MAESTRO OF CALAMITY 3

As Shiki was diligently working on negating the energy of their combined attack, Nine was already on the move, heading towards the location of the enemy.

Jake, noticing Nine's swift approach, remarked to Stella, "Ah, I think he's onto us."

Stella's reply dripped with sarcasm, "You think?" She quickly turned serious, "Using ranged attacks won't cut it right now. You need to hold him off."

Jake chuckled at her comment, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "It's time to take the spotlight then!" He laughed to himself, clearly amused.

Stella shot him a warning look, "Don't get cocky now. You'll still need my power to actually 'kill' him."

Jake nodded in agreement, "Yeah, of course."

As Jake was materializing some sort of weapon, Nine suddenly appeared out of nowhere, delivering a swift dragon kick to Jake. The force of the kick sent Jake flying through the forest, the impact echoing through the trees.

Jake, recovering from the attack, laughed, "You surprised me there, bud. I didn't know you could pack a punch, haha!"

Nine, unfazed by Jake's comment, retorted, "That was a ki—nevermind. Can you just shut up, sidekick?"

Jake flashed a grin, "Great joke, but I think I'll pass on that."

In a blink of an eye, Jake and Nine were all over the place, engaging in a fierce fist fight. It wasn't teleportation, but their raw speed and reaction time at play. Their movements were so fast, they were a blur to the naked eye. They continued to duke it out relentlessly, neither giving an inch.

As they blocked each other's attacks, it seemed to be a stalemate in both physicality and skill. However, something was off.

Jake, noticing the change, muttered, "Huh...?"

Nine was overpowering Jake, blow for blow, due to his ability—GRAYSCALE.

MONOCHROMIC DISTORT:

"Gray" is an extraordinary ability that grants control over various forms of energy, including but not limited to {potential, kinetic, mechanical, nuclear, elastic, radiant, thermal, chemical, sound, electrical, and gravitational energy}. It allows the user to manipulate the energy associated with objects or people. For instance, if someone were to throw a punch at the Nine, "Gray" enables him to mitigate the impact of the punch or even nullify it completely by manipulating the energy involved.

"Gray" is primarily passive, only manifesting when the nine is acted upon by external forces, meaning he can co it manually or it will do it automatically for him. It does not consume the Nine's energy or stamina, making it a sustainable and efficient ability. The ability can be used offensively, allowing him to enhance the kinetic energy behind his punches. By amplifying the energy, he can deliver devastating blows that surpass the normal impact force. It doesn't directly affect speed or mass; instead, it focuses on controlling the very concept of "energy" itself.

In a few more exchanges, Jake staggered, giving Nine a wide opening. Seizing the opportunity, Nine delivered a clean left hook, reinforced with "Gray," to Jake's face. The force of the punch sent Jake flying once more, this time five times further.

Nine taunted, "Once I'm done with you, next is your 'girl', sidekick..."

He unsheathed his katana, taking a stance, while Stella watched the scene unfold, her expression stern.

Jake coughed, laughing despite his

situation, "Hahaha...this is more entertaining than I thought! Let's see what makes you [LIMITLESS] !!"

Jake then took his stance, his eyes glowing an ethereal blue color, his hair flowing freely in the wind. He was ready to face whatever Nine had in store for him...probably.

Nine broke the silence, "Sorry, I've been quite disrespectful. Killing a person without introducing myself first. I am Nine Eizoku... and you are, dead."

For a moment, everything was quiet. It was a peaceful type of quiet, serene and calm like a cold morning. But it was too quiet. The silence was foreboding, hinting at the approaching death.

"MONOCHROMIC DISTORT:

CRIMSON RED...

CRESCENT NULL..."

Nine's voice echoed in the silence, the words hanging heavy in the air.