For the occasion, Dr. Tenma had asked Astro Boy to wear the same cloak as him. Together, side by side, they stood at the end of the footbridge before the glass cages of prisoners.

 

Dr. Tenma was proud to appear as well, before his eternal rival. Finally, he had triumphed! With Astro Boy in his base, he was sure to quickly become the most powerful of all the scholars of the world.

 

"O'Shay, now is the time for you to accept defeat. Astro Boy did not forgive your lies. He has chosen.”

 

The evil doctor put his hand on Astro's shoulder, who did not move.

 

In its transparent prison, the good professor was destroyed. Tears came to his eyes. He could not bear to see that the child he loved so much, who he considered his son, would ally with this horrible villain Tenma. He could not believe it...

 

Beside him, Zoran knew her brother too well. She truly trusted him, and she was certain he would never abandon them. She, better than anyone, knew how he was kind, honest, and willing to do anything for those he loved. In the eyes of her big brother, she saw the light of a rapid reaction, a spectacular action of which he had the secret.

 

"Tomorrow you will be free," Tenma continued to the professor. "But your freedom will be unbearable. You will become nothing. Would you rather I keep you here, or you destroy yourself? You'll never have neither the strength nor the courage to oppose me... "

 

Tenma smiled and corrected:

 

"...No, to oppose us! Isn't that right, Astro? "

 

In response, the young robot gave him a smile as mischievous as it was enigmatic. Discreetly, he activated the wave transmitter capable of countering the waves that prevented him from flying. It unleashed its reactors, and had the pleasant surprise to feel that, this time, they started better than ever.

 

"What's happening, Astro?" asked Tenma incredulously.

 

With a sharp gesture, Astro tore off his cloak and rose into the air like a rocket.

 

"Curses!" Yelled Dr. Tenma. "Miserable little robot! If you lie to me, you'll pay! You can't imagine what you're in for!"

 

Without paying attention to him, Astro rushed into the professor's glass prison and pulverized it with a punch. He turned around to smash that of his sister.

 

"Go, Astro!" she exclaimed, full of happiness.

 

On the bridge, Dr. Tenma was furious.

 

"You'll have to deal with my robot destructor guards!" he choked.

 

Before had he finished his sentence, a dozen flying creatures, an enormous variety of beetles with red eyes and armed with powerful laser cannon arms, appeared in the huge room.

 

Without wasting a second, Astro picked up his sister and grabbed Professor O'Shay.

 

"My boy," groaned the old man, "I was so afraid of losing you!"

 

"Don't worry, Professor, I know who I am. For me, there will never be any doubt about who my family is. And now, let's escape this awful place. "

 

The first laser shot grazed them and blew up part of the floor.

 

Astro flew away, taking with him those he had sought after. The laser shots were becoming more numerous. Red rays passed through the space around them in all directions. Astro swirled to avoid them.

 

"Hold on to me!” exclaimed the little robot. "He'll want a chase! This is the time to check if my new atomic batteries really do have a lot of power! "

 

Astro shook his fist and sent a discharge energy on a robot destructor. The machine exploded on impact.

 

Suddenly Astro felt his speed propulsion decrease. He began to lose altitude.

 

"Uh oh, I think we have a problem," he said. "They warned me not to over-consume, because the batteries can fail. I have to choose between flying and shooting... "

 

Astro gave a boost and regained his power reactors. He slipped in through the middle of the fireworks caused by the robot destructors. Tenma screamed in anger, gesticulating like a madman, giving conflicting orders to his robots, which got lost, flying in different directions.

 

Taking advantage of the confusion and the smoke beginning to invade the room, Astro managed to get out. But in the corridors, the alert was given. Everywhere were cameras and automatic guns following them, multiplying in flurries.

 

Suspended from his neck, Professor O'Shay and Zoran and clung with all their might. Zoran was laughing. Despite the danger, she was not afraid because she was with her big brother. As for the professor, he closed his eyes to not see the perils that they narrowly escaped.

 

When Astro finally arrived at the vent through which he had entered the base, he was forced to break down the wall to get through it with his passengers. Once in the shaft, which led outside, he gave all his power and soared. Robot destructors were still on their trail, more aggressive than ever.

 

When they emerged, the top of the rocky hill, Astro and his family had two surprises: the dawn was beginning to rise and the scenery was beautiful; but more importantly, the base was surrounded by the security forces of the Ministry of Science, which had finally come to discover the hideout of Dr. Tenma. One by one, the robot destructors were sprayed with open fire from guards. Astro was finally able to land on the ground, out of danger. He put his two passengers down with infinite care. The reactors in his legs were still glowing as they were heated.

 

Colonel Misha hurried over to the three survivors.

 

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

 

"Thanks to Astro, yes," replied the professor, breathless after this perilous flight. “You should take a look inside this secret base. If he has not already fled, you will find Dr. Tenma.”

 

The colonel turned and gestured for his men to storm the fortress.

 

Dr. O'Shay was exhausted, but so happy to be close to Astro and little Zoran.

 

"My children," he said as he gave them a big hug. "I was so scared for you. I couldn't bear to see you two hurt. "

 

Astro smiled.

 

"Do not worry, professor. And next time, if you ever have a problem, don't wait for a nasty doctor to act before you tell me! "