The first strike came before Alex could fully process the Warden's movement.
The massive axe carved through the air with impossible speed for something so large, the blade trailing essence that distorted space itself. Alex's Phantom Step activated on pure instinct, his body flickering from the visible spectrum as the weapon passed through where he'd been standing.
The shockwave alone sent him tumbling across the adaptive floor, his restored body screaming protest as kinetic force translated into bruising impact. Stone cracked where the axe struck, and Alex caught a glimpse of the weapon's true nature not just metal and bone, but something that had been fed essence for centuries until it had become a living extension of its wielder.
**[Combat Echo Analyzing...]**
**[Warning: Opponent Speed Exceeds Predicted Parameters]**
**[Recalculating...]**
