Gap of Strength

"Shadow Blend!"

Michael blend in the shadow of a nearby tree. He was traveling between the shadows in the vicinity, trying to find an opportunity to attack.

Seeing this, Jackson just stood there indifferently, like there was nothing that can threaten him.

"Futile!" Jackson scoffed...

"Don't be arrogant! You are facing the two of us," Gregory said, while holding his ax, ready to pounce.

"Earth Armor"

"Body Augmentation"

After uttering the name of his abilities. His body suddenly became bigger and stronger. His muscles became compact whilst also becoming taller. An armor made of tough rocks covered his body. "You have to face the consequence of your sin Jackson."

"That is, if you had the ability." Jackson scoffed with disdain.

He manipulated the daggers that were floating beside him... The daggers simultaneously attacked Gregory, leaving a cutting sound in the air.

Seeing the incoming attack, Gregory decided to go all out. Because he knew that facing Rank A is very dangerous.

'His attack is fast. I can only dodge three of them,' Gregory analyzes.

"Finally, I can already move slightly," Fein muttered while watching their fight. "I need to help or else the captain will die."

Suddenly a huge aura was released on Fein's body... The ground cracked like a cobweb and the nearby trees swayed due to the powerful force being emitted.

"B Rank!?" Gregory, who was trying his best to block the daggers, shouted.

Jackson's face became grim for a split second, but it also returned to indifference. "Unexpectedly, you are already B Rank. You are hiding quite deeply. My decision is right... I can't allow you to live any longer."

Jackson's face twisted cruelly... He levitated in the air and looked down on them.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, he canceled his ability on Fein and proceeded to coat his fist with it.

Taking this opportunity, Fein used Flashing Dash and dashed towards Jackson.

"I said it was futile!" Jackson shouted while punching his back in a lightning-fast manner.

Thud!

Michael, who was covered in shadow, was thrown out to the ground. He spat a mouthful of blood while looking at Jackson with a shocked face.

"How is that even possible!?" Michael still can't believe what happened.

Jackson looks in Fein's direction while saying. "I have extrasensory perception. So, your sneak attacks are useless."

Fein, who appeared beside Jackson, uses his Flashing Scabbard, Seeing the fast attacks, Jackson knew that with his measly speed he can't take them head-on.

"Mental Barrier."

An invincible barrier blocked all of Fein's attacks. 'Shit! I knew that he has a barrier-like ability but I didn't expect it to be this tough!' Fein attacked the barrier continuously, but the barrier didn't even produce the slightest sign of a crack.

Jackson ignored him and concentrated his mind on controlling the daggers. Two of the daggers manage to bypass the ax of Gregory... His armor can't hold it any longer. It collapsed on its own after receiving multiple attacks.

"I can't hold on any longer. We had to attack at the same time!" Seeing the grimness of the situation, Gregory decided to go all out.

"Heh! I commend your braveness, but it was finally time for you to die!" Jackson's face became even colder than ice.

"Avalanche!" Gregory activated his trump card.

The ground trembled furiously, and it created multiple spikes volleying towards Jackson.

Seeing this, Michael dashed towards Jackson. "Shadow Physique."

His body morphed into a shadow, and his speed increase tremendously.

-Ding! After 1 minute, all of your stats increase by 10%!

Fein decided to infuse 90% of his remaining Degu on his sword, and the muscles in his calves became even more pronounced due to the strength he was exerting.

Boom!

The sound of air being broken resounded throughout the area...

"This is bad." Seeing this Jackson, who has a neutral facade right from the start, finally has a change in his expression.

He knew that even his barrier might not be able to take their combined attacks. That's why he finally decided to go all out too.

"Consider yourself worthy for being able to force me to use my trump card," Jackson smirked slightly and canceled his barrier to face them. "PYROKINESIS!!!"

A monstrous fire suddenly enveloped his arms. The temperature was very high that the leaves on the trees 80 meters away from it were burned to ashes.

"Retreat!" Fein redirected all the gathered Degu from his sword to his body to form armor.

Knowing that it was too late, Gregory dashed in front of Fein and activated his earth armor once again, using his last remaining Degu Reserves to shield him.

Michael was the first one to bear the brunt of the raging flames. Although his Shadow Physique is pretty much immune to physical attacks, it was different when facing an energy or elemental attacks.

Thanks to this, Michael didn't die, but he was still gravely injured. His whole body was covered in black, like charcoal. His flesh had cracked due to the high temperature.

Finally, the flame proceeds to devour the avalanche, which manages to offset the flame's ferociousness for a bit. Due to Gregory covering Fein, he managed to survive. His body was in tremendous pain. It feels like thousands of ants were biting his skin.

Fein endured the pain and looked at his captain's situation...

Just like that, tears couldn't help but gush out after seeing his gruesome death. What remained on him was only his head, which was currently unrecognizable, but Fein can see that the pain twisted Gregory's face due to pain.

Fein felt a slight piercing pain in his heart. A heavy feeling shrouded his mind at this moment.

He looked towards the culprit of this with his eyes full of hatred.

"You will pay for what you've done, bastard!" Fein shouted with pain apparent in his voice.

Jackson coldly looked at him. "I have a gift for you before our parting. You're lucky that I don't have the strength to kill you in my current state."

He threw something in Fein's direction. It was covered in a blanket... Seeing this, Fein suddenly felt a bad premonition.

Fein unwrapped the blankets in his hands. After seeing what it was, his eyes lost their colors and became hollow. Because lying in his hands were the heads of his mother and sister.