"Howard, why—why did you come here!"
Howard Zhang roared, but I immediately shoved him aside. With a swift motion, I drew Hell's Sentinel. With a metallic clang, I shouted in anger.
"Ghostworm..."
"Ethan Zhang..."
With a thunderous crash, black fiendish energy wrapped around my entire body. I shouted, gripping Hell's Sentinel in both hands, blocking Brother Owen's monk staff. A powerful force tried to push me back. Howard sat on the ground, stunned, watching.
"Howard, if you want to complain, do it when we get back. Yell at me, curse me, sit down and have a drink—I'll listen to you gripe as long as you want."
I roared, then immediately unleashed a pitch-black ghost thread.
"Zhang Hao, get over here..."
Brother Owen shouted, and suddenly, a black venomous worm flew toward Howard.
"Don't even think about it..."
With several swift slashes, the fiendish energy on my skin instantly turned into wind blades, slicing the venomous worm into pieces.
"Get up, Howard, get up! Follow my specter web..."
I shouted. Howard roared, stood up, and ran, following my black specter web.
"Ethan..."
I let out a cry, glanced sideways at Howard, and a smile appeared at the corner of my mouth.
"I'm not the same anymore. The me now is nothing like before. Ghostworm, you'll never—never take over Howard's body!"
With a thunderous boom, the ground around us erupted, fiendish energy pouring out in waves. I roared, shoving Ghostworm back, then raised Hell's Sentinel, and with my right hand drew Ghost Eagle, charging at Ghostworm.
Howard was already far ahead, running along my specter web. I felt relieved for a moment.
"Ghostworm, today either you die or I do. You won't take Howard from me!"
I roared, gunshots echoing, as a barrage of wild wind bullets shot toward Brother Owen.
The first bullet was already at Brother Owen's feet. He raised his monk staff to block, but suddenly noticed something. His whole body flashed with green light as he dodged aside.
The pitch-black wind bullet grazed Brother Owen, tearing a piece of his robe into shreds with a burst of chaotic black air. He dodged, transforming into a ball of green light and darting away.
With a whoosh, I appeared above Brother Owen, reversing my grip on Hell's Sentinel and stabbing down at him.
A screech of metal rang out, sparks flying. Brother Owen raised his monk staff with both hands, deflecting my attack. Hell's Sentinel scraped along his staff.
Suddenly, I swung my arm, sending a massive black Deathbane Blade at Brother Owen. The force knocked him back, but he managed to block the blow with his monk staff.
With a deafening crash, the Deathbane Blade was deflected to the side, destroying all the nearby houses in its path. The roar of destruction echoed.
"Impossible, Ethan Zhang—where did you get this power?"
I raised Ghost Eagle in my right hand, aiming at Brother Owen, while slowly lifting Hell's Sentinel with my left.
"For two years, I've trained day and night for this—for everything. So I'd never again let people like you steal what matters from me. Ghostworm, come on... Words won't solve anything now. Either you die first, or I fall for good..."
I charged at Brother Owen again. This time, my pistol was loaded with the power of Grudge. Brother Owen didn't rush at me; instead, with a clang, he planted his monk staff into the ground and swept his sleeve.
Centipedes and unknown venomous insects flew toward me. My eyes flashed gold and red—gunshots rang out. Each insect hit by a bullet dissolved instantly into black, sticky liquid, splattering onto the ground.
Brother Owen saw his attack fail and immediately soared upward.
"Hmph, don't get cocky, Ethan Zhang. Maybe you're necessary for the Immortality Society, but to me, you're useless. Today, those two above have been trapped by the Blue Wraith for now—you're going to die here."
Brother Owen hovered above me, hands pressed together. Suddenly, I saw behind him a dozen green appendages—like insect antennae—emerge. There were twelve in total.
Above, clusters of green ghost energy began to gather. With a rush, I halted; then, fist-sized balls of ghost energy flew toward me, and I dodged frantically.
Explosions rang out, blasting pits into the ground. I kept dodging, but the green ghost energy multiplied and sped up.
With a bang, I couldn't dodge anymore. I raised both arms, shielding my body, and crashed to the ground—my whole body battered. I never expected something so small to be so powerful.
Suddenly, I coughed, spitting out black blood—poison. Green mist drifted all around me.
I quickly withdrew my specter web and dodged aside. That stuff was laced with curse power—I had to be careful. The moment I was hit, my Ghost Soul felt a jolt, like needles piercing my skin.
At first, I barely noticed the sensation, but now it's getting worse. My Ghost Soul... Brother Owen laughed wildly as I kept dodging the green ghost energy.
"What's wrong, Ethan Zhang? Don't run!"
Brother Owen sneered. I saw the tendrils on his back—clustered with ghost energy like skewered candied fruit—rise slightly.
Ghost energy bullets shot at me from both sides and behind—only the front was clear.
"With so many, you can't dodge them, can you, Ethan Zhang?"
I straightened up, watching as a mass of green light swept toward me. The barrage of ghost energy was packed so tightly, there was no gap to escape through.
Explosions boomed behind me, green mist drifting in from both sides. I roared and charged into the green light.
With a thunderous crash, I was struck. Blood spurted from my mouth. In my Ghost Soul, it felt like countless tiny worms surged in, gnawing away.
I screamed in agony, my body battered and broken. Brother Owen flew toward me.
"Your body is out of curse power, isn't it? Ha! Ethan Zhang, this time I'll finish you for real."
I lay on the ground, unable to move, then suddenly roared.
"Wailer, eat them!"
I roared. Instantly, the torment in my body began to ease. Brother Owen laughed maniacally, rushing at me and thrusting his monk staff at my chest.
I cried out, blocking his monk staff with Hell's Sentinel, then fired Ghost Eagle several times in quick succession.
Brother Owen yelled and dodged. I darted behind him, swinging Hell's Sentinel at his tendrils. With several slashes, black-green fluid splattered—I severed his spectral tendrils.
Brother Owen flew away from me. I charged after him—I couldn't give him a chance. I had to keep attacking.
"Ethan Zhang, ha, interesting. Since that's the case, I don't need to finish you myself. You're special, I admit, but you're not worthy to be my opponent."
With a swish, Hell's Sentinel sliced Brother Owen in half. Green blood sprayed out, burning my skin where it landed.
I cried out and jumped away. The Brother Owen before me was just a shell—his body fell to the ground, but he himself was gone.
"Ethan Zhang, as a ghost, I didn't want to reveal myself. After reincarnating as a human, I can't use this move anymore. Today, you'll see it for yourself. It won't be long before I find Howard Zhang's hiding place—and you, you'll die here."
Brother Owen's voice seemed to drift down from the distant sky. I released a flood of specter web, searching and sensing all around.
But there was no way to locate Brother Owen. I sensed unease in the air—something underground was stirring restlessly.
With a rush, I floated upward, staring in shock as black shapes appeared on the ground. All of Jialan City began to split apart—buildings tumbled into the cracks, turning to dust.
"Hmph, these ghosts are useless now—let them become food for my children."
Brother Owen spoke as Jialan City began to quake violently.
All around, more and more things sank into the ground. From the cracks, a growing rustling sound emerged—getting louder and louder.
"My children are starving, Ethan Zhang. The insect realm descends..."
With a thunderous roar, I watched in horror as eight massive black insects burst from the eight directions of Jialan City, their howls shaking the heavens.