Chapter 85: Mauler Juggernaut.

Words : 1162 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Within moments, a low rumble echoed through the city as the Mauler drop pod hurtled from orbit, streaking through the clouds like a comet. It slammed into the ground nearby with a deafening crash, unfolding to reveal the massive war machine, an armored juggernaut bristling with high-caliber weaponry and reinforced plating. The Mauler's cannons began to glow as it powered up, the deep hum of its engines reverberating across the battlefield. Rex grinned, anticipation lighting up his face. "Alright, let's see how this so-called boss handles some real firepower." The Mauler Juggernaut's targeting systems locked onto the towering zombie, and with a thunderous roar, it unleashed its first salvo, a blast of plasma so intense it turned the night into day for a brief moment. The impact struck the creature dead center, sending it staggering backward; chunks of its armored hide blasted away, exposing the raw, pulsing flesh beneath. For the first time, the mutant seemed to hesitate, its monstrous form wavering as it struggled to recover from the blast. But Rex wasn't done yet. "Keep firing," he ordered, his voice cold and unyielding. The Mauler unleashed round after round, each shot tearing into the boss with merciless precision. The ground shook with every impact, the relentless firepower of the Mauler proving too much for even this formidable enemy. But this boss wasn't about to go down quietly. With all the energy it had absorbed from the relentless attacks, it unleashed a powerful counterstrike, firing a barrage of explosive energy blasts toward the Mauler. The zombie's shots tore through the air with blistering speed, each one a deadly streak aimed directly at the Juggernaut. The Mauler Juggernaut, with its massive, lumbering frame, had no chance to dodge. Speed was its Achilles' heel, and even if it had tried, its heavy armor made evasion almost impossible. The energy blasts struck it dead-on, a brutal assault that cracked its shields and engulfed it in a shower of burning plasma. But when the smoke began to clear, the Mauler stood tall, its thick armor barely dented; the only damage was a few scorched marks, paint singed, and peeling. The zombie's assault had done nothing more than scratch the surface of its impenetrable hull. And then, for the first time, a guttural voice rumbled from within the Mauler's comms "[Die, scum.]" Rex's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, did he just say that?" he muttered, glancing at Cleo, who looked equally taken aback. The Kaelzar machines were never programmed for speech beyond their commands. This was new... and unsettling. But the Mauler didn't pause. With a low whir, missile pods unfolded from its shoulders, each one primed and aimed at the stumbling boss. The zombie monster staggered, trying to evade, but it was too late. The missiles shot forward, tracking the target's every move, and as they hit, they splintered into smaller explosives, each mini-warhead detonating with pinpoint precision across the creature's armored form. Cleo watched the devastation unfold, her face lit by the glow of her holographic screens. "Finish it off, but leave the head intact; I want that brain preserved for study." Through the thick smoke of the explosions, the Mauler advanced, relentless as ever. The boss creature was still standing, but only barely, its twisted body riddled with burns and wounds, patches of exposed flesh sizzling. Without hesitation, the Mauler surged forward, ramming into it with a brutal shoulder check that sent the zombie boss sprawling onto the ground. Towering over its fallen foe, the Mauler aimed its plasma cannons at the creature's neck. Then, in a merciless display, it fired shot after shot, each blast a concentrated pulse of energy that tore into the creature's body with surgical precision. In a burst of rage, she grabbed anything within reach, pillows, small medical instruments, even a metal tray, and hurled them at him, one by one. Each item clanged harmlessly against Rex's energy shield, flickering to life around him, but he didn't flinch or attempt to stop her. Two Aegis units stationed outside stepped forward, ready to restrain the child, but Rex raised his hand, signaling them to hold back. He stood silently, letting Nyra vent her pain, her small body trembling as she threw every ounce of her fury at him. "Stop, Sister!" Lyra cried, her voice weak but insistent. She slipped out of her bed, still unsteady from her fever, and wrapped her arms around Nyra, pulling her back. "Please... he saved us." "How can you say that?" Nyra sobbed, her fists clenching in helpless rage. "He killed Papa! I saw it. I saw him do it right in front of us." Her voice broke, and tears poured down her face. Lyra's own eyes filled with tears as she held her sister, trying to comfort her despite her own sorrow. Seeing her sister's pain only made Nyra's anger fade, and her small shoulders slumped as she turned to embrace Lyra fully. The two girls clung to each other, crying softly, sharing the weight of their grief in the sterile quiet of the medical bay. Rex remained where he was, his expression unreadable as he watched them. He stood in silence, waiting patiently until the storm of their emotions had subsided, giving them the time and space they needed to process what they'd lost. He knew there was nothing he could say to ease their pain, and perhaps, right now, they wouldn't want to hear it. After their tears finally slowed to quiet sobs, Rex took a moment before approaching. He picked up a tray of food, a simple meal with some pre-packaged rations, juice, and a small bag of chips. He walked slowly toward the twins' bed, his heavy footsteps softened by his deliberate care. When he reached them, he knelt beside their bed and, with a soft click, deactivated his helmet. As the helmet retracted, his face was revealed, unexpectedly gentle, framed by long black hair that fell loosely around his shoulders. He looked nothing like the cold, armored figure they'd seen on the battlefield. Instead, he seemed almost... human. A person, not just a weapon. The girls looked at him in silence, their eyes red and puffy, their expressions wary but curious. "I know you're both hurting right now," Rex began quietly, his voice calm and steady. "Losing your father... it's a pain no one should have to endure. And there's nothing I can say that will make it right." He set the tray down on the bed within reach, nudging it gently toward them. "But you still have to eat. Your father entrusted both of you to me, and I promised him I would look after you." Nyra's eyes narrowed slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line. "You... you promised him?" Re x looked at Nyra eyes before answering. "I...."

Chapter 85: Mauler Juggernaut.

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