The white-haired man and his clones couldn't believe it. In the end, the idiots he worked for had been right, he thought as he stared at the black-haired man's back. The original mercenary smiled and clicked his tongue.
"So El Capi wasn't lying… mess with the wolf cubs and the great lion shows up in the end."
Knowing his contract bound him to stay and fight anything that stood in the way of fulfilling it, he simply smiled at the warrior's figure. Jayden, after making sure his students were still alive for the moment, thought to himself, What an idiot… he's lucky he didn't die of a cerebral hemorrhage. He glanced at the brown-haired boy with yellow-tipped hair and turned his head slightly to the left.
That single movement put Reyik on guard. Jayden spoke calmly:
"I'll be right back. Move a single muscle and you die. Understood?"
The man and his two copies could only nod nervously, swallowing hard.
The warrior walked toward the warehouse entrance, stopping when he reached what had caught his attention the moment he turned his head: the corpse of the red-haired teenager. With complete composure, he examined the wounds and sighed heavily.
"It seems you put up a good fight… but it was too much for a child like you."
He raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the least striking wound was, in fact, the fatal one.
Meanwhile, at the back of the building, Reyik and his copies sighed in relief. Smiling, he looked up at the stormy sky and accepted his fate. The copies trembled with fear. The one on his left spoke up:
"We should run—or finish off the teenagers as the contract says, then run. If we stay, we're dead!"
The other copy nodded in agreement. The true mercenary smiled, then began to laugh, exhaling deeply in satisfaction. Looking down, he replied:
"For being me, you're really blind and stupid… It was just a blink—no, an instant. We had the kids at our mercy, and like a whisper in the night, they spoke his name… And by the time I realized it, our advantage was gone. He grabbed one of us like it was nothing and popped him like a balloon with a needle. Even if we ran, we'd still have to face the Secretaries' wrath—and I doubt we could outrun him, even at top speed."
He wiped a tear from his eye.
The copies stared in terror at the cruel reality confirmed by the true mercenary. The one who had dared to speak felt even more afraid. Even if it meant gaining more power, nothing could rival the beast in the next room. Panic overwhelmed him and he screamed, lifting barely a millimeter off the ground:
"DO WHATEVER YOU—!"
The sound of blood splashing like a waterfall followed. Reyik smiled in satisfaction as he saw his left leg restored.
Copy: worried "So our only option is to fight, even knowing we'll lose?!"
Reyik: smiling gently "Yes. There's nothing else we can do."
Jayden crouched, withdrawing his index and middle fingers of his right hand from the corpse.
"It pierced your heart cleanly. It was a quick death—you barely suffered… You were too badly injured. Even if I'd arrived earlier, I doubt I could've saved you."
He wiped his fingers on the boy's clothes, then gently placed a hand on the teenager's face, healing the bruises and superficial wounds. Rising, he spoke softly:
"You fought well. You lost—but at the very least, you deserve to have your face intact for your funeral."
He bowed lightly, then walked back toward the others, most of whom were unconscious—except for a blonde girl who had just woken up.
The warrior, his left palm still stained with blood, said calmly:
"I warned you. If you moved, you'd die. One thing—why did you give the four-eyes a quick death?"
The mercenary watched as Jayden shook the blood from his hand, then sighed heavily.
"He'd already lost. And your students had just arrived—I needed to focus on them."
That answer angered Jayden. His voice turned cold and severe.
"Liar, idiot."
The mere firmness of his words cracked much of the floor beneath them, terrifying Reyik and his copy.
Reyik: sighing "I'll admit that when people see my demonic techniques, they usually try to run. The fear is justified—it makes you almost invincible…"
He looked up at the stormy sky.
"But that boy still tried. He refused to run, even after I showed him again and again that he couldn't kill me. He could've fled and led me to another Vigilant—but he didn't. That kind of gallantry—or colossal stupidity—deserved respect. If I didn't acknowledge that, I couldn't say I truly love fighting."
Jayden: serious, looking at Francesca "Alright then. Blonde—can you stand?"
Francesca: in pain "Yes… just give me a moment."
She stood before her friends, gripping her sword.
"I'll protect them while you fight—!"
She was cut off.
"Give me your weapon."
She hesitated. "But Master, that man—"
Interrupted again, Jayden extended his right hand for the katana.
"I know he uses demonic techniques—controlling genetics and regeneration in a near-divine way."
She nodded and handed over her sword. From across the room, the mercenary laughed.
"I can't believe they call you the Sword Master and you don't even carry one. That's like an executioner without an axe."
Jayden took the blade and met his gaze.
"I don't need a tool to take your life. But as I said—I'll humiliate you first. That's why I woke my disciple. She deserves to witness this."
A massive gust of wind erupted across Guarly, tearing the storm apart from the center outward. Jayden lowered the katana's tip to the ground and pointed at the mercenary with his left index finger—offering him the first move.
Reyik nodded.
Francesca didn't move a muscle. This was her chance to see her master's power in action—to understand the gulf between her level and that of a true Barrier, the absolute pinnacle.
Reyik and his clone vanished and reappeared before Jayden. The warrior glanced at them to mark their positions. Holding the katana one-handed, blade still pointed down, he slid his left foot back. A spike slashed from the left and a machete from the right—both aiming for his neck.
In a single motion, Jayden raised the katana skyward, close to his body, blocking both attacks effortlessly. The enemies followed with simultaneous stabs to his abdomen. Jayden rotated his hips slightly, deflecting one, then struck the sides of both weapons, leaving them open.
Focusing on the true Reyik, Jayden drove a clean left knee into his stomach. Before Reyik could be thrown away, Jayden grabbed his nape and smashed his face into a right knee. The clone, enraged, tried a double slash at Jayden's back—but without turning, Jayden blocked it with his right wrist braced between neck and shoulder, blade pointing down.
Then, with a right semi-circular kick, he sent Reyik and his clone crashing through the entrance wall.
Francesca stared in disbelief as concrete exploded into a cloud of gray dust. She blinked, even pinched her arm to be sure it was real. Her master's technique was magnificent—simple, elegant, calm. Straight movements, absolute control. The difference in skill was undeniable.
Reyik rose, pinching his nostril and blowing out a clot of blood. Excited, he extended a hand to his clone. Together, they rushed from opposite sides—four blades against one.
Jayden noticed their glints in his peripheral vision. In perfect sync, they stabbed twice at his neck and slashed twice at his abdomen.
Perfect rhythm, Jayden thought. Worthy of a clone and its creator.
He parried the true Reyik's machete, slid down to deflect the clone's cut with the katana's flat, stepped back to block a stab, then slammed the katana's pommel into the original's weapon.
Francesca watched in awe, finally understanding what he had taught them for months.
"Battle control…"
Though he fought defensively, his calm never wavered. Their blades glowed brighter—she recognized the technique. But it didn't affect her master. Then she noticed his sword glowing too. Cuts began appearing in the surroundings—on the roof, the floor. With a sweep, Jayden forced both enemies' blades aside.
Reyik nodded to his clone. They split apart, raised open palms, and shouted together:
"SERPENT!"
Two massive energy cobras lunged—but Jayden merely released a burst of fire from his left hand. It collided with the original's energy in an explosion. Spinning, Jayden released a Flying Blade that pierced the clone's technique. Without losing momentum, he launched a second, pointing at it with his index finger.
The clone dodged the first—only to realize midair that the second was aimed exactly where it would land.
"Damn it—!"
Blood rained briefly. Only a right leg remained suspended.
Reyik felt a tug—his right leg had returned. Terror set in as Jayden appeared before him. A left side kick nearly tore his head off, followed by a red energy sphere to the stomach that slammed him into the ground, forming a massive crater and shaking the neighborhood.
Reyik awoke in agony, his abdomen torn open. Blood flow had stopped—just barely saving him. He regenerated quickly, floating out of the crater.
"I expected something more original. At least one legendary Barrier technique before dying."
Jayden blinked slowly.
"I already humiliated you."
He raised his left hand to shoulder height, separating his index and middle fingers. A small flame ignited between them.
"Now I'll kill you. But since you entertained me, I'll grant your wish. You have three seconds to try to stop your death."
Francesca's eyes widened. This is what he did to scare Valeria… what is it?
Jayden: "Three…"
The flame grew.
"Two…"
He locked eyes with Reyik.
"One."
He closed his fingers—the flame still burning.
Nothing happened. Reyik laughed nervously.
"Is this a joke…?"
Then he smelled smoke.
"Smoke—"
His body ignited from the inside out. He screamed, rolling, amplifying his Fiu—but the flames grew. Regeneration failed. His eyes burned in their sockets. Organs turned to ash.
Jayden bowed.
"My technique: Ignition."
He turned away as the flames died, Reyik's bones still smoldering.
Francesca swallowed.
Now I understand why that woman trembled… This technique can't be avoided—and it kills quickly.
Jayden handed her the katana.
"Take it. We're leaving. The police are coming."
Police cars and armored vans flooded the area. Officers sealed the street. A dark-haired detective advanced cautiously. Inside the ruined warehouse lay a body.
"Clear in the back. Some weapons crates… and ashes."
Jason holstered his .45 and crouched beside the corpse.
"It's the same kid… the one who was hospitalized days ago."
He punched the ground, stood, and shouted:
"Call forensics. Secure the scene. Notify Detective Surgiri Welter—we found something for his weapons case."
Quietly, he added:
"I have to tell his mother…"