Part-178

  James didn't reply. Instead, his eyes narrowed, the faint glint of Sloth View activating as he observed Arad’s stahe world around him slowed, allowing him to study every twitch of Arad's muscles, every subtle shift in his footing. With Crisis Mode and Sloth View bined, James became a force to be reed with.

  Suddenly, Arad lunged forward, aiming a vicious punch at James’s chest. But to James, it was as if the punch was moving through mosses. He dodged to the side effortlessly, using the momentum to strike back. His hand shot out with a Snake Jab, moving at blinding speed, and nded squarely on Arad's side. The attack, infused with 300% of James’s attack speed, hit Arad before he could react.

  Arad grunted but barely flinched. He was strong—much strohan anyone James had fought before. The Snake Jab did damage, but it wasn’t enough to slow Arad down.

  "That the best you've got?" Arad taunted as he quickly recovered, his fists fshing forward in a rapid bination of strikes aimed at James's torso. But James, with his enhanced reflexes, blocked each blow using Crabs Arm, his forearms abs the brunt of the hits. For 10 seds, the Crabs Arm skill provided near-perfect defense, repelling 80% of the damage. Arad's punches felt like taps against steel.

  The seds ticked by, and James knew he had to ter before Arad caught on. As Arad pulled back for a roundhouse kick, James saw his opportunity. Time slowed even more as he activated Sloth View fully. He dodged the kick with grace, sweeping under Arad's leg, and delivered a powerful Kangaroo Cut, an uppercut charged with 80% of his total strength.

  The impact was thunderous, sending Arad stumbling back, blood dripping from his mouth. For the first time, James saw the hint of anger in Arad's eyes.

  "You’re faster than I expected," Arad spat, wiping the blood from his lip. "But speed won't save you forever."

  James didn’t need speed alone. He needed precision. His body, still in Semi-Auto mode, had been studying Arad’s movements, his patterns. Every punch, every kick was being analyzed. His body was already adjusting for the phase of the fight.

  Arad charged again, this time aiming low with a sweeping kick, but James anticipated it. Using Sloth View, he saw it ing from a mile away. He leaped above the attad, mid-air, activated Thundercp. His hand, moving with terrifying speed, spped across Arad’s cheek, the force sending shockwaves through Arad's body. The electric jolt sensation of Thundercp caused Arad to stagger, momentarily dazed.

  But Arad wasn’t finished yet. With a snarl, he powered through the pain and tered, ung a powerful krike aimed at James's gut. This time, James wasn’t quiough to dodge entirely. The blow ected, sending James skidding backward, the wind knocked out of him.

  For a brief moment, James's vision blurred, his chest ag from the impact. But his body, still operating in Semi-Auto mode, recovered quickly. He could feel his stamina dipping slightly, the toll of Crisis Mode and Sloth View slowly catg up. He knew he had to end this soon before his stamina dropped below 30%.