The Phantom Thief and The Desperate Bargain

However, their brief respite was cruelly interrupted as Barry, though still recovering from the car collision, began to reveal the full extent of his capabilities.

"All that effort... It doesn't even make me sweat," Barry remarked, his tone dripping with a hint of arrogance.

Sections of his armor, composed of advanced nanotech, gradually reverted to their original state.

It was as though the battle damage had never occurred, a testament to the technology at his disposal.

"Listen up, little girl. It's not the weapons that count. It's who's handling them. You're not the only one with knowledge," Barry sneered, his eyes filled with a chilling confidence.

What set Barry's body armor apart from Lucy's power suit was a floating device he activated—a set of energy wings with an X-shaped frame.

They unfolded gracefully, allowing him to hover effortlessly in the air. It was a marked contrast to Lucy's reliance on jet thrusters.

In the blink of an eye, Barry seized Lyla by her exoskeleton suit and began dragging her along the surface of the road before ascending into the night sky with an eerie grace.

He continued to climb, launching her toward a nearby building.

The force of the throw was brutal, and Lyla tumbled helplessly through the air, her suit seemingly incapacitated.

Once more, the balance of the battle shifted dramatically.

Lyla, who had been Logan's savior just moments earlier, was now entirely at Barry's mercy.

His relentless assault recommenced, a relentless flurry of blows landing with brutal force.

Lyla's suit, designed primarily for mobility and protection rather than combat, offered only limited defense.

She struggled to react, her movements sluggish compared to Barry's lightning-fast attacks.

Her heads-up display was awash with warnings and alerts as her suit's software frantically searched for a way to counter Barry's unrelenting onslaught.

But it was a futile effort. Barry's ceaseless barrage pushed her to the brink.

With a final strike to her solar plexus, he sent Lyla hurtling across the street.

She crashed into the pavement, her suit showing severe signs of strain. It was evident that in hand-to-hand combat, Barry held an overwhelming advantage.

As Lyla attempted to rise, Barry, his demeanor eerily composed, approached her once more. His nanotech-infused armor shimmered, seemingly impervious to the damage it had sustained.

Despite her injuries, Lyla was not ready to give up. She knew her suit possessed advanced capabilities that might offer a slim chance at victory.

Summoning every ounce of remaining strength, she attempted to launch a surprise attack, forming a nanotech blade to strike at Barry.

However, Barry was prepared. With swift precision, he caught Lyla's arm mid-strike, preventing the blade from reaching its intended target.

Their faces were mere inches apart as Lyla and Barry engaged in a fierce battle of wills.

The blade crackled with energy, poised to strike, but Barry's unyielding grip held it at bay.

Their confrontation reached its zenith as Barry delivered a powerful headbutt to Lyla's helmeted visage.

The impact sent shockwaves through her, momentarily disorienting her.

In that fleeting moment of vulnerability, Barry seized the opportunity. He disarmed Lyla, taking the nanotech blade for himself.

With a swift and fluid motion, he drove the blade toward her.

Lyla, still reeling from the headbutt, could do little to defend herself.

The blade pierced her suit, and searing pain shot through her body upon contact.

She gasped, unable to contain the pain, and then crumpled to the ground, her suit's systems flickering and failing.

It was a devastating blow, and she lay there, helpless, like a discarded puppet.

Logan knew he had to act quickly or risk losing Lyla forever.

Desperation welled up within him as he felt a warm sensation emanating from his pants pocket.

He reached inside and retrieved the gem he had been carrying. It glowed with a radiant, cerulean light, enveloping his broken arm before spreading to cover his entire body.

Not only did his arm mend, but his energy was also fully restored. However, the gem's power couldn't repair his blinded eye.

Despite the newfound strength, Logan realized he couldn't engage Barry recklessly.

Even with Lyla now incapacitated, he had to be cautious. Logan needed to outwit Barry to save Lyla.

Logan feigned exhaustion, sinking to the ground amidst the wreckage of his car.

He pretended to be battered and drained of energy.

"Spare her life… and I will give you the gem," Logan said, his voice trembling with a mixture of desperation and determination.

"No tricks," Barry warned, his eyes narrowing.

Logan simply shook his head in agreement, silently conceding to Barry's demand.

Barry approached cautiously, wary of Logan's intentions.

He was ready for any potential subterfuge.

But Logan had a plan.

He hurled the gem far from its current position, diverting Barry's attention for a critical moment.

Barry's eyes followed the gem's trajectory, momentarily distracted.

In that split second, Logan lunged toward Lyla's fallen form, scooping her up in his arms, and darted away from Barry.

Barry's gaze snapped back to Logan and Lyla, realizing he had been tricked.

He roared in anger and frustration as Logan made his escape, carrying the injured Lyla to safety.

Logan gently laid Lyla on the ground, her injuries severe and her suit's systems flickering.

He knelt beside her, tears streaming down his face.

"Lyla! Are you okay?" Logan's voice trembled with worry.

Lyla let out a soft moan of pain.

"What? What is it?" Logan asked urgently.

"Logan...?" Lyla's voice was weak, barely audible.

"I'm so glad I get to speak with you at the end..." Lyla whispered, her strength fading.

"It's not the end! I'll call for an ambulance right now," Logan said desperately, his heart breaking.

"I like you, Logan," Lyla confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

"When I saw your car flip, I thought I would lose you. I told you to listen to me, not anyone else. Logan, you've always been fighting alone," Lyla said, her words filled with profound emotion.

"I will! So don't die, Lyla!" Logan pleaded, tears falling onto Lyla's face.

"This must be fate, right...?" Lyla's voice trailed off, her breathing becoming labored.

"Don't die, Lyla! Don't die! Don't die!" Logan cried out, his voice filled with anguish.

Lyla's eyes closed, her breaths growing shallower with each passing moment.

Logan held her in his arms, feeling utterly helpless as he watched the woman he cared for slip away.

In his grief and desperation, Logan let out a primal scream of agony, echoing through the night.

Nobody knows yet, but there is a surge of emotion and desire that Logan did not expect.

Thus, Logan has to face yet another enemy.

But the enemy in question is one born from his own karma.

Yet the mass called the world just continues to spin, ignoring individual intentions.