Chapter 226: Return to Cybertron

Perhaps fearing that wider knowledge would bring wider unrest, the Thirteen Primes had kept the ultimate truth to themselves: Cybertron was Primus.

Then came the Great Shutdown.

During the War of the Primes, the follower factions of the seven fallen Primes were virtually wiped out. Those who survived retreated into the forgotten corners of Earth, entering stasis to preserve their remaining spark energy.

However, the follower factions who remained behind to guard Cybertron were uninjured.

When the Great Shutdown struck, these local factions bore the heaviest blow, entering an irreversible offline state from which none could awaken.

This created a complete historical vacuum. Without records passed down, subsequent generations knew nothing of the ancient era before the Shutdown.

Because of this gap, the Quintessons had easily taken control of the world when they arrived.

The Cybertronians created by the Quintessons through the AllSpark had no connection to the ancient factions of the pre-Shutdown era.

New frames, new perceptions.

Optimus Prime and Megatron were simply products of an assembly line. Following their activation, the former worked as a dock handler in the industrial sectors, while the latter fought for survival as a gladiator in the arenas of Kaon.

As his spark faded, Alpha Trion chose not to let the truth of Primus remain buried in the past, nor did he want a foreign race to ever impersonate their creators again.

In his final moments, Alpha Trion entrusted the history of Primus to Skygnaw.

Once his task was complete, Alpha Trion accepted his quiet sacrifice rather than clinging to a prolonged existence.

While Skygnaw did not share Alpha Trion's absolute selflessness, he respected the old Prime's final wishes.

He swore to keep the secret close, ensuring no one learned that Cybertron was a divine mechanical lifeform.

Though Alpha Trion's original intention might not have been framed in quite those terms.

Skygnaw classified a god-tier Cybertronian as a divine entity, placing a Supreme-tier warrior alongside a semi-divine class.

A entity scaled to the size of an entire planet certainly warranted the title of a deity.

In Cyclonus's research notes, a specific term appeared repeatedly: "Zombie."

Seeing the familiar term almost made Skygnaw feel as though he had returned to his previous life.

Cyclonus's work on Dark Energon had been remarkably thorough.

According to the logs, Dark Energon could indeed reanimate non-biological metal structures into aggressive mechanical constructs, much as Blackarachnia had described.

It functioned somewhat like the AllSpark, yet lacked its true creative essence.

Where the AllSpark birthed self-aware mechanical life, Dark Energon produced mindbodies driven purely by destructive instinct.

The logs also contained several details Blackarachnia had not mentioned.

For instance, Dark Energon could reanimate fallen Cybertronians into zombie constructs.

It also emitted a distinct radiation profile.

Skygnaw interpreted the data through his own understanding: prolonged exposure to Dark Energon drained a Cybertronian's frame, causing progressive physical degradation.

Carrying raw Dark Energon close to one's chassis caused severe mental instability.

A member of Cyclonus's team named Scrapper had slept near a raw sample, waking in a violent frenzy, intent on destroying everything in sight.

Beyond these effects, Skygnaw deduced a fourth property:

Dark Energon could alter a living Cybertronian into a vampire-like state, creating a vampiric frame.

Cyclonus had failed to identify this specific reaction before testing the substance on himself.

When facing imminent offline status, a warrior would try any method to prolong his spark, especially ingesting a material known to reanimate dead metal.

Skygnaw summarized the four primary properties of Dark Energon:

Reanimating inert metal into mindless mechanical constructs.Raising fallen Cybertronians as zombie frames.Mutating living Cybertronians into vampiric frames.Inducing severe mental instability through prolonged radiation exposure.

Viewed this way, Dark Energon held deep structural ties to Cybertronian physiology, explaining its distinct focus on their species.

After reviewing the laboratory archives once more, Skygnaw processed the newly acquired data and stepped out of the Three-Prism Tower.

Outside, Razorclaw had brought the containment fleet into hover formation around the spire.

The massive array of warships hovered in tight formation, awaiting their leader.

The sweep was complete; not a single wild Insecticon remained on the surface of Planet Chiren.

After a brief check on the operation, Skygnaw boarded the Nemesis.

Cultivating Insecticons required specific environmental conditions, which explained why Blackarachnia had originally chosen a secluded location for her brood.

Under the escort of a cruiser and several frigates, the transports holding the Insecticons set course along their previous route.

Meanwhile, Skygnaw took command of the main fleet and set a direct vector for Cybertron.

Days later, in the Centauri sector.

Two junior Decepticons were conducting a routine patrol across their assigned sector.

Though the Autobot forces had been driven off, no one could guarantee they would not attempt a return.

If the patrols grew careless, they risked losing control of the surrounding space.

Suddenly, one of the patrol units halted, scanning the dark void ahead with an uncertain query: "What is that?"

"What?" the second unit replied, turning toward the navigational array.

Before they could react, dozens of starships emerged from deep space into visual range.

An entire armada.

"Wait!" The first unit caught his partner's arm before he could transmit a fleet alert. Gazing at the lead hull, he called out, "It's the Nemesis! That's our flagship!"

"Lord Skygnaw has returned!"

"What? Lord Skygnaw?"

As the massive fleet entered Cybertron's orbital space, word of Skygnaw's return spread rapidly through the Decepticon garrison.

Many warriors wondered where the new fleet had come from.

When Skygnaw had departed, he had taken only the Nemesis. Returning with an entire naval division caught the garrison completely off guard.

While many were curious about where he had been, the strict hierarchy of the Decepticon ranks kept anyone from approaching him directly.

Atop the Decagon, Shockwave raised his head toward the hovering Nemesis, his single crimson optic flashing rapidly as he processed the incoming readings.

He could not determine how Skygnaw had assembled an entire naval force during his absence.

When leaving Cybertron, Skygnaw had not disclosed his destination to the high command, offering Shockwave only a brief operational excuse.

His sudden return with a fleet naturally triggered a rare shift in Shockwave's calculations.

Hiss...

The bridge hatch of the Nemesis slid open. Looking down from the flight deck, Skygnaw spotted Shockwave standing on the roof of the Decagon.

With a light leap, Skygnaw dropped through the upper atmosphere, landing smoothly beside Shockwave.

"Skygnaw, you have returned," Shockwave said, turning his single optic slightly toward him.

Before leaving Cybertron, Skygnaw had already attained Prime status.

No matter how logical or proud Shockwave remained, he was a Commander-tier warrior, and the gap between a Commander and a Prime was an absolute threshold that could not be bridged by standard tactics.

If a standard warrior's combat rating was considered passing, a Commander-tier warrior reached ninety-nine percent efficiency.

A Prime-level warrior held a full hundred percent.

Though it appeared to be a single percentage point, the actual performance gap was vast.

Shockwave could no longer treat Skygnaw as a standard peer, adjusting his usual terse tone in his presence.

Noticing the change in Shockwave's demeanor, Skygnaw felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.

In Cybertronian society, combat capability held the same absolute weight as wealth and authority in human cultures.

Until one attained that level of power, its true value remained abstract.

Once achieved, it provided absolute authority.

"Shockwave, have the Autobots made any moves during my absence?"

Skygnaw offered no immediate explanation regarding Planet Kugrage. Even without a direct report, Shockwave would gather the operational details from the fleet logs in time.

"No," Shockwave replied, shaking his head. "Approximately two years ago, Soundwave sent an intelligence update."

"He located the Autobot Aerialbots on that distant organic world, along with several other Autobot units that fled Cybertron. The Ark remains in stationary orbit above the planet."

In truth, the Autobots knew Soundwave was operating on Earth, but they lacked the tactical assets to neutralize his surveillance network.

Had they managed to pinpoint Soundwave's exact location, Optimus Prime would likely have led a strike team to eliminate him personally.

"They have established a surface base. It appears they intend to remain there indefinitely..."

Earth?

Skygnaw gave a slight nod, finding the report consistent with his expectations. "Optimus Prime is on that world. After their defeat here, they had nowhere else to retreat."

"Skygnaw," Shockwave began, pausing for a moment.

"What is it?"

"Megatron contacted me recently to inquire about your location," Shockwave stated evenly. "He ordered me to lead the remaining Decepticon forces and deploy to that world..."

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