Chapter Forty-Four: Advantage

Regardless of the circumstances, Xia Yan had clearly gained the upper hand, and he was steadily expanding that advantage. Within three minutes, Xia Yan had struck the Black Gold Ape thirteen times, leaving behind thirteen wounds. Though none were deep, the cumulative effect was bound to be lethal in the long run.

The妖异男子—the eerie-looking man—was nearing a state of madness. Clearly, he held the slight edge in strength, speed, and reaction time. Yet, the moment they engaged in close-quarters combat, the tide turned completely. Xia Yan seemed to be dancing around him, dictating the flow of the battle. Even a fool could have deduced that Xia Yan possessed mastery over ancient martial arts techniques that he lacked.

For mutants like him, mastering ancient martial arts was an arduous task. They were not human to begin with; learning human knowledge was already slow, let alone techniques that required innate talent to cultivate. Besides, even if he had the desire to learn, who would teach him?

If he could just drag this out, he would win. Xia Yan was consuming far more energy than he was; while he fought using his inherent physical prowess, Xia Yan had to rely on a berserker potion and demonic abilities just to keep pace. But he felt a deep, gnawing sense of humiliation. He was a Level 6 mutant, and Xia Yan’s raw power was far inferior to his own. The mere thought that he had to resort to a war of attrition was infuriating. He felt a sudden, reckless urge to revert to his true form and fight to the death, but he forced himself to stay calm. Rashness would be his undoing.

"Your defense is too strong," Xia Yan sighed softly. His movements remained swift. He drew his .42 Caliber Judge with his left hand and fired a round at the eerie man.

The man sneered, not even bothering to dodge. The bullet struck his body like a projectile hitting steel; it didn't even break the skin.

Xia Yan fired three more shots. The first two had no effect, but the third became lodged deep within one of the man's existing wounds.

"Ugh!" A cry of pain escaped him. The eerie man’s eyes turned cold and venomous. He had never expected Xia Yan’s aim to be so cunning; the first two shots had been nothing more than a distraction.

Xia Yan continued his rhythmic assault, wielding his Variable Blade in one hand and firing with the other, calculating every move to force each bullet into the man’s flesh.

Fury boiled within him. The man could not endure such indignity. To be held at bay by a human teenager was an absolute disgrace. He could already imagine himself becoming a laughingstock, a clown for people to mock over dinner.

"No, no, I refuse to accept this!" The man’s composure shattered. "Why? What right does he have to suppress me? The gap in physical strength is still too small, too small!"

He felt he had no choice but to shift into his true form to fight.

"Stay calm." A voice suddenly echoed in his mind, causing his boiling blood to settle and his entire being to regain its equilibrium. It was the voice of Wen Zhe.

The man’s angry gaze softened. "Lord Wen Zhe is telling me to stay calm. Perhaps shifting into my true form would actually be more disadvantageous. Otherwise, Lord Wen Zhe would not have warned me." He forced himself to remain steady, acknowledging the risks and benefits of his true form.

As Xia Yan launched his next strike, the mutant finally triggered his ability. His body vanished into thin air.

"Hmph!" Xia Yan let out a look of exaggerated disdain. A foolish mutant, thinking he could toy with him using a primary ability? Did he really think so little of him?

"Flash Strike!"

Xia Yan lunged three meters to his right, unleashing a full-power strike. The blade flashed like a thunderbolt, striking the seemingly empty air.

"How is this possible?" The eerie man was bewildered. His eyes were filled with disbelief and shock; he could not fathom how his invisibility had been破除—broken so easily.

"A pathetic, gimmicky ability. In the face of ancient martial arts, invisibility is nothing but trash," Xia Yan sneered. He gave chase, executing a Gale Strike. His onslaught was relentless, wave after wave, each strike falling like a thunderclap, sharp and terrifying enough to make one’s heart tremble.

Four consecutive strikes left the man with four more wounds; his condition was becoming dire. With his left hand holding the gun and his right wielding the blade, infused with gray flames, Xia Yan unleashed his most powerful attack.

"Flash Strike!"

A bullet struck one of the wounds, mangling the flesh further. Another shot followed, deepening the gash and fracturing the bone beneath.

Now was the time!

Xia Yan’s full-force strike, shrouded in layers of gray flame, swung toward the man’s left arm. A shocking scene played out before everyone’s eyes: the Black Gold Ape’s arm had been severed!

Blood sprayed as the limb soared into the air. In mid-air, it transformed into its true, massive form—the arm of a Black Gold Ape. It crashed to the ground, three meters long, shaking the earth with a deafening roar.

It was unbelievable! Even Wen Zhe trembled, rubbing his eyes in disbelief that the Black Gold Ape’s legendary defense had been shattered. Cries of shock erupted from the crowd; no one dared to believe that such a defense could be broken.

It was a miracle—an absolute miracle. Even if Xia Yan died here, they would remember him: the man who had gambled his life to break the Black Gold Ape’s defense. He was the very embodiment of the word "miracle."

Emilia sipped her black tea, chuckling softly. Beside her, Vivi remained stunned.

"I told you, he had a chance to win," Emilia smiled.

"But he actually broke the Black Gold Ape’s defense! How is that possible?" Vivi asked, still bewildered.

"Normally, it wouldn't be. But if you use bullets to break the defense, gouge out the flesh, stack the shots to weaken the bone, and then follow up with a full-power strike, it becomes possible," Emilia laughed.

"It’s terrifying. To achieve this level of mastery with marksmanship?" Vivi whispered in awe. "But, my lady, this isn't just some stray dog; this is a mutant! His physical constitution is far superior to Xia Yan’s!"

"There’s nothing strange about it. Xia Yan has always done what others couldn't. Or rather, he is the only one who can do these things," Emilia replied with a sweet smile. "Vivi, this is only the beginning of the real battle. A struggle without suspense isn't a true fight! I truly look forward to it, Xia Yan! Create more miracles; let them see what you can do!"