Beast's vibrating claws sliced through both bullets. Even though Misery was strong enough to blow a clean hole through concrete pillars, Beast's claws was fully capable of deflecting them.
Felix fired a few more rounds, each shot forcing him to lose his footing.
But Beast slowly closed the gap, slicing through each successive round with his vibrating claws.
The agent instinctively pulled out to Agony, using its default attack in a desperate attempt to stun the large man, or at least slow him down. The criminal was pushed by the concentric waves of energy, feeling a slight tingle that made his arms feel stiff.
But he stood strong, and brazenly charged at his enemy, "That the best you've got?!"
With a wide swing, his mechanical claws slashed through pillar the phantom leaned on. Felix once again slipped underneath. But as Beast lifted his leg to kick, the agent slid under that attack too.
"Slippery bastard."
Felix darted away while simultaneously shooting at his enemy, not allowing Beast to get close.
He then shifted his attention to the exoskeleton on Beast's legs, aimed Misery at the joints. But Beast was quickly caught on to what he was planning.
The brute stopped in his tracks and began sprinting towards Maria, who was still sitting under the rubble with a bored stare.
Felix aimed Misery, but saw Maria looking at him.
"V.V.!"
A memory flashed in his head. Her blood dripping from her face, down to his.
He refused to risk hurting his own partner. So he lowered his gun and chased after the brute.
Beast grinned, and the exoskeleton around his legs began revving up. With a loud whir, he closed the gap, and landed a charged-up kick deep into Felix's gut.
The explosive kick sent him crashing through another of the parking area's pillars, crashing through it, then rolled across the grimy, concrete floor.
His white mask hollowly clattered a few feet away, while he desperately trying to breathe.
The concrete column cracked snapped, and crumbled with a dusty echo.
Beast let out an exhausted exhale as the whirring in his legs slowed. With a satisfied smirk, the brute took his sweet time walking towards the agent. Even as his opponent was writhing in the ground, there was still caution in his approach.
With shaky arms, Felix could barely push himself back up. He spat out a mix of saliva and blood.
Beast pulled out the pistol from his hip.
"Get up!" Maria's sharp demand echoed. "If you really want to be number one, then you have to be able to beat this guy first."
If I want to be number one…
With those words, he heard Luna's voice echo from his buried memories, "Felix…get up. Every time you fall, you get back up."
I have to surpass him…
The blue-eyed agent reached his hand forward, only for the brute to tower over him.
"Any last words?" Beast asked.
He felt the criminal press the cold muzzle against the back of his head. In his mind formed the silhouette of David, looking back at him from the distance with a sharp gaze.
And if I have to surpass him… then I have to be…
Beast squeezed the trigger —
~