The Third Elite Warrior

Sun Cheng had arrived at just the right time. Four Decepticon engineers were conducting the final adjustments on a Decepticon body lying atop a massive metal platform at the center of Cultivation Center Four.

Sun Cheng was no stranger to the Decepticon lying on the metal platform.

His name was Thundercracker, a prisoner of war captured by Pioneer and the others during the renewed invasion of Trindade Island a month earlier.

After receiving news that the Black Market had been invaded again, Sun Cheng had personally gone to Trindade Island and stayed there for a while.

Sun Cheng had assumed that after that probing attack, the Decepticons would launch a series of more frequent assaults on Trindade Island.

But it turned out he had overthought it. He waited for nearly a week without seeing the Decepticons attack again.

Though he regretted losing an opportunity to hone his skills, Sun Cheng did not remain on Trindade Island.

Pioneer had already done an excellent job at the Black Market, so Sun Cheng was now comfortable continuing to leave this Black Market, which remained very important to Base Two, in his care.

In the end, Sun Cheng returned to Base Two with several prisoners of war.

Since Thundercracker had been escorted back by him personally, and since he had also assimilated the memory data of many Decepticons, Sun Cheng was quite familiar with the guy.

Like Dirge, Thundercracker was an ancient Decepticon born during the era of the Elder Council.

When Megatron, with Sentinel Prime's backing, had only just earned the right to enlist after rising from being a gladiator slave, Thundercracker, Dirge, and the others—born into nobility—were already officers in the Cybertronian Guerrilla Army.

In Soundwave's memories, this future general of the Decepticon Corps' aerial division had undoubtedly been a typical Decepticon.