357 Shadows Versus mes[II]


    A popping sound, reminiscent of heated corn, filled the surroundings as he infused me-attributed mana into his bulging legs.Once his legs were fully charged,with an explosive sound,he swiftly lunged forward to confronthis prey.


    As he closed the distancebetween himself and Brawler Randy with a remarkable speed iparable to his speed before, me Legs leaped into the air, delivering a powerful kick aimed directly at Brawler Randy''s midsection. The mes around his legs roared furiously, promising destruction to anyone in their path.


    But Brawler Randy''s eyes flickered with a purple light as the attack approached. When the kick connected with his body, me Legs smiled in victory. However, his expression suddenly changed. He felt no resistance, only a burst of shadowy sprites flooding his vision. The prey he had struck appeared to have dissipated into the air like misty shadows.


    "How is that possible?" He uttered in disbelief.


    Shadow Swap!


    Before he couldnd after missing his target, Brawler Randy had already materialized behind him, his fists already in motion. He drove a crushing blow toward me Legs'' spine, his face a mask of ruthlessness.


    Shocked, me Legs eximed:"What?!"


    At that critical juncture, me Legs'' survival instincts kicked in just in time. With remarkable reflexes, he twisted his body mid-air, narrowly avoiding the lethal attack aimed at his spine.


    Boom!


    He unleashed a fiery explosion beneath his feet, creating distance between himself and Brawler Randy. Hended a few meters away, breathing heavily, his eyes wide with the realization of how close he hade to defeat.


    He was in an extremely precarious situation, and his survival instincts had taken over, maneuvering him away from an attack that would have spelled his doom. This near-death experience left him terrified but also more determined. If he wanted to ensure his survival, he needed to fight with everything he had, no holds barred.


    Exhausted, battered, and bruised, me Legs rose to his feet, determination burning in his eyes. He channeled all his remaining energy into his legs, the mes intensifying until they zed blindingly bright.


    With a bestial roar, me Legsunched himself at Brawler Randy with remarkable speed, catching him off guard, his eyes widening at the sudden increase in me Legs''s speed. me Legs aimed a devastating kick at Brawler Randy''s stomach, the concentrated mes threatening to turn him to cinders.


    However, contrary to me Legs''s expectation,Brawler Randy had anticipated hisattackand was merely faking his surprise. With a cunning smirk, he sidestepped at thest possible moment, and me Legs''sstrike hit nothing but air. As he stumbled forward with themomentumof his attack, Brawler Randy appeared behind him with lightning speed, his fist glowing with rippling power.


    Before he struck, Brawler Randy grinned fiercely and muttered:"Nice try, me wolf. But this ends now!"


    Void Rippling Punch! Full Power!


    With absolute precision and no holds barred, he delivered a crushing blow to the back of me Legs''shead, a cracking sound reverberating through the air. The impact sent me Legs crashing to the ground, rolling a considerable distance beforeing to a halt.


    The mes around his legs flickered onest time before extinguishing as he lost consciousness. Observing the blood oozing out of his orifices, dying his orange fur red, it appeared as though a powerful chaotic force had run amok inside his head.


    He had perished before he could fullyprehend the attack that sealed his fate.


    Back on Liena''s side...


    Liena heard the sounds of intense battle behind her and turned, intrigued by themotion. At that moment, me Legs had gathered an immense me-attributed mana into his legs for an all-out attack. She watched as he charged toward Brawler Randy, but squinted when me Legs'' attack failed tond.


    "Shadow skill…?" Liena muttered, watching as Brawler Randy countered the attackwith a shadow skill simr to hers. She observed as Brawler Randy followed up with a brawling move, effortlessly striking down me Legs and ending his life.


    She wondered what kind of skill it was—its shockwave effect was unlike anything she had seen before. As a professional assassin, Liena had encountered many techniques, but this one was new to her.By her assessment, it didn''t appear to be conceived from an innate affinity like her shadow skills.


    Meanwhile...


    While Liena pondered, me ws sensed the death of thest remaining member of his pack, me Legs. A wave of sadness clouded his mind, his eyes turning bloodshot.


    Liena''s taunting words echoed in his head, especially her remark that me Legs was more suited to be the leader of their pack. Now, with me Legs dead, his heart was filled with rage and indignation.


    The topic of who should lead the pack had long been debated within their tribe. Many had proposed me Legs for the position, but he always refused.


    me ws wasn''t naive. He knew why me Legs declined.It wasn''t out of a desire to avoidpetition, but because he didn''t want to strain their rtionshipas childhood friends. me Legs hadoftensaid he preferred staying in the background, giving instructions rather than taking the role of leaderin the foreground.


    Understanding me Legs''s true reasons made me ws feel as though his own position as leader was unnecessary, his role bing redundant.


    Evenworse, during critical moments, the entire pack—including me wshimself—would instinctively look to me Legs for guidance. This wounded his pride deeply, though he never voiced his feelings. Now, with Liena deeming him unworthy of leadership and openly iming me Legs would have been a better leader, his bottled-up emotions surged like aragingstorm.


    His rage soonturned tobitterresentment upon sensing me Legs'' death at the hands of thatstrangehuman. As the pack leader, witnessing the deaths of all his pack members was not just painful—it was a disgrace, a mark of his ipetence.


    me ws growled in fury, his body transforming much like me Legs''s had during his battle with Brawler Randy. His form was now wreathed in mes, but unlike me Legs'' streamlined transformation, which focused on speed, me ws''s new form was bulkier and sturdier, greatly enhancing his physical strength. His strength was nearly doubled.


    The downside to this transformation was apparent. His movement, already slow before, had now be even more sluggish, eliminating anyadvantage he once had.


    Aware of this weakness, me wspensated by igniting the mes around his legs, much like me Legs, using them as propellers to maintain a speedparable to his humanoid form. In addition, he now moved on all fours, having shifted to a quadrupedal stance.


    Boom!


    With a sharp focus, Liena effortlessly sidestepped the attack, her movements fluid and precise. However, the heat from the strike still grazed her shoulder, leaving a burn mark. Her nonchnt expression turned serious as she realized me ws''s attack range had increased beyondparison.


    Recognizing the threat,she began pacing herself more carefully. She adjusted her stance,gauging me ws''sreach and attack patterns. Soonenough, shedeciphered the attack range and patternand, once again, found herself unimpressed with me ws.


    me ws, realizing he was losing his advantage once again, roared angrily:"Stand still, you coward!"


    He swung his arms in a wide, sweeping motion. Liena ducked under the attack, her body bending in an almost unnatural way. With a swift spin, she shed from a distance, sending a crescent-shaped shadow de toward his side—a dagger technique powered by her innate shadow skill. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    me ws barelymanaged toavoid the strike, stumbling sideways with a frustrated snarl. Regaining his footing, he resumed his reckless assault. This time, he nned to lure Liena in by remaining stationary.


    Noticing hisck of movement, Liena moved with blinding speed, darting around him in a blur and striking at his exposed areas. Each attack was precise, probing his defenses and searching for weaknesses in his new, enhanced body.


    ''Keep attacking just like that. Once I figure out your pattern, I''ll crush your feeble skund feast on your flesh as revenge for my fallen pack members!''me ws thought with boiling animosity, watching as Lienanded a series of light but calcted strikes across his sturdy body.


    With hisenhanced state, even if he couldn''t defeat her immediately, he could withstand her attacks, receivinglittle damage.He was gambling on taking the hits to analyze her attack pattern, waiting for the moment he could strike back with one decisive blowto settle the score.


    All it would take was one hit from him to pulverize his prey. After all, his preymight be quick on her feet, but her body was much weaker than hisnormal form, much less his transformed state that doubled his physical strength.


    Liena, unaware of me ws'' n, continued to strike and weave around him. Her expression remained almost bored as she seamlessly dodged his powerful but clumsy swings.


    ''What is he doing? Has he given up, or has he lost his mind again?''Liena thought, assessing me ws'' erratic and increasingly ineffective attacks. The rage and focus he had disyed earlier seemed to have faded, leaving only desperation.


    From an observer''s perspective, me ws'' frustration was palpable. His movements were slower, his attacks bing more desperate. In contrast, Liena remained calm andposed, weaving around him like a ghostly shadow, her movements fluid and unnatural.


    After a while, me wssuddenlysaw an opening—or so he thought. Ina sudden burstof power, he roared and unleashed every ounce of his strengthhe had left.


    With a beastly cry, he swung his massive, ming ws in a wide arc, aiming directly for Liena''s midsection. The scene eerily resembled me Legs'' final, desperate strike.


    However, me Legs, in the end, failed in his attempt, losing his life tragically. As for whether me ws would fare any differently, only fate could decide the oue.