For a mont, the battlefield held its breath–suspended just long enough for a new variable to intervene.
A blur tore through the forest line.
Cohen.
He landed on a tree branch, above the center of carnage, his yellow eyes sweeping the scene in a single calm read.
The circling monsters, the hiding Outliers, and most especially...
The two Outliers at the center–veins pulsing a dark, jagged red, their movents reduced to feral, uncontrolled waste.
Bobby made his way over, landing beside him.
Dax and the rest of the party arrived at the edge a heartbeat later.
"Please, take down the monsters," Cohen said, his voice low but serious. "Leave the restraining of those two to ."
There was no hesitation. They all nodded.
Dax’s yellow eyes turned vertical, letting out a roar at the top of his lungs. "Co at !"
The monsters, between levels 7 and 14, turned to him instantly.
Dax surged into the fray, his vambraces intercepting a lunging boar.
Abraham shadowed him, a blur of movent as he slamd another monster aside.
Dana and Scot followed through, their Rare-tier blades carving through anything that breached the line.
Maya found her way to a branch, her bow already humming with plasma lances that fired the mont targets appeared.
Hide lowered its black horns and charged straight into a cluster of beasts, shattering their formation.
The battlefield split, clean and sharp.
Cohen didn’t spare a glance for the rear.
His focus stayed anchored on the two, who were now looking at the new variables like threats.
He sheathed his daggers and cracked his fists.
His fists were easier to use when he didn’t want to kill.
"Bobby."
A single word, and the Primordials moved, hopping into the range where the monsters had cleared.
The red-veined n turned at the sa ti, sensing a higher essence entering their range.
"More..." one of them rasped, bloodshot eyes locking onto Cohen. "Stronger—"
They charged, they were a bundle of recklessness, violence, and speed.
A faint, starlight-dim shadow spread beneath the two Outlier’s positions, clinging low to the ground.
Their already unstable energy flickered–quietly leeched by sothing barely evident in the barely illuminated forest.
After confirming Nox’s skill, Cohen stepped into the attack instead of away from it.
He shifted at the final microsecond—just enough for the first man’s swing to pass his shoulder. His punch ca up, striking a precise point across the man’s arm.
’Level 7 and 8...’
The second Outlier lunged from the periphery, swinging with a chaotic force.
A shadow flickered.
Bobby.
The strike missed entirely as Bobby fired a stone into the man’s side.
The man roared—but didn’t fall.
Instead, he turned on Bobby with even more fury.
"Be careful," Cohen stated calmly.
The two Outliers were leaking power like shattered vessels—their fras pushed beyond the limits of their levels, yet drowning in the very chaotic energy they craved.
Cohen ducked beneath a wild, desperate swing, stepping into the deadly close range instead of pulling away.
His fist drove straight into the man’s ribcage with a heavy slam that carried the full weight of his Null-boosted strike.
The dark, jagged red veins map-lined across the man’s skin began to flicker with violent instability.
Nox’s hidden shadow was sapping away the man’s Red energy, granting him a mont of sanity.
He looked at Cohen, his hands on his ribcage. "Save... ... please..."
"With pleasure."
The man’s mont of sanity was lost as he roared and darted at Cohen.
But even with the enhancent, Cohen outclassed him. He had better stats and stronger amplification.
Cohen closed the gap in an instant.
He didn’t let the opening breathe.
A storm of brutal punches crashed into the man, forcing him onto the defensive.
He raised both forearms, guarding like a boxer.
Cohen took a brief step back, punching through the man’s guard, closing in on his head.
The first man’s head snapped back with a sickening force—
And he dropped.
From the periphery, Bobby’s violet body pulsed with sudden intent, tightening before snapping forward with calculated precision.
High-velocity compressed stones erupted in quick succession, slamming into the second man’s shoulder and thigh, their impact shattering his forward montum.
He could barely move forward, under the barrage of attacks from the Epic-tier Level 19 sli.
The second man froze, his breath hitching as his already unstable energy reserves began to diminish under Nox’s Null Shadow.
Cohen stepped forward.
He stopped just short of striking again.
"Was it worth it?" he said quietly, his voice cutting through the stillness.
The man’s pupils shook with a visceral, jagged fear.
"Your desire for power, mistrusting the wrong people, has led you to a poor public display."
The red veins pulsed erratically, dimming as though sothing was feeding on them from the inside... or just beneath the surface.
"I... I didn’t want to be left behind! And... I can’t back down now!"
He tried to move.
But away from here.
Cohen closed the distance completely.
A clean, full-force punch caught the side of the man’s neck.
The man’s body went limp instantly, collapsing where he stood into the pale dirt.
The starlight-exuding shadow lingered for a mont longer before slipping away unnoticed into the darkness.
- - - -
Silence spread outward from his end.
Cohen stood up slowly.
By now, more Outlier parties had arrived—drawn by the noise.
The officials had already handled the surrounding monsters, finishing clearing right as Cohen took them down.
The floating stream caras hovered overhead, capturing every detail.
Cohen glanced once at the two fallen figures on the ground.
Then he turned his yellow gaze toward the crowd whose gaze was now on him.
His expression wasn’t heated. It was calm, indifference.
"This is what it has led to. These two have lost themselves to their desire for power just because they wanted the easy way out. They absorbed strange items that contained a weird Energy and lost themselves to the side effect."
No one spoke.
So of the Outliers shifted their weight; so frowned.
Others simply stayed silent. Most watched carefully.
Cohen continued, his voice cutting through the stillness.
"I hate this unnecessary conflict going around. It’s making living hard for . I can’t even go out without being orchestrated, especially after working hard to level up.."
His eyes moved across the assembly.
"You want more power? Fine. If it gets so peace, I’ll take you to the Wild—where I found thousands of beasts gathering.
"Even those that are watching through these lenses can co. Of course, you’re also free to not co along. All this is for us to grow safely and protect our peace."
"But–"
A pause.
"If anyone threatens the peace of this city... I will make sure you regret it."
Several expressions changed.
That was enough.
Cohen exhaled a short, sharp breath.
He glanced back briefly over his shoulder.
His voice was calm, certain, and devoid of heat.
"Mr Brawn, I hope they get the appropriate treatnt."
Brawn wore a bright smile as he walked towards Cohen.
"Definitely. And great job out there."
Gesturing for the other officials to move the n, he replaced Cohen’s spot light and said his own:
"Word has reached that Madam Azina will release an official statent updating us on necessary information at 5 P.M. today.
"Please tune in then as this is the official conclusion of today’s Outlier party."
Listening to this under the shadow of a tree, Cohen ran his hand through his head.
’Damn... that was intense. I actually can’t wait to depart for Central with all this attention.’
This thought led him to think of his mother, and then what Farid said regarding her situation.
’I will make sure to move her under my personal care, don’t worry,’ he said to Cohen during their talk.
Cohen looked back up, realizing Dax had walked up to him.
"You saved us Outliers today."
"I’m glad I was able to be helpful."
"The location of the Wild? Do you actually an it?"
"Yes. I’ll be going there tomorrow, so you and the others better co."
"We’ll definitely be there!"
—
Farid sat at his table, looking at a TV that had descended from the ceiling.
He had just listened to Brawn end the stream and smiled.
"What a capable young man. I should tell everyone to prepare the set up. The next few days will be fast."
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