Supreme Paragon Reborn: Humanity's Rise To Galactic Supremacy-Chapter 242: Supreme Shadow

[Where did he go?!]

In its panic, the giant robot swung its arms through the molten lava. The density of the liquid prevented its sensors from accurately locating Michael. His use of the Fade technique to further conceal his presence only made the search more difficult.

[WHERE DID HE GO?!]

An abrupt sensation akin to fear began to build. Michael was the greatest challenge to the sentient AI’s supremacy. The mere idea that he was no longer within the giant’s gaze made it shiver.

While the giant descended into full-blown panic, Michael’s body pushed through the searing lava with great difficulty.

Upon ascending to the Grandmaster realm, the spiritual energy he could command became several times greater than before. By utilizing Psychokinesis, he was able to form a protective veil that separated his skin from the molten liquid.

Of course, this was an application of the technique he had never used before. For the most part, the thin layer of protection kept the lava at bay, yet its terrifying temperature was another matter altogether.

With his body literally being burned alive, he couldn’t afford to stay in the lava for much longer.

Yet, a few seconds out of the towering giant’s gaze was all Michael needed.

Soon after, the AI began to feel like prey, trapped by a predatory shark circling it, waiting for the decisive strike.

And then, that moment arrived.

Just as it turned its head, a ripple surged across the surface of the lava behind it.

Abruptly, a hook fired from Heaven’s Judgment tore through the liquid with ease, striking the metallic being.

Michael reeled himself in, one hand gripping the Epic-ranked shotgun, his body scorched like charcoal from the intense heat.

Whoosh!

By the time the AI noticed his presence, it was far too late.

Carried by the hook from his shotgun, Michael used his free hand to pierce the titanium veil of the machine.

The last time, when he was a Master, his fingers had proved too weak to penetrate it.

But this time... his fingers tore through the metal as if it were mere paper.

"Hah..."

Michael gazed at the colossal head unfazed.

"You are mine."

Like a bulldozer, Michael climbed the towering robot with such speed that no mortal soldier would have been able to follow his movement.

In response, the AI unleashed every mechanical tentacle it had, aiming to stop him.

[Calculating structural integrity... 74%... 68%...]

[Human! You will die here and now!]

With Michael closing in at such speed, the AI knew it had only a few seconds at best. That left it with no choice but to rely on its last resort.

Black smoke came out of its colossal head, its metallic jaws opened, and a deadly laser beam began to form.

This was the AI’s last reserve of spiritual energy. Once fired, all forms of movement would be slowed down to a crawl.

However, that was fine! Killing Michael took priority!

[Be reduced to ash!]

Not wasting a second, the machine fired.

Michael responded in kind. Just before the laser fired, he tensed his legs to their limit, using Psychokinesis to propel himself with such force that he shot past the machine’s head, appearing hundreds of meters higher.

In desperation, the machine lifted its right arm, trying to catch Michael while he was still midair.

[WHAT ARE YOU?!]

A sinister smile spread across Michael’s face as he gazed down, summoning Devil’s Tongue.

"This is a good opportunity, so I’ll use it to show you..."

His voice rang out above the towering giant, the roles of god and ant now completely reversed.

"...What a real human spirit is."

Utilizing every technique he possessed, Michael’s body radiated a terrifying aura, descending with speeds greater than a falling star.

Slashing more times than a mortal eye could count, the edge of Devil’s Tongue moved with uncanny precision, carving the colossal arm into pieces and leaving a trail of afterimages in its wake.

Faster than a heartbeat, Michael closed the distance to the machine’s head. Behind him, the arm of the colossal machine was reduced to nothing more than scattered pieces, which fell like metallic scrap.

In that decisive moment, the AI’s lens narrowed in disbelief as it observed him.

Michael’s eyes blazed with an intensity rivaling a volcano, his soul weapon already mid-swing, surrounded by drops of lava that stubbornly clung to him, scorching parts of his physique.

BOOM!

Unable to withstand the intensity of the strike that followed, the head of the robot caved.

Penetrating into the command center of the towering giant, Michael found himself momentarily disoriented with the numerous wires and the black oil that surged from the damage he had caused.

A moment later his vision landed on what looked like the main terminal. Unwilling to linger in the toppling giant he made haste, putting his hand over the console.

"Bypasser!"

Blood began to trail from his eyes, a result of the intense pushback that followed.

As for his foe, the sentient AI was clearly unprepared to deal with his technique, the interior of the giant dimming as all light sources flickered out.

The sentient AI was no more.

Explosions erupted across the body of the machine, sending whole chunks of it outward.

The internal integrity of the command center didn’t hold, as Michael’s body was hurled in every possible direction, the giant toppling in the lava lake.

Pant

Gasping for air, he slowly rose to his feet. The metal giant had fallen into the molten lava, and unlike the Monarch, it was slowly sinking.

"I won."

Michael whispered, exhaustion overwhelming his senses.

’It’s not over yet.’ He told himself.

’I need to go back to Magmorious, the situation there is surely disastrous with the androids running amok. Not to mention that there is the second Monarch to deal with.’

He stood still for a few seconds, his eyes narrowed in realization.

’Wait... the second Monarch? What happened to it? I knew the alien was fighting the giant robot before I intervened, but then it went quiet. Perhaps it ran away?’

Regardless of how much he focused on his senses, he was unable to spot the presence of the Monarch.

At that moment, his mind, flooded with thoughts of all kinds, was suddenly halted by a feminine voice drifting into his ears.

"From what I heard, the robot was capable of rivaling a Lord, yet a sole Grandmaster beat it... Impressive."

Rendered motionless, Michael’s heart began to beat so intensely it felt as though it might burst from his chest.

’That... voice.’

All his thoughts vanished in an instant. Slowly, he turned his eyes narrowed to the size of needles, settling on the woman before him.

The Supreme Lord who had challenged the Monarch to battle and emerged victorious. The woman before whom the other Lords had bent their knees, the mere mention of the Cursed Children enough to strike fear. The second-strongest member of the Sacred Order.

She exuded an aura of undeniable authority, her face sculpted to absolute perfection with flawless skin and a mesmerizing figure. Her vivid crimson hair cascaded in the hot breeze like a waterfall, while her piercing eyes held the power to steal one’s breath.

Those eyes... the kind that would stay with Michael for a million years, never fading from his memory.

His upper lip trembled slightly.

’...Nicole?’