Chapter 495

Chapter 495: One Against Three

"Bold words!" Simon’s face turned iron-gray. Never had he imagined a mere human daring to address him so. "You think joining Death Scorpion gives you the right to act arrogant before me?"

"It’s not about status," Midi stepped forward calmly. "I speak this way because you’re weaker than me."

Midi had anticipated this attack long ago. As a commander, he’d be unfit for leadership if enemies breached his defenses unnoticed.

Facing Simon’s aggression, multiple options existed. He could’ve exploited Death Scorpion’s influence or pretended to remain under "Warrior" Thor’s protection—bluffs that might’ve confused the newly arrived Simon into retreating.

Yet Midi chose none.

"Direct confrontation" had been his core tactic since entering Shaded Realm, forcing himself to break limits and accelerate growth. While compromise proved necessary during past battles, today demanded no restraint.

Simon’s challenge came at the perfect moment. Fresh from sparring with Warrior Thor, Midi’s mastery of Black Iron Dragon Flame and Heavenly Dragon Strike had deepened. This fight offered ideal practice—only mysterious Alexis from the Death Scorpion/Two-Headed Warwolf alliance concerned him. Though Simon held one level advantage, he posed no real threat.

"Show me your skills then!" Simon snorted. Blue electricity crackled as he transformed into gray blur—Fighter skill Dance of Lightning activated. Simultaneously, he unleashed Body Dominance, Steel Bones, Weak Point Perception, and God of War Step.

High-level practitioners above Level 60 could chain skills into combinations, but Simon’s instant activation of multiple abilities surpassed mere combinations—a true skill explosion. This opening move alone proved his superiority over dragon-blooded Dakhni.

Yet to Midi, Simon’s dazzling techniques—agile footwork, lightning strikes, iron defenses—all fell short compared to Warrior Thor’s casual spear thrust.

Black Iron Dragon Flame unfurled around Midi like dark tapestry before crashing downward.

"What?!" Simon gasped. Air temperature spiked violently. Choking black flames froze his energy and magic mid-flow.

Superior God of War Step control saved him. Simon jerked backward in emergency retreat—but Midi wouldn’t release cornered prey. A single step closed the gap instantly.

Horn King Greatsword descended with world-crushing force as Midi materialized before the baffled Simon. How had the human crossed meters without warning?

Even for a skill like "Demon Shadow Flash," there should be signs and casting time, right?

Yet he had no time left to figure this out.

Midi’s greatsword was already descending.

A sharp clang of metal echoed.

At the final moment, Simon barely blocked Midi’s Horn King Greatsword with a golden dragon claw gauntlet.

Though avoiding being split in half, he couldn’t handle the crushing impact.

The block sent him flying backward like a kicked ball at blinding speed.

Midi stepped forward again.

In the next breath, he reappeared before the stumbling Simon, swinging his greatsword down a second time!

Now wracked with body-shattering pain, Simon couldn’t muster any defense.

Just as Midi prepared to finish him, strands of psychic energy coiled around the swordsman like spider silk, probing into his mind.

High-level mind-related ability: mind lock!

Alexis had finally acted.

When he moved, it was always with the most invisible yet lethal strikes.

But this psychic attack – enough to reduce a Level 60 practitioner to a drooling fool – simply vanished against Midi, having no effect.

The Horn King Greatsword fell toward Simon once more.

The necklace at Simon’s throat flared white, barely stopping the strike.

Midi anticipated this protective charm, unleashing a storm-like barrage of follow-up attacks.

Black Iron Dragon Flame roared from the greatsword’s edge, swallowing Simon whole!

The necklace initially held, but under this relentless assault, its glow dimmed until it cracked apart.

Now Midi slowed his assault.

He waited.

A careless strike might let Simon activate teleportation like Dakhni had, escaping Crystal Dragon Fortress.

He needed absolute certainty.

Simon understood this too. With panicked eyes, he reached for his teleportation bracelet.

Midi’s dragon flame flickered – severing Simon’s bracelet-clad right hand in one clean motion.

"No!" Simon howled, watching thick blood spray from his stump as the arm thudded to the ground.

Midi casually swung sideways, swatting Simon away like a bothersome insect.

Three strikes total.

In mere heartbeats, the Death Scorpion family’s second-ranked young master – peak-level 65 – lay broken before Midi. No counterattack. No escape.

"How?" Cort of the Two-Headed Warwolves breathed, eyes wide with disbelief.

How did the notorious and arrogant Simon get defeated so easily?

But he didn’t even get time to be shocked as Midi took another step forward.

With just that single step, Midi closed the distance and stood directly before Cort.

Black Iron Dragon Flame erupted skyward like the gaping jaws of a Behemoth, swallowing Cort whole.

As an elemental mage reliant on distance and casting time, Cort stood no chance against Midi at point-blank range.

He couldn’t even trigger his teleportation trinket before being reduced to ash by the devouring flames.

Midi swung his greatsword and swept his gaze across the battlefield – Alexis had disappeared.

After his mind lock failed to connect, the man had clearly retreated without hesitation.

The remaining fighters, numbed by psychic energy, hadn’t even noticed their leader’s departure.

"Ran faster than expected," Midi muttered, brow furrowing.

His original plan had been simple: endure Alexis’s psychic bombardment, eliminate Simon and Cort (the two chief core disciples), then challenge Alexis to a proper one-on-one duel.

He hadn’t anticipated such immediate retreat.

Fear? Unlikely. No expert wielding high-level mind-related abilities could’ve attained such power while being cowardly.

This suggested hidden motives behind Alexis’s withdrawal – avoiding confrontation meant preserving strength for another purpose.

Whatever the reason, they’d meet again in the Black Crystal Forest.

For now, cleanup remained.

Midi’s sharp gaze swept over the stunned fighters as a ruthless smile formed.

"Let me be clear upfront: I won’t accept surrenders. A proper army has no use for flip-flopping traitors. So fight desperately with everything you’ve got – show me your pathetic last struggle!"

Dragon flames erupted around him, roaring upward as if to Consume the very sky.

The would-be defectors paled. Escape was impossible against a teleporting foe, and lacking core disciples’ trinkets left only one option: fight until death.

But desperate fury proved worthless against Midi.

Within ten minutes, the Death Scorpion and Two-Headed Warwolf teams lay annihilated. Zaknavan’s group hunted down the few fleeing survivors.

Thus the second and fourth major families faced total annihilation in this rash battle.

Almost. Simon still breathed beneath Midi’s boot, pinned to the scorched earth.

"Know why you’re still alive?" Midi asked calmly, staring down at the broken man.