84. WILD WILD WREST

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The Farvarian warrior spun its bone whip with a vicious snarl, the sound echoing across the desert floor. Without hesitation, it cracked the whip toward M3.

M3 raised his right hand, the one clad in his beloved prototype branding gauntlet. The whip coiled around his gauntlet, and M3's lips curled into a grin.
"Got you now!" he growled, yanking the Farvarian toward him, causing the whip to snap in two.

With the Farvarian now within reach, M3 threw the first punch, and the two locked into a brutal hand-to-hand brawl. They grappled, exchanging blow after blow, rolling in the sand, each trying to get the upper hand. The Farvarian hissed, its primal fury evident in every strike, but M3 was relentless.

The tide turned when M3 finally managed to pin the Farvarian to the ground. He straddled the beast, using his knee to press down on one of its flailing arms. The Farvarian thrashed beneath him, but M3 held firm, his gaze cold and determined.

With a quick flick of his thumb, M3 activated the heating mechanism on his gauntlet. His brass knuckles, emblazoned with his signature "M3" logo, began to glow a fiery red as they heated up.
"This ends now," he growled, lifting his fist high.
"Narcissistic Punch!"

He brought his fist crashing down into the Farvarian's face. The first blow struck hard, the searing heat leaving a smoldering burn on the creature's face, the "M3" logo seared into its skin.

M3 wasn't done.
Delivering a second punch, then a third. and fourth. Each hit sent sparks flying, the impact reverberating through the ground.
"This is for Quake!"

On the fifth punch, M3 let his fist linger, pressing the burning gauntlet deep into the Farvarian's skull. The smell of charred flesh filled the air as the creature's face was reduced to ashes, glowing embers in the shape of M3's logo marking the final blow.

M3 stood, his chest heaving. His right hand trembled, slick with both his own blood and the heat of the gauntlet. He glanced down at his gauntlet—now battered, overheated, and no longer functional. With a sigh, he unstrapped it from his hand.
"Sayonara, baby," he muttered, tossing the prototype to the sand. The once-prized gauntlet fizzled as it over-heated, its final service rendered.

Slowly, M3 straightened himself, exhaustion weighing down his limbs. From a pouch on his leg, he pulled out a sleek, high-tech gasoline cigarette. He lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply, savoring the brief moment of calm.

On the ridge above, his squad watched in awe. Hammer, Shrapnel, Blastmaster, and Thompson stood in silence, witnessing their leader's victory.

Hammer called out,
"Sir! they've retreated!"

Shrapnel added,
"Yeah, looks like we're out of their territory!"

M3, still catching his breath, waved a hand.
".. I'm coming up."

He slowly climbed up the ridge, the squad reaching down to help him. Their hands grasped his, pulling him up the last few feet.

M3 looked over his remaining soldiers, bloodied but alive. He gave them a nod.
"Let's keep moving. We still have that building to reach in the northwest."

With renewed determination, the squad set off again, their path leading toward the mysterious structure that awaited them in the distance. The wind began to pick up once more, swirling the sand around them as they pressed forward.

To be continued...

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