Liora narrowed her eyes as she looked at the new figure.
It was tall, part beast and part machine, moving with precise, sharp steps.
Its body was covered in armored plating.
One eye glowed red and the other was reptilian.
Wires ran across its arms and chest, and its claws clicked against the stone.
Liora's face tensed. "What… is that?"
Theron grinned as he stepped to the side.
"So you're surprised?"
He raised a hand toward the new arrival.
"Liora, you already knew we were experinting hybrids."
His voice was smug.
"And this one of the few who managed to survive."
He pointed.
"This is Scaldrith. The first of his kind."
Liora's eyes narrowed. "So… it's real."
"A living human-beast hybrid."
Theron nodded. "One that didn't break. Didn't go mad. Didn't run."
He turned to Scaldrith.
"Fight her. Hold her here. I only need a few minutes."
Scaldrith didn't speak.
It stepped forward, slowly, scanning Liora with glowing sensors.
Liora snapped her cannons back into position.
"I won't let you run again, Theron."
She moved forward, ready to strike—
But Scaldrith suddenly stood in her path.
Fast.
Too fast.
Liora halted, boots sliding on broken rock.
Scaldrith's claws unfolded.
Its voice was low, chanical.
"Priority directive: Block Luxoria unit."
Liora frowned.
"Out of my way."
Scaldrith took a combat stance.
"Order denied."
Behind them, Theron activated his booster suit. "Goodbye, Liora."
He blasted into the sky, moving fast toward the Aurelius border zone.
Liora tensed to follow—
Scaldrith moved again.
Fast. Precise. Perfect.
It blocked her route with only two steps, tail raised, blades drawn.
Liora floated higher and aid her cannon.
"I don't care who—or what—you are."
She narrowed her eyes.
"If you're in my way…"
She drew in energy.
"I'll remove you."
Scaldrith's body glowed faintly with red pulses, cybernetic parts syncing into battle mode.
"Statent logged."
"Engaging Sovereign target."
Liora raised one brow.
"Then let's see just how powerful you really are."
The light behind her flared once more.
The next battle had begun.
---
Liora hovered just above the cracked earth, her cannons aid and glowing.
Scaldrith stood still across from her.
Unlike Vaultusk, this one didn't tower or stomp.
It didn't roar.
It watched.
Moved.
Like a soldier.
Liora narrowed her eyes.
"Let's see what you can do."
She fired the first shot.
Two bursts of radiant light from her left cannon.
Scaldrith vanished.
Liora's eyes widened.
He didn't dodge.
He moved too fast to follow.
Then—
A blur behind her.
Liora twisted just in ti.
Clang!
Scaldrith's tal claws scraped against her shoulder guard, sending sparks.
She flew backward, flipping in the air.
"He's fast…"
"Faster than Vaultusk."
Scaldrith didn't speak. Its eye-lens tracked her, adjusting constantly.
Its voice finally rang out—short and cold:
"Strength level: Confird. Status: Threat class. Engaging."
Scaldrith lunged forward again, both arms shifting as blades extended from its forearms.
Liora blocked with both cannons, barely.
"Leon—Armor Boost!"
Silver energy flared around her as she slid back, grinding across the ground.
Scaldrith spun mid-air and landed in a crouch, tail slicing toward her legs.
She jumped again, flipped forward, and fired a plasma burst down at him.
Scaldrith raised its arm, a built-in shield unfolded, blocking it instantly.
Liora frowned.
"He has weapons... but also gear."
He thinks. Reacts. Changes stances.
Scaldrith's claws clicked once.
"Switching: Close-range strategy. Vault Stack Enabled."
His muscles pulsed with red light.
Then he disappeared again.
This ti he appeared midair, above her.
Twin cleavers shot from his spine, spinning toward her like blades from a trap.
Liora shouted, "Leon, Mirror Deflect!"
A burst of silver light bent the blades off course but only for a mont.
Scaldrith slamd into her chest with a knee, sending her crashing to the ground.
Boom!
The stone cracked under her.
She coughed, rolling fast as he landed and tried to stomp her midsection.
She pushed herself up fast, panting.
"His strength… it's the sa as Vaultusk."
"But he's smaller. Smarter. Faster."
Above her, Scaldrith rotated both arms, blades locking in reverse grip.
He took another step forward.
"Objective: Eliminate."
Liora stood straight, blood on her lip.
"Not today."
She dashed forward again, this ti matching his speed.
They clashed in the center.
Blade to blade.
Light against steel.
Each movent was clean.
Liora ducked. Fired.
Scaldrith flipped. Countered.
She struck with a cannon punch.
He twisted under it and slashed across her thigh.
She hissed in pain, then kicked him in the chest, forcing space.
He slid back. Didn't fall.
Liora's breath was heavy.
"You're not a beast," she said.
Scaldrith replied in that cold, soldier tone:
"Correct."
"I am a weapon."
And he charged again.
Liora didn't flinch.
She grinned.
"Then I am too."
She raised her hand.
"Leon, ti to get serious."
Leon's light surged behind her.
Her cannons folded away, transforming.
"Switch to Claws Mode."
Her arms reshaped.
Now sleek and sharp, silver claws extending over her fingers, glowing with burning heat.
"Close range, huh?" she said. "Let handle that."
Scaldrith's speed didn't stop.
He spun forward, slashing left and right.
Liora t him head-on.
Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew as their claws and blades clashed.
She parried once, then ducked and slashed across his chest.
Scaldrith jumped back but a line of sparks burst from the cut.
Liora chased.
She punched forward.
She used her claw to stab his shoulder.
Scaldrith growled, his voice glitching.
"Wound confird… Adapting…"
He tried to use Combat Adaptation Surge.
His arms thickened, plates shifting to add strength.
But Liora didn't give him ti.
She leapt forward and flipped over his head.
She slashed both claws down his back.
Screech!
Sparks, tal, and fluid burst out.
Scaldrith dropped to one knee.
His claws shook.
Liora landed behind him, breathing steadily.
"You're fast."
"But not faster than ."
Scaldrith slowly stood, systems flickering.
He didn't respond.
Liora raised her claws again.
"Let's see how much punishnt you can really take."
"Show what makes you a 'perfect' hybrid."
Then she charged forward once again.
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