[Left Side Of Mikey's Hideout]

The room was eerily silent after Joe's heated exchange with the man before him. Joe was weary, he didn't want to charge In without thinking. He maintained a serious expression as he studied his foe.

The man wore a suit and was eating meat held up by a sharp stick. He didn't have any weapons to speak off, that made Joe very cautious. If he didn't have a weapon he was bound to have skills to compensate for that lack of weaponry.

Joe knew he wouldn't find out what those skills were by doing nothing. But he also didn't want to endanger the children unnecessarily, last time he attacked in such a closed space, it ended in disaster.

While observing the enemy, Joe's eyes landed on something. A door was located several meters behind the guy in front of him. It had a piece of paper that clearly labeled it as Mikey's room.

He gritted his teeth and his heart started to burn. Beyond that door, was the man behind all this suffering. Joe's fingers entangled the black blade's handle, his grip strengthening.

“After all that talk now you're just standing there?” The man chuckled, “are you scared boy? I wouldn't blame you. It's not everyday someone picks a fight against me. Out of Mikey's Big 3, Big Feeder Ben is the worst of them all. I'd understand if you w—”

The Black Blade tore through the air, Joe had closed the distance, The Black Blade inches away from piercing Ben's skull.

Acting on instinct, Ben side stepped to the right, the blade blew past his form missing him just barely.

But Joe wasn't done. He twisted and swung the Black Blade in a reverse horizontal swing targeting Ben's neck..

Ben ducked, more comfortably this time. The blade glinting past his head. He took a bite of his stick before he threw a punch at Joe's midsection sending him sliding backwards.

Joe drifted for a few meters before his momentum ended. The blow to his stomach stung, but it wasn't something he worried about. The Black Sheep had absorbed most of the damage.

His defensive attribute had gotten much stronger when compared to how it was when he entered Perina. His battles with Stan and Red assisted him considerably. And add to that The Black Sheep, his defense was making steady progress.

Of course the fact that Ben didn't use a skill, probably played a role In how well Joe's defense held up. But Joe also didn't use a skill when he attacked, so he gave all the credit to his defense.

“You know, it's rude interrupting someone while they're talking.” Ben said, as he leisurely took a bite from his stick.

His whole demeanor was getting to Joe's nerves, he was way too casual. Was he underestimating him? It didn't matter, Joe had to bring him down.

Mana bubbled up inside him before bursting out in the form of a dark aura that shrouded his figure. [Outsider’s Enhancement] Joe pressed on the surface, his weight forcing cracks to manifest. He blasted foward, leaving a trail of dust In his wake.

[-125 Mana Pool Points]

[Current Mana:435]

[Total Skill: 63>140]

[Total Speed: 70>118]

[Total Strength: 68>141]

His body went low as he targeted Ben's legs, he swing The Black Blade in a sweeping arc targeting to hack off his ankles.

Unfortunately, The Black Blade sliced clean air. Ben had moved.

His body flipped mid air after a well executed leap. A blue light shrouded his body before a beastly howl echoed from above.

Ben's jacket and shirt were ripped to shreds as his upper body grew almost double in size. Fur covered his skin and pointy white fangs jutted out his mouth. He had morphed into a beast. [Skill Activation: Transformation (Partial)]

Joe's eyes popped as he tried to comprehend what on the world he was looking at. But he didn't have time for that.

Ben clasped his hands together and raised them above his head, his body descended with gravity as he brought his enlarged hands down like a hammer.

Joe propelled himself backwards just in time.

Ben's hands collided with the floor and almost immediately the entire building wiggled. The floor cracked under the pressure as spiderweb lines drew themselves on the surface.

Joe had gotten out of range, he skidded and halted a fair distance away. A cloud of dust shrouded Ben's form after his assault, but as it began to fade his full appearance came into view.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

His upper body was smothered in fur and was bulkier than before. His fingers had thick black claws protruding from their the tips and his mouth was larger with his razor sharp teeth poking out. He looked like a cursed human gorilla hybrid. His lower body was unaffected with him still wearing the black pants from his suit.

Ben glared at him with sharp eyes that resembled a mana beast. The mana flowing from his body also mimicked a mana beast. He had a mana signature but it was red, a color belonging to a Mana Beast Core. Joe had no idea what to make of this. He instead, adjusted his grip and fighting stance.

Ben smiled before he shouted, “boys! Which one of you would like some food?”

The kids from within the cages stired to life.

“All of you come I have a reward for you.” Ben said, with a cursed smile on his face.

All the children even the ones who were unconscious suddenly became active. They crawled out of their cages, before slowly dragging themselves to Ben.

The cages had been opened the entire time but none of them dared to move before Ben said a word. They gathered around him, their frail bodies barely keeping them standing.

“You guys have been very bad lately, but I'm willing to look past that." Ben pointed his sharp finger at Joe, “if any of you manage to kill that guy over there. I'll get you all the food you want!”

The boys looked at Ben in awe, their stomachs grumbled and drool fell down their lips. Their gazes turned to Joe, without a second thought they charged.

They threw themselves at him like mindless zombies, when one of them tripped and fell the rest trampled over his body on their quest to get to Joe.

Joe quickly sheathed back his blade, not looking to harm the kids by accident.

He thought he had more time but before he knew it the boys were all over him. They lunged from all directions, and clung on to his body for dear life. Others grabbed his legs, others his arms and body. They wrapped themselves around him and dug deep with their, teeth looking to bring him down by any means necessary.

Joe tried to get them off him as gently as he could despite them biting and clinging on to him.

But before Joe could make any progress in that endeavor, the air whistled as something came flying towards him like a missile. It wss a human body.

It collided against Joe and the boys like a boulder. It sent Joe flying on impact, his body tumbling and rolling uncontrollably.

He fiinally stopped a fair distance away, as he lay face first against the hard concrete. A high pitch sound pierced his ears and an intense pain coursed through his body. Joe felt like he had been hit by a truck.

He groaned as he lifted his throbbing head, what he saw shook him to his core.

Bodies of the children who clung to him seconds ago, lay decimated all over the floor. Their bodies had been crushed and contorted. Blood leaked out of their bodies drenching the floor In crimson. All of them were dead.

“Still alive huh? I hoped that would do the trick.” Ben looked down on him with a twisted smirk, “Mikey will kill me if he finds out I killed all his children. I should probably go gather replacements before he wakes up. That means it's time I killed you."

Joe's eyes were enraged, he gritted his teeth before mana erupted from him like a geyser. He climbed back to his feet and unsheathed The Black Blade. “You bastard! I'll kill you!” [Outsider’s Enhancement X2]

[-250 Mana Pool Points]

[Current Mana Pool: 185]

[Total Skill:115> 192]

[Total Speed:118>166]

[Total Strength:116>189]

Joe blasted foward his movement blurring from view. He appeared in front of Ben and unleashed a full fledged swing of the blade.

Ben met it head on, his claws collided with mana tool producing a sharp clang that filled the air.

But Joe didn't stop, he unleashed swing after swing. His movement fueled entirely by emotion.

Ben responded In kind, he parried each and every swing Joe threw at him. His claws acting no different than a blade. He parried one of Joe's attacks to the sky leaving his body exposed and defenseless. Looking to take advantage, Ben swung his claws targeting to shred his face.

Joe had the presence of mind to leap back just before catastrophe struck, but Ben's claws still dug deep into his right cheek tearing it open. Blood seeped out the side of his face as he drifted backwards.

Not one to slow down because of a cut. Joe lunged foward once more. Thrusting his blade into Ben's chest.

Ben blocked, using his own right arm as a shield. He gritted his teeth as the Black Blade stabbed his arm and brown blood leaked out of his open wound. Due to his thick skin or perhaps just luck, the Black Blade did not go through his arm. Looking to take advantage, Ben used his free hand to retaliate, throwing his left hand at Joe with a ferocious swipe.

Joe drew out the blade and immediately leaped backwards, he watched as the claws blew past his face. Missing him by mere inches. His body skidded across the ground and halted a few meters back. He heaved, his sweat dripping down his forehead.

Ben's arm had more blood ggushing out after Joe retrieved the blade. His limb became limp and useless, he could now only rely on his left arm.

He crouched low, his fingers digging into the concrete floor. He uprooted a large piece of the floor, lifting it above his head.

Through the open hole, shadows could be seen rushing past in numbers. Ben paid no attention to that, his focus was on Joe.

“Die!” he roared, before throwing the collosal piece of concrete at Joe.

It smothered him as it approached, if it made contact. Joe was confident it would crush him.

Joe raised his weapon above his head, mana flowed through it freely and he brought it down in a powerful vertical slash. [Mana Tool Skill: Mana Slash]

[-150 Man Pool Points]

[Current Mana Pool: 35]

[Total Skill:192>267]

A large crescent arc blasted forth, it sliced through the concrete like an apple. Cutting it perfectly in half.

Dust immediately emerged after it was destroyed, shrouding a large section of the room.

“Perfect” Joe whispered.

Using the thick dust as cover, Joe blasted foward. His form blurred as he circled around Ben like a raging tornado. His footsteps came from all directions, trapping Ben in the eye of the storm.

Unlike Ben who couldn't rely on his sight. Joe could see him clearly. [Passive Skill: Outsider’s Perspective]

A metalic clang echoed the room, and almost immediately Ben dashed to the source of the sound. When he arrived he saw nothing but a small dagger laying harmlessly on the floor. He had been tricked.

A looming shadow appeared behind Ben, by the time he thought about turning around. It was too late.

Joe's blade ran through his neck horizontally. His head flew to the heavens. Blood erupted from his headless form. Covering Joe in brown liquid. Ben's corpse collapsed to the ground a few seconds later.

The battle was over.