---

  One week ter.

  Inside the combat chamber, two figures were locked in a fierce sparring match. One of them had an unmistakable edge his right arm, gleaming with a metallic sheen, was a powerful cybernetic limb. With a roar, he threw a brutal punch.

  The air cracked with a sharp whoosh.

  But in a split second, the other figure raised his Vibranium shield.

  CLANG!

  The room echoed with the impact as the two fighters froze in a brief stalemate.

  Non suddenly stepped in, grabbing Kue's other arm and yanking him forward. With perfect form, he flipped the arms dealer over his shoulder and smmed him to the ground.

  "Oof—!"

  Around them, several guards immediately raised their weapons in panic.

  "Put those down, you damn mutts!" Kue growled from the floor.

  Non offered a hand and pulled him up.

  "You really are tough for a guy with just flesh and bone," Kue grumbled. "Feels like even with this new arm, I still can't take you. You sure you didn't tamper with my programming?"

  "You're still adapting," Non replied coolly. "And you're relying too much on that steel arm. Your greatest asset shouldn't become your biggest weakness."

  He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the towel Delina brought over.

  Over the past week, Non had been deep in accelerated training. When not buried in stacks of biomedical journals and genetic research, he was grinding through combat drills, sparring matches, and firearms training.

  With his enhanced learning and super-soldier physique, he was like a dry sponge soaking in knowledge at a terrifying rate.

  Kue flexed his arm with awe. "Feels like it's always been part of me. The power, the control... incredible."

  "But your body still feels stronger than this arm," he added, gncing at Non with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

  Non shook his head. "Maybe in pure force, we're close. But this thing is tougher. And you've got sonic bsts."

  He tapped his chest. "I'm still flesh and blood. I get shot, I bleed."

  Kue ughed. "You make it sound like someone out there's bulletproof. What's next, a guy who shrugs off rockets?"

  "I'm talking about humans," Non replied. "Not rage-fueled monsters like the Hulk. There are others Colossus, Luke Cage, the Juggernaut... even people who can fly."

  Kue blinked in disbelief. "Damn. The world's full of weirdos with powers, huh?"

  Non just smiled. And I pn to dissect every single one of them, he thought. Especially Jessica Jones. That flight ability of hers he needed it.

  As they walked out of the training room, Kue nudged him. "So... your body must've been modified too, right? Think you could hook me up?"

  "I could," Non said casually. "But it'd hurt. A lot. You might end up as a pile of goo if you can't handle it."

  Kue gulped. "Any chance for a pain-free version?"

  "No pain, no power," Non said ftly. "You traded an arm for that one. Not everything comes free."

  "Fair," Kue grinned. "Guess I'll stick with what I've got."

  "I'm going to check on the Vibranium exosuit design. It's coming along but I still need a power source for extended field use."

  "We've got time," Kue replied, waving it off.

  Just then, his curvy secretary rolled up with a tray.

  "Mr. Kue, Mr. Non fresh juice. Enjoy."

  A post-sparring tradition between the two: a juice to cool down.

  Kue grabbed two gsses, handed one to Non, and raised his own.

  "To our glorious future," he grinned.

  "Cheers."

  Non took a sip and then immediately froze. His brows furrowed, and the gss slipped from his fingers, shattering on the floor.

  With a flick of his arm, he smmed his shield into Kue's gss sending it flying.

  "Don't drink it. It's poisoned."

  Kue, already two gulps in, stared at him in confusion until the secretary whipped a compact pistol from her cleavage and fired at him.

  BANG, BANG, BANG!

  Non raised his shield just in time. Bullets pinged harmlessly off the Vibranium.

  Kue's cybernetic arm morphed instantly, releasing a sonic shockwave. The bst struck the assassin squarely in the chest blood gushed from every orifice as she colpsed in a heap.

  At that moment, security forces burst into the room.

  "Sir! Gunfire outside!"

  "Return fire! Prepare for evacuation!" Kue barked, groaning as the toxin began to cloud his mind.

  "They've found us," Non muttered. "Your secretary was a HYDRA Agent. That means they were one step from putting a bullet in your head."

  "Cut the chatter!" Kue snarled, clutching his temple. "Grab your gear we've got an exit route."

  "Forget sneaking out," Non countered. "You're already drugged. That ether's going to hit harder before it wears off. Take your guns We walk out the front."

  Kue hesitated, then nodded. "I can take it. Follow me."

  They made their way to the weapons cache. Outside, gunfire erupted like a warzone.

  Kue stumbled into the armoury. "What do we need?!"

  "Everything," Non said calmly, grabbing body armour and tossing a vest to Kue. "Arm your men. Get them to break through the front. And stop acting like a rookie your arm is a damn cannon."

  Suddenly, he turned, eyes narrowing.

  A shadow behind them.

  "Help... me..." Delina whispered.

  Without a second thought, Kue spun, drew his pistol, and shot her between the eyes.

  Blood sprayed across the crates as her body dropped.

  Non gnced at him, surprised.

  "What? You getting sentimental?" Kue sneered. "Right now, it's just us. Trust no one."

  Non nodded grimly. Kue may have been generous, but he was still a warlord blood didn't faze him.

  "Is there another way out?"

  "Yeah. The side corridor leads to the main hall."

  Kue slung his rifle across his back and snapped on the vest.

  Non armed himself like a walking arsenal, grenades at his hip, a rifle across his chest, and a rocket uncher in hand.

  Kue blinked. "You seriously going out like that?"

  "You got a better idea?"

  Kue barked into his comms, "Everyone! Breach the front!"

  They pushed through the corridor doors.

  RAT-A-TAT-TAT!

  Gunfire erupted instantly.

  Non's shield shot up, catching the bullets like a wall of steel.

  He dropped the uncher onto his shoulder.

  "It's him! It's Non!"

  "Get the tasers! Tranquilizers! We need him alive!"

  "He's got a rocket! SPREAD OUT!"

  Too te.

  BOOM!

  The uncher roared.

  The impact obliterated the corridor—blood and debris everywhere.

  In a single breath, half the enemies were gone.

  Their formation shattered.

  Non surged forward, bullets pinging harmlessly off his shield. He returned fire with his rifle while seeking cover.

  "MOVE!" he barked at Kue.

  Finally shaking off his shock, Kue raised his gun and joined in.

  BANG! BANG! BANG!

  Enemies dropped like dominoes.

  From every corner, reinforcements poured in.

  Non's expression remained cold and focused.

  Another rocket flew.

  BOOM!

  Another wall was blown open.

  "Let's go!" Non shouted.

  And with that, they charged through the smoke and fire into the chaos.

  ---

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