Derek didn't have time for hesitation.
The hulking C-ranks were already scuttling toward him—too big, too smart, and way too shiny. Their exoskeletons glinted like chrome armour, mandibles already dripping with acid that hissed and spat as it hit the pavement. He couldn't brute-force this. They weren't the type of enemies that gave you room to recover or space to think.
He'd have to evolve mid-fight—or die trying.
[Adaptive Combat activated.]
The system's chime was faint but final, the kind of sound that didn't promise a future.
He activated Flash Steps, and his form flickered to the side just as a glob of acid shot through where his face had been. It smashed into the wall, melting concrete, hissing as steam rose from the impact. Derek pushed off his landing foot and slashed back in with Storm Fangs, angling his strike toward what he guessed was a vulnerable joint.
