Geros was livid, his body trembling with rage as he channeled all his dark energy into the creation of a massive sphere hovering above his hands. Its size was staggering, and its surface appeared to be made of an ethereal material that shimmered with silver and black flashes. Geros's gaze hardened further as he muttered with disdain:
"Take the fifth element, 'ether,' insolent girl," he said, pronouncing the words as if they were a curse before shouting, "CYBERSPACE!"
Adia watched him with a sardonic smile, crossing her arms.
"The fifth element? That doesn't exist… You've officially lost it," she retorted, mocking him with a light yet confident tone.
Geros let out a low, cold laugh, like the sound of rusted metal creaking.
"It doesn't exist for humans of this era, but it was once believed in. And for us who come from space, it is very real."
With a sharp motion, he hurled the sphere toward Adia. It began spinning rapidly in the air, and within it, an infinite cosmos became visible, as though it contained all known and unknown space. The stars and nebulae inside glowed with hypnotic light, yet they also exuded an overwhelming sense of absolute void.
"Now, disappear, girl," Geros declared, his face twisted with fury as the sphere engulfed Adia completely.
In seconds, the sphere absorbed her. Adia felt the air leave her lungs, as if she were floating in the vacuum of outer space. The silence was oppressive, and the pressure seemed to compress her body. Her thoughts raced as she struggled to stay calm.
"I have to do something, or this thing will suffocate me... and this time, I really will die."
With the little air she had left, she began moving her staff in rapid circles above her head. A protective bubble formed around her head, transforming into a helmet resembling those worn by astronauts. She breathed deeply, relieved to have escaped the imminent suffocation.
"Alright, now it's my turn," she murmured, determination in her voice.
With a swift gesture, she conjured small thrusters in her boots that propelled her forward. She shot ahead at full speed, trying to reach the exit—a faint light in the distance. But the more she advanced, the further away the light seemed to drift. The space within the sphere appeared to expand infinitely, as if playing tricks on her perception. Stars streaked past her like shooting comets, and time itself seemed to stand still.
Frustrated, Adia paused for a moment, floating in the midst of that vast void. Closing her eyes, she tried to recall something—anything—that might help her. Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind.
"If this is like outer space, then there must be some weak point... Something I can breach."
With determination, she summoned her magic and murmured:
"TRASPIRIOM."
She extended a hand toward the spatial wall in front of her. To her surprise, her hand passed through the plane as though it were water. Without hesitation, she stuck her head through and saw the outside. A triumphant smile spread across her face.
"Aha!" she exclaimed, thrilled. "Bingo!"
Without wasting a second, she fully stepped through the wall and emerged from the sphere. She removed her improvised helmet and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with fresh air. With an annoyed but satisfied expression, she quickly drew four circles on the ground. From this, chains erupted, wrapping around the sphere she had just escaped and hurling it directly toward Geros, who was still striding arrogantly, convinced several minutes had passed since Adia had disappeared.
Geros barely had time to react before he was sucked into the very sphere he had created. Inside, the void began to consume him, stealing his air. His voice echoed weakly from within.
"What...? What is this? It feels like the place where I sent that brat! But... How did that damn girl do this? I'm running out of air...! Ah...!"
Adia, now standing beside the sphere, smiled with satisfaction.
"Well, I guess he got a taste of his own medicine," she said, crossing her arms as she watched Geros struggle futilely against his own creation.
At that moment, the rest of the team arrived, running up. Drake, Podbe, Aiden, and the others stopped short at the sight. Benjamin, from above, looked down in astonishment.
"Wow, looks like you didn't need any help," he remarked, eyeing the massive sphere next to Adia.
Riota, ever vigilant, placed a hand on Benjamin's shoulder to stop him.
"Don't go too far, Benjamin, or you'll fall," he warned, pointing to the fractured and dangerously unstable ground beneath their feet.
"Thank you," Benjamin said, his voice soft but sincere, as a faint blush tinged Riota's cheeks.
"It was nothing. I always protect you," Riota replied, averting his gaze with a small smile that tried to mask his nervousness.
Drake, with his usual curiosity, approached the group while observing the massive sphere floating before them.
"And what is that? Where's Geros?" he asked, pointing at the dark mass that seemed to pulse with a life of its own.
Adia crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the sphere as if she could pierce through it with her eyes.
"Well, he's inside that big sphere he called CYBERSPACE or something like that," she explained, her tone casual yet laced with satisfaction.
"I see," the others murmured, exchanging glances. Akira, ever reckless, couldn't resist making a sarcastic comment:
"So... we rushed here for nothing?"
Rafael shot him a glare, his eyes gleaming with silent warning. Akira swallowed hard and quickly hid behind Megumi, who sighed deeply, accustomed to the boy using her as a shield whenever Rafael scolded him.
"Uh... Adia, look at the sphere," Eduard interrupted, his voice tense as he pointed at the dark object. "It seems to be changing. It's turning crimson."
Adia frowned, her expression shifting from confidence to alertness.
"Everyone, take a step back," she ordered, raising a hand to emphasize her warning.
Before they could react, the sphere began to crack as if it were a cosmic egg about to hatch. A low rumble emerged from within, followed by a massive explosion that shook the entire area. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and fragments of rock and dust flew in all directions.
Megumi acted quickly, raising an earthen barrier that encircled the group like a protective wall. Amaya, wasting no time, complemented the defense with a stretchy candy wall that expanded like flexible dough, ready to contain any additional damage should the first barrier fail.
From the explosion emerged Geros, his figure enveloped in a crimson light that seemed to burn with rage. His eyes, black as bottomless pits, exuded pure malice, but there was something else: exhaustion. His body, though still imposing, showed signs of weakness, as if the confrontation inside the sphere had drained him considerably.
"You're recording this, Creg!" Melisa exclaimed from behind a wall that still stood, watching as Creg adjusted his camera to capture every detail of the chaos.
From another point, Ian and Philip exchanged confused looks.
"Where are all these people coming from?" Ian asked, his tone a mix of astonishment and frustration.
Professor Kile adjusted his glasses, his expression thoughtful as he analyzed the scene.
"It's like that guardian monster Urion," he commented, his voice low but firm. Choy, trembling slightly, added:
"Monsters... Had we seen one like this before?"
Michele, beside him, nervously clutched Choy's shoulder as if it were her only lifeline.
Geros, consumed by fury, advanced toward Adia, his voice resonating like a distorted thunderclap.
"You'll pay for everything, girl! Do you think you're stronger than me? I taught you everything you know!"
Adia stared at him, recalling fragments of her past. She had learned fire magic and other skills with his help, but that was only part of her journey.
"You only taught me a few things," she responded, her tone brimming with confidence. "The rest I had to learn on my own over time. Besides..." she added with a mocking smile that made Geros clench his fists even tighter, "sometimes the student surpasses the master."
Geros's fury erupted like a volcano.
"I'll finish you first, and then the rest of them!"
He began to gather energy, his hands glowing with a dark radiance. But something was wrong. His expression shifted from anger to confusion as he noticed the energy wasn't responding.
"What's happening?" he shouted, his voice filled with panic. "What's wrong with my body? It's not responding! My energy isn't increasing—it's only decreasing! That last move drained all my power!"
From one of the nearby monitors, Maos appeared with a twisted smile, his voice calm but cruel.
"Calm down, you fool who claims to be my master. It's time to put yourself to good use... useless."
Geros's eyes widened in horror.
"Is this betrayal?! You treacherous rat! I gave you all my knowledge, and this is how you repay me!"
Maos let out a cold, almost mechanical laugh.
"Not all of it. For instance, creating those wretched Metalux—you only entrusted that to Laos. I conducted my own research with your help while you were busy playing to be god with children and animals alike. Then you disappeared, but it doesn't matter. You were merely a tool for a greater purpose: my one true lord, Zeus."
"It's time," Zeus announced through the communicator, his voice calm yet charged with authority. Maos nodded, his lips curling into a sinister smile as he pressed several buttons on the panel before him.
From the ground, long metallic robotic arms emerged, moving with surgical precision. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Geros, pinning him down with relentless force. His joints creaked under the pressure, and his once-imposing body collapsed to the ground like a dead weight. The scene was surreal: a villain who had sworn to conquer the universe now lay helpless, betrayed and broken.
"And you're probably wondering... why are you almost out of energy?" Maos said, his tone mocking and icy. "It's because of the black stone I gave you. It contained a special compound—like insurance. In case you decide to act on your own, it could drain your energy through the structure of this facility."
Geros barely managed to mutter something unintelligible before his eyes closed, and his body went limp, collapsing onto the floor like a discarded puppet.
Aragon, who had been observing everything from the shadows, let out a bitter laugh.
"What the hell? I thought I was working with them..."
Maos completely ignored him and turned to the group with theatrical flair, raising his voice to capture everyone's attention.
"Now then, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to introduce you to the true power behind all of this. The great, the mighty, our supreme leader—and soon, the ruler of the world—behold, the magnificent Zeus!"
Silence engulfed the area as, from the ceiling, a glowing crystalline tube descended, emitting blue flashes. Inside it, an elegant figure slowly made its way to the ground. When the tube opened, a man appeared before everyone. He wore an impeccable white suit that seemed to radiate its own light, complemented by a black tie that contrasted perfectly with his silver hair. He deliberately removed his glasses, revealing crimson eyes that glowed like burning embers.
"It's time to begin," Zeus announced, his voice resonating like a final verdict. His gaze swept over each person present, assessing them as if they were pieces on a chessboard.