The Hellion specialist moved first.
One moment, he was standing across the room.
The next—
He was on Ryo.
Steel vs. Steel
The black-armored soldier swung his blade—fast. Precise.
Ryo's body reacted on instinct.
He ducked, the energy blade whizzing past his head, carving a deep gash into the steel wall behind him.
> [GEARBOUND REFLEXES: FULL SYNC.]
[ENEMY ATTACK SPEED CALCULATED: 93% MATCH.]
He could keep up.
Ryo pivoted, launching a counterattack. His fist lashed out, aimed for the specialist's helmet.
The man leaned back, dodging by millimeters.
Then he retaliated.
A swift knee to Ryo's ribs—
Ryo blocked, but the force sent him skidding backward.
His arms stung.
> [DAMAGE MITIGATED: 68%]
This bastard hit like a tank.
But Ryo was faster.
And he was getting stronger.
The specialist adjusted his stance, his red visor locked onto Ryo.
> "You've evolved past expectations. Impressive."
> "But not enough."
He vanished.
Ryo's instincts flared.
> [ENEMY BLINK MOVEMENT DETECTED.]
Right side.
Ryo twisted just in time, barely avoiding the blade aimed for his throat.
He countered with a spinning kick, his foot slamming into the specialist's ribs.
The man grunted but didn't budge.
Instead—he caught Ryo's leg.
And flung him across the room.
Ryo crashed into a control panel, sparks exploding around him.
> "Okay, yeah, so this guy isn't just tough—he's BUILT different."
Vos and Karin Join the Fight
"Ryo!"
Karin opened fire, her rifle spitting rounds into the specialist's armor.
The bullets pinged off harmlessly.
Vos cursed. "That armor's reinforced!"
The specialist turned to them.
> "Stay down."
A pulse of red energy surged from his armor.
The shockwave blasted Karin and Vos back, sending them crashing into the floor.
They didn't get up.
Ryo's blood boiled.
Time to Evolve Again
Ryo exhaled slowly.
Then he stood.
His body ached.
But that ache was fading.
His adrenaline surged.
His mind sharpened.
The system pinged.
> [IRONBORN PROTOCOL: EMERGENCY OVERRIDE DETECTED.]
[NEW FUNCTION AVAILABLE: COMBAT ADAPTATION.]
Ryo's veins burned.
But it wasn't pain.
It was power.
He locked eyes with the specialist.
And smirked.
"Round two, asshole."
The specialist raised his blade.
And they clashed again.