Explosions.
Screams.
The thunder of approaching footsteps.
A chaotic symphony of violence echoed through Alvin’s ears.
“You have to be careful.”
“We’ll wait for you at the airport.”
Lazuli remained remarkably calm despite the situation.
Without hesitating, she grabbed Lapis and pulled him away, refusing to become a burden to Alvin.
Nearby, a motorcycle had been caught in the attack.
Its paint was badly scraped, but it was still operational.
Its owner, however, was already dead.
Lapis looked back unwillingly.
Gritting his teeth, he started the motorcycle and sped away with his sister riding behind him.
“Squad Two.”
The squad leader’s voice echoed from inside the mech.
“Go after them.”
“Don’t let them escape.”
“Roger!”
The second squad hadn’t entered the battlefield yet.
The moment the order arrived, five soldiers jumped into a vehicle and sped after the fleeing siblings.
At the same time, the dojo’s general manager—who was coordinating the operation remotely—contacted the squad leader once more.
“You have ten minutes.”
“After that, both the police and the military will arrive.”
“If the mission isn’t complete by then, retreat immediately to Base Three.”
“Understood.”
“I guarantee the mission’s success.”
By the time the transmission ended, the remaining fifteen soldiers had nearly completed their encirclement of Alvin.
Alvin had never been the type to wait for his enemies to strike first.
As soon as the dizziness from the explosion subsided, he made his move.
Drawing the last pistol he had left, he fired before the encirclement could close.
Bang!
One soldier dropped instantly.
Alvin rushed forward without slowing down, snatched the fallen man’s assault rifle, and continued his attack.
“All shooters!”
The squad leader barked.
“Fire at will!”
“Dead or alive.”
To Dr.
Gero, physically exceptional specimens were valuable regardless of whether they were alive.
After all…
Every subject would eventually be converted into an android anyway.
With his power level now at 57, Alvin’s physical abilities had improved once again.
He wasn’t sure whether he could survive a direct hit from a bullet.
But one thing was certain—
He could see them.
The bullets streaking through the air seemed to slow down before his eyes, like the famous “bullet time” effect from The Matrix.
He twisted, sidestepped, and weaved through the barrage with astonishing precision.
Rat-tat-tat-tat!
Gunfire echoed continuously.
While avoiding the hail of bullets, Alvin fired back whenever an opening appeared.
Three more soldiers fell.
His relentless counterattack shook the enemy’s morale.
Yet despite losing four men in only a few moments, the Red Ribbon soldiers showed no signs of retreating.
Their assault remained relentless.
Meanwhile, the rifle Alvin had seized clicked empty.
He had run out of ammunition.
If he wanted another weapon, he’d have to close the distance again.
The system remained silent.
The four soldiers he had killed with firearms didn’t count toward Power Inheritance.
Only enemies defeated through direct combat qualified.
As a result…
His power level hadn’t increased at all.
These weren’t ordinary soldiers.
Their reactions were incredibly sharp.
Alvin estimated even the weakest among them possessed power levels above 20.
They were professional killing machines forged through years of brutal training.
But what truly kept him on edge…
Was the mech standing behind them.
Its pilot hadn’t attacked even once.
Even so, Alvin’s instincts screamed nonstop.
Every fiber of his body warned him that the machine represented the greatest threat on the battlefield.
Standing beside the mech were four seemingly ordinary men.
Their expressions were emotionless.
Almost lifeless.
Unable to sense Ki, Alvin couldn’t judge their exact strength.
Still…
He was certain they were powerful.
Dangerous.
Though none of them inspired the same overwhelming sense of doom as the mech itself.
Inside the cockpit, the squad leader continued observing calmly.
“The target is significantly stronger than he appeared during the dojo fight.”
“He’s already capable of dodging bullets fired from our modified rifles.”
“He must have concealed part of his strength back then.”
His eyes gleamed with greed.
“I’ve never seen such an outstanding specimen.”
“If I can capture him alive and deliver him to Dr.
Gero…”
“…my promotion is practically guaranteed.”
To him, Alvin wasn’t a person.
He was a priceless treasure.
“Firearms aren’t enough to kill him.”
“But they can keep him moving.”
“They’ll exhaust his stamina.”
“Then we capture him alive.”
The squad leader calmly adjusted his battle plan.
Watching Alvin’s increasingly heavy breathing, he reached a conclusion.
The target was getting tired.
As long as they continued pressuring him…
Victory was inevitable.
“Cease fire!”
The order rang out.
“Units One through Four.”
“Attack with full force.”
“Everyone else, support them.”
“Don’t give him a second to recover.”
The four silent men beside the mech sprang into action.
Number Two moved first.
His speed was astonishing.
Before Alvin could fully react, a crushing blow slammed into him, sending him flying.
Combat consumed stamina.
Nearly two minutes had passed since the battle began.
Constantly dodging bullets and fighting without pause had drained Alvin’s strength at an alarming rate.
“This won’t work.”
“If this continues, I’m dead.”
“I have to gamble everything.”
“I need to kill someone in close combat.”
“Only then can Power Inheritance activate.”
“If I gain their strength, I’ll recover enough stamina to keep fighting.”
Using the momentum from the punch that launched him backward, Alvin twisted his body in midair and redirected himself toward one of the ordinary soldiers.
Number Three was already rushing in to intercept him.
Before he could strike—
Alvin’s hand shot out like a blade.
Crack!
His chop shattered the soldier’s throat.
The man collapsed instantly.
[Power Level +5]
“My power level’s up to 64…”
Alvin clenched his teeth.
“But I’ve burned through too much stamina.”
“Even after gaining those five points…”
“I’m probably only fighting at the equivalent of a little over thirty.”
Another fist came roaring toward him.
Rather than meeting it head-on, Alvin borrowed the force of the attack to propel himself backward, widening the distance.
“His power level has to be over thirty.”
“Normally, he wouldn’t be a problem…”
“But not in my current condition.”
Before he had even landed—
Number Four appeared before him like a ghost.
Alvin saw the attack coming.
His eyes could follow every movement.
His exhausted body, however…
Couldn’t keep up.
Boom!
The punch buried itself deep into his abdomen.
Blood surged into his throat.
As he was blasted backward, Alvin endured the agony, twisted in midair once more, and drove his elbow into another ordinary soldier as he passed.
The man’s neck snapped instantly.
[Power Level +5]
Inside the mech, the squad leader finally lost his composure.
At first, he had calmly waited for his men to capture Alvin alive.
Now…
Barely two minutes into the battle…
He couldn’t sit still anymore.
“What the hell is wrong with this guy?”
“Why is he getting stronger the longer he fights?”
As the remaining ordinary soldiers were hunted down one by one, Alvin continued closing the distance and eliminating them in hand-to-hand combat.
His body had been on the verge of collapse only moments ago.
Yet with every enemy he defeated, Power Inheritance restored his strength.
He still looked exhausted, his breathing heavy and his clothes soaked with sweat.
But in reality…
He was growing stronger with every passing second.
When the last ordinary soldier fell, the squad leader watched in disbelief as Alvin suddenly changed direction and charged straight toward Android No.
2.
It was as if he had seen a ghost.
No.
2’s onboard processor rapidly analyzed Alvin’s movements.
With its immense computational power, it successfully predicted his attack trajectory.
Bang!
Alvin’s fist shattered the android’s head.
The massive body collapsed instantly, while fragments of its processor scattered across the ground along with pieces of its skull.
A piercing sense of danger erupted in Alvin’s mind.
Without hesitation, he accelerated away from the android’s body.
Two seconds later—
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion erupted behind him.
The instant Android No.
2 lost operational capability, the self-destruct device hidden inside its body activated automatically.
The entire android exploded into countless fragments.
Because Alvin had trusted his instincts and moved immediately, he narrowly escaped the blast.
[Power Level +6]
Another surge of strength flooded his body.
Without pausing, Alvin rushed toward Android No.
3, who was farther away than the others.
“We can’t let this continue.”
Although the squad leader had no idea how Alvin kept becoming stronger during battle, he could no longer afford to remain a spectator.
He finally joined the fight.
The mech’s massive right fist detached from its arm and rocketed toward Alvin like a missile, forcing him to abandon his attack on No.
3.
As the fist separated from the mech, sixteen gun barrels hidden inside the wrist were revealed.
A torrent of bullets poured toward Alvin.
“Heh…”
“Too slow.”
Alvin’s speed increased yet again.
He slipped through the hail of bullets, appeared before Android No.
3, and struck with his hand like a blade.
The android’s neck shattered instantly.
Before the body could even collapse, Alvin kicked both the head and torso toward the advancing mech.
A violent explosion followed.
Android No.
3 vanished in a ball of fire.
[Power Level +6]
“My power level has reached 99…”
Alvin took a deep breath.
“My actual combat strength has recovered to a little over fifty.”
Even so…
As the mech rapidly approached, the warning bells in his mind refused to stop.
The armored giant charged forward.
Its repaired right arm swung first.
Its left fist followed immediately behind.
At the same time, the machine’s glowing eyes remained fixed on Alvin.
For some reason, that gaze sent chills down his spine.
“I can’t fight it head-on.”
Even before the attack reached him, his instincts screamed in protest.
Every nerve in his body warned him not to confront the machine directly.
“It’s slower than I am.”
“I’ll ignore it for now.”
“First, I’ll finish off the remaining androids and increase my strength again.”
The mech’s greatest advantage was its overwhelming power.
But that strength meant nothing if it couldn’t land a hit.
Its bulky frame amplified its physical might tremendously.
At the same time, the heavy armor reduced its agility.
The instant Alvin vacated his position—
Twin beams of light flashed past.
Two scorched craters appeared where he had been standing.
“Its eyes…”
“They’re laser emitters.”
“And they’re powerful.”
Avoiding the mech’s line of sight, Alvin sprinted toward Android No.
1.
Living creatures felt fear.
Pain.
Instinctively, they hesitated.
They made mistakes.
Androids did not.
They neither feared death nor felt pain.
Their sole purpose was completing their mission.
Even after witnessing two fellow androids destroyed, they continued attacking without the slightest hesitation.
“Die!”
Alvin endured No.
4’s assault while forcing No.
1 backward.
Then he struck.
The first punch crushed the android’s heart.
Unsure whether that alone would be enough…
He followed immediately with a second blow.
The android’s head exploded into fragments.
With both its energy core and processor destroyed, Android No.
1 self-destructed.
Alvin retreated just in time.
The pursuing No.
4 wasn’t so fortunate.
The explosion tore away one of its arms.
“Now!”
“Finish it while it’s vulnerable!”
Alvin burst forward.
“No.
4!”
The squad leader shouted from inside the mech.
“Retreat!”
The damaged android instantly obeyed.
Instead of continuing its attack, it turned and fled.
“Trying to run?”
“Not happening.”
Alvin accelerated once more.
He caught up in an instant.
One punch.
Android No.
4’s head exploded.
Moments later, its body erupted into flames.
[Power Level +6]
[Power Level +7]
[Total Power Level: 112]
[Current Effective Combat Power: 75]
Just then—
Boom!
Alvin crossed both arms in front of himself.
The mech’s enormous fist slammed into his guard.
His feet dug deeply into the asphalt as he resisted the crushing force.
“So…”
Alvin sneered.
“So this is the extent of your strength.”
“Die!”
The squad leader roared.
The mech’s palm opened.
An energy cannon concealed within had already finished charging.
It was ready to fire.
Before the blast could be released—
Alvin struck first.
His kick smashed into the mech’s right elbow joint.
Metal shrieked.
The forearm tore free.
Without stopping, he spun and drove another kick into the mech’s right knee.
A shower of sparks erupted.
The towering machine lost its balance and crashed heavily onto the road.
Inside the cockpit, the squad leader’s face turned deathly pale.
“You can’t kill me!”
He shouted desperately as Alvin ripped open the cockpit and dragged him out.
“Another squad already went after your companions!”
“If you kill me…”
“They’ll kill your friends!”
“You bastard!”
Fury exploded in Alvin’s eyes.
He crushed the man’s arms and legs one after another, reducing all four limbs to useless pulp.
Then, gripping the screaming squad leader by the collar, Alvin sprinted at full speed in the direction Lazuli and Lapis had fled.
Send those stones my way—the more, the merrier.