The sound of the explosion thundered from Mina and Shion's side. Mina, in a disheveled state but still conscious, was struggling to carry a massive cannon she'd assembled herself on her small shoulders. The barrel aimed straight at the hammer-wielding giant before she pulled the trigger with all her might!
BOOOOM!!!
The tremendous blast shattered the ground within a three-meter radius around the man into fragments! The shockwave sent debris flying everywhere! It looked like this attack should have caused severe damage!
But not long after... amid the smoke and dust that hadn't yet cleared, a shadowy figure moved! It was the same giant! His condition looked slightly worse - some of his clothes were torn - but his eyes were redder than before. Veins bulged grotesquely across his face and neck as he charged straight at Mina with unbelievable speed!
"MINAAA!!!" Shion screamed in extreme alarm. She had just managed to pull herself out of the collapsed house!
The giant ignored Shion's cry! He drove his massive fist into Mina's small face with full force! Not only that, he also swung his war hammer with his other hand, brutally striking her delicate stomach!
"Ugh!" Mina coughed up chunks of blood! Her body flew through the air and crashed hard into a stone wall before tumbling to the ground, completely unconscious...
Suddenly! The air around where Shion stood began to heat up visibly! The heat radiated outward until it could be felt! The giant turned toward the source of that heat with instinct!
Shion... she stood motionless, eyes fixed unrelentingly on her enemy... the massive sword in her hand... where had it gone? What was she about to do?!
And in that moment! A small object shaped like some kind of seed shot through the air from the direction where Mina's body had been thrown! It headed straight for the giant at high speed!
Cutting to Traffie...
Traffie was clearly at a disadvantage. His once-fluid dodging was becoming ineffective. Wounds on his body kept increasing as bright red blood seeped from multiple places. But he still gritted his teeth and fought back whenever he had the chance, his eyes still blazing with strange madness and enjoyment.
Damn! Why does he keep getting stronger? It's like the more we fight, the more he enjoys it! Or maybe... he's having fun torturing us! Traffie thought angrily. The fun of battle from earlier was fading, replaced by rising frustration and displeasure.
"Surprised, kid!" the tall, lean man with twin battle axes laughed mockingly. "You'll never beat me!" With that, he charged at Traffie again! But this time he didn't attack directly! He used deceptive movements that threw off Traffie's defensive timing!
"Huh..!" Traffie exclaimed in shock!
Soon... sharp pain shot through his fingers! He looked down... and his eyes widened in disbelief! His left pinky finger... it was gone! Cut off by the enemy's axe blade while he was off-balance!
Before Traffie could recover! The tall man kicked him hard in the ribs! Sending the young man flying away again!
"My finger... my finger..." Traffie stared at his blood-soaked left hand with empty eyes. He was severely shocked by what had happened! Before new waves of rage and madness began building in his heart! He gripped his axe so tightly his veins bulged!
"Heh! You're so pathetic!" the tall man laughed with satisfaction. "If you kneel and beg for your life right now... maybe I'll spare you once. Hahaha!"
Traffie slowly struggled to his feet... a chilling, twisted smile appeared on his face... his eyes were red as a demon's...
"Beg... is that right?" His voice was hoarse and ice-cold. "I haven't... lost yet... you bastard..."
Cutting to Raven...
Raven was breathing heavily, sweat covering his body. He'd thrown dozens of steel "Gear" punches at the gauntlet-wearing giant! But it seemed to barely be injured at all! Its gauntlet armor was too strong! And its physical power was so immense he felt like he was punching a mountain!
This is bad! If I don't finish this soon... I'll run out of energy first! Raven thought tensely. He could feel his body's limits approaching every moment.
"Let's wrap this up! I'm getting bored!" the giant roared. It raised both hands and clapped them together with a thunderous sound!
And in that moment! It pulled out some strange object from a pouch at its waist! It was a pitch-black crystal that gave off a faint ominous glow! Before shoving the crystal in its mouth and chewing rapidly!
"AHHHHH!!! So refreshing!" the giant roared! Its body suddenly grew slightly larger! Veins bulged even more across its form! Evil energy radiated from it frighteningly!
After its roar ended! Its massive form suddenly appeared in front of Raven in the blink of an eye! Too fast to follow!
WHAM!!!
The steel fist coated with dark energy slammed into Raven's face! The sound of impact thundered! Raven's body flew dozens of meters away! Before crashing hard into building ruins! He felt agonizing pain that nearly knocked him unconscious!
Damn... how did its power... increase this much... Raven muttered to himself in despair. His consciousness was starting to fade... Master Xiao Yan... what are you doing right now...
"RAVENNNN!!!" Someone's shocked cry reached his ears... followed by gunfire from a distance!
BANG!!!
Cutting to Leon...
"Get up... Leon..."
A faint whisper echoed in his mind... that voice was so familiar... but he couldn't remember whose it was...
Thump... thump... thump...
Leon's heartbeat grew stronger and faster... until even he could hear it clearly! As if it was about to explode from his chest!
Suddenly! A warm energy surged up from deep within his body! The severe pain began mysteriously subsiding! The strength that had been drained away started returning!
"Whose voice was that... and... our body..." Leon looked at his hands in confusion. Faint white smoke drifted from all over his body! It gave him a strange but indescribably powerful feeling!
But before he could get his bearings or understand his newly restored body! Colt's figure appeared in front of him again!
Thud!
Colt used his "time acceleration" and "time deceleration" powers alternately! Continuously attacking Leon! His fists and feet lashed out at Leon's body like a raging storm! Not giving him any chance to get his footing or counter-attack!
"Shit! Too fast! Can't keep up!" Leon thought in panic. He tried to dodge but could only deflect some of the attacks!
"To the side!" the voice in his head shouted a warning again!
Leon instinctively dodged to the side at the last split second! Colt's fist barely missed his face by a hair!
Colt stopped short for a moment! The eyes beneath his hood widened slightly! "You...!" he exclaimed in surprise and disbelief! The enemy who should have been defeated... was starting to read his attack patterns!
"Your power... is stopping and accelerating time in a limited area..." Leon said breathlessly, his eyes fixed on Colt's hands. "And when you use your power... you have to cross your fingers!"
Colt was even more shocked! Cold sweat began trickling down his temples! How did this kid figure it out?
"Come on!" Leon shouted! He took a fighting stance again! The katana in his hand gleamed faintly with silver light! His eyes were full of determination and resolve! He was ready to use all the sword techniques Master Xiao Yan had trained him in! To counter this mysterious man's attacks!
At Pool Wither...
Xiao Yan, who had just vanished from Kim Min-sae's office, appeared at the front of the abandoned old water treatment plant. The atmosphere around was eerily quiet and desolate, with only the sound of wind whistling through the building's ruins.
"Hmph... so this is it... Pool Wither..." Xiao Yan muttered to himself, his eyes carefully scanning the area.
Suddenly! A familiar deep voice rang out from the shadows behind him!
"Well... Xiao Yan... haven't seen you in a long time."
Xiao Yan was extremely startled by that voice! He quickly spun around to look!