The Golden Juggernaut knelt in the sand, his massive frame twitching as sparks hissed through his joints like angry hornets. Soldiers rushed forward to assist, but he extended a heavy, trembling arm to stop them. "Don't intervene," he rumbled, his voice grating with static. "I can handle this tech."
Across the scorched earth, the Eradicator marched with a terrifying, rhythmic grace, spinning its energy blade in a blur of orange light. The two titans lunged at the same time, their fists colliding with the force of a tectonic shift. A massive shockwave erupted from the point of impact, tossing debris and abandoned Abrams tanks through the air like autumn leaves.
The Golden Juggernaut's right fist began to spin with a high-pitched whine before slamming into the Eradicator's helmet. The black plating shattered. Seizing the moment, the Golden Juggernaut gripped the Eradicator's fist, braced himself, and kicked the dark titan backward into the dust.
"What is that?" the Juggernaut muttered, spotting a barrel rolling toward him. Before he could react, it detonated, releasing a Shocker Zombie. The creature exploded in a burst of high-voltage blue energy, electrifying the Juggernaut's systems. He let out a metallic grunt and collapsed to his knees, his armor smoking.
Back at the GDA lines, the scene was chaotic. Slammer fought to reach the fallen giant, but General Juan grabbed her, pulling her toward the safety of the aircraft. "Get the hell away from me!" she screamed, squirming with a desperate fury. Juan didn't let go; with a grunt of effort, he threw her toward the bay doors.
"She's crazy," Juan breathed heavily, his face pale. "Thinking she could kill that beast."
"She can," John stepped forward, his eyes burning. "With me—"
"She can't! Neither can you!" Juan interrupted, his voice cracking with fear. "I'm a General and I can't even destroy one X-Juggernaut!"
"We already did!" John yelled back. "Both of us killed one!"
Juan simply turned away, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "I'm not buying your nonsense, John... Nobody has destroyed one except the elite forces." Left with no choice and gritting his teeth in silent rage, John followed Slammer into the transport.
On the battlefield, the Eradicator rose.
A horrific, guttural roar escaped it, followed by the screeching whine of a reboot. The right side of its helmet was gone, revealing a glimpse of raw human flesh beneath the metal, though its right eye still glowed with a murderous, mechanical red.
The Golden Juggernaut barely had time to react before the Eradicator ignited its jetpack, slamming into him and carrying them both high into the smog-filled sky. They thrashed in mid-air, a dance of iron and fire. The Golden Juggernaut rained punches down on the black titan, but the Eradicator opened its mouth—revealing a hidden flamethrower. A jet of white-hot fire engulfed the Juggernaut, melting his golden plating.
With a final burst of strength, the Golden Juggernaut slammed his fist into the Eradicator's chest plate. His sensors screamed—he felt it. The Core. He clawed at the armor, trying to rip the heart out of the machine, but the Eradicator thrashed wildly and unleashed a point-blank barrage of missiles. The Juggernaut was sent hurtling back to earth.
He hit the ground with a thud that shook the coast. The red light in his eyes flickered once, twice, and then went dark. The Eradicator descended slowly, clutching its damaged chest, its mouth-port gaping as sparks flew from its exposed flesh. Before it could deliver the final blow, a volley of GDA fire forced it back. Snarling, the Eradicator engaged its thrusters and vanished into the haze.
Deep within the silent, darkened husk of the Golden Juggernaut, a final signal was sent to the GDA communication hub: "I've done it... the Eradicator has a weakness..."
Miles away, in a shadowed control room, a black-gloved hand hovered over a glowing console. With a cold, decisive click, a new command was entered.
"Initiate the protocol: The MAX GOLDEN JUGGERNAUT."