Chapter 5: The Thermal Shock Protocol
The air in the deeper levels of the Blueline Station was no longer oxygen; it was a thick, scorching haze of sulfur and mana. As Pillow and the Steel Vanguard stepped onto the final platform, the architecture of the subway shifted. The steel rails had been twisted into a spiral throne, and the concrete walls were weeping a black, viscous liquid.
In the center of the tracks stood Queen Cinder. She was nearly fifteen feet tall, her body encased in a translucent, volcanic glass carapace that glowed with a dull, rhythmic orange light.
"Form up!" Boros screamed, his voice cracking with terror. "Shields in the front! Mages, keep her grounded!"
The Steel Vanguard lunged, but it was a slaughter. The Queen didn't even move; she simply let out a low-frequency hum. When Boros's sword struck her side, it didn't cut—it shattered. The volcanic glass was so hard it acted like a reflective armor, sending the force of the blow back into Boros's arms, snapping his wrists instantly.
[Warning: Boss 'Queen Cinder' possesses Passive Skill: Volcanic Mirror] [Description: Reflects 50% of physical damage back to the attacker.]
Pillow stood back, his gear bag still slung over his shoulder, acting the part of the terrified porter. But his Scanner Monocle was working overtime.
"They're attacking the shell," Pillow whispered to himself. "You can't break Rank-D glass with Rank-E steel. It's a basic 'Invulnerability' trope. To break the glass, you have to change the state of the room."
Pillow looked up. Running along the ceiling were the ancient, massive pipes for the station's industrial fire suppression system. They were filled with thousands of gallons of stagnant, freezing water.
"Hey, Boros!" Pillow shouted, dropping the submissive act. "Get your team to the stairs! Now!"
"Shut up, Porter!" Boros groaned, clutching his broken arms.
Pillow didn't wait. He dashed toward the maintenance ladder. The Queen turned, her glowing red eyes locking onto him. She sensed the threat. She opened her mandibles, preparing to spray a jet of molten bile.
Pillow reached the valve. It was rusted shut. He didn't have the strength to turn it—but he had the Gold. He opened the System Shop and bought a [Disposable Power Gauntlet] for 400 Gold. His right arm surged with mechanical force.
CRACK.
He ripped the valve head off.
A torrential waterfall of freezing water slammed down from the ceiling, directly onto the white-hot Queen. The sound was deafening—the scream of steam meeting fire. Because her body was over 500°C, the sudden contact with 10°C water created a massive Thermal Shock.
The "Invincible" volcanic glass didn't just break; it detonated. Thousands of micro-fractures spiderwebbed across her body.
"Phase one is over," Pillow growled, drawing his obsidian spike as he leapt from the ladder. "Now let's see how much Essence you're hiding under that skin."
To be continued...