**"!!!"**
The crystal core emitted a wave of Extreme chaos and furious consciousness. The shifting forms on its surface froze for an instant. The crystalline spikes and energy rays converging on Kael also hesitated momentarily.
That was the split-second opening!
Kael swung to the highest point of his arc, positioned directly above the crystal core, at the edge of the massive nest-like structure! He released his left hand's grip on the chain, his body hanging momentarily in the air!
His gaze was cold as iron. With all his might, he hurled the backup power cell—now glowing white-hot, cracks leaking destructive energy—downwards with his right hand, aiming straight for the heart of the nest, the constantly shifting "Pandora Stone"!
"A gift for you!"
The power cell traced a blue streak through the air, unerringly towards its target!
The crystal sentience let out a shrill, almost instinctual shriek of terror! It instantly mobilized all surrounding crystalline matrix, forming a thick, multi-layered crystalline shield in front of itself!
*KABOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!*
A deafening explosion engulfed the entire laboratory!
The vast energy contained within the backup power cell detonated the moment it struck the crystalline shield! A blue shockwave, like an expanding sphere, radiated outwards violently!
The crystalline shield, taking the brunt of the violent energy, shattered into pieces! The residual force of the explosion slammed into the crystal core behind it, causing its fluctuating light to dim drastically. Fine, web-like cracks, like fractured glass, even appeared on its surface!
The blast also hit Kael! It felt like being struck by an invisible giant hammer, hurling him backwards to crash against one of the lab's walls!
*THUD!*
The impact was heavy. Even with his armor, a wave of excruciating pain (highly realistic simulation) wracked his body, as if his internal organs had been rearranged. System warnings flashed across his display. He slid down the wall, landing on one knee, a trickle of blue energy fluid (his equivalent of blood) seeping from the corner of his mouth.
But he ignored his injuries, looking up immediately towards the epicenter of the explosion!
Dust (primarily crystalline particulate) filled the air.
The power cell's explosion was powerful, but... it seemed insufficient to completely destroy the crystal! The gray-white glow, though significantly dimmer, still pulsed stubbornly and was visibly regaining its brightness. The fragments of the shattered shield were being drawn by an invisible force, flowing back towards the core!
It was more resilient than imagined!
However, Kael's true goal was never to destroy it with a single power cell. That was a feint, to create chaos and... **an opportunity**!
The power cell's explosion not only struck the crystal but also generated a powerful, upward-rushing blast of air! This shockwave slammed directly into the ventilation/hoist shaft in the lab ceiling!
The thick layer of crystals clogging the shaft, caught between the downward explosive force and the upward blast, groaned under the stress before fracturing audibly! Large chunks of crystal were shattered and dislodged, revealing the dark, deep passage leading to the surface beyond!
The shaft was now open!
Simultaneously, because the crystalline sentience had diverted most of its energy to defense and self-repair, its control over the rest of the lab weakened instantly. The grinding doors stalled mid-closure.
The chance! A fleeting chance!
Kael didn't hesitate. Suppressing the severe pain and system alerts, he launched himself up from the ground! He didn't spare another glance for the recovering crystal. Pushing his speed to the limit, he became a blur, charging towards the newly opened shaft—his path to freedom!