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Suddenly, the machine emitted a deafening roar, its metal casing bursting apart as a massive explosion ripped through the room. Allen felt himself lifted off the ground, his body hurled backward as the blast wave struck him with incredible force.

He landed hard on the floor, his head spinning as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. But as he sat up, a searing pain shot through his face, and he knew something was wrong.

His hands flew to his cheeks, and he felt a wave of horror as he realized that part of his face was burned, the skin charred and blackened by the intense heat of the explosion.

Allen's vision blurred as he stumbled to his feet, his mind reeling with shock and agony. He staggered backward, his eyes fixed on the smoldering ruins of the machine as if unable to believe what had just occurred.

The room was in shambles, the walls cracked and broken, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke and burning metal. And Allen's face... his face was a burning, throbbi