Whether it was because Michael had taken some critical hits from Ray earlier, or maybe because he simply wasn't expecting Vince to move at that speed, the protagonist was left unable to react at all.
In fact, he didn't even see the strike. He only felt it.
One second Michael was about to decapitate an easy prey.
The next, he stumbled back hard, his heavy boots carving deep furrows in the forest loam.
The consecutive, bone-jarring impacts of the palm strikes shook his internal organs and nearly dented the matte-black chest plate. Nearly.
Seven seconds left.
Vince didn't allow him a moment to reset his center of gravity.
He moved with a visceral speed, closing the distance before the echoes of his strikes could even reach the canopy.
He wasn't delusional enough to think he was as strong as Michael, even with this ten-second pact. His whole attack plan was built on the element of surprise.
Once that first attack connected, his strategy was to keep chaining the strikes nonstop.
