Fist met fist.
Kick met block.
The sound of impact cracked sharp and fast—like gunshots in an empty alley.
Every move was deadly.
Every hit had weight.
Their bodies blurred, trading blows faster than most could even see.
Each step hit the ground like thunder.
Each punch cut through the air like a blade.
This wasn't just a fight.
It was a storm between monsters.
Teji ducked under a high kick, boots sliding on the dusty floor.
He dropped low—twisting—then launched a brutal uppercut.
CRACK—!
Agent 1 caught it with his elbow, twisting his body into a sudden knee strike.
Teji swayed just enough to dodge, then spun—fist swinging wide.
A spinning backfist.
Blocked again.
But Teji didn't stop.
Didn't hesitate.
He stepped in closer.
Strikes flew like rapid-fire—jab, hook, elbow, another hook—each one sharp, controlled.
He fought like he had something to prove.
Because he did.
(In his heart)
"Damn… my body—it's different."
"Now I'm on par with this guy."
"But just matching him isn't enough… I need to beat him."
His breathing stayed calm.
Even.
But inside, his heart pounded like war drums.
His body had changed, yes.
But Agent 1—he was still something else.
Sharp. Precise. Unshaken.
Agent 1 lunged forward, a blur of movement.
A sidekick shot out—fast, silent, aimed to crush ribs.
Teji didn't flinch.
He raised both arms—crossed them—and blocked it head-on.
THUD!
The force slammed into him.
Dragged him back.
His boots skidded against the ground, scraping sparks.
Metal shards flew as he crashed into a broken crate.
The wood cracked.
The frame buckled.
His arms burned from the hit.
But he stayed up.
He didn't fall.
Not this time.
Teji's eyes locked onto Agent 1's again.
No fear.
No panic.
Just focus—sharp as steel.
He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
Let out a small breath.
His muscles tensed again.
A grin crept across his face.
"Not bad…"
"But I'm not done yet."
They clashed again.
Steel toes cracked pavement.
Elbows slammed like thunder.
Fist after fist—relentless.
No breaks.
No mercy.
Agent 1 stayed silent.
No taunt.
No growl.
Just cold, calm focus.
Every hit Teji threw got answered.
Blocked. Dodged. Slipped.
Agent 1 moved like a machine—clean, sharp, perfect.
No waste.
No gaps.
(In Teji's heart)
"This guy… does he have no weakness?"
"If this keeps going… I'll lose once the drug wears off."
Teji's breathing deepened.
His eyes scanned.
He needed something—anything.
And then—he saw it.
The floor.
Dusty. Cracked.
And there they were.
His karambit.
His bayonet.
Lying just a few meters away, catching the red lights above—faint glints under smoke and rubble.
His chest tightened.
His pulse jumped.
There.
A chance.
Teji darted sideways.
Low and fast.
Debris shot up as his boots scraped across the ground.
He dropped to one knee, snatched both blades in a smooth motion.
No hesitation.
Agent 1 twitched—ready to intercept.
But Teji was already back on his feet.
Already moving.
This time, it was different.
The blades danced in his hands.
Slash. Swipe. Twist. Stab.
Each move tighter. Sharper.
Teji's rhythm returned.
His instinct took over.
The bayonet carved air toward Agent 1's face—
Dodged. Barely.
The karambit followed close, curving in low for the ribs—
Agent 1 bent at the waist, stepping back just in time.
His stance shifted.
Feet wider.
Guard tighter.
Still no words.
But his body language said everything:
He wasn't moving with ease anymore.
He had to try now.
Teji caught it.
And that tiny shift lit a spark in his chest.
His breath steadied.
His arms stopped shaking.
His eyes sharpened.
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"I understand it now…"
In one swift move, Teji threw his bayonet from his right hand.
A perfect spin—tight, fast—cutting through the air like a silent bullet.
Straight toward Agent 1's head.
As expected, Agent 1 didn't flinch.
He tilted his head slightly to the side—calm, smooth, like always.
The blade flew just past his face.
Under his breath, Agent 1 muttered:
"What are you trying to do—"
But he never finished.
Because in the next blink—
Teji was gone.
No footstep.
No breath.
Just a sudden shift in the air—
Like the wind snapped.
Agent 1's eyes widened.
He felt it.
A presence behind him.
Too fast. Too close.
Teji's hand snatched the flying bayonet from the air—mid-spin.
And in one clean motion—
SHHKKK—!
A brutal slash tore across Agent 1's back.
Deep. Sharp. Surgical.
A raw scream ripped out of Agent 1 as he stumbled forward—
Blood splattering across the broken tiles and crushed metal around them.
He dropped to one knee, chest heaving.
One hand hit the floor to keep him steady.
The other clutched his back, now soaked with red.
Teji stood just ahead—still, calm.
Bayonet in one hand.
Karambit in the other.
Eyes cold.
His voice came low, almost quiet:
"Got you."
Agent 1 gritted his teeth hard.
Fingers trembling as they pressed the wound.
Then he slowly looked up.
His tone stayed steady—but the pain showed in his breath:
"Well… that drug really works, huh?"
He forced himself to stand.
Blood dripping down his side.
Eyes locked with Teji's.
"Then I just need to buy time… until it wears off."
Teji didn't say a word.
No smile.
No comeback.
He dashed forward again—faster now.
Smoother. Wilder.
Less like a trained fighter—
More like a storm.
Agent 1 braced himself.
This time, Teji threw his karambit—just like the bayonet.
Same aim. Same spin.
Right at Agent 1's head.
Agent 1 ducked on instinct.
Then spun around—ready for the next move.
He expected Teji behind him again.
Expected another surprise attack.
But—
No one was there.
Only the karambit, spinning harmlessly through the air.
It clattered against the wall behind Agent 1 with a sharp clang.
He paused—just for a second.
A second too long.
Then—
"GAAHH—!"
A sudden, vicious slash tore clean across his chest.
Not from behind.
From the front.
Blood sprayed wide as Agent 1 stumbled backward, legs unsteady.
Teji stood right where the slash came from—blade dripping, stance solid.
That same fire in his eyes.
A grin pulled at the edge of his lips.
"Hehe… got you."
Agent 1 staggered, clutching the gash across his torso.
His breath came harder now.
Shoulders rising and falling.
His footing—not as tight. Not as perfect.
Teji was ready to press forward—
To finish it—
But then—
"Tch—ghh… what the…"
A sudden spike of pain stabbed right behind his eyes.
Sharp.
Quick.
Enough to make him flinch.
His steps slowed.
His head buzzed.
Not enough to fall—but just enough to shake his rhythm.
His vision blurred for a heartbeat.
Chest rising faster now.
"Wtf…?" he muttered, voice low.
His hand touched his forehead, just for a second.
The pain faded—but the fear didn't.
"…Maybe the drug's already wearing off…"
His eyes locked back onto Agent 1.
Still standing. Still breathing. Still watching.
Teji took one slow, shaky breath.
"I… I don't have much time left…"
Agent 1 saw it.
That slight tremble.
That shift in speed.
And he started walking forward again—wounded, yes, but steady.
No words. No fear. Just focus.
The fight wasn't done.
But the clock was ticking now.
Teji's lungs burned.
That headache throbbed deeper.
His arms felt heavier than before.
"Dammit… can't let it slow me down now…"
His grip tightened.
Then—with one quick breath out—
Teji dropped the bayonet from his right hand.
But not for long.
His fingers caught it mid-fall—
Flipped it by the hilt—
And hurled it again.
A fast, clean throw—straight for Agent 1's face.
The blade spun through the air like a silver comet.
Each spin caught the red light of the lab—flashing like a warning.
Agent 1 didn't blink.
Even bleeding, even hurt—he saw it coming.
Agent 1 tilted his head just in time.
Clink!
The bayonet sliced past his cheek, just missing.
It stabbed deep into the wall behind with a solid thunk.
He froze.
Muscles tight. Eyes sharp.
Where?
Front or back?
Where would Teji strike from this time?
But it was neither.
Whoosh—
A sudden gust of wind to his side.
Teji dashed past him.
Low, fast—like a shadow slicing through flame.
Silent. Deadly. Lightning.
Agent 1 tried to react.
Tried to twist, raise a guard, move—
But he was too slow.
His wounds were catching up.
His body wasn't following his mind anymore.
And now, Teji had the upper hand.
CRACK!
A vicious strike smashed into the side of his neck.
Agent 1 gasped—
Staggered, legs unsteady, vision flaring white for a second.
No words.
Only sharp breathing.
Only instinct.
Then—Teji was gone again.
In the time it took Agent 1 to blink, Teji had already moved—
Sliding behind him like a phantom.
And then the real beating began.
WHAM. WHUD. THUMP. THUD.
Fists slammed into Agent 1's back.
His shoulders.
His ribs.
Precise. Fast. Ruthless.
Teji didn't speak—
He let his fists talk for him.
Each punch landed with purpose.
Each one was a sentence.
A command:
"Stay down."
The red lights above flickered across the room, casting long shadows.
Blood spattered against the floor, the walls—
And across Teji's arms.
It almost made Agent 1 blend into the room itself—
Like a broken, bleeding statue.
One made of muscle, blood, and stubborn pride.
Lit in red.
Framed by pain.
Desperate, Agent 1 swung a wild kick behind him.
Too wide.
Too slow.
Teji read it easily—
Sidestepped without effort.
Then—
BAM!
An uppercut from Teji slammed under Agent 1's chin.
His head snapped back violently—
Spit and blood shot out in a sharp spray.
But Teji wasn't done.
He planted his foot.
Pivoted with full force—
Roared with breath:
"HAAAH—!"
And delivered a crushing roundhouse kick to Agent 1's torso.
BOOM.
Agent 1's body lifted from the ground—
Launched.
He smashed into the wall with a sound that shook the room.
CRACK!
The concrete cracked behind him—
A spiderweb of force etched across the surface.
Then—
Silence.
Agent 1 slumped to the floor.
His arms limp.
His eyes shut.
His chest rising slow and shallow.
Finally down.
Teji stood still.
Chest rising and falling like slow, crashing waves.
Sweat dripped from his jaw, mixing with blood.
Every breath felt like fire.
"…Finally."
His voice came out hoarse.
Barely above a whisper.
He looked down at his fists—still clenched, still shaking.
Knuckles bruised. Skin torn.
He didn't even feel the pain anymore. Not really.
Just the exhaustion.
Then his eyes shifted—to the crumpled shape on the ground.
Agent 1.
Unmoving. Silent.
"Can't believe I had to put everything…
just to beat this guy," Teji muttered.
His whole body screamed.
Bones aching. Muscles sore.
The drug had pushed him past the limit—
But now it was catching up.
Still…
He'd won.
For now.
He stared at Agent 1's limp body a second longer, just to be sure.
Then turned his eyes forward.
"Now I need to save Tamiki."
The metal door stood across the room—tall, heavy, the kind you'd see in secret labs.
That's where she was.
Where they were keeping her.
And he had no time to waste.
He turned and started walking.
One step.
Two—
CRACK.
His knees gave out.
He collapsed hard, hands catching him just in time.
But the pain—
God. The pain.
"GAAAH—!"
He screamed as if his skull was being split in half.
It hit him all at once.
A surge like fire exploding in his head.
Blood poured from his mouth as he coughed and gagged,
splattering across the broken floor.
His whole body convulsed—
Once. Violent.
Then still.
Everything blurred.
Vision warped.
Heartbeat slowed.
His breath came in short, broken pulls.
And then…
The pain… eased.
Just enough.
His fingers twitched.
He was still conscious.
Teji wiped his mouth with the back of his hand—blood smearing up to his wrist.
His arm trembled, but he pushed himself upright.
"...Damn… just in time."
His voice was low. Ragged.
"If I was late by a minute…"
He swallowed thickly.
"…I'd be dead."
His boots scraped the floor as he forced himself forward again.
Every step was heavier than the last.
But he was adjusting—slowly.
Feeling out the damage.
Fighting through the drug's crash.
Then—
Something clicked.
James.
His eyes widened.
He turned quickly—nearly stumbling—
Then sprinted back across the room.
He dropped to his knees beside James—
His colleague, still unconscious.
Covered in dust and blood.
Teji's hands moved fast—pressing two fingers to James's neck.
He held his breath.
Thump.
…Thump.
A weak pulse.
But it was there.
Still beating.
Teji's shoulders dropped in relief.
"Luckily… he's alive."
His voice shook, but not from fear this time.
Just… release.
He gave James a light pat on the chest—
More of a silent promise than a gesture.
Then leaned in and whispered:
"I'll be back soon."
He stood up.
Tired. Sore. Barely holding it together.
But his eyes were sharp again.
The lab was waiting.
And Tamiki needed him.
Then, without wasting another second, Teji ran to the door again.
His hand slammed against the glowing panel—
SHHHK—
The door hissed open.
And there—inside the lab—
He saw her.
Tamiki.
Tied to a metal chair.
Straps wrapped tight around her wrists and ankles.
Her hair was messy. There was a cut on her lip.
But her eyes—
They were still full of fire.
"Teji!!" she screamed.
He almost rushed in.
Almost.
But something made him stop.
Because he wasn't alone.
A man stood beside her.
White lab coat. Black gloves.
Clean. Still. Calm.
He didn't react to the door opening.
Didn't flinch at Teji's name being called.
He just turned his head slightly, voice smooth—controlled.
"Welcome, Agent 4," he said.
Then, after a short pause—
"Or should I call you…
my son?"
The man turned fully now.
Stepped into the light.
Faced Teji head-on.
And Teji—
froze.
For a second, he couldn't breathe.
His heart skipped.
His eyes widened.
His hands?
Shaking.
"…There's no way…
It… can't be…"
But it was.
No mistake.
Same face.
Same sharp jawline.
Same tired eyes he saw in that old photo.
Same slight crease between the brows when he spoke.
Same coldness.
It was him.
His father.
Alive.
Teji's whole body locked up.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't think.
His throat felt dry.
Like he'd swallowed glass.
He had spent years thinking this man was gone.
Dead. A victim. A memory.
Something buried with his mother's tears.
But now—
Here he was.
Standing. Breathing. Talking.
And looking at Teji like nothing had changed.
Teji's voice came out low. Cracked.
"…You're supposed to be dead…"
[End of Chapter 15]