Tall and slender, its dark, glossy skin looked like an insulating sheath wrapped around live wires, preventing the electricity inside its body from leaking out.
Two antennae swayed atop Feedback's head, and between them sat a single emerald-green eye that shifted subtly, sharp and full of life.
Yellow plugs jutted from its fingers, elbows, and shoulders, capable of absorbing an enemy's energy, refining it into electricity to store within its body or rebound straight back.
Facing the towering Feedback, the three on the opposite side were completely stunned.
What kind of alien was this?
With such skinny arms and legs, thin as a monkey's, could it really rip out their controllers?
"Hey, listen," Blood Shadow Tiger said, unable to stay quiet any longer.
"If you turned into that dragon-man, maybe you could dismantle the controller. But what is this supposed to be? You're way too scrawny…"
Technorg scratched his head and laughed.
"Looks like some kind of Plug Man. Doesn't feel nearly as scary as that ghost from earlier."
Inside the Shadow Death Guard's silver helmet, his golden eyes flickered with uncertainty.
He knew very well that this newly crowned champion was unfathomably strong. Just moments ago, Ghostfreak had defeated all three of them in the arena. Now Lucian had chosen to transform into this so-called Plug Man. There was no way he'd done that without a reason.
"I trust you. Go ahead," the Shadow Death Guard said at last.
Feedback grinned.
Reaching out, it hooked a finger around the controller on the Shadow Death Guard's back and began to pull, slowly and steadily.
Zzzzt!
In an instant, a violent surge of blue electricity burst out, pouring endlessly from the controller.
The Shadow Death Guard's eyes widened in shock. He could feel countless currents licking at his wounds, ready to flood through his entire body.
"Such pitiful electricity. It's nothing more than food to me."
Feedback snorted, its voice buzzing with static as it began absorbing the energy at a frenzied pace.
The raging currents surged out of the controller, but before they could even touch the Shadow Death Guard, they were swallowed by Feedback. The energy raced through its body, rapidly refined and converted into its own power.
"…That feels amazing."
One hand on its hip and the other gripping the controller, Feedback looked completely relaxed.
Technorg's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"My god, what is this? He's not afraid of electricity at all!"
Blood Shadow Tiger was just as stunned.
"I've never seen a creature that doesn't fear electricity. He's the first. What a freak…"
It didn't take long for Feedback to drain every last bit of power from the controller.
With a sharp yank, it tore the controller free from the Shadow Death Guard's back and crushed it in its palm. The device shattered into fragments of red debris that scattered across the ground.
"Impressive," the Shadow Death Guard said sincerely, giving a thumbs-up.
"No big deal," Feedback replied, flashing an OK sign.
A few minutes later, the controllers on Blood Shadow Tiger and Technorg were removed as well, restoring their freedom.
"Hahaha! Thanks so much, big bro!"
Technorg was so excited he felt like a thousand-pound brute, rushing forward and wrapping Feedback in a tight hug.
He'd been convinced he would spend the rest of his life aboard the ship with that cursed controller stuck to him. He never imagined Feedback would save him, descending like a god from the heavens. The feeling was nothing short of exhilarating.
Blood Shadow Tiger felt utterly mortified. He had clearly underestimated Feedback earlier and hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
"Ahem… I failed to recognize true greatness just now. Please don't hold it against a country bumpkin like me…"
"That's enough. We have more important matters to deal with," Feedback said, waving it off. "Our top priority is to cause a riot in the cafeteria. We need hundreds of aliens to turn this ship upside down."
"After that, we break into the main control room, capture Slix Vigma, and use him to activate the emergency escape pods. Then everyone goes home, each to their own place. Any objections?"
"None," the three replied in unison.
Feedback nodded, then asked, "Which one of you knows the way to the cafeteria?"
"I do," Technorg said, stepping forward.
"Is it far from here?"
"Not really. About thirty or forty meters," Technorg replied, scratching his head.
"Good. Since it's close, we'll charge straight in," Feedback said, pausing briefly. "There will definitely be a lot of robots. You handle them. I'll remove the other aliens' controllers first, then regroup with you."
"No problem," the Shadow Death Guard answered without hesitation.
Blood Shadow Tiger and Technorg nodded as well. At this point, there was no turning back.
Everything would be decided here.
Bang!
Technorg smashed the door open with a single punch and rushed out, taking the lead.
Feedback, the Shadow Death Guard, and Blood Shadow Tiger followed close behind. All of them were top-tier fighters, moving at incredible speed. Afterimages streaked through the corridor as fierce winds howled in their wake.
Before long, surveillance cameras picked them up.
Slix Vigma flew into a rage.
"Ungrateful traitors! After all the resources I poured into them, they dare betray me? They're asking for death!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Without delay, he dispatched eighty warrior robots, teleporting them to the cafeteria entrance to block the group's path and wipe them out.
Countless crimson robots surged forward, wielding laser blades and riding floating spheres. Packed tightly together, they poured toward the group like a horde of unleashed zombies.
"Die! I've put up with you long enough!" Technorg roared.
He charged head-on, his massive frame slamming forward and instantly crushing three or four robots beneath him.
He sprang back up and swung his hardened flail wildly, unleashing brutal force as he smashed robot after robot. His momentum was overwhelming.
Some of the robots tried to activate Technorg's controller, but it was useless. The device had already been destroyed by Feedback.
Seeing Technorg's ferocity, the other two refused to fall behind.
Blood Shadow Tiger dropped to all fours and let out a terrifying roar. With a powerful kick of its hind legs, it shot forward as a red blur, relentlessly slaughtering the enemy. Wherever it passed, only wreckage remained.
The Shadow Death Guard snorted coldly. Purple shadow energy wrapped around his arms, forming claws capable of tearing through space itself. Each strike landed on a robot like a blade slicing through soft tofu, meeting no resistance at all.
Realizing the situation was slipping out of control, Slix Vigma immediately sent in more robots from behind. They poured in densely, nearly filling the entire corridor.
"Open fire! Blast them to pieces!" Slix Vigma bellowed, fury blazing as he resolved to wipe them out completely.
Hundreds of robots raised their laser rifles and pulled the triggers in unison. Scarlet beams erupted like a raging storm, raining down toward the group.
"This is bad," the Shadow Death Guard muttered, his gaze sharpening.
"Leave it to me!"
Feedback stepped in front of the others, raising its palm as its antennae and tail lashed through the air. Its figure flickered back and forth, absorbing every incoming laser beam and dissolving the attack completely.
"So much energy…"
After taking in the lasers from hundreds of robots, Feedback felt a vast surge of power swelling inside its body, nearly bursting free.
"Then I'll give it back to you!"
The moment the words left its mouth, every plug on Feedback's body erupted with surging blue lightning. The arcs spiraled and pierced forward, intertwining into a massive bolt of azure thunder.
Like a roaring thunder dragon, it surged ahead and swallowed the entire swarm of robots in an instant…