The holographic screen kept flickering with streams of numbers racing across it, as if they were trying to outrun time itself. Then, from the center of the display, a large cylindrical diagram appeared. Lines spiraling within it. It was an image of a Thermal Core Regenerator, the system that maintained the robot's heat energy, keeping it stable and endlessly active.

The AI's voice echoed through the room.

"Detected: the core system is a Thermal Core Regenerator, the primary energy source based on a chain-reaction heat process. Cooling can be achieved using Cryosept-9 fluid combined with a sodium oxide–based catalyst. This mixture will trigger an extreme endothermic reaction, absorbing heat from the surroundings and creating a vapor effect that prevents the machine from drawing in external thermal energy."

Alaric's eyes narrowed as he studied the screen, his mind working fast.

"So you're saying that Cryosept-9 can stop it from absorbing external heat? Which means… it would completely shut the system down?"

"Correct. But two materials are required: Cryosept-9 coolant and a sodium oxide–based catalyst," the system replied.

"Alright… but where am I supposed to find them?"

"Activating environmental scan…"

The holographic light spun around, sweeping across the room.

"First source detected on the east side of the room. Cylindrical container with a dark green label."

Alaric's gaze darted around until it landed on a tall cabinet in the corner. On top of it sat a glass container filled with faintly glowing green liquid, reflecting the dim ceiling light.

He raised an eyebrow. "That… what you mean?" he muttered under his breath.

"Affirmative," the system answered briefly, but firmly.

Without hesitation, Alaric gritted his teeth and forced his aching body upright. His legs trembled, but his steps were steady. He dashed through the wreckage in a zigzag, dodging the robot's massive fists crashing down behind him.

CRASH!

One strike hit the floor just meters away, sending shards of debris flying. But Alaric didn't stop. He used the impact to propel himself forward, springing off a wall and twisting midair before landing in front of the cabinet.

From a distance, the man who had been watching him leaned forward slightly. His smirk didn't fade. "What's that kid thinking? That liquid won't do a thing to this machine." Yet his eyes still showed a flicker of caution.

Alaric grabbed the glass container and twisted the seal open with one quick motion. A chill burst out, releasing thin trails of vapor. "Cryosept-9," he murmured. "One material down."

He turned toward the hovering hologram. "What about the catalyst?"

The system responded,

"Sodium oxide catalyst. It was used in your prototype model to stop the chain-reaction energy bug."

Alaric paused, thinking. He touched the pocket on his combat jacket. "Wait… I still have one vial left." He reached into the small pouch on his belt. Sure enough, there it was a small metal tube sealed with a yellow ring.

A faint smile crossed his face. "Almost perfect."

Carefully, he broke the seal and poured the clear catalyst into the Cryosept-9 container. The moment the two liquids met, a loud hiss filled the air, and the surface color shifted from crystal blue to silvery white, releasing thin tendrils of mist.

The reaction was so cold that Alaric's fingers numbed, even without direct contact.

"Endothermic reaction successful. Temperature of the liquid dropping rapidly, now at minus 180 degrees. Cooling effect ready for deployment."

Alaric looked up at the robot, now advancing again. The blue light in its chest pulsed, showing that its internal systems were running at full power.

"Where do I pour it?" Alaric demanded.

"Into the secondary energy conduit on its back, at the vent below the main cooling unit."

He nodded. "Got it."

He stared ahead, the silver liquid's glow reflecting in his eyes. His body tensed, preparing for one final move.

Then...

SPLASH!

With a powerful kick, Alaric leapt high, using the wall to propel himself upward. The robot's sensors followed his motion, but too late. In an instant, he was above it.

"This is where it ends!" he shouted.

He poured the mixture straight into the vent the system had identified. The freezing liquid surged through the glowing metal crevices, and a violent hiss echoed as white steam burst into the air.

The man in the chair widened his eyes. "What are you doing?! You fool, you'll destroy the system!"

But Alaric didn't listen. He stayed atop the robot, watching as the red-hot steel began to pale, thin cracks forming across its surface like ice spreading over glass.

His AI system spoke louder than before:

"COOLING REACTION INITIATED. THERMAL CORE STABILITY DROPPING—78%, 64%, 51%..."

The numbers kept falling rapidly.

What was left of the Cryosept-9 evaporated on the floor, leaving behind a thin, frost-like layer that slowly melted away. Alaric stood firm on the shaking metal ground, eyes fixed on the towering machine as its lights dimmed and joints groaned, sparks flickering from its shoulders.

His AI continued reporting:

"Enemy system stability now at 32%... 18%... 10%... nearly offline."

A breath of relief escaped Alaric's lips. "It worked..."

But within seconds, everything changed. The light in the robot's chest, once dim, began to glow again. Not blue, but a vivid red, blazing like a flame drenched in fuel. A deep hum rose from within, building into a trembling roar that filled the air like the awakening of a dormant beast.

"Warning. Energy fluctuation rising sharply. Readings… exceeding normal limits... doubling..."

"Doubling?" Alaric frowned. "That's impossible..."

The robot straightened, its movements rigid but strong. Heat burst from its armor seams like steam from a reactor. The ground trembled beneath its steps as Alaric backed away, trying to steady himself.

The man behind him, who had panicked moments ago. Now stood tall again, that smug smile returning.

"Impossible, you say?"

"See for yourself, boy. My power source will never stop. Even when you think you've shut it down, it only grows stronger."

"No way…" Alaric shook his head, eyes locked on the machine now throbbing with life once more. "Does it have a backup energy core?"

"Backup?" The man laughed. "Far from it. The system is integrated with a Core Transfusion Unit. An autonomous energy feeder that continually renews itself. Even without external heat, it can draw power from ambient particles."

The red light in the robot's chest burned brighter, throwing wild shadows across the walls. Hissing steam and electric hums filled the air, as if the atmosphere itself was burning.

Alaric frowned, his thoughts racing. "If that's true… then this isn't just a machine. It's a regenerative system. But how do I disrupt it?"

The robot stepped forward again, each move shaking the floor beneath them.

Then Alaric's eyes shifted toward the cabinet. The same one he'd taken the Cryosept-9 from. Something was wrong.

The cabinet hadn't melted despite the searing heat. And through the small gap in its door, he saw a faint silver-purple glow pulsing like a heartbeat.

"That's no ordinary cabinet," he thought. "If I'm right… whatever's inside must be tied to that secondary energy source."

He glanced briefly at the man, who still stood there grinning proudly, focused entirely on his reawakened machine. "You see now, boy? My system is eternal. Your little tricks are pointless."

But Alaric didn't answer. He turned his gaze back to the cabinet, breathing slow and steady. He was reading the battlefield again, analyzing every detail in silence.

Then his focus sharpened. A strange energy prickled across his skin as the AI spoke once more.

"New energy source detected. Pattern matches the primary core. High probability that the connection originates from that point."

Alaric's lips curved into a thin smile. "So I was right..."

He lowered his hand slightly, feeling the faint charge of electricity tingling at his fingertips. His body was battered, but his mind was sharper than ever.

The man still hadn't realized where Alaric's attention had shifted. He was too busy admiring his reborn creation, grinning with arrogant satisfaction as the massive machine roared back to life before him.

The cabinet stood in the corner of the room like something alive, not just a pile of metal and bolts. From the gaps between its joints came faint breaths, as if a heart was beating inside with a mysterious rhythm. Alaric could feel its subtle vibrations. A frequency that defied explanation, yet felt strangely familiar to the AI system embedded within him.

"The aura…" he murmured, his gaze fixed on the cabinet. Every pulse of light across its surface stirred something deep in his mind, a quiet call urging him to come closer.

But he couldn't be reckless. Standing across from him was a man who hadn't shown a single expression since they met. His sharp eyes filled only with suspicion. Alaric knew that if he made a wrong move, especially if he dared to touch the man's belongings without permission. The man wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

Holding his breath, Alaric activated his internal system. A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

"What command would you like to execute?"

Alaric closed his eyes for a moment, visualizing the sequence of code he always used in critical situations. Then he spoke it silently in his thoughts, every digital letter forming a precise pattern that appeared as holographic visuals behind his eyelids.

"Code: Neutral Freeze Protocol. Target: all biological entities and plants within a ten-meter radius."

"Acknowledged. Preparation initiated. System ready in ten seconds."

Alaric opened his eyes again. The man in front of him seemed to sense a subtle shift in his expression, but Alaric remained still. He stayed calm, even as the flow of energy within him began to surge with every passing second.

The first second passed.

By the fourth, the cabinet's light grew brighter, as if responding to the new wave of energy.

By the seventh, the man appeared to notice something was wrong. His eyes narrowed, and his hand began to change, skin splitting apart to reveal black metallic tendrils gleaming under the dim light.

"Eight," the system's voice echoed in Alaric's head.

"Nine." Alaric steadied himself, his eyes locked on the cabinet.

"Ten."

Everything exploded into motion at once.