Chapter 769 Ambush (1)
Erik's intimidating silhouette loomed over Max, casting an ominous shadow that seemed to swallow up the trembling man. "Any last words?" The chilling indifference in Erik's voice sent a shiver down Max's spine.
The man's voice quivered. "Please. Tell me at least why. Why are you doing this?" His eyes, wide with terror, sought answers in Erik's face - a desperate attempt to comprehend the dire predicament he was in.
Erik's face remained an unreadable mask, offering no insight into his thoughts or motivations. He walked towards Max, each footstep reverberating ominously within the expansive room.
Max was conscious of the impending doom that hung over him. His mind was a whirlwind of panic, cursing his shapeshifting ability - an asset that was now utterly useless.
He knew he couldn't morph and flee; the masked man before him wouldn't hesitate to eliminate anyone within the mansion's confines.
Fear seized Max, his heart pounding against his ribcage like a frenzied drummer before a battle, his body shivering, akin to a lone leaf caught in a tempest's merciless grip.
Desperation gnawed at him, his mind screaming at him to act, to do something.
But he was well aware of the futility of it all.
He was trapped, cornered by a predator as formidable as a tidal wave crashing against a fragile sandcastle. His fate was, without question, as sealed as a letter bound by the unbreakable wax of destiny.
Then a deafening explosion reverberated through the room. The place shook, as if caught in the grip of an invisible beast.
As the grand chandeliers swayed in a mesmerizing motion, the crystals adorning them collided, creating a cacophonous symphony that filled the air with a sense of impending doom.
The ceiling groaned under the strain, the agonizing sound of something cracking echoed throughout the room as it splintered and shattered.
Then an enormous hole appeared in the middle of the ceiling. Now a gaping maw was present in the mansion's fabric.
Debris rained down like a deadly hailstorm, chunks of plaster and shards of glass cascading in a lethal downpour.
Max, frozen in his spot, was caught in the merciless shower. A large chunk of rubble plummeted towards him. The sound of breaking bones and squished meat resounded through the room as the debris extinguishing his life in an instant.
Erik instead rolled away from the falling debris, avoiding the deadly rain with an uncanny precision.
However, he had no time to breathe. His instability brain crystal power flared, alerting him to the lethal intent of at least ten individuals.
Their emotions were a maelstrom of excitement mixed with a hint of fear. The shadowy figures, cloaked in black and masked, jumped down from the roof and charged at him.
Erik's senses were on high alert, his instability brain crystal power acting like an internal radar, perceiving the intentions of his attackers with uncanny precision.
Two figures launched a simultaneous attack within a matter of milliseconds. The first flickered in and out of existence.
In those fleeting moments she was there, Erik noticed it was a woman. She was phasing like a specter as she launched a punch aimed straight at Erik's heart.
At the same time, the second figure made a sudden lunge, transforming his hands into mysterious, amorphous forms that moved erratically, resembling the unpredictable flow of ink spreading in water.
Time seemed to slow as Erik's crystal power pulsed. He perceived the dual threats and, in a consequential motion; he acted.
When the first attacker moved towards him, Erik twisted his body to the side in order to evade the punch that seemed to come from nowhere.
The momentum generated by his evasion maneuver caused him to roll out of the trajectory of the second attacker, whose ink-blades were slicing through the air exactly where Erik had been standing just a blink ago.
Erik was so surprised that he couldn't find the words to speak. The attackers displayed an astonishing level of speed, surpassing anything he had ever encountered, leaving him in awe.
Two more figures moved in the span of a few milliseconds. One created a confusing array of reflections, her mirrored selves darting around Erik.
At the same time, the other figure launched a series of ripples in the air, the space around his fists vibrating as he aimed powerful ranged attacks.
The attackers were unyielding in their efforts, strategically coordinating their strikes to ensure that Erik was unable to catch a break.
The remaining eight figures bided their time, which was only a few seconds, anyway.
They were waiting for the perfect moment to strike against the masked young man.
<What the fuck?! >
The first thing Erik did was activate Hais's brain crystal power. His intelligence surged and the two powers worked in tandem.
Instability told Erik the attackers' intentions, while Hais's power made him keen for any movement around him.
"Anomalous surge of mana from the target!" one of the attackers said.
Amidst the confusing array of reflections, Erik focused on the intent and the subtle difference in their bodies. He could sense a clear, singular intention among the myriad clones, illusions or whatever they were.
Using this insight, he pinpointed the real person amidst the reflections.
With a swift movement, he lunged towards her, his fist connecting with her chest. The impact was lethal - a single punch, and she crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
At the same time, though, he had to deal with the other attacker. The man was launching a powerful vibration burst, so strong it distorted the surrounding air.
Erik could feel the waves of force rippling towards him. With a swift aerial maneuver, he dodged the attack.
The air where he had just been standing rippled violently, and the surroundings were destroyed.
<Master, what is happening? > June reached out to Erik thanks to the link the Instability power provided.
<DON'T COME HERE, JUNE! SEE HOW IS THE SITUATION OUTSIDE AND IF IT IS COMPLICATED TRANSFORM INTO A GALEWING AND GET YOUR ASS HERE WHEN I TELL YOU!>
<MASTER, WHAT IS HAPPENING?! > the clone asked again.
<THE BLACKGUARDS ARE HERE! >
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺