[Abandoned Warehouse - Sector 4]
Vincent threw the unconscious thug into a corner. He wiped a streak of blood from his mouth.
"Pathetic," Vincent spat. "This trash only gave me +1 Strength. I need high-quality prey."
He looked at Jessica, who was sitting on a crate, shivering.
"Stop crying," Vincent growled. "Or I'll drain you next."
Suddenly, the roof exploded.
CRASH!
Debris rained down as a dark figure slammed into the concrete floor, creating a crater three meters wide. Dust billowed out.
Vincent shielded his eyes. "Who—?"
Two glowing blue eyes cut through the dust. Alex walked out. He wasn't wearing his suit anymore; the jump had torn the sleeves, revealing arms that looked like steel cables. Luna dropped silently beside him, daggers drawn.
"You're fast," Vincent sneered, though his eyes twitched with nervousness. "But you're stupid. You entered my domain."
Vincent raised his hand. [Plunder Art: Soul Drain!]
A wave of purple parasitic energy lashed out, wrapping around Alex.
"Die," Vincent laughed. "Your stats are mine!"
The purple energy hit Alex's chest... and sizzled away like water on a hot pan.
[System Alert: Mental Fortress Active. Plunder Attempt Blocked.]
Alex didn't even slow down. He kept walking.
"What?" Vincent stepped back. "Impossible! No one resists the drain!"
"My turn," Alex said.
Alex vanished.
He moved so fast the floor tiles cracked where he stood. In a blink, he was right in front of Vincent.
[Titan Body: 50% Output.] [Grandmaster Martial Arts: Iron Fist.]
Alex threw a punch. No fancy technique. just raw, overwhelming violence.
"Shield!" Vincent screamed.
The purple Level 4 Defense Barrier erupted instantly. This was the shield that had stopped Luna's daggers effortlessly.
BOOM.
Alex's fist collided with the barrier. The air pressure in the warehouse spiked, blowing out all the windows.
CRACK.
A spiderweb fracture appeared on the purple energy shield.
Vincent's eyes widened in horror. "No... this is a magic barrier! You can't break it with physical force!"
"I bought a better fist," Alex roared.
He drew his arm back and punched again.
SMASH!
The barrier shattered like glass.
The force of the punch continued through, slamming into Vincent's chest.
"GAHH!" Vincent vomited blood. He was launched backward like a cannonball, smashing through a stack of shipping containers and embedding himself in the far wall.
Silence.
Jessica stared at Alex. Her mouth was open. The "invincible" Vincent had just been swatted like a bug.
Alex walked toward the wall where Vincent was stuck.
"Get up," Alex said. "I haven't tested my durability yet."
Vincent pulled himself out of the wall. His trench coat was in tatters. He looked at Alex with pure fear.
"Monster..." Vincent wheezed. "You are not a Tycoon... you are a monster."
Vincent reached into his pocket and crushed a black crystal.
[Item Used: Shadow Step (Teleport).]
"I will remember this!" Vincent screamed as his body turned into black smoke. "Next time, I will bring an army!"
The smoke swirled and vanished. He was gone.
Alex stood alone in the wreckage. He looked at his fist. Not a scratch.
"He ran away," Luna said, sounding disappointed.
"Let him run," Alex said, looking at the trembling Jessica. "Fear spreads faster than we do."