Killian's fist slamd into my chest with earth-shattering force. The impact sent flying backward, crashing through an abandoned market stall before my body finally skidded to a halt against a stone wall. Pain exploded through my ribcage, and for a terrifying mont, I couldn't breathe.
*That punch should have killed outright.*
Only the layer of spiritual energy I'd managed to condense at the last second had saved my life. Even so, I tasted blood in my mouth as I struggled to my feet, my legs trembling beneath .
Across the market, Killian stood with an expression of mild surprise. "Interesting. Your defenses are better than I expected."
I spat blood onto the cobblestones. "Glad I could entertain you."
My mind raced as I assessed my situation. This man was leagues beyond —a true Grandmaster against my Inner Strength Master level. The gap between us was like comparing a tiger to a house cat.
"You know," Killian said conversationally as he began walking toward , "I was going to make this quick. A single lethal blow." He flexed his fingers. "But now I'm curious about your potential. Perhaps I should take my ti."
I straightened my stance, ignoring the stabbing pain in my ribs. "You'll find I'm full of surprises."
"So I see." His eyes narrowed. "A waste of talent, though. Had you not crossed certain people, you might have had a promising future."
A small crowd had begun to gather at the edges of the market, maintaining a safe distance. I could hear their whispers.
"That's Killian Moreau!"
"The Blood Hunter..."
"That young man is dead. No one survives Killian..."
Killian's gaze flicked toward them montarily. "It seems my reputation precedes . You should feel honored, boy. Most of my targets don't warrant a personal visit."
I took a deep breath, centering myself. "We don't have to do this. Whatever Desmond's paying you, I can match it."
His laughter echoed through the market. "You think this is about money? So clients pay in currency far more valuable than gold." He shook his head. "Besides, I never leave a job unfinished. It's bad for business."
"Then let's finish it," I said, my voice low and determined.
Killian's smile vanished. "As you wish."
He lunged forward with blinding speed, his right fist glowing with concentrated power. This ti, I was ready. I dodged to the side, but Killian pivoted instantly, his left hand catching in the shoulder.
The blow sent spinning, and I barely managed to roll with the force to avoid another crushing impact. Even deflected, his strike felt like being hit by a battering ram.
"You're quick," he said, "but quickness won't save you."
He pressed forward relentlessly. Each attack ca faster than the last, forcing into a desperate defense. I couldn't match him in power or speed, so I focused on evasion, looking for any opening.
After a particularly vicious combination, I stumbled backward, my breathing ragged. Killian paused, watching with predatory patience. R^ead-e^r- su.ppor%t at * mad$e th-i#s t%ransl*a ti-on! p#o!s#
"Had enough?" he asked.
I wiped blood from my lip. "Just getting ward up."
His eyes hardened. "Your stubbornness is becoming irritating." He raised his hand, energy swirling around it with such intensity that the air itself seed to warp. "I'll end this now."
The attack that followed was devastating. His fist crashed through my spiritual defense as if it were tissue paper, connecting with my chest. I heard rather than felt my ribs crack as I was hurled backward again, this ti smashing through a brick wall before collapsing in a heap of rubble.
*I can't win this fight conventionally.*
Pain clouded my vision as I struggled to stand. My body wanted to surrender, but I forced myself up, one trembling limb at a ti.
"You should stay down," Killian called. "I admire your resilience, but this outco is inevitable."
I spat out more blood. "Then why... delay it?"
A hint of respect flickered in his eyes. "Very well."
He charged forward again, but this ti, I didn't try to et his attack head-on. Instead, I retreated, drawing him deeper into the narrow alley behind the market. His punches demolished walls around as I barely managed to stay ahead of his onslaught.
Finally, I turned and planted my feet. Killian's eyes glead with victory as he launched what he clearly intended to be the finishing blow.
But this ti, sothing was different.
I concentrated every ounce of my spiritual energy into my right hand, condensing it to its most potent form. The technique I'd been refining for weeks—compressing power into its purest state.
As Killian's fist approached, I t it not with defense but with my own strike. Our fists connected in an explosion of energy that sent shockwaves through the alley.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then Killian's expression shifted from confidence to shock. A sickening crack echoed through the alley—not from my body, but from his wrist.
He staggered backward, staring at his shattered wrist in disbelief. "Impossible!"
I didn't waste the opportunity. Channeling my remaining energy, I pressed forward, landing a solid blow to his sternum that sent him stumbling back several steps.
Rage contorted Killian's features. "You dare?!" He switched to his left hand, the air around it shimring with deadly intent. "No Inner Strength Master breaks Killian Moreau's bones and lives!"
His left fist glowed with terrifying power—his trump card, saved for only the most worthy opponents. The force of his blow created a vacuum that pulled at my clothes as it approached.
I braced myself, knowing I couldn't dodge. The impact created a deafening thunderclap, and dust billowed outward, obscuring both of us from the onlookers.
For several seconds, silence reigned. Then, as the dust began to settle, a golden glow pierced through the haze.
I stood with both arms crossed before , my body surrounded by an intensified golden aura. Blood trickled from my mouth and nose, but my eyes burned with determination.
"My turn," I growled.
Before Killian could react, I unleashed a flurry of punches, each one precisely targeted. My fists moved with unprecedented speed, striking his chest, shoulders, and arms in rapid succession.
"What—" Killian tried to defend, but my assault was relentless. Each blow carried the concentrated essence of my spiritual energy, bypassing his defenses.
His face paled as he felt his arms growing numb from my attacks. I hadn't just been training my strength—I'd been studying the body's ridian points. Each strike disrupted his energy flow, weakening him systematically.
"This... this is impossible!" he gasped, retreating under my barrage.
I pressed forward, the golden light around growing brighter. "You should have checked your client's information more carefully," I said between punches. "I'm not just any Inner Strength Master."
My fist connected with his chest, sending him crashing into a wall. For the first ti, fear flickered across his face as I advanced, my aura pulsing with untad power.
"What are you?" he whispered, raising his good hand in a defensive posture.
I didn't answer. Instead, I channeled every ounce of my remaining energy into my next attack, my body becoming a conduit for sothing greater than myself.
The golden light surrounding intensified to blinding levels as I launched forward, my fist aid directly at Killian's heart.
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