Iron 27 slammed into the nearest bunch of Metal Eaters, then suddenly went from super fast to not moving at all. This quick stop might make most beings feel so sick they'd want to vomit, but Adam thought it was incredibly awesome.
Iron 27 had this massive power that could knock down mountains and wreck the ground. This power got passed to the Metal Eaters with just a gentle bump. From the few hundred that got hit right at the front, the whole lot of Metal Eaters began to rock back and forth like clocks.
Then, they bumped into one another like falling pieces in a game, causing a big wave of crashes. In the end, they exploded into a cloud of blood, making a pretty pattern in the sky.
This move was tough on Iron 27 too. The light in his eyes danced a bit. But being one-step close to the transcendent level, he was something special. He quickly got his act together and signaled Adam to come along, then turned to face more groups. They couldn't take a break behind enemy lines, so they had to keep moving. They could back off but not stop, or they'd be done for.
"Look, I knew 27 could pull it off," said Lithium 15. He was an Intelligent, too. So he quickly figured out how to blend his power with Adam's, always giving energy to help Adam keep up the magnetic field and move faster. "But we'll face more enemies soon, listen to my orders."
While agreeing, Adam thought back on the moment. If Iron 27's hitting power could be used all the time, his strength would be almost as good as a body-refining mage of the same level.
Adam felt that if they could make the Titans last longer in a fight, they'd be better soldiers than body-refining mages. If they could mix the best of both, it would be way better than just adding one plus one.
After going three hundred kilometers, a weird scream came from the parental body's nest. As the noise spread, dozens of 'hives' closest to the trio blew up.
The Metal Eaters, to save the main body, left the other nests and came out in full force to block Iron 27.
Adam just focused on following Iron 27 while carrying Lithium 15. Lithium 15 was getting warmer, and Adam could feel some scary stuff going on inside him.
Adam was also pushing his energy and running the Vital Generator hard. His Original Flames were getting smaller, but he was becoming more powerful.
He was doing whatever it took to succeed.
All Adam could do now was to help Lithium 15 keep the Vital Generator steady, letting him use more energy at once.
After another two hundred kilometers, Adam felt like he was holding onto a bomb about to go off.
The hives were breaking apart one after the other.
The air and ground swarmed with Metal Eaters, making it impossible to see anything else. They attacked from every direction, not just straight on.
Iron 27 came back to the two of them and set up a dark shield, fighting to move through a heavy barrage of attacks.
"This is tougher than we thought. I might not be able to keep this up," Iron 27 said, trying to stay calm but sounding a bit down.
Lithium 15 answered, "We knew it wouldn't be easy. With the parental body's nest trying to move closer to our area, they wouldn't let us take it down without a fight. They're probably planning to start a big war again, not just after Ironburg."
Adam got back into shape and sat on Lithium 15's shoulder. He lent his strength to make Iron 27's shield even better, adding abilities to weaken attacks and send them back. He worked on improving their speed by managing the resistance better, then asked, "Why aren't the Titan Royals getting involved?"
"They have their hands full. Each of the Royals is busy keeping a Metal Eater Royal in check. They can't just act without thinking, or things would get really bad," Lithium 15 said. "We Titans can't have newborns easily like the Metal Eaters. We can't handle another big war right now."
"So, if this parental body's nest makes it through, it'll break the balance of the two races? And that means we won't run into any of the Metal Eater Royals on this mission?"
"Exactly. We need to keep things balanced until we're ready to fight," Iron 27 added.
As they talked, even more Metal Eaters joined in. Lithium 15 said, "I need to do something now."
Suddenly, Iron 27 boosted the shield's power, pushing the Metal Eaters away for miles. Lithium 15 shook his shoulders, throwing Adam off, and turned into a giant cannon linked to his Vital Generator.
An enormous amount of energy gathered quickly. In just ten seconds, a huge beam of intense heat shot out, melting everything straight ahead and opening up a path through the crowd.
Even though Adam wasn't the target, the intense heat still melted him into a puddle. He collapsed over Lithium 15, unable to get back into shape for a bit.
Then, Iron 27 shaped the shield like the tip of an arrow. Adam suddenly felt a strong force pulling him. If it weren't for the magnetic field holding him together, he might have been scattered everywhere.
Iron 27 rushed through the super-hot path, covering 200 kilometers quickly. Now, they were only 300 kilometers away from the parental body's nest, and there were no low-level Metal Eaters ahead. The radar showed that almost all of them were pretty strong.
"How many more times can we fire the Larva Cannon?" Iron 27 asked in a hurry.
"Only two more times at most. And we need to keep one shot for getting through the nest's protection, or I'll blow up before we get there," Lithium 15 explained, his body radiating energy waves as he struggled to keep himself from overloading.
"So, we use it just one more time. Mithril 99, I need your strength."
Adam spread his melted form over the dark shield and then wrapped it with energy loops, using all his power to speed them up. Right now, it was most important to save the energy of the others—Lithium 15 needed to be ready to explode, and Iron 27 had to keep Adam safe during the blast and then carry him away.
***Boom!***
The second cannon shot broke through the defenses. A dark cannonball was right behind it, hitting its target. The impact at the nest made a huge noise and bounced back. The shield around the main nest shook hard, making sounds like breaking glass.
Then, Adam heard the Metal Eaters speak for the first time, "Kill the Titans! Kill the Titans!"
The parental body's call to action made the Metal Eaters rush forward without worrying about the lingering heat. They avoided using energy attacks to not damage the parental body's nearly broken shield. They just kept coming, mouths wide open, trying to get to the trio.
Lithium 15 got ready for the last blast and said, "So, I guess this is it. You won't survive the heat of my final explosion. I'm so close to the parental body now, so not even the Metal Eater Royals could stop me from damaging it. Haha, the parental body is just one-step closer to becoming a Royal, and I'm going to perish with it. It's a worthy end!"
