Heroes Can't Run from a Fight

Chaotian Gate was a landmark of Mountain City.

Even many people from out of town who had never visited Mountain City had heard of it. Set beside two rivers, it boasted beautiful scenery, drew crowds of tourists, and regularly hosted major events. To many locals, it was the very symbol of Mountain City.

...But Chaotian Gate was different today.

A spectacular dinosaur exhibition for young people had been scheduled here. The Hero Association and the Mountain City Museum had teamed up to display life-size replicas of the museum's dinosaur fossils in Chaotianmen Square for the whole city to enjoy. Aimed mainly at children and teenagers, the exhibition even offered rides on the dinosaur skeletons.

But something had gone wrong. The Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus skeletons on display had suddenly been affected by Astral Magic. They had become skeletal monsters and begun attacking everyone nearby, sending people fleeing in panic.

The superheroes at the scene fought desperately to hold back the two monsters and give the visitors time to escape to safety.

"Where's the Qiu Gui Squad? Can anyone reach them?!"

At the edge of the square, the A-rank hero Sharpshooter fired burst after burst from his assault rifle at the skeletal monsters as he shouted to a colleague beside him.

"No word. They've been missing for three or four days. There's no way we can reach them anytime soon."

"Damn it! ...Nearly out of ammo. Reloading!"

Sharpshooter emptied another magazine and deftly swapped in a fresh one, keeping up a steady stream of fire. But his bullets only struck tiny sparks from the skeletal monster. They could not harm bones strengthened by Astral Magic.

In front of the Skeleton Triceratops, a burly hero whose skin and muscles had turned to metal grappled with it. Neither side gave an inch, but no