voice cut through the static. "Rookie — you need to STOP."
But Elliot didn't respond.
His Raijin Protocol had gone too far.
He wasn't driving the storm.
He was the storm.
Kain snarled. "We're out of time."
He shoved Nova toward the control panel. "You're driving."
Nova blinked. "What?"
Kain's cybernetic arm sparked. "Someone's gotta keep this thing from exploding while I fix him."
The System buzzed — completely losing its mind.
---
[New Mission: Nova Express]
Objective: Take control of the train.
Bonus: Don't let Elliot fry the engine.
Hidden Reward: Earn the title of Lightning Conductor.
---
Nova's hands flew across the glowing control panel — plasma circuits glitching from Elliot's storm — as the train lurched past Mach 8.
"This thing is a deathtrap!" she snapped.
Kain grinned. "Yep!"
He spun toward Elliot — his chrome fingers sparking — and jabbed a glowing surgical probe into the side of Elliot's neck.
A violent shockwave of blue electricity detonated from Elliot's body, sending Kain skidding back, his augmented arm smoking.
Kain laughed. "He's a goddamn power plant!"
The System buzzed again.
---
[Pro Tip: Have you tried turning the storm off and on again?]
— IT Guy… maybe.
---
Nova gritted her teeth. "Fix him, Kain — NOW."
Kain reloaded the probe — adjusting the voltage — and jammed it back into Elliot's spine.
The Raijin Protocol roared.
The train hit Mach 9.
And the storm —
Fought back.
Elliot's body jerked violently — arcs of blue lightning howling off his skin — but Kain twisted the dial on his arm, redirecting the neural signals feeding into Elliot's Boost.
"Come on, kid — stay with me."
The feedback loop between Elliot and Nova flared hard — neon lines on Nova's suit pulsing dangerously bright, snapping with static — but Kain pushed harder.
Elliot's Boost dropped to 530%… then 500%…
Nova kept the train steady — barely — the controls screaming from the strain.
Kain growled. "Almost there…"
480%… 450%…
Elliot's lightning dimmed — his body collapsing forward as the storm coiled back into him.
Nova's voice softened. "Rookie…"
Kain twisted the dial one last time. "Got you, kid."
400%… 300%…
The storm snapped back.
The lightning flickering off Elliot's skin vanished.
His Boost dropped to 100% — a violent pulse of static cascading into silence.
The train — still screaming forward — finally slowed to Mach 6… then Mach 5…
Elliot staggered — smoke rising from his arms — his Boost silent for the first time in hours.
Nova's glowing eyes searched his face. "Elliot…?"
The System buzzed — glitching softly now — like a radio that had been half-blown to hell.
---
[Critical Alert: Boost Stabilized]
Current Output: 100%
Status: Neural burnout avoided.
Pro Tip: Try not to explode next time.
---
Kain grinned, his metal hand still smoking. "There. All patched up."
Elliot blinked — his head still buzzing — his storm finally silent.
Nova leaned in, her suit still pulsing faintly from the broken feedback loop. "You back with us, rookie?"
Elliot's voice cracked. "I… yeah."
He looked at the slowing train, at Nova at the controls, and at Kain's burnt metal arm.
"Did we… win?"
Nova smirked. "We're not dead."
The System buzzed again.
---
[Achievement Unlocked: Barely Alive Express]
Reward: +5 Reflex Boost.
Penalty: Severe trust issues from Nova.
---
The train kept rolling.
The storm was silent.
But the danger?
Far from over.