Gray held a knife in his right hand and a gun in his left, walking forward with steady steps, his expression showing deadly confidence.As for Jack, he didn't move — he only tightened his fists.The cracking sound of his joints cut through the silence, the muscles in his arm tensed as he rolled his shoulder lightly. His silver eyes gleamed under the moonlight, shining with a coldness like two sparks of restrained fury.He raised his fists into a defensive stance similar to martial arts, his whole body ready for combat.
They both charged at each other at the same moment —Three gunshots tore through the silence: pow-pow-pow!Two bullets passed beside Jack as if tracing his shadow, while the third cut his cheek with a thin red line.He quickly moved back, hiding behind a nearby tree, breathing heavily as he muttered sharply:"Damn it... if I stay exposed, that's suicide. But if I move closer, he'll keep me back with the gun... that's in his favor."
Gray laughed arrogantly."Hahaha! Didn't think you'd run away right from the start!"
But Jack didn't wait.He dashed forward with blinding speed, and when Gray fired again, Jack leaped behind another trunk at the last moment, then attacked once more just as Gray started reloading his weapon.He lunged like a beast freed from its chains, grabbed Gray's arm with sudden force, then kicked his hand — sending the gun flying into the dark.
The fight became direct, raw, and close.A punch to the chest — Gray blocked it with his elbow and countered with a strike to the jaw.The blows followed fast — punch, dodge, low kick, double block.Every move carried clear military experience — precise and calculated.
Gray shoved Jack toward a tree trunk with a strong push, but Jack spun around his arm smoothly and struck his shoulder with his elbow.Their breathing grew heavy, dust rising with every step and clash, as if the whole forest was holding its breath, waiting to see who would fall first.
Jack swung a high kick, but Gray dodged with a quick bend and punched him in the stomach.Jack stumbled back slightly, raising his fist, his face shadowed by rage.Then he charged again — a straight punch followed by an elbow strike to the cheek, then a front kick that hit Gray's chest, pushing him back two meters.
Gray steadied himself, wiping blood and sweat from his face, smiling faintly in challenge.Meanwhile, Jack clenched his fists again, his breathing rough, his chest rising and falling violently.The strikes resumed — fast, sharp, relentless — but Jack's advantage was clear now.His blows grew heavier, his steps firmer, his eyes unblinking.He began to rely on his overwhelming physical power, while Gray tried to make up for it with tactical skill and a small knife flashing in his hand.
In a sudden moment, the bandages on Jack's arm — the ones Yuki made — were cut.Time froze for a second, and Yuki's eyes widened in shock as she watched from afar.The wounds that were deep and bloody... were almost healed.She whispered to herself in a trembling voice:"Impossible... those cuts were deep... how did they heal so fast?""If they were shallow, why did he bleed that much? And why did he pass out?"Confusion and fear swirled inside her, her gaze shifting between his arm and his furious face.Jack glanced at her, his mind drifting —But that brief distraction was enough.Gray took advantage and stabbed the knife into Jack's shoulder.A sharp scream tore through the night; Jack staggered back, blood flowing from his shoulder, while Gray stood proudly, wiping blood from his face as he spoke in a cold, deadly tone:"I thought you'd last longer..."
Jack's expression changed completely —A deep growl rumbled from his chest, his veins bulged, and his face darkened.Every breath came out as pure, mindless rage.
He charged again.The clash turned brutal.Dust flew everywhere, and every punch from Jack pushed Gray a step back.The knife was knocked away, and the armor started losing its protection against Jack's growing strength.A flurry of punches landed on Gray's body without mercy — a blow to the chest, an elbow to the neck, a kick to the side, a headbutt straight to the nose, followed by a crushing punch to the jaw.
Gray fell to the ground, but Jack didn't stop.He rained punches down in a storm of pain and fury, his voice turning into a roar of rage.Blood splattered across the ground and on Jack's face — a face that had completely lost control.Yuki screamed from afar, her voice trembling between fear and pleading:"Jaaaack!! Stop!! That's enough!!"
Her voice echoed through the burning forest, but Jack heard nothing except his furious breaths.Everything before him had become an enemy.
Elsewhere in the forest, one of the fleeing men opened his radio, his voice broken by static:"Hello... come in... we need backup now! We've taken heavy losses... this is Agent 23 from Unit 12... reporting that Gray is facing Project 96 alone... with two others... a girl, and a strange boy... seems like another child from the facility..."
Jack kept hitting, panting, his eyes blazing with silent madness.The mysterious boy looked up at the sky and noticed a small drone hovering above them, recording the scene.He turned toward the forest and saw the lights of the incoming units approaching.In one swift motion, he kicked Jack in the face — hard enough to stop him."Enough! Support units are coming!"Jack slowly raised his head, staring at Gray's disfigured face, covered in blood.His expression shifted — from fury, to shock... to regret.But the mysterious boy shouted:"No time for feelings! Into the forest, now!"Jack pulled Yuki with him, and the boy led the way into the darkness, while the lights of the support units closed in from behind them —The forest swallowed them whole....
End of Chapter.