The impact rattled through Ryo's bones, sending sparks of pain down his spine as he crashed against the reinforced cell doors.
For a split second, everything was blurred motion and static.
Then—
The system pinged.
> [WARNING: IMPACT DAMAGE COMPENSATED. ADAPTIVE RESPONSE REQUIRED.]
Ryo forced himself up, chest heaving. His opponent—**his so-called brother, Project 002—**stood in the center of the prison block, watching him with a cold, amused expression.
Same face. Same body.
But everything else? Different.
Where Ryo was controlled chaos, 002 was calculated precision.
He wasn't just faster.
He was designed to win.
The Next Evolution
Serra kept her gun trained on 002.
> "Ryo, what the hell is this?"
002 tilted his head.
> "Did they not tell you?"
His lips curled into a mocking smile.
> "You're not special. You're just the first mistake they tried to fix."
Ryo's fists clenched.
002 flexed his cybernetic fingers, red energy pulsing through the circuits along his arms.
> "Let me show you how much better they made me."
Then he moved.
Speed vs. Instinct
002 vanished.
Ryo barely had time to register movement before—
WHAM.
A knee slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding across the floor.
002 didn't stop.
He was on him instantly, fists blurring in a rapid assault.
Ryo **blocked, dodged—**but he was just barely keeping up.
Every time he adjusted, 002 was already two steps ahead.
It wasn't just speed.
002 was reading him.
Predicting. Countering.
> [ENEMY ANALYSIS: 98% COMBAT EFFICIENCY.]
[WARNING: YOU ARE BEING OUTMATCHED.]
Ryo growled. "Shut up and help me, then."
> "Way ahead of you, rookie."
> [UNLOCKING COUNTER-PROTOCOLS.]
[SYNCING REACTION TIME…]
[MATCHING OPPONENT'S SPEED: 89%... 92%... 100%.]
Something clicked inside Ryo's brain.
And then—he moved.
The Counterattack
002 swung—but this time, Ryo dodged faster.
He ducked under the punch, twisted inside his brother's guard, and drove an elbow into his ribs.
CRACK.
002 staggered back, his smirk flickering for just a moment.
Ryo wiped blood from his lip.
> "You talk too much."
002 chuckled, rolling his shoulders.
> "Maybe you're not a complete failure after all."
He cracked his knuckles, eyes burning red.
> "Let's see if you can actually finish the fight."
One Must Fall
This wasn't just about winning.
This was about who deserved to survive.
And Ryo?
He wasn't planning on dying today.