Kaien's knife collided with Seojin's fist.
The impact sent pain through his entire arm.
He staggered backward.
Seojin didn't give him a second to breathe.
Another strike.
Kaien blocked.
Another.
He ducked.
A kick caught him in the side.
Kaien flew across the rooftop and slammed into the concrete.
His vision blurred.
"Kaien!"
Darius shouted.
Kaien pushed himself up.
"Yeah..."
He wiped blood from his mouth.
"I'm good."
He wasn't.
His ribs hurt.
His breathing was uneven.
Several plates of his armor were cracked.
Seojin walked toward him.
"You should have stayed hidden."
Kaien forced himself upright.
"Would've been boring."
Seojin disappeared.
Kaien barely saw him.
A fist slammed into his stomach.
His body folded.
Another strike sent him crashing into the ground.
Kaien tried to move.
His arms shook.
He couldn't feel his fingers properly.
[Milestone Quest Progress: 96%]
Kaien stared at the notification.
"Come on..."
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Seojin grabbed him by the armor and pulled him up.
"You've lost."
Kaien struggled against his grip.
"Not..."
He coughed.
"...yet."
Seojin pulled his fist back.
Kaien tried to defend himself.
BOOM.
The punch sent him flying.
He rolled across the rooftop and stopped near the edge.
His vision was fading.
[Milestone Quest Progress: 98%]
Kaien gritted his teeth.
"One more..."
Seojin approached.
Kaien tried to stand.
His legs gave out.
He caught himself with one hand.
Seojin looked down at him.
"Stay down."
Kaien laughed weakly.
"Can't."
He forced himself back onto his feet.
[Milestone Quest Progress: 99%]
Seojin rushed forward.
Kaien raised his knife.
Their attacks collided.
Kaien's arm went numb.
His knife slipped from his fingers.
He was losing.
Badly.
Then—
[Milestone Quest Progress: 100%]
Kaien froze.
[Quest Complete.]
[Reward Acquired.]
[Weapon Evolution — Armored Arsenal: Panzer Series]
Kaien stared at the message.
For a second, he didn't move.
Then a grin appeared beneath his mask.
"...Finally."
Seojin attacked.
Kaien didn't even bother dodging.
He simply raised one hand.
Mana exploded outward.
The rooftop shook.
Seojin stopped.
"What are you—"
A massive shape began forming behind Kaien.
Metal.
Tracks.
Armor.
A turret.
A huge cannon.
Mana condensed into the shape of a fully formed tank.
It wasn't something Kaien climbed into.
There was no cockpit.
No controls.
No crew.
It simply appeared.
Like a massive summoned weapon.
Kaien stared at it.
The system appeared before his eyes.
[Armored Arsenal — Panzer Series]
[Summoned Weapon]
[Duration: 30 Seconds]
[Mana Consumption: Extreme]
Kaien looked at the tank.
Then at Seojin.
His smile widened.
"So that's what you are."
The tank's cannon slowly turned toward Seojin.
Seojin's expression finally changed.
"What is that?"
Kaien lifted his hand.
The tank moved with it.
Left.
Right.
Forward.
Kaien realized immediately.
He could control it remotely.
Like a massive weaponized toy.
A very, very dangerous toy.
Darius stared.
"Kaien..."
Kaien didn't answer.
His mana was already dropping rapidly.
But he didn't care.
He had spent months waiting for this.
He wasn't going to fire at half power.
He raised his hand.
The cannon began charging.
Mana gathered around the barrel.
The rooftop trembled.
Seojin's eyes widened.
"Stop."
Kaien looked at him.
"No."
The cannon glowed brighter.
His mana reserves dropped faster.
10%.
8%.
6%.
Kaien's vision blurred.
His body started shaking.
Darius shouted.
"Kaien! That's enough!"
Kaien grinned.
"Full force."
He pointed toward Seojin.
Then—
Kaien snapped his fingers.
"Bang."
BOOOOOOOOOOM.
The cannon fired.
The entire rooftop disappeared behind a massive explosion.
The shockwave ripped across the building.
Windows shattered.
Concrete erupted into the air.
The force sent Darius flying backward.
The tank itself flickered violently.
Kaien stood there, staring at the explosion.
His mana reserves dropped to almost nothing.
[Warning.]
[Critical Mana Depletion.]
[Remaining Mana: 1%]
Kaien's eyes widened.
"...Oh."
His knees buckled.
The tank vanished.
Kaien collapsed onto the concrete.
His body felt completely empty.
Not tired.
Not exhausted.
Empty.
He couldn't even move his fingers.
Darius scrambled toward him.
"Kaien!"
Kaien tried to answer.
Nothing.
Darius grabbed his shoulder.
"Stay awake."
Kaien barely managed to open his eyes.
He looked toward the massive crater left by the blast.
A weak smile appeared.
"...Worth it."
Then his eyes closed.
Darius stared at him.
"You're an idiot."
Kaien didn't respond.
He was already unconscious.
And through the smoke—
something moved.
Darius slowly looked toward the crater.
Han Seojin was still standing.
Barely.
His suit was torn.
Blood ran down his face.
But he was alive.
His eyes remained fixed on the unconscious Kaien.
For the first time that night, Seojin wasn't amused.
He looked genuinely concerned.
"...Who are you?"