Chapter 73: Viral Storms and Neon Secrets When Thunder Goes Platinum and Chaos Hits Maximum Overdrive
The Stormchaser skidded to a stop outside a grimy back alley in Nexus-9 — its plasma engines hissing as the glow from the city's neon skyline rippled off the puddles below.
But inside the car?
It was pure insanity.
Elliot sat in the backseat — Boost still at 250% — blue lightning snapping off his arms in time with the Blinding Lights remix still echoing through the Stormchaser's busted sound system.
And the crew?
They were losing their minds.
Kain — cry-laughing so hard his cybernetic arm glitched again — was hunched over his holopad. "BRO — YOU'RE #1 ON THE TRENDING FEED RIGHT NOW!"
Vex, still wiping tears of laughter from her eyes, pulled up the video. "Oh my god — look at the comments!"
Nova's suit flared brighter, static crackling down her glowing veins as the feedback loop yanked at Elliot's storm again. "We're supposed to be infiltrating a Black Dawn lab — not starring in a lightning-themed boy band."
And Thundaddy?
Thundaddy was on a rampage.
---
"BREAKING NEWS: Elliot — the Raijin Protocol — has gone PLATINUM!"
"NOW TRENDING: #ThunderSnacksConcert — 500,000 views and climbing!"
"PRO TIP FOR KAIN: Forget hacking… just leak Elliot's next single and let the fans storm the servers."
---
Kain howled. "BRO — YOU'VE GOT FAN ACCOUNTS ALREADY."
Vex scrolled through the comments, grinning.
@StormyHeart87: "Is it just me, or does Thunder Daddy Elliot have range??"
@ZapMePlz: "I'd let him fry my circuits any day…"
@BoostedBae_99: "When's the album drop? I need Lightning & Lyrical Legends™ in my life."
Elliot blinked. "I… what the hell is happening?"
Nova's suit crackled dangerously. "You've gone viral for singing a Weeknd remix while boosting at 250% — that's what's happening."
Kain zoomed in on the top comment:
@Raijin4Life: "DROP A COLLAB WITH THUNDADDY OR WE RIOT."
Thundaddy, ever the chaotic menace, screamed through the speakers:
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"THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN… THUNDADDY FEAT. ELLIOT — COMING SOON!"
"STAY TUNED FOR OUR FIRST SINGLE: 'SHOCK ME, BABY'!"
---
Elliot's storm flared violently — his Boost spiking to 260% for a split second — a sharp bolt of blue lightning blasting through the windshield, frying the last working holographic GPS.
The screen went black.
Kain's jaw dropped. "BRO… YOU JUST ELECTROCUTED OUR NAVIGATION SYSTEM."
Nova's voice was ice cold. "HE FRIED OUR ONLY WAY INTO THE BLACK DAWN LAB."
Vex leaned back, still scrolling. "Worth it."
The Raijin Protocol growled inside Elliot — the storm simmering beneath his skin — not just reacting to danger now…
It was reacting to everything.
The viral chaos.
The tension between Nova and Vex.
Thundaddy's nonstop memeing.
And Kain feeding the internet wildfire.
Elliot gritted his teeth, blue electricity snapping off his fingertips. "We're supposed to be tracking down the people who built this storm inside me — not planning a damn world tour."
Thundaddy's voice, smug as ever, buzzed back.
---
"PRO TIP FOR ELLIOT: Why not both?"
"AFTER ALL…"
"THE BEST WAY TO HUNT A STORM MAKER… IS TO BECOME A STORM ICON."
---
Kain collapsed into the driver's seat. "I'M PRINTING THIS ON A T-SHIRT."
Nova's suit sparked harder — the feedback loop tugging at Elliot's Boost again — their storms grinding against each other like two live wires about to cross.
"We need to focus," Nova said through gritted teeth, her pulse syncing with Elliot's storm despite her best efforts. "The more you boost, the stronger the feedback loop gets. If we don't control it, we're both going to short-circuit."
Vex tilted her head, smirking. "Aw, sounds like you two are getting… close."
Elliot's Boost ticked up to 265% — a faint snap of blue lightning spiraling off his arm, clashing against the violet static still crackling from Vex.
Kain couldn't stop filming. "BRO — WE'VE GONE FROM SINGING THUNDER GOD TO LIGHTNING LOVE TRIANGLE."
Thundaddy lost it.
---
"BREAKING NEWS: THE RAIJIN PROTOCOL'S FIRST SCANDAL!"
"WHO WILL WIN ELLIOT'S ELECTRIC HEART?"
Nova — the Storm Queen? ⚡
Vex — the Plasma Rebel? 🔥
Or Kain — the Cyber-Hype Man? 🤖
"FIND OUT ON THE NEXT EPISODE OF THUNDER LOVE & LIGHTNING LYRICS™!"
---
Nova's suit flared violently. "I'M KILLING THAT AI."
Vex, still scrolling through fan comments, teased, "I mean… the fans ship it."
Kain wheezed. "BRO — YOU'VE GOT FANFICTION ALREADY."
Elliot's Boost flared to 270% — an electric snap so loud it shattered the Stormchaser's rearview mirror.
"I SWEAR TO EVERYTHING HOLY… WE ARE FOCUSING ON THE LAB."
Thundaddy, utterly unbothered, responded immediately.
---
"PRO TIP FOR ELLIOT: Why break into a lab quietly… when you can do it with a theme song?"
---
Kain choked. "BRO — WE'RE GONNA DROP A BREAK-IN REMIX."
Nova's face was pure murder. "I'm deleting this AI."
Vex smirked. "Not before we hit platinum."
And then—
As if the universe couldn't resist adding to the chaos—
Kain's holopad buzzed with a new notification.
A live feed.
From Black Dawn's servers.
Nova's eyes narrowed. "How did you—"
Kain grinned. "Looks like your viral fame just got us an invitation…"
Elliot's storm growled louder — a faint pulse of blue lightning coiling around his fists.
They weren't just breaking into Black Dawn now.
They were about to storm in like rockstars.
And whoever built the Raijin Protocol…
Was about to realize this wasn't just a weaponized storm anymore.
It was a viral sensation with a killer soundtrack.