Boom! The third explosion rang out as Jill Young braced herself on the ground. In the emptiness of her chest, a tiny sprout of hope suddenly emerged, fresh and new. The moment this delicate sprout appeared, it shattered that suffocating sense of finality, and her entire existence was propelled into a brand new realm.
In a daze, Jill realized her physical body had broken past the Fifth Limit—and she'd finally found a way forward.
Boom, boom—the explosions kept coming. Waves of strange energy swept through her body over and over, making the crystal sheen of her skin and muscle even brighter. The sprouting hope in her chest multiplied, each one growing stronger.
Boom, boom, boom! The explosions roared, carrying an overwhelming pressure that swept across all of New York City. Her Dreadwing Armor evolved in the shockwaves, leaping from the tenth to the eleventh tier in no time. The dark gold glow was so intense, even the armor itself couldn't hide it.
Even the Fivefold Dragon Force was tempered by the shockwaves. The forces didn’t get any stronger, but instead of fighting each other, they started to melt and fuse, slowly forming a single unit. The original True Dragon Force became the core, and the four Phantom Dragon Forces lined up as its limbs. It was like they were trying to piece together one giant dragon.
A strange vibe filled the air, and for the first time, her once unruly Dreadwing Armor actually showed a hint of obedience.
Boom—the ninth explosion, the final one, and the most intense yet. The shockwaves from all nine blasts echoed and stacked inside her, flooding Jill with agony—but also triggering a total metamorphosis.
"Aaaah—!" Jill slammed her fist into the ground, venting the excess energy. Boom—the earth caved in, cracked and exploded outwards. This punch was a whole level above anything she'd ever thrown before.
The pain receded like a tide. Huff, huff—Jill panted hard, then quickly calmed herself.
She stood up and looked at her hands, feeling a world-shaking change underway. Four Dragon Force seeds swayed in her chest, waiting to be nourished. The energy from the Meat Pill Fragment hadn’t run out yet—it surged through her like a flood, pouring into every corner of her body. But the energy that used to overwhelm her was now hers to command.