The room pulsed with a deep, mechanical hum.
Thick cables coiled around the massive figure at the far end—like steel veins feeding a beast too dangerous to be left unchecked.
The creature's glowing red eyes flickered to life, scanning the intruders.
And then—the chains snapped.
Hellion's Greatest Weapon
The system screamed warnings inside Ryo's skull.
> [WARNING: PROJECT TITAN IS FULLY OPERATIONAL.]
[THREAT LEVEL: CRITICAL.]
Krieg's fists tightened. "We should've left this door shut."
Karin cursed, raising her rifle. "Uh… any chance this thing just ignores us?"
The massive figure took its first step forward.
The ground shook.
Serra's cybernetic eye flickered rapidly, scanning. "It's… not human."
Not anymore.
Ryo took in the hulking frame—a fusion of organic flesh and machine, standing nearly four meters tall.
Broad, armored plating reinforced its limbs, while energy conduits pulsed beneath its synthetic skin.
And its face—
Half-human.
Half Hellion's perfect war machine.
It tilted its head. Studying them.
Then—it spoke.
> "You are… unregistered variables."
Its voice was low. Hollow.
Then—its chest plates slid open.
Revealing a massive plasma core.
> "Correction: You are targets."
Then—it attacked.
The Monster Unleashed
The Titan lunged forward, faster than anything that size had any right to be.
A massive fist swung down—
Ryo barely dodged, rolling aside as the impact cratered the floor beneath him.
Vos and Karin opened fire, their shots pinging off its armor uselessly.
Serra cursed. "Normal weapons won't break that plating!"
Krieg roared, charging in with a shoulder slam.
The Titan didn't budge.
Instead—it grabbed Krieg by the throat.
And hurled him across the room.
CRASH.
Krieg slammed into a steel pillar, coughing blood.
The Titan turned back to Ryo, its red gaze burning.
> "You are not optimal. You will be erased."
Ryo's heartbeat slowed.
He could feel it now—the weight of this thing.
Not just a weapon.
A war machine designed to wipe out anything weaker than it.
And right now?
That meant him.
Only One Option
The system pinged.
> [LIMITER OVERRIDE AVAILABLE.]
[WARNING: EXTREME PHYSICAL STRAIN EXPECTED.]
Ryo exhaled.
Then—he smiled.
> "Bring it on, asshole."
He flexed his fingers. Felt the energy surging through his limbs.
If he was going to kill this thing—
He'd have to become the monster Hellion always feared he'd be.