CHAPTER 276: CHAPTER 275- DISAPPOINTMENT

[A few minutes earlier]

Adrian stood facing the true perpetrator behind the chaos.

After sending Sylvie to Raven he knew he could focus on these goons.

He trusted Raven just as he trusted the others on the server. Not only the trust he had built in these few weeks but the memories of Avirin he got told him how close these people were. So yes, Sylvie was in safe hands.

Juggler was no longer smiling, no longer playing the fool. The loss of Bishop had wiped every trace of amusement from his masked face.

Bishop wasn’t just any sorcerer—he was a prodigy. A treasure of the cult, recognized even by their leader. Just at the age of seventeen, he had achieved things which might take a lifetime for a sorcerer to accomplish. He was an asset for the cult.

His safety had been Juggler’s duty, and yet, because of his obsession with tormenting Adrian, he had lost his ace.

"Is that mask hiding your tears, perhaps?" Adrian asked, already standing tall again, knives gone from his flesh, his wounds closed.

Juggler’s silence hung for a breath before he spoke in a low, heavy tone.

"Whatever the outcome of this battle, I swear one thing." His golden eyes flashed from behind the mask as he hissed, "Even if I die, I will drag someone close to you with me. You will see them, crying in despair, begging for help but you won’t be able to do anything but see them die. Wait for it."

Adrian growled, raising his revolver—

But then the space beside Juggler, where Spade had been standing, turned... blank.

Adrian’s pupils shrank. He felt the rush of movement behind him and instinct screamed. He tried to leap away—

"Ehh~"

A mocking laugh, followed by a brutal fist to his back. The blow sent him flying with bone-cracking force.

’Something definitely broke,’ Adrian thought grimly as he rolled across the dirt, forcing himself back onto his feet.

Spade’s body burned with mana, his presence now monstrous. Juggler and the acolytes were already retreating, leaving the glowing brute behind. Clearly, they thought Spade alone was enough.

In the distance, Adrian caught sight of a white blur clashing with a colossal beast—likely the Duke.

"Can you afford to be distracted here?!" a booming voice thundered from behind.

This time, Adrian was ready.

THWACK!

He fired backward and leapt at the same time.

BOOOOM!

The bullet detonated in a fiery blast, shaking the earth. Smoke billowed, debris scattered, and the ground quaked. The force hurled Adrian forward, skidding him across the dirt until he clawed himself to a stop.

The explosion was strong enough to flatten a house—yet through the flames, a figure emerged.

Spade walked out yawning, ash and smoke clinging to his skin. His mana still burned around him like a storm.

"Really, man?" he drawled, cracking his neck. "All you’ve got are tickling spells?"

Adrian snickered and fired another shot.

But this time Spade was ready—he slipped aside with ease, the bullet tearing past harmlessly.

Adrian’s eyes widened. A fist was already inches from his face.

"Say goodnight!" Spade roared.

Adrian dropped his head at the last possible instant—yet not fast enough.

DHAK!

Knuckles grazed his forehead with bone-crushing force, and he was launched back for the third time.

This time, however, Adrian twisted midair, forcing control into his body. He landed hard but kept his footing.

A low groan escaped him. If he hadn’t reinforced his skull with mana at that moment, his head would have burst like a melon.

’I can’t take chances now,’ Adrian thought. Until now he had been cautious about relying on independent magic to bolster his body—but survival came first.

Spade chuckled, circling him.

"What’s with the sudden confidence? I thought you’d just run awa—"

He stopped mid-sentence. Adrian’s finger was already aimed at his face.

DHAK!

Spade batted the hand aside with a sharp swipe and lunged forward, his fist rocketing toward Adrian’s gut.

Adrian’s knee shot up just in time. Bone met bone with a thunderous crack.

For an instant, they were locked in place, eyes boring into one another.

Then Spade shifted, his arm snapping out to seize Adrian’s wrist.

Adrian jerked his hand free, shoving the revolver straight toward the bald brute’s face.

THWACK!

Spade twisted his head at the last moment, the barrel grazing past his cheek. His hand clamped down around Adrian’s wrist, pinning the gun—

But in doing so, he left his stomach wide open.

DHAK! DHAK!

Adrian drove his fist into Spade’s midsection twice in brutal succession.

Spade’s eyes bulged, the air exploding from his lungs as his mouth fell open. The impact lifted him clean off his feet and hurled him back across the battlefield.

Spade fueled his legs with mana, bringing himself to a stop as his feet dug into the dirt.

He didn’t know how but that strike felt he was hit twice and the attack force was unbelievably strong.

Just then, his eyes landed on the gauntlet that appeared on Adrian’s hand.

"You are full of tricks, you sly bastard." Spade scoffed as he wiped the blood from his lips.

Adrian only cocked his fist, stance firm. The gauntlet hummed faintly, as if eager for more.

For a heartbeat, silence. Then—

CRACK!

Both men lunged at once.

Spade swung a brutal hook. Adrian weaved under it, his gauntleted fist flashing.

DHAK! DHAK!

The double impact rang out—the first hit jolting Spade’s jaw, the second slamming in an instant later, rattling his skull.

Spade staggered, eyes wide. Again?! He saw only one fist, but felt two crushing blows.

Snarling, he retaliated, knee slamming into Adrian’s ribs.

BAM!

Pain exploded through Adrian’s side, but he gritted his teeth, letting mana flood his body to dull the damage. Instead of crumpling, he twisted with the strike and smashed the revolver butt into Spade’s temple.

THWACK!

Spade reeled sideways—but before he could recover, the gauntlet struck again.

DHAK! DHAK!

Two thunderous blows hammered his ribs, driving the air from his lungs.

He staggered back, spitting blood, fury and confusion blazing in his eyes.

"What the hell is that thing...?"

Adrian didn’t answer. He pressed forward, every gauntlet strike like a phantom combination—one punch, two impacts.

Spade blocked high—his guard shattered as the second hit slipped through. He braced low—the double strike buckled his stance.

Every exchange left bruises, fractures, bleeding welts. And yet, each time Spade thought he had Adrian on the ropes, the bastard recovered, as if pain couldn’t chain him down.

Breathing hard, Spade roared, "You... you shouldn’t be standing!"

Adrian’s lips curved in a grim snicker, gauntlet gleaming with murderous intent.

"Get used to disappointment."