What is happening? Nemesis thought frantically, his mind drowning in a sea of static. His equilibrium was entirely gone; the horizon tilted and spun like a carousel out of control.
"Now!" Asher shouted, his voice cutting through the ringing silence.
Liam dropped into a precise, lethal stance, his eyes burning with cold resolve. "I'm going to defeat you with the exact martial art style you created."
Before Nemesis could even attempt to raise his guard, Liam unleashed a flawless, rapid-fire sequence of brutal strikes. Every single blow targeted a critical vital point across Nemesis's upper body, systematically shutting down his nerve pathways. While the world was still spinning for the Number Two of Loop, a high-tensile wire suddenly whipped through the air and wrapped tightly around his ankle.
Asher planted his feet, gripped the wire, and violently yanked. Nemesis was lifted into the air like a ragdoll. With a powerful pivot, Asher began spinning in a full circle, generating massive centrifugal force. Nemesis became a human wrecking ball, violently colliding with several concrete pillars before being hurled straight through the reinforced glass facade, flying clean out of the skyscraper.
Free-falling through the night air, Nemesis was completely paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle. The street below rushed up to meet him in a blur. But before he could impact the pavement, Asher flicked his wrist from the shattered window above. A second string snared Nemesis's other leg, halting his terminal velocity. With a brutal tug, Asher redirected the trajectory, slamming Nemesis backward through a lower window straight into the third floor.
From his position on the cold asphalt outside, Ethan witnessed the entire spectacular display.
He fell from the upper penthouse, and Asher managed to catch him mid-air and redirect the slam into the second or third floor, Ethan analyzed, his tactical brain still working despite his agony. He gritted his teeth and tried to force his broken legs to stand, but his body collapsed back onto the asphalt.
High above, Ethan saw Asher and Liam utilize their high-tensile strings to glide flawlessly down the side of the structure, leaping directly into the shattered floor where Nemesis had landed.
The moment his boots touched the concrete, Liam delivered a thunderous stomp-kick into Nemesis's chest. The man was already completely broken and unconscious. Asher followed up with a brutal, definitive punch straight to the villain's jaw, sealing the fight.
A few agonizing minutes later, Ethan finally forced his shattered limbs to cooperate, dragging himself to his feet. Just as he stabilized his balance, the hotel's ruined doors pushed open. Liam emerged into the dim streetlights, casually dragging Nemesis by his ankle like a sack of laundry, with Asher trailing closely behind.
Ethan exhaled, his voice raspy. "Are you guys okay?"
Liam and Asher snapped their heads up, completely horrified by the sight of Ethan's mangled body.
"Ethan?! What the hell happened to you?" Liam gasped, dropping Nemesis's leg.
The duo sprinted across the street, gently catching Ethan as his legs gave out again. They carefully propped him up against a crumbling brick wall. Without a word, Asher ripped off his own tactical jacket, tearing the fabric into makeshift bandages, and began tightly wrapping Ethan's bleeding gunshot wounds.
Ethan opened his mouth to explain, but Liam cut him off firmly. "Ethan, don't talk. Save your energy. Focus entirely on stabilizing your breathing and recovering."
Ethan offered a weak nod, leaning his head back against the brick. But a burning question consumed his thoughts: Who in the world bought my life from the Shadow Syndicate?
Suddenly, the slow, rhythmic sound of hands clapping echoed through the quiet alleyway, followed by heavy, deliberate footsteps.
"Well, well, well. Look at you kids, playing out this late at night," a deep, booming voice chuckled from the shadows. "Your mothers are going to scold you if you don't get home soon."
Liam, Asher, and Ethan snapped their attention toward the sound.
Ethan's eyes widened in instant recognition, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck. It's him. The big man, I crossed paths with at the summit.
"Who the hell are you?" Liam demanded, forcing himself to his feet and stepping between the stranger and Ethan, his fists clenched.
The Beast locked his gaze onto Ethan, a massive, smile spreading across his face. "Wow! Look what we have here!" He gave Ethan a casual, cheerful wave. "Hiya, kiddo. How've you been since the summit?"
The giant then shook his head, looking at Ethan's bandaged limbs with faux pity. "Damn, look at those wounds. This is exactly why the elders warn you kids not to stay out past your bedtime."
Asher and Liam exchanged a quick, tense glance. Asher stepped forward, his hand subtly reaching for his wires. "Mister, you're in the wrong place at the wrong time. I suggest you leave. Now."
"...St-Stop..." a weak, gravelly voice wheezed from the pavement. Nemesis was barely conscious, coughing up crimson as he dragged himself up against the concrete steps of the hotel entrance.
The Beast turned his massive frame toward the broken commander, his smile widening. "Wow! Even the great military high-ranking whatever-your-title-is is still breathing."
"...You... you know who I am?" Nemesis panted, his ego flaring up through the pain.
The Beast nodded casually. "Yeah. You're the one they call Nemesis."
A look of profound relief and surprise crossed Nemesis's battered face. "Yes... finally. Someone in this damn city actually recognizes my name."
"What do you want?" Ethan interrupted, his voice steady despite his critical condition.
The Beast tapped his chin, nodding. "Oh, right! I almost forgot. I'm just here to take care of business."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Asher demanded, narrowing his distance to the giant.
The Beast's smile turned sharp and predatory. "It means I'm here to deliver the grand finale of this Arc."