Dawn Operation

"We need another sixty seconds to finish charging the energy," the Guardian replied, working the control panel beside the metal door. "But at this rate, we won't last that long."

Gandalf's sword blazed with sudden, blinding light. A massive arc of purple sword energy slashed toward the wall of flames. "Void Slash!"

The world spun around Ace. The Emperor Flame Wall collapsed with a roar, and the shock wave hurled him several meters into the metal door. The Flame Emperor Armor's defenses activated at once, absorbing most of the impact, but his head still swam.

Gandalf walked slowly through the shattered wall of flames, his sword hanging at his side. Its tip scraped against the metal floor with a teeth-grating screech.

"You have nowhere left to run, young heir of D," Gandalf said, his voice still calm. "Hand over the Flame Emperor Armor, and I'll grant you a dignified death."

Ace struggled to his feet. The Flame Seed Stone on his chest flickered erratically. He could feel the connection to the badly damaged armor faltering, yet the True Flame surging within him was more restless than ever, as though some power were awakening.

"I won't let you get your way." Ace glared at Gandalf. "Whatever you are, if you want to destroy this world, you'll have to step over my corpse first!"

At that moment, the Flame Seed Stone erupted with dazzling light. Every golden line on the armor lit up, forming an intricate magic circle. Ace felt a mysterious power flow from the stone into his mind.

"Emperor Domain activating," the armor said directly inside Ace's head, as though it had gained a mind of its own. "Initialization complete. Deploying domain."

In an instant, a sphere of blue-green True Flame expanded rapidly from Ace, engulfing the entire passage. Time