The impact launched the Knight straight into a wall, crushing stone and throwing dust everywhere.
"Fast," Asher muttered.
SQ-L88 twisted its torso back into place and targeted Asher again. Its eyes flashed.
"Intruder speed: acceptable. Durability: unknown. Attempting forced analysis."
The sentinel dashed again.
Asher blocked the first strike with his forearm. The hit felt like steel pistons slamming into him. His arm stung all the way to the shoulder.
He countered with a punch to the sentinel's jaw.
The hit connected—
—but it was like punching reinforced metal. The sentinel's head snapped to the side but showed no damage.
Instead, it grabbed Asher's wrist immediately and tried to bend his arm the wrong way.
Asher pulled back hard, twisting out of its grip.
The sentinel didn't chase. It scanned him quickly, light sweeping up and down.
"Bone density increased. Muscle output above natural limits. Conclusion: hybrid lifeform."
