“‘Time to hunt vermin’?” I repeat, confused.

  At once, the box emits a beep and a light scans me. The next second, five objects shoot toward me: one attaches to Leonidas’s chest, two to the arms, and two more to the legs. Finally, the box splits in two, leaving behind a single, solitary handle standing upright.

  “What the hell…?”

  [Look, a giant unknown monster] Clifford says, lifting a pair of binoculars.

  “What?” I ask, and immediately realize what he means when a golden spear appears to my left, aimed precisely at my cockpit. Damn it! I don’t have time to dodge. I brace for impact, but instead a light intercepts the spear’s path and, with a powerful shockwave, hurls the figure back into the forest.

  “…And what was that?” I ask, looking at Clifford.

  [You couldn’t have asked anyone better. A couple of centuries ago, the Rim had a little pest problem: a hive-type species, basically alien insects. The trouble was, they were a colossal nuisance: fast breeders, and even after death they kept causing problems, since their blood was extremely corrosive to human armor. So a series of tools was developed to exterminate them] he explains, now dressed in a pest-control suit.

  “Insects?” I repeat, unable to keep up with his long explanation.

  Clifford looks at me for a moment, as if weighing whether he should repeat everything, but in the end he ignores me and continues his lecture.

  [What you just witnessed is the exterminators’ repulsive energy armor. It protects the unit with a layer of energy that also generates repulsive waves. Very useful for keeping the equipment clean and avoiding physical contact.]

  I look down at my body: a faint blue glow surrounds it. Now I understand. That’s why Rob sent this to me: it’s the perfect counter to these creatures, preventing the golden corruption while protecting me at the same time.

  [It’s coming again, grab the handle!] Clifford warns me.

  The enemy, enraged at being thrown aside twice, lunges at me. I don’t overthink it: I seize the handle and bring it up to meet the incoming spear. In that instant, I witness a blade of blue energy materialize and envelop it, stopping the strike.

  [Second tool: the trusty energy blade. Designed to cut and cut regardless of wear or corrosion, since its edge—made of pure energy—simply regenerates by consuming ether from the armor] Clifford declares, holding an energy sword. He is no longer wearing a pest-control suit, but a robe, like a wise master.

  “Looks like Rob gave me some serious backup,” I say as a bit of confidence returns.

  With a swing of my energy blade, I deflect its spear and force it back. That gives me time to study it more closely: it’s a golden model, very similar to my own, wielding a double-bladed spear that it spins with fury as he analyzes me.

  “Team Leader…”

  It was Leader Reiner. Or at least, what he once was; my most reliable superior, a formidable warrior who had reached the pinnacle of humanity, just one step away from becoming a legend.

  My sword trembles as I grasp the height of the peak standing before me.

  “No, this isn’t the time to hesitate,” I tell myself, tightening my grip on the blade.

  Slowly, I take my stance, my sword extended toward it.

  “Forgive my disrespect, Leader, but I will defeat you and free you from that golden prison.”

  The armor no longer roars; instead, it mirrors my stance with its halberd, and we both launch ourselves at each other.

  The blade of its weapon thrusts forward at astonishing speed so fast I can barely track it even with the enhanced capacity of my circlet. Still, I manage to interpose my energy blade and block it. The impact is brutal; the force behind the thrust fractures my blade and sends me stumbling back several steps.

  My sword hasn’t fully regenerated yet when a second thrust slips through a gap in my guard and strikes my shoulder. Thankfully, the film of light interposes itself, and the repulsive shockwave throws us apart.

  “…This doesn’t look good. It’s far faster and stronger than I am. I can barely keep up; if it weren’t for the barrier, my unit’s arm would’ve been torn off,” I mutter, cold sweat running down my back.

  [It’s excellent equipment, but with atrocious energy consumption. It’s not designed for prolonged fights] Clifford warns me.

  “What did you say?!” I exclaim as I struggle to block the flurry of incoming thrusts.

  [The barrier and the blade are sustained by continuously drawing energy from the armor’s ether reactor, reducing its operational duration. Normally, the Leonidas model has twelve hours of standard autonomy and four to five in combat. I estimate that the current consumption reduces that to less than a third] he explains, idly fiddling with an abacus.

  “This can’t be happening,” I groan as I watch my energy gauge drop at a steady but unmistakable pace.

  The blows keep coming in an avalanche. The golden armor attacks relentlessly, without tiring, while my own strikes barely reach it and the little damage I manage to inflict is regenerated almost instantly.

  The only brief pauses come when the repulsion barrier shoves it back, but slowly the demon begins to adapt. The energy clashes no longer send it flying as far; it starts to brace itself, adjusting its posture to deflect the energy instead of taking it head-on. And so the counterattacks keep coming, one after another.

  “How can it be this skilled?” I mutter under my breath. “Well, at least it hasn’t managed to hurt me either. I just have to keep it busy.”

  Suddenly, the enemy pulls back, giving me a moment to breathe and leaving me confused. It’s clearly frustrated by the stalemate we’ve reached, so I assume it’s about to try something new.

  I brace myself for the attack, but contrary to all expectations, I see it crouch low to the ground. Its body coils backward as its legs and one arm dig into the earth, while the limb holding the spear draws back. Slowly, its entire body begins to glow with a golden light.

  That posture reminds me of something… but what?

  “Ah, right. A cat about to—”

  [Guard up] Clifford warns me.

  The golden armor vanishes in an instant as it launches itself at me like a spring, releasing a burst of energy that slams into my barrier. Thanks to the warning, I manage to cross my arms in front of me at the very last second.

  Beams of energy and sparks explode against my shield as it stops the spear’s charge. I can barely withstand the monstrous force driving it; it’s like being hit by a truck. Cracks begin to crawl across the barrier, which shudders on the verge of shattering into a thousand pieces.

  “Hold!” I shout as I push the energy output to its limit.

  Fortunately, the barrier endures the merciless blow and hurls the unit backward.

  I breathe heavily as I watch it stand again. It seems it didn’t come away unscathed either; the sheer force of the impact has shattered the arm holding the halberd, and its feet buckle from the strain of the leap.

  “A double-edged move… or at least, it should be. But for this monster, it’s perfect,” I exclaim, watching as its damage begins to repair itself.

  [This is bad, very bad. Blocking that last strike drained a huge portion of the armor’s ether reactor. I estimate that after a few more hits, it’ll collapse completely] Clifford says, hysterical, covering his eyes with his ears.

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  I check the energy gauge: sure enough, it has dropped sharply. The enemy’s plan seems to be to keep pounding relentlessly until it breaks through me. Things are not looking good at all.

  “Do you think I can escape?” I ask, searching for alternatives.

  [Doubtful. If it’s as fierce a predator as I am, it won’t let its prey go] he replies, nibbling on a plush rabbit.

  I watch my enemy, now fully recovered, preparing for its next piercing attack.

  Think, Alex, think. I can’t find a way. If Rob were here, he’d come up with something; he always has a plan…

  “That’s it! Clifford, he left you with me for a reason. He must have had a plan, so tell me, did he leave anything for emergencies?”

  […There is something. A folder marked “50/50.” My creator prepared it the night before, with more caffeine in his body than blood. It hasn’t been tested yet] he says, at the same time hiding something behind his back.

  While Clifford was debating whether to reveal it or not, I took another hit from the enemy that ended much the same way, but sent me flying much farther back. It’s getting better.

  “There’s no time! Anything will do!” I shout, a bit desperate. A fifty percent chance is far better than what I have now.

  [Okay, okay. Clifford is a good boy. I’ll start activating it while I explain.]

  Slowly, I begin to feel the temperature inside the cockpit rise.

  “What’s happening?”

  [It’s Candle Mode. Have you ever heard the saying that a brighter candle burns out in half the time? That’s because its flame is larger and releases more energy, but at the same time it consumes much more] he says, holding a candle between his paws.

  “Something like what the golden armor does when it glows while concentrating its energy?”

  [Quite similar. It seems my creator was inspired by exactly that. To put it simply, Candle Mode disables all the equipment limiters and overloads the reactor, giving the armor a surge of energy beyond what it can even withstand] he explains while plugging an enormous battery into a toy robot.

  As he talks, my armor begins venting smoke, and some sections start to melt.

  [I suggest you put on your MechFrame helmet, because this is only going to get hotter] he says, now wearing a firefighter’s suit.

  Trusting his words, I hurriedly put on the helmet. But the heat seems to be only just beginning. The ethereal circuit lines of my Leonidas start to glow intensely with a very distinctive blue light.

  [It’s already started, and it won’t stop. You have only a few minutes: either the energy will be completely depleted, or you’ll be burned by it. So you’d better make the most of them and shine brightly] Clifford tells me, holding a very short candle that has already begun to burn away.

  “A few minutes, huh?” I place my hands on the controls. “Looks like I don’t have any excuses left to lose.”

  I take up my energy sword, which begins to tremble and warp under the massive levels of ether pouring into it.

  The golden armor pauses for a few seconds as it witnesses the changes in my unit, but it already looks ready for another assault.

  “I hope you enjoyed yourself, because from now on it’s my turn,” I say, and instead of waiting for the strike, I launch myself at it in an explosion of blue light.

  The enemy is ready as well and springs toward me like a coiled spring. It’s still very fast and incredibly strong, but this time I have more power. I grip my sword tightly, trembling as if it can no longer contain any more energy, and unleash a blow, releasing it all upon my unfortunate opponent.

  The energy and heat of our impact are unbelievable. Nearby trees explode and are flung away, scorched. A smoking crater appears in the forest, and from the smoke a figure is hurled out, bouncing several times before slamming full-force into a hillside.

  I watch as the stunned golden armor ends up half-buried in the rock, paralyzed by shock, while I remain hovering in the sky. The power I now possess is incredible; it’s not just speed, not even raw strength: it’s power. Energy coursing through my body, so much that it overwhelms someone who, until moments ago, was toying with me.

  [Temperature rising faster than calculated] Clifford says, showing me a thermostat.

  Clifford’s voice snaps me out of my trance and drags me back to reality. I notice how blue flames are slowly beginning to envelop my armor, devouring its structure. The cockpit is growing hotter by the second.

  [Normal flames shouldn’t damage an armor, but pure ether is melting it rapidly. If you’re going to finish this, you’d better do it fast] Clifford urges, in a firefighter suit, holding a bucket of water.

  “I’m trying, but that guy doesn’t look like it’s going to make it easy.”

  A blinding golden glow erupts from the hillside as it explodes into a thousand pieces, and a golden beam shoots toward me, roaring with fury.

  I catch the thrust on the flat of my blade, stopping it. But the golden momentum is so immense that it lifts us both up into the clouds. I charge the repulsion barrier in my fist and drive a powerful punch into its chest, shattering its armor plates.

  “Eat that!” I shout at the demon as I watch it recoil several meters.

  The combination of the repulsion barrier and the tremendous force struggling to escape from my unit turns my punches into veritable energy cannons.

  In response, my enemy’s fury reaches new heights as it roars and its golden light becomes blinding, like a miniature sun.

  With a swing of its halberd, it unleashes an energy attack that cuts through the clouds straight toward me.

  “This better work,” I say as I mimic it, charging my sword as fast as I can and launching a similar attack.

  Fortunately, it doesn’t disappoint me, and a massive blue energy slash cleaves through the crimson clouds, colliding with the golden thrust and exploding in midair. The enormous blast leaves a void where the clouds were violently blown aside.

  We stare at each other from opposite ends of that emptiness. We tighten our grips on our weapons and charge once more.

  Our furious clashes split the clouds as blue and golden lights cover the planet’s skies. The energy we unleash strikes the earth, carving the ground and tearing through seas. The battle has reached unimaginable levels, like the legends of gods fighting over the fate of the world.

  Neither of us is willing to yield. The intensity only grows, each of us shining brighter and unleashing ever more powerful blows.

  So much energy has wreaked havoc on my Leonidas, which is now a ball of fire. The armor plating and other nonessential parts turned to ash long ago, leaving little more than the frame covered by a hollow shell, riddled with blows and holes that expose the cockpit.

  [You’re already at critical levels. You must end the fight or abandon the unit before you burn along with it] Clifford pleads from the split screen, futilely trying to put out the flames with a digital fire extinguisher.

  The cockpit has become a true inferno, one I can barely endure even with my suit. But it’s starting to melt as well; cracks spread across my helmet, clouding my vision.

  “Hah… hah… hah…!” I gasp in pain and exhaustion; the fight has drained me completely. “I can’t… not yet… if the demon defeats me, it’ll regenerate before long and go help its comrades… I can’t allow that… not even Rob could handle three of them, so… I have to finish this here and now.” I tighten my grip on my utterly deformed sword and go in for one final strike.

  I look at my enemy, who doesn’t look any better than I do. The golden particles floating around it have increased dramatically, like the ashes of a blazing tree rapidly burning out. Its halberd retains only its tip and is bent in several places; it seems its regeneration has slowed.

  “Looks like you’re not as immortal as you seemed,” I say with a small smile. “Clifford, how much energy can the sword handle?”

  [I’m not sure. It passed the most stringent tests without exploding, though no one thought to hook it up to what would be the equivalent of a walking reactor that’s about to go into fusion. It’s simple, rugged equipment whose limit hasn’t been reached yet. Hmm… that would make a great idea for a channel projection] he comments thoughtfully.

  “I’d definitely watch that,” I reply with a smile. “But I’ll have to find out for myself.”

  [Are you sure? In your current condition, you might not withstand that energy.]

  I hesitate for a moment, then activate my sword, which releases a blade charged and raging, as if it were made of fire.

  “Of course I’m not. I’m terrified; I just want to go home to my family, kiss my mother, and hug my little sister,” I think of those who are important to me “But there are also people I have to help,” my friends who are fighting too, and the little girl I hope can return home, also come to mind

  I began pushing the energy output to its limit. The armor’s mini-reactor started melting the unit’s chest, including my cockpit, which barely held together as molten metal dripped through the gaps.

  The golden armor realized things weren’t looking good for it and began gathering energy as well. Everything would be decided in a final clash.

  [Critical point reached. It’s now or never] Clifford warned me.

  I released all the energy, which surged through the unit’s arms, bursting into flames until it finally reached the sword’s hilt, which began to crack under the overload. As I struggled to control such power, the golden armor concentrated everything at the tip of its spear and hurled itself at me, turning into a blazing comet that tore through everything in its path.

  It was time to unleash it all. My mind drifted back to my childhood, when I watched shows about space heroes facing villains with powerful, flashy techniques that had unforgettable names. Yeah, why not?

  “Eat this! Great Demon-Exterminating Sword!!” I shouted as all the energy was released in a gigantic blade that pierced the clouds and slammed into the golden spear.

  The two energies collided in midair, struggling to overpower one another. The heat and shockwaves were incredible; the resulting force began tearing my armor apart, yet I didn’t let go of the blade. I couldn’t, my arms had already fused to the hilt.

  My cockpit began to shatter. The violent impacts broke my helmet and blinded me. Even so, my arms took the worst of it, as flames engulfed the controls, heating them to a red-hot glow.

  Clifford could no longer hear me; the console had exploded long ago. Rob wasn’t coming to save me; he was fighting his own battle. All I could do was ask for a miracle.

  “Please… I can’t go on. Grant me this victory,” I whispered with my last strength.

  Strangely enough, as if answering my plea, the next instant my ears caught the sound of glass shattering. It happened. At last, the sword broke; or so I thought. When I looked down, I saw it was still fighting to stay lit, just like me. What had exploded into thousands of pieces was the golden halberd, which could no longer endure.

  With the spear out of the way, the colossal sword cleaved through the skies and fell like divine punishment upon the golden demon that had terrorized these lands, vaporizing it instantly.

  “Rest in peace, Leader Reiner,” with that final prayer, I released the controls and plummeted toward the ground.

  My reactor had finally run dry. I fell through the air as the companion that had fought at my side began to tear itself apart among the clouds. The body that had barely been holding together vanished in a rain of ashes, leaving my partially charred body to fall toward its inevitable end.

  Unable to do anything more, my gaze could only rise to the skies, where the remnants of an enormous sword of light, shaped like a colossal cross, stood over this planet, splitting its crimson layers and allowing me to glimpse the star-filled void of space for a brief moment.

  “Did you see it? Now you’re all alone,” I smiled at the sight.