CHAPTER 35: HOLLOW FEAR

I stood up, finally ready to face Hollow.

Luck seemed to be on my side—he was clearly terrified.

I could see it in the way his legs trembled uncontrollably.

Was he really that afraid of me?

...He shouldn’t be.

Hollow slowly took a fighting stance.

Even though fear was written all over his face, there was still a strange fire in his eyes—an unmistakable eagerness to fight.

At this moment, I was far stronger than him.

Perhaps this was how i had once looked at Jacqueline—outmatched, cornered, staring at death without realizing it yet.

*Hollow’s POV*

’Damn it... my legs won’t stop shaking... I’m scared...’

His teeth clenched as his heart pounded violently inside his chest.

The aura surrounding Indigo was unbearable—crushing, suffocating, overwhelming.

Each breath Hollow took felt heavier than the last.

’I have to run... Fighting him right now is impossible...’

But another thought pierced through his fear.

’People say he’s insanely fast... But can I outspeed him? No matter what... I have to try!’

In the blink of an eye, Hollow vanished.

His body moved at extreme speed, disappearing from Indigo’s sight as he aimed for Indigo’s blind spot—his left side.

This will work...

But—

Indigo caught Hollow’s right wrist mid-attack.

The impact echoed sharply through the air.

Hollow’s lightning-fast movement was completely meaningless before Indigo, who had already fought countless speed-based heroes in the past.

Indigo raised his right hand, lifted his index finger, and shook it slowly from side to side—as if gently scolding him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... You shouldn’t attack someone so suddenly like that."

"W-What?!"

Panic flashed across Hollow’s face.

He struggled desperately, trying to break free from Indigo’s grip—but the grip was iron-tight. He couldn’t move at all.

"I think you need to be educated... before I send you to the other world."

Electric lightning suddenly wrapped around Indigo’s right fist.

The crackling sound split the air.

Then—

BOOM!

Indigo’s fist smashed straight into Hollow’s face.

The impact blasted Hollow across the room like a cannonball, shattering the wall behind him.

His body flew through the broken concrete—

And straight out of the building.

He plummeted from the upper floor of the hotel.

"Ugh!! I knew it... fighting him is impossible..."

Hollow grunted as he fell.

In pure instinct, he activated his cable weapon mid-air and fired it at the side of the hotel.

The hook pierced into the building with a loud metallic screech.

His fall abruptly stopped.

"Ugh..."

Pain exploded across his skull. The earlier punch had nearly rattled his brain apart.

Dizzy and nauseous, Hollow glanced upward.

Indigo stood calmly at the edge of the shattered wall, gazing down at him from above.

Hollow’s entire body trembled.

"What the hell... is that monster...?!"

Indigo casually lifted his hand and waved at him.

Then—

He jumped.

Indigo dove straight down from the building.

While falling, Indigo raised his hand and fired several dark-blue beams of energy toward Hollow.

Hollow’s eyes widened.

’Damn it! I have to dodge that! But the wind is too strong—how am I supposed to dodge while hanging like this?!’

With all his strength, Hollow desperately twisted his body, barely avoiding several of the blasts as they tore past him and scorched the walls.

His eyes suddenly locked onto a nearby hotel window.

Gritting his teeth, he swung his body hard toward it.

Glass after glass shattered as Indigo’s attacks continued raining down on him.

"Come on... break already!!!"

With one final desperate push—

CRASH!

The window shattered completely.

Hollow smashed through the glass and rolled across the hotel floor inside.

Guests in the hallway screamed in shock as he burst through the window out of nowhere.

Hollow tumbled across the floor, then forced himself back to his feet and ran.

Indigo stepped inside through the broken window with calm elegance.

"What’s wrong?"

Indigo called out.

"Are you afraid?"

Hollow ignored him and sprinted down the corridor.

Indigo dusted debris off his sleeve.

Then he followed—walking leisurely.

At the stairwell—

Hollow slipped.

His foot missed a step.

He fell violently down the stairs.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

He slammed all the way to the lower floor.

Pain surged through every inch of his body.

"Ugh... damn it... why did I have to face him of all people...?!"

Groaning, Hollow tried to stand—

But then—

A shadow appeared in front of him.

He lifted his head slowly.

Indigo stood there.

"Oh... shit..."

Indigo rested both hands behind his back.

Looking down at Hollow, he tilted his head slightly.

"I already told you,"

Indigo said calmly,

"you shouldn’t have attacked me first~"

In one swift motion—

Indigo’s right hand clamped around Hollow’s throat.

He lifted him effortlessly into the air.

"K-Kugh!!"

Hollow choked violently.

Air refused to enter his lungs.

"He’s—he’s choking him!"

Panic spread among the people around them.

Some screamed. Some fled.

"A-Am... forgive me..."

Hollow whispered faintly.

"Forgive you?"

Indigo replied coldly.

"Not a chance."

His grip tightened.

"K-Kugh...!"

Hollow’s face turned pale.

His body convulsed violently.

And then—

He stopped moving.

Indigo released his grip.

Hollow’s lifeless body dropped to the floor.

But Indigo narrowed his eyes.

"I know you’re not dead yet. This is a cheap trick to fool me. You’re an assassin, after all..."

He raised his index finger toward Hollow’s head.

Dark-blue energy gathered at the tip of his finger.

"I know everything about you."

BOOM!

Hollow’s head exploded.

Blood and fragments scattered across the floor.

People screamed in terror and fled in all directions.

The hotel receptionist hid trembling under the counter and secretly called the Hero Association.

*Indigo’s POV*

I exhaled slowly.

"...It’s finally over."

I glanced up at the wall clock.

1:27 AM.

I should head back and rest—

Suddenly—

A hand lunged at me from my left side.

I caught it instantly with my left hand.

"Indigo!"

I turned.

It was Nightwolf.

"Oh?" I smirked. "Who would’ve guessed we’d meet again, Miss Nightwolf~"

She pressed against my grip and smiled arrogantly.

"It’s been a long time, Indigo. I’ve been itching to fight you again—and here we are..."

She swung her leg at me.

I caught her kick with my right hand.

"You seem really excited, Miss Nightwolf."

Dark shadows began spreading across the floor.

The shadows crawled up my legs, trying to wrap around my body.

I activated Lightnova.

Brilliant свет exploded from my body.

Radiant light surged outward, forcing the shadows back.

Shadow could never defeat overwhelming light.

"What—?! How can you—?!"

Before she could finish speaking, I struck first.

I shoved her back with raw force.

She skidded across the floor.

"Ugh! How can you use Lightnova?!" she snapped.

I smiled faintly.

"Hm... just assume I have the ability to copy other people’s powers."

Nightwolf’s eyes widened in shock.

Her jaw tightened.

She realized the situation had flipped.

Now—

She was the one at a disadvantage.

Because my light was the natural counter to her shadows.