Li Tuo stood alone against four opponents, wielding the sword in his hand with immense strength. Each slash carried with it an unstoppable momentum, the kind that could split the world in two. His blade cut through the air like a divine weapon, forcing Black Dragon and the others to avoid a direct confrontation.
Yet, the four executors of Jinghai College weren't ordinary foes. Their strength was well-known throughout the region. Even though Li Tuo had reached the fifth-level intermediate stage, their coordinated efforts were enough to prevent him from gaining the upper hand.
While Li Tuo held back the four executors at the main gate, Smith charged in the opposite direction, sprinting toward the southern edge of the Dark City.
Jinghai College had surrounded the entire city, but not every exit was as heavily guarded. The main gate was undoubtedly the most fortified, with the four strongest executors stationed there. Smith knew that if he could bypass them, there was still a chance for escape.
"He's here! Stop him!" someone shouted as Smith emerged near the south gate.
Unfortunately, a group was already waiting.
Over a dozen members of the executive department had gathered there, including four fourth-level intermediate psychics. Jinghai College had more than forty psychics of this level, and judging by the deployment, they had dispatched at least a quarter of them for this mission.
Just to catch Smith.
Such a massive show of force for a single man—this was no ordinary capture.
One of the fourth-level psychics immediately rushed forward, leading several third-level ones in a coordinated assault. The others stayed behind, maintaining a cautious distance while keeping Smith in their sights. With their numbers and power, they didn't need to rush. Instead, they focused on containment—preventing any chance of escape.
"Damn it. So many people… Fine. Let's fight!"
Smith quickly assessed the situation. It was clear now—each of the city's four gates was guarded by four fourth-level psychics. Avoiding conflict at this point was impossible. If he tried to circle around, he'd just run into another squad. His only option was to break through the south gate by force.
He gritted his teeth, eyes flashing.
"The Art of Spiritual Communication!"
Smith bit into his finger, blood spilling down his hand. Forming a series of rapid seals with both hands, he slammed them onto the ground.
"Bang!"
A massive puff of white smoke burst into the air. When it cleared, a towering, round-bodied civet cat with earthy brown fur and dark stripes appeared in the middle of the street. Its massive tail twitched impatiently behind it.
One Tail – Shukaku.
Smith's strongest trump card.
"What the hell is that thing?"
"Is it a demon beast? Wait—he's a beast tamer too?!"
"That aura... is it fifth-level?!"
The entire squad froze. The pressure exuding from the creature was suffocating. It was, without a doubt, the strongest summoned beast they had ever encountered.
"This guy has too many tricks!"
The executors were in disbelief. According to their intel, Smith did have summoning capabilities. However, the only confirmed summon was the fourth-level Blood-soaked Bat King—and it had already been killed.
No one expected him to tame another beast so quickly, let alone one of this caliber.
And it was level 5?!
"Ha ha ha! You want to mess with my master? Then prepare to die!" Shukaku cackled, slapping its huge belly.
"Wind Style: Drilling Air Bullet!"
"Boom!"
A stream of tightly compressed wind bullets blasted forward, sweeping toward the gathered executors.
"So fast!"
Several of them dodged on instinct, leaping out of the path of the blast.
However, the danger wasn't over.
The bullets hit the ground and detonated, sending out waves of powerful shockwind. Even those who dodged the direct hit were caught by the secondary explosion.
"Boom!"
The blast radius was massive, and the shockwave engulfed everyone nearby. Third-level psychics were thrown like rag dolls, crashing into walls and rubble, their bodies bloodied and bruised. Only the four fourth-level psychics managed to deflect the attack in time, though they still suffered minor injuries.
And that was only the first wave.
Just as they tried to regroup, a dark shadow loomed overhead. Shukaku's massive tail came crashing down toward two of the remaining fourth-level psychics.
"Earth Element: Covering the Sky!"
One of them formed two quick hand seals and stomped hard on the ground. Earth erupted beneath him, and several thick walls shot up to meet the falling tail.
But the defense was futile.
Shukaku's tail smashed through the stone barriers like paper, sending debris flying. Still, the delay allowed the two psychics to narrowly dodge the blow and escape with their lives.
"Not bad! Come on, let's go again!" Shukaku roared with laughter.
"Wind Style: Sand Shot!"
A jet of wind and sand erupted from its mouth, firing dozens of tiny, high-speed sand bullets like a machine gun.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Nearby buildings were peppered with holes. Walls cracked, windows shattered, and entire structures crumbled under the storm of sand.
The executors, though powerful, were in chaos. They activated barrier techniques, reinforced their armor, and retaliated with elemental counterattacks—but the pressure was mounting.
Bruised, battered, and exhausted, they finally found a moment to regroup.
"What kind of monster is this?! I've never seen anything like it!"
"It's too strong! This thing must be fifth-level advanced!"
"Wait… where is Smith?!"
The realization hit them like a slap.
While they had been preoccupied with the summoned beast, Smith had vanished.
"I'm here."
A cold voice rang out behind them.
Everyone turned in shock. Smith had silently appeared behind the squad, already forming seals.
"Wood Release: Advent of the World of Trees!"
Vines and massive trees erupted from the ground, stretching outward like dragons, spiraling toward the panicked psychics.
"Don't think your Wood Element can stop us!"
One of them shouted in defiance.
"Kamikaze Madness!"
A tornado, nearly thirty meters tall, exploded upward and spiraled toward the encroaching forest. The two techniques collided, locking in a moment of violent power.
But then…
"Tailed Beast Ball!"
Shukaku wasn't idle. During those precious seconds, it had gathered an enormous amount of chakra. A black sphere formed at its mouth—dense, compact, and pulsing with power.
It fired.
"What?!"
There was no time to dodge.
One side was being overrun by Smith's Wood Release, and the other was staring down a tailed beast bomb.
"BOOM!!!"
The explosion engulfed everything.
A massive mushroom cloud surged into the sky. The shockwave flattened buildings. The entire South Gate of the Dark City was obliterated—reduced to ash under the devastating blast.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The sound reverberated across the entire city. People on the other side of Dark City felt the tremors and looked toward the south in horror.
"What kind of monster is that?! It just destroyed half the city!"
"So strong… No wonder Smith dared to oppose Jinghai College."
A collective silence followed the blast—shock, awe, and fear settling in.
As the smoke began to clear, Smith stood amid the chaos, eyes calm, clothes tattered. Shukaku turned toward him, chuckled, and vanished in a puff of smoke—its task complete.
Without hesitation, Smith sprinted out of the ruins of the South Gate.
He had escaped.
Ãdvåñçé 60 çhàptêr àvàilàble óñ pàtreøn (Gk31)