Chapter 459: Routine Fengyue!
The Goltish Hammer—an artifact of absorption and gravity.
Earlier, Jin's monstrous punch had split the skin of Keshia's hand wide open. That alone spoke volumes about his strength. Every one of those devastating blows had been devoured by the hammer she wielded. And now, all that stored power erupted at once.
The unleashed shockwave annihilated everything around her. Even Jin's silhouette vanished in the glare.
"So fierce," Ryuunosuke muttered, eyes widening slightly as he watched the explosion of force consume the battlefield.
Beside him, Fengyue sat with calm indifference. He knew Jin too well. That man wasn't reckless—he understood the Goltish Hammer's nature. He wouldn't die from an attack like that.
Sure enough, a voice echoed through the smoke.
"Still the same," Jin scoffed, stepping through the light unscathed. "You can't even try a new attack pattern? Even your charge time is identical."
His grin widened, eyes gleaming with wild amusement. "As expected… fighting puppets like you just isn't fun. Your moves, your rhythm—it's all predictable."
Keshia's breath caught as his figure emerged at the epicenter of her attack.
"Impossible... why are you—"
Before she could finish, Jin's fist flashed forward. She barely tilted her head in time. Even so, a thin red line opened across her cheek.
"Your body's lagging behind your own commands now?" Jin taunted. "Like I said… a fake is still a fake."
He pressed his assault relentlessly. Keshia could only dodge by the slimmest margins, every evasion more desperate than the last. The energy she'd unleashed had drained her reserves. Now, her counterattacks were little more than flickers of defiance.
Jin knew better than to let her recover. The technique he'd used to survive her hammer's blow wasn't something he could rely on twice. If she struck again at full power, even he might not endure it.
And so, he kept the pressure merciless. Every punch carried the intent to crush her completely.
---
From afar, Ryuunosuke took a bite of watermelon and smiled faintly. "It seems Jin's the one caught in her rhythm." He looked toward Fengyue. "You see it too, right?"
Fengyue frowned. "What? Jin clearly has the upper hand. His momentum keeps growing. In a drawn-out battle like this, his strength only multiplies. Keshia's running out of steam—she can't last much longer."
Anyone could see Jin's advantage. So why did Ryuunosuke sound so sure otherwise?
Even as he doubted, Fengyue's instincts urged him to reexamine every exchange. Something subtle… something off.
"Brother Ryuunosuke," Akame chimed in curiously, "I don't get it either. Keshia looks like she's barely holding on, but you said Jin's fallen into a trap? How?"
Ryuunosuke simply smiled. "You'll see it in half an hour."
That cryptic answer silenced them. Fengyue, curiosity piqued, turned his attention back to the battle.
Minutes turned into thirty.
Keshia's situation looked worse than ever. She could hardly block anymore, and Jin's attacks came faster, sharper, heavier. Each blow forced her closer to defeat.
Fengyue leaned back, half-smiling. "Half an hour's passed, and nothing's changed. I'm starting to think you were wrong this time."
"Oh, I see," Akame suddenly muttered, eyes narrowing. "That's what you meant, right? Jin has one last chance left. If he doesn't seize it, he's done for."
Her sharp tone drew everyone's attention. She was an assassin and swordswoman; her eye for rhythm was unmatched.
"Only one chance?" Fengyue asked.
Kuina shook her head. "No, not even that. He already spent his last chance. From here on, this battlefield belongs entirely to Keshia. Even if he wants to change the flow now, he can't."
She glanced at Ryuunosuke. "Captain, this reminds me of that example you used before—the boiling frog."
"Exactly." Ryuunosuke chuckled softly. "Jin doesn't even realize it yet, but the water around him's already boiling. He's finished."
He turned toward Fengyue, grinning. "You've noticed it too, haven't you?"
"Ah… well, I…"
Fengyue faltered. Truthfully, he hadn't seen it until Kuina and Akame pointed it out. Before, he'd been confident in his own read of the battle—but now, he wasn't so sure. He could feel Ryuunosuke's gaze pressing against him, as if the man were quietly mocking him again.
He wasn't even fighting the guy, yet somehow, he still felt like he was losing.
"Jin," he murmured under his breath, "we're going to lose…"
Ryuunosuke smirked, setting his watermelon slice down. "See? I knew you'd catch on eventually."
Then his tone shifted, the air turning serious. "Now, about our little bet… it's time for you to uphold your end. Tell me what you know about the Infinity Stones and the D Clan."
The moment those two names were spoken, Fengyue's easy composure disappeared. The tension between them returned instantly.
"The Infinity Stones… and the D Clan?" Fengyue repeated, lowering his voice. "It seems you've already crossed paths with them."
He took a long breath before continuing. "But don't expect a full answer. I only know fragments. Not even the Guardians possess the whole truth."
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