The cold night air swept across the ruins of the factory as Dave stood over Stryke's unconscious body. He replayed Stryke's words in his mind, the ominous warning echoing louder with each passing second. Someone stronger was coming for him. A threat like he'd never faced before.
"Bella," Dave murmured, his gaze shifting to the sky as if expecting danger to descend at any moment. "That person Stryke and Ryna mentioned—the one stronger than them. Do you know who they were talking about?"
Bella's voice chimed softly in his mind, lacking its usual playful tone. "I'm not sure, Dave. I've scanned all available data, but there's no concrete information on someone of that caliber targeting you."
Dave frowned, a sense of unease creeping in. "Nothing at all?"
"No," Bella replied, her tone growing more serious. "But—"
Before she could finish, a shiver ran down Dave's spine. He felt a sudden surge of power—a presence so overwhelming it seemed to suffocate the air around him. It was like nothing he'd sensed before. Every instinct screamed at him that something was wrong.
"Dave, get out of there—now!" Bella shouted, her voice filled with urgency. "Whoever this is, they're way above your current level! Teleport away immediately!"
But Dave shook his head, defiance flashing in his eyes. "I'm not running, Bella. I want to see who this person is."
The air around him seemed to warp and tremble as a figure materialized out of nowhere, descending slowly from the sky. The man landed lightly on the ground, his feet barely making a sound. He was tall, with a lean but muscular build, dressed in a sleek, dark suit that seemed more fitting for a night out than a battle. His presence radiated raw, unbridled power, and his eyes—bright, fiery orbs—glowed with an otherworldly light.
"Are you the one who's been taking out my subordinates?" the man asked, his voice calm, almost curious.
Dave took a step forward, meeting the man's gaze with unwavering resolve. "What if I am?" he replied.
The man's lips curved into a grin, then broke into a deep, hearty laugh that echoed through the empty factory. "I like idiots like you," he said, still chuckling. "People who think they're strong but are really just asking to be crushed. You've got guts, I'll give you that."
He tilted his head, his gaze sharpening as he examined Dave. "So, what's your name, kid? I like to know who I'm killing."
Dave's jaw tightened. He wasn't about to give this guy the satisfaction of knowing his real name. "Call me… Alex."
The man raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Alex, huh? Liar."
Dave stiffened, caught off guard by the man's sharp perception.
"Well, no matter." The man shrugged casually. "You can call me Helios. Rank S Superhuman." He gestured lazily to the unconscious form of Stryke behind Dave. "Unlike my weak little Rank A subordinates, I'm in a different league altogether."
"So what?" Dave shot back, forcing a smirk. "I barely got a scratch from your Rank A members."
Helios's grin vanished, replaced by a look of cold intensity. "Is that so? Then let's see if you can handle someone from the big leagues."
Before Dave could react, Helios vanished, his figure blurring into nothingness. Dave's eyes widened as he instinctively teleported away, barely avoiding a devastating punch that shattered the ground where he'd been standing just a moment earlier.
Helios reappeared, his movements impossibly fast. He lunged at Dave again, his fists blurring in a flurry of strikes. Dave teleported rapidly, appearing and disappearing all over the factory. But no matter how fast he moved, Helios was right there, his speed relentless, his attacks unyielding.
"You think you can run from me?" Helios taunted, his voice a mere whisper in the wind. "I'll break you before you even realize what's happening."
Dave gritted his teeth, struggling to keep up. He pushed his teleportation to its limit, shifting in and out of space in rapid succession. But every time he thought he'd gained some distance, Helios closed the gap effortlessly.
One of Helios's punches grazed Dave's shoulder, the sheer force of it sending him spiraling through the air. He crashed into a wall, the impact sending tremors through his body. Pain shot through him, but he forced himself to stand, his breathing ragged.
Helios appeared before him in a blink, his eyes glowing brighter. "You're not bad. You're just… out of your league." He raised his fist, the air crackling with energy.
Dave's mind raced. He couldn't keep up with this speed, not with teleportation alone. He needed to outsmart Helios, use his powers in ways that the Rank S fighter wouldn't expect.
As Helios's fist came down, Dave teleported—not just away, but behind Helios, fusing his kick with his teleportation in one seamless motion. He reappeared mid-strike, his foot connecting with Helios's back and sending the Rank S fighter hurtling through the air. With a thought, Dave teleported again, this time directly above Helios's trajectory.
"Got you!" Dave roared, bringing both hands down, aiming to crush Helios into the ground.
But Helios twisted in mid-air, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Too slow!"
In a burst of speed, Helios vanished, reappearing in front of Dave. Before Dave could react, a crushing blow slammed into his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Pain exploded through his body as he was sent flying backward, the world spinning around him.
He hit the ground hard, his vision blurring. He struggled to breathe, his chest throbbing with agony. He tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him.
"D-Dave!" Bella's voice was panicked, her usual composure shattered. "Get out of there! You're not ready for this! Teleport back to the villa! Now!"
Dave coughed, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He looked up, seeing Helios walking toward him, his expression dark with murderous intent.
"Goodbye, kid," Helios said softly, reaching out to grab Dave.
With the last of his strength, Dave focused on his teleportation, willing himself to vanish. The world blurred, darkness closing in as he felt his body being pulled away from Helios's grasp.
Just as Helios's hand brushed his shoulder, Dave disappeared, everything going black. The last thing he heard was Bella's frantic voice screaming in his mind, the sound echoing as he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Dave, don't you dare die on me!"