Bully Lord

Part-177

But James wasn’t about to let Ryan get crushed. With a quick burst of speed, he launched himself at Arad, driving his shoulder into Arad's side with full force. The impact caused Arad to lose his balance, forcing him to release Ryan.

Ryan stumbled back, clutching his arm but still standing. "Thanks," he muttered, shaking off the pain.

James nodded, not taking his eyes off Arad, who had recovered quickly, his expression darkening. The playful arrogance in Arad’s eyes was gone, replaced by a cold fury.

"You think you’re clever, don’t you?" Arad growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You’ll pay for that."

He charged at James again, but this time, James was ready. Using his Sloth Vision ability, James slowed down time in his mind, analyzing every movement Arad made. The world around him seemed to crawl, giving James a split second to dodge Arad's incoming punch. He ducked and countered with a quick palm strike to Arad's chest, followed by a swift leg sweep.

Arad stumbled, his footing momentarily lost. But he was far from done.

Before James could capitalize on the moment, Arad shifted his weight and threw a powerful kick aimed at James's midsection. The force of the kick sent James sprawling backward, crashing into the dirt.

Ryan rushed forward to cover for James, but Arad was relentless. He sidestepped Ryan’s attack and grabbed him by the collar, hoisting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing. "I could snap your neck right now," Arad snarled, his eyes filled with malicious intent.

Ryan struggled, gasping for air, but just as Arad was about to deliver the fatal blow, Sourov, despite his injury, came charging back into the fight. With a roar of defiance, he tackled Arad from the side, knocking him off balance and forcing him to release Ryan.

The three friends regrouped, breathing heavily but still standing. Arad, clearly stronger, never show signs of fatigue. "This isn't over," Arad hissed, backing away. "But I’ll make sure you regret ever crossing me."

James turned to Ryan and said, "I've called 'him' to help us, but it seems he's running a bit late. Oh well, before that, I'll give everything I've got to take on Arad." Ryan immediately knew who James was referring to and nodded. "My Judo club members are struggling with Arad's boys too," Ryan added. "I'll assist them with Sourov—you handle Arad."

James nodded in agreement and stepped forward, locking eyes with Arad.

James stepped forward, his muscles tense, his heartbeat steadying as he entered Crisis Mode. The familiar hum of Semi-Auto Battle Mode kicked in, his body instantly responding with perfect efficiency. He could feel the shift in control, his movements becoming more precise, his reflexes sharpened. In this mode, his mind stayed in the background, only guiding his focus while his body took over the fight completely.

Arad, standing a few feet away, cracked his knuckles and sneered. "Think that's gonna help you, kid? I’ll crush you."