The second exchange lasted forty-three seconds.
Herald launched coordinated assault—void beams from three angles simultaneously, forcing Rama into defensive position with no counter-strike opportunities. Each beam required dodge or deflection. Each dodge cost positioning. Each deflection cost energy and corruption exposure.
By the time Herald's barrage ended, Rama was backed against waterfront barrier. Tactical disadvantage. Limited mobility. Exactly where Herald wanted him.
[CORRUPTION EXPOSURE: 38% → 44%]
[STAMINA: 73%]
[YOUR SURVIVAL PROBABILITY: 67% → 63%]
Sixty-three percent. Almost even odds now. Coin flip. Survival becoming increasingly unlikely with each passing second.
Herald's crystalline structure pulsed. Methodical. Patient. It wasn't rushing. Wasn't making mistakes. Just systematically destroying Rama through superior statistics and infinite void energy reserves.
