A taste of true power.

Rex's stomach tightened. He knew what that meant: if the main fleet was already here, they'd lost the small window they had to take out the worm's core without interference.

His mind raced, thinking of Ys that was still deep inside the worm, moving toward the core. If the reinforcements didn't coordinate with her mission, they could easily blow the whole operation and kill her together with the worm.

"Cleo," Rex growled into his comm, dodging another incoming Skydancer as he ran, "what kind of reinforcements? Ground troops? Air support?"

"Everything," she replied, her tone grim. "They brought the heavy artillery and aerial squads. They're mobilizing now and will likely engage any second."

Rex clenched his jaw, sparing a glance at Carlos, who had also heard the news. Carlos gave a grim nod. There was no time to waste; if they hesitated now, Ys's mission would be compromised, and all their sacrifices would mean nothing.