**Chapter 8** The Gauntlet

 The bank fell silent as Exalibar stood over the unconscious body of Handgun, his grey hair catching the dim light. The remaining robbers froze, their eyes darting between Exalibar and their fallen comrade. Gauntlets, the leader of the group, narrowed his eyes, his bloodstained gauntlets glowing faintly as he assessed the situation. This boy was faster than he'd anticipated, but speed alone wouldn't save him. 

Gauntlets lunged forward, his gauntlets humming with energy. He swung at Exalibar with 30% of his maximum output—enough to send a full-grown African elephant flying. But Exalibar dodged effortlessly, his movements a blur. To a speedster, Gauntlets' attacks were slow and predictable. However, Gauntlets wasn't a one-trick pony. As his fist missed, he spun and redirected his blow toward the ground. The impact shattered the bank's floor, destabilizing the building and sending debris flying. 

Exalibar's eyes widened as the ground beneath him crumbled. "Aisha!" he shouted, his voice urgent. 

Aisha, standing near the entrance, raised her hands. Her alchemic powers surged, and the shattered floor began to repair itself, the cracks sealing as if time were reversing. Gauntlets growled in frustration. He hadn't accounted for the girl. If he was going to win, he'd have to take her out first. 

Switching the panel on his gauntlet, Gauntlets entered a code. The gauntlets expanded, forming a full exosuit that encased his body. The suit hummed with power, its glowing veins pulsing with energy. 

Exalibar smirked, his blue eyes glinting with defiance. "Isn't that supposed to be your last-ditch effort? Or are you just showing off?" 

Gauntlets' voice was cold, his tone dripping with menace. "This ain't a game, kid. It's all or nothing." 

Exalibar shrugged, his confidence unshaken. "Isn't it, though?" 

Gauntlets took an aggressive stance, his exosuit whirring as it powered up. "I don't wanna hurt a kid. But I also don't like people getting in my way. Last chance. Leave the bank, or perish trying to play hero." 

Exalibar didn't respond. Instead, he braced himself, his body tense and ready. Gauntlets dashed forward, the exosuit operating at 60% maximum output—enough to level an entire city block if used correctly. Exalibar had seen this kind of technology before, back at the facility. He knew its weaknesses. 

As Gauntlets threw a devastating punch, Exalibar didn't dodge. Instead, he ran toward him, grabbing the fist and pulling Gauntlets off balance. Gauntlets expected a clothesline, but Exalibar had other plans. Placing his hand on Gauntlets' abdomen, Exalibar used his momentum to throw him out of the bank, sending him crashing into the street.

 Exalibar followed, landing gracefully a few feet away. "Lethal or non-lethal?" he asked, his tone casual. "Your choice." 

Gauntlets snarled, his exosuit glowing brighter. "You're dead, kid."

Gauntlets upped the exosuit's power to 70%, the air around him crackling with energy. He punched the air, sending a shockwave that knocked Exalibar off his feet. Before Exalibar could recover, Gauntlets dashed behind him, delivering a spin kick to his spine that sent him flying forward. Exalibar hit the ground hard, but he rolled to his feet just as Gauntlets closed in again, this time aiming a brutal punch at his gut. 

The blow connected, sending Exalibar soaring into the air. Gauntlets waited for him to crash back down, confident the impact would finish him. But as Exalibar fell, he twisted his body, using the momentum to deliver a powerful kick to Gauntlets' head. The force shattered Exalibar's leg and the gauntlet Gauntlets had used to block, but it was enough to knock him off his feet.

 Exalibar landed awkwardly, his broken leg buckling beneath him. He didn't have time to recover. Gauntlets was already back on his feet, his exosuit now operating at 80% power. The ground trembled as he charged, his fists glowing with destructive energy.

 Exalibar gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He couldn't keep up with Gauntlets' increasing power. He needed to end this, fast. Summoning every ounce of strength, he propelled himself forward, his good leg driving him like a spring. He grabbed Gauntlets by the head and slammed him into the ground, the impact creating a small crater.

 But Gauntlets wasn't done. With a roar, he pushed himself up, flipping behind Exalibar and delivering a devastating punch that tore through Exalibar's chest. Gauntlets ripped out his heart, holding it aloft as Exalibar collapsed to his knees.

 "I win," Gauntlets sneered, tossing the heart aside.

 Exalibar's vision blurred, his body growing cold. But he wasn't finished yet. With the last of his strength, he chopped off Gauntlets' arm at the joint, the severed limb falling to the ground with a sickening thud.

 Gauntlets staggered back, clutching the stump where his arm had been. "How?!" he roared, his voice filled with rage and disbelief. "No matter. You'll die soon enough."

 Exalibar couldn't respond. His body was failing, his consciousness slipping away. Without a heart, he had only seconds before he passed out. Even if his regeneration kicked in, it would take too long. He had to act now.

 Summoning the last of his strength, Exalibar propelled himself forward, using Gauntlets' own severed arm as a weapon. He aimed for Gauntlets' neck, the blade-like edge of the arm slicing through flesh and bone. Gauntlets' head rolled to the ground, his body collapsing in a heap.

 Exalibar fell to his knees, his vision darkening. "15 seconds," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "I have to make it back… to the bank…"

 He crawled forward, dragging himself across the ground. The world around him blurred, his strength fading with every inch. But then, through the haze, he saw a figure approaching. A familiar figure.

 Ronin.