"How is this possible?"
Benjamin's eyes widened in disbelief as the spatial distortion tightened around him. He had tried to avoid the attack, tried to outrun it, yet somehow he had stepped straight into its center. It felt like walking blindly into a trap he never saw being set.
Richard, in contrast, remained perfectly calm.
Once Dimensional Slash fully formed, its position could not be altered. But before it stabilized, he could adjust its focal point freely. In simpler terms, he could re-lock the target at will.
The moment Richard had raised the authentic blade, Benjamin reacted immediately. If he had chosen pure evasion—random, unpredictable movement—Richard's adjustment window might have been narrower. But Benjamin hadn't fled aimlessly.
He had charged straight at him.
And that made everything easy.
If Richard couldn't predict the trajectory of an opponent who was clearly attacking head-on, then he wouldn't deserve the power he held.
By the time the spatial distortion intensified and the lock was complete, Richard was already gone from his original position. Now, as long as he maintained the flow of magic power, the attack would converge on Benjamin from all directions simultaneously.
The twisted space convulsed.
Crescent-shaped spatial blades materialized in a violent burst, slashing inward at lightning speed.
Chi—chi—chi—chi—chi—chi—chi—
The tearing sound echoed brutally.
Under Richard's steady gaze, Benjamin's right arm separated cleanly at the shoulder. Both legs were severed at the roots. Blood erupted outward in violent arcs as the massive body collapsed to the ground, unable to maintain balance.
But he did not die.
Richard frowned slightly.
Dimensional Slash was not Earth-Shaker. In raw power, it surpassed the earlier technique by a wide margin. Even at Level 1, its destructive output far exceeded Earth-Shaker's upgraded state.
Yet Benjamin had survived.
That meant only one thing.
Alpha-level.
Although Richard hadn't plundered the ability yet, the conclusion was obvious. Benjamin's Steel Body wasn't just high-tier. It was likely Alpha-class.
And that changed the calculation.
Even if Richard killed him now, Plunder—still at Beta-level—would not be able to extract an Alpha-level ability.
Killing him now would be a waste.
Richard's gaze cooled slightly.
Let him live.
Benjamin was no longer a threat in his current state. Without limbs and bleeding heavily, resistance was impossible.
Benjamin himself lay on the cold ground, shock and agony overwhelming his thoughts. His pride—his invincible steel body—had been dismantled in seconds. The pain from the severed limbs burned through his nerves, and for the first time since awakening his power, fear truly settled in.
He regretted not recalling the Operations agents earlier. If he had acted sooner, tonight might have unfolded differently.
Richard stepped forward and Flash-appeared beside him.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Benjamin by the shoulder.
Flash.
Both vanished.
Richard had no intention of killing him immediately, but he also wasn't leaving him in the square.
They reappeared on the rooftop of a different building several blocks away. The night wind carried the scent of smoke and distant sirens.
"You're lucky," Richard said evenly. "I have other matters to handle. You get to live a little longer."
Benjamin's breathing was ragged, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
"You think you can save your father?" he spat. "Don't be delusional. He's already been transferred."
"If I die," he continued hoarsely, "I guarantee your father won't survive long enough to join me."
Richard looked at him without emotion.
"You should conserve your strength," he replied. "The more excited you get, the faster you bleed out."
He raised his right hand, bent his middle finger slightly, and flicked it forward.
Fly.
Bang.
Compressed air struck Benjamin's head like an invisible hammer. Already unable to maintain Steel Body due to trauma and exhaustion, he lost consciousness instantly.
Richard glanced down at the limp figure, then activated Flash again.
He did not return to the square.
Instead, he reappeared on the second underground level of the office building.
The moment he materialized, sharp gunfire echoed through the corridor. Shouts overlapped with screams. The metallic smell of blood lingered thickly in the air.
Bodies lay scattered along the hallway. Guards were torn apart in a way that no firearm could replicate. Deep claw marks carved through torsos. Limbs were twisted unnaturally.
There was no mystery about the killer.
Sabretooth.
Richard moved toward the gunfire without hesitation.
Soon, he saw the scene clearly.
Sabretooth was fighting alone, surrounded by armed guards. He carried no weapon, yet he didn't need one. His style was raw and primal—less martial discipline, more predatory instinct. He lunged, slashed, bit, and tore through opponents with brutal efficiency.
Bullets struck him repeatedly, but his regeneration handled the damage as quickly as it appeared. He didn't flinch. He didn't retreat.
He hunted.
Richard didn't announce his presence, but Sabretooth noticed him anyway. The feral mutant turned his head briefly, nostrils flaring. He had already caught Richard's scent.
Seeing that Richard wasn't interfering, Sabretooth returned to his work.
Time crawled forward.
More than a minute passed before the last guard fell. The corridor, already narrow, was now carpeted in bodies. Blood streaked the walls and pooled along the floor.
Sabretooth, drenched in red, walked over.
"Handled the ones upstairs?" he asked bluntly.
"Not completely," Richard replied calmly. "I defeated the Operations Director. It's halftime."
Sabretooth's brow furrowed slightly.
"Halftime?"
"The second half starts when the rest of the Operations agents return."
Sabretooth grunted, processing that.
"I grabbed a few lab researchers," he added. "Your father's been transferred to mutant prison."
"I know," Richard said. "The director confirmed it."
He paused, then asked, "Where are your clones? I didn't see their bodies."
"They'll be here soon," Sabretooth replied, lips curling faintly. "I can smell them. That disgusting scent. They've been moving in and out. Getting closer."
As if summoned by the statement, movement echoed at the far end of the corridor.
Richard turned.
Five figures stepped into view.
They looked like Sabretooth—but younger. Leaner. Cleaner. More refined.
Five younger, more handsome Sabretooths stood at the end of the blood-soaked hallway.
.....
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