Chapter 63: Electronic Virus
"Heh, I honestly didn't expect you to tell the truth. You're a Decepticon commander, aren't you? But I don't understand what's going on with Cybertron. How could someone as weak as you possibly be trusted with such responsibility?"
Perhaps after watching Starscream's recorded transmission to Cybertron, Lockdown's hostility toward him suddenly softened. He even lowered his weapon.
It seemed that, despite being stranded far from home, this veteran Decepticon still held some sense of loyalty toward his kind.
However, Lockdown didn't know that Starscream had already secretly pledged allegiance to the Decepticons again.
For Starscream, avoiding a direct fight was already a huge advantage.
"Host, this guy named Lockdown's combat power is on par with Megatron's. If we want to defeat him, we'd need to upgrade our armor and weapons by at least 60%. Avoiding a fight with him right now is the right move. Our priority should be figuring out what's wrong with that mechanical panther next to us. I'm detecting something strange...like some kind of advanced electronic virus."
Logically, with the two massive Dinobots attacking together, that mechanical panther should've been destroyed.
Yet somehow, the neck that had just been twisted was regenerating, and its nearly crushed forelegs were repairing themselves.
The material and regenerative ability were unlike anything Starscream had ever seen before.
According to the Transformer system's analysis, the panther's body contained a mysterious, virus-like substance.
At first glance, it appeared like an advanced artifact...but that very virus had stripped the panther of its ability to transform, trapping it in a fully mechanical beast form, unable to return to its robotic state.
"That's strange… I remember this guy! He was a Decepticon warrior, just like me, centuries ago. What the hell happened to him?"
Starscream wasn't the only one puzzled. Lockdown's expression darkened as well. That mechanical panther had once been his comrade. Something terrible must've happened for him to end up like this.
"Then tell me...what happened in this underground city? Why are there Autobots and Decepticons on this planet? What kind of shady operation are you running here?"
Though he doubted Lockdown would answer, Starscream still asked...hoping for any clue. Lockdown, as an ancient Decepticon, likely had records dating back hundreds of years...far more than the confused Dinobot Sludge could provide.
"Heh, Starscream… what makes you think you're qualified to question me? If it were Megatron himself...the current Supreme Commander of the Decepticons...perhaps I'd share a few things with him. But you? You're not worth my time. This mission is already a failure. There's no reason for me to stay any longer. We'll talk again when your real boss arrives."
Lockdown seemed to sense Megatron's impending arrival. He ignored Starscream completely, glanced one last time at the beastly form of his former comrade, and without hesitation, blasted his way out of the underground dungeon.
Even though they were 20 meters below the surface, the crude stone and brick structures were nothing to a warrior like Lockdown.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
A deafening rumble echoed as the ground trembled. Instead of taking the easier exit nearby, Lockdown chose the most direct route...blasting through solid rock to the surface. The shockwave felt like a full-blown earthquake!
"Quick, look! The underground palace is collapsing!"
"What...what is that!? Something's emerging from the ground!"
Most of the Hun warriors on the surface had already been wiped out by earlier attacks. But now, from somewhere nearby, a cavalry unit appeared...bearing a dragon-shaped banner.
"Huh? The Eastern Guardians? That banner looks familiar… I didn't think these humans still existed after a thousand years."
As Lockdown rose into the sunlight, he spotted the cavalry far below...tiny as ants from his height. Instead of fleeing, he calmly raised his laser cannon and aimed at the banner.
"No! It's the Celestial Demon! The legendary Celestial Demon! Form up! Protect the banner!"
Whether it was the massive Decepticon insignia on his chest or the sight of his glowing cannon, the human soldiers below panicked. They quickly locked their shields together, forming a massive defensive wall around their dragon-emblazoned standard.
"Hmph, foolish humans. I thought you'd evolved after all these centuries...but you still use the same old tricks."
Lockdown sneered and lightly squeezed the trigger. A purple beam shot down from the sky.
"BOOM!"
"Aaaagh!"
The energy blast tore through the human formation like paper. The soldiers scattered in terror, their dragon banner reduced to ashes in seconds.
After that single strike, Lockdown didn't fire again. He simply turned, ignited his thrusters, and disappeared into the distant clouds...leaving behind chaos and despair.
At least 200 soldiers were dead or injured in the attack.
Fortunately, Lockdown's only target had been the banner itself. Had he truly attacked, the remaining humans wouldn't have lasted ten seconds.
The difference between the age of swords and the age of lasers was absolute.
And yet, the tremors from the underground city hadn't stopped.
The ground quaked once more...stronger than before.
Could it be…?
(End of Chapter)
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