The battle on the dock had transcended mere combat. What began as a contest of technique had devolved into something primal—a brutal exchange where two martial artists pushed the boundaries of human capability.
Hawk's lungs burned with each breath. His Adrenaline Mastery allowed him to process the pain surging through his battered body, but even that had limits. The mental calculation was grim: less than ten minutes remained before his Senkika—his War Demon Transformation—would expire. The technique wasn't harmful in itself; it simply pushed his natural abilities to their absolute peak for a limited time. When it ended, the accumulated strain would leave him vulnerable and immobile for a full half-hour afterward.
Marcus circled him with predatory grace. The Weightless Force master moved like liquid mercury, his body seeming to flicker between states of solidity and ethereal energy.
