Bel couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Was this Bronze Mancer… taking the initiative to attack him?
When he called out to Theron before, it was out of an abundance of caution and honestly annoyance. Any cultivator worth their salt knew it was improper etiquette to watch an unknown group in the middle of battle. The fact that Theron had been watching them was already crossing a line.
Back then, he had told Theron to scram to make sure nothing went wrong. But what he didn’t expect was that Theron would overstep his bounds to this extent.
They, too, had noticed the oddity with the beast, which was why they decided to fight it even though its abilities weren’t appealing to any one of them.
Plus, unlike the usual entries of the Sect, they were already Silver Mancers, so they had no need for Echoes. What they were more interested in were the Bloomstones the beast had likely been in contact with.
Who would have known that Theron would casually leave and find it first?
Now, he had the audacity… to attack him?
Bel’s expression froze, his head flying into the air. He didn’t even get a chance to take his last breath, his diaphragm losing connection with his brain and the pipeline from his lungs to his mouth being completely severed.
Disbelief.
…
Caelan’s eyes opened wide. He had yet to unsheathe his sword himself, but the moment he saw the change, his first reaction was to do so and then call out.
“Bel!”
It was far too late.
Theron landed on the ground, and with a light pivot, he had already shot toward the only woman of their group. She was a somewhat chubby young woman with a hint of youthful beauty to her. It was clear, though, that she kept the weight on not because she couldn’t lose it, but for a very specific purpose.
Unfortunately for her, that made reading her Flux Mancy path exceptionally easy.
It was either Strength or Defense, and because so much of the weight was concentrated in her gut…
’Defense.’
Theron fluidly changed tactics as he sensed Caelan charge at him to close the distance. But he was still a step ahead.
The three had surrounded him while he was on top of a boulder. Because of that, their line of sight to one another had been cut off. Due to his vantage point, only Caelan could see both Bel and the chubby young woman… and because of that, she didn’t realize one of her own had already fallen until it was too late.
Theron leapt over the boulder, his foot lightly touching it.
Caelan thrust his sword at him, but the Theron of now was much faster than the Theron Caelan knew of. All the First Silver Resonance genius could see was the cold, indifferent side profile of Theron as his sword missed, passing through the air where Theron’s hair had just been.
Falling down from above, Theron raised his blade, descending toward the woman.
She, too, was shocked by the sudden turn. Theron was attacking her of all people? And in such a direct confrontation? It was absolutely ridiculous.
DENG!
She raised her heavy sword in a crossing motion, ready to kick Theron back into the air and cut him in two. But her eyes widened when her knees buckled.
BANG!
Her arms trembled and lowered. By the time she realized that this would cost her the life she had held so precious, it was too late.
Theron’s short sword passed right through the top of her head, splitting it open like a blooming flower.
With a flip, Theron had landed behind her. Caelan was on a furious rampage, rushing after him as quickly as he could. The First Silver Resonance genius had overshot the boulder, landing on the other side and then rushing to round it again…
Only to find that the deed had already been done.
Theron stood there, blood dripping from his blade.
“You… you…” Caelan hyperventilated, watching the young woman tremble on her knees, her head having fallen into pieces. The cut was so perfect that she neither tilted to the left or right, nor forward or back.
Brain matter oozed out of her, dribbling out in chunks as blood fell akin to its own rain.
Then there was the man that had done all of this, calmly standing there and tilting his head to the side to meet Caelan’s gaze.
The words couldn’t even come out from Caelan. Infuriated, he roared, his aura flaring up as white-gold wrapped around him. The image of a roaring white tiger bloomed, the echoes of sharpening blades filling the air. Explore more at
Caelan’s arms moved in blurs, one slash after another erupting as he cut at the air as though it was Theron’s head.
Theron’s eyes narrowed. ’A Fluorescent Tiger Echo… Rare
The Fluorescent Tiger was one of the strongest Imbued Beasts in the Empire. They were Light Mancers and known for their indescribable claw strength and penetrative powers. They were every swordsman’s wet dream.
Caelan was quite bold to take one on despite being a Flux Mancer. However, he had displayed his might as a genius well. With [Luminescent Blade] as a conduit, he was able to tap into as much as 90% of his Echo’s true prowess. With more practice, he could reach 100%.
Plus, he clearly had the foundation of a Core Disciple as well as his Echo was already at Sixth Resonance. He must have integrated at Quasi Silver as well.
It was unfortunate, though…
That he was facing off against Theron.
Chi. Chi. Chi.
One [Water Bullet] after another took shape in the air, countering every blade as though it was a Silver Resonance technique itself. And then a [Water Scythe] took place, shattering the final slash as though it was a mesh of cheap paper.
Theron took a step through the mess of Mana fluttering through the air, the shattered motes of Water Mana forming into his blade as he appeared beneath Caelan’s gaze.
“You’re… so much… stronger…” Caelan said in shock.
“You were never a match for me in the first place.”
Theron’s words had hardly been registered by Caelan before a blade edged by dense waters split his head down his jawline.