CHAPTER 102: GO BERSERK!

Chapter 102

While Zen was caught up in a serious two–versus–one fight, Jace stood face to face with the hat man.

The man’s hands burned with imbued, glowing blades, their light reflecting in his eyes as he prepared to pounce.

"You know what I hate most aside from this world?" Jace asked, pointing his sword forward with a steady hand.

Normally, this was the kind of moment where his water Veil would surge to life, calming his nerves while pushing him into a controlled frenzy. But with Zen’s Veil activated, all of theirs were suppressed. That left Jace to rely on nothing but his raw skill.

"It’s thugs like you who make me sick," Jace said, his voice cold. "Extorting people who can barely survive with their families. People who wake up each day fighting just to feed themselves. That’s the kind of scum I can’t stand."

"And what do I care?" the hat man asked, voice sharp and dismissive.

"I just want to ask something." Jace’s eyes narrowed as he tightened his grip. "Who else is here with you, parading under our clan’s name? How many of you are in this town? Tell me, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you walk away free."

"How dare a kid like you try to bargain with me!" the hat man roared, fury flashing in his eyes as he suddenly bolted forward at a surprising speed.

Sigh!

Jace exhaled softly, raising his blade. In a blur, he dashed forward to meet him.

CLANG!

Their weapons collided dead in the center, Jace’s sword slamming into the glowing blades with a sharp metallic ring. Sparks scattered in the air. The man’s grin widened as Jace was pushed back a few inches, boots scraping against the dirt.

"I don’t answer to kids!" the hat man bellowed, pivoting sharply. Jace’s sword cut nothing but air, forcing the young Reaver to stumble. But he quickly steadied himself, only to see a blade arcing upward in an uppercut slash aimed right for his face.

Jace spun back just in time. The glowing edge sliced through the space where his head had been, nicking strands of his blonde hair and sending them drifting in the air like golden feathers.

’That was close.’ Jace landed with a huff, chest rising and falling with controlled breaths.

"What happened?" the hat man mocked. "Aren’t you supposed to be one of the SilverFall Reavers? Thought your clan could handle anything thrown at them. So what’s wrong now?" He lifted his blades, smirking with malicious delight.

’Without my Veil, this fight is proving difficult,’ Jace admitted inwardly. ’But I can’t ask Zen to deactivate his, not when it’s his only weapon against those two men. The moment they regain their Veils, he’ll be in real danger. The rest of us can hold our own, but him... he would struggle.’

He straightened his back, forcing himself to breathe steadily. His heartbeat slowed, his focus sharpening.

"Shall we try this again?" Jace asked calmly, shifting into his stance once more.

"Gladly!" the hat man sneered. His blades pulsed with a harsh glow as he lunged forward, leaping high into the air before coming down like a striking hawk.

Jace’s gaze stayed calm, his body unnervingly still. At the perfect moment, his sword lifted and met the attack with a harsh block. The force rattled his arms, but his feet stayed planted.

The hat man’s expression twisted. He immediately thrust for Jace’s heart, but the young Reaver twisted his wrist and deflected the blow with the flat of his blade. The impact slid him back an inch, but he dug his heels into the ground and stopped cold.

Not relenting, the hat man spun, swinging his leg in a wild roundhouse kick. Jace reacted with ease, springing back lightly as the kick cut through empty air.

The dance continued, one strike after another. The hat man unleashed a furious storm of slashes, his glowing blades cutting arcs of blue light.

Yet with every swing, Jace’s calm defense held true. His sword moved like flowing water—measured, precise, and unyielding.

With each clash, it became clearer: while the hat man fought with rage, Jace’s composure was his shield.

One of the glowing blades slipped past Jace’s defenses, angling straight for his eye. He leaned back at the last possible moment, the tip grazing just above him. But before he could recover, the second blade shot toward his throat with killing speed.

’Damn it! I won’t dodge the second one on time. Shit! What do I do?’ Jace thought, his heartbeat hammering against his ribs.

"Jace! You’re clear! Go berserk now!" Zen’s voice cut through the clash. He shouted the words just as he leaped back, narrowly avoiding a strike aimed for his head.

’Clear? I’m good t... oh!’ Realisation lit Jace’s eyes. A smirk tugged at his lips. His grip on his sword tightened.

"Water Veil." His voice was calm but commanding. At once, streams of water swirled to life around his blade, twisting like liquid serpents. The hat man’s blade was still slicing toward Jace’s throat, but the tide had turned.

"Flowing Tide." Jace whispered the words like a verdict. His body spun, water lashing out and coiling into a whip that cracked with devastating force.

CRACK!

The watery lash sliced clean through the arm that held the glowing blade, severing it in an instant. The hand clattered to the ground with a sickening thud, fingers twitching lifelessly. The hat man staggered back in shock, his eyes wide, his body trembling as fear punched through him.

"Now, I’ll ask again." Jace raised his sword, water swirling fiercely around it. The pressure emanating from him surged like a storm. "How many of you fake SilverFall Clan members are here?"

’Wait! H... his Veil is back? Does it mean...’ The hat man’s thoughts scattered. He looked down at his remaining hand. Mist seeped from it, a cold, chilling vapor rolling off his skin as if ice itself was leaking out of his veins.

"Kek! You sure are dead meat now." The hat man chuckled darkly, raising his head. His laughter cracked, masking the tremor in his stance.

Jace had been several meters away, but in the blink of an eye he was standing right in front of him, the water aura raging around his form.

"Wrong answer." Jace’s eyes narrowed. He swung his sword in a clean arc and spoke with finality. "Water Fall Bash."

A tidal surge exploded from his blade. The massive wave crashed forward with crushing weight, slamming directly into the hat man’s abdomen.

"Gahh!"

The man’s eyes rolled back. Blood sprayed from his lips as his body was blasted off the ground, hurled like a ragdoll across the street. He smashed into the shop the kids had just stepped out of, wood splintering and dust scattering into the air.

The shopkeeper’s horrified wail rang out, "Hey! That’s my shop you all just destroyed!" His hands clutched his head as he saw the unconscious hat man sprawled in the wreckage.

Jace exhaled, calm once again. He lowered his sword and slid it back into its sheath.

Shing!

The sound of steel echoed in the air, final and absolute.