Pratik carefully laid Mala on the black ground.
The darkness beneath gently swallowed her deeper.
[Pratik]: Rest there for some time.
He said it more to himself than to her.
She was still unconscious.
Pratik's eyes...
The black irises slowly turned emerald green.
The change had occurred the moment he activated Trigger 3.
He began walking toward Kalmish.
The Death Angels raised their bows and aimed their arrows at the Warden.
[Kalmish]: Seems like you've got a heart, kid.
[Pratik]: Doesn't matter. I'd rather say... not for you.
The moment Pratik stepped within a five-metre radius of Kalmish, the arrows were released.
In the very next instant, both Pratik and Kalmish vanished, cracking the black ground beneath them.
Their movements resembled two spheres revolving around each other in a helix, appearing and disappearing at impossible speeds.
The moment Kalmish spotted an opening, he struck.
It was an execution blow, one meant to end the fight instantly.
The impact hurled Pratik far away.
Yet...
He suffered barely any damage.
One of the Death Angels in the distance vanished instead.
Moments later, another angel emerged in its place.
Kalmish's eyes widened before he let out a carefree laugh.
[Kalmish]: That attack was meant to kill you, boy. You shouldn't have survived it.
[Pratik]: Yet I'm still alive... aren't I?
Pratik replied with a serious expression.
The smile faded from Kalmish's face.
[Pratik]: Don't misunderstand. I intentionally let you land that attack just to verify my technique. I had already seen through it a few moments earlier.
Pratik said, his emerald eyes widening slightly.
[Kalmish]: In that case... I shall fight you with my utmost efforts.
Kalmish lowered his stance.
The next moment, he burst forward.
Pratik sidestepped the attack effortlessly.
Waiting behind him...
...was a Death Angel.
The hidden angel released its arrow.
The projectile pierced straight through Kalmish's shoulder.
[Pratik]: Is it over already?
Pratik asked, his hollow green eyes staring directly at him.
[Kalmish]: Don't push your luck, kid.
Kalmish pulled the arrow out and threw it aside.
The wound regenerated almost instantly.
A white Aura began surrounding his body.
Continuous regeneration.
If Pratik wished to defeat him, he would have to destroy him faster than he could heal.
Both of them slowly began walking in circles, maintaining exactly five metres of distance between each other.
[Kalmish]: That girl is alive... right?
[Pratik]: You should hope so. Because if something happens to her...you'll pay a price far worse than death.
The ground exploded again.
Both disappeared.
Another violent clash.
Kalmish (thinking): That girl was powerful. I had to invoke a contract just to incapacitate her temporarily. But this boy...he's on another level. My Contract Power didn't work on him. That should be impossible.
For the first time in years...
Kalmish felt he was battling one of the strongest opponents he had ever encountered.
Pratik fought using Mala's martial arts.
Although he lacked formal combat experience, he had replicated her fighting style once before.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was enough to stand against an elite hand-to-hand combatant.
[Pratik]: Dark Punches Level 10!
Dark Energy Reserves coated both of Pratik's fists.
This time...
...the coating was different.
Two separate layers wrapped around each fist.
Even stranger—
Both layers rotated in opposite directions.
Near his knuckles, the rotating energy resembled the tip of a massive drill.
This was an application of something Krishna had taught him during the two-day training in the Dragon Empire.
A technique designed to drastically increase attack potency and penetration without placing the immense burden of activating multiple Range Shiftlings.
[Kalmish]: Contract 69A...Death Penalty.
Both lunged at each other.
Pratik moved first.
He effortlessly avoided Kalmish's Death Penalty strike before driving his reinforced fist into Kalmish's body.
The impact blasted the Warden backward.
Far away...
Another Death Angel disappeared.
A fresh one spawned immediately in its place.
Kalmish remained on the ground for only a brief moment.
Then...
He burst into laughter.
[Kalmish]: That was a dirty trick.I finally understand it.
Pratik continued walking toward him without replying.
[Kalmish]: Your Range Shiftling... It redirects all damage inflicted upon you to those puppet angels, doesn't it?
No wonder both my killing blow and Death Penalty were rendered useless.
His deduction was correct.
Death Penalty required no physical contact.
The punch itself had merely been a distraction.
The real attack activated the instant Pratik entered within five metres of Kalmish.
The contract had already targeted Pratik.
Yet...
Instead of dying—
An angel vanished.
The damage had been transferred.
Any attack directed toward Pratik...
...was redirected to a Death Angel instead.
No matter what concept or ability Kalmish used—
As long as the angels existed...
Pratik could neither be fatally wounded nor erased.
Kalmish immediately understood why this Range Shiftling was such a nightmare for fighters like him.
Pratik, however...
...didn't care in the slightest.
He calmly charged his fists with Dark Energy Reserves once again.
Then...
Kalmish's expression changed.
Something far worse had happened.
His Death Penalty...
...had been shut down.
Shadow Lord's Grave had completely analysed the Death Penalty Contract.
Since Kalmish activated the contract the very moment he entered the Range Shiftling, the technique had been under constant analysis ever since.
The contract was too complex to replicate.
So instead...
The Range Shiftling chose the other option.
Neutralization.
Inside Shadow Lord's Grave—
Death Penalty no longer functioned.
[Kalmish]: This is bad...One of my strongest abilities has been completely neutralized.
He said with a disappointed expression.
[Kalmish]: I guess...
I'll have to accept some assistance.
Kalmish coated both of his fists with white Aura.
Another exchange began.
A single collision.
Pratik suddenly coughed up blood.
His body staggered.
The attack had ruptured his internal organs.
At that very moment...
Pratik realised something.
His Range Shiftling...
...had been invaded.
[Kalmish]: It's a real shame I had to accept assistance.
"You should've ended the fight with your trump card if you cared about it that much."
A woman's voice echoed throughout the endless darkness.
Pratik's eyes narrowed.
A woman?
Kiara walked toward Kalmish from the darkness with an irritated expression, as if she had been inside the Range Shiftling all along.
[Kiara]: I was a little depressed that my charms didn't work on that boy. However...it seems I can still use my telepathy to mess with his brain.
The moment she finished speaking—
Another wave of blood burst from Pratik's mouth.
He bent forward, coughing violently.
His breathing grew heavier.
Pratik (thinking): Messed with my brain... I see...So she entered the Range Shiftling long ago...and only attacked my mind a moment ago.Now I understand everything.The reason I couldn't foresee the Warden's punch...it was because of her.
Pratik coughed more.
Pratik (thinking): My predictions weren't wrong. My mind was.
Kiara smiled triumphantly.
She gently blew Pratik another flying kiss.
Unlike before...
This time, Pratik didn't even bother reacting.
His attention remained fixed on both opponents.
One possessed overwhelming physical power.
The other could silently interfere with his thoughts.
For the first time since activating Shadow Lord's Grave...
Pratik had lost the absolute advantage.
The battlefield had changed.
His opponents had adapted.
And now...
The fight had truly begun.
Kiara looked at him with a playful smile.
[Kiara]: Looks like we've finally found your weakness.
Pratik slowly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His hollow green eyes remained emotionless.
He quietly tightened his fists.
The endless darkness trembled.
Far away...
The Death Angels drew their bows once again.
The enemies...
...had finally gained an advantage over Pratik.
To be continued...