Eddie had a unique way of using qi—truth be told, it was the only way he could use it at all.
Unlike other Paragons, who could advance by learning arts or qi-related skills that helped them grow stronger, Eddie was different.
At the beginning of his evolution, he discovered that while he could store qi, he was unable to manipulate it the way others did.
Paragons could direct qi through their bodies, moving it into their limbs, strengthening their attacks, or sharpening their senses. Eddie, however, could never do such a thing, no matter how hard he tried.
Because of this, he found it almost impossible to learn traditional arts or master techniques tied to qi.
To most people, this flaw meant Eddie was doomed to stagnation, forever stuck at the edge of his potential. But that changed when he crossed paths with Lucius—the man who had shown him a way around his limits.
Through relentless training and countless failures, Eddie finally uncovered a method that worked for him. He forged an art that matched his strange ability, and he named it simply: the Booster.
While other Paragons used qi to enhance their strength, sharpen their reflexes, or expand their senses, Eddie used his for one purpose alone—to accelerate.
He learned how to channel all his stored qi into bursts that propelled his body forward, like rockets igniting beneath his skin, driving him with explosive force.
Eddie could apply the Booster to any part of his body—legs, arms, even his head—so long as the joint allowed movement.
With this strange art, he moved at an incredible speed, far faster than what most Paragons at his stage could dream of.
Now, with his eyes locked onto Alex, Eddie launched forward like a cannonball, qi bursting through his limbs. At the same moment, he swung his fist, the Booster driving it with even more force.
Alex reacted in desperation. With a quick flash of thought, his battle axe materialized, heavy and sharp, and he swung it upward to meet Eddie head-on.
The clash happened in the center of the hallway.
Bang!
A shockwave burst out from the impact, rippling through the corridor with such power it rattled the walls.
The force slammed into Alex, shoving him back until his body smacked against the wall. Eddie, on the other hand, was blasted further down the hallway, all the way back toward its entrance.
He wasn't injured—but he was stunned. His eyes narrowed in disbelief as he steadied himself.
"What kind of weapon is that?" he muttered, staring at the axe.
Meanwhile, Alex pushed himself away from the wall, his chest heaving as he gathered his breath. With a sharp snap of his fingers, the axe that had clattered to the floor shivered, then whipped back into his hand.
"Look at that… Your faction must have really valued you to hand you such a weapon," Eddie said with a cold grin. "I'll simply add it to my house's collection. I'm sure Lucius would enjoy having something like this."
'Should I use the bloodline on the weapon?' Alex wondered. 'Will it end up like the last one?'
Before he could decide, Eddie's furious cry cut through his thoughts. The man shot forward again, Booster flaring, each step rattling the hallway tiles.
This time Alex didn't hurl his axe ahead. Instead, he braced himself, gripping the weapon tight, and charged as well.
Their paths collided, Eddie's fist cocked back for a crushing blow. Alex, unable to keep pace with the sheer speed, did something else—something instinctive.
He passed straight through Eddie's body like a ghost.
Eddie froze mid-strike, his fist cutting through empty air. His eyes widened as he twisted around, searching for Alex. That was when he felt it—something slamming into his back, a sharp force that made his body lurch forward.
"What…?" Eddie gasped, staggering. His head snapped around. "How are there two of you?"
For the first time, confusion cracked his confidence. He truly couldn't explain what his eyes were seeing.
At each end of the hallway stood Alex. One held an axe, the other gripped something that looked like a gun. Alex had split himself using his astral body—his only way of evading Eddie's attack.
The Alex who had slipped past Eddie now carried the guns, while the original still clutched his axe.
"Look at this…" Eddie muttered, narrowing his eyes.
"This must be some illusion. Is that your way out of this?" he asked with a sharp grin.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I can still take on two of you. I just have to go for the original."
He lunged, aiming straight at the Alex who hadn't moved.
'This must be the original,' Eddie thought.
Meanwhile, Alex wasn't standing idle. He swung the axe in a heavy arc as Eddie closed in.
The axe's sharp edge met Eddie's fist with a deafening crash. The impact forced Alex back, sending him stumbling as the axe flew from his grip.
Eddie didn't stop there. His body twisted smoothly, and he followed through with a vicious kick.
'I can't let that kick connect… if it does, the astral body will be destroyed,' Alex thought in panic.
[Swap]
Eddie's kick landed, but instead of breaking bone, it passed clean through Alex's body like a ghost. The strike slammed into the wall behind, shattering it into pieces.
Alex had switched places at the last moment, using his swap skill on the astral body.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
While Eddie was still caught in confusion, multiple qi-condensed bullets tore through the air and struck him from behind.
"Arghhh!" Eddie grunted, his body jerking from the impact. With a sudden leap, he twisted mid-air and crashed a fist into the ground.
The floor cracked. A wall of air and dust shot upward, shielding him from the incoming fire.
With a loud bang, Eddie dashed straight toward the astral body. His speed was a blur, unstoppable.
But Alex didn't let up. From the gun's barrel, more glowing bullets screamed through the air, forcing Eddie to weave as he closed the gap.
At the same time, the real Alex—the one with the axe—called his weapon back into his grip.
[Swap]
Swapping again, Alex returned to his body and hurled the axe at Eddie.
By that time, Eddie was already standing on the astral body, which had stopped firing. He raised his hands to strike, but before he could swing, Alex's axe plunged into Eddie's back.
Blood poured out.
"Arghhh!" Eddie screamed.
At the far end of the hall, Alex reached out with one hand. Immediately, the axe ripped free from Eddie's back and flew straight into Alex's grip.
More blood streamed from Eddie's wound.
'I'm... going to kill you!' Eddie bellowed.
He planted his foot and, with a thunderous stomp, drove his heel into the floor.
Boom!
Shockwaves radiated through the hallway, shaking dust from the ceiling.
But that wasn't all—cracks began to spider out across the floor. Immediately, Alex could tell what was coming next.
'Shit... if I get hit, the astral body will be destroyed,' Alex panicked. Immediately, his astral body bolted toward the entrance of the hallway, desperate to escape.
But it was too late. Eddie followed his stomp with a devastating punch to the ground.
The concrete beneath them shattered, and the entire floor of the hallway collapsed. Alex, his astral body, and Eddie all plummeted down into the level below.
They landed hard in a vast open hall. It resembled an ancient throne room, its scale massive and imposing.
Towering pillars rose from the ground to hold up the ceiling above, and every surface glowed faintly with a golden-yellow light. Strange, intricate drawings were etched across the walls and pillars, their patterns shifting with an almost divine radiance.
Alex's astral body struck the floor awkwardly and was destroyed on impact, vanishing in an instant.
'Shit...!' Alex grunted.
He tried to push himself back up, but before he could, a sharp sound split the air—Bang!
His leg buckled. Pain surged through him as blood spilled freely. He looked down to see a near hole torn clean through his leg.
Looking further away, Alex saw that Eddie had already recovered from the fall. He wasn't looking so well either, but he still stood firmer, steadier, doing far better than Alex was.
In Eddie's hands were chunks of stone, torn from the shattered concrete above.
Alex frowned, uncertain of their purpose—until Eddie suddenly swung his arm.
Bang!
The stone shot forward like a bullet, smashing into Alex's stomach. It didn't pierce his suit, but the crushing force made him feel as though every organ inside his body had been squeezed flat. His breath escaped in a painful grunt, and his vision blurred.
With the wound on his leg, Alex could barely move.
Crack!
Another stone struck his shoulder, almost tearing it from its socket.
'shit... my arm...,' Alex cried inwardly, teeth clenched against the pain.
'I should have used the Bloodline. What was I thinking—being pitiful on him,' Alex cursed himself.
He stretched out his trembling hand, summoning the axe. Buried beneath the debris, the weapon responded, vibrating with power before tearing free. It whistled through the air and rushed toward Alex's grip.
Seeing this, Eddie hurled another stone.
It struck Alex's hand before the axe could reach him, sending the weapon clattering to the floor just beside him. Now Alex lay on his back, eyes locked on Eddie as the man advanced.
"You have proven to be quite the trouble… The old man says you're stubborn—bent on not letting you learn anything of this evolution world," Eddie said, his voice low and deliberate as he walked slowly toward Alex.
The wound at his back was still bleeding, soaking his clothes in dark crimson. Yet he ignored the pain, his gaze burning down at Alex with cold fury.
" However, somehow you managed to learn about this world. Not only that—you've grown your power. You've mastered skills I've never seen before… and wield weapons with incredible traits," Eddie continued, tightening his grip on the stone.
"It's quite unfortunate your journey ends here. Don't feel bad—trust me, you're not the first Paragon to meet such an end."
Eddie paused, smirking as his eyes narrowed.
"Oh… and as for your mother, I'll make sure she doesn't feel lonely. Or heartbroken. Not after you're gone."
Alex's eyes flared. His voice rose in a growl.
"Alright… now that's where you crossed the line," he said. "Now I won't feel bad butchering you—like I did to your friend."
[Bloodline Activated]
[Your injuries have been healed by 30%]