The two warriors surged toward each other in the midnight sky, the wind howling fiercely across the ancient rooftops.
Duan Thiet's gargantuan hammer radiated a violent crimson glow, the sphere of energy at its head swelling until it resembled a miniature, dying sun. Meanwhile, Van Thien lunged forward, his arm pulsing with a steady, cyan light. The distance between them closed to mere meters.
Duan Thiet roared, "Iron Breaker — Red Impact!"
The hammer descended.
KABOOM!
The moment the two primal forces collided, a titanic shockwave erupted, completely disintegrating the roof beneath their feet. Tiles, timber, and bricks were hurled into the air like shrapnel, and the entire row of ancient houses shuddered violently.
Down on the street, dozens of car alarms wailed in a chaotic symphony; stray dogs barked incessantly at the unseen thunder above. Within the thick shroud of dust, a brilliant cyan light flared. Van Thien was holding the massive hammer back with a single hand, cyan circuits of energy racing down his arm. But this time, the pressure was far greater than before—deep cracks began to spider-web across the roof under his boots.
Duan Thiet let out a manic laugh. "Hahaha! Impressive! Now... how about THIS!"
He leaned into the strike, pouring more weight into the hammer. The weapon groaned with the sound of stressed metal as the red energy surged higher. Van Thien's arm trembled slightly, and the necklace around his neck flickered with frantic urgency. Thien narrowed his eyes; he felt something within him clawing to be released. If this continued, he might lose control.
Van Thien took a sharp breath. Then—
BOOM!
A concentrated burst of cyan energy exploded from his body, the sheer pressure forcing the hammer backward. Duan Thiet was thrown back several paces, the tiles crumbling to dust beneath his feet as he stabilized himself.
He stared at Van Thien, his red eyes blazing with predatory excitement. "Ha... Hahaha! Exactly what I expected!"
He spun the hammer twice, the crimson glow slowly fading from the metal. "I suppose that's enough for today."
Van Thien stood his ground, the light on his arm gradually receding into his skin. "Are you planning to run?"
Duan Thiet glanced at him sideways. "Run? Hahaha!" He tilted his head. "Of course not. It's just... I still have business to attend to. I can't afford to spend all night playing with you."
Van Thien eyed him coldly. "Business?"
The commander flashed a silent, eerie grin. "I can't tell you that just yet. But you'll find out soon enough." He pointed his hammer toward Thien. "I've taken a liking to you, Van Thien. To be honest, this is the first time I've encountered an opponent like you."
He turned away, resting the massive hammer on his shoulder, and spoke without looking back. "We will meet again. When that time comes... I will go all out."
As he finished speaking, his body began to emit a soft red light. A teleportation device hummed behind him, tearing the fabric of space into a swirling vortex of energy. Duan Thiet stepped backward into the rift, giving one last cold smirk before vanishing.
"Keep yourself alive. I still want to hunt you a few more times."
SWISH.
The energy gate collapsed, and the night sky returned to its silent state. Only the wind remained, whistling through the ruined rooftops. Van Thien stood alone in the wreckage, exhaling slowly. The light from his necklace finally died out, leaving his arm feeling numb from the impact of the hammer.
"Troublesome," he muttered.
He looked down at the street. Fortunately, the battle had only destroyed a few old roofs, and the residents below were still confused about what had happened. He could hear the murmurs of neighbors waking up. Van Thien leaped down from the roof into the dark alley behind the hotel, the sound of barking dogs echoing through the block.
He brushed the dust off his shirt and grumbled under his breath, "Time to buy that water... or Minh won't stop nagging me."
A few minutes later, he walked into a small convenience store near the hotel, purchasing two bottles of water as if nothing had happened.