Ace, and Tomi vs Kingsley.

Ace narrowed his eyes, ignoring Tomi's presence as he set his sights on finishing Kingsley once and for all.

His voice cut through the tense air, commanding with precision, "Lake!"

A small, holographic figure materialized beside Ace, its youthful voice brimming with excitement.

"Always ready, master!" Lake responded, floating in sync with Ace's movements.

Kingsley charged forward, his blade aimed to strike, but before it could make contact, Ace blocked the attack with unnerving ease, smirking as he noticed Tomi standing frozen in shock at his reaction speed.

However, the brief moment of superiority faded when Kingsley's strength surged, forcing Ace to grit his teeth as he was steadily pushed back.

"Tsk!" he spat, unwilling to show any weakness, especially not in front of Tomi.

Seeing his chance, Tomi dashed forward, capitalizing on Kingsley's focus being locked onto Ace.

With a swift, determined strike, he aimed for Kingsley's side, hoping to weaken the dark AI boss. But Ace wasn't about to let Tomi steal the spotlight.

"Gravity Crush!" Ace commanded coldly, his AI suit responding instantly.

"Activating, master!" Lake chimed in, his holographic smile gleaming as waves of gravity began to distort the space around them.

The ground groaned under the force as if the air itself had become a crushing weight.

Ace felt the pressure ease slightly as Kingsley's movements slowed, but the dark AI boss remained standing tall, barely fazed.

"Uhh, an anti-force shield," Ace realized, noting the faint glow of radiation flickering from Kingsley's armor, straining under the gravity but not collapsing.

Suddenly, Tomi's voice crackled over the comm, irritation dripping from every word.

"Hey! Can't you at least minimize your attack radius instead of turning this place into a black hole?"

Ace shot back without hesitation,

"Shut it, newbie!" His tone was laced with the kind of arrogance that made Tomi's blood boil.

"Ugh, this guy is seriously unbearable," Tomi thought, his annoyance spiking as he fought against the crushing weight of Ace's attack.

Meanwhile, Ace's smirk lingered, a mix of arrogance and relief washing over him as he felt the subtle gap between him and Tomi.

"No matter how much you've improved," he thought, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, "I'll always be a step above you."

With a swift motion, Ace swung his blade toward Kingsley, aiming to end the fight by drilling his sword into the AI's core.

But just as the blade was about to connect, Kingsley's movement turned into a blur. The sudden burst of speed threw Ace off, and his sword grazed only air as Kingsley countered with lethal precision.

The tip of Kingsley's sword sliced across Ace's helmet, the sharp edge grazing his cheek, and blood began to trickle down his nose inside the suit.

"What the hell?!" Ace thought, shock flashing across his face.

He barely dodged the attack, narrowly avoiding a more serious blow. Kingsley's agility had taken him completely off guard, and worse, Ace could feel the weight of his gravity crush weakening.

"Looks like I overused Lake," Ace realized as his AI assistant flickered beside him.

"We shall meet again, master!" Lake said cheerfully, before vanishing entirely, leaving Ace vulnerable.

Distracted, Ace's eyes widened as he saw Kingsley's sword barreling toward him, aimed directly at his helmet.

The sharp point glistened menacingly, and Ace knew he couldn't fully dodge the attack without sustaining serious damage.

But just as he braced for impact, a blur of movement appeared in front of him. Tomi. His sword flashed in a precise arc, severing Kingsley's arm at the joint with a burst of blue sparks and electrical discharge.

The severed hand clattered to the floor, the AI's weapon flying from its grip.

Tomi stood tall, breathing hard but composed, his tone sharp with irritation. "Finally decided to drop that annoying gravity crush, huh?"

Ace's eyes narrowed, his pride wounded. He wiped the blood from his face inside the helmet, refusing to show weakness.

"Shut it! And mind your damn business," he snapped coldly, masking his surprise with his usual icy demeanor.

Tomi just glared back, the tension between them palpable.

As Tomi locked eyes with Kingsley's regenerated arm, his heart pounded in his chest. The AI moved with inhuman speed, dashing forward, their swords clashing in a violent storm of sparks.

Tomi gritted his teeth as he felt Kingsley's strength surging, each impact forcing him to step back, his feet dragging across the ground.

Just as he struggled to hold his ground, he caught a glimpse of Ace moving swiftly into Kingsley's blind spot, his sword ready to strike.

But before Ace could land the hit, Kingsley spun around with lightning speed and delivered a brutal kick to Ace's stomach. The impact was so powerful it sent Ace hurtling backward, slamming into the wall with a deafening crash.

Dust and debris exploded from the newly formed crater, a testament to the sheer force behind the blow.

Tomi barely had time to react before he felt a knee slam into his jaw, the shockwave of the hit rattling his teeth inside his suit.

His head snapped back, and the world blurred as he was lifted off his feet. His vision refocused just in time to see Kingsley above him, ready to follow up with a devastating kick.

The AI's foot connected with his stomach, sending Tomi flying through the air. He crashed into the far wall, the impact forming deep cracks in the solid structure as his armor groaned under the strain.

Gasping for breath, Tomi struggled to stand. His vision swam, but he could see Kingsley stretching both arms in opposite directions—one aimed at him, the other at Ace.

He tasted blood in his mouth, his muscles screaming in pain, but he forced himself upright.

Ace, equally battered, was pushing himself to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Their eyes met, both of them understanding the gravity of the situation. Kingsley was about to deliver the final blow.

Suddenly, their senses flared. Both Tomi and Ace noticed a flicker of movement—too fast to fully comprehend.

In the blink of an eye, a long, piercing metal projectile was speeding toward them.

"Too fast!" Tomi's mind raced as he tried to dodge, his body too slow to react.

Ace, wide-eyed, attempted to sidestep, but the speed was overwhelming.