The battle had begun.
Rocky—a man who looked like a golem made of stone—was entirely covered in rocks. His head was encased in jagged, spiked stones resembling a helmet, with only the mouth area left exposed.
Seeing this, Cassian considered whether it was an opportunity or a trap. Rocky then transformed his right arm into a hammer and swung it toward Cassian.
Cassian dodged the blow and delivered a high kick aimed at Rocky's exposed mouth, but Rocky caught his leg mid-air. He lifted Cassian and slammed him into the ground, leaving cracks where he landed.
"Argh! Damn you!" Cassian shouted in pain. Still, he stood up and rushed forward, but Rocky swung his hammer arm again. Though Rocky's movements were slow, Cassian managed to avoid it.
Cassian jumped, twisted his body mid-air, and delivered another kick—this time landing it on Rocky's mouth.
Rocky appeared unfazed. He smiled, then punched Cassian, sending him flying. Rocky charged forward and swung his hammer arm again. Cassian dodged and countered with a left punch, then a right, followed by a kick.
This time, the attacks seemed to affect Rocky, who became visibly angrier. He tackled Cassian, knocking him to the ground.
Rocky raised his hammer arm to strike, but Cassian rolled away just in time. Cassian jumped back to his feet and tried to kick Rocky, but the rocky armor made the blow ineffective.
Rocky swung again—and this time, he connected, sending Cassian crashing away.
---
Meanwhile...
Cain was enjoying his fight against Marcel. He hadn't used any of his fire abilities yet, relying solely on physical strength.
"Damn it. Isn't he an elemental type? They're supposed to be physically weaker—but with immense destructive power," Marcel thought. "Is he trying to mocked me by defeating me at my full strength without using any of his abilities?"
Marcel lunged at Cain, swinging his claws. Cain dodged and retaliated with a high kick, sending Marcel sliding across the ground. Marcel dug his claws into the floor to stop himself.
Now Cain was the one charging. He threw a punch, which Marcel attempted to block—but the sheer force broke Marcel's hand.
Cain spun and delivered a flying kick to Marcel's face, slamming him to the ground. He began reverting to his human form.
Cain looked across the room. "You're pathetic, Cassian. It should be me who's the master—not you. Without clones, you're nothing," he muttered.
Marcel pulled a pill from his pocket and swallowed it. His body began to transform again. He grew even larger than before, his claws longer and sharper.
"What is this energy?!" Cain gasped. "It's just like mine!"
Marcel delivered a devastating punch. A loud bang echoed through the building as Cain was sent crashing through a wall, landing in a crater, blood dripping down his face.
"This is what I wanted!" Cain shouted, grinning. The fight was finally getting interesting.
He stood, jumped back into the building, and climbed the wall using his claws.
---
Back inside, Cassian was bloody and exhausted, fighting both Rocky and Marcel on his own.
Marcel struck with another claw attack, hitting Cassian. Cassian countered with a punch to Marcel's jaw.
Rocky followed up, bashing Cassian with his hammer arm. Cassian blocked it, but was sent flying—his arm broken.
Still, he stood up and rushed forward. Marcel attacked again, but Cassian dodged and delivered a flying knee.
Landing on the ground, he twisted and struck Rocky in the mouth, then threw another punch. But suddenly he felt a sting in his back—something warm trickling down.
He turned to see Marcel had stabbed him with his claws. Marcel lifted Cassian and threw him across the room.
Cassian skidded along the floor as Rocky charged and slammed him with the hammer arm. Cassian coughed blood but still managed to punch Rocky in the face.
Marcel sprinted toward him, leapt, and tried to stab him again. Cassian ducked and countered with an uppercut and a body shot. He followed up with a spinning kick to Marcel's head—but Rocky punched Cassian again.
Cassian endured the blow and retaliated with another punch, knocking a tooth from Rocky's mouth.
But Rocky kicked him away, and Cassian, now panting and barely able to stand, gritted his teeth.
"Damn it. These two are too powerful," he thought. Then, he saw Marcel charging again.
Marcel swiped at his chest, then landed a brutal uppercut that sent Cassian crashing through the roof. He landed hard.
Marcel dashed forward, delivering a punch that pinned Cassian to the ground. Rocky jumped and followed up with a hammer strike that drove Cassian through the floor into the level below.
Cassian slowly stood up—only to find himself surrounded by members of the Stray Wolf Gang.
"Cassian! I'll handle these two! Take the hostage and escape!" Cain yelled from above.
[Health: 3/180]
Cassian's body was soaked in blood. But as he stood straight, an enemy rushed him. Cassian dodged and knocked the gang member out with a punch.
---
Back upstairs...
Cain stood near the hole in the wall, flames igniting behind him.
"You two should fight me. Even if there were a thousand of you, I'd turn you all to ashes," he taunted.
Cain dashed forward, fire boosting his speed. Rocky swung his hammer, but Cain dodged and launched a high kick, sending Rocky flying.
He then charged Marcel, grabbed him, and yelled, "IGNITE!" A burst of flame erupted from Cain's hand, setting Marcel ablaze.
Cain threw Marcel into the air—right into Rocky's path. Rocky caught Marcel mid-air.
"I'll kill you!" Rocky shouted, furious.
Cain's eyes glowed. A horn sprouted from the left side of his head. He extended his arm toward Rocky and roared, "FIRE BLAST!"
A beam of flame erupted from his arm, blasting Rocky and Marcel through the wall.
---
Outside...
The other gang members saw the explosion.
"What the hell is happening?! How did someone get inside the main base?!" one shouted.
Rocky and Marcel had been launched across the area, crashing into a house. The gang rushed over.
"Boss, are you okay?" Eugene asked.
Rocky stood up, carrying the charred body of Marcel.
"Eugene, take our boss and get out of here. These people… they're not ordinary," Rocky said, his tone fierce.
"I'll take care of things from here."
"Sir, it's strange—they all have the same face. It might be his power... And that man—that's the one who escaped during the factory incident," Eugene added.
Eugene carried Marcel away while Rocky transformed—his body expanding into a gigantic golem form, now towering over the building.
---
Inside...
Cain and Cassian had defeated the remaining gang members and rescued the hostage. Cassian carried her, despite his weakened state.
"We have different purposes, Cassian," Cain said, staring out through the blasted wall at the giant golem.
Cassian looked up, shocked.
"I'll handle him. Your job is to get her out," Cain smirked.
Cain leapt from the building, rushing toward the giant golem, while Cassian, supported by his remaining clones, made his escape.