Chapter 27 – Breaking the Chains

– D'Karr's Fortress – Experiment Chamber–

The chamber was a warzone.

Smoke curled from the cracked walls, flickering sparks danced in the air, and the floor was littered with debris.

The Titan-Class Suppressor stood firm, its reinforced plating barely scratched. Its optics pulsed a deep crimson, scanning its two targets.

Rei was on his knees, trembling.

His body felt like it was tearing apart from the inside.

The cosmic energy inside him was too vast, too unstable. It fought against him, refusing to be controlled.

His hands curled into fists against the cold, metallic floor.

He had power—immense power.

But it wasn't his yet.

Seyra's grip tightened on her spear.

She could see it—Rei was struggling.

And D'Karr?

That bastard was just standing there, smirking.

"Keep watching, you piece of scrap," she muttered under her breath.

Then, she moved.

In an instant, she was airborne, flipping over the Titan-Class Suppressor.

Her spear glowed with energy as she slashed at the machine's head.

CLANG!

The weapon barely dented its armor.

The Titan pivoted with alarming speed, its massive fist swinging toward her.

Seyra barely managed to twist in midair—

BOOM!

The impact shattered the floor, sending shockwaves through the room.

Seyra landed, skidding across the ground, heart pounding.

It's adapting too fast…

The Titan stomped forward, its cannons priming another blast.

Rei was still down.

She had to buy him more time.

Move, damn it. Move!

Rei's muscles screamed in protest. His body felt heavy, sluggish.

Like he was being dragged into the abyss.

The cosmic power inside him was boiling, demanding to be set free.

Then—

The Titan's cannons fired.

A crimson blast tore through the air—straight for Seyra.

"NO!"

Something snapped.

A pulse.

A shockwave.

The ground cracked beneath Rei as an explosion of celestial energy erupted around him.

His vision blurred—his mind felt like it was being pulled beyond reality.

For a moment—he saw something.

A vision.

A sky filled with burning stars.

A hand reaching for him—

A voice, ancient and powerful, whispering:

Remember who you are.

Then, the moment passed.

The energy inside him roared to life.

And this time, Rei didn't resist it.

The Titan detected the shift.

Its systems screamed a warning—

THREAT LEVEL: MAXIMUM.

But it was too late.

Rei's eyes flashed like dying stars.

He thrust his palm forward—

And the world exploded.

A cosmic blast erupted from him, engulfing the Titan-Class Suppressor.

The machine froze mid-attack.

For a second, it seemed untouched.

Then—

CRACK.

A fissure ran down its core.

Its plating shattered.

Its optics flickered.

Then—

It collapsed.

BOOM!

A shockwave tore through the facility, sending debris flying.

Rei swayed—his vision darkening.

He had won.

But the strain—

He collapsed.

D'Karr clicked his tongue.

"Hmph. Impressive."

He stepped forward, boots crunching against the ruined floor.

His cybernetic eye scanned Rei's unconscious body.

"So much potential… yet still too weak."

His gaze flicked to Seyra.

She was kneeling beside Rei, checking his pulse, her guard down.

D'Karr smiled.

The Titan had failed.

But he would not.

His arm transformed, metal shifting into a razor-sharp blade.

"Enough games."

With a single step, he lunged.

Straight for Seyra.

She barely had time to react—

But she wasn't fast enough.

The blade swung down.

Then—

A golden flash.

BOOM.

A shockwave ripped through the base.

D'Karr was sent flying, crashing into the far wall.

Smoke curled from the impact zone—something had blasted him back.

And then—

A figure stepped forward.

Tall. Cloaked in energy so dense it was like space itself was bending around him.

His presence was a void—no energy signature, no life force.

Like he was never there to begin with.

D'Karr gritted his teeth.

"You—"

The agent raised a hand.

A pulse of energy ripped through the fortress.

Walls crumbled.

Lights flickered out.

The entire base shook, alarms blaring.

D'Karr barely had time to react before—

Everything vanished.

– Unknown Location –

Silence.

Rei's body lay still.

Seyra gasped, jerking awake.

They were somewhere else.

Not the fortress.

Not even the same planet.

The air was crisp, filled with a strange energy.

A safehouse. Hidden from prying eyes.

The cloaked agent stood near the doorway, arms crossed.

His voice, deep and unreadable, finally spoke:

"You're safe. For now."

Then, his gaze settled on Rei.

"And as for you… you are finally awake."