BOOM!
An explosive sound shook the air. The burly man who'd beaten me to a pulp charged with a devastating punch the moment I declared war. But this time I'm not the same Rift anymore! I leaped into the air, barely dodging that colossal fist. Its destructive power was so massive the ground below caved into a crater! This guy... is probably the most dangerous one in this group.
Besides him, there were two others who hadn't revealed their abilities yet. But that fat loan shark... definitely nothing to fear. I glimpsed his Soul Rift still clearly open at his knee, meaning he hadn't sealed his spiritual power yet.
If that's the case... I can save him for last! I pretended to charge toward the loan shark immediately, but it was actually just a feint. And it worked! One of the two unknowns rushed to block my path, just as expected!
I stopped abruptly, switching targets to the other guy still standing motionless. "Whoosh!" Using the speed I'd trained, I attacked him in a flash!
"So fast!" he exclaimed in shock, but was still quick enough to draw a several-meter-long sword to defend against my attack. Not letting the opportunity slip, I used the technique Sin had just taught me yesterday - deflecting his long sword aside with my short sword, creating an opening, then ruthlessly slashing at his body!
Slice!
My short sword's blade cut through his body! I dragged the sword down hard, hoping to tear him in half!
But then... that body dissolved into a mass of water and scattered away!
"What the hell?! What's happening?!" I didn't stay shocked long. The first guy who'd blocked me took advantage of my lost focus, charging in to kick me square in the back!
Ugh!
My body flew several meters away. Before I could steady myself, the burly man leaped after me, hoping to finish me off!
But the short sword in my hand still did its job! I raised it to block just in time! The tremendous shock and impact made the ground beneath my feet crack and cave in again! I tried to deflect the sword's direction, using the moment he was off-balance from his attack to coat my blade with a small amount of controllable lightning power and slash out an energy wave!
He twisted away barely in time. I didn't let the opportunity escape, using that moment to spring back with a kick aimed at his stomach! But he still managed to raise both arms to block it! Tough as hell!
I glanced at the man who'd blocked me earlier. He was doing something... casting a spell? Or summoning something? Suddenly a thought flashed through my mind... I figured it out! That's why those two guys looked so similar!
Soon enough, another water clone formed from thin air and charged straight at me! Is this Shadow-type power? No... if it were really that type, it should be summoned animals. Or maybe it's Forma type that can shapeshift, or some kind of bizarre spiritual power fusion!
"Screw it!" I shouted angrily, not caring what kind of power it was anymore! I hurled my short sword with full force! The blade shot through that water clone's body, making it dissolve again!
Using that moment, I moved at maximum speed my body could manage, chasing after the sword I'd thrown even faster than before! I caught it mid-air, spun with the form Sin had taught me, then stabbed straight into the real body of that clone-maker!
Swoosh! Slice!
But then... that body also dissolved into water again! Damn it! Does that mean that was another clone?! Where the hell is his real body?! I quickly scanned left and right. The moment I turned right, I saw the burly man standing in position far away, his fist radiating a terrifyingly intense red energy aura!
What is he about to do?!
"ZERO... ABSOLUTE!!!" He shouted some strange technique name! But what made me barely believe my own eyes was the energy condensed at his fist! It was more violent and terrifying than anything I'd ever seen in my life!
BOOOOM!
The moment that massive energy was about to explode, I glimpsed the real bodies of the clone-maker and that bastard loan shark from the corner of my eye! They were hiding behind the burly man's body! Those cowards! When did they sneak over there? I didn't notice at all!
With the tremendous impact and massive wind force from the burly man's attack, the entire straight area in front of him was completely destroyed! Including me... who got blasted away hundreds of meters by the explosion! Trees in the area crashed down everywhere!
The area that used to be dense forest had now become a huge deep trench stretching as far as the eye could see... the destructive force he released was way too intense!
"So powerful!" I coughed up blood. "But lucky it was a long-range attack... so I'm not dead yet," I muttered to myself, trying to reassess all their power levels. This isn't child's play anymore.
I quickly steadied myself, using the smoke clouds still drifting throughout the area to try finding an opportunity for another assassination attempt.
I broke through the thick smoke curtain swiftly, hoping to finish off someone before they could get their bearings. But they... were gone! Where did they disappear to?! I looked around frantically, sensing something abnormal.
"Watch your back!" The deep voice of that burly man rang out from behind me... in the air!
"What the hell?!" I exclaimed in shock. Before I could even turn around or steady myself, instinct screamed of approaching danger! I could only wonder when they'd vanished into the sky!