'BOOM, !'
A massive object plummeted from the sky. It struck the center of the highway like a meteorite, shattering the asphalt on impact. The ground within a two-meter radius instantly collapsed under the tremendous force, sending a violent shockwave outward that hurled rocks and concrete chunks in every direction.
"AAAAAHHHH, !"
Screams immediately erupted from the surrounding traffic. Caught completely off guard, one car after another spun out of control. Some swerved wildly across lanes while others slammed straight into the roadside guardrails, throwing the entire area into absolute chaos.
"W-What...?!"
"What just happened?!"
Drivers cautiously poked their heads out of their stalled vehicles, while others scrambled out entirely. They could only stare in shock at the destruction before them.
'Click.'
A car door opened, and Fang Li stepped out onto the road. Looking toward the rising dust cloud ahead, he frowned slightly.
Ever since his 'Enemy Detection' skill had been upgraded to 'Level 3', its range had not only increased dramatically, but it had also become far more precise. It could even distinguish the general nature of a target, telling him whether an approaching entity was human or monster.
But this time, it returned only a single, jarring result: 'No life signs detected.'
In other words, the target wasn't a living creature.
That assessment was quickly confirmed.
'Clang!'
A heavy mechanical foot stepped out of the dust, crushing the rubble beneath it as an enormous figure slowly emerged.
"...You..." Even Fang Li couldn't hide his surprise.
The surrounding spectators broke into an absolute uproar.
The shadow stepping out of the dust was a massive robot. Standing over five meters tall, its entire body was encased in heavy steel armor. Its arms were abnormally thick, and it carried a gigantic steel club, looking like an enormous mechanical savage brought to life.
The moment it appeared, its twin glowing electronic eyes locked directly onto Fang Li. The next instant, an incredibly violent, rage-filled roar burst from its vocal processors.
"I! FOUND! YOU!"
That furious voice immediately confirmed Fang Li's suspicion.
"I knew it," Fang Li narrowed his eyes. "You're that Savage Leader, aren't you?"
That was exactly who it was, the Savage Leader, the very same monster Fang Li had encountered when he first arrived in this world. Although its body had been completely converted into steel and its weapon had changed, its posture and voice were unmistakable.
"Hahaha... Hahahahaha!" The mechanical savage burst into a laugh overflowing with pure hatred. "So you still remember me. Excellent!"
The steel monster roared, "The moment I escaped that laboratory, I came straight here to settle the score! The pain and humiliation you gave me that day... I'll repay every last bit of it using your body!"
As he shouted, the mechanical Savage Leader suddenly hoisted the gigantic steel club high.
'BOOM, !'
The massive weapon slammed into the highway. In an instant, the entire road crumbled apart.
"AAAAAAAHHHH, !"
People screamed in terror once more. Civilians and vehicles alike were swallowed by the collapsing ground, tumbling into an enormous sinkhole alongside rubble and broken concrete as if swept away by a flash flood.
The crunch of crushing metal echoed continuously over human screams. The ground split apart inch by inch, looking as if a volcano were erupting just beneath the surface.
In the blink of an eye, the area centered around the mechanical Savage Leader had become a massive crater exceeding several hundred meters in diameter.
"Hahahahaha!" the steel monster laughed wildly. "Humans deserve to die! All of you... DIE!"
At that moment, an emergency siren blared through the sky, broadcasting an automated warning over the city.
"Emergency Evacuation Notice! Emergency Evacuation Notice!"
"An unidentified hostile robot has appeared in City F!"
"Disaster Level: Demon!"
"All residents of City F are instructed to evacuate immediately to the nearest shelter! Repeat! Evacuate immediately!"
It seemed the Hero Association had already detected the incident and begun issuing evacuation orders. Meanwhile, the mechanized Savage Leader continued his rampage.
"Come out!"
"Get out here!"
"There's no way you died that easily!"
"Hurry up and come out!"
"I'm going to kill you! I WILL KILL YOU!"
Roaring continuously, he swung his steel club over and over, smashing apart rubble, ruins, and entire buildings. It was a complete disaster. No matter how sturdy the structures were, everything was as fragile as toy blocks before his overwhelming power.
A single strike was enough to reduce a building to debris, causing skyscrapers to collapse one after another. A massive dust storm mixed with pulverized concrete blanketed the area.
Then, a streak of light burst through one corner of the dust cloud and shot into the sky like a meteor.
Naturally, it was Fang Li. By utilizing his 'Meteor' skill, he had gained the ability to fly. Watching the ground below disintegrate at a visible pace, Fang Li's eyes narrowed.
"He's much stronger than before..."
Previously, although the Savage Leader had been a Demon-level Mysterious Being with the strength of a Third-Rank opponent, he had been nowhere near this destructive. The current Savage Leader was likely approaching the level of a 'Dragon-class' disaster.
"Who did this?"
Who could have rebuilt the Savage Leader into this form? The robot had mentioned a laboratory. Someone had clearly recovered its body after it had been cut in half and left for dead, rebuilt it into this mechanical form, and drastically enhanced its power.
'A scientist capable of saving a Mysterious Being that had been bisected... and modifying it to this extent...'
A specific name immediately flashed through Fang Li's mind.
At that moment, the rampaging mechanical Savage Leader spotted Fang Li up in the sky. He let out another furious roar.
"DIE!"
The armor on his back suddenly shifted, and two large thrusters emerged.
'BOOM!'
Jets of blazing exhaust erupted violently from the engines. The enormous mechanical savage gained tremendous thrust, launching into the sky like a rocket. Breaking the sound barrier with a piercing sonic boom, he charged directly toward Fang Li.
His gigantic steel club descended like the heavens themselves collapsing, crashing down mercilessly toward Fang Li's position.
(End Of This Chapter)
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