The monster clenched its fist, channeling a massive surge of energy into its palm. “Now, behold my power!” It unleashed a devastating blast of energy, the sheer force of it cracking the lunar surface as it barreled toward the group.

  Joseph, thinking quickly, threw himself in front of the blast. “I’ve got this!” he shouted, summoning a powerful shield to absorb the attack. The energy collided with him, the impact shaking the ground beneath his feet.

  Meanwhile, the others scattered in all directions, executing a hastily formulated plan. Mai flanked the monster, preparing to exploit its blind spot, while Mari and Tomoya coordinated their strikes to create an opening.

  As the dust settled from the energy blast, Joseph lowered his shield, his body strained but unyielding. He grinned defiantly at the monster. “That all you got?”

  The battle raged on, but now the group fought with renewed purpose, determined to outsmart and outlast their monstrous foe.

  Tomoya gritted his teeth as he hurtled through the air, barely managing to stabilize himself with his rocket boots. His magic-infused, high-tech sword crackled with energy as he prepared to deliver a final, decisive strike. But just as he closed the gap, the monster boss unleashed a brutal energy blast with its free hand, forcing Tomoya onto the defensive. The sheer force of the attack sent him spiraling back, his sword glowing faintly as it absorbed some of the impact to shield him.

  Seizing the opportunity, Mai and Mari moved in tandem. Mai soared into the air with agility, her energy blade glinting under the pale light of the stars. With precision, she severed the monster's hand—the very one it had used to target Tomoya. The beast let out a guttural roar of pain, its body jerking involuntarily from the shock. Before it could retaliate, Mari darted forward, her movements fluid and calculated. She drove her weapon into its leg, forcing one of its massive knees to the ground, momentarily destabilizing it.

  As the monster faltered, Joseph prepared to unleash a follow-up strike. But before the team could capitalize on their advantage, the monster let out an earth-shattering roar and unleashed a violent gust of energy that blasted them all backward. Tumbling across the lunar surface, they scrambled to regain their footing.

  The monster rose once more, its dismembered arm regenerating with alarming speed. This time, the limb was more formidable, rippling with muscle and pulsating with an ominous red energy. Massive wings burst from its back, unfurling like a storm. With a single powerful beat, the monster launched itself into space, its massive form descending back onto the moon with such force that the surface cracked, threatening to shatter completely.

  The group rose to their feet, battered but determined. They charged again, knowing they had to stop the monster before the moon's destruction spelled disaster for Himeji Planet City below. Meanwhile, on the planet, warriors fought valiantly against the relentless waves of monsters, their resolve unyielding despite mounting casualties.

  Back on the moon, the monster boss's aura flared to a terrifying intensity. It seemed to envelop him like a living flame, the sheer heat and pressure of it forcing the team to retreat momentarily. Empowered further, the monster revealed a new tactic: it began to siphon their auras. A devastating energy blast radiated from it, connecting with each of them like spectral chains. At first, they thought it was another attack, but realization dawned as their strength began to ebb away, their energy being absorbed into the monster's growing power.

  One by one, the warriors fell to their knees, their bodies growing weaker, their aura levels plummeting. Joseph watched in horror as his comrades collapsed, unconscious and helpless. A seething rage ignited within him, his blood boiling at the sight of his friends on the brink of death.

  Without hesitation, Joseph tapped into the power sealed within him. The sigil on his forehead cracked, glowing with a fiery intensity. His hair and eyes flickered between colors—blue, gold, green—before settling into a deep, menacing red. A shockwave of raw power erupted from him, disrupting the monster's aura siphoning and forcing it to release its hold on his allies.

  Joseph’s rage-fueled transformation was a spectacle to behold. His aura burned like a wildfire, his presence a force of nature. Before the monster could react, Joseph moved. In the blink of an eye, he was upon it, delivering a devastating punch to its left cheek. The impact sent the monster flying across the lunar surface, its massive form skidding uncontrollably as Joseph pressed the assault.

  The monster barely had time to regain its balance when Joseph reappeared behind it, landing another bone-shattering punch that sent it hurtling toward the edge of the moon. Before it could drift off into space, Joseph intercepted it, catching it mid-flight and slamming an uppercut into its jaw. The force of the blow created a shockwave that rippled through the vacuum of space, leaving the monster reeling.

  Now in the upper reaches of space, Joseph unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks. Each strike was precise, unrelenting, and devastating. The monster boss, despite its overwhelming power, found itself unable to mount a proper defense. It struggled desperately, but Joseph’s newfound strength rendered its efforts futile.

  Back on the moon, the rest of the team began to stir. Though their auras were severely depleted, they rose to their feet, watching in awe as Joseph dominated the once-invincible monster.

  Joseph’s crimson eyes burned with determination as he hovered before the battered beast. “You made one mistake,” he growled, his voice echoing with power. “You underestimated the strength of our resolve.” With that, he charged again, ready to deliver the final blow.

  The vacuum of space trembled with every impact as Joseph and the monster boss exchanged devastating blows. Each time Joseph landed a strike, the shockwaves sent ripples through the cold emptiness, each one a testament to the ferocity of their battle. Yet, the monster, whose power seemed limitless, unleashed a violent eruption of energy from his body—a blast so immense it shook the very core of the moon, threatening to tear it apart. Joseph, caught off guard, crossed his arms in front of his face to shield himself, but the force of the blast sent him hurtling backward, tumbling through space.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Struggling to regain his footing, Joseph's vision blurred from the impact as he prepared to charge once again. However, before he could move, the monster appeared in front of him with impossible speed, unleashing a devastating counter-assault. Joseph was forced into a defensive stance, barely able to keep up with the sheer power and speed of his foe.

  The two clashed with ferocity, exchanging rapid punches and energy blasts. Shockwaves erupted with every strike, shaking the moon and sending debris scattering in all directions. Joseph's allies, still recovering from the siphoning of their auras, could only watch helplessly from a distance, unable to assist.

  In the midst of the chaos, Mai had an idea. "We need to give Joseph an edge," she said, her voice sharp with urgency. "We’ll use the space shuttle ammunition to distract the monster." Quickly communicating with the others, she coordinated their attack. The group, still battered but determined, moved swiftly. They unleashed a barrage of high-powered blasts from their remaining space shuttles, their ammunition striking the monster in rapid succession.

  The monster, momentarily caught off guard, was forced onto the defensive. The shots tore into his armor-like skin, causing him to stagger. But the victory was short-lived. In retaliation, the monster unleashed a devastating energy blast that tore through the moon itself, splitting it in half. The shuttle's ammunition was obliterated, and the remnants of their shuttles were shattered by the blast.

  The shockwave from the moon's destruction sent the group flying in every direction, the force of the blast knocking them off balance. As the moon cracked apart, debris scattered into space. The group barely managed to avoid the brunt of the explosion, but they were still thrown several feet apart, their bodies battered from the force of the cataclysmic event.

  As Joseph struggled to regain his footing, the monster, his rage burning brighter than ever, teleported behind him with alarming speed. Before Joseph could react, the monster struck with a powerful energy blast that rocked him to his core. Joseph barely managed to hold his ground, but the intensity of the attack pushed him back, and the monster followed with a relentless barrage.

  But the monster’s fury was just beginning. He channeled every ounce of his power into his next strike. With raw, unrestrained anger, he tore through Joseph’s XPT suit, ripping it apart with ease. The monster seized Joseph by the neck, his grip crushing as he began to siphon the remaining energy from Joseph’s body. Joseph’s vision blurred, his strength waning, and he knew that if he didn’t act fast, he would lose everything.

  With a final surge of willpower, Joseph forced his energy to flare up, breaking free from the monster’s grasp just in time. As the monster prepared to deliver a finishing blow, Joseph unleashed a violent burst of energy, sending the beast flying back. But the monster wasn’t done yet. With a roar of fury, he gathered all his might into a devastating punch, launching Joseph toward the sun with a blast of energy so powerful it sent him spiraling through space.

  Joseph’s body hurtled into the fiery furnace of the sun. The intense heat and radiation seemed to consume him as he crashed into its core. His body was barely able to withstand the onslaught, and his XPT suit was reduced to ash. But somehow, he survived.

  Emerging from the sun’s surface, Joseph floated unconscious, his body scorched and broken, his once indomitable suit in ruins. The monster, convinced that Joseph was finished, turned his attention back to the remaining warriors on the moon.

  With a dark grin on his face, the monster soared through space, his massive wings cutting through the void. He approached the team slowly, his wings flapping with ominous power, preparing to finish what he had started. The warriors, still weakened and battered, braced themselves for the next wave of destruction, knowing that their fate now rested on the edge of a blade.

  "You think you can defeat me?" The monster's voice boomed, his gaze burning into the group. "Your leader is dead!" he sneered, his words heavy with disdain. "He fought well, but he met his end in the scorching fury of the sun's radiation—an onslaught no mortal could survive."

  The words struck like a hammer, leaving the group in stunned silence. The monster's grin widened, his eyes gleaming as he turned toward the distant planet of Himeji. "My minions are already busy conquering your planet, preparing for my arrival," he said, his voice low and mocking. "You all fought well. Your determination is commendable, but it was all in vain. Perhaps you'll make better soldiers once I transform you into my minions—monsters, just like the rest." His wicked grin deepened. "It would be unfortunate to see your potentials squandered by your futile resistance."

  As the dark energy began to swirl around his hand, the group braced themselves for the inevitable. They were powerless to stop him—until, from the corner of their vision, a sudden, blinding light illuminated the scene.

  Joseph's recovery defied all logic, his body radiating an unearthly brilliance as energy surged through him. The XPT, once fused with his very essence, had absorbed a trace of solar radiation, catalyzing an extraordinary metamorphosis. A luminous suit of glowing armor materialized around him, each segment pulsating with raw power, while his eyes blazed like molten fire, searing through the air with intensity. For a moment, Joseph stood motionless, awestruck by the transformation, his armored hand trembling as he stared at it in disbelief.

  However, he initially believed this transformation stemmed from his XPT suit, assuming it had somehow survived the devastating wrath of the monster's destruction.

  He had never experienced anything like this before.

  The XPT spoke to him, its voice resonating within his mind. Power sufficient to defeat the monster boss. Use it wisely, Joseph.

  The words anchored him, sharpening his focus as his body thrummed with the overwhelming energy coursing through him. There was no time to waste. The monster boss loomed over his allies, ready to deliver their doom. Joseph knew he had to act—now. Without a moment's hesitation, he launched himself at blinding speed, a streak of light beyond their comprehension.

  The group watched in stunned silence as a radiant structure materialized, intercepting the monster mid-air just as it was about to complete its dark transformation. They had no idea this was Joseph’s timely intervention. The monster’s gaze shifted, locking onto Joseph. Its expression twisted with shock and fury at the sight of his miraculous survival.

  The monster struggled in Joseph's grasp, a snarl escaping his lips as he realized his prey had slipped from his fingers. He was taken aback, but it was too late. The two were already moving at breakneck speeds, racing toward the edge of space. The monster fought viciously, his clawed hands trying to break free, but Joseph’s grip was unyielding.

  As they moved further and faster, the battle became a blur of power and rage. The monster managed to twist in mid-air, breaking free for a brief moment, but he immediately found himself locked in combat with Joseph. The two collided in a flurry of strikes, their blows causing ripples in the fabric of space itself.

  In the chaos, the monster grabbed hold of Joseph's chest plate, his claws sinking into the arc reactor at the heart of his armor. The monstrous figure yanked at the reactor, pulling it from Joseph's chest with a slow, deliberate force. Joseph winced as the pain intensified, but in the same moment, he twisted the monster's hand, using his superior speed to manipulate the fight to his advantage.