Ss 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 Ss''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 nces, 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. Ss''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, irritationcing 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 Ss.


    "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."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    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 Ss 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 nces, 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 Ss''s arms, binding him in ce.


    The chains tightened, restricting Ss''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''repletely vulnerable!" he taunted, hisughter echoing through the space. He then nced over at hisrade, nodding.


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


    Hisrade 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.


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


    But Ss''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, Ss had dragged him close, positioning him directly in the path of the oing energy st.


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


    **BOOM!**


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


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


    **BAM!**


    The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed as Ss''s punch connected squarely with the boy''s face, sending him stumbling backward. Before the boy could regain his footing, Ss 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 Ss 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. Ss didn''t even nce in his direction, simply standing there, casually brushing off the dust from his hands. Frustration and anger red 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!" mes ignited around his arms, burning a deep, ominous red as heunched himself forward, fists aze.


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


    "I''ve wasted enough time with you guys," Ss 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 Ss''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 copse.


    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," Ss 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 nce over his shoulder. "I hope to find you all here after I''ve killed the Realm''s god. When Iplete 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.


    The chamber wasn''t far, its looming entrance visible just ahead. After a few minutes'' walk, Ss 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 toplete this quest with everyone watching?"