The air in the abandoned rice mill didn't just vibrate; it screamed.

  The blue current surrounding Kaelo's clenched fist transitioned from a frantic spark to a steady, haunting hum. This was the "Max Reinforcement"—a technique that didn't just use Nature Energy; it compressed it until the very atoms protested.

  The Boxer didn't flinch. He shifted his weight, adjusting his center of gravity to brace for the impact. The red ropes tied around his waist and torso began to glow with a violent, rhythmic pulse.

  "He hasn't even drawn his sword" , the Boxer thought, his eyes narrowing.

  "Heaven’s Strike: First Form—Point Blank," Kaelo whispered.

  He didn't run. He vanished.

  The floorboards where Kaelo stood didn't just break; they vaporized under the pressure of his launch. He reappeared in the Boxer’s shadow, the blue light trailing behind him like a tear in reality. The Boxer reacted with veteran instinct. He didn't try to dodge—he knew he couldn't. Instead, he crossed his massive arms, and the red ropes around his waist flared with blinding intensity.

  BOOM.

  The collision sent a shockwave through the mill that shattered the remaining windows. Blue lightning clashed against the red energy shield in a shower of sparks that blinded the drone hovering above. For three seconds, it was a stalemate of pure, agonizing will.

  "Is that all you've got?" the Boxer yelled, his heels carving deep grooves into the concrete.

  "No," Kaelo grinned, though his cracked ribs were screaming. "That was just the delivery."

  Kaelo slammed his reinforced blade into the Boxer’s torso. He felt the impact pierce through the red reinforcement, bypassing the outer armor to connect directly with the Boxer’s internal systems.

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  The giant’s eyes widened as the blue current surged through his defense. The force lifted his 6'5" frame clean off the ground, throwing him through three successive brick walls before he finally settled in the dirt of the courtyard outside.

  Christian watched from the shadows, his expression unreadable. Kaelo had burned through half of his total energy reserves in that single, frantic flurry.

  Inside the mill, Kaelo stood trembling. His arm was smoking, and his breath came in ragged, painful gasps. The lightning around him faded, and the full weight of his injuries finally crashed down on him. By abandoning his defensive reinforcement to maximize his attack, he had left his own body vulnerable to the backlash.

  He’s reckless, Christian thought, a hint of worry surfacing. He fights like he has nothing to lose.

  Outside, the Boxer groaned. The red ropes had significantly shortened, their glow nearly extinguished. The drone lowered itself, hovering inches from his face.

  "Return to base, Leo," the mysterious voice spoke through the speakers. "The boy is a threat, but he could also be the catalyst for what’s to come."

  "And the Detective?" Leo asked, wiping blood from his white locs.

  "He matters not," the voice replied coldly. "There is only so much a human can do in this superhuman world."

  "Hey, boy! I'm leaving now," Leo yelled toward the ruined mill. "Don't try to continue this. We’ll meet again soon enough."

  Leo stood up, wiping dust from his clothes. "Besides, you’re pretty banged up.And me? I could go at this for days."

  From his vantage point on the roof, Christian knew Leo wasn't bluffing. Despite the bleeding stab wound, the giant hadn't even tapped into ten percent of his total energy reserves. If the fight continued, Kaelo would inevitably lose a battle of attrition. He had the power to wound a god, but not the stamina to survive one.

  Christian reached into the tactical bag he had brought along. He pulled out what looked like the dead remains of a small bird. From a side pocket, he produced a glass pill pulsing with raw Nature Energy and forced it into the bird’s beak.

  The effect was instantaneous. The bird’s wings twitched, its eyes snapping open with an artificial, glowing life.

  "Follow," Christian whispered.

  The Tracer Bird took flight, circling once before banking toward the retreating Leo. From this point on, Leo would be a beacon on Christian’s map. Every move he made, every secret base he entered, Christian would be watching.

  Kaelo stood in the rubble, watching the white-locked giant disappear into the night. He looked at his own trembling, blood-stained hands and knew the truth. If he pushed further, he would die.

  He turned away from the courtyard, sheathing his blade with a weary click. This round had ended in a draw.