Stark was in a rather sorry state. There was only so much one could do with a two-handed sword like Excalibur. Asking him to perform a full thirty-six-move Returning Wind, Falling Goose Sword routine with Excalibur was simply impossible—it was not built for that. A burly man could still wield the sword in broad horizontal sweeps and vertical chops, but Stark's height advantage was hardly noticeable.
He had neither agility nor a size advantage, possessing neither of the two. To deal with Rachel's torrential assault, Stark could only activate the fighting style he knew best: armoring up!
This transformation was even more flamboyant than when he had fought the Beyonder Race. The interwoven gold and red lines resembled those of old, but the heavy cape had never appeared before. This was a brand-new fusion of extraordinary power and technology, combining elegance and splendor with formidable combat capability and defense.
"Oh? Looks like you're not so ordinary anymore?" A faint sense of foreboding suddenly rose in Rachel's heart. This armor could threaten her now!
"Clang—!" Spotting an opening, she immediately punched the armor's chest. Yet the point where her force landed felt empty and hollow. The Johnson family's famed Vibration powers were diverted by more than half, while the remainder was completely absorbed by the armor.
Having lost the initiative in one move, Rachel hurriedly flipped away. She moved quickly, but Stark was no slower. Excalibur followed her like a shadow, flashing back and forth like lightning amid a barrage of lasers and missiles, feinting and striking as it slashed at her three times in succession.
In her haste, she could only erupt the energy within her body outward and use the recoil to launch herself away. Even so, Rachel's sleeve was still cut open with a slash about a finger