Mutant awakening: My evolution knows no bounds

"Well, I thought you'd never as—"

**Swoosshh!**

Before Osborne could finish his words, Silas closed the gap between them with blinding speed. His scythe, sharp and menacing, sliced through the air toward Osborne in a deadly arc. At the very last second, Osborne managed to raise his blade, blocking the lethal strike.

**CLANG!**

The clash rang out like a thunderclap, reverberating through the area. Osborne staggered backward, his boots scraping harshly against the ground as he struggled to regain balance.

'What's with his strength? Just what kind of monster are you, Griswold?!' Osborne screamed internally, his mind racing to comprehend the sheer force behind the attack.

Gritting his teeth, Osborne steadied himself, determination flaring in his eyes. He refused to falter. Without hesitation, he surged forward, his movements swift and calculated.

Dust billowed underfoot as he charged, his blade gripped tightly in his right hand. When he was only a few meters away, he swung the blade with all his might, aiming to cleave through Silas.

Silas met the strike with precision, raising his scythe to block the attack effortlessly. Sparks erupted as the weapons clashed, their metallic cry echoing across the battlefield. With seamless fluidity, Silas countered, thrusting his right leg forward in a powerful kick.

Osborne's reflexes kicked in, and he leaped backward just in time, Silas's boot slicing through empty air. Osborne landed deftly several meters away, his movements deliberate. He barely had a moment to breathe before Silas closed in once more.

Like a shadow, Silas was upon him again in the blink of an eye. The scythe flashed in his grip as he swung it toward Osborne with lethal precision.

'Shit!' Osborne cursed internally, his eyes widening in alarm. He reacted on pure instinct, raising his blade just in time to intercept the strike.

CLANG!

SHATTER!

The deafening clash of metal was followed by a horrifying crack. Osborne watched in disbelief as his blade fractured into pieces, shards of steel scattering across the ground. He was left holding nothing but the hilt of his once-prized weapon.

'I knew that scythe was a high-grade mutant weapon, but to destroy a Grade 5 blade so easily?' Osborne thought, his stomach churning. 'It's not just the weapon—it's his brute strength. How is this possible?'

Shock painted his features as he instinctively leaped backward, creating distance between himself and Silas. His gaze flickered toward the ongoing battle between their clones, and what he saw made his heart sink.

Silas's clones moved with almost supernatural agility, their scythes cutting through Osborne's clones like a hot knife through butter. The ground was littered with the bodies of Osborne's clones, lifeless and still, while Silas's clones stood unharmed, their forms unyielding.

'His stats are unreal, far surpassing those of a standard Grade 4 mutant. Even his clones share that same overwhelming power.' Osborne clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him. Summoning more clones will only deplete my stamina faster. If I want any chance at survival, I need to take him out directly. Kill the creator, and the soldiers fall.'

Osborne redirected his focus to Silas, who stood motionless a few meters away, his scythe glinting ominously in the dim light.

"You seem to have lost your weapon," Silas said, his voice calm and composed. His gaze shifted briefly to the shattered blade on the ground. "Let me make this fair for you."

With those words, Silas dismissed his scythe in a flash of light and cracked his knuckles nonchalantly.

'Is he mocking me?' Osborne thought, his brow furrowing in anger. "I'll make you regret underestimating me, Griswold."

He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, adrenaline surging through his veins. With a furious roar, Osborne launched himself forward, his speed a blur.

As he closed in, his right arm snapped back before hurling forward in a powerful punch. Silas, unshaken, raised his arm to block the strike, the force of the impact rippling through the air.

Osborne immediately followed up with another punch from his left. Silas ducked, weaving under the attack with practiced ease. Before Osborne could react, Silas countered, delivering a crushing punch to his chest.

**BAM!**

The force of the blow stole Osborne's breath, and he stumbled backward, struggling to remain upright.

But Silas wasn't finished. In one fluid motion, he closed the gap again, leaped into the air, and spun his body mid-flight. His leg shot out in a devastating kick aimed squarely at Osborne's head.

**BAM!**

The impact sent Osborne skidding across the ground, pain erupting where the kick had connected. His head throbbed, and he clenched his teeth to suppress a groan.

'Damn it... How is he this strong?' Osborne's confidence wavered, fear creeping into the corners of his mind.

As he stood dazed, Silas darted forward once more, his fist flying toward Osborne's face with deadly precision. Osborne crossed his arms in a desperate attempt to block.

**BAM!**

Even with his arms raised, the impact was bone-shattering. The sheer force drove Osborne several steps back, agony searing through his body.

[Active Skill: Lightning Dash has been activated.]

Osborne froze in place, his movements paralyzed as Silas's speed surged. Taking full advantage of the opening, Silas dashed forward and unleashed a devastating punch aimed at Osborne's head.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

**BAM!**

The punch connected with sickening force, lifting Osborne into the air before sending him hurtling backward. His body crashed into a nearby wall with a thunderous boom before crumpling to the ground in a heap.

[Alert!]

[The five minutes is up.]

[Your clones have been dismissed]

[Would you like to use another card to summon a new set of clones?]

[Yes / No]

Silas glanced at the glowing notification hovering before him and dismissed it with a flick of his hand. His clones had already annihilated Osborne's forces before their time expired, rendering further summons unnecessary.

With calm, deliberate steps, Silas approached Osborne, who lay battered and broken on the ground. His shadow loomed over his opponent, a silent testament to his dominance.

Osborne's body screamed in protest as he tried to move. His shattered bones and searing pain made it impossible to rise. For the first time, a chilling realization washed over him.

It was over.