Dante broke cover, moving fast, ducking low beneath a rusted shipping crane's claw as the Echo Unit's gauntlet fired again—another blast of raw, scorching energy tearing through the stale air and exploding just behind him. The concussive wave threw loose debris into the dim twilight, sparks raining down like deadly fireflies.
He wasn't just fast—he was surgical, precise, and relentless. Every step Dante took, the Echo Unit matched with deadly accuracy. This wasn't just some grunt with a gun. This was a predator engineered to kill.
Dante's breath came sharp and ragged as he darted through a maze of rusted cargo containers, the metal groaning under the assault. His eyes scanned for an edge—anything to tip the scales.
[Skill Available: Shock Feedback (Lv. 1)]
[Usage Threshold Approaching Upgrade Limit]
—Use 5 more times to unlock Lv.2—
The glowing HUD inside Dante's vision pulsed softly with the incoming prompt. He didn't have much time.
Three mercenaries appeared around a corner, advancing with brutal intent. Dante charged straight at them, muscles primed and adrenaline sharp.
One of them swung the butt of his rifle, catching Dante hard in the ribs. The impact cracked his breath, fire blooming in his side—but the energy inside him flared brighter.
A pulse of concussive force rippled out, shoving all three back violently. They crashed into crates and each other, groaning and staggering.
[Skill Usage Count: 47/50]
[Adaptation Threshold Nearing Critical Mass]
His cells tingled—alive with the unnatural sensation of pushing past limits. His body felt like it was rewriting itself on the fly, shifting to meet the battle's demands.
Suddenly, a nearby explosion rocked the yard, sending Dante flying backwards. He slammed into the hard ground, pain shooting up his spine, but he rolled expertly, shrugging it off. Blood and grit coated his palms, but he bounced up just in time to see Spider-Man flip through the air, webbing two mercenaries together and smashing them into the ground.
Spider-Man landed beside him, eyes sharp beneath the mask. "You holding up?"
"Close to something", Dante panted, chest heaving. "Need a few more seconds."
Spider-Man's tone dropped, almost sheepish. "You're going to hate me for this, but... I've got just the thing."
With a quick tug of his web, he yanked the gauntlet off one of the fallen mercs and tossed it to Dante.
"Supercharged kinetic amplifier. Might sting a bit."
Dante caught the device instinctively, the metal cool but humming with latent power. Without hesitation, he jammed the gauntlet onto his forearm. It immediately pulsed red-hot, searing his skin. He clenched his teeth, but the burning was quickly swallowed by his system's flood of energy.
[Adapting Foreign Tech...]
[Overclocking Current Skillset]
[Skill: Shock Feedback — Upgraded to Lv. 2]
—Melee damage absorbed and stored up to 150% before manual release in an AoE detonation—
A brilliant glow enveloped his arms, light dancing across his skin as power coiled tightly within.
Spider-Man cocked his head. "You sure you know what you're doing?"
Dante gave him a crooked grin, breathless but determined. "Nope."
Without waiting, he surged forward, charging the Echo Unit like a battering ram.
The enemy raised the gauntlet, eyes glowing behind his cracked helmet, and fired a blast of pure kinetic energy straight at Dante's chest.
This time, Dante didn't dodge.
He stood firm as the force slammed into him, his body drinking it in, absorbing every joule of energy like a living battery. The air around him crackled and hummed, electric tension radiating outward.
Then, with a guttural roar, Dante unleashed it all.
The stored kinetic force detonated in a colossal shockwave, an invisible hammer smashing outward in every direction. The Echo Unit was caught dead centre, thrown violently through a stack of steel cargo crates. The metal groaned and bent, collapsing under his weight.
For a moment, the entire yard fell silent.
Then, through the smoke and settling dust, the Echo Unit slowly rose.
His armour was scorched and cracked, sparks flickering from his damaged left arm. His breathing was ragged, but his posture was defiant.
"Impressive," the machine growled, voice distorted and mechanical. "You've grown... but it doesn't matter. This ends now."
Before he could fire again, Daredevil dropped in from above, swinging both his batons with brutal precision. The batons cracked sharply across the side of the Echo Unit's helmet, staggering him.
"You're not finishing this alone," Daredevil said grimly, landing beside Dante.
Dante didn't hesitate.
He surged forward again, his fist crackling with kinetic energy stolen and sharpened. His punch connected with the unit's chest, right where a cracked skull insignia was emblazoned.
The armour splintered, sparks exploding outward as the reinforced plating fractured beneath the blow.
The Echo Unit crumpled.
Dante's breath came in ragged gasps, sweat and blood streaking his face.
Daredevil stepped closer, voice low but steady. "You finish it?"
Dante nodded, but his eyes never left the fallen figure.
From behind, Spider-Man landed lightly, eyes wide behind the mask. "Okay... now I'm impressed."
But just as they began to catch their breaths, something unexpected happened.
The broken chest plate flickered with a sudden pulse of light. A small, holographic projector activated with a sharp whir, casting a flickering blue light into the dark yard.
Phantom's face appeared, smirking with cold amusement.
"You're stronger than we thought," the projection said smoothly, voice dripping with menace. "Adaptation suits you, Dante... but it's not enough."
The hologram zoomed out, revealing a vast, dimly lit room filled with identical suits, all marked with that same ominous skull insignia.
"This was just a test run."
The projection blinked out, leaving the trio staring at the empty air.
Spider-Man looked unsettled. "Test run? So... there are more of those things?"
Daredevil's gaze hardened. "More than that. An entire army."
Dante's fists clenched. The shockwave of power still thrummed in his veins, but now a colder fire burned—a grim understanding that this battle was far from over.
The Echo Unit began to stir, slow and jerky at first, but it was already rebooting.
"We need to move," Dante growled. "Fast."
Spider-Man nodded, shooting webs to secure the perimeter.
Daredevil pulled out a small comms device, whispering, "I'll call in backup."
The mercenaries—well, what was left of them—were stirring too. Gunfire erupted again from the shadows as reinforcements closed in.
Dante glanced down at the kinetic amplifier still glowing on his arm. The upgrade felt like a weight and a promise all at once.
[Skill Usage Count: 48/50]
[Adaptation Threshold Breached]
—Shock Feedback Lv. 2 Active—
—Unlocking Lv. 3 requires 2 more uses—
A cold grin tugged at the corner of Dante's mouth.
"Let's finish this," he said.
Spider-Man gave him a thumbs-up. "Lead the way."
Together, the unlikely trio melted back into the shadows of the industrial maze, prepared to face whatever the next wave would bring.