Felix Granger stared at Vincent for several seconds before bursting into laughter.
His mocking voice echoed throughout the deserted service courtyard, bouncing between the aging brick walls and the overflowing garbage containers scattered along the perimeter.
He looked Vincent up and down, apparently searching for something that might explain why an inexperienced F-Rank Hero had willingly followed him into such an isolated location. When he found nothing particularly impressive, his amusement only intensified.
"An F-Rank Hero?" Felix repeated, shaking his head incredulously. "Seriously? I thought the Association would’ve learned its lesson after the last idiot they sent after me. What happened? Did all the decent Heroes take the day off?"
Vincent ignored the provocation and carefully examined his surroundings. The courtyard was approximately twenty meters wide, with narrow passages connecting it to the neighboring streets.
Several rusted dumpsters stood against the eastern wall, while a stack of discarded wooden pallets occupied the opposite corner.
There were no civilians nearby, which was fortunate considering the speed Felix had demonstrated during their brief pursuit.
"Felix Granger, I’m giving you one opportunity to surrender peacefully," Vincent declared, keeping his voice steady as he shifted into a fighting stance. "Put your hands where I can see them and get down on your knees."
Felix’s grin widened. "And if I don’t?"
Vincent tightened his fists. "Then I’ll have to make you."
For a moment, Felix simply stared at him. Then his expression turned cold.
"Wrong answer, rookie."
The instant those words left his mouth, Felix disappeared from Vincent’s sight.
A violent gust of wind struck Vincent’s face, followed almost immediately by a tremendous impact against his stomach.
"Urgh!"
Vincent doubled over as a fist buried itself in his abdomen, sending him stumbling backward. Before he could recover, another blow smashed into his jaw, snapping his head sideways.
A third strike caught him beneath the ribs, and Felix abruptly retreated several meters before Vincent could even raise his arms.
"Too slow!" Felix taunted, rolling his shoulders with a contemptuous smile. "You seriously thought you could catch me?"
Vincent gritted his teeth and straightened. Pain radiated through his abdomen, but the damage was manageable. His Physical Reinforcement had already been active when Felix attacked, preventing the initial blows from causing more serious injuries.
However, the exchange had revealed something troubling.
Felix wasn’t merely fast. He knew exactly how to exploit his speed.
Unlike Vincent, who had only recently begun fighting professionally, Felix possessed considerable experience using his supernatural ability against opponents.
His movements were deliberate, his attacks targeted vulnerable areas, and he never remained within striking distance longer than necessary.
Felix noticed the change immediately. "Oh? So you’ve got a reinforcement-type ability?" he remarked, looking mildly interested. "That explains why you’re still standing. Unfortunately for you, being tougher doesn’t mean much when you can’t hit your opponent."
He accelerated again.
This time, Vincent was prepared. The moment Felix moved, Vincent raised both arms to protect his head and upper body.
A powerful kick slammed into his forearm, forcing him sideways. Before he could retaliate, Felix darted around him and drove another punch into his back.
Vincent stumbled forward but managed to remain standing. He immediately twisted his body and threw a reinforced punch toward the direction of the attack.
His fist struck nothing but empty air.
Felix had already retreated.
"Missed me!" Felix laughed, appearing near one of the dumpsters. "Come on, Hero! Surely you can do better than that!"
Vincent frowned.
At this rate, he would exhaust himself long before landing a meaningful blow.
His maximum Flux Energy was only twenty units, and although Physical Reinforcement was useful, maintaining it continuously while enduring repeated attacks would eventually drain his reserves.
He possessed three supernatural abilities, but that didn’t mean he could use them carelessly.
Physical Reinforcement improved his overall physical capabilities. Bone Hardening increased the durability of his skeletal structure, while Impact Amplification could greatly enhance the force of his attacks.
However, none of those abilities automatically granted him the experience necessary to fight someone as mobile as Slipstream.
Felix suddenly rushed forward again.
Vincent reacted by activating Bone Hardening alongside his existing reinforcement.
The next punch struck his ribs with tremendous force.
Pain shot through his side, but his reinforced bones endured the impact.
Vincent immediately swung his elbow backward, attempting to catch Felix before he could retreat.
Once again, his attack missed.
Felix slipped away with an effortless burst of acceleration, laughing as he circled toward the opposite side of the courtyard.
"Not bad!" Felix admitted mockingly. "You’re tougher than you look. But how long do you think you can keep taking those hits?"
Vincent didn’t answer.
Instead, he carefully observed his opponent.
He would accelerate toward Vincent, deliver one or two powerful strikes, and retreat before a counterattack could reach him.
Furthermore, Felix wasn’t maintaining his highest speed continuously.
His movements came in explosive bursts.
Vincent couldn’t determine whether that limitation resulted from Flux consumption, physical strain, or simple preference, but the distinction was important.
If Felix could maintain maximum acceleration indefinitely, he wouldn’t need to slow down between attacks.
Another gust of wind swept through the courtyard.
Vincent braced himself.
Felix appeared on his left and launched a kick toward his ribs.
Vincent blocked with his forearm, absorbing the impact through Physical Reinforcement and Bone Hardening.
However, instead of immediately counterattacking, he watched Felix’s retreat.
There!
For the briefest moment after completing his attack, Felix’s movement slowed as he adjusted his footing before accelerating backward.
Vincent’s eyes narrowed.
It was a tiny opening, but an opening nonetheless.
Unfortunately, recognizing a weakness and exploiting it were entirely different matters.
Felix attacked again before Vincent could formulate a proper response.
A punch struck his cheek, followed by a knee to his abdomen.
Vincent staggered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Felix immediately followed with another accelerated strike, this time driving his fist directly into Vincent’s chest.
The impact sent Vincent crashing backward into a stack of wooden pallets.
Several boards shattered beneath his weight.
"HAHAHA!" Felix roared with laughter, watching Vincent struggle to his feet. "This is embarrassing! You’re supposed to be a Hero, aren’t you? Where’s all that confidence from earlier?"
Vincent spat a mouthful of blood onto the concrete.