Reborn In The Shadow

Leon and Celine sat across from each other in the dimly lit chamber of the Niriven City Guild Headquarters. The room was silent except for the flickering of torches along the stone walls. Celine, also known as The Queen of All Parallel Universes, leaned forward, her piercing gaze locked onto Leon.

"I still question your decision to bring Michael into the guild," she said. "The son of Hiori... a dangerous lineage."

Leon sighed. "I know what he is, but I also know what he could be. If we push him away, we may create something far worse than Hiori ever was."

Before Celine could respond, the doors to the chamber burst open. A soldier, covered in sweat and breathing heavily, stumbled inside.

"Commander! Queen! We have a crisis!" he panted.

Leon and Celine shot to their feet.

"What is it?" Celine demanded.

"The city is under attack! A massive army of robots is charging toward the guild!" the soldier exclaimed.

Leon clenched his fists. "So it has begun."

They rushed outside, and as they stepped into the open air, a massive explosion rocked the city. In the distance, a colossal metal army was storming through the streets, their metallic footsteps thundering like an earthquake. At the back of the mechanical horde stood a figure, his lab coat flapping in the wind as he cackled with unhinged glee.

"Niriven City!" the mad scientist bellowed. "Get ready to meet your doom!"

The guild members had already mobilized, engaging the relentless onslaught of machines. The sound of clashing steel and bursts of energy filled the battlefield as Paragons of all ranks fought to protect their home.

In the midst of the chaos, August, The Right Hand of God, stood firm. His eyes glowed with determination as he raised his hand, summoning a massive glowing blue hand that materialized above him. With a flick of his wrist, the spectral hand crashed down, smashing through dozens of enemy robots like they were mere insects.

Scarlet, her crimson armor gleaming under the fires of war, cleaved through the mechanical invaders with her flaming sword. Her blade burned so intensely that it melted through metal like butter.

Ember, her diamond armor shimmering, stood on a rooftop. As a wave of robots charged her, she raised her palm, channeling the light from her armor. With a blinding flash, she fired a concentrated beam of light, slicing through the enemy ranks.

"These things just keep coming!" Ember shouted.

"Then we keep cutting them down!" Scarlet retorted, slashing through another row of metal soldiers.

As the battle raged on, more guild members entered the fray.

A hulking figure crashed onto the battlefield—Garrick, The Iron Titan, an Empowered Knight. His skin had the texture of steel, making him impervious to conventional attacks. He grabbed a robot by the head and crushed it with his bare hands, then used its broken body to bludgeon another enemy.

"HA! Is this all you got?!" Garrick roared as he plowed through the opposition.

Nearby, a woman clad in dark blue armor moved with inhuman speed—Selene, The Phantom Blade. Her ability to phase through objects made her untouchable as she weaved between the robotic attackers, her twin daggers slicing effortlessly through them.

"Too slow," she whispered as she vanished into a blur, appearing behind another machine and slicing it in half.

From above, a barrage of golden arrows rained down, each one finding its mark and detonating upon impact. The source of the attack was Darius, The Celestial Archer. Hovering in the sky with ethereal wings made of light, he unleashed another volley, his arrows curving midair to track their targets.

"I could do this all day," he muttered as he nocked another arrow.

Amidst the chaos, a towering war machine stepped forward, larger than the rest. Its metallic plating was thick, its arms reinforced with gigantic mechanical fists. Its red eyes locked onto August.

"Designation: Big Metal. Eliminate target." Its voice was deep and robotic.

August smirked. "Oh, so you're the big boss, huh? Let's see how tough you really are."

Big Metal launched a massive steel fist at August, who barely dodged in time. The force of the punch shattered the ground beneath them. August retaliated by summoning three massive glowing blue hands, sending them all crashing toward Big Metal at once.

The robot raised its armored forearms, blocking the strikes. Sparks flew as the impact sent shockwaves through the battlefield. Big Metal countered by extending saw-blades from its arms, spinning at high speed as it charged August.

August grinned. "Alright, no more playing around."

He summoned a gigantic blue hand, larger than any he had created before. It clenched into a fist and swung forward, colliding with Big Metal at full force. The impact sent the massive machine skidding backward, its metal plating dented.

Big Metal recalibrated and fired an energy cannon from its chest. August barely dodged, rolling to the side before launching himself forward with another massive glowing hand, slamming it into the robot's torso.

The ground shook as the two combatants continued their intense battle .

As the battle reached its peak, Leon and Celine finally arrived. The guild members, though fighting fiercely, were beginning to tire. The machines showed no sign of slowing down, their relentless assault overwhelming even the strongest warriors.

Leon unsheathed his sword, and a powerful blue aura erupted around him. "Enough of this," he growled.

He vanished from sight, reappearing in the heart of the enemy forces. With a single slash, a massive shockwave erupted, cutting down hundreds of robots in an instant. The battlefield went silent for a moment as the Paragons marveled at his power.

Celine, standing atop a ruined tower, raised her hand. The air around her distorted as reality itself bent to her will. Suddenly, dozens of portals opened across the battlefield, unleashing an army of shadowy warriors—illusions of herself from different dimensions, each one just as powerful as the original.

"You dare challenge me in my city?" she said, her voice echoing through the battlefield. "Then prepare to be erased from existence."

From a safe distance, the mad scientist watched the battle unfold, his grin widening.

"Oh, this is delicious!" he cackled. "So much power, so much chaos! But this is just the beginning."

He raised a remote and pressed a button. The ground trembled as a massive, towering robot emerged from the ruins, its eyes glowing with ominous red light.

"Let's see how you handle my Titan Class Mech!" he laughed.

As the enormous machine loomed over the city, ready to unleash destruction, the battle for Niriven City reached its climax…