Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

Silas wasted no time. His focus sharpened, and he advanced on the dazed boy, his eyes glinting dangerously beneath the mask. Shadows danced over his form as he leaped into the air, bringing his leg down in a devastating axe kick aimed straight at the boy's head.

BAM!

The ground shook from the impact, reverberating outward as Silas's heel met its mark with bone-jarring force. The boy crumpled beneath him, his eyes fluttering shut as he sank into unconsciousness, his body limp on the ground.

The remaining members of Spike's group could only watch, frozen in horror. Fear etched itself across their faces as they exchanged glances, disbelief warring with terror.

"Who… who is this guy?" one of them stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

"Wait… that mask… doesn't it look just like the one worn by that fighter in the ranking arena?" another murmured, realization dawning in his widened eyes. "Wasn't he called… Ghost Ranger?"

The shock rippled through them, spreading like wildfire as each of them processed what this meant. Silas's gaze shifted toward them, his expression cold and unreadable beneath the ghostly mask that obscured his face. The intensity of his stare only heightened their fear.

"Who the hell is Ghost Ranger?" Spike muttered, irritation lacing his tone as he caught the fearful murmurs of his group.

"Well… since you're still under the one-month ban, you haven't encountered him," one of the boys beside Spike replied, swallowing hard as he kept his gaze locked on Silas.

"He's a new fighter in the ranking arena—he's been winning match after match, destroying opponents without mercy, both low and high grades alike. And here's the scary part—he has no active skill slot, yet no one's been able to stop him. At first, I didn't recognize it, but now there's no doubt. That ghostly mask… it's exactly the same as the one worn by Ghost Ranger."

Spike's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the information. But he quickly shook his head, brushing off his friend's words with a dismissive snort.

"I don't care if he's the Ghost Ranger or the Grim Reaper. All I want is for him to be taken down! We're here for those mutant body parts, and I'll be damned if some masked fighter is going to stop us from finishing on top." He raised his voice, addressing the group with a sneer.

"Stop acting like cowards and attack already!"

The duo standing beside Spike hesitated, fear and doubt flickering in their eyes. They had just seen Silas dismantle one of their top fighters with ease, and the reality of facing him was enough to make their confidence waver. But Spike's sharp tone cut through their hesitation.

"Are you deaf?!" Spike barked, his voice filled with irritation. The duo flinched, snapping out of their daze, and after a brief exchange of glances, they stepped forward. The boy on Spike's left thrust both hands forward, and from his palms, a long, dark chain shot out, snaking through the air at blinding speed as it coiled around Silas's arms, binding him in place.

The chains tightened, restricting Silas's movement and digging into his skin. The boy's face split into a triumphant grin.

"These chains neutralize mutant abilities. With your powers suppressed, you're completely vulnerable!" he taunted, his laughter echoing through the space. He then glanced over at his comrade, nodding.

"Now's your chance," he urged, his voice filled with confidence.

His comrade nodded in return, raising his right hand as a blinding yellow light began to form in front of his palm. The energy grew, swirling and pulsing with intensity, until it formed a massive sphere that glowed as bright as the sun, casting harsh shadows around the area.

"Solar Blast!" he shouted, pulling his arm back slightly before thrusting it forward, sending the energy ball hurtling toward Silas with deadly force.

But Silas's eyes narrowed as the attack approached. With a fierce determination, he clenched his fists and yanked on the chains binding his arms. The chain user stumbled, surprised by the sudden pull. Before he could release the chains and retreat, Silas had dragged him close, positioning him directly in the path of the oncoming energy blast.

"Oh, crap!" the solar energy user gasped, his eyes widening in horror as he realized what was about to happen.

**BOOM!**

The Solar Blast collided with the chain user, unleashing a shockwave that rattled the entire area. The unfortunate boy collapsed to the ground, knocked out instantly from the force of his friend's attack.

Silas turned his gaze toward the solar energy user, who was frantically attempting to conjure another energy beam, his face pale with fear. In the blink of an eye, Silas closed the distance, his fist clenched tightly as he swung with lethal precision.

**BAM!**

The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed as Silas's punch connected squarely with the boy's face, sending him stumbling backward. Before the boy could regain his footing, Silas closed in and delivered another devastating blow.

**BAM!**

The second punch lifted the boy off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground several meters away.

'Is this real? He took down both of them with his bare fists… what kind of monster are we dealing with?' Spike wondered, his heart pounding as he watched Silas calmly dust his hands, as if the fight had been nothing more than an inconvenience.

"Hey, you!" Spike called out, his voice wavering despite his attempt at bravado. Silas didn't even glance in his direction, simply standing there, casually brushing off the dust from his hands. Frustration and anger flared within Spike. "I don't know how you managed to take them down, but don't get cocky! I'll show you that you're no match for me!" Flames ignited around his arms, burning a deep, ominous red as he launched himself forward, fists ablaze.

With his fire ability propelling him, Spike closed the distance in an instant, his flames crackling in anticipation of the strike. But Silas remained unfazed, his stance steady as he watched Spike approach.

"I've wasted enough time with you guys," Silas said, his voice cold and detached. "Now, it's time to end this." He clenched his right fist, focusing intently as he activated a skill he had been itching to try out.

[Active Skill: Soul Jab has been activated]

A fierce, blue aura enveloped Silas's fist as he channeled his soul points into the attack, concentrating their power into a single, devastating blow. Without a word, he swung his fist forward, aiming directly for Spike's chest.

DDDAAAMMM!

The impact was deafening, like the crack of a thunderbolt. The sheer force of the hit unleashed a shockwave that shook the surroundings, even causing parts of nearby buildings to crumble and collapse.

Spike coughed up blood as the blow struck his chest, his body buckling under the pressure. Instead of flying backward, he dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, barely clinging to consciousness.

"If you were a lower grade, that single punch would have ended you," Silas remarked coolly, his tone indifferent. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire

He turned his back to Spike, ready to walk away, but cast a final, cold glance over his shoulder. "I hope to find you all here after I've killed the Realm's god. When I complete my evolution quest, I'll be able to copy your abilities and turn them into skill cards. So please, stick around."

With that, he strode away, his steps unhurried as he headed toward the Realm's god's chamber.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The chamber wasn't far, its looming entrance visible just ahead. After a few minutes' walk, Silas arrived at the doorway, pausing to take in the sight before him.

"Damn it… other students are already here," he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he spotted several groups of students clustered near the entrance, all waiting for their chance to face the Realm's god. "How am I supposed to complete this quest with everyone watching?"