How can this be?
Disbelief etched itself across Benjamin's features.
He never imagined that in attempting to evade Judgement Cut End, he would inadvertently position himself directly within its effective radius—as if voluntarily stepping into Richard's trap.
While Benjamin's expression betrayed shock, Richard maintained perfect composure.
Once initiated, a Judgement Cut End's position remained fixed.
Prior to formation, however, he could freely adjust its targeting parameters.
In gaming terminology, this equated to "re-acquiring lock" on a target.
Upon seeing Richard raise Masamune, Benjamin had immediately taken action.
Had he simply attempted evasion, Richard might have struggled to target him effectively.
Unfortunately, Benjamin had committed to a direct charge.
If Richard couldn't anticipate Benjamin's position after such an obvious aggressive intent, his combat awareness would be critically deficient.
As Judgement Cut End distorted space and fully encompassed Benjamin, Richard's victory became inevitable.
At this juncture, provided his mana supply remained uninterrupted, Judgement Cut End would assault Benjamin simultaneously from multiple vectors.
As spatial distortion intensified, crescent-shaped energy projections materialized from seemingly nowhere, converging upon Benjamin with lightning speed.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The distinctive sound of energy blades shearing through flesh echoed across the plaza.
Under Richard's watchful gaze, Benjamin's right arm and both legs separated cleanly at their junctions with his torso. Blood sprayed in crimson arcs as he collapsed helplessly to the ground.
Still alive?
Richard's brow furrowed slightly, observing that Judgement Cut End had severed Benjamin's limbs without terminating his life.
Though Benjamin had previously withstood Gravesong, Judgement Cut End represented an entirely different magnitude of offensive capability.
Even in its current Level 1 state, Judgement Cut End substantially outclassed Gravesong in destructive potential.
Alpha-class mutation?
Though he hadn't yet attempted to harvest Benjamin's ability, Richard deduced from the man's survival that his power likely qualified as Alpha-class.
This meant that even if Richard eliminated Benjamin immediately, his current Plunder capability couldn't take Benjamin's power.
After brief consideration, Richard decided to postpone Benjamin's demise.
He remained uncertain whether his Beta-level Plunder could be upgraded to Alpha level after eliminating additional Operations agents.
Prematurely killing Benjamin would foreclose the option of eventually harvesting his ability.
Given these circumstances, extending Benjamin's life momentarily seemed tactically advantageous.
Benjamin now lacked any meaningful resistance capability regardless.
Richard hadn't anticipated that Benjamin could endure Judgement Cut End and survive.
Similarly, Benjamin never expected his prized Steel Skin transformation—which had protected him throughout countless confrontations—would fail so catastrophically.
Excruciating pain from his severed limbs fueled bitter regret at not summoning more personnel earlier in the evening.
Had I been more prudent and recalled agents preemptively, perhaps this outcome could have been averted.
As Benjamin watched helplessly, Richard employed Blinkstep to materialize directly before him.
Then, he grasped Benjamin's shoulders firmly.
Blinkstep!
In the next instant, both Richard and Benjamin vanished simultaneously.
Though sparing Benjamin's life temporarily, Richard had no intention of leaving him unattended in the plaza.
Rather than returning to Clarice's rooftop position, Richard teleported with Benjamin to another building's roof.
"You're fortunate," Richard stated. "I have other priorities to address. Your existence can continue briefly."
"Hoping to rescue your father?" Benjamin countered defiantly. "Abandon such delusions. He's been transferred elsewhere!"
"Should I perish, I guarantee your father will shortly join me in oblivion!"
"Safe your energy," Richard advised dispassionately. "quick anger will only accelerate your exsanguination."
With that pronouncement, Richard raised his right hand, slightly curling his middle finger before flicking it toward Benjamin's cranium.
Repulsion!
THWACK!
Compressed air struck Benjamin's head with concussive force, rendering him completely unconscious as his metallic transformation dissipated.
After briefly examining Benjamin's unconscious form, Richard activated Blinkstep once more.
Rather than returning to the office building's entrance plaza, he teleported directly to the second underground level.
Upon materializing, he immediately registered intense gunfire and shouting from nearby corridors.
Additionally, he observed numerous security personnel corpses scattered throughout the hallway.
These guards appeared to have been savaged by feral predators, their bodies bearing fatal lacerations from wickedly sharp claws.
Undoubtedly, Sabretooth had claimed these victims.
After surveying the carnage, Richard proceeded unhesitatingly toward the ongoing gunfire.
Soon, he witnessed Sabretooth engaged in ferocious combat with facility guards.
As anticipated, Sabretooth displayed primal combat methodology reminiscent of apex predators, his powerful limbs lashing out in devastating strikes against the guards confronting him.
Though outnumbered and unarmed, Sabretooth's extraordinary regenerative capabilities and bestial fighting style enabled him to engage multiple opponents simultaneously, orchestrating a bloody spectacle throughout the second underground level.
Richard made no sound upon arrival, yet Sabretooth immediately registered his presence.
The feral mutant's heightened olfactory sensitivity—comparable to wild predators—detected Richard's scent instantly.
Sabretooth briefly glanced in Richard's direction.
Noting Richard's non-interventionist stance, Sabretooth immediately returned his attention to the ongoing slaughter.
Time advanced incrementally.
More than a minute elapsed.
Leveraging his fearlessness and savage combat methodology, Sabretooth systematically eliminated every guard in the vicinity, littering the already confined corridor with their remains.
After dispatching the final opponent, the blood-drenched Sabretooth approached Richard and immediately inquired: "Have you neutralized all threats on the upper levels?"
"Not entirely," Richard replied evenly. "I've incapacitated the Operations Director. We're currently at intermission."
"The second act commences when additional mutant agents return."
Intermission?
Sabretooth, puzzled by Richard's theatrical analogy, frowned slightly before continuing: "I interrogated several laboratory researchers. Your father has been transferred to a dedicated mutant detention facility."
"I'm aware," Richard acknowledged. "The Operations Director already disclosed this."
"What about your clones? I see no evidence of them."
"They should manifest shortly," Sabretooth responded. "I detect their distinctive stench approaching our position."
As Sabretooth completed his statement, Richard observed the approaching figures.
More accurately, he saw five younger, aesthetically enhanced versions of Sabretooth advancing toward them.
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