The air around them crackled with tension as Enko and Avee moved, each targeting the other's vitals with precision and power. For Enko, this was a desperate gamble—he struck at the points where a human body would falter, aiming for arteries, joints, the neck. But for Avee, those vulnerabilities no longer existed. He was no longer bound by the fragility of human flesh.

Enko's blow landed squarely on Avee's torso, but the impact barely registered. Avee's head tilted ever so slightly, acknowledging the hit with nothing more than a mechanical reaction. His body was no longer governed by pain or weakness, no longer bound by the laws of biology.

Enko gritted his teeth. This isn't going to work.

Avee's grotesque figure lurched forward, his sharp wings twitching with anticipation. Just as he prepared to counter, Enko shifted his stance and unleashed a surge of power—his palm connecting with Avee's chest in a perfectly executed impact strike.

Boom!

The sound reverberated through the room like an explosion, the force of Enko's attack sending Avee hurtling backward. His body collided with the cement wall, shattering it on impact. Dust and debris filled the air, chunks of concrete raining down from the ceiling. The wall had been utterly demolished, but the monster that was Avee simply lay there, half-buried in rubble, unmoving for a moment.

Enko took a deep breath, trying to gauge the damage. His muscles burned, his heart pounded in his chest like a war drum. But he had seen the dream. He knew what was coming next.

Slowly, Avee began to rise from the ruins, his inhuman form emerging from the wreckage without a single sign of injury. He stood tall, his head cocked to the side as if assessing Enko with a cold, detached interest. It was as if the blow had meant nothing to him—like swatting a fly.

Avee's neck emitted a sharp, cracking sound as he casually rolled his head from side to side, his thorny hand raised in readiness. His voice was eerily calm, as though he were discussing the weather, not engaging in a deadly battle.

"From a human perspective," Avee mused, his cold gaze fixed on Enko, "what level do you think you are?"

Enko couldn't help but laugh at the question. There was an absurdity in it, given the chaos unfolding around them. "From a human perspective? Then I must be the weakest."

Avee's lips twitched, not quite a smile. "And from a monster's perspective, what level do you count as?"

The two locked eyes, the tension thick in the air. Avee's gaze was piercing, devoid of the man he once was. Despite his lost memories, it was clear his tactical mind remained intact—he was sizing Enko up, analyzing the situation like a machine.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Enko's grin widened. "Just like you," he said, his voice dripping with irony, "also the weakest."

"So, it's true," Avee muttered, his hand flexing as the spikes twitched. "It's so straightforward."

Without another word, they collided again, both moving with blinding speed. The force of their clash sent shockwaves through the ruined building, debris scattering around them as their battle intensified. Enko's strikes were precise, calculated, each blow aimed at a vital spot that no longer mattered. Avee countered with brutal efficiency, his movements fluid, almost mechanical.

From a distance, Varian watched the fight unfold, his expression grim. The realization had dawned on him long before, but now it was crystallized in his mind—this was not a battle humans could interfere with. Not anymore.

Only monsters can deal with monsters.

Varian turned to the soldiers behind him, who stood frozen, unsure of what to do. "Don't waste the time Enko bought for us," he ordered, his voice sharp. "Continue retreating! This fight isn't for us."

...

The crowd scattered as the rain began to fall. Enko exhaled in relief—finally, the monster had halted.

Sure enough, as the rain hit, the creature froze, no longer pursuing.

Varian collapsed to his knees, his left arm pierced and blood pouring freely. "The 01 brigade... almost all gone..."

"Humans really can't fight monsters?" he muttered through gritted teeth, his frustration boiling over.

Enko, watching him, shared the same helpless feeling. It was Avee who had first suggested forming Kitsune, and now, it was Avee himself who was tearing it apart.

Today's events were hardly better than what Enko had seen in his dream. The same devastation.

"How are we supposed to fight that battle a month from now? Abandon Beiling City and run?"

Enko's thoughts darkened. "Even if we escape, then what? The only way to end this is to find 006, kill her, and stop this at its source."

...

In the dimly lit expanse of Minami's underground factory, Vex sat, steadily consuming her meal. Each bite was calculated, her plate filled with high-calorie dishes to keep her strength up. She ate slowly but continuously, never letting her mouth stay idle for long.

The sound of her phone ringing cut through the monotony.

"Hey?"

"Queen," came Avee's voice, direct as always.

"Ah... Avee, did you find those Nine-tailed Foxes?"

"Found."

Vex casually speared a piece of chocolate cake with her fork and brought it to her mouth.

"And how many did you kill?" she asked, her voice laced with indifference.

"345."

Keng.

The fork slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the plate, her entire body frozen in shock. For a moment, the whole world seemed to pause with her.

"How... how many?" she stammered.

"Eleven people ran away."

"Wait, are you telling me… you destroyed the entire Nine-tailed Fox brigade?!" Queen Bee's voice shot up, disbelief cracking through her usual calm.

This guy... Avee, alone, had wiped out the whole brigade.

Is a Guard Bee truly that powerful?

Glancing behind her, Vex's eyes locked onto the sharp thorns glinting in the shadows, symbols of her terrifying creations. Nine more Guard Bees were ready to be birthed from those spikes. She had braced herself for a prolonged war with the Kitsune, expecting resistance. But Avee had obliterated them.

Was Kitsune too weak? Or was Guard Bee just too strong?

Before she could process it further, Avee's voice came again from the phone.

"I found someone."

Vex's brow furrowed, irritation edging her voice. "Enko? Forget about him. Let him go."

"No," Avee said calmly. "I mean a woman."

Vex's fingers tightened around the phone. "A woman?" she repeated, her curiosity piqued.