Chapter 200: Bike Or Meteor?

Aether’s smile faded.

Nobody raised the flaming crowbars. "Come back down here, tomato head."

Aether’s red eyes burned with fury. "You will regret this." He suddenly flew toward the upper floors of Nathan Industries.

Nobody watched him move. Then he understood. Aether wasn’t retreating. He was going around him. Toward the escape route. Toward Aiden and Toma.

Nobody immediately turned away from the window. "System!"

[YES, USER.]

"Track Aiden and Toma!"

[SEARCHING.]

A map appeared in front of him. Two blue markers moved toward the lower levels of the building. A red marker appeared above them.

Nobody’s eyes widened. "He’s heading straight for them."

The System responded.

[TARGET INTERCEPTION IMMINENT.]

Nobody tightened his grip on the crowbars. "Not happening." He stepped onto the window ledge.

Blossom Bunny suddenly appeared in the hallway. "Atta!"

Nobody looked at him. "Blossom, stay with Aiden and Toma!"

Blossom Bunny pointed toward the stairwell. "Atta!"

Nobody nodded. "Good. Keep them moving." He turned toward the open night sky.

The crimson motorcycle was still parked on a nearby rooftop, but it was too far away to reach from the office.

Nobody looked down. Then he looked toward the upper floors.

Aether was already climbing through the building.

Nobody sighed. "Fine." He tightened his grip on the flaming crowbars. "Guess we’re doing this the hard way."

The System appeared.

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[FLAME ELEMENTAL ACCESS REMAINING: 28 MINUTES]

[TARGET DISTANCE: 146 METERS]

[AETHER VEIL IS APPROACHING AIDEN NATHAN AND TOMA.]

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Nobody stepped off the ledge. For a moment, he began falling. Then he activated Zig Zag Teleportation. His body flickered through the darkness and reappeared on the side of the building. He adjusted his trajectory again.

Another flicker. Another jump. Nobody moved upward through the air in a broken, unpredictable path.

Aether glanced back. His red eyes widened slightly. "You followed me?"

Nobody reappeared several meters away. He spun the flaming crowbars in his hands. "Did you really think I would let you reach them?"

Aether stopped in midair.

The two stared at each other above the city. Below them, Alkon City continued moving as if nothing had changed. People walked beneath streetlights. Cars passed through intersections.

Nobody raised his weapons.

Aether showed his fangs. "You are beginning to become a problem."

Nobody leaned forward. "That’s my specialty."

Aether spread his arms. The air around him seemed to grow colder.

His red eyes glowed intensely. "Then I’ll remove you first."

Nobody looked at the System’s countdown.

[FLAME ELEMENTAL ACCESS REMAINING: 27 MINUTES.]

He smiled. "Twenty-seven minutes?" He tightened his grip. "Still more than enough."

Aether rushed toward him. Nobody moved to intercept. And high above the city, beneath the cold light of the moon, the hunter and the vampire collided once again.

........

The night sky above Alkon City had become a battlefield.

Nobody and Aether faced each other high above the streets.

The vampire’s crimson hair whipped wildly in the wind, while Nobody’s black blazer fluttered behind him. One flaming twin-bladed crowbar remained in his hand, its flames dancing along both blades.

Aether smiled. "You still don’t understand." His red eyes glowed. "No matter how many times you hurt me, I will simply regenerate."

Nobody stared at him. Then he looked at the System. "System."

[YES, USER.]

"How exactly am I supposed to beat him if he can keep regenerating?"

The System window appeared.

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[ANALYSIS INITIATED.]

[TARGET POSSESSES REGENERATIVE ABILITIES.]

[HOWEVER, REGENERATION IS NOT INFINITE.]

[BASED ON OBSERVED BEHAVIOR, THE TARGET REQUIRES AN INTERNAL ENERGY SOURCE TO MAINTAIN REGENERATION.]

[PRIMARY ENERGY SOURCE IDENTIFIED: BLOOD.]

[IF THE USER CONTINUES TO FORCE THE TARGET INTO REGENERATION, THE TARGET’S BLOOD SUPPLY WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE.]

[ONCE THE AVAILABLE ENERGY SOURCE BECOMES INSUFFICIENT, REGENERATION WILL SLOW AND EVENTUALLY FAIL.]

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Nobody stared at the message. Then his eyes widened. "So..." He looked toward Aether. "I don’t have to overpower his regeneration." He smiled. "I just have to make him regenerate until he runs out of fuel."

[AFFIRMATIVE.]

Nobody grinned. "You are a genius, System."

The System paused.

Then another message appeared.

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[OBSERVATION]

User also knows how to appreciate (¬ᴗ ´¬ )

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Nobody’s smile disappeared. "Now there’s no need to act so smug."

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[THE SYSTEM WAS MERELY ACKNOWLEDGING USER’S COMPLIMENT.]

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"You’re enjoying this."

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[NEGATIVE.]

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[THE SYSTEM IS INCAPABLE OF ENJOYMENT.]

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Nobody narrowed his eyes. "Sure."

Aether stared at them. "Are you seriously talking to yourself during a battle?"

Nobody looked back at him. "Technically, I’m talking to someone."

Aether’s expression darkened. "You can’t stop me." He spread his arms. "I’ll regenerate from everything you throw at me."

Nobody smiled. "That’s exactly what I’m counting on."

Aether suddenly flew forward.

Nobody raised his crowbar. But instead of attacking... He looked at the System. "System."

[YES, USER.]

"Take out the bike."

Aether stopped in midair. "Pause!...The bike?"

A blue System window appeared beside Nobody.

[REQUEST ACCEPTED.]

A familiar crimson motorcycle materialized from a burst of blue particles. It appeared beside Nobody in midair.

Aether stared at it. "What the hell?"

Nobody grabbed the handlebar. His eyes lit up. "My ride."

The Crimson Bike floated beside him, its crimson body gleaming under the moonlight.

Aether looked genuinely confused. "You’re bringing a motorcycle into a fight?"

Nobody nodded. "Yes."

Aether stared at him. "Why?"

Nobody shrugged. "Because walking is overrated." He swung one leg over the bike.

Then he looked at the System. "Now..." He raised his free hand. "Infuse my flame elemental power into the bike."

The System responded.

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[REQUEST ACCEPTED.]

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The flames surrounding Nobody’s body suddenly moved toward the motorcycle.

They traveled along the frame. The crimson metal began glowing. Orange light spread through the engine. Flames wrapped around the wheels. The exhaust transformed into a stream of fire. The entire motorcycle began changing.

Its crimson frame became darker in some places, while blazing orange lines appeared across the body. The tires were surrounded by rings of fire. The engine roared.

Aether’s eyes widened. "What..."

The flames intensified.

Nobody looked at the transformed bike. Then he looked at himself. Then back at the bike. He slowly raised one eyebrow and looked at us. "Guys..." He glanced toward the System. "This won’t hurt my butt, right?"

The System answered immediately.

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[USER’S QUESTION IS OUTSIDE CURRENT COMBAT PRIORITY.]

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Nobody stared. "That’s not an answer."

Aether watched the flaming motorcycle. "You’ve lost your mind."

Nobody shrugged. "Probably." He twisted the throttle. The engine roared louder. Heat spread across the air. Nobody grinned beneath his helmet. "I guess self-used powers don’t hurt yourself."

The System responded.

[CORRECT.]

Nobody smiled. "See?" He leaned forward. "Science."

Aether’s expression became serious. "You actually think a motorcycle can defeat me?"

Nobody raised his flaming crowbar. "No." He looked at Aether. "I think the motorcycle is going to make you vampire toast." He twisted the throttle.

The Flame Bike shot forward.

Aether’s eyes widened. "What the crazy hell is that overpowered skill?!"

Nobody didn’t answer. He rushed directly toward him. The flaming motorcycle left a trail of fire through the sky.

Aether raised his arms. The bike passed directly beside him. Nobody swung the flaming crowbar. The blade cut across Aether’s shoulder.

Aether spun backward. The wound immediately began regenerating. But Nobody had already turned. The Flame Bike curved through the air. Its wheels left a circular trail of fire. Nobody accelerated again.

Aether looked around. "Where is he?" The engine roared behind him. Aether turned.

Nobody was already coming from the opposite direction. The crowbar struck again.

Another wound appeared. Aether regenerated. Nobody circled. Another slash. Another regeneration. Another turn. Another strike. The battle became a blur of crimson and orange. Nobody rode around Aether in increasingly tighter circles.

The Flame Bike moved so quickly that the flames began forming a spiraling ring around the vampire.

Aether tried to escape upward. Nobody followed. Aether dropped lower. Nobody matched him. Aether suddenly flew directly toward Nobody. Nobody leaned to the side.

Aether’s claws missed his helmet by inches.

Nobody turned the bike sharply. The Flame Bike curved around him. "Gotcha!"

The crowbar swung. The blade struck Aether’s side. He regenerated.

Nobody circled again. Another slash. Another wound. Another regeneration.

Aether screamed in frustration. "STOP MOVING!"

Nobody laughed. "That’s literally the point!"

Aether attempted to grab the motorcycle. Nobody accelerated. The vampire’s fingers barely touched the rear frame. The heat forced him to pull his hand away.

Aether stared at his palm. It had already begun regenerating. "Enough!" He spread his arms. A dark red aura surrounded his body.

Nobody’s eyes narrowed.

The System appeared.

[WARNING.]

[TARGET IS ATTEMPTING A HIGH-OUTPUT ATTACK.]

Nobody immediately changed direction. Aether released the accumulated energy. A shockwave spread through the sky.

Nobody activated Zig Zag Teleportation. His body disappeared. The shockwave passed through empty air.

Nobody reappeared above Aether. He looked down. "Nice try."

Then he dropped. The Flame Bike descended like a meteor.

Aether looked up. "What?!"

Nobody swung the flaming crowbar downward. The blade struck Aether. The force sent him toward the ground.

Aether recovered before impact. He floated again. His breathing had changed.

Nobody noticed.

The System displayed another notification.

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[TARGET REGENERATION RATE: DECREASING.]

[ESTIMATED INTERNAL ENERGY RESERVE: 71%.]

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Nobody smiled. "Already?" He looked at Aether.

"You’re slowing down."