Three Days

"Sorry."

As he staggered backward, Kaoreish hooked his left hand around the Inner Guard's right arm and violently snapped his wrist, sending the combat knife falling from his hand. Its blade landed barely an inch from a sensor beam lying close to the ground.

But the Inner Guard had not given up.

Kaoreish was forced close to his opponent, and the Inner Guard rewarded him with a headbutt.

"Ah! You bastard!"

Kaoreish staggered back. The helmet had struck the center of his face, and searing pain flooded his entire face.

He swayed, barely avoiding a beam overhead.

The Inner Guard fumbled for his pistol. His right wrist had been broken, forcing him to use his left hand instead.

But the instant the pistol cleared its holster, Kaoreish sent it flying into the night with a spinning kick.

This had to end quickly, before any alarm could be triggered.

The traps around them were so densely packed that it was like fighting inside a spiderweb, where a single wrong move would bring the spider pouncing down on them.

Thud!

The Inner Guard's iron-gloved fist came flying at him. Kaoreish dodged left and drove a punch into the man's ribs.

Pain rapidly spread through his knuckles.

Though his hands had undergone extensive training and enhancement, they had still been battered bloody from striking armor again and again.

Kaoreish tried to circle behind his opponent, but the Inner Guard twisted around, seized him, and clamped a hand around his throat.

That should have meant the end of the fight, but this Inner Guard only had one usable hand.

"Don't force me!"

Kaoreish growled, tensing the muscles in his neck against the Inner Guard's attempt to choke him.

His training and experience told him there was only one simple way to break free from