NOVEL NEXT Chapter 471: Shatterstar Breaks the Sky
Inside the mech, the group shot upward, piercing the clouds in a single surge of power.
Below them, Ethan and the others glanced back down at the volcano. It was teeming with figures—though fewer than before, every survivor seemed to have returned. Hundreds of airborne beasts circled above the crater, their massive wings blotting out the smoke. Each one carried an aura that marked it as a War God-rank being.
Among them, Ethan spotted two faces he knew all too well: Eamon, who had once slipped away using Blood Escape, and the Dreadlord, who had been near him when he first arrived in this place. Both now hovered in the air, staring down at the rising mech with expressions of shock.
He understood why—they had been baffled by his sudden disappearance, and now this monstrous machine, which they would never recognize as a mech, was soaring straight at them. To them, it could only be some unknown alien predator, a thing from a nightmare.
The two sides were about to meet in the sky, the air grew thick with tension. They were surrounded by powerhouses—hundreds of them, each a War God-rank fighter—and the pressure was like standing under a collapsing mountain.
"Ethan… let me show you Shatterstar's combat power!" KH3106's voice boomed in their ears, excitement crackling in every syllable. Ethan could almost feel the guy's battle-lust, like a warrior who had gone far too long without a fight.
[Beep… Main cannon charging. Output set to one percent.]
Through the panoramic cockpit display, Ethan and the others saw two thick cannon barrels, each over two meters wide, extend from Shatterstar's shoulders.
"Don't get carried away," Ethan said quickly, though his words earned no reply.
[Beep… Main cannon at one percent. Remaining energy: two point eight percent.]
The barrels retracted with a metallic snap, and a deep boom thundered through the mech. Even strapped inside, they felt the massive recoil jolt through the frame. The upward climb stalled for a heartbeat before two fiery-red beams of light tore into the sky.
The War God-rank warriors above scattered instantly, their movements sharp and panicked.
Damn, Ethan thought, firing cannons at mosquitoes—how's that supposed to hit anyone?
But in the next heartbeat, the beams converged mid-air. A hiss and low hum filled the air as a blazing red sphere formed between them, its heat so intense the space around it seemed to collapse.
"No—!"
"Save me!"
Those who had only shifted aside a little, thinking themselves safe, realized too late that they weren't. The energy sphere expanded in an instant, swallowing them whole. Those nearby fled in sheer terror, suddenly aware that this 'alien' creature could wield annihilation in its hands.
The sphere grew until it spanned the entire crater, like a molten egg perfectly lodged in the volcano's mouth.
"Haha! Ethan, your energy core is too powerful! Hold on tight—we're breaking through!" KH3106's voice was practically giddy as Shatterstar's posture shifted from vertical ascent to a sudden horizontal lunge.
Ethan had assumed they'd skirt around the energy sphere, finding a gap between it and the crater wall. Instead, KH3106 went full madman.
The mech accelerated to the limit, twin wings snapping forward as its body began spinning like a drill. The foot thrusters ignited with a roar, blazing crimson, and the cockpit vibrated with a deep, bone-shaking hum.
[Beep… Energy transfer complete. Foot thrusters at fifteen percent.]
At first, Ethan barely registered the percentage, but as Shatterstar's speed surged, a crushing weight pressed into his chest. He fought for breath, steadying himself against the cockpit restraints. The others gritted their teeth and braced, their strength the only thing keeping them from being slammed to the floor.
In a single second, Shatterstar became a living cannonball, wings drilling into the volcanic wall seven or eight kilometers away. Rock exploded around them, and another heartbeat later they burst out the far side, leaving a hole the size of a fortress gate.
The mech didn't slow, streaking into the open sky and leaving a long, white contrail.
"Holy hell… that's fast. At this speed, I'm completely useless," Blackie groaned, sprawled flat on the floor as if the invisible gravity would pin him there forever.
"You are useless," Red Snow said dryly, crouched beside him with one hand braced on the ground.
Ethan had already shifted into his Bear form, lowering his stance to stay balanced. Even so, his legs trembled from the force. His expression was a mix of awe, adrenaline, and sheer joy.
This thing was insane—and perfect. He was already planning when he could "borrow" it.
By his estimate, Shatterstar was pushing seven to eight kilometers per second—about the top speed of a rocket on Earth—and that was with only fifteen percent of the foot thrusters active. At full power… he couldn't even imagine it. With this, he could strike from the Sea of Death to any major city in an instant.
The only drawback was energy. The three percent supplied by the Infernal Core had already dropped to two point three. Still, KH3106's scan had labeled the Core as self-regenerating, meaning it could replenish energy while the mech rested.
A sudden bang shook the air behind them. Ethan turned, just in time to see the volcano erupt into blinding light. A mushroom cloud rose into the sky, the sight so fierce it stole his breath. The entire mountain was gone. He didn't want to think about what had happened to those left behind.
"This power…" Julian murmured, staring at the growing cloud. "Even the strongest Saint-rank strike wouldn't match that."
"This wasn't even close to Shatterstar's limit," KH3106's voice cut in. "That was a one percent main cannon charge."
Their speed began to ease, altitude dropping. The strange liquid in the VR capsule withdrew, and moments later the pod opened. KH3106 stepped out, bone-dry despite having been immersed in whatever that stuff was.
Ethan frowned. Nutrient solution? Protective gel? Whatever it was, Earth's science couldn't explain how it left not a drop behind.