Maximus Grendor stood tall in his private quarters, a grand room with walls lined in sleek metal panels, dimly illuminated by the soft glow of control consoles. His dark orange skin shimmered faintly in the low light, a reminder of his half-organic, half-technological nature. His cybernetic limbs hummed quietly, their built-in processors constantly running calculations and strategies. Yet, his mind was elsewhere, focused on the scene outside his massive window.
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Through the reinforced glass, Maximus gazed out at the Dark Zone below—a sprawling maze of buildings, towers, and metallic structures now marred by destruction. Fires raged across several blocks, casting a deep orange hue over the night, while plumes of smoke spiraled into the sky. Explosions continued to rumble in the distance, signaling more chaos spreading through the streets.
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With a grunt of displeasure, Maximus tapped his fingertips lightly against the glass. A small section of the window glowed with a green light and flickered open, transforming into a high-definition display. The screen zoomed in, providing Maximus a clearer, more detailed view of the devastation below. Collapsed buildings, shattered infrastructure, and fires spreading like a virus across the sector.
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"This is madness," Maximus muttered under his breath, his voice a deep rumble of frustration and barely contained anger. His glowing green eyes narrowed as he surveyed the destruction further. "First that damn thief steals my jewels, and now the Dark Zone descends into chaos." His hand clenched into a fist.
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He turned abruptly, his cloak swirling around his body, and locked eyes with one of his subordinates standing hesitantly at the open door. The man, one of Maximus's trusted lieutenants, had the same light orange skin as his leader but lacked the technological augmentations that made Maximus both revered and feared.
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"Do you know how many business deals are ruined because of this nonsense?" Maximus demanded, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge of anger. "How much capital is bleeding away, all because of these reckless, idiotic clashes?"
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The lieutenant shifted nervously, clearly aware of the weight of his leader's fury. "What should we do, sir?" he asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the room.
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Maximus's eyes flared with intensity as he took a moment to consider. The name "Nexus" echoed in his mind—a thorn in his side for far too long. Nexus had already stolen precious jewels from him, jewels that were meant to solidify important deals. Now, the entire Dark Zone was falling apart, likely because of that same man. Nexus was dangerous, unpredictable, and too skilled at slipping through even the tightest of security nets.
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"Nexus," Maximus growled, pacing the room slowly, his mechanical limbs making subtle whirring sounds as they adjusted. "He's behind this, no doubt. A distraction—he thrives in chaos."
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He stopped pacing abruptly, a new thought crystallizing in his mind. "He's not just here to cause mayhem. He'll be after something important. Something valuable."
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Maximus turned sharply, locking eyes with the lieutenant. "The Hydrix-9."
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The lieutenant's eyes widened, understanding the gravity of what Maximus was implying. The Hydrix-9—a machine capable of generating limitless clean water from raw atmospheric elements, a technological marvel, and a lifeline for the arid planets in this sector. It was one of the most precious assets in Maximus's control, and Nexus, being the opportunist he was, would undoubtedly see it as a target.
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"He'll make a play for it," Maximus said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "He always has a purpose, and the Hydrix-9 is too valuable for him to ignore."
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The lieutenant nodded quickly, knowing better than to question his leader's instincts. "I'll order all security personnel to guard the Hydrix-9 immediately, sir," he said, already backing out of the room.
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"Good," Maximus replied, his voice icy with determination. "I want every guard armed and stationed around it. I don't care if they have to lock down the entire facility. Nexus will not get anywhere near that machine."
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The lieutenant, now in full compliance, turned and hurried out of the room, the sound of his footsteps quickly fading as he sprinted to relay Maximus's orders.
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Left alone once more, Maximus turned back toward the window, his eyes fixed on the growing fires below. The flames danced against the night sky, a reminder of the chaos that Nexus had brought to his world.
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But not for long.
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Maximus's mechanical hand clenched once more, the metal joints creaking under the pressure. "I swear," he whispered to himself, "you won't get away this time, Nexus."
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The fires below continued to spread, but in Maximus Grendor's mind, a plan was already forming—a plan to end this once and for all.
***
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Nexus leaped from rooftop to rooftop, the wind whipping against his face as he moved through the chaos of the Dark Zone. His boots skidded slightly as he landed on a narrow ledge, barely maintaining his balance before jumping again, his body a blur against the smoky sky. He was fast, but even the greatest speed had its limits, and he could feel the strain starting to build.
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Finally, he came to a stop on a wide rooftop, his chest heaving as he bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he wiped it away with the back of his hand. His muscles were burning, his body reminding him that he couldn't push much harder without some kind of break.
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"Damn... I wish I could keep the powers I took from K," he muttered under his breath. Standing tall, he stretched his shoulders, feeling the fatigue in his bones. "It'd be a lot easier to get across town." The brief rush of power he'd stolen from K's abilities had worn off too quickly. If he could hold onto those powers, he wouldn't be scrambling across rooftops like a common thief right now.
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Straightening, Nexus looked down at the streets below. The authorities were already on the scene, moving with practiced precision. Fire crews worked to douse the flames that had spread across multiple blocks, their hoses spraying water over the wreckage. Officers in dark uniforms were scattered through the area, some inspecting the ruins for any sign of the chaos's source, while others were clearly looking for him.
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"Yea, I should hurry up and do what I came to do," Nexus said to himself, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He straightened up fully, letting his eyes wander beyond the ruined streets and the chaos below.
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There, across the skyline, looming like a sinister beacon, was the Vantigrad Tower. The massive structure rose above the rest of the city, its glass and steel exterior glowing with an eerie crimson light that pulsed like the heart of a living thing. It was a monument to wealth, power, and control—Maximus Grendor's most prized possession. Nexus knew that what he needed was inside. The one thing that would change everything, stored in the heart of that tower.
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And Maximus was expecting him.
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The authorities below were a distraction. Nexus wasn't worried about them—they were too slow, too predictable. They'd be combing through the wreckage for hours, looking for clues that would lead nowhere. The real threat was inside that tower. Maximus was smart. He'd already beefed up security, likely expecting Nexus to come for his most valuable asset.
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Nexus smirked with excitement, he had come this far, and he wasn't about to turn back now. He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins again.
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"Let's see what you've got in store for me, Maximus,"
***
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