For a moment, Theo slowed down.

His eyes were locked on Joop’s frozen arm.

But then, he shook his head.

’NO!’ he thought, gritting his teeth. ’I have to concentrate on killing the controller.’

Behind him, the Frost Serpent had long risen back out of the collapsed buildings.

Its entire body lit up in a blue-white light as the same freezing mist began to spread around it and form thick icy scales all across its body.

Only seconds later, explosions echoed out again as Joop and the serpent clashed again and again.

Theo clenched his spear tightly, his gaze falling on Owen and Lyra.

Owen split off, heading to a Covenant member on the far left, while Lyra rode her buffed tiger toward a member in the center.

Neither had a clue how strong their opponents were... yet they charged on.

’Come on,’ Theo thought, glancing back in front of him. ’Just these three!’

Time was running out and he knew it.

Regardless of how the fight appeared, Joop was just an old man, nowhere close to his prime.

If he fell before they killed the controller...

Everyone here was dead.

BOOOM!

A massive shockwave suddenly erupted behind them again.

Theo instinctively glanced back for a split second.

Thousands of ice spikes vanished as white-purple flames evaporated them.

Joop flew higher up into the sky, gathering a massive ball of fire right away.

The Frost Serpent let out another deafening hiss, its massive body coiling around an entire building to catch up to him.

’Go!’

Theo’s mind raced as he glanced in front of him again.

Lightning gathered around his feet as he reached the army of creatures.

His body vanished from its place instantly.

Reappearing several yards forward, Theo didn’t hesitate to gather lightning mana around his feet again.

The dark-clothed figure in the distance noticed him too.

His expression twisted as he waved his arms in the air.

Immediately, over two hundred creatures of all different ranks began swarming around him.

As Theo reappeared, a trident went for his face and two sets of claws swung toward him.

But... his eyes lit up with happiness.

’This is the one!’ he thought, tightening the grip on his spear. ’The controller of this army.’

Once he died, this entire army would fall apart.

Theo planted his foot firmly on the ground, lightning crackling around his spear.

Then—

WHOOSH!

He swung his spear forward.

It sliced through the trident and the claws in one stroke, disintegrating everything in its path.

The creatures cried out, while the Fishman pulled back half of its trident in shock.

Theo lunged forward immediately.

He swung his spear again.

Thin black lines appeared on the Fishman’s face as it stood there.

Then, its body split apart into two pieces.

Theo didn’t even pay attention to it though.

He continued forward, several lightning balls appearing around him.

’Chain Lightning!’ he thought, shooting them forward.

The lightning balls instantly penetrated the nearby creatures.

Their bodies trembled violently, steam rising above them before the lightning continued on to other targets behind them.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

Creatures convulsed and collapsed one after another as the chain lightning spread through the battlefield.

BOOOOM!

The ground trembled as another massive shockwave erupted behind them.

The dark-clothed man took a few steps back.

That’s when the shockwave knocked his hood away.

Theo’s eyes widened for a moment.

It wasn’t an old man at all... instead, it seemed to be another person around his age.

’His face...’ he thought. ’Where have I seen it before?!’

That’s when he recognized it.

’Ryan Judas?!’

The guy who’d withdrawn from the tournament before even fighting him.

Back then, Theo hadn’t thought much of it.

But now...

The pieces instantly started connecting together in his head.

’Was he working on this all the time?’ he thought, gritting his teeth. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Ryan immediately pulled up his hood, a cold expression on his face.

Without hesitation, he slowly started walking back, letting more creatures fill in the path.

’’You motherfucker!’’ Theo cursed, sliding to a halt.

Even though the distance was still relatively large, the surrounding area had practically been cleared of creatures.

Two large lightning bolts immediately appeared beside him.

Ryan’s eyes locked onto the thunderbolts beside Theo.

A cold smile slowly appeared on his face.

’’What is this?’’ he said calmly. ’’Have you run out of mana or something?’’

He paused for a moment, tilting his head.

’’To think you’d reach silver core already though. You must have had some good talent.’’

Theo didn’t react.

He glanced up at the sky and released the thunderbolts.

They shot up instantly, spinning around each other along the way.

Ryan frowned slightly.

’’Are you giving up?’’ he asked. ’’Already?’’

’’This is all a champion like you amounts to?’’

Theo finally looked back down at him.

His eyes narrowed slightly, scanning Ryan completely.

’’Why are you doing all of this?’’ he finally asked.

For a moment, Ryan remained silent.

Then he shrugged.

’’The fun and thrill of this all...’’ he said slowly. ’’Or something along those lines at least.’’

’’Not to mention the strength I’ll gain when this is finished.’’

He chuckled coldly.

’’Is there even a reason not to?’’

Ryan slowly spread his arms, gesturing at all the destruction and death around him.

’’Can you imagine something like this?’’ he asked. ’’Spending months covering tracks in a sewer with a small group. And finally seeing a result this satisfying?’’

Theo’s expression shifted.

The grip around his spear tightened harder and harder.

’This bastard...’ he thought. ’He did this... just for fun and satisfaction?’

Genuine fury started rising inside Theo.

For the first time since all of this happened, his emotions completely flowed over.

Had all of this just been a natural disaster... so be it.

But for people to be involved, and so proudly at it?

That crossed all lines.

Ryan only chuckled after seeing his expression.

"What?" he asked mockingly. "Don’t tell me you’re angry now?"

He slowly pointed toward the ruined city behind them.

"This world was already rotten long before we touched it."

Just before he could open his mouth again—

A loud rumbling noise echoed out above him.

Ryan’s eyes snapped up.

His smile slowly fell as a massive golden light blurred out everything else in his vision.

BOOOOM!