[Dugan uses "Storm Discharge"]
— AoE attack affecting all enemies within a 10-meter radius!
— Soldiers take -150 HP
— Effect: Stun (5 seconds)
The stunned soldiers staggered. Dugan activated [Shadow Dash], vanishing into the air and reappearing right in front of his nearest opponent. A punch to the gut sent the soldier flying backward, his armor cracking under the force of the blow.
But the battle was far from over. The shapeshifters were adapting to Marty's style, their attacks becoming more unpredictable. The soldiers activated [Energy Shields], neutralizing some of Dugan's strikes.
[Tactical Shift!]
Marty and Dugan exchanged glances. They had to move faster, strike harder.
They both knew—if they hesitated, the enemy would find a way to overwhelm them.
The game was only just beginning.
Marty positioned himself between Dugan and the incoming enemies, his stance shifting instinctively. His every movement felt calculated, almost pre-programmed. That's when he noticed it—the system was analyzing his actions.
A faint HUD flickered in his vision, displaying battle statistics as if he were inside.
[SYSTEM ALERT: COMBAT ANALYSIS INITIATED]
Enemy Adaptation Rate: 72%
Threat Level: Rising
Optimal Strategy: Defensive Play
Marty clenched his fists. The game was reading him. Studying his patterns. Predicting his next moves.
"Dugan!" he shouted, barely dodging a shapeshifter's claw. "The system is tracking us—it's adapting to my attacks! You need to back off before it locks onto you too."
Dugan hesitated for a moment, his amber-sealed arms crackling with Nexus energy. "And let you fight alone? Not happening."
Marty grit his teeth, slamming his palm into a shapeshifter's face and twisting mid-air to avoid another. "Listen to me! If it learns how you fight, we're screwed! Just move—now!"
Another alert flashed in his mind.
[WARNING: ENEMY SYNCHRONIZATION AT 80%]
The creatures were no longer attacking wildly. They were coordinated. A pack moving as one. If the system finished its analysis, their next assault would be unavoidable.
Marty pushed Dugan aside just as an energy blade sliced through the air where he had been standing. He turned back, eyes locked onto his friend.
"I can hold them off. Trust me. Just go."
Dugan stood, staring at Marty, his breathing becoming more and more labored. He couldn't believe what was happening. Every fiber of his being screamed to stay and fight. But Marty, as always, was ready to go to the end.
Dugan barely whispered, his voice cracking with desperation:
"I can't…"
His eyes filled with instant fear. He didn't want to leave him. He didn't want Marty to be alone against this insane force.
Marty noticed that look and, without wasting time on unnecessary words, turned to Dugan. His face was serious, but there was a fire of determination in his eyes.
"I'll find you." he said, his voice firm despite the chaos around them. "I promise, Dugan. You're not alone."
Then Marty made a few swift movements, confidently getting into a defensive stance. He twirled his weapon in his hands, assessing the movements of the enemies.
"Run, and let this fight stay with me."
Dugan froze, not knowing what to say. Marty's words kept spinning in his head, but he couldn't just leave. Yet he forced himself to take a step back, his heart breaking. Maybe this was the right thing to do.
Marty saw this and nodded. He knew Dugan couldn't just walk away, but it was their only chance.
"Later… later we'll sort it out."
As soon as Dugan left, the system, flickered to life. It hovered in front of Marty, analyzing him with precise calculations. The hologram's data streams moved rapidly, tracking his movements and reading every subtle shift in his energy.
The numbers began to glitch, the data struggling to keep up with the force Marty was exuding. Suddenly, with a brief flicker, the system recalibrated itself. The numbers shot up, stabilizing quickly on the new value.
5930 FB.
The holographic display showed the "Fixed Base" — the baseline of Marty's power — now at an astonishing 5930. This was far beyond what the system had ever recorded before. The display lingered for a moment, the numbers hovering in the air, almost as if the system itself was questioning how such an increase was possible.
Marty could feel the surge of power coursing through him, the weight of the new strength settling into his bones. He wasn't just the same person anymore. Something had shifted, and the system's own readings confirmed it: he was now far stronger than before.
Marty stood, breathing heavily, his body still pulsing with the raw energy from the system's sudden recalibration. The battlefield had shifted—most of the soldiers had retreated, leaving only the few remaining of Alex's werewolf pack, those who had survived the devastating onslaught of the Dakr Mode. They growled low, their eyes glinting with a predatory fire, but they were weakened, and the odds were no longer in their favor.
In the distance, Alex stood tall and calm, watching the aftermath unfold. He hadn't moved during the entire battle, his focus unwavering. It was clear now—he had been playing a much larger game. His eyes locked onto Marty, a knowing look passing between them.
"This is what you wanted," Marty muttered under his breath, stepping forward. The remaining werewolves snarled, circling, but they lacked the strength to challenge him. The air was thick with tension as Alex slowly approached, the silent orchestrator of this chaos.
Alex's lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "You've finally realized, haven't you?"
Marty narrowed his eyes. "You always planned for this, didn't you?"
Alex nodded, his voice low, filled with a strange satisfaction. "Everything was always in place. I knew what I was doing… manipulating the pieces, testing you… pushing you beyond your limits. And now, you see the result."
Marty's grip tightened around his weapon, the raw power now at his disposal thrumming through his muscles. But even with his newfound strength, he knew this was a different kind of battle. Alex wasn't just a physical threat—he was playing with the very foundations of their world.
The remaining werewolves, their forms flickering between human and beast, eyed the two men cautiously. They were waiting for the final strike, the order from Alex.
But Marty wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. He stepped forward, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation. "This ends now, Alex."
Alex's grin widened, an unsettling gleam in his eyes. "You're right. It does. But not how you think."