The engine roared as Volt pushed the vehicle harder across the wasteland, the tires grinding against broken terrain as dust trailed behind us like a storm.
But no matter how fast we went—
It was still there.
Chasing us.
I kept my rifle trained behind us, eyes narrowing as the armored figure closed the distance with unnatural speed.
"…This doesn't make sense," I muttered.
Raid bosses weren't like this.
They didn't leave their zones.
They didn't chase players across regions.
They stayed where they were meant to be—
Guarding.
Waiting.
Existing as obstacles, not hunters.
"Raid bosses don't do this," I said. "They stay in their territory."
Volt didn't take his eyes off the road.
"That's because," he said, voice steady, "this entire region is its territory."
My breath caught.
"…What?"
"That thing isn't tied to a dungeon," Volt continued. "This wasteland… it belongs to it."
A chill ran down my spine.
Havoc.
Even before the Catastrophe—
That name carried weight.
One of the hardest bosses in all of SkyRealm.
A raid-level nightmare.
Entire squads were wiped trying to defeat it.
Back then, it was respected.
Feared.
A true endgame challenge.
But after the Catastrophe Code changed everything…
Most bosses became tools.
Farmed.
Controlled.
Used by the Empire like resources.
They lost their meaning.
Their identity.
Their purpose.
But not this one.
Havoc remained.
Unbroken.
Uncontrolled.
Untamed.
One of the few bosses strong enough—
That players still feared it.
Behind us—
The armored giant raised its massive blade.
A single horn protruded from its helmet, covering one side of its face, leaving only one glowing eye visible.
Then—
It swung.
A compressed wave of wind tore through the air.
"Down!" Volt shouted.
The attack blasted past us, ripping through the ground ahead and carving a deep trench into the earth.
"…Wind slashes," I muttered.
"And fast ones," Volt added.
Another attack came.
Volt swerved sharply, barely avoiding it.
The vehicle shook violently, but he held control.
That thing wasn't just chasing us—
It was hunting.
I raised my rifle.
"Keep it steady."
"I'm trying!" Volt snapped.
I focused.
Tracked its movement.
Analyzed its form.
Its armor—
Heavy.
Reinforced.
Too thick to penetrate directly.
Then—
I saw it.
"…The eye."
"Drive closer," I said.
Volt glanced at me.
"You're serious?"
"Do it."
The engine roared louder as he pushed forward instead of retreating.
The distance between us and Havoc closed rapidly.
The ground cracked under its steps as it charged straight toward us.
"…Now."
I fired.
The bullet cut through the air—
And struck its glowing eye.
A distorted roar echoed as the boss staggered.
"…That's the weak point."
"Good," Volt said. "Keep hitting it!"
Havoc recovered instantly.
Too fast.
It slammed its blade into the ground—
A shockwave erupted.
"Brace!"
The vehicle lifted before crashing back down hard.
Pain shot through my arms as I held onto my rifle.
"…We're not lasting like this."
I clenched my teeth.
I didn't want to do this.
But—
"…Fine."
A faint glow surrounded me.
Energy surged through my body.
Countless Star magic.
My senses sharpened instantly.
The world slowed.
"Ryze…?" Volt muttered.
"Just drive."
I fired again.
And again.
Every shot—
Precise.
Accurate.
Relentless.
Each one struck closer to the eye, forcing Havoc to react.
To hesitate.
To slow.
Volt took advantage of every opening, weaving through terrain, circling, dodging every incoming slash by inches.
Havoc roared—
Then leapt.
Closing the gap instantly.
"Too fast!"
"Hold on!"
Volt spun the vehicle, barely escaping as Havoc landed behind us, the impact shattering the ground.
I steadied my aim.
One more shot—
Direct hit.
The eye cracked.
Light flickered.
"Now!" Volt shouted.
I focused everything.
Pulled the trigger.
The bullet pierced through—
And shattered the eye completely.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then—
Havoc let out a final, deafening roar.
Its body froze.
Then collapsed.
Dust exploded as its massive form hit the ground.
"…We got it," I whispered.
Volt slowed the vehicle.
"…Yeah."
The wind howled across the battlefield.
Debris settled.
Everything—
Went still.
"…That was too easy," I said quietly.
Then—
The ground trembled.
"…Wait…"
The body—
Moved.
"…No way…"
Havoc's fingers twitched.
Its armor creaked.
Slowly—
It began to rise.
"…That's not possible…"
The shattered eye—
Still glowing.
"…It's… regenerating?"
Then—
Another presence appeared.
From the dust behind it—
A second figure emerged.
Same armor.
Same massive blade.
Same glowing eye.
My heart dropped.
"…Volt…"
"…I see it."
Two.
Not one.
Two Havocs.
The first one fully stood—
As if it had never fallen.
The second one stepped forward—
Silent.
Waiting.
"…That's why…"
I whispered.
"…No one survived."
Volt tightened his grip on the wheel.
"…Ryze…"
"…Yeah."
Neither of us moved.
Neither of us spoke.
For the first time—
Since the fight began—
We felt it.
Fear.
Because now—
We understood the truth.
This was never a one-phase boss.
Never a second phase.
It was always—
Two.
And we had just stepped into the real fight.