Cryptomining Supervillain

Chapter 214 214: 214 GODFATHER

214 GODFATHER

Hermes lunged.

Its colossal fist smashed into Nuralith Tower, shaking the skyscraper to its core. Only the tower's reinforced force field prevented total collapse, rippling violently under the impact.

But Hermes' punches were more than brute strength…they carried the concentrated energy of force-field compression technology, powered by a fusion core so dense it warped the air around its arms.

The second strike landed.

The ground itself buckled; glass shattered across several city blocks. Every blow hit harder than the heaviest meta-artillery.

"Hail Hermes!" the Veyran soldiers shouted, their voices rising above the chaos. Their savior had arrived…their titan of vengeance.

"Die, Nuralith!" they cried, the chant echoing through the burning skyline.

------

"Brother, what do we do? We can't defeat that mecha … its armor's at least Rank AAA, even our Blue Scroch couldn't melt that!! Soon it'll bring this whole building down," Embose said, his voice trembling.

Macan's jaw tightened. "How dare that Roine Veyron deploy a war machine inside the city? That's a direct violation of the Accord. Godfather will not stand for this."

"Should we bring the matter to Godfather for mediation?" Embose asked anxiously.

Macan glared out the shattered window at the looming metallic titan. "With the chaos already unfolding, he'll have no choice but to intervene. But we can't appear weak … if we do, the negotiation will turn against us."

"Then how can we possibly defeat that thing?"

Macan turned sharply. "Idiot. It's just a machine. We are Rank A+ meta-humans. Since when have meta-humans feared machines?" He raised his comm-link and barked, "Instruct all meta-humans above Rank B …. deploy for battle, now!"

----

"Brother, the force field of Nuralith Tower is almost at its limit," Belgore reported, his hands still glowing from the control console.

"Good," Valtor replied calmly. "Once it breaks, our job is done. We'll pull out immediately."

"But the battle's not over yet," Belgore protested.

Valtor gave a thin smile. "Roine Veyran only paid us to breach the tower's defenses. Anything beyond that isn't our problem."

Belgore chuckled darkly. "Smart. We'll bleed them for every dime if they want to keep using Hermes."

Suddenly, alarms flared across the cockpit. From the crumbling tower below, about thirty meta-humans burst forth, surrounding Hermes in a storm of light and energy.

Flames, lightning, and psychic waves filled the air.

"It's too late to keep breaking the shield…the Nuralith are counterattacking!" Belgore shouted.

Valtor's eyes narrowed. "Open the main port."

Belgore froze. "You mean…the Neutron Cannon?"

"Yes," Valtor said coldly.

Instantly, Hermes ceased its assault.

The massive war machine straightened, plates along its chest sliding open with hydraulic precision. A cylindrical cannon extended outward, humming with immense power.

Then, with a blinding flash, it fired.

A white beam of pure destructive energy tore through the air and struck Nuralith Tower. The weakened force field shattered in a single pulse. The blast continued downward, ripping through steel and stone.

The tower began to crumble, its upper floors folding in on themselves as shockwaves rippled through the city.

Valtor exhaled, satisfied. "It's time to leave. Our job is done."

"What about the Nuralith meta-humans?" Belgore asked.

Valtor didn't even look back. "Let the main Veyran handle them. It's no longer our concern."

Hermes began to shift.

Its limbs folded inward, wings unfurled from its back, and the cockpit slid into its original position. In moments, the mecha transformed back into a warship. With a deep metallic roar, it ascended into the clouds, its engines blazing.

Below, the Nuralith forces tried to pursue, but the Veyran army stood in their way. The two sides clashed in a brutal, exhausting fight that left neither victorious.

When the smoke finally cleared, Hermes was gone….and Nuralith Tower lay in ruins.

-----

Damen and his friends watched the footage over and over—the colossal Hermes slamming again and again into Nuralith Tower.

Soldiers below fired their cannons in desperation, but the shells ricocheted harmlessly off its gleaming armor. Even the combined powers of dozens of meta-humans barely left a scratch.

"I don't remember Hermes being this strong the last time Valtor Veyran used it against the Zetheris," Kail muttered.

Damen nodded slowly. "That's because last time its meta-engine was neutralized by an Anti-Meta Field."

Kail frowned. "No wonder it looks different. The mecha's been rebuilt using matured tech—fusion reactors, neutron cannons… those are relics from the last century. Even the internal systems are backed up manually in case of a hack—wires, pulleys, physical buttons could be used instead of wireless programs."

Liorea leaned forward, eyes narrowing at the glowing war machine on-screen. "Valtor must've learned from his mistakes. He rebuilt Hermes to be completely anti-meta proof and anti-hack. And look at that frame…the plating's made with Silver City metallurgy and force-field composites. That kind of upgrade must've cost him a fortune."

Damen crossed his arms. "Mature tech or meta tech…it doesn't matter, as long as it works. If we could build something like this for Fortress Myrone and upgrade its armor a little bit more, we'd have another Rank S defender."

Kail sighed. "So, what happens to our city now?"

Damen's gaze stayed fixed on the burning skyline. "If history's any guide…like what happened in Melrose City…a greater force will step in soon. Maybe the governor. The clans won't be allowed to keep this up. If they do, they'll burn Silver City's prosperity to the ground."

-----

The orchard was thick with the scent of citrus — lemons and oranges ripening under the midday sun. Androids and drones moved between the trees, working in perfect rhythm as they harvested the fruits.

That calm was shattered by the rumble of engines.

A convoy of armored vehicles rolled along the narrow dirt road that cut through the orchard, heading straight for the mansion at its heart.

Inside one of the transports, Anduro leaned toward his brother. "Fredero, listen carefully. When you meet the Godfather, don't say anything foolish. One wrong word could cost your life."

Fredero frowned. "I don't get it. He's just a retired old man living on a farm with no family backing. Why does everyone act like he's some kind of monster?"

"Shhh," Anduro hissed. "Don't ever speak ill of him. He has ears everywhere."

Fredero scoffed. "Come on, this vehicle was fully debugged before we came. He's not listening in on us."

Anduro's hand twitched… ready to strike his brother… but he froze as the vehicle slowed. Ahead, the mansion's wrought-iron gates loomed, the family crest engraved across them: Orleone.

"We're here," Anduro muttered. "Keep your head down and your mouth shut."

Fredero smirked and mimed zipping his lips.

The convoy rolled through the gates and stopped before the grand mansion. Inside, a marble fountain greeted them …. Its centerpiece was the statue of Silver Orleone, the city's founder and once-beloved superhero.

This was the Orleone estate, nestled far outside Silver City. The Godfather preferred isolation to the chaos of urban life.

Anduro and Fredero were led through silent halls until they reached a tranquil garden at the back. There were no guards or servants.

Only an old man tending to a row of bonsai trees, shaping their tiny branches with careful precision.

He didn't look up as they entered.

Fredero sneered. "Hey, old man! Take us to the Godfather."

The gardener ignored him and kept trimming.

"Useless servant," Fredero muttered, pulling a whip from his belt. "Maybe I should teach you some manners."

"No…!" Anduro shouted, but the whip cracked through the air before he could stop his brother.

The lash passed harmlessly through the old man's body … like smoke.

Fredero froze. "What…monster?"

Dark tendrils burst from the gardener's shadow, twisting and writhing toward them. They coiled around Fredero first, then Anduro, ignoring their screams.