I raised Belle in my hand, quietly gazing at Sebastian Zhao across from me. He didn't attack right away, seeming instead to size me up.
Bella Liang and Lydia Lien had already returned to the city wall. Yuna Ji occasionally called out to cheer me on. I turned my head and glanced at her.
“This is clearly my own problem.”
After muttering to myself, I grew serious. Deathbane Aura slowly began to seep out, and the Specter Web had already spread over dozens of meters around me. Any anomaly would be instantly detected.
Sebastian Zhao still didn't move, as if petrified. I looked at him curiously, then leaned forward slightly, planning to unleash my fastest and strongest attack all at once.
The Deathbane Aura around my body began to change, growing darker. Belle's blade had turned completely black. With a whoosh, I appeared right in front of Sebastian Zhao. He still didn't move. My raging Deathbane Aura instantly gathered, and I struck down.
With a loud crack, my eyes widened in shock—the Deathbane Aura dissipated. I hadn't seen or felt what just happened at all. Such a powerful blow did nothing, only scattering my Deathbane Aura.
My sword struck something immovable. It was the dagger reversed in Sebastian Zhao's left hand, just a few centimeters from his black dagger. It felt like I was clamped in place, suspended in midair, still in my striking posture. I dared not move—and couldn't.
"Idiot Ethan Zhang, you've already been hit and still don't know it?"
The voice of slaughter echoed in my mind. Black Specter Web had completely covered Sebastian Zhao's body, yet I still couldn't sense anything. He seemed as cold as a stone.
"Trash, die."
Sebastian Zhao slowly spat out a sentence. I felt the Specter Soul inside me swelling, strange bulges forming. My eyes widened.
With a hiss, my body began to change. In an instant, I exploded—black streams of energy shooting out everywhere. Tiny snakes kept appearing and gradually gathered together. I stood, gasping, at the city gate.
I've felt this before—like those guys from the Immortality Society. Invisible attacks that can shatter everything with a single blow. Sebastian Zhao's attack was the same.
I watched quietly. Ordinary means wouldn't work against him—I had to increase my power. With a ripping sound, I stabbed Belle into my chest. Black blood dripped out. The sensation was deeply unpleasant, but this ritual was necessary. I grinned, body slowly bending, half-crouching on the ground.
Curse Ghost...
I roared. With a crack, black-red chains shot out from the broken spot in my chest, instantly wrapping around me. The chains embedded themselves into my body, marking me like tattoos. I stood up, Belle back in my hand.
Remember this, Ethan—only five minutes. I'll lift the curse after that. Any longer, and you won't be able to bear it.
Curse Ghost's cold voice echoed in my mind. I nodded. With a boom, the impact from my charge left a huge dent in the city wall behind me.
With a bang, I swung Belle with one hand. Sebastian Zhao still blocked my attack with his left-hand dagger, but this time the distance between my weapon and his dagger narrowed. I raised my left hand, and a streak of black flame ignited.
I might not be able to defeat you, but I'll give it everything I've got, Sebastian Zhao.
I roared, and with a thunderous boom, a pillar of black fire swallowed Sebastian Zhao. With a whoosh, I leapt out of the fire's range, slashing Belle through the air. Blades of wind sliced the fire pillar into segments—I could clearly sense Sebastian Zhao's position.
Metallic clangs rang out as wind blades shattered the fire pillar into countless fragments. When the smoke cleared, Sebastian Zhao had assumed a defensive posture—arms crossed, body curled in midair. Just as he lifted his head, my Scattershot Gun was aimed at his skull.
With a bang, I pulled the trigger. The massive roar and wind pressure swept everything nearby. I slung the Scattershot Gun over my back and hurled Belle to the side. With a metallic ring, two Deathbane Swords appeared in my hands.
Sebastian Zhao dodged the moment I fired. No matter how strong he is, taking a hit at such close range wouldn't leave him unharmed—so he chose to evade.
With two swift movements, Sebastian Zhao's daggers sliced down. Both Deathbane Swords in my hands snapped instantly—one dagger slashed my chest, the other severed my left hand.
Sebastian Zhao was already crouched midair in front of me, his dagger sweeping toward my head.
Eat him, Tong Ghost.
I roared, and my severed left hand instantly swelled. A huge mouth appeared at the stump—a pitch-black tongue shot out, snapping around Sebastian Zhao's arms, dragging him toward the gaping maw.
Mirror.
With a whoosh, I was already airborne behind Sebastian Zhao, raising both hands as Deathbane Aura frantically condensed. Sweat poured from my brow—using so many Specter Soul traits at once, even with Curse Ghost's boost, my body couldn't take it.
Two rocket launchers appeared in my hands. Black rockets continued to form as massive Deathbane Aura compressed into ammunition.
With a bang, Sebastian Zhao—just dragged into Tong Ghost's mouth—instantly slashed free and appeared in midair. He looked at me, and I smiled.
You didn't have this kind of thing back in your era, did you?
With two whooshes, two black rockets shot toward Sebastian Zhao.
I've been underestimated!
Suddenly, Sebastian Zhao released his dagger. I watched in surprise as he stomped in midair, lunging toward me. He grabbed a rocket in each hand—I swallowed and let go. Two AK-47s appeared in my hands, and black bullets rained on Sebastian Zhao.
With a thunderous boom, I hit the rockets clutched in his hands. Deathbane Aura exploded—a black flash instantly swallowed everything around us. The powerful airflow propelled me backward, body curled and arms raised.
Suddenly, I sensed something strange from the center of the blast—Sebastian Zhao. The feeling was all too familiar, all too hateful: darkness.
An image flashed through my mind—I stared wide-eyed in shock as a dagger appeared before my eyes, stabbing toward my neck.
With a metallic ring, I stared wide-eyed as a hand grasped Sebastian Zhao's dagger—it was Mr. Brown. He looked at me, smiling.
Ethan, it seems fighting an opponent of this level is still a bit much for you. But your attacks did have an effect.
On Sebastian Zhao's left cheek, above his eye, a piece of bone was missing. From the broken spot, a faint black mist seeped out—the power of darkness.
With a whoosh, Mr. Brown hurled Sebastian Zhao to the ground, grabbed me, and quickly brought me back to the city wall. With a bang, I collapsed to my knees, my body crackling as chains emerged from everywhere, burrowing into my chest. With a splatter, I vomited black blood—again and again. Mr. Brown patted my back.
The dust cleared—Sebastian Zhao stood up, slowly raising his head to look at the city wall.
Won't you come down and settle this with me?
He was speaking to Mr. Brown, who stood atop the city wall and shook his head.
Things are getting complicated.
Mr. Brown didn't reply. Instead, he gazed at the rising dust in the distance—it was the Imperial Army. Countless cavalry were approaching, their numbers filling the entire plain before us.
But a few kilometers from Red Plume Fortress, the enemy army stopped. I saw several cavalry riding toward us.
It's them—they're here.
Yuna Ji muttered. I glanced over—plus the golden banner Sebastian Zhao had planted outside the city gate, eight other generals carrying different colored flags were rapidly approaching.
Gradually, they stopped. Lucille Xing was the first to jump off her horse.
Didn't I tell you to wait for us? You've exhausted yourself so much—who did you injure here?
Lucille Xing pointed to her left eye socket. Sebastian Zhao burst out laughing.
Enough talk—take out the enemy leader first.
It was Yu Huang—I recognized her instantly by the purple banner. My heart leapt; a piercing roar, a flash of pink light, and an arrow shot toward us.
With a crack, pink energy surged everywhere. Countless soldiers on the city wall were vaporized by the blast. I gripped Belle, my body rising into the air—Bella Liang and Lydia Lien also steadied themselves with their weapons, collapsing behind the wall.
Mr. Brown caught the incoming arrow with one hand—a sizzling sound. I looked over; his hand turned black. He opened his hand and the arrow instantly crumbled to dust.
What do we do now, Yuna Ji? If all nine of them attack together, I can't handle it.
Mr. Brown turned to Yuna Ji and spoke. For the first time, I saw worry in Mr. Brown's eyes.