"Holy shit... That was a goddamn bomb!"
Pyrrha shook, his eyes darting between the scattered remains of the training dummy and the still-humming metal fists of Dorio.
His voice cracked as he pointed.
"Did you see that?! That target was literally OBLITERATED with ONE punch!"
Dorio blinked. "Wait... so that was me?"
The realization hit her all at once.
One moment, she had been confused.
Her face lit up in absolute glee.
"Oh my god! I did that?!"
She looked down at her mechanized fists, flexing her fingers, feeling the raw power coursing through them.
"That's... That's like a goddamn explosion in my hands!"
She turned to David, eyes burning with excitement.
"If I hit something up close, the impact would be even crazier, right?!"
"That's exactly why I had you test it at range."
Absolute Strength—No Tricks Needed
David crossed his arms.
"The punch was effective. Just as I expected."
He nodded in satisfaction.
"Seems like [Source Project: Judgment] fits you perfectly, Dorio."
Dorio chuckled, fists still crackling with residual energy.
"Oh, hell yeah. This is insane."
She rolled her shoulders, feeling how seamlessly the armor moved with her.
"It's like I was born with this thing."
David met her gaze, his expression calm but firm.
"Like Sasha and the others, you'll need to train with it. The more you push yourself, the more potential this armor will unlock."
"Got it, boss. If this thing can do this already, I can't wait to see what else it's capable of."
She flexed her fingers again, imagining just how far she could push the limits of this unstoppable force.
"That's what I like to hear."
Training Session Ends—What Comes Next?
David clapped his hands once.
"Alright. That's it for today."
His gaze swept across the group.
"Remember, this is just the beginning. Keep proving yourselves, and there'll be even bigger rewards in store."
Rebecca, Sasha, and Dorio practically yelled in unison, their excitement undeniable.
Even Lucy, usually reserved, gave a small nod of approval.
David had completely won them over.
Maine & Pyrrha—The Leftovers
Maine and Pyrrha, on the other hand...
They stood there, watching as half their crew got kitted out with high-tech, game-changing armor, while they—
Pyrrha leaned toward Maine, whispering,
"Bro... are we just side characters in our own crew now?"
Maine didn't respond.
He just stared at Dorio, who was grinning ear to ear in her newly enhanced combat suit.
A small part of him was happy for her.
Maine's Shameless Move
Maine took a deep breath, swallowed his pride, and turned to Dorio.
His voice instantly softened.
Dorio, still admiring her armor, raised an eyebrow.
Maine put on his best 'concerned boyfriend' expression.
"That suit looks... heavy. You sure you're okay wearing it?"
"Heavy? Please. I barely feel it."
Maine's smile twitched.
"Really? Maybe you should take it off for a bit, y'know? Rest those muscles?"
Dorio rolled her eyes.
"Maine. I feel fine."
Pyrrha whispered again, "Nice try, bro."
He needed to get one of those armors.
Because if things kept going —
He wasn't gonna be the top dog of the crew much longer.
Maine and Pyrrha plot to get their own armors.
Rebecca's 'big gun' upgrade—what does David have planned?
First field test: The crew's real battle begins.
Stay tuned for Chapter 130!
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