Chapter 35: I Want Your Powers

As Rose slammed into the iron railings, the dwarves immediately pounced on her, holding daggers to her brow, throat, heart, and spleen.

Baron suddenly turned around and roared, "If you don't want her to die, put down your gun!"

A revolver was already aimed at his head.

Mike kept his gun raised, saying flatly, "You should get your facts straight. The one you're holding hostage is her, so why should I put down my gun?"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Two shots to the heart, one to the head, but Baron's body emitted a metallic collision sound.

Mike was surprised. What was going on with this guy?

With a rumble, the four dwarves were blasted away.

As a Second Circle Inquisitor, Rose would not be easily subdued. She suddenly erupted in a surge of steam, pushing back the enemies. Crossing her fingers, she generated a boiling white mist in her palms, ready to unleash it.

Praxis: Steam Cannon!

This was the exclusive ability of a Glory Realm Evolver - the progression of one's fate, the power of Praxis.

A thunderous blast sent Baron flying into the wooden hut!

"Be careful, that guy is strange," Mike warned, his Dark Matter palm pulsing with the desire to feed.

"Am I that unappealing? You won't even save me?" Rose's ample bosom rose and fell as she turned to the blasted dwarves, who were getting up like evil spirits, their bones cracking.

The scorched skin was healing rapidly.

"No, no, I believe in your strength and charm," Mike said casually. "Go get 'em, you're the best!"

"Hmph." Rose became more cautious. "These guys are no ordinary foes."

Suddenly, the hut exploded again, and Baron flew out with a terrifying speed, kicking towards Mike.

Mike was sent flying into the trash heap, his life hanging by a thread.

Rose quickly blocked the punch aimed at her but was pushed back half a step by the sheer force. The four dwarves immediately pounced on her like wild dogs, surrounding her.

At that moment, she finally saw the truth.

Baron's grey robe had been blown off, revealing his completely rotted body. Yet, his skin had become unusually hard, and the burned areas were healing rapidly.

Recalling Mike's earlier clues, she realized in shock.

"Necro Cult Acolyte!"

The signature trait of a Necro Cult Acolyte was their half-rotted bodies.

"So you're not just an ordinary hound, eh? Those liars must have sent you to eliminate us," Baron growled maniacally, pouncing and tearing like a wild beast. Even though his every attack was blocked, his frenzy only grew.

"Too bad, I'm not the same as before."

He roared, "I have obtained the power of a god!"

Pitch-black veins pulsed across his body, making him even stronger.

"You implanted Dark Matter inside yourselves? You're all lunatics, psychopaths!" Rose had drawn her dagger, striking at vital points, but the razor-sharp blade couldn't cut their skin, only sparking as the nimble dwarves landed blows on her, infuriating her.

In the trash heap, Mike seemed to hear someone cursing him.

Baron's kick just now had been at least First Circle level.

His life energy had accumulated to over 50 per cent.

And he had the boost of Dark Matter.

Hmm, Dark Matter.

Mike had been worrying about not being able to find new Aberrants to devour. Now, one had conveniently come to him.

The trash heap filled with the growls and heartbeats of a wild beast.

Rose and Baron were both shocked. That guy was still alive?

Mike opened his glowing golden eyes and pounced like a caged beast unleashed.

Left hook, right cross!

Knee strike, sweep!

The four dwarves were sent flying again by sheer force.

As Rose was pushed back by a punch, she saw the youth in the throes of a sacred rampage rushing past her, his breathing and heartbeat like thunder.

"Be careful, you're no match for him!" Rose cried out.

"Foolish soldier, you're only fit to clear the mindless Aberrants on the front lines!" Baron roared, unleashing a powerful punch as the youth charged at him.

His Fate was Strength.

In that fleeting moment, Mike's eyes were filled with raging arcs of electricity, his body crackling with azure lightning. Dodging the fist with surprising speed, he unleashed a devastating uppercut, the shockwave shattering the air.

This was the first time he had used his Fate in actual combat.

His innate abilities currently have an incredibly explosive power!

Boom!

Baron's jaw was instantly shattered, and his whole body was sent flying backwards, crashing into the collapsed wooden hut behind him. Thick plumes of dust were scattered, with smoke arising.

This scene left Rose dumbfounded.

"Innate abilities!"

She exclaimed, "Are they lightning-based?"

Unfortunately, Mike could not appreciate her look of shock. With his already existing tendency towards holy rampages, plus the personality changes brought on by his innate abilities, he had completely lost his mind.

At that moment, it was as if the spirit of the Duke family had possessed him. There were only three words in his mind:

Charge, kill, destroy!

Mike suddenly charged forward in a mad rush, leaving behind a trail of flickering electric arcs.

The electric arcs had barely faded when he had already leapt into the ruins.

Baron was rolling in agony, but the shattered jaw quickly began to rapidly repair itself. The moment his consciousness returned, he saw the electricity-wreathed youth approaching, holding two cinderblocks in his hands.

Abandoning his previous arrogance, Baron turned and ran!

Of course, Mike had no intention of letting his prey escape so close at hand and took off in pursuit.

"Hey!"

Rose was about to give chase but discovered that the four dwarves next to her had gotten back up.

A calm voice came through her earpiece, "Don't worry, we've got Mike. You focus on dealing with the four dwarves around you, make sure to capture them alive, understood?"

Rose acknowledged with a hum.

Since the superior officer had spoken, she could rest easy.

Baron was running on all fours, half his body already rotting away, the other half standing out with pitch black veins - no longer resembling a human, but some kind of beast.

As he burst out from the street corner, the black market vendors were startled.

"Shit, there's a monster!"

"That's an apparition, a strange sight indeed... wait, an apparition?"

"Help, someone report this upstairs!"

A cinderblock came flying through the air, smashing into the back of the monster's head and shattering to pieces.

Baron let out a roar of fury and continued fleeing.

The monster could be seen leaping between the various stalls and carts, running at breakneck speed.

Boom, a trash can was sent flying into the air as it was knocked over.

Mike drifted on the muddy ground, running along the wall roots to unleash another astonishing burst of speed, like a fleeting azure phantom, whipping up a howling gale.

The black market vendors were left dumbfounded again.

Especially David, who was waiting at his stall - his hair tousled by the two gusts of wind, completely stupefied, having never imagined the combat between Evolved Ones could be so astounding.

And the fattened snake who was receiving treatment nearly pissed himself in fright.

Luckily he had the good sense not to, or else with that speed, he'd have had all his bones scattered.

On the underground street, the delivery trucks were still driving steadily, when they saw the two figures suddenly zipping past them, causing the drivers to have cold sweats.

Even in his berserk state, Mike still couldn't catch up to his target, so he hastily ripped out a vendor's stall support and hurled it towards the fleeing figure ahead.

With a whooshing sound, the steel pipe pierced through Baron's abdomen!

This was the advantage of explosive power - it could penetrate even a hardened body.

Thud.

The vendor's synthetic meat stall also collapsed, the meat strewn all over the ground.

Mike didn't even glance at it, just focused on the pursuit. But as he disappeared from view, a 20-credit merit ticket fluttered down, landing in front of the vendor who was about to break down in tears.

The merchant was sadly smiling from ear to ear.

"It's because this is the money he couldn't earn for half a month," he said.

"Looks like a military officer was just chasing after a criminal," said the merchant next door. "Lately, it seems a bit unsettled around here."

This kind of thing happens often in the underground district, so they're already used to it.

"When the immortals fight, ordinary people suffer the consequences," he sighed.

If someone knocks over your stall, it's already good if they don't come looking for trouble afterwards.

After all, if you try to accuse them of obstructing official duties, you won't have a leg to stand on.

As for your losses, you just have to endure it.

However, this was the first time the synthetic meat merchant had seen a military officer willing to provide compensation.

As Mike gave chase, Baron had already fled to the elevator.

He had pulled out the steel pipe, the gaping wound on his abdomen was horrifying.

Baron's appearance had become completely transformed - his face was covered in black veins, his eyes were as deep as ink, and half his rotting body exuded a foul stench, no longer human but a twisted, monstrous creature.

A terrifying power was remaking him!

It seemed he wanted to stall for time, howling, "Don't you want to know about me...?"

Boom!

Mike came in a flash, grabbing his head and slamming it against the wall.

This dazed Baron, his hardened skull ringing.

The guy wasn't playing by the rules.

Was the crazy one him or me?

But his healing ability was still strong - in an instant, he had regained consciousness, roaring, "Don't think I'm like my foster father! The old man was just cannon fodder creating an army of monsters outside! The power I possess is far more perfect!"

Normally, Mike would have started analyzing.

So the Necro Cult was active both inside and outside the city.

The former high priest's task was to create more monsters in the afterlife realm.

But now, there was only one thought in his mind...

"You will all die, and this city will be buried."

Struggling to his feet, Baron intended to overpower the crazed youth with brute force. "False gods, liars, usurpers - all shall be punished by equal death! Oh, great birthing mother, grant me the power of the Decaying Spectre, and let me evolve!"

At that moment, his skin hardened further, his self-healing accelerating. The wound on his abdomen was nearly closed.

However, the claws tore it open again.

Mike's right hand dug into the wound.

Amidst the bestial breathing and heartbeat, a raspy young voice spoke.

"Oh, great birthing mother, grant him the power of the Decaying Spectre. Help me... complete the evolution."

"I quite like your abilities. But now, they're mine!"