Although Kai acted really tough, his breathing grew heavier as the battle dragged on.
Each burst of Spirit Pulse drained his reserves, and every Specter Step also chipped away at his stamina.
His Spirit Points were dwindling fast.
[ Spirit Points Remaining: 120 ]
He clenched his fists as he really wanted to really show that he could take on Atom...
So far, it felt like Atom was rely playing with him.
’I can’t keep this up forever...’
Atom advanced again. The Sentinel’s movents were sharper now, since its calculations had already adapted to Kai’s rhythm.
It was as if it was so sure that it had already seen everything that its opponent could show. And Atom seed to be right!
Every strike Kai threw was anticipated, and every dodge was predicted and countered.
Kai darted forward, activating Specter Step once more.
[ Spirit Points: -20 ]
His body vanished once again before reappearing at Atom’s left side.
He slamd his fist into its rib, or where it was supposed to be...
Thud!
With Kai’s Bronze Skin hardening his knuckles, the impact forced Atom to stumble slightly, but it recovered instantly, sweeping its arm in on his head...
Kai ducked, rolling across the ground, and unleashed another Spirit Pulse.
[ Spirit Points: -70 ]
Now, he was left with 30 Points!
The blast hit Atom square in the chest, and the shockwave echoed through the courtyard.
Probably due to the nurous Spirit Pulses it had taken, the Sentinel lost its footing. Its heavy fra finally crashed onto the ground!
Thud!
Kai’s eyes widened. "Got you!"
Atom may have just lost its footing but Kai didn’t mind...
He rushed forward, pressing his advantage.
But before he could land another strike, he heard Atom’s chanical gears activating loudly...
Suddenly, the Sentinel rose smoothly back to its feet.
It seed unshaken, as if the fall had ant nothing.
Kai helplessly smiled after seeing that fast recovery.
’Even knocking it down doesn’t matter... it’s too durable.’
Atom advanced again. Kai wanted to use another Spirit Pulse, but his reserves were nearly empty.
He hesitated.
He could end the spar now, but he felt that he could try sothing again.
’One more...’
In the end, he relied on his raw stats, his stimulant‑boosted strength, and his passive skills.
He charged forward with his fists... Atom blocked each strike but its chanical limbs intercepted his blows perfectly...
Well, Kai wasn’t a fighter even back on Earth. He only knew a bit of self-defense from his Physical Education Class from before.
All this ti, his combat skills relied on his raw power, Keen Sense, and agility. As for the Combat Techniques or Stance, Kai just instinctively used them.
Fighting Atom like this made him aware of his limitations. He had been relying on his high stats all this ti and his various weapons, but perhaps he should consider learning so real techniques soon, so he could amplify his strength and use his Gene Skills more effectively.
As Atom pressed the attack, Kai’s arms started feeling heavy, and his legs beca sluggish.
’Well... I guess this is it, huh...’
Kai dodged as best he could, but without enough Spirit Points, his movents seed slower and more predictable.
It seed that having low Spirit Points also affected his stamina.
He wanted to use one more Specter Step, but the most it could do was dodge one of Atom’s attacks. It would not win him this spar.
Soon, a heavy blow slamd into his shoulder, forcing him back.
He barely kept his balance before he finally raised his hands.
Kai gritted his teeth and spoke...
"Damn... I’m out. You win, Atom."
Just like that, the A-Grade Sentinel finally stopped.
He lowered his fists... His sweat was dripping down his face, but he looked quite satisfied. Even though he lost, it was still against a powerful robot.
Furthermore, he had pushed Atom to the ground. Even if the Sentinel was completely unhard, it still happened.
"Go ahead and rest, Atom. I an, go stand guard elsewhere."
Kai chuckled weakly, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"You win this one... or maybe neither of us did."
He then looked at Atom leaving the courtyard. There was not a single dent, not a single mark. Yet he felt that it was enough for now.
As Kai sat down to rest for a bit, he heard soone clapping from the shadows before entering his view.
"That was incredible," Noli said, stepping forward with a wide grin.
Kai wasn’t surprised. He had already sensed him. In fact, his Keen Sense had picked up a total of eight people watching the fight earlier.
Most had slipped away once it ended, but Noli had stayed behind.
Kai smiled faintly. "You enjoyed the show, huh?"
Noli nodded eagerly. His eyes were even shining with admiration. "I’ve never seen anyone fight like that. Even against Atom... you didn’t back down."
After being with Atom for a couple of days, Noli knew just how terrifying this robot could be.
Kai chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I didn’t win either. But that’s fine."
Then, as his breathing steadied, he rembered sothing important. His gaze shifted to the digi‑cam Noli had been carrying earlier.
"Right... Can you show the pictures now? We might have to check this after the Global Event. If it really is Angelo’s shelter, we’ll need to prepare. That threat won’t go away on its own."
Noli’s expression grew serious.
He quickly pulled the digi‑cam from his belt pouch and powered it on.
The faint glow of the screen lit his face as he scrolled through the captured images.
"I found it while scouting near the swamp," Noli explained. "I was following the mist, just like you told us before... At first, I thought it was just another ruined settlent, but then I saw movent."
Kai leaned closer, his eyes narrowing. "Movent?"
"Yes," Noli confird. "Humans. Survivors. But they weren’t like us. Their clothes were strange, and they seed organized. I didn’t get too close, but I managed to zoom in with the digi‑cam."
He handed the device to Kai, who began flipping through the images. The photos were grainy, but clear enough to show figures moving through the mist.
So carried weapons, others were fixing their makeshift barricades.
More importantly, there were several motorbikes around!
"This is it..." Kai muttered.
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