Akram did not waste a single second. He immediately began spreading doubt and fear among the sand bandits.
"It's a Rusher attack, that's for sure!" he said on one side.
"It has to be those damn Screamers, they're attacking the colony, damn it!" he added elsewhere.
But strategically, he drew Kravash toward a completely different location.
"Kravash, it came from the research center!" he whispered to him, like a little devil perched on his shoulder.
Most of his men had already scattered thanks to Akram's tricks, and Kravash only took a small group with him, including the clever one-armed man.
"That bitch… I should've smoked her when I had the chance! Bunch of worthless trash, you wanted her so badly that you dragged us into this damn mess!" he shouted at his men, visibly irritated.
Akram followed closely behind, his hand clenched tightly around his blade, ready to draw it at the right moment.
When they reached the research center, the area was completely filled with smoke. The explosion in the storage room had entirely ruined visibility, and Kravash's men quickly lost sight of one another as they entered the thick haze.
Akram initiated phase two of his plan.
He slipped behind the first man, using the smoke as cover, and slit his throat. Brutally. With his lack of dexterity, he completely shredded the man's trachea.
A wet gurgling sound echoed as the bandit collapsed to the ground.
"Hey! What the hell was that? Blazro? Dorad? Where are you?!" Kravash shouted, sensing that something was wrong.
"I'm here, Kravash, I—" Dorad replied, before his sentence was abruptly cut short by his trachea being torn open.
"Uh?! BITCH! Is that you?! Show yourself! I'll bleed you dry, you filthy whore!" Kravash roared, having just lost two men, convinced Leyla was behind the ambush.
Akram moved like a shadow behind him, blade ready. This time, he aimed for the heart.
With an awkward thrust, he pierced Kravash's chest. Kravash groaned in agony before collapsing heavily to the ground.
As the smoke slowly dispersed, Akram removed his bandana.
His face was drenched in sweat, his breathing heavy, betraying the intense stress of the situation. He stared at his blood-covered hand, shaking uncontrollably.
He was not yet fully accustomed to taking a man's life, but it had to be done. He knew it.
Elliot emerged from his hiding place. He had followed them the entire time, ready to assist Akram if anything went wrong.
"Akram!" Elliot called out.
Turning around, Akram saw the last survivors of Vulkania — barely fifteen shaken souls, three quarters of them women who had endured hell for the past three days.
But contrary to what he had expected, they were far from broken. On the contrary. In their eyes burned a fierce desire for revenge, a burning need to tear the life from their tormentors.
Akram took a deep breath, then ordered:
"Those who can and want to fight, grab weapons from the bodies. The rest, stay hidden until we deal with the remaining bandits. Elliot, y—"
"HEY… HEY… Not so fast, asshole." a voice cut in behind him.
Akram turned instantly, fear filling his gaze.
It was exactly what he feared — Kravash was still alive, even if he was in a miserable state.
What a piece of shit… what an idiot! Barid warned me… The new citizens of this world are the toughest humans in history… he thought, letting out a bitter chuckle.
He gripped his blade once more and took a fighting stance.
Elliot joined him, along with the rest of the Vulkans.
"No! Go shut the perimeter gates and get on the turrets, deal with the bandits! We have to take advantage of this moment and catch them by surprise!"
The Vulkans hesitated, then nodded, turning and running toward their new objective.
Elliot, however, did not move.
Akram glanced at him, but the determination in Elliot's eyes — his need to reclaim his honor — left him speechless.
They now stood two against one, facing Kravash the Heart-Ripper.
Kravash stood before them, his expression pitiful, one hand pressed against his pierced chest, his breath short.
Despite that, he began to laugh. Frenetically.
Before exploding toward them:
"I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!!"
His roar shook the two Vulkans, who felt the raw hatred Kravash was radiating in that moment.
Without wasting another second, he charged at them at full speed.
His sword — a massive blade called Bonebreaker — came crashing down on the two young men, who barely managed to dodge.
They counterattacked in tandem, trying to pierce the defense of Kravash the Heart-Ripper.
In vain.
Despite his injury, his strength and skill were far superior to theirs.
With a brutal low kick, he sent Elliot flying straight into the perimeter wall, then followed up on Akram, driving Bonebreaker down on him, which Akram barely managed to block at the last second.
Elliot spat blood and groaned as the impact against the wall knocked him unconscious instantly.
Akram was now alone, facing a veteran fighter whose hundreds of survived battles had sharpened every one of his abilities.
He continued blocking Kravash's strike, while Kravash screamed at him, pressing his full weight onto the genius's frail body.
"CRACK!"
Akram's prosthetic arm began to give under the pressure. If this continued, he would certainly die.
He desperately tried to break free from the situation.
But that was exactly what his opponent wanted — Kravash caught him with a front kick even more devastating than the one that had taken down Elliot.
Akram was hurled violently against the door of the research center, crashing into it.
"CRACK!"
That sound did not come from his artificial arm, but from his ribs, several of which had just fractured.
Akram vomited blood. Slumped against the door, he was completely helpless.
Kravash dragged his weapon along the ground as he advanced toward his future victim, rage twisting his face.
He raised Bonebreaker… and brought it down on Akram.
"CRACK!"