Blue fires his plasma gun, but Tyson deflects the shot with his sword, sending sparks flying. The force of the blast pushes him back a step, but he keeps moving, dashing forward and slashing at Blue's torso.
Blue sidesteps effortlessly, driving his knee into Tyson's gut before smashing an elbow into his helmet. Tyson stumbles back.
"I'm not feeling any killing intent," Blue chuckled. "What happened to you? I was really looking forward to this fight."
Gritting his teeth, Tyson lets out a fierce scream and swings his sword in a horizontal arc. Blue backpedals just in time, then retaliates with a sharp kick to Tyson's knee, making him stumble again. Seizing the opening, Blue swings his gun like a club.
Tyson ducks, spins, and delivers a forceful kick that sends Blue crashing into the glass wall. Cracks spider webs across the surface from the impact.
"How's that?"
Blue groans but smirks. "That was something."
He quickly raises his plasma gun, aiming point-blank, but Tyson grabs the barrel and shoves it aside just as a shot fires wildly. Using sheer strength, Tyson twists Blue's wrist, forcing the gun downward before slamming an elbow into Blue's jaw plate.
Blue stumbles but recovers fast, countering with a brutal uppercut that sends Tyson staggering back.
"You're learning fast," Blue remarks,
Tyson barely regains his footing before Blue lunges forward, their weapons clashing with a sharp metallic clang. Sparks dance as sword meets gun, both pressing forward with sheer force.
Then, in a sudden move, Blue twists his gun around Tyson's blade, locking the hilt before yanking it free. Tyson's sword skids across the floor.
"Now we're talking," Blue smirks, tossing his gun aside with a loud clang.
Tyson doesn't hesitate. He charges in, throwing a heavy punch. Blue sidesteps catch Tyson's arm and twists it, causing a softish whine in the armor under the pressure. Before Tyson can react, Blue slams a knee into his stomach plate, sending a dull shockwave through the metal.
Tyson grunts, retaliating with a powerful swing of his metal-armored fist; the blow glances off Blue's helmet, creating a deafening clang that echoes through the area. Blue counters with a brutal uppercut to Tyson's chin, the impact ringing through his helmet.
Tyson staggers back, feeling the force of Blue seizing his chest plate and hurling him into the glass wall, hearing the sound of cracking spiderweb fractures spreading across the surface.
"I admit, you're good at hand-to-hand, Tyson," Blue said, rolling his shoulders. "And I've never been a close combatant. But my power points are making my armor sturdier than yours."
"It's always about those damn power points."
Tyson pushed himself off the cracked glass, slamming a gauntleted fist into Blue's side. Sparks danced across Blue's armor as nano-particles rapidly repaired the damage. In an instant, Blue twisted Tyson's arm and drove an elbow into his shoulder plate. Tyson crashed against the glass again, and more fractures formed on the glass wall.
His breathing echoed inside his helmet, the HUD flashing red on small sections of his body where the nano-particles were repairing damage at a steady rate. His reserves had dropped to 79 percent.
"You're slowing down," Blue taunted, stepping back just enough to let Tyson recover. "What's wrong? That fire from before already burned out?"
Tyson exhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a split second. Think.
Edward's words rang in his head: "You can't win fights with raw strength. Learn to use your surroundings."
His eyes darted around—the damaged concrete floor beneath them, their weapons lying just out of reach, the massive glass wall behind him, barely holding together. Through its deep cracks, he could glimpse the chaos below—fire, and people running for safety.
He raised a hand, pressing his fingers lightly against the glass. The surface trembled under his touch. One more hit and it's done.
Blue suddenly grabbed his helmet. "I miss the old you."
Tyson didn't respond. Instead, he moved slightly, baiting Blue forward—then dove low, ramming into him with a devastating spear tackle.
The glass exploded on impact.
"WAIT—!"
They burst through the wall, free-falling from the fifth floor, metal bodies twisting in midair.
"You crazy bastard!" Blue screamed. "Are you trying to get us KILLEEEED—!"
They slammed into a truck below. The metal crumpled like paper, absorbing most of the fall. Tyson rolled off with a grunt, lying on his back on the ground below, his body aching—but a victorious smirk tugged at his lips.
Even through the helmet, Blue could tell.
Flat on the wrecked truck, pain radiating through his body, Blue groaned. He had taken the brunt of the impact, including Tyson's full weight crashing down on him.
"I regret saying that," he wheezed.
"Serves you right," Tyson muttered, watching his HUD display flicker. His nano-particle reserves had dropped to 71 percent.
---
Alex gritted his teeth, glancing back. Raine and her two armored allies were closing in, their metallic boots echoing against the narrow corridor as they sprinted.
"There's the elevator!" Liora called out, spotting the steel doors at the end of the hall. The rangers were just behind them, shielding the president's family from the rogues.
"We can't take the elevator," Alex shouted. "It's too risky—head for the stairs!"
"He's right, mom!" Seraphina added. "We'll get stuck in there, or worse—"
"Down!" Alex yanked Sera's head down just as a blast whizzed above them. "These bastards—!"
Raine shouted, "Are you insane? You could've hurt her!"
"I'm sorry, I was trying to stop them!" one of her subordinates stammered.
"Shaun, take them to the stairs! I'll handle this." Alex spun, raising his katana as the stairwell door loomed behind him.
"There are three of them, Serge," Shaun hesitated. Seraphina paused briefly looking back before disappearing through the stairwell.
"Don't worry," Alex reassured, "I'll be right behind you. Go."
Raine and her allies halted when they saw Alex standing guard in front of the stairwell door.
"Distract him," Raine ordered. "I'll go after the cargo."
"Yes, boss!" One of her subordinates charged, launching a blast at Alex. With a swift motion, Alex deflected the blast effortlessly with his katana, stunning all three of them.
"Careful," Raine warned, her eyes narrowing as she studied Alex's stats on her HUD. "He's stronger than me… this could be a problem."
Alex dashed at them first, catching them off guard. His blade slashed toward Raine, forcing her to step back just in time to avoid the strike. Before she could counter, Alex spun, delivering a powerful kick to her two subordinates, sending them crashing into the walls.
Raine barely had a second to react. Nano-particles surged over her fist, reinforcing it for a devastating punch. She swung hard—
Alex met the blow with his katana. Sparks exploded between them as metal clashed against metal. For a moment, they were locked in place, their strength pushing against each other. Then, with a sharp flick of his wrist, Alex inclined his blade, deflecting the attack and sending Raine stumbling forward.
"You're a fighter," Alex said, watching her regain her footing.
The Rangers and Rogues are primarily divided into three specialized categories, each trained for distinct combat styles. The first group consists of Weapon Masters, elite warriors proficient in melee combat, wielding swords, spears, or dual blades with exceptional skill. Their armor is designed for agility and precision, enhancing their reflexes and attack speed to overpower enemies in direct combat.
The second category comprises Long-Range Combatants, experts in firearms and energy-based weapons. These rangers rely on precision shooting, rapid-fire tactics, and advanced targeting systems integrated into their suits, sometimes supported by drones or stabilizers for increased accuracy.
Lastly, there are the Close Combat Fighters, specialists in hand-to-hand combat, excelling in raw strength and technique. Their armor is reinforced to withstand intense physical clashes, enhancing their punches, kicks, and grappling moves to dominate opponents in close quarters. Each Ranger is trained according to their specialty, making them a formidable force on the battlefield.
"You don't seem happy," Raine remarked, her eyes flicking toward the doorway as her allies regained their footing.
Alex remained silent, his focus locked onto Raine. Unlike her two companions, who appeared to specialize in long-range combat, she had the strength to withstand his heavy strikes. She was the real threat here.
"Now!" Raine shouted.
Her two subordinates lunged at Alex from both sides, forcing him to engage them while she dashed toward the stairway. Her metal boots clanged against the steps as she rolled through the doorway, slipping past the fight.
Behind her, the sound of clashing metal echoed through the hall as her subordinates struggled against Alex—the son of the General himself. But she couldn't waste time worrying about them.
Peering over the railing, she spotted the President's daughter and her mother being escorted by a weak-looking ranger.
Without hesitation, she jumped, landing directly at the base of the third floor—right in front of them.
The sudden impact sent a shock through the metal stairs, and Seraphina and her mother stumbled back in alarm. Shaun immediately stepped forward, positioning himself between them and the rogue.
"Stay back!" he shouted, his stance tense.
Raine grinned, rolling her shoulders as her armored fists crackled with energy. "Like hell, I will," she said, bumping one fist against the other in excitement.