"Sigh..."
2nd Rock Leader leaned back in her chair, her fingers pressing hard against her temples in slow, circular motions. The weight of responsibility sat heavy on her shoulders today, making even simple tasks feel exhausting.
"I thought this would be an easy, relaxing endeavour," she muttered, her voice carrying the weariness of someone who'd been proven catastrophically wrong. "Now Veny's already in trouble."
She turned her head toward the woman sitting calmly beside her, red glasses slipping slightly down the bridge of her nose.
"Miss Phoebe, what do you think is happening out there?"
Miss Phoebe tilted her head, her expression completely unbothered by the tension radiating from the Leader. She lifted one shoulder in the most casual shrug imaginable, her lips pursing slightly.
"Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... don't know."
The words came out so nonchalantly that they might as well have been discussing the weather. Miss Phoebe genuinely had not a single clue about the situation, and she seemed perfectly content with that ignorance.
TWITCH! TWITCH!
2nd Rock Leader's left eye twitched violently at the utterly unhelpful response. The small muscle spasm betrayed just how close she was to snapping at her companion. Her jaw clenched as she opened her mouth to say something sharp when…
"LEADER!"
A troop member suddenly burst into the room with explosive force, slamming the door open so hard it crashed against the wall. His uniform hung in tatters from his body, torn in multiple places and stained with dirt. The fabric was barely holding together. He was breathing hard, each gasp sounding painful. His face told the full story before his words could...bruises bloomed across his cheekbones in dark purple patches, and cuts decorated his forehead and jaw, some still bleeding fresh crimson trails down his skin.
He spoke in a frantic rush, words tumbling out so fast they nearly crashed into each other.
"Leader! Our group encountered a man in one of the sectors!" His chest heaved as he fought for air between sentences. "He instantly defeated all of us and took Miss Eva and our people hostage!"
The information hit the small temporary control room and it made the Leader frown with intense worry.
"AGH! WHERE ARE THEY NOW!?"
2nd Rock Leader shot up from her chair with such sudden violence that the heavy piece of furniture scraped loudly across the floor. Her red glasses nearly flew off her face from the abrupt movement. Her usually calm demeanour shattered completely, replaced by raw shock and rising panic. The carefully maintained composure she wore around her soldiers crumbled away in an instant, revealing the terrified leader beneath who was responsible for every life in this city.
"He's... he's waiting at that same place!"
The troop member answered through gasping breaths, his hand clutching his side where bruises were already forming in dark patches.
"Huh? What do you mean, waiting?"
Miss Phoebe also asked in worry, throwing away all her pretence from earlier.
"Yes, ma'am."
A second battered soldier stepped forward from behind the first, his teeth gritted so hard the muscles in his jaw bulged visibly. His whole body trembled, though whether from pain, exhaustion, or humiliation was impossible to tell.
"He said to bring anyone who can defeat him on one on one….. that is if we want to free our hostages alive!….." The words came out full of venom directed inward. "HE'S CALLING OUR CITY GUARDS WEAK!"
His hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at his sides. His entire frame shook with anger and the unbearable weight of failure. To be defeated so easily, to have their people taken away as hostages, to be mocked for their weakness... each words cut deeper than any physical wound.
"Tsk! Every fucking one of them..."
Leader Mikaela rubbed her forehead hard, fingers pressing deep into her skin as if she could physically push away the building headache. The pressure did nothing to help. She muttered under her breath while pacing back and forth across the small space, her boots clicking an agitated rhythm against the floor.
"What should I do? Julia hasn't come back yet. I can't move from here..."
Her mind raced through options at desperate speed, evaluating and discarding possibilities with efficiency. Each solution she considered seemed worse than the last. The walls felt closer than they had moments before, the room suddenly felt suffocating to stay inside.
"That man is probably an EIRNET ENERGY user if he defeated my people so easily. Tsk! Tsk! Fucking people with power, thinking they're better than us just because they have fucking useless Eirnet or whatnot!"
Her voice climbed higher with each word, frustration bleeding into outright anger. The unfairness of it all burned in her chest. Years of dealing with powered individuals who looked down on regular fighters, who treated ordinary people as toys or obstacles….. all that resentment came flooding back now.
"TSK! If I had that power, then these people wouldn't be dancing on my head doing whatever they wanted!"
"LET ME GO! I WILL FIGHT HIM!"
A strong voice suddenly rang out through the room with absolute confidence. Fia stormed in with purposeful strides, her entire presence commanding immediate attention. Maren followed close behind her, moving quickly to keep pace. The First Husband of Mother Isafold trailed just a step later, clearly having tried and failed to stop this march.
Fia's eyes burned with determination that bordered on obsession. Fire lived in those eyes, her entire presence radiated barely restrained energy, coiled power ready to explode into action at any moment. Every line of her body spoke of readiness to fight, to move, to do something instead of just sitting and talking.
"Huh? Fia? Why are you here?"
2nd Rock Leader let out a deep sigh that seemed to deflate her entire body. Her shoulders sagged under the weight of yet another complication. Weary resignation settled over her features, making her look older than her years.
"Whatever… I did think someone else would show up, but…."
She cut herself off mid-sentence, shaking her head firmly from side to side. No point in dwelling on who might have come. This was the reality standing before her now.
"You can't fight him."
Her tone hardened, the voice of a military commander giving orders rather than making suggestions. She straightened her spine, forcing authority back into her posture.
"There's a strong chance he's an energy user. No matter how strong you are, you won't be able to defeat him."
She glanced away, jaw tight with irritation and worry mixing together in uncomfortable proportions. The thought of sending Fia out there made her stomach twist, but the thought of losing more people made it worse.
"And if your mother finds out about this, she'll kill me."
The words carried real fear behind them. Mother Veny was not someone to cross when it came to her daughter's safety.
2nd Rock Leader crossed her arms over her chest, her stance leaving absolutely no room for argument. This was her final word on the matter, or so she thought.
"I'm not saying I will defeat him."
Fia's response came making Leader Mikaela give a confuse look at her. Fia fierce eyes locked onto the Leader's with an intensity that made it impossible to look away. There was no hesitation in her gaze, no doubt clouding her conviction.
"I can buy some time until you can gather more forces. The fact that he's not running away and is actually waiting means he's ready to fight with his life on the line. Let me go."
She took a deliberate step forward, her right fist clenching tightly at her side until the knuckles turned white. The muscles in her forearm flexed visibly beneath her skin.
"Miss Eva is our new friend. I can't let her be in danger!"
The words carried weight beyond their simple meaning. Determination and confidence oozed from Fia in waves, filling every corner of the room with tangible force. The conviction vibrating through her voice left absolutely no doubt in anyone's mind.... That she would go with or without her permission. This wasn't a request. This was a statement of intent.
The silence that followed stretched taut between them.
"Sighhh... fine."
2nd Rock Leader straightened her posture completely, spine rigid as she made her decision. The internal debate had taken seconds, her face cycling through multiple emotions before settling on grim acceptance. She looked at Fia with clear eyes that held both seriousness and reluctant respect.
"Don't risk your life out there. As soon as Julia comes back and I get news that the others are safe, I will come with more forces. Until then, just buy time. That's an order."
Her instructions were delivered with military precision, despite the obvious concern etched into the lines around her eyes, there was no ill will in her voice. Just the pragmatic acceptance of a leader making the best choice she could from a collection of terrible options. They have to survive and that means, picking the least dangerous path, even when all paths led through darkness.
Fia nodded once, a curt acknowledgment that required no words. She spun on her heel and headed for the door with purpose in every step.
Maren turned as well, her movements mirroring Fia's with synchronization.
"Oye! Where are you… DADDY!"
First Husband lunged forward, his arm reaching out desperately to grab Maren's shoulder and physically stop her from leaving. But Maren simply looked back at her father, her eyes crystal clear with determination that cut through any protest before it could form. She firmly grabbed Fia's arm instead, her fingers wrapping around the muscular bicep.
Her expression communicated everything her mouth didn't need to say: Don't you dare try to stop me. I am going with her whether you like it or not. I've made my choice.
"Sighhh..."
The father's shoulders slumped in complete defeat, the fight draining out of him after seeing his daughter expression. He recognized that look on his daughter's face….. the same stubborn determination her mother wore when she'd decided something was happening regardless of consequences.
"Take care of each other, okay!"
He patted both girls' heads gently, his large hands settling on their hair with tender care. The touch lingered for several heartbeats, his way of silently wishing them safety when words felt inadequate. His eyes showed his worry in the slight crease of his brow and the tightness around his mouth, but pride lived there too. Pride in their courage, even if that courage might get them killed.
The girls left swiftly, moving with the soldiers who had delivered the terrible news. Their footsteps echoed down the corridor in rapid succession, the sound growing fainter with each passing second until silence reclaimed the room.
First Husband turned to look at 2nd Rock Leader. She looked back at him, her expression mirroring his own exhausted resignation.
"Sighhh..."
They both sighed in perfect unison, the sound filling the quiet space with shared misery.
"And they'll say I couldn't keep them away from harm," 2nd Rock Leader muttered darkly, her fingers immediately returning to massage her aching temples. The headache had grown exponentially worse in the last few minutes.
"My wife is going to kill me! Where is that stupid 3rd husband when I need him!?"
Both of them complaint with genuine desperation. They could already imagine the lecture, the disappointment, the fury they would face when this was all over.
.
.
"Hey, you don't have to come with me, you know."
Fia spoke while running at full speed through the underground passages, her voice barely strained despite the breakneck pace. The tunnels blurred past them in streaks of stone and shadow. "I can handle him all alone."
"HUFF! HUFF! What nonsense… HUFF! HUFF! HUFF! …. you muscle head!"
Maren struggled desperately to keep up, her breathing coming in ragged gasps that tore from her throat. Her lungs burned with the effort of pulling in enough oxygen. Sweat already poured down her face in streams, darkening her hair at the temples and making her clothes stick to her back.
"HUFF! AGH! Don't.... DONNTTT!!! SPEAKKKK!!!!!"
She ran as fast as her legs could possibly carry her, pumping her arms frantically and pushing her body past comfortable limits. Her thighs screamed with building lactic acid, muscles protesting the brutal pace. They'd barely started this run and she was already reaching her physical limits while Fia looked barely winded.
Swiftly, they reached a warehouse structure in one of the abandoned sectors. The building loomed before them, dark and imposing against the underground cavern walls. As soon as they burst through the entrance, the scene inside hit them with immediate clarity.
Lurvi floated in the air at a cautious distance, her small body hovering protectively. A low, continuous growl rumbled from her throat filled with warning. Her attention remained fixed entirely on the man standing in the center of the space. The little creature had positioned herself directly in front of Miss Eva, who knelt on the cold ground with visible wounds marking her face. Blood trickled slowly from a cut above her eyebrow, the red trail stark against her pale skin. Her breathing came shallow; one of her hand pressed against her ribs.
"Tsk!"
Fia's eyes immediately locked onto the man with instant, burning hatred. Her entire face hardened into an expression of pure loathing, jaw clenching tight as her upper lip curled back slightly. Every muscle in her body tensed for action.
WHOOOSHH!
She didn't waste a single second analysing or planning. Raw instinct took over. She launched herself forward with explosive power, her legs driving her across the distance at terrifying speed. The air itself seemed to part around her charging form.
The man at centre wore a tight, half-sleeved leather outfit that showed off his muscular build in full display. The material hugged every defined line of his torso, leaving nothing to imagination about the power coiled beneath. Slightly baggy, rough-looking trousers covered his legs, the practical fabric worn and weathered for a long time. Shin guards protected his shins; the material dented in places from previous fights. Heavy boots completed the ensemble, chosen for durability and combat effectiveness rather than aesthetic appeal.
His cream-white hair had been neatly tied back, though a few carefully braided strands fell artfully along the side of his forehead. The styling was too perfect to be accidental; each braid precisely placed for maximum visual effect. This was a man who cared about his appearance and at the same time cared about his battle.
Seeing Fia charge directly at him with such reckless aggression, he let out an arrogant laugh that echoed through the warehouse. The sound dripped with amusement and condescension, clearly entertained by her boldness rather than threatened by it.
"Oh, look who came! Interesting!"
"OYE, MUSCLE HEAD!! HUFF! HUFF!"
Maren finally caught up, wheezing hard enough that her vision spotted briefly. She bent forward slightly, hands on her knees as she fought to control her desperate breathing.
"We had to buy time, not run straight in doing whatever you wanted!"
Her eyes darted around quickly despite her exhaustion, brain automatically assessing the tactical situation even through the oxygen deprivation making her thoughts sluggish. Many people lay scattered across the floor; their bodies twisted in positions that spoke of violent defeat. Heavy injuries marked every visible fighter. Some were completely unconscious, chests barely rising with shallow breaths. Others groaned weakly, small sounds of pain escaping through clenched teeth.
Miss Eva breathed hard in the extreme far corner, one arm wrapped protectively around her middle as she clutched her ribs. Her face was pale; lips pressed into a thin line against the pain.
Maren's eyes met hers across the space. She gave a subtle signal with her hand...stay calm and quiet. Don't draw attention. Don't move.
TAP TAP TAP—BOOMM!!
Fia reached the man in the span of a heartbeat and threw a devastating punch straight toward his face. The strike came loaded with every ounce of power in her muscular frame; knuckles aimed directly at his nose with lethal intent.
The man casually stopped it with his open palm, fingers wrapping around her fist and halting the momentum completely. But the sheer force behind the blow refused to be denied entirely. It shook his entire body, traveling up his arm and through his shoulder. His feet slid backward several inches across the floor. Dust kicked up from the impact point, swirling around both fighters in small clouds that caught the dim light.
"Hey there, beautiful."
The man's voice came out smooth and dripping with false charm, each word calculated to irritate. He smiled at her, the expression not reaching his cold eyes.
"I saw you in the arena fights. I wanted to fight you so badly, but I was never given the chance to enter the arena myself. I am hap—"
BOOOMBB!
"AGGH!"
Fia had absolutely zero interest in hearing his self-indulgent blabbering. While he was still mid-sentence, enjoying the sound of his own voice, she drove her knee hard into his stomach with vicious precision. The blow landed solidly, her kneecap connecting with the soft tissue of his abdomen.
The man staggered backward several steps, boots scraping across the ground as he fought to maintain balance. But even as he moved, a slight smirk played at the corners of his mouth. He should have been doubled over in pain from that strike. Instead, he looked barely inconvenienced, as if she'd merely pushed him rather than delivering a fight-ending blow.
Fia stood tall and proud, every line of her body radiating focused aggression. Her eyes remained laser-focused on her opponent, tracking his smallest movements with predatory attention. Her posture was perfectly straight; weight balanced precisely between both feet, the natural stance of someone who'd trained in combat since childhood. Every muscle remained coiled and ready for action.
She ran at him again without hesitation, closing the gap in rapid strides. Her right hand sliced through the air toward his neck, fingers extended rigid for a killing strike. If it connected properly, the blow would crush his windpipe and end the fight permanently.
The man parried her attack smoothly with his left arm, deflecting the dangerous strike away from his vulnerable throat with ease. In the same fluid motion, he countered with a punch from his right hand, knuckles driving forward toward her tummy.
Fia reacted at the perfect moment, muscle memory taking over. She raised her left leg to defend, her knee coming up to intercept. His fist crashed directly into her kneecap with brutal force.
"AGH!"
Sharp pain exploded through the man's knuckles, bones grinding together from the impact against her raised knee. But he didn't let the pain slow him down or make him hesitate.
With his left hand, the same one that had just deflected her strike... he suddenly grabbed her exposed neck. His fingers wrapped around her throat in a tight grip, cutting off air immediately. The pressure was instant making her stop at her antics.
Then, with brutal efficiency that spoke of extensive combat training, he swept her right leg with a swift, powerful kick. His boot connected with her ankle, destroying her base completely.
TAK!
Fia's balance disappeared in an instant. Her supporting leg went out from under her body. She stumbled backward, arms pinwheeling briefly as gravity took over.
"AGH!!"
BOOOMM!
She hit the ground hard, landing flat on her back. The impact drove every bit of air from her lungs in one violent expulsion. Her head bounced once against the floor, stars exploding across her vision. Before she could even process the pain or begin to recover, the man was already on top of her. His weight pressed down, pinning her completely against the cold ground.
"Fierce woman, aren't you?"
He grinned down at her, bringing his face uncomfortably close to hers. His breath washed over her face, without any care of personal space. The smile on his lips held nothing genuine, just cruel amusement.
"You're the stripper warrior who strips every defeated person in the arena and shames them for their sizes, right? Well, I'll also strip…"
BOOMM!
In the middle of his talking, while he was savouring his own words, Fia slammed her palm straight into his nose with savage force. The satisfying crunch of cartilage meeting bone filled the small space between their faces.
"OUCH! Come on, bitch!"
The man stumbled backward off her, one hand flying up to grab his bleeding nose. Dark red blood began dripping steadily from his nostrils, running over his lips and down his chin. His smirk faltered for just a moment, genuine pain flickering across his features before arrogance reasserted itself.
Fia immediately executed a perfect kick-up to standing, her core muscles flexing as she launched herself upright in one smooth motion. Her abs burned from the explosive movement, but she ignored the sensation completely. She dashed forward aggressively the instant her feet touched ground, taking full advantage of his momentarily staggered state. She pressed her attack relentlessly, trying to land another devastating blow before he fully recovered.
But the man smiled through the blood coating his face and defended himself with infuriating ease. Then a brutal, fast-paced martial arts exchange erupted between them. Both fighters tried desperately to gain any advantage over the other, their movements becoming an incomprehensible blur of strikes, blocks, counters, and desperate defences.
BOOM! TAAKK! TTP! TPP!
Fists flew. Legs whipped through the air. Bodies twisted and spun. Each fighter looking for the opening that would end this.
"GAAH!"
"OUCH!"
"TSK!"
They broke apart finally, both creating distance between their bodies. The man was smiling confidently, his chest barely rising with increased breathing. A light sheen of sweat touched his forehead but nothing more. He looked like he'd just finished a light warm-up rather than a serious fight.
Fia, however, had started to show noticeable fatigue. Her breathing came heavier, pulling deep into her lungs with more effort than before. Her shoulders had dropped slightly from their previous perfect alignment. The constant high-intensity exchange was beginning to drain her reserves faster than she'd anticipated.
"Hmm, I see how you can defeat more powerful people in the arena."
The man observed her condition while circling slowly to her left, each step giving Fia more chance to recover. He moved with predatory patience, studying her weaknesses.
"You're clearly talented. Very talented."
His eyes travelled over her body with obvious appreciation, lingering on the curves of her muscular frame in a way that made his intentions disgustingly clear.
"I like you a lot. Why not become my woman? I like strong women."
The proposition came out casual, as if he was offering her some food rather than proposing enslavement.
TAP TAP TAP!
Fia completely ignored his words, refusing to dignify them with even a verbal response. She started running toward him again with renewed determination, jaw set in a hard line. Her eyes burned with that same fierce fire, refusing to acknowledge exhaustion or the growing gap in their abilities.
"Hmm, I also like impatient women," he said with genuine amusement coloring his tone. "But you know what? This is getting annoying."
BOOOMMM!!
The man suddenly surged forward with explosive speed that completely eclipsed everything he'd shown before. The burst of velocity was so extreme it looked supernatural. In less than a blink, faster than conscious thought could track, he was upon her. His fist drove into her side with devastating force, all his considerable strength channelled into that single point of impact.
The hit was catastrophic. The sheer power behind it violently altered Fia's forward momentum, redirecting her entire body at a sharp angle. She went completely airborne, feet leaving the ground as physics took over. Her body flew sideways through the air, limbs loose and uncontrolled. She crashed hard into a stack of heavy wooden crates positioned at the far-left end of the room. The wood shuddered violently from the impact, several pieces cracking from the force of her body slamming into them.
CRASH!!!!
"FIAA!!"
Miss Eva, who had been close enough to watch the entire exchange, began crawling desperately toward Fia's crumpled form. Her injured body protested every movement, but fear for her friend overrode the pain.
"AGHH! COUGH! COUGH!"
Massive waves of pain rushed through Fia's entire body, racing along every nerve ending. It felt as though fire had been injected directly into her veins, burning from the inside out. Her vision went completely black for one terrifying second, consciousness threatening to slip away entirely. She gasped desperately for air, her lungs refusing to function properly. Each attempted breath felt like knives scraping against her ribs.
She struggled just to sit up, every muscle screaming in protest against the movement.
"HUGG! HUFF! HUFF!"
Through the haze of pain, she managed to focus her eyes. The man was walking slowly toward her position. He took his time, clearly savouring her suffering. There was no rush in his movements. He had all the time in the world, and he knew it.
Fia's gaze shifted quickly to Miss Eva crawling toward her. She shook her head firmly, the movement sending fresh jolts of pain through her neck. Her eyes communicated the message clearly….. don't come any closer. Stay back. She couldn't protect Eva if the woman got within this monster's reach.
Fia barely managed to force herself to standing, using the damaged crates behind her for support. Her whole posture slumped forward, spine curved protectively around her injured ribs. Every single breath hurt with a stabbing pain jolting her inside.
BOOMOMM!!!
The man vanished from his position again with that same impossible, supernatural speed. He materialized directly in front of Fia as if he'd teleported rather than run. His fist was already in motion, driving forward into her front abdomen with bone-crushing force. The impact was precisely calculated to cause maximum pain without killing.
"AAAAAA!!"
Fia screamed, the sound ripping from her throat involuntarily. Her mind went completely blank, all thought erased by the overwhelming cascade of agony flooding her nervous system. The wooden crates behind her exploded into pieces from the residual shockwave of the blow, splinters flying in all directions through the air.
Fia somehow remained standing through sheer stubborn will, though her legs threatened to give out at any moment. She grabbed onto his extended arm desperately, using it as the only thing keeping her upright. Her fingers dug into his flesh, knuckles white from the desperate grip.
"COUGH! COUGH! HUFF! HUFF! AGH!"
"Now you're behaving as a good girl should," the man said smugly, looking down at her trembling form with obvious satisfaction. He enjoyed seeing her broken down, reduced from fierce warrior to barely-standing victim. "So, what I was saying earlier..."
He tilted his head slightly, considering her condition with theatrical thoughtfulness.
"I find you very interesting. But before I play with you properly, let me teach that friend of yours a lesson. The sneaking bitch needs to learn her place. Kekeke."
The cruel smile on his face widened as he glanced over toward where Maren was helping Miss Eva try to stand on shaking legs. His intentions were crystal clear and utterly malicious.
"AGH! NO!"
Fia grabbed his arm with every ounce of force she could summon from her battered body, fingers digging in desperately. She tried to hold him back through sheer determination, but her strength had been depleted. The attempt was pathetic against his power.
SLAAPP!!
BOOOMM!!
He backhanded her viciously across the face without even looking at her, the dismissive blow carrying contempt in its casual violence. The strike sent her flying to her right side, body spinning through the air before crashing hard against the floor. The impact jarred her entire skeleton, sending fresh shockwaves of pain through already abused nerves.
Her breathing came out with much force, each inhalation a struggle. She barely managed to lift her head enough to see. Through blurred vision, she watched helplessly as the man began walking away from her toward Maren. Each of his steps brought him closer to her friend. She couldn't move. Couldn't stop him. Could only watch.
GRRRRR...
Something deep inside Fia began to change. The helplessness transformed into something else entirely. Something primal and furious.
SIZZLLEE... SIIZZLLLLEE...
Suddenly, Fia's eyes shifted color, darkening from their normal shade into bright, glowing red that seemed to emit light. The transformation was instant.... Pure, unfiltered anger burned in those crimson eyes, an emotion so intense it became almost tangible.
Wisps of smoke began rising from her body, curling upward into the air in thin streams. The smoke seemed to emanate directly from her skin, as if her flesh itself was beginning to burn. Her skin started flushing with visible heat, color spreading across her face and arms. The temperature of her body was rising rapidly, the air around her beginning to shimmer from the thermal distortion.
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End Of Chapter 114 Part 1
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