Chapter 163: Enough Armor Already!!
The armored figure stepped forward. The concrete floor cracked slightly beneath his weight.
Nobody stared at him. "...Okay." He looked at the man standing behind the figure. "So that’s your big surprise?"
The man smirked. "He’s more than enough to deal with you."
Nobody tilted his head. "Who is he?"
The man shrugged. "Just a man."
Nobody looked at the enormous figure again. "That is definitely not a normal man."
The figure’s body was covered in thick metallic armor. It wasn’t a machine.
Nobody could see skin around the neck and parts of the face. The armor appeared to have grown directly around the man’s body. Strange lines of energy moved beneath its surface. The man’s muscles were enormous. His shoulders were wider than most people. His fists were covered by heavy armored plates.
Nobody stared. "System."
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[Enemy Analysis]
Target:
Unknown Enhanced Human
Physical Strength:
Extremely High
Durability:
Extremely High
Ability:
Enhanced Physical Body
Origin:
Unknown
Warning:
Target has been affected by an external reality distortion.
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Nobody’s expression changed. "...Reality distortion?"
The System remained silent for a moment.
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[Additional Analysis]
External influence detected.
Source:
Unknown
Effect:
Physical enhancement and abnormal body modification.
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Nobody looked at the armored man. Then at the villain. "So you’re just a street-level guy with a metal head bodyguard."
The man’s face twisted. "Watch your mouth."
Nobody shrugged. "Wasn’t an insult." He looked at the armored figure. "Mostly."
The villain stepped forward. "You think your jokes will save you?"
"No." Nobody raised his frost crowbars. "These will."
The villain laughed. "You’re finished."
The armored man suddenly rushed forward. Nobody barely had time to react. The man’s armored fist swung toward him.
Nobody crossed both crowbars in front of his body.
BAMM!!
The punch struck directly against them. The force pushed Nobody several meters backward. His boots scraped across the concrete.
Rian gasped. "Crimson Bunny!!"
Nobody stopped himself against a steel support beam. The metal bent slightly behind him. He looked down at his crowbars. "...Okay." He shook his arms. "That guy hits hard."
The armored man slowly approached.
Nobody smiled. "But that’s good."
The man raised his fist again. Nobody stepped forward. This time, he wasn’t going to wait. He swung one frost crowbar directly toward the armored man’s shoulder.
The crowbar struck the armor. Cold energy spread across the metal. The armored man barely reacted.
Nobody’s eyes widened. "...No damage?"
The System responded.
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[Attack Result]
Damage:
Minimal
Target durability exceeds current attack output.
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Nobody stared. "You’re seriously telling me that?"
The armored man grabbed the crowbar. Nobody tried pulling it free. The man’s grip tightened. Then he pulled.
Nobody was dragged forward. "Whoa!" He released the crowbar before losing his balance.
The armored man immediately swung again. Nobody ducked. The fist passed above his helmet. He moved around the man’s side. His second crowbar struck the armored ribs. The impact made the armor ring loudly.
The man staggered half a step.
Nobody smiled. "Ah. Found something."
The armored man turned.
Nobody immediately moved backward.
The villain shouted, "Don’t let him escape!"
The armored man charged again.
Nobody looked toward Rian. "Blossom!"
The little bunny jumped forward. "Attata!"
Pink petals began floating around the battlefield.
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[Support-Type Passive Skill Active]
Fortune Petal Shift
Minor probability manipulation applied to nearby ally.
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The armored man’s next step landed on a loose piece of metal. His foot shifted slightly a little. But it was enough. His punch missed Nobody by several centimeters.
Nobody’s eyes widened. "Blossom!"
The bunny bounced happily. "Atta ta!"
Nobody immediately took advantage of the opening. He swung his frost crowbar toward the armored man’s knee. The crowbar connected. Cold spread across the armor. The armored man dropped to one knee.
Nobody stepped backward. "That worked."
The villain stared in disbelief. "Get up!"
The armored man slowly rose.
Nobody looked at him. "You know..." He spun his remaining crowbar once. "...I don’t think you’re normally enhanced by that dude."
The armored man stared silently.
Nobody continued. "I think somebody more unnatural messed with you."
The strange energy beneath the man’s armor flickered.
Nobody noticed.
The System displayed another notification.
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[Reality Distortion Detected]
External influence remains active.
Target’s abnormal enhancement is not naturally occurring.
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Nobody’s expression became serious. "So that’s it."
The villain shouted,"Don’t listen to him!"
Nobody looked toward him. "You know what’s happening to this guy?"
The villain hesitated. Only for a second.
But Nobody noticed. "...You don’t."
The villain’s expression hardened. "Shut up!"
Nobody smiled. "Thought so." He looked back at the armored man. "So now the higher being enhanced this guy too."
The man suddenly roared and charged.
Nobody prepared himself. "Fine." He raised both crowbars. "I’ll deal with you first."
Blossom hopped beside him. "Attata!"
Nobody smiled. "Yeah. Let’s protect Rian."
The armored man charged again. Nobody moved forward to meet him. The villain watched from behind. He had expected the bodyguard to crush the Crimson Bunny easily.
Instead...
The fight had only begun.
And somewhere beyond their understanding, a strange force continued bending reality around them.
Nobody knew who was responsible. He only knew one thing. The man in front of him wasn’t the real mastermind. He was simply another person caught inside the distortion.
Nobody tightened his grip. "...I will defeat you and find whoever is behind all this."
......
Nobody tightened his grip around the frost crowbars.
The armored man stood several meters away. His massive shoulders slowly rose and fell as he breathed. The strange energy beneath his armor continued moving across his body like faint waves.
Rian stayed behind Nobody. Blossom Bunny stood beside him, its tiny ears raised. "Atta..."
Nobody glanced over his shoulder. "Don’t worry. I’ve got this."
The armored man suddenly charged.
This time, Nobody didn’t wait for him. He rushed forward too. The distance between them disappeared in seconds.
The armored man’s fist came toward Nobody’s head. Nobody leaned sideways. The armored fist passed close enough to disturb the air beside his helmet. Nobody immediately swung his right crowbar toward the man’s ribs.
The frost-covered weapon struck directly against the armored body. The impact forced the man’s upper body sideways. But he didn’t fall.
Nobody’s eyes narrowed. "Still barely doing anything..."
The armored man turned his shoulder and slammed it into Nobody.
Nobody crossed both crowbars. The collision pushed him backward. His boots dragged across the concrete floor. He finally stopped near a stack of metal crates.
Nobody looked at the armored man. "You’re really built like a walking tank."
The villain laughed from behind. "I told you! He cannot be defeated!"
Nobody glanced at him. "You sound way too confident for someone standing that far away."
The villain’s smile disappeared.
Nobody raised one crowbar. "Why don’t you come help him?"
The villain immediately looked away.
Nobody laughed. "Yeah. Thought so."
The armored man rushed again.
Nobody moved to the side. The armored fist slammed into the wall behind him. The concrete cracked.
Nobody stared at the impact. "...Yeah." He slowly looked back at the armored man. "I definitely don’t want that hitting me."
The armored man pulled his fist from the damaged wall.
Nobody suddenly noticed something. The man’s movements were powerful. But they were repetitive. Every attack followed the same pattern.
Straight punch, shoulder charge and heavy swing. Another straight punch.
Nobody’s eyes narrowed. "You’re strong." He spun his crowbar. "But you’re predictable."
The armored man charged.
Nobody waited. At the last second, he stepped backward.
The armored man swung.
Nobody ducked. The punch passed over his helmet. Nobody immediately struck the man’s elbow. The frost crowbar connected with the armored joint. Cold spread across the surface. The armored man’s arm slowed.
Nobody’s eyes widened. "...There." He had found another weakness.
The armor was strongest around the chest and shoulders. The joints were different. They were reinforced but not nearly as heavily.
Nobody smiled. "Gotcha."
The armored man swung again. Nobody moved around him.
The massive fist struck the floor. Concrete dust rose into the air. Nobody used the opening. He struck the armored man’s knee. Then the elbow. Then the side of the ankle. Each hit carried his frost element into the armor.
The armored man staggered.
The villain shouted, "Don’t let him control the fight!"
Nobody looked at him. "Too late."
The armored man suddenly roared. His entire body began glowing.
Nobody’s expression changed. "...That’s new."
The strange energy beneath the armor intensified. The man’s muscles expanded slightly. His movements became faster.
The System appeared.
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[Warning]
External energy fluctuation detected.
Target’s physical output increasing.
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Nobody stared. "Of course."
The armored man disappeared from his position.
Nobody’s eyes widened. He barely raised his crowbars in time.
The fist struck. The force launched Nobody backward. He flew across the warehouse and landed on one knee.
Rian shouted, "Crimson Bunny!"
Nobody lifted one hand. "I’m fine!" He slowly stood. His arms were trembling.
The System appeared again.
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[Status Update]
User Energy:
61%
Physical Output:
Reduced
Enemy Output:
Increasing
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Nobody stared. "Sixty-one percent?" He looked at the armored man. "And he’s getting stronger?"
The System remained silent.
Nobody sighed. "Great."
The armored man charged again.
Nobody suddenly heard a tiny sound.
"Atta ta."
He looked down.
Blossom Bunny was staring at him. The little bunny hopped forward. A few pink petals floated around Nobody.
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[Fortune Petal Shift]
Probability adjustment active.
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Nobody smiled. "Alright." He lowered his stance. "Let’s gamble."
The armored man raised his fist. Nobody waited. The punch came down. Nobody moved at the last possible moment. The fist slammed into the ground beside him. The impact shook the warehouse.
Nobody jumped onto the armored man’s forearm. He ran along the massive arm before jumping toward the shoulder. The armored man tried grabbing him. Nobody twisted through the fingers. He landed behind the man’s back.
"Too slow." Nobody swung both crowbars. One struck the shoulder joint. The other struck the lower back. Ice spread across the armor. The armored man stumbled forward.
Nobody landed several meters away.
The villain stared. "What are you doing?!"
Nobody turned toward him.
"I am just winning."