> Area: Interstice of Trial — Floating Arena
Boss: Kal-Ran, the Cyber-Mystic Echo (Lvl. 12)
Hakaijin slid across the fractured ground, narrowly avoiding a shockwave that pulverized a section of wall behind him.
A few meters away, Z3RO was already recalculating the enemy's timing, the boss's every move becoming a deadly equation to solve.
> Z3RO: "Tch... Even two against one, he'll eat us up."
> Hakaijin: "So what? Are we fighting him holding hands now?"
> Z3RO (calm): "...No. You play your part, I play mine. We play to survive, not for ego."
Kal-Ran spun around, releasing a spiral of purple energy, his mechanical arms vibrating with a mixture of concentrated ki and electrical pulses.
> Active Skill: Dance of the Iron Lotus — AOE Damage + Perception Distortion
Hakaijin faltered, his reflexes disrupted. For a moment, his own saber felt heavier.
Z3RO, for his part, activated a stabilization field.
> "You're going to listen to me now."
He sent a signal beacon into the air, which Hakaijin reflexively caught.
> Z3RO: "When I say hit, you hit. When I say back, you back. Is that clear?"
> Hakaijin: "...Tsk. You're annoying me. But yeah. It works."
Strategy deployed
1. Z3RO distracts with his drones, programmed to simulate Murim strikes.
2. Hakaijin attacks in counter-time, guided by the markers projected by Z3RO's HUD.
3. Kal-Ran begins to glitch slightly. His AI is trying to analyze two styles... constantly deliberately desynchronizing.
> [System adaptation: overheating in progress]
[Quantum Brain — % of computing allocated: 112%]
Synchronization is becoming perfect.
Z3RO yells:
> "Now! Left flank! Breach below the shoulder!"
Hakaijin leaps, saber in hand, his edge illuminated by Martial Concentration, and strikes exactly where indicated.
> Critical hit! -372 HP
Targeted system: Stabilizer module damaged
Kal-Ran falters for the first time.
> Z3RO: "See? Two of us… we become a weapon."
The boss backs away. He's bleeding. Digitally.
Sparks fly from his hip, and his movements become more choppy.
> "...Tactical connection detected.
Predator mode deactivated.
Defense protocol activated."
Z3RO raises his head, gasping for breath.
> "We're going to take him down."
A shudder runs through the arena.
The wind picks up, and for the first time, the game's background music changes, as if Genesis himself recognizes their shift.
> [Fight Phase 2 Unlocked — Kal-Ran Enters 'Reconstruction' Mode]
But both players are ready.
Hands on weapons. Stares frankly. Synchronization activated.
✦ End of Chapter 13 — The initiative has changed sides.
Next: Chapter 14 — Synchronized Resistance: The Wall and the Machine