Zael turned calmly afterward and began walking away.
He had already lost interest.
To him, Ben Grimms was nothing more than an arrogant teenager intoxicated by a Legendary-grade awakening and a little fame.
Not worth another second of attention.
But unfortunately—
Ben didn't think the same way.
Humiliation.
Fear.
The terrified expressions from the surrounding people.
The fact that he had fallen on the ground in front of Seraphina—
All of it burned through his mind like acid.
And worst of all—
Zael had looked down on him.
Not even with arrogance.
But with pure indifference.
That shattered whatever restraint Ben still had.
"YOU BASTARD!"
BOOM!
Mana exploded violently from Ben's body as he lunged forward suddenly.
Flames erupted around his fist while powerful light-element energy condensed rapidly.
Several nearby pedestrians screamed and scattered instantly.
Someone even shouted:
"He's attacking!"
But Ben no longer cared.
At this moment, rage completely overtook his reason.
His fist shot toward the back of Zael's head at terrifying speed.
A direct kill strike.
Clearly—
He intended to cripple Zael at minimum.
Or worse.
Yet—
Zael didn't even turn around immediately.
Only when the attack entered striking distance did he finally move.
Too fast.
Far too fast.
Ben's eyes widened violently.
Because in one instant—
Zael vanished.
Void Step.
Then—
CRACK.
A hand suddenly grabbed Ben's wrist mid-attack with absurd force.
The impact alone shattered the surrounding pavement beneath them.
Ben's expression twisted instantly.
"What—?!"
Before he could react—
Zael turned halfway and looked at him coldly over his shoulder.
"You attacked first."
His voice carried no emotion whatsoever.
Then—
BOOM.
Zael casually swung Ben downward.
The Legendary-grade awakener smashed into the ground so hard the concrete cratered instantly beneath him.
The entire station entrance shook violently.
Ben coughed blood immediately.
His mind blanked from the impact.
Yet before he could even scream—
Zael's knee slammed into his stomach.
BANG.
The shockwave blasted outward across the station entrance.
Ben's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets as all air left his lungs instantly.
Then came the final blow.
Zael raised one hand calmly.
Void energy condensed silently around his fingers.
Not even a full skill.
Just a fragment of force.
Then—
He flicked downward.
CRASH!!!
Ben's body shot across the station entrance like a broken missile, tearing through barriers, smashing into a distant transport pillar before collapsing amidst twisted metal and debris.
Silence.
Absolute silence filled the area afterward.
Everyone stared blankly.
The two girls from high school looked utterly horrified.
Seraphina herself stood frozen completely.
Because the battle—
No.
The slaughter—
Ended too quickly.
Too overwhelmingly.
Ben Grimms—
A famous Legendary-grade awakener from one of the capital's elite universities—
Didn't even survive three exchanges.
Meanwhile Zael simply adjusted his sleeve calmly afterward.
Not even breathing harder.
Then his indifferent gaze landed briefly on the half-conscious Ben lying amidst the wreckage.
"You should learn something."
His voice echoed quietly through the stunned station.
"There will always be someone stronger than you."
Then without another glance—
Zael turned and walked away beneath the countless shocked stares surrounding him.
As Zael walked away, a voice called out behind him, trembling slightly.
"How…" Seraphina's words faltered. "…how did you get so strong?"
Zael's lips curved faintly, a hint of mockery threading through his calm tone. "Guess you didn't stick around for the rest of the story. How would you know?"
"Zael… um… I know you hate me," she began cautiously, her voice soft, tentative.
He cut her off abruptly, his voice cold and measured, carrying a faint edge of disdain. "First of all, why would I hate you?"
"Because I left…"
"Oh, that," Zael said lightly, almost dismissively, his tone calm but carrying subtle pride. "Well, I'd hardly call it hate. Saying that makes it sound like I even thought about you. Truth is—I didn't."
Seraphina's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting as if to protest.
"Zael, please…" she began again, voice trembling with a mix of fear and hesitation, "…don't be like this. Alright, I know I hurt you, but you still don't have to be like this…"
Zael's gaze remained forward, unreadable and detached, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips.
The tension hung in the air as the rain-slick streets reflected the neon lights of the city, and Zael's steps carried him forward—calm, composed, almost untouchable.
"Hurt me??" Zael's voice was calm, cold, edged with a faint trace of mockery as"he spoke without even looking at her. Yeah… maybe for like two days. Nothing more than that."
Seraphina's lips trembled as she tried to speak, her tone a mixture of regret and frustration. "I know you're angry, Zael. And you should be… but notwithstanding, we were in love once…"
Zael didn't turn around. His tone remained steady, almost surgical in its detachment. "We… thinking back now, I was in love—not we. I was crazy for you. Not the other way around. You took one look at my first talent and decided I wasn't good enough. Within a few days, you were already with him." He gestured briefly toward Ben, still sprawled on the ground, conscious but visibly shaken.
"So don't come here acting like nothing happened, or that we parted on good terms." Zael concluded sharply and started walking away.
Seraphina's voice came, fragile and almost lost, "But… I wasn't wrong. I'm an Epic-grade professional… how could I end up with a Common-grade professional?"
Zael stopped at the curb, opening the door of a waiting taxi without turning to face her. His tone was icy, measured, yet laced with quiet, restrained pride. "So what changed? I'm still that Common-grade awakener you threw away. So please… don't appear in front of men again."
He stepped inside, the taxi door shutting with a soft click.
Then, as the engine roared to life and the vehicle began to glide off, he called back over his shoulder, his voice calm, almost amused, carrying that subtle edge of authority that made everyone near feel it:
"By the way… I'd leave this place immediately if I were you. Else… you'd surely go viral. Except it won't be for the nicest of reasons."
The taxi disappeared into the neon-lit streets, leaving Seraphina frozen in place, a mixture of disbelief and unease flickering across her features.