Leon struggled to pull his battered body upright, trembling with effort. Dust and smoke from the explosions and impacts still swirled around them. Pain shot through every fiber of his being, but his eyes remained fixed on the man in the black cloak, unrelenting.
"Is that all you've got?" A cold voice drifted out from beneath the hood, dripping with contempt. "Are all the Witherborn special ops units just a bunch of weaklings?"
Rage flared in Leon's chest. He gritted his teeth before slowly drawing the katana from his waist. The blade's tip pointed straight at the mysterious man's face in defiance, even though the hand gripping the sword trembled slightly.
"Whoa there... easy, young man," the cloaked figure said in a tone that seemed to mock him.
Leon blinked just once!
But in that split second! The cloaked man's figure suddenly appeared right in front of him! Too fast to follow! Before Leon could get ready or counter-attack, a heavy punch he couldn't see slammed into his stomach!
"Ugh!" Leon doubled over in pain, his breath caught until he nearly suffocated!
"How rude of you... we haven't even had a chance to properly greet each other," the cloaked man's voice sounded right next to Leon's ear before another impact sent his body flying away again!
THUD!!!
Leon rolled helplessly across the ground. He felt like his internal organs were about to be crushed.
"Haven't even introduced myself yet," the cloaked man walked slowly toward Leon's prone form on the ground. His shadow fell across the young man's body. "My name is... Colt. Pleased to meet you... and... goodbye... kid..." As his cold voice ended, Colt's fist rose up, preparing to end Leon's life!
Cutting to Raven's side...
The sounds of flesh hitting flesh and metal grinding against metal continued to thunder! Raven and the giant wearing steel gauntlets were exchanging punches in a ferocious battle like a raging storm! Neither would retreat even a single step!
Raven seized the moment when his enemy left an opening, driving his steel "Gear" fist into the giant's chin! But at the same time, the giant's massive fist also struck Raven's chin!
Wham! Clang!
Both staggered back a step each. Blood trickled from the corner of Raven's mouth while the giant roared in pain and fury. They clashed again - fist against fist, steel gauntlet against steel gauntlet, sparks flying every time their weapons collided violently.
But Raven was starting to feel the difference... the enemy's punches were much heavier and more brutal than he'd expected. Each clash left his arms increasingly numb and aching, while the giant seemed only slightly injured. A contemptuous smile appeared on its face.
"What's wrong! Don't want to trade punches with me anymore, boy!" it mocked.
"This won't work... if this keeps up, we're definitely screwed!" Raven thought quickly. He had to change tactics!
Suddenly! Raven's figure vanished from in front of the giant! Its eyes widened in surprise!
"Gear Two!" Raven's roar came from the side! His steel fist shot toward the giant's ribs with speed and precision!
Thud!
The giant cried out in pain. It tried to counter-attack, but Raven didn't give it the chance! He jumped back slightly before gathering all his power into his right fist! The blue light from his "Gear" blazed intensely!
"Gear Three!!!" The fist packed with destructive power slammed into the giant's chest with full force!
The chief asked me to take care of the kids. I'll never give up!
The tremendous impact made the giant's body jolt! It staggered back several steps, eyes wide with shock and pain! This was the true power of one of the key members of Special Operations Unit Four!
Cutting to Shion and Mina's side...
Mina was still busy assembling some mechanical parts from her large travel bag with rapid movements. Her slender fingers moved skillfully and precisely, but at the same time, she didn't forget to use her modified small machine gun to periodically fire disruptive shots at the hammer-wielding giant, diverting its attention and creating opportunities for Shion.
"So damn annoying! You filthy little rats!" the giant roared. It tried to reach Mina but was blocked by Shion every time.
Shion moved with the speed and ferocity of a fire storm. She gripped her massive sword firmly in one hand before running circles around the giant, trying to find timing and openings to attack. The giant sword in her hand blazed with flame-red light, ancient runic patterns on the blade glowing ominously!
"YAHHH!" Shion leaped onto the roof of a collapsed building before diving down with her flaming sword in one hand, slashing at the giant's head with full force!
But the massive war hammer in its hand was raised to block just in time!
CRAAASH!!!
The sound of metal clashing thundered again! The ground beneath the giant's feet actually sank slightly from the impact! It grinned like someone holding a winning hand before swinging its hammer to the side forcefully! Making Shion, who was still airborne, lose her balance! Then it seized that opportunity to punch its massive fist into Shion's stomach!
"Ugh!" Shion doubled over in pain!
Not letting the chance slip! The giant jumped up into the air, raising its war hammer, preparing to smash down on Shion's small body as she fell!
But Shion still had her wits about her! Even though the pain nearly knocked her unconscious, she quickly raised her massive sword with one hand to defend with all her strength!
BOOM!!!
The war hammer crashed into Shion's sword with full force! Her body flew away like a cannonball! Shooting through a window into an abandoned house! The sound of shattering glass rang out!
Cutting to Traffie's side...
"Keep dodging around! You little bastard! Come fight me face to face!" the tall, lean man with twin battle axes shouted in frustration. He couldn't catch Traffie's lightning-fast, fluid movements at all!
Traffie, who had just dodged the enemy's attack by a hair, laughed mockingly. "Heh! You're the pathetic one! Just admit you can't keep up with me!" His eyes sparkled with mischief!
Before the enemy could respond! Traffie's figure shot toward him again! His beloved twin axes swung in circles!
The sound of metal clashing rang out harshly! Sparks scattered!
In the moment when both their axes collided! Traffie used his agility to spin rapidly! Then kicked the tall man's face hard!
Wham!
"Damn you!!" the tall man cried out with slight pain and lost his balance!
In a rage! He swung his twin axes forward wildly! The sharp axe blades grazed Traffie's arm! Creating a long wound! Bright red blood seeped out!
Traffie staggered back slightly. He looked at the wound on his arm, then looked up at his enemy... and a chilling smile appeared on his face! His eyes sparkled with excitement and bloodlust!
"Hahaha! Is that all you've got? Come on! I'll chop you to pieces with my own hands!!!" Traffie roared like a madman! Some kind of power began radiating from his body!
Cutting back to Leon...
Leon lay crumpled on the ground. He tried to get up, but his body felt heavy from Colt's continuous attacks. He could see the cloaked man standing not far away. The figure wasn't moving, but Leon could feel invisible pressure radiating from him.
He tried to move in moments that felt like they were being sped up and slowed down constantly, but when he tried to shift his body, it would freeze momentarily!
"What the hell... can't move at all!" Panic shot through Leon's mind.
And in that moment, he noticed that Colt's figure standing in front of him had also gone still! As if time had stopped for both of them briefly!
He didn't have long to think... before the feeling of being yanked back to reality hit him! And Colt's fist shot toward his face again! And again! And again! And again!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
"Completely hopeless! You're way too weak!" Colt's voice rang out coldly as his fists continued pounding Leon's body relentlessly!
Leon's consciousness began to fade... the scene in front of him grew blurry... but in the final split second before he lost consciousness... he noticed something...
Colt's hands... his fingers... they were crossed!
Or maybe... that was... the condition for using his power? The thought flickered faintly through Leon's mind... before everything went dark...
In the end... what could I do... sorry Master Xiao Yan... sorry everyone...
Suddenly! Colt, seeing Leon about to lose consciousness, uncrossed his fingers. The power controlling time stopped working!
"Hm... almost got interesting," Colt muttered to himself before noticing that Leon was still trying to force his eyes open with difficulty.
"He's still not unconscious?" Colt thought with surprised annoyance.
Before he could do anything more... the sound of a small explosion rang out from Shion and Mina's direction! Along with the giant hammer-wielder's cry of pain! It looked like Mina had used her "secret weapon"!