"Erik, are you alright?"
Ignoring the stunned expressions around him, Ryan calmly walked over to Erik and extended a hand.
"I'm fine."
Erik accepted the help, though his expression carried a hint of embarrassment. Being knocked down in front of someone younger than himself wasn't exactly pleasant. Still, he grasped Ryan's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
Ryan released him and glanced toward the hole smashed through the trailer wall.
"Erik, keep an eye on Bradley," he said calmly. "Leave this guy to me."
Erik immediately shook his head.
"No, Ryan. That man is a real predator."
He knew Ryan was powerful. The single punch that had sent Sabretooth flying proved that much. But combat wasn't simply a matter of strength.
The man outside wasn't just strong.
He was a seasoned killer.
Erik could tell at a glance that Sabretooth was someone who had taken countless lives. Facing an opponent like that required experience, not just power.
"Erik, trust me," Ryan replied with a relaxed smile. "He's nothing to me."
Before Erik could respond again, Ryan had already stepped through the ruined wall.
Erik watched him go, still uneasy.
If Charles had been here, he definitely would have stopped Ryan from rushing into danger like this. But Erik saw the situation differently.
Sometimes hardship was the fastest way to grow.
Ryan insisted on fighting, and Erik understood why. The young man possessed courage and confidence that set him apart from the others.
Warriors were forged through battle.
And Erik would remain nearby. If things turned dangerous, he could still intervene.
—
Cough.
A rough coughing sound echoed from outside.
Sabretooth slowly climbed to his feet.
Blood hung at the corner of his mouth, and a large portion of his chest had visibly caved inward from Ryan's earlier punch. The damage looked horrifying.
Sabretooth tore open his shirt.
The sight beneath it was grotesque. His chest was mangled with torn flesh and crushed bone, the wound still dripping with fresh blood.
A normal human would have died instantly from that blow.
Sabretooth simply wiped the blood from his lips.
"That was a hell of a punch," he said with a grin that bordered on madness. "But so what?"
The muscles across his chest suddenly began to twitch and shift.
Before their eyes, the shattered flesh started repairing itself.
The wound closed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Within seconds, his chest had completely healed. Only a smear of blood remained where the injury had been.
Sabretooth casually reached down and pulled the knife from his abdomen before tossing it aside like it meant nothing.
Erik's expression darkened immediately.
Now he understood why his earlier attacks had seemed ineffective.
Sabretooth possessed an absurd regenerative ability.
That made the situation far more complicated.
Not far away, Zero remained leaning against a railing, watching the entire scene with calm interest.
He had no intention of interfering.
First, Sabretooth hated having others interrupt his fights.
Second, Zero knew exactly how terrifying Sabretooth's healing factor was. Even if the enemy managed to wound him temporarily, Sabretooth would eventually win through sheer endurance.
"You actually made me feel pain again," Sabretooth said slowly.
He pointed one clawed finger toward Ryan.
"For that, I've decided something."
His grin widened.
"I'll make sure you suffer before I kill you."
Then he dropped onto all fours like a hunting beast and launched himself forward.
"Ryan!" Erik shouted from behind.
"I've got it," Ryan replied.
Before Erik could say anything else, Ryan moved.
His body shot forward like a blur.
Even Erik struggled to track his motion.
Ryan's average speed exceeded fifty meters per second. To understand what that meant, one only needed to consider the speed limits on modern highways.
Even in the future, cars rarely exceeded 120 kilometers per hour—roughly thirty-three meters per second.
Ryan was nearly twice that fast.
WHOOSH.
In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of Sabretooth.
The air displaced by his sudden acceleration created a powerful gust that momentarily disrupted Sabretooth's breathing.
Then Sabretooth's vision blurred.
Ryan's fist swung toward the side of his head.
Fast.
Even Sabretooth felt a flicker of surprise.
But he didn't retreat.
Thanks to his monstrous healing ability, Sabretooth rarely bothered avoiding injuries. Instead, he raised his claws and slashed toward Ryan's chest.
It was the same brutal combat style Logan used.
Trade wounds.
Endure the damage.
Kill the opponent through attrition.
Unfortunately for him, that strategy only worked if the enemy could actually be hurt.
Sabretooth's claws never reached Ryan.
BANG.
Ryan's fist struck first.
The blow landed squarely against Sabretooth's skull.
The massive body shot backward like a missile.
He flew dozens of meters through the air before slamming violently into the ground.
Then he stopped moving.
Completely still.
Anyone looking closely would notice the horrifying detail.
Sabretooth's head had partially caved in from the impact.
Blood streamed from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. The sight resembled something straight out of a horror film.
The only reason his skull hadn't exploded outright was because his body was far stronger than a normal human's.
Ryan's punch carried over seven tons of force.
It was the equivalent of being struck by a medium-sized truck.
Even Sabretooth couldn't remain conscious after taking that.
"Damn…"
Zero muttered under his breath.
For the first time since the fight began, his expression grew serious.
He hadn't seen the first punch clearly earlier, but this time he had witnessed everything.
Sabretooth was being overwhelmed.
The difference between the two fighters wasn't small.
It was overwhelming.
Without that absurd healing ability, Sabretooth would already be dead.
Zero couldn't remain a spectator anymore.
BANG.
Without hesitation, he raised his gun and fired at Ryan.
But Erik reacted instantly.
He thrust out his hand.
The bullet flying toward Ryan suddenly stopped in midair.
It hovered beside him as if frozen in time.
WHOOSH.
At the same moment, Erik seized control of every metal object nearby—including the bullet Zero had just fired.
The projectiles shot back toward Zero like a storm of shrapnel.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Zero moved quickly, dodging and rolling while firing repeatedly at Erik.
The quiet amusement park erupted into chaos as the two sides clashed fiercely.