Thud, Thud, Thud!

KUK!

"That was slightly fun." Jake coughed out specks of blood as he finally came to a halt, his body slightly hunched but his grin never leaving. "Hey brother, what do you think?" he asked, tilting his head toward Max, his eyes gleaming with excitement despite the damage he had taken.

"Just shut up and focus on your damn f… kuk fight!" Max shouted, his voice rough as he coughed out blood again, his chest heaving painfully. Right on cue, Lenny dashed forward with terrifying speed, closing the gap like a raging beast.

Jake snapped his head back to the fight at the exact moment to see a massive swing aimed at his head. His instincts took over, and he swiftly ducked low, the strike missing him by a hair as a loud bang rang out through the battlefield, the impact tearing the air itself.

Using that split-second opening, Jake smashed all four of his arms straight into Lenny's hardened abs.

The impact thudded heavily, forcing the man's eyes to bulge slightly. Yet, instead of falling, Lenny grit his teeth and absorbed the pain, refusing to move an inch. His resolve was as unyielding as the shell covering his body.

"Eat my knees!" Lenny roared as his chitin-encased knee slammed into Jake's abdomen with monstrous force. The ground beneath them cracked violently, spiderwebbing with fractures.

"Huh? Tell me when you actually hit me." Jake grinned with a mocking glint in his eyes, but before he could add more words, Lenny's pincer lashed forward, slamming into his face with a brutal crunch that sent him skidding a few inches back across the torn earth.

Lenny steadied himself, preparing to advance again, but something stopped him. He froze for a moment as his gaze swept the battlefield.

The eerie silence that followed their last clash weighed heavily in the air. His eyes darted around, and his expression twisted when he finally saw it—Zach's unconscious body sprawled on the ground, unmoving.

The other hybrid was down as well, his body motionless. In fact, all of Zach's so-called allies had been taken out. Lana was barely on her knees, drained and trembling, while Jasmine lay unconscious.

Daki stood at a distance, her arms folded, her sharp eyes watching everything unfold like an outsider who had no intention of interfering.

'Huh? Zach and his group… lost? No way! That's impossible. Wait, my hundred men too? Where the hell are they? Don't tell me… they also lost?' Lenny's chest tightened as disbelief struck him.

"You can see it, right?" Jake's voice rang out, calm yet sharp, forcing Lenny's attention back. He straightened up and stared at the hybrid in front of him. "They all lost. Every single one of them.

Which means the final battle comes down to you and me." His grin widened, though his tone grew sharper. "And I'll be real with you. I'm pissed—pissed at the fact that you and your brother thought it was fun to poison Max and ambush us like cowards."

Jake's chest heaved as he turned his head slightly, shouting across the battlefield. "Which is why, Max! I know you're down, poisoned, and unable to move much.

But in the weeks we've been together, I've learned one thing about you. You're resilient. You never give in, no matter how bad it looks."

'What is this idiot rambling about?! Focus on your damn fight!' Max roared inwardly, his face twisting into a deep frown. He wanted to scream, to curse, but his weak body wouldn't allow him.

"Brother!" Jake's voice thundered again, firm and full of conviction. "Stand up. Get a few hits in. Beat him and show him why you are who you are!"

Max could only shake his head weakly in disbelief.

{-5HP}

{HP: 45/100}

"Keep shut, you dull creature!" Lenny bellowed, rage flashing in his eyes. His body blurred in an instant as he exploded forward, appearing right in front of Jake in the blink of an eye. His pincer lashed out like a battering ram aimed for Jake's abdomen.

"Quiet down, I'm trying to speak to my brother!" Jake roared back. In a blur of speed, he caught the pincer mid-swing, and with one fluid, devastating motion, he slammed Lenny straight into the ground. The impact thundered across the battlefield as a massive crater formed beneath them, the earth trembling.

Not done yet, Jake yanked him up from the crater and began slamming him again and again into the ground, each strike resounding with a bone-rattling bang that echoed for metres around. Dust clouds rose violently as the ground cracked further with every crushing blow.

Finally, after several brutal slams, Jake leaped back and exhaled sharply. He turned away, his back now facing Lenny, walking off as though the fight was already decided. Behind him, Lenny whimpered in pain, his body trembling from the repeated assaults.

Yet despite the punishment, he wasn't bleeding. The hard rock shell on his back had saved him from being torn apart. With gritted teeth, he forced himself up, eyes narrowing at Jake's exposed back.

'What the hell are you doing?! You never turn your back on an enemy!' Max's thoughts screamed with fury as his eyes widened, watching Lenny prepare to seize the reckless opening Jake had given him.

'I know that you're stronger than you look, brother. Come on! Get a few hits in before I finally send him to his makers.' Jake thought, a swift grin flashing across his face as though he already foresaw victory.

With a deafening bang, Lenny darted forward like a violent blur, his body tearing through the air as he sped straight toward Jake, who still didn't stop walking away. His back remained exposed, his steps unhurried, his confidence unshaken.

'NOOOO!' Max's mind screamed in terror, every fiber of his being igniting with urgency.

{-5HP}

{HP: 40/100}

'Screw everything! Fuck you, Jake! System, Adrenaline Rush now!'

{Skill activated!}

BANG!

An earth-shattering crash rang out as Lenny closed the distance in an instant. His pincers thrust forward with lethal force, mere inches away from Jake's unprotected back, when…

BAM!

The strike connected, a violent gust blasting outward as dust and debris shot up, cloaking the scene in a thick cloud. The battlefield rumbled from the impact. For a few tense seconds, nothing could be seen. But as the haze finally settled, a figure emerged through the smoke.

Glowing yellow eyes burned through the dust. Max stood there, his arms crossed in an X, intercepting the pincer thrust head-on. Blood streamed down from deep cuts across his forearms, dripping onto the ground in steady rivulets, while a fresh spray of crimson burst from his mouth. The dirt beneath his feet grew dark as a pool of blood spread rapidly.

{-10HP}

{HP: 30/100}

"Both you and your brother made a big mistake by messing with me." Max growled, his voice low yet razor sharp, his gaze drilling into Lenny like a predator eyeing its prey.

{Skill: Magical Energy Activated}

{Magical Energy Lv 1 (requires 10 MP): This skill allows host to strengthen his attacks and increase speed in combat. Strength and speed will increase by 20%. Skill will enter cooldown for ten minutes after use.}

{-10 MP}

{MP: 290/300}

Like a gunshot ripping through the air, Max exploded into motion. He pushed off the ground, his arms deflecting Lenny's pincers with sheer force, sending them veering off target.

The unexpected counter caused Lenny to stagger back, momentarily off-balance. Before he could recover, Max had already closed the distance, his form a blur of raw power.

'Crap! Too fast!' Lenny panicked internally, his eyes widening in shock.

SMASH!

Max's fist crashed into his face with devastating power, jerking his head violently to the side. Blood and saliva sprayed out as Lenny's body staggered backward under the crushing blow.

"I'm not done with you!" Max roared, crouching low before launching himself high into the air above Lenny. His arms spread wide open, energy surging through him as another skill flared to life.

{Draconic Force Palm Activated}

CLAP!

KA-BOOOM!

A thunderous shockwave erupted with catastrophic force, the sound splitting the battlefield like a bomb had detonated. The blast tore into Lenny, slamming into his body and hurling him several feet across the cracked terrain.

Blood spewed from his mouth as he tumbled violently, while the very ground for four metres around fractured under the force, spiderwebbing like an earthquake tearing through the earth.

Max landed heavily, his knees buckling as his chest convulsed. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his breathing ragged. His body trembled violently, unable to endure any more. With a final, broken cough, he collapsed to the ground, blood spilling from his lips in continuous sprays.

{-10HP}

{HP: 20/100}

{Warning: Host's condition has worsened and is becoming critical. If medical care is not administered immediately, host may lose his life.}

"Shit…" Max whispered, his vision blurring, his voice trailing into silence.

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