Richard shook his head, trying to clear the intense pain that throbbed at his temples. His vision was a blur, each blink an attempt to stabilize the world around him. A pounding headache echoed through his skull. The disorientation was temporary, but the urgency of the situation gave him no luxury to dwell on the discomfort. He forced his focus back to the task at hand, aware that any delay could be costly.

He looked down—only to see Lin Feng already inches away from him. Lin Feng threw another punch but Richard’s precognition skill and the predictive features of the suit allowed him to move his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. The missed punch by Lin Feng created a brief opening, and Richard, capitalizing on this momentary lapse, countered with a swift jab aimed at Lin Feng’s midsection.

Lin Feng staggered back, caught off guard by the sudden counterattack. Richard didn’t waste the opportunity. With his vision gradually clearing and his focus sharpening, he advanced towards Lin Feng, ready to press his advantage. The suit’s diagnostics ran in the background, continuously updating him on his status and the integrity of the system after the impact.

Despite the throbbing pain in his head, Richard’s training and the suit’s enhancements worked in tandem, providing him with the agility and strength needed to face Lin Feng head-on. He launched a series of punches. Some landed while others were evaded or blocked by Lin Feng, who was quickly regaining his composure.

Richard threw a haymaker right into Lin Feng’s face, but Lin Feng caught his fist in midair. With a swift motion, Lin Feng twisted Richard’s arm, leveraging his grip to hurl Richard toward the ground with incredible force. The impact was so severe that it created a crater in the road, with Richard lying at its center.

The collision with the ground sent a shockwave of pain through Richard’s body, exacerbating his headache and blurring his vision once again. He struggled to rise, feeling the weight of his body and the suit as he attempted to push himself out of the crater. The diagnostics from the suit flashed warnings and critical alerts, indicating damage and the need for immediate attention.

"I can’t defeat this man alone," Richard said to himself as he saw Lin Feng barreling down to the Earth with his feet directly at him, ready to deliver what could be a devastating blow. Acting on instinct and the urgent need for self-preservation, Richard rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the impact point where Lin Feng’s feet smashed into the ground, creating another crater where Richard had just lain.

Scrambling to his feet, Richard realized the battle was reaching a critical point. His suit, although advanced, was not invulnerable, and the continuous strain of combat was taking its toll. The diagnostics continued to flash red, signaling that his suit’s repair systems were struggling to keep up with the damage being inflicted.

Fortunately, there is a way for him to fix that. Luckily, there was an A-10 Warthog circling above. Lin Feng tapped into the communication channel of the A-10 Warthog and commanded.

"This is Eagle, relaying to you my position. Call for fire, target is in front of me," Richard instructed.

"Copy, Eagle. Target acquired. Beginning to run now. Keep your head down," came the pilot’s response

As the A-10 made its approach, the distinct sound of the Avenger spooling up filled the air. Richard sprinted for cover, diving behind a large piece of debris just as the cannon began to fire.

The rounds tore through the air, targeting the area where Lin Feng was positioned. The ground erupted, dust and debris flying as the cannon’s rounds impacted with explosive force.

Enraged, Lin Feng’s wings spread, and with a powerful leap, he propelled himself into the air, his body seemingly defying gravity as he pursued the A-10 Warthog.

The A-10 throttled its engine to the maximum, attempting to evade Lin Feng’s relentless pursuit.

"Eagle, we’ve got an unexpected situation. Target is airborne and in pursuit." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"Let him chase you," Richard ordered. "Just buy me the time I need and I’ll get him out of the sky."

Acknowledging Richard’s plan, the pilot continued to push the A-10 to its limits, drawing Lin Feng further away from the battlefield and giving Richard the necessary time to replace his suit.

He opened his inventory and then plucked the Titan’s Guard Mark II out from it. After picking it out, he removed the suit he was currently wearing and tossed it aside to the ground.

Richard quickly donned the new armor. The suit’s systems came online, rapidly conducting diagnostics and syncing with Richard’s biometrics. The HUD lit up, displaying vital stats, weapon systems status, and a tactical overview of the surrounding area. The pain from his injuries was still there, but the suit’s medical subsystems began administering pain management protocols, allowing him to focus more clearly on the task at hand.

His eyes flickered, finding Lin Feng and the A-10. It zoomed in on their high-speed chase, analyzing possible interception trajectories.

"There," Richard said, readying his plasma cannon to the direction of the interception trajectory. He calculated the speed, distance, and Lin Feng’s erratic movements, compensating for all variables. The plasma cannon’s whirring reached a crescendo, indicating it was fully charged and ready to fire.

Richard didn’t hesitate. He locked onto the projected path of Lin Feng’s pursuit and fired. The plasma bolt, a brilliant streak of blue energy, shot across the sky, bridging the distance with incredible speed. It was a long shot, given Lin Feng’s agility and the ever-changing dynamics of aerial combat. Yet, the bolt hit its mark, exploding on impact and sending shockwaves through the air.

Lin Feng’s advance was abruptly halted. The force of the explosion sent him tumbling through the sky before he managed to stabilize himself, his wings beating furiously to regain control. The shock and surprise were evident in his movements; this was a scenario he hadn’t anticipated.

"Focus on me," Richard taunted.

Lin Feng seemingly heard Richard’s taunt, his gaze shifting to locate the source. Despite the distance and the disorientation from the blast, Lin Feng’s resolve didn’t waver. He adjusted his trajectory, now heading straight for Richard with increased speed.

Richard prepared for the incoming assault and then contacted someone.

"Eagle to Specter-1, I might need your help over here."