Episode-760
Chapter : 1519
Ken ducked under the swing. The wind of it ruffled his hair. He slashed at the boy's leg, aiming for the tendon.
The blade bit deep, but there was no blood. Only a hiss of steam and a green liquid.
The boy didn't even flinch. He didn't feel pain.
"Pain receptors disconnected," Ken analyzed. "Tactical disadvantage."
The boy raised his other hand. It was normal, human. But he pointed his palm at Ken. A circle of runes flared on his palm.
Fwoosh!
A jet of acidic green fire erupted from his hand.
Ken leaped back, crossing his arms. His reinforced bracers took the brunt of the fire, sizzling and smoking.
"Magic and physical augmentation," Ken grunted. "A hybrid."
"Ken!" Jasmin screamed from the corner. She was shielding Risa with her body. "Don't hurt him! He's just a boy!"
"He is trying to kill us, Jia!" Ken shouted back, his voice straining. "And he is very good at it!"
The Chimera turned its glowing eyes toward Jasmin.
"Secondary target," the boy droned. "Carrier."
He ignored Ken and charged at Jasmin.
"No!" Ken roared.
He threw himself forward. He tackled the boy from behind, wrapping his massive arms around the small torso. It felt like tackling a statue of iron.
"Run, Jia!" Ken yelled. "Find a way out! The vent! Use your diamond form to break the grate!"
The boy struggled in Ken’s grip. The mechanical claw whirred. It twisted backward, the joints rotating 360 degrees in a way no human arm should. The claw clamped onto Ken’s shoulder.
Ken gritted his teeth as the metal pincers dug into his flesh. He didn't let go. He suplexed the boy, slamming him into the floor.
CRASH.
The boy hit the ground hard, but he didn't stay down. He used the momentum to flip Ken over. Now Ken was on the bottom, and the boy was on top, the claw raising for a killing strike.
"Run!" Ken bellowed.
Jasmin scrambled up. She looked at the vent high on the wall. It was twenty feet up. Impossible.
She looked at the door the Chimera had come through. The lab door. It was open.
"The lab!" she shouted. "There might be another exit!"
She ran for the door, clutching Risa.
The Chimera saw her moving. It abandoned Ken. It launched itself off Ken’s chest, using him as a springboard. It flew through the air, landing between Jasmin and the door.
It blocked the exit.
Jasmin skid to a halt. Risa was crying now, a thin, wailing sound.
The boy stepped toward her. The claw opened and closed. Click-clack.
"Hand over the specimen," the boy said.
Jasmin looked at the monstrous claw. She looked at the dead eyes of the child.
She thought about fleeing. She thought about being a mouse.
Then she looked at Risa.
Something hot and hard solidified in Jasmin’s chest. The fear didn't vanish, but it compressed into a diamond-hard point of focus.
"No," Jasmin said.
She set Risa down gently behind a metal crate.
"Stay there," she whispered.
She stood up. She took a deep breath.
Her skin began to shimmer. Her hands, her arms, her neck—they turned translucent, sparkling, harder than steel. The Diamond Queen manifested.
"You want her?" Jasmin said, raising her diamond fists. "You have to go through me."
The Chimera tilted its head. "Acceptable."
It lunged.
Jasmin didn't dodge. She met the charge. She punched.
Her diamond fist met the mechanical claw.
KRRR-ACK!
The sound was like a thunderclap in the enclosed room. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the air.
Jasmin slid back five feet, her boots carving grooves in the floor. Her arm went numb. But her skin held. The diamond didn't crack.
The boy stumbled back. He looked at his claw. There was a dent in the metal.
"Unexpected resistance," the boy stated. "Recalibrating."
Ken scrambled to his feet, blood dripping from his shoulder. He saw Jasmin holding the line. He saw the Diamond Queen fighting a monster.
"Hold him, Jia!" Ken shouted. He grabbed a loose iron bar from a broken cage. "I'm coming!"
He charged again.
The Chimera spun, facing two threats now. The green fire flared in one hand, the claw snapped in the other.
Ken swung the iron bar. Jasmin wound up for another punch. The monster crouched, ready to spring.
The battle for the Orchid House had just begun. And in the chaos, no one noticed the red light on the wall blinking faster and faster.
Self-Destruct Sequence Initiated.
Chapter : 1520
The facility wasn't just a prison. It was a bomb. And the timer was ticking.
The Grand Hall of the Royal Palace was a sea of masks, silk, and whispered secrets. Chandeliers dripping with crystal cast a warm, golden glow over the revelers, but the air was thick with tension. Every noble, general, and minister in the room knew this wasn't just a party; it was a political maneuver. Princess Seraphina had demanded this ball, and everyone was waiting to see why.
Lloyd Ferrum, dressed in his midnight blue velvet, stood near the edge of the dance floor. He adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles, his eyes scanning the room. He saw the Phalanxes lining the walls, their black armor a stark contrast to the colorful gowns. He saw the Obsidian Eye officers mingling in the crowd, their masks not festive but functional.
"It's a powder keg," Lloyd murmured to himself. "And I'm holding the match."
He checked his pocket watch. It had been an hour since Ken and Jasmin left. They should be at the fence line by now.
The music swelled—a waltz. It was time for the next move.
Lloyd walked towards the dais where the Royal Family sat. King Aurelius looked frail, propped up in his throne like a doll, his eyes wandering. Beside him, Prince Cassius looked bored and dangerous, swirling his wine.
And there was Seraphina. She wore a mask of white feathers and diamonds. She sat rigid, her hands gripping the armrests of her chair. She looked like she was about to face a firing squad.
Lloyd approached the dais. He bowed low.
"Your Highness," Lloyd said, his voice carrying over the music. "Princess Seraphina. May I have the honor of this dance?"
The crowd went silent. A foreign doctor asking the Princess to dance? It was audacious. It was scandalous.
Cassius sneered. "My sister is tired, Doctor. She does not—"
"I would be delighted," Seraphina interrupted. Her voice was thin, but clear.
She stood up. She offered her hand to Lloyd.
Cassius’s eyes narrowed. He looked from Lloyd to Seraphina. He didn't like this. He didn't like it at all. But he couldn't make a scene in front of the entire court. Not tonight.
"Go ahead," Cassius said lazily. "Try not to step on her toes, Doctor. Her feet are delicate."
"I shall tread lightly," Lloyd promised.
He took Seraphina’s hand. It was ice cold and trembling. He led her onto the floor. The crowd parted for them.
As the music swirled around them, Lloyd pulled her into the waltz.
"Breathe," he whispered. "You are doing well."
"I am terrified," she whispered back, her voice tight. "Cassius keeps looking at me. Like he knows."
"He doesn't know," Lloyd said, spinning her gently. "He suspects. That is different. Suspicion makes him watch you. And as long as he is watching you, he isn't watching the North Woods."
"Are they safe?" she asked. "Your friends?"
"They are in the fire now," Lloyd said. "We just have to keep the water away."
He guided her across the floor. They moved well together. Lloyd’s movements were precise, controlled. Seraphina, despite her fear, had the training of a royal. She floated.
"Smile," Lloyd commanded softly. "Look like you are enjoying yourself. Look like a Princess who has reclaimed her court."
Seraphina forced a smile. It was brittle, but from a distance, it looked radiant.
"The Generals are watching," Lloyd murmured. "See them? By the pillar. General Kaelen. General Voren. They are old guard. Loyal to the King. They hate Cassius, but they fear him."
"They think I am weak," Seraphina said.
"Show them you are not," Lloyd said. "Hold your head up. Look them in the eye as we pass."
She lifted her chin. She met General Kaelen’s gaze. The old soldier blinked, surprised by the steel in her blue eyes. He nodded, a small, respectful gesture.
"Good," Lloyd said. "You are building allies. Just by existing."
The dance ended. Lloyd bowed. Seraphina curtsied. The applause was polite, but hesitant. The court didn't know which way the wind was blowing yet.
As Lloyd escorted her back to the dais, Cassius stepped down to meet them. He blocked their path.
"A charming performance," Cassius said. His voice was smooth, but his eyes were dead. "You seem... invigorated, sister."
"The music is lovely, brother," Seraphina said.
"And you, Doctor," Cassius turned to Lloyd. "You dance well for a scholar. Almost... military precision."
"Rhythm is mathematical, Highness," Lloyd deflected. "One, two, three. It is simple logic."