"I underestimated you," the burly guy said, his arms showing the casing of gold. Ethan just stared with calm, sharp eyes. If worse came to worst, he would summon Black Knight and Ork Chief—they could at least rival a peak awakened warrior.
"Let me give you my name before you die," the burly guy said, grinning.
"I'm Thomas. But you can call me Biggy," he added.
"Cut the crap and die," Ethan said. He performed Light Technique as he rushed toward Biggy.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ethan used First Dragon Subduing Palm to push Biggy backward, but the guy was like a mountain—barely moving an inch.
"Your defense is strong, I give you that," Ethan said.
"My turn!" Biggy barked as he moved like a bus.
"This technique is known as Bear Mountain Technique! Die!" he shouted, his hands mimicking a bear's paws.
Ethan maximized his mana, his body coursing with raw power. Earlier he hadn't used much—he was only testing the waters.
"Hmm… pathetic," Ethan smirked.
With unimaginable speed, Ethan blurred like an arrow—his First Dragon Subduing Palm crashing against Biggy's attack with devastating force.
Biggy's eyes widened.
BANG!
Ethan's palm shattered Biggy's golden arm. The burly man flew like a catapult, smashing into a ruined car.
"Urgh!" he vomited blood wildly, his bulging arm dislocated and limp.
"How dumb—underestimating your opponent," Ethan mocked as he drew back to the group.
Everywhere was silent.
"That palm just now… I haven't seen anything like it," Alex said, neither shocked nor angry that Biggy had been beaten to a pulp.
"What's the name?" Alex smiled calmly.
"It's none of your business," Ethan said grimly.
"Ah, same attitude," Alex said as he picked his ears. "Well, you see, no matter how powerful you are—you're still in danger." He walked toward the group, hands in his pockets.
"Oh, you're mistaken," Ethan said.
"What do you want?" Gloria couldn't take it anymore.
"Oh, you wanna know?" Alex said, smiling. "I want you."
Gloria and the others looked disgusted.
"Such guts, I'll give you that. Let's see if you still have one after this," Ethan said, drawing his Death Blade.
If he were alone with Alex and no one was around, he could've killed him before he blinked. But he had to lay low—or he'd become a test subject for scientists.
There was only one option left.
Either pick an aspect from Space or Time—or summon Ork Chief and Black Knight and pretend to be a necromancer.
"Be careful, guys! There are ten peak awakened warriors in the shadows. Don't let yourself get ambushed," Ethan shouted as he dashed toward Alex.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Alex's sword technique was brilliant—always forcing his opponent to retreat.
But Ethan's Star Sword Technique pressured space and time themselves.
Ethan's Death Blade hummed with bloodlust, as if finding a worthy opponent.
BANG!
Ethan pushed Alex back with sheer bodily strength, forcing him into a gas station. Alex flew several meters away from the group.
"Cunning bastard, you think forcing me away from your group will save them?" Alex laughed, stepping out of the rubble with only a scratch.
"Oh, it's not my group that needs saving," Ethan smirked, continuing his relentless assault.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The clash intensified. After a few exchanges, Alex forced Ethan into a penthouse. Ethan was slightly surprised—someone had actually pushed him back. Even though he wasn't using his full strength, he trusted his Star Sword Technique to do the job.
What he didn't know was that Alex was furious. How could a sixteen-year-old boy force a peak awakened like him to use his full strength?
Flying out of the fifth-floor window, Ethan looked around. No drones were watching.
Boom! Bang!
Ethan performed Space Teleportation—vanishing from Alex's sight.
"No!" Alex shouted, but it was too late. Ethan had appeared behind one of the peak awakened.
"Damn you!" Alex screamed.
Ethan appeared in front of his target, unleashing First Dragon Subduing Palm with full force.
BANG!
The man's head was blown clean off his body.
Gloria and Lynx were fighting two middle-stage awakened, but Freddy was nowhere to be found.
Ethan rushed to the next awakened—a blue-haired, slender figure who moved fast with a movement technique.
Ethan's eyes followed his every motion like a cat hunting a mouse.
BANG!
Ethan slashed.
SPLURT!
"You made a mistake targeting me," Ethan said calmly, lifting the awakened's corpse like a cardboard box and hurling it at Alex.
"All of you—out now! Slaughter this group for me!" Alex shouted, frustration boiling over. No one had ever given him such a headache. He just couldn't read this brat's mind.
But when he looked around, there was silence. No one answered.
A shadow condensed behind him. A blade flashed for his neck—
Boom!
Alex reacted instantly, flying high and landing on the rubble.
It was Freddy.
Earlier, when Ethan had stalled Alex, Freddy had quietly disappeared—and now he was the one who had assassinated the other awakened.