"Let us move in, madam. He's still dangerous." Jura said. He stood at attention, his hand twitching near his hip. Lilith glanced at him. She crossed her arms over her chest. "No need. They're cleaning up. Stand still for now." Her tone was sharp, commanding, just like it was ten years ago. Shattered glass littered the ground. Upstairs, muffled cries and the occasional clash of steel hinted at the skirmish still raging beyond the walls. I stomped the ground, the impact demanding their attention. "You think I'll just do nothing?" I threatened. Lilith turned her head. She raised her chin defiantly, her cold eyes glinting with malicious glee. "You will, unless you want your precious officers dead. Right now, we're just crippling them. It's you and the Piercing Serpent that need to die."

From the corner of my eye, I caught a frantic motion. Gabriel burst through his door, his face pale and drenched in sweat. He bolted for the stairs, his movements clumsy and desperate as panic overtook him. Before he could reach the first step down, a towering man with an array of intricate tattoos emerged from the shadows. He stomped Gabriel's knee. Gabriel collapsed, clutching his leg and groaning in agony. "Stupid!" the tattooed man yelled, his voice dripping with contempt as he loomed over Gabriel's crumpled form. "You actually fought back!" He leaned down, gripping Gabriel's collar, and yanked him forward before delivering a savage kick to his chin. Gabriel's head snapped back, and he went limp. The man straightened, breathing heavily, as he turned to Lilith. "We couldn't find the Piercing Serpent, ma'am." he reported, frustrated. "All of the officers and soldiers are unable to fight back. We lost Hutch because of this bastard." His gaze flickered to Gabriel. Lilith's smirk widened, her smile devoid of any warmth. "A good death." she remarked, her tone disturbingly casual. Her eyes gleamed as she gestured towards me. "Come down here and attack Caleb." She paused, catching herself with an exaggerated chuckle. "Oh, sorry—the Demon Buddha. Such a stupid nickname."

I leaned close to Emma, "When I kill him, run and hide. They're above your level." My gaze never left the chaos in front of us, the weight of what I was about to do sinking into my core. Suddenly, the man with tattoos—Gabriel's tormentor—lunged from behind. His movement was swift. He got lucky with Gabriel. My hand shot up, fingers tangling in his hair. The strands strained under the force as I yanked him forward, spinning him with all the force I could muster. His neck twisted unnaturally, the tension threatening to snap what little kept his head upright. I used the momentum, twisting my body in one fluid motion for a devastating throw. He hurtled, a broken blur of flailing tattoos. Emma bolted for the exit, her footsteps light and quick as she slipped away amidst the chaos. I hoped she’d make it out.

The man’s body slammed toward Lilith. Jura moved in an instant, positioning himself between her and the incoming missile. The impact was grotesque. The man’s body detonated on Jura’s defense, a sickening explosion of flesh and bone. Blood sprayed across the room, painting the walls and floor in a macabre display. Bits of brain matter clung to Jura's shoulders as he stood firm, unshaken by the carnage. Lilith wiped a fleck of blood from her cheek with a slow, deliberate motion. Her previously composed demeanor shifted as she uncrossed her arms, tapping each of her Fingers methodically against the back of her opposite hand. Her tone was sharp, dripping with venom. "Forget this! He studies Judo and Reinforced Fist. Kill him!!" The Fingers moved as one, their formation seamless and practiced. The four of them surrounded me in an instant.

It was a trap.

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

From my blind spot, three more soldiers emerged. Blades flashed. They thrust their weapons into my back. It couldn't even break my skin. I spun wildly, my arm sweeping like a guillotine. My backhand connected with their necks, and their heads flew in arcs, spraying crimson across the walls. One of the Fingers—a shorter man with hands cloaked in steam—stepped forward. His steaming palms grasped my incoming force, redirecting it into the ground with a resounding thud that shook the floor beneath us. He absorbed my momentum seamlessly, his palm striking my liver. The blow shouldn't have hurt me. He used my own power against me. I staggered back, my voice erupting in a guttural yell. "You rats!" "Good job, Ben!" a voice called out from above, sharp and taunting.

A black blade descended from the heavens. The sword slashed diagonally across my chest, carving through muscle and flesh like butter. Blood oozed from the wound, hot and thick. My mind reeled as recognition struck: Darksteel! The blade’s density and lethality were unmistakable. Ignoring the pain, I roared and threw a devastating punch toward the swordsman, a blow able to crush him entirely. But Ben moved with great speed. His hands blurred as he intercepted my fist, redirecting its trajectory away from its target. Ben’s foot lashed out, striking my ankle. My balance wavered—a momentary stagger. I don't... stagger that easily. They really did poison me. A crushing force came from behind, slamming into the back of my head like a meteor. My vision blurred as I bent over, spitting blood onto the floor. My breaths were labored, heavy. Slowly, I turned. Jura. He stood there with his fist raised. "The great Demon Buddha is in such a state." Jura sneered, rubbing his knuckles. His tone dripped with mockery as he turned to his ally. "Kai?" Kai? The swordsman appeared from my right, his movements so fluid it was unnatural. His blade whirled, carving a star-shaped formation of slices that tore flesh asunder. My blood splattered across the floor, my arm barely hanging on yet still functional. I stomped the ground with all my might, the force splitting the floorboards beneath my feet.

I stood slowly, heavy with pain, powered by my sheer will. Blood trickled from my wounds, staining my tattered clothes. I pressed a hand to my chest, briefly comforting my battered body. Another crouched near Lilith, one I hadn’t seen attack yet. His demeanor was calm, almost casual, as if watching a spectacle unfold. He chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. "He really does have insane endurance. Kai can rend anyone in one swing, but he's still standing." Ben, ever the opportunist, lunged and seized my arm, locking it in place with an iron grip. He smirked, glancing toward Jura. "Jura, he's all yours." Jura didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, delivering a bone-crunching punch directly to my face. I felt the ground shift beneath me.

Ben sneered, his tone filled with condescension. "Us four, we all fight as a unit, as one." Jura came at me again, his punches a relentless flurry. Each strike carried the full weight of his body, twisting and turning to maximize damage. My vision blurred under the assault. I shifted my focus to Ben, his grip still tight on my arm. Twisting my wrist with a sharp rotation, I broke free and grasped his neck. My fingers closed like a vice as I reinforced the grip, adrenaline flooding my veins. Kai reacted instantly, aiming for my wrist. The edge connected. The cut was shallow, barely grazing the skin. I tightened my hold on Ben, lifting him high into the air with raw, unrestrained power. Jura moved to intervene, his hand reaching for Ben. I lunged forward, smashing my forehead into Jura's face with a devastating headbutt. The impact sent him flying backward. Holding Ben aloft, I felt the surge of adrenaline reach its peak. My hands shifted, one gripping his neck and the other his leg. My voice roared through the chaos as I spread my arms wide, stretching Ben's body to its breaking point. "You fight as one?!" I tore him apart like an animal, as he deserved. I held the remains aloft for all to see. "Now you're two!"