SSS Ranked Shadow Monarch: Summoning Infinite Shadows-Chapter 227: Trouble at Home

June made it to the top of the stairs. She stood looking at the main house, a powerful and large manor. It stood grand and majestic, screaming power and demanding respect. But to June, it was a massive pressure placed on her from looking at the building alone.

There was an arch in front, standing on two white pillars carved by hand, and at the top of the arch was the Blade family crest. Under the arch was the path that led to the door into the main house.

There was no gate to block, no guards watching, but as she took her next step in, she could instantly feel that she had stepped into the compound.

She wasn’t alone in that feeling. Athena, who she had carried, also felt it instantly, a terrifying pressure that slammed against her.

’What is this pressure? It’s not threatening like that of Geisha, but it’s heavy, pressing slowly on me, showing me that it’s inevitable.

I don’t want to be here. This is scary. Aren, please, come.’ Athena thought, praying in her mind for Aren.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" A voice cut through Athena’s train of thought.

June looked up and there was a figure standing in the compound, leaning against a tree. He had been here the entire time, yet June had failed to sense him.

She looked in his direction. It was a young man, short red hair, black eyes, and a very slim yet toned body. He held an apple in his hand, taking a very deep bite from it and then savouring its goodness in his mouth for a few solid seconds.

June ignored him and kept walking.

After a few steps, the young man suddenly hurled the apple at her. It cut through the air at such speed that it was comparable to a bullet.

June stopped instantly as the apple shot past her face. The wind pressure alone pushed her hair back as the apple slammed into a tree behind her, leaving a deep hole in the trunk.

She slowly turned to look at him.

He smiled.

"Come on. You won’t even say hi back? Not even a greeting as you pass?" he asked.

"What do you want?" she replied coldly.

His eyes drifted to Athena in her arms, then back to June.

"Is she the one the Patriarch wants?" he asked.

June’s expression hardened.

"That’s none of your business," she said and resumed walking.

He pushed himself off the tree lazily, and in a single step, he appeared directly in front of her.

June stopped again.

He was much taller than her, forcing her to look up while he looked down at her.

"Get out of my way," June said.

"Not until I get a proper look at her," he replied, leaning sideways to peer at Athena.

June reacted instantly.

She lifted her leg and kicked with explosive force. The sound cracked through the air like a whip.

But he vanished from the spot, reappearing several meters away as dust swirled from the force of her kick.

He stood there smiling.

"Come on. You really think an attack like that would work on me?" he asked.

June frowned.

"Stop disturbing me and move. I’m not in the mood to fight you."

"Now, now. It’s been ages since we’ve crossed paths," he said, beginning to walk toward her again. "And I just want to see this oh so important figure that made the Patriarch send several people out to search."

June’s patience snapped.

She stepped forward and stomped the ground.

A massive shockwave burst outward.

Like before, he moved quickly and avoided it. But the moment he reappeared at a distance,

an invisible force struck him in the chest.

It slammed into him violently, throwing him backward and crashing him into the ground. He rolled several meters before stopping on one knee, one palm pressed against the dirt.

He looked up at June.

She gave him a small, knowing smile and began walking forward again.

His expression darkened. He got back to his feet, watching June walk past him.

He wasn’t going to let that slide.

In an instant, he launched forward, his speed nearly indistinguishable from teleportation. He came at her head with a powerful kick.

Everything slowed for June as the kick closed in.

Without hesitation, she hurled Athena to the side. Athena hit the ground roughly, rolling once before stopping.

At the same time, June spun and crossed her arms to block.

The kick connected, but a thin layer of force formed between his foot and her arms, preventing direct impact.

Even so, the force sent June sliding backward, her feet grinding against the earth until she came to a halt.

She looked up.

He stood there with a smug expression.

June shook her hands lightly, as if brushing off dust, then bent to pick up Athena.

"Sorry about that," she said quietly.

Athena, who had been watching everything unfold, looked completely lost, like a doll filled with confusion.

"I need you to stand aside for a bit," June said, gently pushing her away.

Athena understood she couldn’t run, especially with the collar around her neck suppressing her ability. So she stepped back, putting distance between them to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

June turned back to him.

"Since you insist on being stubborn, I’ll make sure to teach you a lesson."

She stomped the ground and burst forward.

She wasn’t as fast as him, but her speed was explosive. She came in with a punch.

He saw her approach and smirked.

"As if I haven’t taken a hundred punches from you already. That won’t work," he said.

He stomped the ground and shot into the air just as her punch arrived.

But her attack wasn’t a simple strike.

It was a barrage compressed into one motion.

As he leaped, multiple waves of force exploded from her fist, tearing through the air where he had stood.

He flipped midair and landed gracefully behind her.

Without pause, he lunged again, spinning and delivering a whip-like kick aimed at her head.

June reacted instantly.

She raised her arm and blocked.

The impact cracked the ground beneath her feet, but she didn’t budge. Her eyes locked onto his.

He expected her usual follow-up, a direct punch.

Instead, she released her guard and grabbed his leg.

The move stunned him.

Before he could react, she twisted and slammed him into the ground with brutal force.

His body bounced once before crashing down again.

He coughed, blood spilling from his mouth, but quickly forced himself upright.

While still low to the ground, he spun sharply, wrenching his leg free from her grip. He landed a short distance away and quickly created space between them.

June straightened.

"Why are you running?" she asked coldly.

"I thought you were the one who wanted to fight."

The man reacted exactly as June expected.

Her words lit a spark in his eyes, and he lunged forward again with explosive speed.

He leaped high into the air, flipped once, then descended with a vicious axe kick aimed straight at her head.

June raised her arms and blocked.

The impact cracked the ground beneath her feet. A violent shockwave burst outward from the collision, tearing through the surrounding dirt and trees.

Even as she was forced backward by the pressure, a smile curved her lips.

He landed smoothly.

This time, he didn’t use a kick.

His fingers curled into a claw-like shape as lightning began gathering around his hand. It crackled wildly, wrapping his arm in violent arcs of energy.

He thrust forward.

The lightning amplified his speed far beyond his previous attacks. The air screamed as his hand shot toward her chest.

There was no way she could physically block that strike.

But she didn’t need to.

The instant it neared her, her ability activated.

A field formed around her body, thin, invisible, yet absolute.

The lightning claw struck the field,

and detonated.

A massive explosion erupted, blasting both of them backward.

He slammed into the ground and rolled violently before skidding to a stop. June, however, landed on her hands, flipped backward, and rose gracefully to her feet.

They locked eyes.

For a single, silent second, everything froze.

Then,

the ground beneath them cracked as they both launched forward at full speed, aiming to end it with their next clash.

But before they could collide,

a figure appeared between them out of nowhere.

In the same instant,

he grabbed both of them by their heads

and slammed them straight into the ground.

Boom!

The earth trembled violently. A crater formed beneath them as dust and debris exploded outward.

Athena stared in shock.

Standing between June and the man was the same person who had saved them when they were facing Geisha,

Kai Blade

His presence alone made the air heavy.

"What the hell are the both of you doing? Do you have a death wish?" he asked in a low, pissed off tone.