Serena slowly opened her eyes, expecting pain, expecting impact, expecting the end—

—but what she saw instead froze her for a brief moment.

Damon stood in front of her, mid-motion, his body twisted slightly as he brought down a massive sledgehammer with both hands, the weapon cutting through the air with a heavy, crushing force before colliding directly with the Level 2 construct, the impact reverberating through the entire floor as the machine’s upper body crumpled under the sheer weight and momentum, its frame folding in on itself as metal buckled and shattered, leaving behind a mangled heap that no longer resembled its original form.

He didn’t stop.

The moment the strike landed, Damon shifted his weight and rolled to the side, his instincts kicking in just as a laser beam tore through the space where he had been standing a fraction of a second earlier, the energy blast scorching the ground as it passed.

Damon rose from the roll in one smooth motion, his eyes already locked onto the next target as he spotted another Level 2 construct advancing, its red eye glowing brighter as it prepared another attack.

He moved fast.

Closing the distance as he stepped onto a nearby barricade, using the elevation to his advantage as he lifted the sledgehammer high above his head, his grip tightening as his muscles coiled with intent.

Then—

He brought it down.

With everything.

The hammer struck the construct squarely, the force behind the blow transferring completely through the dense alloy body, overwhelming its structural integrity as the machine shattered under the impact, its form collapsing violently as fragments scattered across the floor, reduced to nothing more than twisted debris.

Damon landed steadily.

The sledgehammer still in his hands.

For a brief moment, he simply stood there, his breathing even, his gaze lowering slightly as he muttered under his breath.

"A medium for your strength to deliver the maximum impact..."

He turned.

Lifting the sledgehammer with one hand now, resting it casually against his shoulder as though its weight meant nothing to him, his expression returning to its usual calm as he added,

"I guess I can use it."

Behind him, Mira was already kneeling beside Serena, her hands glowing with soft golden light as she healed the burn and cut on her arm, her focus entirely on stabilizing her condition.

Serena exhaled sharply, her expression tightening as she glanced toward Damon, irritation flickering despite the situation.

"Tch... what were you doing till now?" she said, her tone edged, though the underlying relief was hard to miss.

Ethan approached Damon, his eyes wide with a mix of surprise and admiration as he looked between him and the weapon.

"You are pretty strong..." he said, almost in disbelief.

Damon glanced at the sledgehammer resting on his shoulder before replying casually,

"This hammer is pretty durable as well."

Ethan’s eyes lit up instantly, a spark of pride flashing across his face as he straightened slightly.

"O-of course it is...!" he said quickly, his voice carrying unmistakable enthusiasm, "I made it with my own hands... using one of the strongest alloys ever discovered..."

Damon’s lips curved into a faint smile as he glanced at the weapon again, his fingers adjusting slightly on the grip.

"Is that so, huh?"

Mira and Serena quickly regrouped beside Damon, the tension still lingering in the air as the aftermath of the previous clash settled only for a brief moment, while Ethan’s expression turned serious once again, his earlier excitement fading into caution as he looked toward the stairway ahead.

"From here on, there will be more and more Level 2 constructs... we need to be careful," he said, his voice steady but carrying a clear warning.

Damon gave a small nod, as did Serena, while Mira tightened her grip slightly, her resolve firming despite the danger, and without wasting any more time, the group continued upward, their pace controlled but unbroken as they ascended the next flight of stairs.

They didn’t get far.

The moment they reached the next level, the atmosphere shifted violently as multiple Level 2 constructs activated at once, their red diamond-shaped eyes flaring brightly as they locked onto the intruders, their bodies reconfiguring mid-motion as limbs split and reshaped into various weapons, from rotating blades to elongated barrels that began charging with a dangerous glow.

Then—

They fired.

Laser beams cut across the space in rapid succession, forcing the group to scatter slightly as the floor and walls were scorched with streaks of energy, the constructs advancing in coordinated patterns as they attempted to overwhelm them with both ranged and close-range attacks.

Damon stepped forward without hesitation.

He glanced briefly at Serena, his voice calm but firm.

"Protect Mira."

Serena’s brows furrowed as she took in the number of enemies closing in, her grip tightening on her whip as she responded sharply,

"They are too many... wouldn’t it be better if we handle them together—"

But Damon was already moving.

"Don’t let Mira out of your sight," he said, cutting her off as he pushed forward into the incoming wave.

Serena clicked her tongue in frustration.

"Tch..."

Yet she didn’t argue further.

Instead, she shifted her stance, positioning herself directly beside Mira as her whip snapped into motion, her focus splitting between defense and opportunistic strikes.

Meanwhile, Damon advanced alone.

Into the storm.

Laser beams streaked toward him, but his body moved with sharp precision as he weaved through the attacks, his footwork controlled and efficient as he slipped past each beam by narrow margins, his eyes constantly tracking trajectories and timing rather than reacting blindly.

A construct lunged at him from the side, its limb morphing into a bladed weapon mid-swing, but Damon stepped in rather than away, his leg shooting out to pin the limb at the joint, disrupting its motion just long enough for him to bring the sledgehammer down with crushing force, the impact shattering the connection point and sending the unit collapsing.

Another attacked from behind.

He turned sharply, using the haft of the hammer to deflect the incoming strike before pivoting and delivering a horizontal blow that crushed through the construct’s torso, the sheer force breaking its structure beyond repair.

The battlefield around him became a constant flow of movement and impact, as Damon used a combination of positioning, timing, and raw strength to dismantle each incoming unit, his strikes deliberate and efficient, each swing of the hammer carrying enough weight to end the engagement in a single hit if it connected cleanly.

Behind him, Serena remained near Mira, her whip lashing out in controlled arcs as she intercepted any construct that attempted to bypass Damon’s line, dismantling them with precise strikes, and occasionally, when an opening presented itself, she extended her reach further, disrupting attacks aimed at Damon, her timing sharp as she snapped a construct’s joint just as it prepared to strike him from a blind angle.

Mira stayed close, her attention divided between maintaining awareness and preparing to heal if needed, her presence protected within the tight defensive space Serena maintained.

Bit by bit—

The numbers thinned.

The coordinated assault broke apart under sustained resistance, until the last of the Level 2 constructs fell, their shattered remains scattered across the floor.

Silence followed.

Heavy and earned.

Damon lowered the sledgehammer slightly as he exhaled, his gaze lifting toward the stairway ahead.

They had reached the ninth floor.

Only one more remained.

The tenth.

The top.

Damon and the others climbed the final flight of stairs, their pace slowing ever so slightly as the tension thickened with each step, until at last they emerged onto the top floor.

The space that greeted them was vast.

Far larger than any level below.

The ceiling stretched high above, supported by sleek metallic pillars that pulsed faintly with energy, while the entire floor extended outward like an empty arena, its smooth surface unmarred except for faint circuit-like patterns that glowed intermittently beneath their feet.

And at the far end—

A cube.

Suspended mid-air.

It floated silently, radiating a soft yet intense blue glow, its surface shifting with layers of data-like patterns that flowed endlessly across it, as though it was alive, processing, thinking, controlling everything within this world.

Ethan’s voice broke the silence.

"That... is what we have to destroy..."

Damon, Mira, and Serena all fixed their gaze upon the cube, understanding immediately that this was the core, the heart of everything they had encountered so far.

But—

They were not alone.

Standing between them and the cube was something else.

Something far more imposing.

The construct was massive, easily towering over any unit they had faced before, its frame built from a denser, darker alloy that seemed to absorb the surrounding light rather than reflect it, its limbs thicker, more defined, yet designed with an unsettling fluidity that hinted at adaptability beyond rigid mechanical limits.

Its head bore the same flattened structure, but far more refined, and at its center, the red diamond-shaped eye glowed with a depth that felt... aware.

Watching.

Calculating.

Alive.

Damon’s grip tightened slightly on the sledgehammer as he spoke, his voice calm despite the situation.

"I presume... we have to defeat L1-001 first, then."

Ethan nodded, his expression tense.

"That’s right..."

The four of them stepped forward in unison.

Taking their stances.

Preparing for the inevitable clash.

Then—

The red eye of L1-001 flared to life, its glow intensifying as a low mechanical hum resonated through the entire floor.

"You are finally here."

The voice echoed.

Not broken.

Not distorted.

But clear and controlled.

Almost... human.

Damon’s expression sharpened instantly as he adjusted his footing, while Serena’s whip tightened in her grasp and Mira steadied herself behind them, ready to support, as the atmosphere shifted from tension to imminent conflict.

L1-001 remained still for a moment longer.

Then spoke again.

"I won’t let you do it."

What followed—

Was unlike anything they had seen before.

A sharp mechanical resonance pulsed through its body.

Then—

Separation.

Its right arm detached first, not breaking, but disengaging with precision as the joints split open cleanly, internal mechanisms unfolding and extending outward, the limb hovering momentarily before its structure reconfigured mid-air, segments rotating and locking into new positions as smaller appendages formed from within, reshaping into an independent construct with its own glowing red core.

At the same time, sections of its torso shifted.

Plates slid apart.

Fragments separated.

One of the smaller segments broke off entirely, falling toward the ground before stabilizing mid-descent, its surface splitting open as internal components expanded, forming a compact unit that unfolded its limbs outward, stabilizing itself before locking into a battle-ready stance.

Even the smallest piece—

A fragment no larger than a forearm—

Detached and transformed, its outer shell peeling back as fine mechanical joints extended, forming a smaller but fully functional construct, its single red eye flickering to life as it aligned itself with the others.

In seconds—

L1-001 had multiplied.

Not through creation.

But division.

Each piece becoming its own entity.

Each entity fully operational.

Each one ready to fight.

Damon took a slow breath, his eyes scanning the rapidly growing number of constructs forming before them, the realization settling in as the battlefield shifted entirely.

"It seems..." he said, tightening his grip on the sledgehammer, "...it won’t be that easy, huh?"