The Voltsmith’s Grasp ticked back up to six out of fifteen Charge as I slammed the Trip-Hammer into Urse Prime’s back right leg. Steel buckled around the two iron sledges, the glowing orange sections where Bobby’s Resonator powers had marked weak points giving and bone crunching under the blow. The bear roared, whirled on its left leg, and slashed down faster than I could block. The impact ripped me off my feet and launched me into the wall around the arena.

  “What a hit by Hal, but Ursa Prime’s counterattack picks him up and throws him! This looks dire for the local Delvers!” the play-by-play announcer shouted.

  I picked myself up as Bobby dodged and punched at the bear, opening up a new line of ringing weak points across its chest. One blow caught under the gigantic bear’s chin, right in the thick steel plate hanging from a chain around its neck. Then Bobby turned and ran, weaving and ducking his way toward me. “You got this?” he yelled over the cheering, roaring, and speaker-amplified commentary.

  “Yeah, I got this!” I said.

  The Trip-Hammer fired again, and another slab of armor crumpled.

  Bobby and I traded the bear’s attention back and forth as the announcers screamed about our strategy. Ursa Prime was faster than Bobby, tougher than me, and hit harder than anything I’d fought before except the Queen Tyrant, but the fact that it always wanted to fight its most recent attacker gave it a glaring weakness—once we knew about it.

  The fight was only a matter of attrition, and gradually, blow by blow and weak spot by weak spot, the gigantic polar bear slowed down. Its breath grew ragged, and it started limping on its shattered, smashed legs. I readied the bolt-throwing railgun, but held my fire. I’d only get one shot. “Make it stand up!” I yelled.

  “On it!” The bear swiped, and Bobby ducked in after the claws, punching and kicking for all he was worth as he stayed in clawing range. Claw strikes hammered down on him, and he barely avoided being decapitated.

  Then Ursa Prime roared, a blood-curdling, blood-spewing howl that covered Bobby’s already-filthy suit in red-pink spittle. It reared back, both arms up, ready to slam down. Bobby couldn’t move—the bear’s roar had stunned him.

  But as it lifted its arms, the weak steel plate covering its neck and jaw glowed bright orange.

  I leveled the Voltsmith’s Grasp and took my shot.

  The railgun bolt slammed into the plate—then through it. Blood erupted from the bear’s mouth as the roar turned to a scream of agony. So did something long and pink. It took me a second to realize it was the boss’s tongue. Ursa Prime hit the ground with both front paws as Bobby rolled away. It seemed to collapse, then started shimmering.

  I sighed in relief.

  “Oooh! The Delvers are about to learn what Juggernaut does!” the play-by-play announcer shouted.

  My blood ran cold as the boss’s shimmering body didn’t fade. Instead, it flickered from red to white in a steady but quick beat, like an engine idling.

  Ursa Prime: Level Fifty-Three Elite Dungeon Boss

  Current Difficulty: Impossible

  Juggernauting - This boss has been killed, but is enraged and temporarily indestructible. It will pursue its killer for thirty seconds.

  Time Remaining: 30 Seconds

  Elite - This monster moves faster and hits harder than a similarly powerful monster (thirty seconds remaining).

  I didn’t bother revving the Trip-Hammer. Instead, I threw it down as a weight settled on my shoulders and my soul. Ursa Prime’s eyes glowed red, and it locked its gaze on me.

  The boss started running. So did I. Bobby tried to get its attention with a series of punches across its side as it bowled past him, but it didn’t even break stride. No weak spots appeared.

  I ran for the wall. The boss followed me, gaining with every step. Then, when I got close, I kept running and threw myself up toward the narrow seam between the steel and plexiglass.

  I almost made it. Instead, I started sliding down toward the charging polar bear. As I fell, I thought quickly, looking for a solution.

  It came in the form of the Autoplate Pauldron.

  I punched the wall, empowering the blow with my armor’s gears and pulleys. The blow launched me to the side. Not far—three or four feet—but far enough.

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  The bear hit the wall with a sickening crunch. The solid steel buckled, and the boss’s front side stopped instantly. Its rear didn’t. The process looked like a train wreck, with half of Ursa Prime piling up behind the other half. Steel shrieked. The bear roared.

  The boss’s timer was at twenty-two seconds.

  I kept running.

  Boss Defeated: Ursa Prime

  Level Up! Forty-Three to Forty-Six.

  Dungeon Delvers who were not in the arena will receive fifty percent of your team’s experience.

  I put one point into Body and five into Charge as the announcers yelled on and on about the end of the fight. To them, it had been the most exciting thing ever—I’d outlasted the elite boss’s rampage but taken enough injuries to make a show of it. As the torn skin and shredded muscle across my back knitted themselves together, I let myself relax.

  Congratulations! For completing one hundred percent of a Tier Two Dungeon, you have received the following reward:

  One [Voltsmith’s] Supply Box (Rank Two)

  Completely clearing a dungeon will result in rewards equivalent to the level of dungeon cleared.

  And there it was. We’d finished the dungeon. I let Bobby pull me to my feet. He’d already scooped up the boss’s loot, and there wasn’t any reason to stay here. The announcers were completely focused on the fight, and I doubted we’d learn anything new from them.

  We headed back down the now-open tunnel. As it shifted from steel to stone, Bobby cleared his throat. “Four total items. One common and three rare. I’ve got a guess about which one you’ll pick first.”

  “Let’s get back to the exit. We’ll figure it out there. I’ve got a bad feeling about staying in this dungeon,” I said.

  “You got it, Hal.” Bobby flashed me a smile, then cast a spell. The filth, dirt, and gore melted off him and his suit, leaving him spotless, hair perfect and cuff links shining. “I’m ready to get out of here, too.”

  I checked his nameplate.

  Bobby Richards: Level 46

  Class: Resonator

  We were even now. He might have a touch more experience than me, but he and I were, by far, the most powerful survivors I’d seen so far. Saul might’ve been a bit higher at his peak, but he’d fallen as I chipped away at his support base.

  I felt almost ready to take on the Queen Tyrant. Almost.

  But first, there was loot to deal with—and after that, I needed to track down Calvin and Tommy.

  We passed the molding, chipped brick lockers and weapon racks, headed for the dungeon exit, and stepped out into the late Chicago afternoon. Skyscrapers’ shadows loomed over even Soldier Field’s ramparts, but the silence struck me. Lake Michigan’s waves crashed against the shore; I’d never heard them from this close to Lake Shore Drive before. It had always been honking, revving cars.

  Bobby let me listen for a minute, then started laying down items—three blue lights and one green.

  Warrior’s Sheath (Rare)

  Wearer may equip an additional piece of equipment. This item does not count against the equipment limit.

  Ursa Claw (Rare, Charge 5)

  +5 Body

  This dagger inflicts the Hemorrhage debuff upon enemies it hits, causing their injuries to bleed more and heal at a reduced rate through Body leveling and magical healing.

  Battle Helm of the Bear Knight (Rare, Charge 20)

  +3 Body, +3 Awareness

  For each Battle Helm worn in your party, the wearer gains +2 Body and +2 Awareness.

  Turfguards (Common, Charge 5)

  +2 Mana, +1 Body

  The wearer of these boots may root themselves in place, becoming immovable for up to five seconds on a thirty-minute cooldown.

  Bobby was right; there was a clear best choice, and since I got to pick first, I pointed at the Warrior’s Sheath. “That one. That one’s mine.” I have a dozen ideas for how to use it, ranging from picking up new gear to taking it apart down the road and seeing how it worked. If I could replicate it, my gear would quickly out-scale even my leveling. I just needed enough Charge to keep things running, and that was coming together.

  “Alright, that’s what I thought. Now, I should be interested in the Ursa Claw,” Bobby said. “Bobby Richards ain’t no fool, and that’s the second-best choice. But look, I’ll be honest with you, Hal. I’m tired of going solo all the time, but I need some assurances from you. I need to know that Museumtown’s not going in the wrong direction.”

  “What do you mean by that?” I asked, tensing a little.

  “I mean that the world has changed. You know it, and so do it. You can protect everyone living there, and that woman can try to keep things together, but at some point, they’re all going to become more trouble than they’re worth.” Bobby paused. “You heard the same things I did back there. The Consortium, and this Phase Zero and One stuff? This isn’t the worst of it. They’re prepping us for something, and it’s going to be bad.”

  I watched him, not saying anything. Dad had done that a lot, just waited people out. After a minute, he kept talking. “The Consortium wants us to advance and uplift, right? You and I, we’re on the advance path, and we’re doing well for ourselves. Jessica? She’s on the uplift path. We’ll see if she’s got the right idea there, but I’m not so sure.

  “Here’s my offer. I’ll hang around Museumtown, help you out with keeping it running smoothly and efficiently, and I won’t try to take over. In return, you and I are clearing Tier Two Dungeons. At least one a day, averaged weekly. I’ll let you pick the first loot—or have that girl, what’s her name?”

  “Tori Vanderbilt,” I said, brain spinning.

  “Yeah. Either you or Tori or whoever you bring in with us can get first pick. I get second. That’s the deal. You bring yourself and anyone you want. I bring me and my business knowledge. We work together to advance, and I help Jessica uplift the ones who aren’t serious about advancement.”

  “Why?”

  “Why what? Why tie myself to you guys?” Bobby asked. I nodded, and he laughed. “I wasn’t lying before. Museumtown is the closest thing to civilization that’s left, and you’re the best partner for dungeons that I’ve found. Everyone wins this way.”

  He was right. Grabbing Bobby Richards for Museumtown would only help people. Jessica might not see it right away—and Tori would throw a fit—but if Bobby was serious about helping her, she’d come around. “I have to talk it over with Jessica and the other member of our council, but I’m in.”

  I stuck my hand out, and Bobby shook it, smiling wide. “Excellent. Glad to be aboard. I’ll take the Battle Helm of the Bear Knight.”

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