Cryptomining Supervillain Chapter 159 159: 159 META-ARTILLERY ASSEMBLY

159 TA-ARTILLERY ASSEMBLY

Then a cold grin spread across Dan's face. "Don't worry. After tonight, he'll think twice before coming after GenSyn Industry again."

"Why?" Dorin asked.

"Because by tomorrow morning," Dan said, his voice low and certain, "every news outlet in lrose City will be screaming for justice. The dia will tear the SIA apart for their dirty tricks in GenSyn today."

"I'll make sure the comnts favors us", Kail added.

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[Zetheris HQ]

"What do you an Captain Zor and his veteran team couldn't arrest Dan Dark? Are you sure Black Halo didn't turn up to help him?" Shawn demanded, his voice tight.

"No," Dackerie said. "Dan nearly killed Captain Zor with a single punch. He's far stronger than we assud from a high-school kid."

Shawn's plan had been crude and simple: get the SIA to manufacture a pretext to raid GenSyn, arrest Dan during the chaos, and then do whatever was needed while he was in custody.

Everything depended on one thing — capturing Dan.

They had considered the Black Halo angle.

If Black Halo showed, Shawn could use the association to brand Dan an accomplice. He would be turned into a fugitive.

That would still serve his goals too.

But Black Halo hadn't appeared, Captain Zor failed, and the operation collapsed entirely.

"You idiot," Shawn spat. "I don't believe one man can beat everyone we throw at him. If soldiers won't do it, send a team of ta-humans. I will get him. I must." He slamd his glass down; it shattered across the table.

Dackerie rubbed his forehead. "I don't think that's possible. Yesterday's fiasco beca a major scandal for SIA. Director Ambrone won't risk backing us again …. not with their reputation on the line."

"So, I'm helpless against him?" Shawn asked, his fury trembling.

"I'm afraid so, boss," Dackerie said.

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[lrose City's Aur mine]

Dan made a last-minute trip to the space rift, bringing Liorea with him. Their mission was urgent — to deliver arms to Fortress Myrone.

He didn't bother clearing the mine or asking for authorization; there was no ti.

Yaris spotted him the mont he arrived and straightened instinctively. According to him, this was the sa noble guest who shared a na with his old friend's nephew.

"Sir, are you heading down the mine again?" Yaris asked.

Dan only nodded. He'd already severed his ties to the past … there was no reason to pretend otherwise now.

A sudden commotion broke out near the shaft. A group of miners pushed a stretcher toward the surface.

"What's happening?" Liorea asked.

"There was an accident," Yaris said, glancing toward the noise. "One of the workers got hurt."

Dan turned toward the stretcher. The man on it was Ralph Dark — his uncle. He was having difficulty breathing, his condition almost critical.

For an instant, sothing flickered behind Dan's eyes: a mory, perhaps, or an echo of the boy who once lived under that man's roof.

"I could 'Drain' him now…in his condition, he won't survive it", the thought ca to Dan's mind.

But Dan stopped the thought at the last minute.

Ralph had been cruel.

Dan could take his life at any ti… he was for a mont tempted to do so…. but he had still been his only family.

Ralph wasn't worth the effort… wasn't worth the grudge.

Dan's got his revenge when he beca a superhuman.

Liorea looked to him for directions. Dan said nothing.

"Let's go."

He turned and walked toward the elevator, leaving Ralph behind without a word.

"It's over", he told himself. "That life, that na, everything that bound to it is gone."

His heart hardened.

The elevator descended into the deep blue glow of the rift. Monts later, Dan and Liorea crossed into the realm of Anu.

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[Planet Anu]

"Wow … this place is enormous and weird," Liorea said, pressing her face to the armored vehicle's viewport. "Coracle never brings on business trips. It's like I'm the only one actually running his operations."

Dan glanced at her. "How did you end up working for soone like Coracle?"

"Well… I needed his help to find my missing brother. You know that." She shrugged.

"But that's not the whole story, is it?" Dan pressed.

Liorea stared at the twin suns hanging over the horizon. "No. I feel like I can use my power for sothing. Even if it's just to take lives when soone deserves it….or not."

"I'm not here to judge," Dan said. "I never planned to be a hero. But don't pull anything reckless like the Veyran infiltration with Kail again … he's fragile. I don't want him hurt."

Liorea snorted. "Kail isn't fragile. He's strong, resourceful, and humble … nothing like the other rich kids his age."

Dan's voice turned firm. "Kail's like a brother to . Hurt him and I won't spare you."

"Yes, boss," she said without missing a beat.

The fortress rose up before them then, dark and immovable against the alien sky. They had arrived at Fortress Myrone.

-----

They were ushered straight into the reception hall. Lord Nicaesa sat like a rock at the center, watching them approach.

"You brought company," he said, appraising Liorea with a sharp look.

"She's my assistant," Dan replied coolly. "And she can help Fortress Myrone."

"Really," Nicaesa said. "Show ."

Liorea snapped her fingers. A heavy container dropped out of thin air with a dull thump. Guards reached for rifles, then relaxed at Nicaesa's signal.

Liorea opened it.

Inside the container were rows of engineered parts, compact barrels, actuator assemblies.

"What are these?" Lord Nicaesa asked.

"These will build ta-artillery," Dan said.

Nicaesa's eyes went hard. "ta-artillery…the very thing that our fortress needs- long range bombardnts. I tried to get them from the Veyrans but they refused to sell them no matter what terms I may offer. They say it was their secret."

Dan raised his data pad and projected schematics and drawings into the air. "Secrets… Not anymore."

Nicaesa barked an order.

Soon, engineers flooded the hall. The room roared to life as hands, voices, and calculating minds quickly matching parts to plans.

Fortress Myrone had just gained sothing dangerous and valuable.

-----

While Liorea stayed to supervise the ta-artillery assembly, Dan headed back to the training center.

"Dan, you are back again. Care to try our latest simulator and break its record again?" Lieutenant Kalr asked when he saw him.

"Why not?" Dan replied.

The simulator has been upgraded since his last visit. Thanks to parts sourced through the Aukouma family, the rig was far more sophisticated.

Inside the chamber, the old scenario returned: a storm of teors.

Dan launched into the sky and began smashing every rock that appeared—kinetic blasts and lightning tearing them apart.

He dashed like a streak of electricity, zigging and zagging through the storm; none of the teors survived his onslaught.

New Core of the Minds had been integrated into him, boosting his autonomous combat to Level 2. He was twice as fast and far more responsive than before.

When the simulation ended, he returned to the floor.

"You learned to fly?" Kalr blurted, stunned.

He barely glanced at the scoreboard—he already knew Dan had shattered every record.

"It's limited flight," Dan said.

"You're a flying boy now?" Kalr laughed in astonishnt. "Phenonal progress. No wonder Green couldn't stop praising you. How is he doing in lrose city, by the way?"

"He's handling logistics. We couldn't have shipped half of this without him," Dan replied.

They traded a few more words when the alarm scread through the facility.

"The aliens are striking again?" Kalr asked.

"Ready to get your hands bloody?" Dan said.

"You bet."

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