"Silver Moon, find a chance to escape," Rowan whispered, his voice low and steady. Then he stepped forward to face Black Hawk. "I came to take my partner home."
Black Hawk let out a quiet laugh. "Home? I'm afraid neither of you will be leaving."
The moment his words fell, his figure blurred. He shot forward like lightning, crossing the room in an instant as his fist drove straight toward Rowan's chest.
Rowan had been ready. He shifted back in a swift evasive step while simultaneously summoning three Starshatter Blades to intercept. But Black Hawk's strength was overwhelming. With a casual sweep of his hand, a surge of dark energy shattered all three blades in an instant.
"So they're psychic weapons," Black Hawk said with a sneer. "Too weak."
Rowan's heart sank. The power of a stellar-ranked fighter far exceeded his expectations. Still, he did not retreat. Instead, his mind shifted rapidly, recalibrating.
"Starshatter Division!"
He unleashed his strongest technique. Sixteen Starshatter Blades materialized at once, attacking from every angle in a dense, relentless formation. Even a stellar-ranked opponent could not afford to ignore such an assault.
For the first time, Black Hawk's expression tightened. He raised both hands, forming a wall of dark energy that absorbed most of the attack. Still, a few blades slipped through, slicing shallow wounds across his body.
"Interesting," he growled. "But not enough!"
His aura surged violently. A sphere of black energy condensed in his palm before he thrust it forward. The sphere expanded midair, transforming into a massive wave of power nearly two meters wide as it roared toward Rowan.
Rowan felt the sheer terror of that attack and instantly activated his Star Armor. A pale blue shield flared to life around him.
A thunderous explosion shook the underground chamber. The energy wave slammed into the shield, sending Rowan crashing into the wall. Cracks spread across the barrier like a spiderweb.
"You blocked it?" Black Hawk raised a brow. "Impressive gear. But how many times can it save you?"
Rowan slid down the wall, his chest tight with pain. Though the armor had absorbed the worst of the blow, the impact still left him internally shaken.
I need a different approach.
In a confined space like this, brute force was suicide. His gaze flicked upward. Pipes and support beams crisscrossed the ceiling.
"Silver Moon, with me!"
He leapt upward, grabbing onto a pipe. Silver Moon immediately understood. Drawing her sword, she attacked from the side, forcing Black Hawk to divide his attention.
Rowan moved fluidly across the ceiling, constantly shifting positions, striking from unpredictable angles. His Starshatter Blades rained down in coordinated bursts.
Black Hawk's frustration grew. "Damn rats!"
He fired a blast at the ceiling, trying to knock Rowan down. But Rowan anticipated it, leaping away just in time while sending eight blades toward Black Hawk's back.
Black Hawk turned to defend, but that split second was enough. Silver Moon's blade pierced toward his ribs. He twisted to avoid a fatal strike, yet a deep cut opened across his arm.
"Enough!" he roared.
Dark energy erupted from his body, engulfing him like black flames. The entire room heated rapidly. Metal groaned under pressure. Rowan's breathing grew labored as the intense energy disrupted his focus.
This can't drag on.
A dangerous technique surfaced in his mind. Psychic Overdrive, a method from the Void Refinement Art. It would push his power beyond its limits for a short time, at the cost of severe backlash.
"Silver Moon, prepare to withdraw!"
Rowan activated the technique.
His psychic energy surged violently. The number of Starshatter Blades doubled from thirty-two to sixty-four. They filled the air like a constellation of blazing stars, each one shining brighter than before.
Black Hawk's pupils contracted. "What is this?"
"Starshatter Blades: Convergence!"
All sixty-four blades aligned into a vast three-dimensional formation, then shot forward in unison.
Black Hawk's expression changed completely. He gathered every ounce of strength he had left, forming a thick barrier of dark energy.
The underground chamber exploded with continuous blasts. The barrage hammered against the barrier like a storm. Furniture shattered. Walls cracked.
The barrier began to fracture. Black Hawk's face paled as the strain mounted.
"This is impossible. A mere cosmic-level fighter…"
Then, suddenly, Rowan's strength collapsed.
The overdrive had pushed him beyond his limits. His psychic energy drained in an instant. The blades vanished, and silence fell.
Black Hawk saw his chance. Gathering his remaining strength, he prepared a final strike.
"Your tricks end here, boy!"
But in that critical moment, Silver Moon appeared behind him.
She had been waiting.
Her sword glowed with silver light, the signature technique of the Silverblue Empire. Silver Moon Slash.
With everything she had, she thrust forward.
Black Hawk sensed the danger and turned, but he was too slow.
The blade pierced his shoulder. Though not fatal, the force behind it was devastating. He staggered back with a grunt.
"Now!" Silver Moon shouted.
Rowan forced himself to move. Ignoring the pain tearing through his mind, he pulled out a high-yield explosive from his pack.
"Let's end this together."
He set the timer.
Ten seconds.
Black Hawk's face turned pale. In his current state, escape was impossible.
"You're insane!"
"Silver Moon, go!"
They dashed out into the corridor, sprinting upward as Black Hawk's furious roar echoed behind them.
Three.
Two.
One.
The explosion erupted from below, shaking the entire structure. The blast wave hurled them forward, slamming them into the walls.
"Move! The building's collapsing!" Silver Moon pulled Rowan up.
They burst outside into the yard. The structure behind them burned, chunks of debris crashing down. Guards rushed in confusion.
"There!" someone shouted.
Rowan and Silver Moon ran for the perimeter, evading pursuit with trained precision.
"My ship is this way," Rowan said.
They reached the landing site. Just as they were about to board, a figure appeared.
Black Hawk.
Covered in blood, barely standing, yet still alive.
"Stellar fighters really are hard to kill," Silver Moon muttered.
His eyes burned with rage. "You destroyed my base. You will pay!"
But he was already at his limit.
"Together," Rowan said.
They attacked again. This time, Black Hawk could not hold them back.
Minutes later, he collapsed.
"So this… is how I fall…" he murmured, bitterness in his eyes.
"Those who walk crooked paths meet crooked ends," Silver Moon said coldly.
Rowan did not strike the finishing blow. Instead, they boarded the ship and took off, vanishing into the night.
Inside the ship, silence finally settled.
Silver Moon treated her wounds while Rowan focused on recovering his drained mind.
"That was too close," she said.
Rowan let out a weak laugh. "I didn't expect that to work either."
She glanced at him. "Still, you pulled it off."
He contacted headquarters. The news came quickly. The operation had succeeded. Victor Meteorfall and the core conspirators had been captured. The network was dismantled.
"It's over," Rowan said, exhaling deeply.
Two days later, the Virtual Universe Corporation headquarters.
The awards hall was brightly lit, reserved only for major commendations. Today, it was opened for Rowan and Silver Moon.
The Observer stood at the podium, addressing a hall filled with elite agents.
"Startrace, Silver Moon. Your success in the Meteorfall operation not only prevented catastrophic losses, but shattered a major enemy conspiracy. Your courage and judgment in the face of a stellar-ranked opponent set a standard for all agents."
Applause thundered across the hall.
Samuel stepped forward, holding two cases.
"For outstanding performance, you are awarded special honors."
Inside the first case was a radiant medal engraved with crossed blades.
"The Medal of Valor."
The second held two authorization cards.
"Top-tier access clearance."
Rowan and Silver Moon stepped forward to receive them. As the medals were placed upon them, applause erupted again.
"And one more thing," the Observer added. "Given the strain you endured, the company grants you fifteen days of special leave. All expenses covered."
"Fifteen days?" Rowan blinked in surprise.
"You've earned it," Samuel said with a smile. "And medically speaking, you need it. Especially you, Startrace. The aftermath of psychic overdrive is not something to ignore."
Rowan nodded silently.
For the first time in a long while, the battle was over. But he knew this was only a pause before the next storm.
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