Deep within the base, inside a room constructed of heavy alloy.

  Greg sat upon a specialized metal chair, quietly listening to the cacophony of screams, roars, and chaotic reports flooding the communication channel.

  His face, a mass of knotted muscle capable of making children stop crying in terror, showed no sign of anger or tension.

  Instead, for the first time, a savage grin of genuine interest spread across his features.

  "Interesting little bug."

  His voice sounded like two pieces of rusted metal grinding together, low and gravelly.

  "Seems I'll have to go crush him myself."

  He stood up slowly. His height, exceeding two meters, nearly brushed the ceiling.

  The shadow he cast was like a small mountain, radiating a suffocating sense of pressure.

  Meanwhile, at the perimeter of the base.

  Through the communicator, Kane issued his final command to Crag.

  "East Gate. Begin."

  "Good!"

  Crag’s response was a single word, yet it was saturated with the violent fury of an impending volcanic eruption.

  He lunged from behind the rocky ridge where he had been hiding.

  In the night, his massive frame moved like an out-of-control ancient behemoth!

  "ROAR—!!!"

  An inhuman howl echoed across the entire desert!

  Crag held his greatshield in front of him, acting as a runaway heavy battering ram.

  He launched a savage charge toward the base’s East Gate, which was forged from specialized steel!

  BOOM!!!

  The deafening roar of the impact instantly drew the attention of every remaining guard inside the base!

  The reinforced alloy gate was violently slammed, leaving behind a massive indentation!

  "Enemy at the East Gate! Heavy firepower! Suppress him!"

  Every machine gun and turret swiveled simultaneously, pouring a dense metal storm toward the giant behind the shield.

  While everyone's attention was fixed on the earth-shattering commotion at the East Gate...

  A black shadow glided noiselessly over the western wall.

  Kane activated [ Shadow Veil ], and his figure vanished completely.

  Like a wisp of non-existent smoke, he followed the weakest point of the defenses—the ventilation ducts—and silently infiltrated the base interior.

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  The hunter had officially stepped into the prey’s nest.

  The interior of the base was brightly lit.

  The metal corridors felt cold and oppressive, the air thick with the scent of machine oil and disinfectant.

  Kane had just leaped down from a vent, his feet not yet fully steady on the floor.

  A terrifying sense of pressure erupted from the end of the corridor, slamming into him!

  It was a pure weight of absolute power.

  The air seemed to turn into thick mire, making it difficult to breathe.

  Kane snapped his head up.

  At the end of the passage.

  A bald, burly man over two meters tall, his muscles knotted like granite, stood there quietly.

  He just stood there, yet he was like an impassable mountain of flesh, sealing off all of Kane's paths.

  "The Hammer," Greg.

  He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time.

  "You've finally arrived, bug."

  Greg spoke. Every syllable of his voice carried the texture of grinding metal.

  At the end of the tunnel, Greg’s mountain-like body resembled a cast-iron statue, blocking out all light and hope.

  His eyes, sunken beneath heavy, rugged brow bones, looked Kane over with interest, like a butcher eyeing meat on a chopping block.

  "Your little tricks end here."

  Greg’s voice echoed in the narrow metal corridor, creating an ear-grating friction.

  Kane didn't reply.

  He simply flexed his wrist, and The Cyclone pistol slid into his palm.

  His mind was at its peak of icy calm, frantically analyzing the situation.

  One-on-one.

  Enclosed environment.

  The opponent was a pure power-specialized cyborg.

  Going head-to-head was a death sentence.

  "Not talking?" Greg bared his teeth, revealing a row of bone-white fangs. His smile was thick with savage confidence. "Doesn't matter. Dead men are usually very quiet."

  The moment the words left his mouth, he moved!

  There were no wasted motions—just the simplest, most brutal linear charge!

  Boom!

  The alloy floor beneath his feet was violently forced into two distinct depressions!

  His massive, two-meter frame exploded with a terrifying speed that defied its size, hurtling toward Kane like an out-of-control heavy truck!

  The wind pressure slammed into Kane, making his hood flap wildly.

  [ Kinetic Boost ]!

  In Kane’s dynamic vision, Greg’s frenzied movements slowed slightly.

  He didn't retreat. Instead, he kicked off the ground, lunging forward to meet Greg head-on!

  A split second before they collided, Kane activated [ Aerial Step ]!

  His body rose unnaturally high.

  He stepped off Greg’s shoulder, performing an unbelievable mid-air flip and vault, landing lightly behind the giant.

  The entire process was fluid and seamless—too fast for the naked eye to track!

  Simultaneously, The Cyclone in his hand had already pivoted.

  Bang!

  A bullet, bolstered by [ Aero Blade ], shrieked out of the barrel!

  At this point-blank range, he aimed directly at the back of Greg’s unprotected skull!

  However, Greg’s reaction exceeded Kane's expectations.

  He didn't even turn around.

  The instant the shot rang out, he snapped his thick neck backward!

  Clang!!

  An ear-piercing screech of metal-on-metal exploded!

  The bullet had been forcibly deflected by the bone of his own skull!

  Sparks flew!

  On the back of Greg’s head, only a shallow white mark remained.

  He turned around slowly, rubbing the spot. The cruel grin on his face widened.

  "Nice little toy," he said, twisting his neck until the bones emitted a series of sharp cracks. "Too bad it’s not even enough to tickle me."

  Kane’s pupils constricted slightly.

  Incredibly hard bones!

  "You're fast, like an annoying fly," Greg said, closing in step by step. Every stride sent a dull tremor through the floor. "But a fly's room to move is always limited."

  He suddenly slammed a fist into the alloy wall beside him!

  Rumble—!

  The specialized alloy wall, ten centimeters thick, was smashed like paper, leaving a gaping hole!

  Shards of jagged metal flew everywhere!

  He didn't stop. His arms became frenzied heavy hammers, systematically destroying both sides of the corridor!

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Walls, ceiling, support pillars...

  Everything was shredded, twisted, and pulverized by his inhuman strength!

  In a matter of seconds, the once-spacious corridor had been transformed into a complex ruin of twisted metal and severed pipes.

  The sheer volume of debris severely restricted Kane’s room for maneuver!

  This guy... isn't an idiot.

  Kane immediately understood Greg’s intent.

  He was using the most barbaric method possible to forcibly reshape the terrain to his advantage—turning this game of cat and mouse into a cage match.

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