Kyle slowly raised his fists.
His breathing was steady despite the dull ache spreading through his ribs.
The unconscious body of Mason lay several meters behind him, blood staining the cracked pavement.
The taller of the two newcomers glanced at Mason before clicking his tongue.
"What a disgrace."
"He actually lost to a Mid Rank One."
The shorter man chuckled.
"I told him not to underestimate rookies."
His gaze shifted back to Kyle.
"Looks like we'll have to clean up his mess."
Kyle remained silent.
His Perception spread instinctively.
The taller man...
High Rank One.
The shorter man...
High Rank One.
Both of them...
They're stronger than me.
The taller man rolled his shoulders.
Mana surged through his body.
His muscles visibly expanded as thick veins crawled across his arms.
Enhance.
Every step he took caused the ground beneath his feet to groan.
The shorter man calmly raised his right hand.
Blue mana gathered above his fingertips.
It compressed.
Smaller.
Denser.
Until it became a glowing sphere no larger than a marble.
Kyle's eyes narrowed.
Mana Bullet...
Again.
The taller man cracked his neck.
"You've already fought Mason for nearly five minutes."
"You've wasted plenty of mana."
The shooter smirked.
"You aren't walking away from this."
Kyle slowly exhaled.
"If you're done talking..."
"...come."
The Enhance user grinned savagely.
"I like a confident prey."
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath his feet.
He shot toward Kyle like a charging beast.
Kyle immediately raised Mana Guard.
The fist arrived.
BAAAANG!!
Kyle crossed both arms just in time.
The impact blasted him backward several meters.
His feet carved two deep trenches across the concrete before he barely regained his footing.
Heavy...
Much heavier than Mason.
Before Kyle could recover—
BANG!
A Mana Bullet screamed toward his chest.
Kyle twisted.
The projectile grazed his shoulder before exploding behind him.
Concrete fragments rained through the alley.
The Enhance user appeared again.
Another punch.
Kyle ducked.
The fist smashed through a brick wall.
Chunks of stone exploded in every direction.
Kyle answered with a hook toward the man's ribs.
The Enhance user didn't bother defending.
His body absorbed the blow before his elbow slammed toward Kyle's head.
Kyle barely leaned away.
Even so...
The wind pressure alone stung his cheek.
He's sacrificing defense for overwhelming offense...
The shooter never stopped attacking.
Mana Bullets flew from every angle.
Kyle was forced to dodge continuously while exchanging blows with the Enhance user.
One moment—
He blocked a punch.
The next—
He twisted around a Mana Bullet.
Then another.
Another.
Another.
The alley became a battlefield.
Walls cracked.
Windows shattered.
Dust swallowed the surroundings.
Kyle's breathing gradually became heavier.
His Mana Guard flickered each time it absorbed an attack.
This isn't good...
They're giving me no room to breathe.
The Enhance user laughed.
"What's wrong?"
"I thought you were tough!"
He swung another devastating punch.
Kyle bent backward.
The fist narrowly missed his face—
BOOM!
Instead, it smashed into the wall behind him, collapsing half of it.
Kyle seized the opening.
His knee slammed upward into the man's stomach.
The giant staggered one step.
Only one.
Kyle frowned.
His physique...
It's almost as strong as mine.
He must be a high level rank one in body cultivation
Another Mana Bullet came.
Kyle jumped sideways.
The glowing projectile shot past his shoulder.
Instead of striking Kyle—
It slammed directly into the Enhance user's arm.
BOOM!
The explosion tore open his sleeve, leaving behind a bloody wound.
The giant froze.
"...Huh?"
The shooter blinked.
"...Sorry!"
Kyle's eyes flashed.
Friendly fire...
Interesting.
A small smile appeared on his face.
Perhaps...
This fight wasn't as hopeless as it first seemed.
The Enhance user’s eyes burned with rage.
He slowly turned toward his companion.
“You hit me.”
The shooter raised both hands.
“I said I was sorry!”
“It was an accident!”
Kyle calmly rolled his shoulders.
Good…
They’re already losing their rhythm.
The Enhance user snorted.
“Watch your aim this time.”
Then he charged again.
BOOM!
The ground split beneath his feet.
Kyle met him head-on.
BANG!
Their fists collided.
A violent shockwave swept through the alley.
Kyle was thrown backward.
The Enhance user only slid a single step.
Before Kyle could regain his balance…
BANG!
A Mana Bullet exploded against his Mana Guard.
The shield trembled violently.
Kyle felt his mana drain again.
Another bullet.
Another.
Another.
He dashed through the storm of glowing projectiles, weaving between explosions.
The Enhance user appeared directly in front of him.
A massive fist descended.
Kyle crossed his arms.
BOOOM!!
The impact blasted him into a broken wall.
Chunks of concrete buried his legs.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
His ribs screamed in pain.
“So this is all you’ve got?”
The giant laughed.
“You should’ve handed over your money.”
Kyle wiped the blood from his lips.
Instead of answering…
He smiled.
The giant frowned.
“What are you smiling at?”
Kyle disappeared.
The giant’s pupils shrank.
Fast!
Kyle slipped behind him.
The shooter immediately reacted.
A Mana Bullet shot toward Kyle.
Kyle sidestepped at the last possible instant.
BOOM!
The bullet struck the Enhance user’s shoulder.
Blood splashed into the air.
“You idiot!”
The giant roared.
“I said watch your aim!”
Kyle didn’t give either of them time to recover.
He attacked relentlessly.
A left hook.
A knee.
An elbow.
The Enhance user answered with overwhelming strength.
Each punch carried enough force to crack the ground.
Kyle blocked some.
Dodged others.
The ones he couldn’t avoid slammed into his Mana Guard, steadily draining the little mana he had left.
His breathing grew heavier.
His vision blurred for an instant.
I’m running low…
The shooter smiled.
“He’s almost out!”
The Enhance user grinned viciously.
“Then let’s finish this!”
Mana surged through his body once more.
His muscles swelled even further.
He gathered every ounce of strength into his right fist.
Kyle saw it.
A full-power punch…
Instead of retreating…
He rushed forward.
The shooter frowned.
“What is he doing?”
Kyle threw a punch toward the giant’s face.
The giant ignored it completely.
His fist continued forward.
Exactly as Kyle expected.
At the final instant…
Kyle twisted his body.
The giant’s devastating punch missed him by inches.
Behind Kyle…
The shooter froze.
His eyes widened in horror.
“Wai—”
He instinctively raised Mana Guard.
A transparent barrier appeared before him.
Too late.
BOOOOOOM!!
The Enhance user’s fist smashed into the barrier.
Cracks spread across it instantly.
CRACK!!
The Mana Guard shattered.
The fist continued forward without losing momentum.
It crashed directly into the shooter’s chest.
A sickening sound echoed through the alley.
KRAAAK!!
Several ribs snapped.
The shooter spat out blood.
His body was blasted several meters into the air, spinning helplessly before crashing through a pile of broken concrete.
He bounced across the ground and lay motionless.
The Enhance user stared in disbelief.
“…No…”
“My punch…”
Kyle was already moving.
His left foot planted firmly on the ground.
His body spun with explosive speed.
Every muscle in his waist, hips and legs released their stored power.
SPINNING HEEL KICK!!
BOOOOOOM!!
Kyle’s heel crashed into the side of the giant’s skull.
The impact exploded like thunder.
The giant’s neck twisted violently.
His enormous body lifted completely off the ground.
One meter…
Two…
Three…
He spun through the air before crashing headfirst into the street.
BAAAANG!!
The pavement caved inward.
Dust billowed everywhere.
His body bounced once before collapsing heavily onto the broken road.
Silence.
Kyle remained standing.
His chest rose and fell violently.
His Mana Guard faded away.
His reserves were almost empty.
His knuckles were split open.
Bruises covered his arms.
His ribs burned with every breath.
He looked at the three unconscious members of the Void Serpents.
“…Master was right.”
“Real battles…”
“…are nothing like training.”
Kyle took one last look around the ruined alley before turning and disappearing into the streets.
He never noticed the pair of eyes watching everything from the rooftop of a distant building.