It had been 2 years since Michael became the Crimson Angel. A bounty of 10 million alphas now rested on his head. Wanted posters displayed his image throughout the Undercity, attracting numerous bounty hunters who sought to claim the reward.
Michael woke at 3:00 am and began his daily regimen—1000 pushups, squats, sit-ups, and air punches. He had recently added a new exercise: 1000 sword swings with the Shimobe Blade. By 4:30, he had completed his training. Sweat glistening on his brow, he headed to the bathroom for his customary cold shower.
As the icy water cascaded over his body, Michael's security system alerted him to two heat signatures approaching his base. The computer indicated they carried powerful auras, suggesting they were formidable opponents.
Michael quickly exited the shower, donned his armor, and stepped outside to confront the intruders. He immediately spotted the pair—a male standing approximately 190cm tall who appeared only about a year older than Michael, and a female about 165cm who looked slightly younger than Michael. She gripped two plasma guns with practiced ease.
"I am James Sky and she is Violet Sky," the man announced, his voice resonating with confidence. "We are called the Iron-Bloom siblings, and we're here to kill you since you have a bounty on your head."
Michael sighed, his crimson eyes studying the siblings. "I am sick and tired of you bounty hunters. Why don't we make peace? You both look normal and young. Why not join me instead?"
James scoffed, his expression hardening. "You think we would believe you? Words are cheap from someone with as much blood on their hands as you."
With a subtle movement of his fingers, James' hands transformed into large biotech gauntlets, blue energy pulsating from them. They reminded Michael of Alphonse's weaponry, but these emanated even greater power.
Simultaneously, Violet inserted two small spherical objects into her plasma guns. The weapons began glowing with the same blue energy that emanated from her brother's gauntlets.
In an instant, Violet vanished from Michael's field of vision. Even with his enhanced eyes, he could barely track her movements. She reappeared on his far right and opened fire, blue plasma bolts streaking toward him.
Michael's attention shifted to the immediate threat as he dodged the blasts one by one. While he focused on evading Violet's attack, James seized the opportunity, lunging forward with extraordinary speed and connecting a devastating punch. The impact sent Michael hurtling backward like a ragdoll, crashing through a distant building and reducing it to rubble.
"He's much stronger than Alphonse," Michael muttered, rising from the debris.
Before he could fully regain his stance, James materialized before him, gauntlet raised to deliver a skull-crushing blow. "You won't escape the Iron-Bloom siblings!" James shouted. "Your reign of terror ends today!"
Reacting instinctively, Michael deployed his wings from his back and, in a blur of motion, shot toward Violet with his katana poised to strike. The Shimobe Blade narrowly missed its target, only grazing her skin as she dodged with inhuman reflexes.
Violet aimed her plasma guns at the airborne Michael and unleashed a barrage of shots. Michael evaded by ascending higher, but James countered by clapping his gauntleted palms together, generating a tremendous shockwave that caught Michael mid-flight and sent him plummeting to the ground.
James rushed toward the fallen Michael, his gauntlets primed for attack. "You're fast, Crimson Angel, but strength will overcome speed!"
He unleashed a relentless series of punches, but Michael, drawing upon his extensive training, deflected each blow with precision. The metallic clang of gauntlet against blade echoed throughout the confrontation area.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Violet fired another volley. This time, Michael couldn't evade all the shots. Several plasma bolts struck him, momentarily slowing his movements. James capitalized on this opening, landing a powerful blow to Michael's cheek that sent him crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact, scattering debris in all directions.
Recovering quickly, Michael once again took to the air in a blur of crimson motion. He produced multiple crimson daggers and hurled them at Violet with deadly accuracy.
The projectiles found their marks, impaling both of Violet's eyes, knees, and shoulders—six critical strikes that should have incapacitated her completely.
"VIOLET!" James roared, rage contorting his features. His right gauntlet began charging, blue energy intensifying as it coursed through the weapon. "You'll pay for that with your life!"
James launched himself toward Michael, his augmented fist leading the way. "ALMIGHTY FIST!" he bellowed, channeling his fury into the attack.
Michael gripped his katana in reverse and accelerated to meet the challenge head-on. "CRESCENT MOON SLASH!" he countered.
The two forces collided with cataclysmic impact, generating a massive shockwave that rippled across the surrounding area. The concussive blast knocked loose debris from nearby structures and created a momentary vacuum at the point of contact.
When the dust settled, both combatants had sustained significant injuries, though James had clearly received the worse of the exchange. However, as Michael observed his opponents more carefully, he noticed something extraordinary—Violet stood unharmed, with no evidence of the grievous wounds he had inflicted. Looking back at James, he saw the man's injuries rapidly healing as well.
"Wait, Violet," Michael called out, realization dawning. "Could you perhaps be an exploiter? Is that why you can move at such speeds and also heal?"
James straightened, a smirk forming on his face. "Yes, she is," he confirmed proudly. "That's why you're going to lose this fight. Her ability to manipulate biological systems is unmatched in the Undercity. She can heal any wound, accelerate any bodily function—including her own speed. As long as she stands, I cannot fall!"
Michael assessed the situation quickly. He hurled his katana at Violet, making the blade rotate at high velocity. Recognizing the danger, Violet began running and dodging with her enhanced speed to evade the pursuing weapon.
With his primary opponent distracted, Michael extracted two crimson daggers from his suit and rushed toward James. The gauntleted fighter unleashed a flurry of powerful blows, but Michael deflected each one with practiced precision. They engaged in an intricate dance of offense and defense—punch met with cut, strike with dodge, attack with deflect.
Seizing a momentary opening, Michael plunged his daggers into both of James' shoulders. In a fluid motion, he executed a perfect summersault and delivered a powerful kick to James' head, sending the larger man crashing to the ground. Michael followed through, pinning James flat with a well-placed foot, and recalled his katana, which returned to his hand instantly.
Gripping the Shimobe Blade with both hands, Michael positioned the weapon directly above James' head, poised to deliver a fatal strike.
He halted mid-thrust, the tip of the blade hovering centimeters from James' forehead. "That's enough, James," Michael declared firmly. "Let's make peace and talk this out, or I stab your brain and kill you, and later kill your little sister over there."
James stared up at the crimson blade, then into the glowing eyes of the Crimson Angel, knowing he had been defeated—at least for now.