Chapter 168: East Anekta Crisis (7)

Eden barely managed to raise his blade in time. Her strike carried far more force than the previous ones, driving him backward through the room. He planted his foot against the floor, redirecting the momentum, and slipped to her side.

His Dark Matter blade cut toward her ribs.

Ember turned just enough to avoid the worst of it, but the edge still tore through her clothing. Purple flames immediately surged across the wound, closing the injury before the blood could even reach the floor.

Eden’s eyes narrowed.

’Healing?’

He had noticed it earlier, but now he was certain. Her flames weren’t simply an offensive element. They seemed to reinforce her body, accelerate recovery, and perhaps even enhance her physical abilities.

’That explained why her aura feels so overwhelming.’

She wasn’t just a powerful S-Rank with a destructive skill. Her flames were continuously supporting her.

Eden’s expression grew serious.

He couldn’t afford to keep testing her.

[Corrupted Surge]

A dense wave of Essence erupted from his body.

His attributes surged, and the air around him trembled under the sudden increase in power. Dark Matter spread across his arms and shoulders, reinforcing his body and coating his blade in a thicker layer of black energy.

Ember noticed the change.

"So you finally decided to take this seriously."

"I’ve been trying to avoid destroying the entire building."

"Then you should have stayed out of my way."

She rushed forward again.

This time, Eden met her head-on.

Their blades collided, and the impact sent both of them crashing through the wall. They emerged into the adjacent floor, scattering debris across the corridor. Before the dust could settle, Ember attacked again, forcing Eden to retreat toward the stairwell.

He blocked one strike, redirected another, and narrowly avoided a third that carved a deep groove into the wall behind him.

’As expected of an S-Rank!’

’She’s fast.’

Even with Corrupted Surge and his Dark Matter reinforcement, keeping up with her was difficult. Her movements were efficient, and the purple flames seemed to respond to her intentions almost instinctively, reinforcing her limbs at the moment of impact.

Eden tried to create distance.

Ember refused to let him.

She slammed her palm against the floor.

A wave of purple fire erupted beneath his feet.

Eden leapt backward, but the flames followed, climbing the walls and spreading across the ceiling. He twisted in midair, using Burst Step to escape the advancing fire, only for Ember to appear directly in front of him.

Her blade struck his chest.

The impact sent him through another wall.

Eden crashed into the next floor, rolled across the ground, and forced himself upright before Ember could follow. His body was already recovering, but the strike had been powerful enough to leave a deep impression beneath his reinforced clothing.

’Even this much isn’t enough, huh?’

He could have raised his power further, but doing so would make it increasingly difficult to control the destruction around them. The building was full of valuable merchandise, and while the attack had already compromised its security, he had no intention of wasting time searching through the wreckage for items that might survive.

[Ferocious Evolution]

Black scales spread across his arms and shoulders, extending over his chest as the skill activated. His physical attributes surged, and the familiar sensation of his body becoming something more monstrous began to settle in.

[Blackout: 1%]

Eden poured more Essence into the skill.

[Blackout: 17%]

Then more.

[Blackout: 30%]

The scales thickened, becoming darker and sharper. His muscles tightened, and the pressure radiating from his body increased.

Ember’s eyes narrowed.

Eden stepped forward.

For the first time since their fight began, Ember was forced to give ground.

His blade came down with enough force to split the floor beneath her feet. She blocked it, but the impact drove her through the ceiling and into the floor above. Eden followed immediately, bursting through the opening before she could regain her footing.

They clashed again.

The entire skyscraper shook.

Floor after floor, their battle continued. Ember’s purple flames illuminated the corridors, while Eden’s Dark Matter tore through walls and reinforced structures. Neither could gain a decisive advantage. Every time Eden managed to land a meaningful strike, Ember’s flames restored her body. Every time Ember pushed him back, Ferocious Evolution repaired the damage and allowed him to continue.

Eden didn’t know how much of her power she was holding back, but he was certain she wasn’t using everything.

She was deliberately directing her attacks away from the merchandise whenever possible. Even in the middle of their fight, she was avoiding certain storage areas and choosing angles that would minimize the destruction.

’She’s holding back her true strength to protect the Items.’

That was understandable, considering the auction’s value. But it was also giving him an opening.

Eden tried to exploit it, forcing her toward a section of the floor where the reinforced cabinets restricted her movements. He feinted to the left, then struck from the opposite side.

Ember barely blocked the attack.

The force sent her sliding backward.

For a brief moment, Eden thought he had finally created an opportunity.

Then her flames surged.

A concentrated burst of purple energy exploded around her, forcing him away and tearing apart the surrounding cabinets. Ember emerged from the flames with her weapon raised, her expression now considerably colder.

"You’re starting to irritate me."

"Good. Maybe you’ll start listening!"

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she advanced with a speed that caught him off guard.

Eden raised his blade, but her strike came from an unexpected angle. It slipped past his guard and slammed into his side, sending him flying through the remaining walls of the floor.

He crashed against the enormous window wall at the far end of the building.

The glass cracked beneath the impact.

For a moment, Eden remained suspended against it, his body held in place by the fractured surface. Beyond the glass was nothing but open air and the distant lights of East Anekta.

A few more inches, and he would have fallen.

He pushed himself away from the window, landing unsteadily on the floor.

Ember approached.

Her purple flames flickered around her blade, and her expression remained stern.

"Enough. Drop your weapon."