Sparring

While Rex was still on high alert, the loud laughter made him jump. He was sure that kick he'd just delivered had crushed all of the minotaur's ribs, but there it was, laughing like nothing had happened.

As the dust started to settle, the huge minotaur was still lying in the debris of broken tables. Then Rex saw that the thing wasn't even real. Just a robot, controlled remotely by someone else.

"This is what I was talking about!. Real warriors speak with their fists first. I'll be waiting for you on the top floor." With that, the minotaur robot powered down, and the elevator doors slid open.

The mercenaries who had surrounded Rex and Carlos went back to their business. Some of them even offered to clean up the mess from the fight. Rex and Carlos, though, just stood there, dumbfounded by what had just happened.

[Deactivating overdrive]

Cleo was the first to react. She quickly deactivated Rex's overdrive, making his eyes fade back to their normal green color. The angel-like wings that had appeared on his back slowly vanished.

"Dude, since when do you have wings?" Carlos asked, still staring at where they had just been.

"I have no idea. First time I've seen them too. Cleo, do you know what's going on?" Rex asked.

"Affirmative," Cleo replied. "Your body has assimilated 50% of the living metal I used to enhance you. It seems like your body's highly compatible with it. Fascinating."

"So, what happens when I've assimilated all of it?"

"You'll look closer to one of my race. But not entirely, since we can't remove the organic matter in your body without affecting your organs."

"How about we replace all my organs with bionics then?"

"Sure, if you want to be sterile. I don't mind," Cleo said, her tone teasing.

"Uh... y'know what? I'm fine with how I am. Let's just get in the elevator." Rex quickly changed the subject and hurried towards the elevator, with Carlos right behind him. Back on the ship, Cleo let out a soft chuckle.

Inside the elevator, as it began to ascend, Carlos nudged Rex with his elbow. "So, what did she say about the wings?"

"I'll tell you later, bro. For now, let's focus on the meeting."

The building had over a hundred floors, so it took a good two minutes to reach the top. When the doors finally opened, they found themselves stepping into a space that looked more like a gym than an office. There was even a boxing ring in the center.

"HAHAHA! Welcome to my humble home, my dear noble!" The same booming laugh that Rex had heard earlier echoed through the room. His eyes locked onto the source of the voice, and Cleo instantly sent him a data packet.

[Talon "The Reaper" Vargos, Leader of the Thunderblades]

[Talon Vargos is a cybernetically enhanced close-combat specialist. With twin plasma blades integrated into his arms, he's earned the title 'The Reaper' for his unmatched skill in melee combat.]

[He leads the Thunderblades from the front, always the first to charge into battle. His speed and ferocity are legendary, though his aggressive nature often leads him to take risky actions.]

As Rex finished processing the data, Talon stepped out from behind a curtain. He was tall and muscular, with a sleek, almost feline build. His dark bronze skin was covered in faint tribal markings that glowed softly, pulsing in time with his breathing.

He had two sets of glowing amber eyes, allowing him to track multiple opponents at once. His head was bald, save for a ridge of sharp spines that ran down the back of his skull. His lower jaw was adorned with mandible-like appendages, giving his face a fearsome, almost insectoid look.

"So, what was your intent in attacking me, knowing I'm a noble?" Rex said, slipping back into his noble persona.

"Haha, I was just excited to fight a noble, that's all," Talon replied with a grin. "Your kind never come to places like this. Oh, where are my manners? Please, have a seat." He gestured toward a set of large sofas near the ring.

Rex walked over and sat down, while Carlos stood behind him, playing the part of a bodyguard. Given that Carlos didn't have any bionic enhancements, it would be strange for him to sit beside a noble, something that simply wasn't done. Letting them assume Carlos was a human slave? That would make more sense in this situation.

"So, what brings you to me, noble one? Looking for some work to be done?" Talon asked as he took the opposite sofa.

"Nothing much," Rex said casually, "just need you to line me up with some well-paid jobs. You see, there are some things I need to handle discreetly, so I can't use my own accounts. That's where mercenary jobs come in handy, wouldn't you agree, my friend?"

Talon raised an eyebrow. "Well, well, color me impressed. Never thought I'd see a noble getting his hands dirty with merc work. Alright, I can hook you up with some private jobs, but there's a condition."

Rex narrowed his eyes. "And what's the catch, Talon?"

Talon grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "We mercs have a reputation to keep. I can't just give you a special job without knowing what you're capable of. So, how about a little sparring match?"

Rex sighed. "Fine. If that's all it takes, let's get it over with."

"Hahaha, excellent!" Talon clapped his hands, and four feline-like women, barely clothed, emerged from the room Talon had come from earlier.

"Let these lovely ladies help you change into something more... suitable for a sparring match," Talon said with a devilish smirk.

As two of the feline women reached out to touch Rex, they recoiled, yelping as a small electric shock zapped their hands.

"Ow!"

"Kya!"

Rex held up his hands in mock apology. "Oh, my bad. See, my wife's a little... possessive. She implanted a bionic device in me. Anytime another woman touches me, they get a shock. Sorry, ladies, but I'll manage on my own."

Carlos, standing behind Rex, struggled to contain his laughter. He knew full well that Cleo had been behind the whole thing. Meanwhile, Rex made his way to the changing room the girls had pointed out, and once he was alone, he contacted Cleo.

"So, you wanna tell me why you did that?"

"Did what? I have no idea what you're talking about," Cleo responded, her voice cool. "If that's all, please stop bothering me. I'm busy." She ended the call abruptly.

Rex chuckled to himself. "Haha, she's cute when she's in denial."

After changing into some simple training shorts, Rex emerged from the room, his upper body bare. The feline girls couldn't help but steal glances at him, giggling to each other as they whispered. Meanwhile, Cleo, watching through Rex's eyes, was getting visibly annoyed.

Talon was already in the ring, pacing impatiently, and when Rex finally stepped in, he let out a long whistle. "Not a bad body for a noble. Now, come on, get in here. I've been waiting long enough."

The moment Rex entered the ring, Talon wasted no time, launching a flurry of punches at him from every direction. Rex dodged, pulling his head back, shifting side to side, keeping just ahead of each blow.

Rex quickly retaliated with a sharp kick to Talon's throat, followed by two more kicks, one to his thigh and another to the side of his head. The strikes came so fast that Talon barely had a moment to react, let alone block them. He swung back with a couple of wild punches, but Rex smoothly evaded them.

Then, Rex countered with a solid punch to Talon's ribs and another to his chin. Talon, clearly frustrated at not landing a single hit, clenched his fists and decided to switch tactics. He began throwing powerful kicks, the kind he was known for, aiming to overpower Rex. But once again, Rex dodged effortlessly.

On one particularly aggressive kick, Rex grabbed Talon's leg mid-swing, hoisting him into the air before slamming him down face-first onto the ring floor. Talon groaned, struggling to get back on his feet, but Rex was quick to deliver another kick to his face, knocking him back down.

"This match is over, Talon," Rex said, his voice calm and measured. "Now, let's talk business."

The calmness in Rex's voice stung Talon's pride. He hadn't even broken a sweat taking him down. Furious, Talon scrambled to his feet and lunged at Rex from behind, hoping to catch him off-guard.

But Rex wasn't alone in this. Cleo had been watching the whole time. The second she saw Talon make his move, she activated Rex's overdrive mode. Without hesitation, one of Rex's wings swept out, hitting Talon with enough force to send him flying across the ring, crashing into the wall.

Rex's new wings unfolded, and with Cleo's help, he hovered effortlessly above the floor, gliding toward Talon, who was still struggling to get up. As Rex drew closer, a heavy aura of power and dominance surrounded him, pressing down on Talon, who found himself paralyzed, unable to move. All he could do was turn his head and stare in awe.

What Talon saw was something out of a dream, something divine; it was a creature of pure power with glowing white wings, radiating a divine aura. Rex floated above him like some kind of angelic being, and for the first time in a long while, Talon felt completely powerless.