Chapter 57: Skyfire Is Not Here
"Ah, Skyfire! I remember that Decepticon warrior. Although we belonged to different factions, he was a good one. He helped us Autobots a lot with transport and escort missions...I'll never forget him."
Perhaps because they were both fliers, the Pteranodon seemed to have a deep impression of Skyfire. Maybe they had even fought side by side once.
"Then, do you know where he is? I have many questions for him. Don't worry...what I need to do has nothing to do with you Autobots. You don't have to look at me like I'm some kind of thief. Honestly, I can't stand Megatron either."
To win over the suspicious Dinobot before him, Starscream even voiced his disdain for Megatron. After all, if it hadn't been for that fool's endless schemes, Cybertron wouldn't be in such chaos now.
"Well, I don't care what the Decepticons are plotting. The Dinobots fear no one! I've worked with Skyfire before...he even helped me search for my brothers when they went missing. But I haven't seen him since we parted over 600 years ago. According to the timeline, he definitely wouldn't be in this ancient city."
So, Skyfire wasn't here. Did that mean the rest of this exploration would be pointless?
Despite his Decepticon nature, Starscream wasn't one to meddle unnecessarily. If what he sought wasn't here, he would simply let those two Decepticons remain asleep. Unfortunately, he was far too optimistic.
The moment he opened the gate to this underground city, allowing the air to circulate between it and the surface, things began to go wrong.
All Transformers were silicon-based lifeforms, their behavior vastly different from that of carbon-based organisms. Thunder Dragon Mud had fallen into deep stasis after draining his last drop of energy. But the two beings lying dormant beneath his feet were another matter entirely.
In truth, the two still retained a considerable amount of energy. Their systems had failed for reasons unknown, leaving them immobilized...like statues in the subterranean ruins. But as fresh air slowly seeped in, their consciousness began to stir, though their bodies remained heavy and unresponsive.
The Transformers System quickly detected the change, and its voice cut through Starscream's thoughts.
"Host, even if you plan to leave, we can't ignore this. The energy readings from those two entities are increasing...there's even a faint buildup of power!"
Great. Another mess of his own making. Starscream had no choice but to confront it.
At the same time, the two Dinobot warriors beside him also sensed something amiss. Even the wounded veteran, Thunder Dragon Mud, drew out a massive laser cannon from somewhere.
"Something's not right. Those Decepticons… they're waking up. I don't like this one bit."
Though his memories hadn't fully returned, Thunder Dragon Mud's instincts as a warrior were razor-sharp. He could feel the danger before it even showed itself.
"Old friend, you're injured...don't act rashly. Let me handle those two! I couldn't fight by your side in that mission back then, but this time, I won't back down!"
It had to be said...Dart was a loyal comrade. After Starscream had given Mud 5% of his energy earlier, Dart had even volunteered to transfer a third of his own to help him recover.
"No, no, no...you don't know the terrain. Let me come with you! And let's bring him along too; he looks like he can fight."
For some reason, Thunder Dragon Mud had taken quite a liking to Starscream. Now, he was seriously suggesting the Decepticon join their exploration squad.
"What? You mean to bring Starscream with us? Will he even agree?"
"Fine," Starscream replied. "Although I came here to find Skyfire, since you two famous Dinobots have invited me, I, Starscream, will go with you. Don't be fooled by the Decepticon insignia...if those two below turn out to be trouble, I'll shoot them myself."
With a declaration like that, how could Starscream not have heard them? The system had already warned him, so he immediately drew his laser pistol, ready for anything.
Just as Starscream and the two Dinobots prepared to descend, deep within the second level of the underground city, two enormous ice blocks were slowly melting...each containing a colossal being.
Then, with a resounding crack, the ice block on the left shattered completely. From within emerged a towering figure, roughly twenty meters tall, with glowing green optics scanning the surroundings.
"Heh… so the day has finally come. I wonder how long it's been since we fell asleep. Judging from the state of things, that mission must have been a total failure. Those ancient ruins probably no longer exist… but I smell something strange here."
He appeared to be a Decepticon warrior unlike any Starscream had ever seen. Though the Decepticon insignia gleamed clearly on his chest, the aura he exuded was even more oppressive than Megatron's.
Right after his awakening, the ice block to his right began to crack apart. The creature within, however, wasn't robotic...it resembled a massive black panther with blood-red eyes.
Normally, such mechanical beasts were known for their savagery, but the warrior who awoke first simply stared for a moment before drawing his laser sword and slicing through the remaining ice.
"Have you lost your ability to transform? Interesting. Could this be the result of that ancient radiation?"
(End of Chapter)
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