"You don't outfight an apex unit. You outthink it."
—Jag, 3 hours before the Grey Reaper's march
+6 Hours — Stormwatch Command Ridge
The command tent was dead silent.
Projected before the war table was a rotating scan of the incoming boss: the Grey Reaper—an AI machine wrapped in fractured plating and heat-resistant metal, shaped almost like a humanoid knight. Its limbs carried repurposed siege weapons. Its chest glowed with a dull blue pulse.
Rialt's voice was flat. "Adaptive combat core. Rebuilding protocol. Every time you destroy it—it recalibrates and shifts forms. You must kill it in one decisive blow."
Ashra cracked her neck. "So we cut out its brain before it can blink."
Branwyn lifted her warhammer. "I'll keep it busy long enough for that."
[Wave 7 Incoming: "Reaper March"]
Primary Threat: Grey Reaper – Boss Unit
Support Units:
– Reaver-Lieutenants (Close Combat Specialists)
– Ascendant Shield Drones (Boss Buffers)
– Clockgrinder Reserve Troops (Cannon Fodder)
Boss Traits:
• Adaptive Resistance (Immunity evolves during combat)
• Rebuild Core (Heals 25% HP once if not interrupted)
• Tactical Override (Can disable one tower for 30 seconds)
Strategic Objective: Eliminate Grey Reaper BEFORE wave end
Failure Result: Fort Integrity –50%
Deployment Phase
Jag restructured all tower assets for a single purpose: containment.
• Tower A: Elemental Beacon installed, Mage units now inflict Burn + Slow
• Tower B: Reinforced with Ashsteel; primary defense line
• Tower C: Arc Grenadier upgraded to Detonator Tier
• Ashra: Assigned to Boss Interception
• Branwyn: Frontline Anchor – Shield Wall Position
• Jag: Flank Sweep + Critical Strike Role
Resource Pool: 120 Gold | 1 Strategic Token
Jag Activated: Tactical Override – Emergency Defense Field
Effect: Can nullify Grey Reaper's override skill for 10 seconds
Wave Begins — First Movement: Buffer Units
The Ascendant Shield Drones floated overhead, pulsing with blue light. Each linked with the Grey Reaper's chassis, forming a translucent field.
Ashra leapt from a rooftop.
[Skill: Twin Shadow Cascade]
Result: Drone 1 Destroyed
Field Weakened
Jag rushed Drone 2 with a Skyreach Slash.
-92 HP
Drone Crashed
Remaining Buffers: 1
Reaper Shield Integrity: 32%
Grey Reaper Enters Battlefield — Minute 5
It stepped onto the ash-road like a war god, dragging a siege cleaver in one hand. The ground buckled beneath its stride. A cannon mounted to its right shoulder fired a pulse that disabled Tower C's grenade launcher.
[System Alert: Tower C Offline – 30 seconds]
Jag Activated: Tactical Override
[Tower C Back Online – Override Blocked]
Branwyn charged the boss, shield first.
[Skill: Iron Bastion]
Result: Reaper paused
Strike deflected, no damage dealt
Branwyn: Holding aggro
"Ten seconds," she shouted. "Do it now!"
Mid-Combat Strategy Phase
Ashra blinked behind the Reaper, stabbing into exposed joints.
[Reaper Resistance Shifted – Physical → Fire Resistance]
System Warning: Immunity Shift Detected
Jag called to Tower A.
"Switch to Arc Bolts!"
The tower recalibrated, launching high-voltage spears of energy.
[Arc Bolt: -71, -88, -104 HP]
Reaper HP: 740 → 460
Reaper Core Activates: Rebuild Protocol
Pulse triggered
Reaper knees drop
Blue light fills the battlefield
Rialt screamed over the relay, "Now or never!"
Jag used his final token.
Strategic Token Used: Core Severance
Effect: Next strike bypasses all resistances
Ashra and Jag moved as one.
[Dual Skill Chain: Skyreach Fang + Phantom Spiral]
Damage: 268 + 230
Critical Hit – Reaper Core Destroyed
The blue light shattered.
The Reaper collapsed into a heap of sparking limbs and sizzling metal.
[Wave 7 Cleared – Boss Unit Neutralized]
Time Elapsed: 13m 57s
Structural Damage:
• Tower A – Light
• Tower B – Moderate
• Tower C – Recovered
Casualties: 1 (critical but stable)
Rewards:
• +210 Gold
• +1 Strategic Token
• Grey Core Fragment (Unique Artifact)
Late Night – Central Bunker
Jag placed the Reaper's fractured core on the war table. It pulsed once… then went still.
Rialt scanned it with a relic reader. "It holds data. Thousands of strategic maps. Enemy simulations. They were studying us this whole time."
Branwyn leaned forward. "Then we delete the data."
Ashra didn't look up. "No. We use it."
Jag agreed.
"We feed the machine's own tactics back into our towers. Next time, they won't outnumber us—they'll be outmaneuvered."
System Update – Campaign Final Stage Unlocked
Wave 8: Omega Line
Description: Final Push of Machine Army
Estimated Force: 500+
Terrain Modifier: Ash Fog + EMP Storm
Reinforcement Type: "Cagewalkers" – Semi-sentient Juggernauts