Time seemed to crystallize as their fists met in midair. Red slime collided with phantom energy, creating a shockwave that shattered every crystal-light in the arena. In that moment of impact, Steele's eyes blazed with an intensity that made Zafron's blood run cold.
"Let me show you what phantom gaze really means," Steele snarled.
The green energy around him pulsed, and suddenly everything... slowed. Zafron felt like he was moving through tar, his berserker-enhanced speed reduced to a crawl. But Steele – Steele moved at normal speed, almost casual as he redirected Zafron's punch and launched a devastating counter-combination.
Left hook to the jaw. Right cross to the temple. Knee to the sternum. Each hit landed with surgical precision before Zafron could even begin to defend himself.
'This is impossible,' Zafron thought as another phantom-enhanced strike crushed into his ribs. 'He's not just slowing me down – he's reading my every move.'