The sudden, chilling aura radiating from Tiger's body caused goosebumps to break out across Vincent's skin. The Ten Shadows member from The Abyss Glosum faction instinctively stepped back with one foot—a rare defensive reflex he rarely ever showed in front of a dying prey.
"Smirking? At the edge of your own death?" Vincent hissed, trying to conceal the ripples of unease gnawing at his pride. He slammed his right hand downward once more, forcing his Gravity Wall to operate beyond its maximum limit to crush Tiger's head entirely. "Don't bluff, Tiger! Crawl beneath my feet!"
Boommm!
The massive gravitational pressure slammed into a five-meter radius around them, causing the ground to cave in and form a small crater. Thick dust and stone fragments from The Whispering Ruins flew into the air, obscuring vision. Vincent smiled smugly, confident that his latest attack had shattered every single inch of his opponent's ribcage.
However, amidst the thick cloud of dust, a low chuckle echoed. It wasn't the sound of a man enduring pain, but rather the satisfied laughter of a predator that had successfully cornered its quarry.
Vincent narrowed his eyes, trying to pierce through the slowly thinning veil of dust before him. There, Tiger's silhouette lay helplessly over the shattered, broken stone floor. A victorious smile bloomed on Vincent's lips; he felt he had won everything.
Yet before that dismissive laugh could fully escape, a sharp whistle pierced the air—far too fast for the human eye to track.
Sret!
Vincent reacted with his predatory instincts, leaping backward with all his might. But he was a fraction of a second too late. A thin red line was scratched directly beneath his eyelid, followed by a trickle of warm, fresh blood running down his cheek.
Vincent froze. His breath caught in his throat. He stared blankly at the spot where Tiger had just been lying. The silhouette he had seen was nothing more than an illusion. The fallen body slowly disintegrated into scattering dust, swept away by the cold wind of The Whispering Ruins.
"How is this possible... what on earth did you do, Tiger?" Vincent muttered, his voice now trembling, stripping away the arrogance he had boasted just a second ago.
Zing!
A deafening whir cut through the atmosphere of The Whispering Ruins. Void Fang—the jagged black blade now groaned, spinning wildly like a top in mid-air, emitting a menacing aura of darkness.
Vincent jerked, turning his head sharply backward.
Tiger stood there, completely silent. He offered no answers in words; he let Void Fang do the talking. The whirring sound of the blade became the sole instrument of death, making one thing clear: conversation was no longer necessary. The game was over.
Inside the arena of The Silent Stage, the fight had turned into a brutal execution. Regon no longer fought with tactics; he beat Gopis without mercy. Every punch from Regon slammed into his giant opponent's muscles with a dull thud that sent tremors rippling through the concrete floor. In the stands, a handful of bloodthirsty spectators screamed hysterically, transfixed by the horrifying sight.
"How dare you finish off my soldiers!" Regon roared. He unleashed a barrage of punches with both hands, hammering Gopis's body, which was now beginning to look overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, in a dark corner of the arena, Mira and Kacuk struggled to haul Black's limp body toward the back exit.
"We have to go this way," Mira whispered, her eyes scanning the corridor relentlessly. "I sense the aura of a PETERUMMAN captain at the front gate. They're targeting Black's life!"
In her panic, Mira pressed close against Kacuk. The hurried panting from her chest brushed directly against Kacuk's arm, causing the old mechanic—even in a life-or-death situation—to momentarily lose focus.
Mira noticed the mischievous gaze and glared at him sharply. "You seriously picked the worst time for this!" she hissed.
Kacuk, the bald middle-aged man, cleared his throat loudly to cover up his embarrassment. He quickly averted his gaze, his face flushing with a mix of shame and panic. "Don't nag right now, Mira! Focus! We need to hurry before they pick up our trail!"
Yet, something felt amiss. Every blow that tore through Gopis's skin did not make him retreat or tremble. Instead, he met every punch from Regon with a faint smirk, as if he were deliberately provoking his opponent to unleash his full power.
Regon, infuriated that his opponent refused to go down, decided to end the fight. He pulled both arms far back; his wrists began to glow with a deep crimson aura that scorched the air.
"Hyaaaaaa! Death Palm!"
Regon slammed both palms directly against Gopis's chest. A deafening sonic boom of energy echoed through the space. Gopis coughed up a massive mouthful of fresh blood before his body was hurled 20 feet away, crashing violently into the arena wall and smashing it to pieces.
Regon took a deep breath, feeling victory was finally his. He turned around arrogantly, preparing to pursue Black, who had already vanished from the corner of the arena.
However, before he could even take a step, the atmosphere inside The Silent Stage suddenly thickened. The air vibrated violently, causing the bones in Regon's body to creak.
Regon spun around rapidly. There, Gopis had risen.
No longer a 2.5-meter giant, he was transforming in a horrifying fashion. His bones crunched and popped, his flesh expanding like dough swelling with forbidden magic. Within seconds, the figure rocketed upward, reaching a height of 9 meters and shattering the roof of The Silent Stage as though the concrete ceiling were nothing more than a sheet of paper. The dark-skinned giant now looked down, grinning with fangs sharp enough to tear through steel.
Outside the arena, Vincent—locked in combat against Tiger—suddenly shuddered. He felt a fiercely familiar, deadly aura. Gopis wasn't just some wild monster; he was a fellow member of the Ten Shadows who should have been hunting Black alongside him.
"That stupid giant... he forgot his assignment!" Vincent grumbled angrily. His eyes flashed with fury. Wasting no time, he began chanting a high-level spell, preparing to deliver a finishing blow.
Tiger, who had been bracing to charge forward, suddenly held back. The shockwave from Gopis's transformation created a sudden burst of atmospheric pressure that cracked the ground beneath their feet, forcing both Tiger and Vincent to sink their boots deeper into the earth to maintain their balance.
What started as a hunt focused on Black had now transformed into a massive disaster threatening to tear the entire stadium apart.
From a distance, Lina pulled the arm of the old woman wrapped in tattered cloth, forcing her away from the epicenter of chaos. Her trembling fingers quickly pressed the comms button on her wrist.
"Tiger, listen to me! Fall back right now before the situation there gets completely out of hand!" Lina urged, her breathing ragged.
Static crackled, followed by Tiger's heavy, wheezing breath. "You just go, Lina. I have to get Black. I won't let him go, even if it costs me my life."
"Idiot! Stop acting reckless and think about your own life!" Lina yelled, but only dead buzzing answered her.
Click.
The call disconnected. Lina stood frozen, staring at the hologram screen as it faded to dim. Anger and anxiety raged in her chest. "How dare he... How dare you hang up on me, Tiger!"