Brock let out a slow breath, his golden eyes gleaming.
"You two, handle him."
His A-rank guards stepped forward.
But Zero immediately sensed something was wrong.
Their aura… was stronger than before.
Far stronger.
His eyes narrowed. "Their strength… it's almost S-rank?"
One of them stepped forward. His fists clenched, wind swirling around him.
"I'll go first."
Before Zero could react—
BANG!
A powerful fist crashed into his stomach.
"Guh—!"
Zero's body flew backward, slamming into the wall. The impact shook the entire building.
He barely had time to recover before—
BOOM!
A jagged earth spike shot from the ground, aiming straight for his chest.
Zero twisted his body, dodging it at the last second.
His mind raced.
One has wind. The other has earth. And their power is overwhelming.
The wind user smirked. "Not bad. But let's see how long you last."
Zero vanished.
Shadow Hide.
He reappeared behind the earth-user, aiming a powerful punch at his back—
THUD!
The attack landed—but did nothing.
"What?" Zero's eyes widened.
The earth-user barely flinched. His skin hardened like stone.
"Surprised?" the guard smirked. "My Earth Armor makes me immune to physical attacks."
Zero clicked his tongue. "Annoying."
But he still had an advantage.
If I keep fighting, their stamina will drain. Then, I'll finish them.
A Battle of Endurance
The fight raged on.
The wind-user moved at blinding speed, sending razor-sharp wind slashes in every direction.
The earth-user was like an immovable tank, summoning giant boulders and earth spikes to trap Zero.
Zero dodged, weaving through attacks, striking whenever he could.
Minutes turned into an eternity.
The guards' movements began to slow.
Zero smirked. "Your stamina's running low."
The earth-user gritted his teeth. "Damn it…!"
Zero didn't waste the opportunity.
He activated Shadow Claw.
SHRRIP!
The black claw tore through the air—
And ripped through the earth-user's throat.
"Guh—!" Blood sprayed as the guard collapsed.
The wind-user's eyes widened. "Tch!"
But before he could react—
Zero activated Blindness.
The wind-user screamed. "Aghhh! I can't see—!"
SLASH!
Zero ended him in a single strike.
The room fell silent.
Blood dripped from Zero's claws.
He turned to Brock. "Your guards are dead."
Brock's True Power
Brock… smiled.
A slow, chilling grin.
"Impressive."
Zero's instincts screamed.
Something was wrong.
Zero rushed forward, aiming a punch at Brock's face—
But—
Brock caught it.
With ease.
Zero's eyes widened. "What—"
BOOM!
A fiery fist smashed into his chest, sending him flying.
Zero crashed into the ground, smoke rising from his burned armor.
"That was… fire?"
Before he could recover—
A massive water ball slammed into him.
SPLASH!
Zero skidded backward, drenched. His body ached from the impact.
He looked up in shock.
Brock stood there, smirking. Flames flickered in one hand. Water swirled in the other.
"You're surprised, aren't you?" Brock chuckled. "That's right. I can use two elements."
Zero's expression darkened. "Impossible…"
Brock spread his arms. "This is the future. And it can be yours too, Zero."
His golden eyes gleamed with power.
"Join me. You've seen my strength. You can't defeat me."
Zero clenched his fists.
This fight… had just begun.