Evolution Begins with Elemental Domination

Overwhelmed by this wave of malice and knowing his death substitution effigy was destroyed, he no longer had a second life to fall back on. He didn’t dare to face his opponent head-on. His body exploded, and over a hundred Vampire Bats erupted like a black tide, scattering in all directions.

However, a tall woman behind him had already drawn her Cyan Nether Bow taut, and her fingertips quickly plucked the string.

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH!

In mid-flight, each arrow automatically burst into seven or eight smaller projectiles.

This Split Arrow trait was one of the two major abilities of the Magic Longbow, an effective tool for clearing out weaker enemies. In an instant, at least thirty of the fragile bats exploded into a mist of blood.

At the same time, a Telekinesis Field spread out like an invisible mire. The air grew thick and viscous, making it nearly impossible for the swarm of bats to fly far.

Under the pressure of the gravity field, many of the bats were crushed on the spot, bursting into a bloody paste.

For a moment.

Realizing he couldn’t escape, Sawyer simply reformed into his human shape. He tried to cast Phantom Clone, but the illusion was instantly annihilated by the crushing gravity field.

The pressure nearly bent his own body into an arc.

’Something’s not right...’

Sawyer realized the power of this Gravity Skill had to be at least Lv7. Now that he had a moment to think, he recalled that there had been four distinct fluctuations of energy entwined around the bullet.

’Just what is the deal with this young man’s class Authority?’

Realizing his mistake too late, he barely managed to activate his Shadow Jumping Skill in a fit of panic.

The teleportation was instantaneous, leaving not even a ripple in space.

’This feels all too familiar.’

With a thought, Su Chen focused his Elemental Resonance Perception, honing in on the fluctuations of the Fire and Dark Elements.

The man’s Shadow Jumping Skill might be Lv7, which would normally leave no trace of the Dark Element, but there was one thing he couldn’t hide: the wound on his torso still radiated the lingering fluctuations of the Flame Burst’s embers.

That alone was like a burning beacon in the dark, making him easy to track.

At the same time, he condensed his Perception into an arrowhead and sent it probing forward.

”No need.”

Su Chen stopped Ruoruo from trying to fire an Echo Arrow. He had already locked onto his target’s escape route using the forward projection of his Strong Will’s fluctuations.

The chase wouldn’t last long.

In less than ten seconds.

Even with his Lv7 Shadow Leap, the embers of the Flame Burst continued to inflict a horrific Soul Burning effect upon his Sea of Consciousness.

The effect was more than just excruciating mental pain. It had burned away more than half of the Rune patterns within him, making it impossible for Sawyer to focus on casting. His spells would frequently fail, and if he tried to force them, he risked suffering a magical backlash.

That briefest moment of hesitation was all it took. It would be fatal.

BOOM!

A gunshot rang out from behind him.

Su Chen used Aurora Flash to appear in an instant. He pressed the muzzle of his gun against the center of Sawyer’s back and pulled the trigger. Another quadruple-enchanted Single-Headed Bullet roared from the barrel.

The slug burst through his chest, spraying a cloud of bloody mist.

The demonic heart was instantly shattered. A viscous, tar-like fluid gushed from the wound.

An ominous, evil source of Power seeped out of it. Upon hitting the ground, it transformed into wisps of foul-smelling black smoke that rose and dissipated into the air.

”Ah...”

Sawyer’s knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, his hands clawing futilely at the gaping hole in his chest.

”My Power... my Power...”

He had paid far too high a price to obtain this Power.

But now, his once-strong body was rapidly withering. The very surface of his bones carbonized and crumbled away. Everything he had gained through sacrifice was being stripped away as his life faded.

As despair washed over him, Sawyer even felt a profound sense of relief.

Free of debt, free of worries.

In a final moment of clarity, his consciousness sharpened. He remembered executing the previous gang leader in an underground garage. On that cold, snowy night, the man had fallen beside a drainage ditch, his eyes still holding a mocking sneer.

’...I’ll be waiting for you in Hell.’

The man’s sneer hadn’t been baseless. Sawyer had underestimated his strength and paid a heavy price to borrow Power in advance.

He had successfully seized power, but the daily interest payments on his debt to the Demon had dragged him down to the lowest point in his life.

Now, with his new Authority of Substitution, he had borrowed Power again, but it hadn’t been enough to grant him victory.

’Oh well. At least I’m free.’

”Be more careful in your next life.”

Su Chen said coolly, finishing him off with a Strong Thought Burst that severed his neck.

The leader of the Skull Gang was dead.

As someone who had jumped from a Two-Star Shadow Warlock to a Four-Star Demon Warlock, he dropped quite a few Runes. There were nine Dark Element Runes, including one Shadow Leap Lv7, one Shadow Veil Lv6, one Destruction Lv6, and two Lv6 Runes with unknown effects.

There was also one Acceleration Skill Lv7.

Such was the luxury of the strong.

’This guy really trusted the strength of his demonic body, using Acceleration Skill to complement his attacks.’

Su Chen mused to himself. He’d realized that demonic body wasn’t weak when the man had managed to hold his own against him in a contest of strength, even if only for a split second.

When he saw that inexplicable surge in Power, he had naturally switched to his shotgun, which had the highest single-target damage.

He had no intel on this class Authority linked to Demons, but any profession that turned a person into something neither human nor ghost couldn’t be a good thing.

’If Oran City has this many Demon Warlocks, then it’s truly blessed.’

...

One couldn’t expect members of an underground gang to have military discipline.

Morale had already shattered the moment the Demon Warlock was defeated. In fact, it had probably started when Sawyer was forced to sacrifice his own subordinates—even swallowing friends and brethren—just to survive. At that point, the Skull Gang’s complete collapse was inevitable.

The Forest Sage, having observed from the shadows, silently transformed into a small bird and departed from the valley.