Jaden did not even grunt in pain. Instead, his eyes flashed with a beast-like ferocity. His mouth suddenly split open, tearing to a degree that would be impossible for a normal person.
The gash ripped all the way back to his ears, revealing teeth that were far larger and more savage than those of any human. Throwing his head back with a beast-like roar, he lunged to bite Andrew’s neck.
Andrew pulled back his hands, withdrawing both palms. Then, with his head down and legs up, in one impossibly fluid motion—something no gymnast could ever pull off—his right leg dropped down past his own head and kicked straight at Jaden’s gaping mouth.
There was a sharp thud as Andrew’s heel slammed into Jaden’s skull, sending his head buzzing and his massive body crashing backward.
The impact drove Jaden’s head straight into the alley wall, blasting a hole through the concrete. Snarling, he yanked himself free, pressing his hands to the ground before propelling backward with both legs. He landed on all fours, moving like an animal as he sprinted toward Andrew.
The gust of force he generated whipped the air into a tornado, and the rainwater on the ground instantly evaporated under the pressure.
Andrew’s smile only deepened in the dark. He kept retreating, step after step, moving with the grace of a ballet dancer. With light, precise footwork, he pivoted and leaned back just as Jaden roared past him like a speeding truck.
Twin streaks of metallic light flashed from Jaden’s claws, cutting two gashes across Andrew’s chest as he flew overhead.
Sparks scattered across the ground as he skidded, turned sharply on all fours, and stopped. Then, he slowly stood upright again, raising one clawed hand and licking the blood off his fingers.
“Delicious… Truly delicious. It’s been so long since I’ve found prey in Chetvine that excites me this much. I don’t care who you are, but since you’ve delivered yourself to my door tonight, I’m going to tear you into pieces. I’ll eat your organs one by one, all of them!”
Jaden’s voice sounded like a demon’s chant, the kind that would’ve made any ordinary person collapse in fear. Yet, in the darkness, Andrew’s eyes gleamed brighter, equally thrilled.
He said with a faint smile, “Beast transformation… It’s similar to the Western concept of lycanthropy. Interesting. You must’ve mastered a rare and special technique that allows you to awaken your animal blood and transform your body into a beast’s for combat, right?”
Jaden could tell from Andrew’s tone that he was not afraid. In fact, he sounded amused. Displeased, he growled, “You do know a lot, but knowing won’t save you. Tonight, I’ll rip you to shreds.”
He vanished in a blur, lunging again.
Andrew lifted one hand high and pressed the other downward, sliding his right leg back and bending his left into a fighting stance. If Jaden wanted to tear him apart, he would happily dissect a monster.
Chapter 2423
“Dragon–Slaying Palm!”
Andrew appeared to be lifting something, concentrating all his power until the final moment when it exploded forth like a flash flood.
Jaden let out a roar, his massive body losing control as he crashed straight through the alley wall and was violently thrown inside. In the darkness, there seemed to be a bestial howl, filled with fury, roaring at the moon.
But tonight, there were no stars and no moon; only pitch-black darkness.