As Ethan ca to a halt, the dust from the explosion in the relic hunters' camp began to settle.
In the center of the blast zone, a massive crater had ford—about four to five ters in diater, with the solid rock floor now sunken half a ter.
From the center of the crater, a towering figure erged.
"The one who's here to end you," the man growled, his voice low and nacing.
Before anyone could react, he moved.
His movents were bizarre, almost bird-like, as if he were darting and weaving through the air.
Despite his massive fra, which suggested anything but agility, his speed was astonishing. Even Ethan's heightened senses struggled to track his movents fully.
The eight relic hunters, far from ordinary, sprang into action the mont the man appeared.
Hank, the explosives expert, revealed himself to be a fire-based innate ability user—stronger, it seed, than the one Ethan had encountered back in Ravenwood.
Seeing this, Ethan realized he'd been too impulsive earlier. Charging in blindly could've cost him dearly, both in failing to rescue the girl and in drawing unwanted attention.
But the most shocking revelation was the identity of the man who'd descended from above.
It was Mr. Kane, Rowan's father.
Ethan had t him briefly at the hospital so ti ago. Back then, he had been the only one who remained calm when Dr. Aldric appeared, not rushing forward like the others.
At the ti, Ethan had found it odd.
Now, it made sense. Mr. Kane wasn't just an ordinary man—he was a skilled fighter, and a powerful one at that.
In the camp, he faced off against the eight relic hunters alone.
His movents were fluid, his palms striking with precision. No matter what his opponents threw at him—flas, claws, or even the blades of a mutant—he t them head-on.
Despite being outnumbered, he wasn't just holding his own; he was dominating the fight.
However, the eight hunters were well-coordinated, and it would take ti for Mr. Kane to fully subdue them.
Leeroy, Ryan, and Evelyn, noticing Ethan's sudden return, asked what was happening.
Ethan quickly filled them in.
They all knew him, especially Evelyn, who had treated Rowan and the others. Mr. Kane had thanked her and even offered his help if she ever needed it.
Back then, no one had suspected he was anything more than a simple, hardworking man.
"Let's help him," Leeroy suggested.
"Agreed. You three flank around and rescue the girl. I'll cover you," Ethan said, pointing to the black cloth-covered object.
With Mr. Kane drawing all the attention, Leeroy and the others easily slipped into position.
Once they were in place, Ethan activated his Panther Form skill.
In an instant, he shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
The nine combatants in the center of the camp froze montarily, their eyes snapping toward Ethan.
In the chaos, Mr. Kane's gaze narrowed, unsure of Ethan's intentions.
But before anyone could react, Ethan was already in front of one of the hunters.
He threw a punch, and the hunter crossed his arms to block.
Ethan had already shifted into Bear Form mid-strike, delivering a devastating blow.
Thud!
The sound echoed through the camp, and everyone's eyes widened in shock—including Mr. Kane.
The hunter Ethan had attacked was no pushover. He was a Mid-tier Energy User, a formidable opponent.
The three stages of energy manipulation—Prenatal Energy, Nurturing Energy, and Refining Energy—were considered the foundational steps for any Energy User.
While these stages were entry-level in the grand sche of things, they were still a dream for countless aspiring fighters. The Prenatal Energy stage alone blocked over 90% of Energy users from progressing further.
Nurturing Energy, though often achieved naturally, required ti and dedication.
As for Refining Energy? Many fighters never reached it, even by the end of their lives.
So, when a Mid-tier Energy User—a Nurturing Energy practitioner—trembled like a leaf under Ethan's punch, it was a shocking sight.
Crack!
The man's arms snapped, the broken bones piercing his own chest.
Blood sprayed everywhere, but Ethan wasn't done.
He followed up with a kick to the man's abdon.
Thud.
The remaining seven relic hunters leaped back, their faces a mix of rage and disbelief as they stared at their fallen comrade.
"Ethan… what are you doing here?" Mr. Kane started to say, then caught himself, realizing he shouldn't have used Ethan's real na.
"Just passing through," Ethan replied coolly. "What about you?"
"It's a long story," he said evasively, his expression conflicted.
"Not bad, kid. That was brutal," Mr. Kane added, glancing at the fallen man with a mix of approval and surprise.
"We've got no beef with you," one of the relic hunters shouted. "Why attack us out of nowhere? Destroying soone's Core in one move—that's ruthless!"
Ethan didn't respond. Instead, his gaze shifted to the side.
Leeroy, Ryan, and Evelyn were lifting the black cloth covering the mysterious object.
Whoosh.
The cloth flew off, revealing two small cages.
Inside each cage was a child—a boy and a girl.
The cages were so cramped that the children could only crouch, hugging their knees.
Their bodies were covered in bruises, and their eyes were wide with fear and helplessness as they stared at the three siblings.
To make matters worse, their jaws had been forcibly dislocated, preventing them from crying out.
These bastards…
Ethan's rage erupted like a volcano.
His fury beca almost tangible, a crimson aura burning around him like a fiery halo.
Without a word, he moved.
In Panther Form, his speed reached its peak.
Mr. Kane's eyes widened in shock. Ethan's speed was more than double his own, and the afterimage of Ethan's body stretched over a ter behind him.
The first target was Hank, the explosives expert.
Smack!
Hank barely felt the sting on his face before everything went dark.
His head exploded like a waterlon, showering the others behind him in blood and gore.
"Ahhh!" one of the hunters scread, paralyzed by fear.
Mr. Kane sprang into action, targeting the leader of the relic hunters, who was already trying to flee.
anwhile, Ethan, consud by rage, turned his attention to a spiked mutant among the group.
The mutant reacted quickly, thrusting two spear-like spikes toward Ethan.
Ethan caught the spikes mid-air and shoved them back with brutal force.
Thunk! Thunk!
The spikes reversed direction, piercing the mutant's chest.
One of them went straight through his heart.
Ethan grabbed both spikes with one hand, using the mutant's corpse as a macabre flail.
The body swung through the air like a grueso teor hamr, whistling as Ethan hurled it toward the next target.
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