"So, that's it."The Nightshade clan was on the deck of the Mini-Cruiser, enjoying the food Tyson had brought from the Eastern continent.Vladimir had a mountain of food in front of him, diving in eagerly."Can't you eat slowly, big guy?" Ernie joked."A man has to eat fast if he wants to grow fast.""Preach on, brother!" The guitarist nodded in agreement, taking a puff from his blunt. "Also, congrats to all of you for making it to the second round." He gave them a thumbs-up."You all did well," Kaz commented."But it only gets harder from here," Lilith added.The Nightshade clan faced tough competition, and even though they were the only clan to have all members qualify for the second round, they might end up facing each other."Yeah, there are a tonne of commendable fighters who made it through the first round," Farrow added."There's the Enders, Red Souls, and Valhalla clans.""Rhea and Crimson, I hope I fight one of them soon!""You hope to fight everyone soon!" Kaz scolded."Leav
"Hahaha!" Vladimir bursts into laughter, impressed. "Amazing! You developed the mantra ability.""I've levelled up too, Sir Vladimir," Farrow responds confidently."Nevertheless, this match is mine for the taking... Blue Boomerang," Vladimir declares as he hurls his hammer at the archer.Farrow stands unfazed, stretching his hand forward."Impossible!" Vladimir grapples with the unexpected turn of events, while murmurs ripple through the colosseum.Farrow effortlessly halts the hammer with one hand, stunning everyone."How?" Vladimir asks, bewildered."This is the power of the mantra!" Farrow explains as strange markings emerge on his body.The mantra technique involves chanting phrases, granting the user the ability to drain the astral energy of non-living components, weakening them momentarily."With the mantra, every attack from a magic item or coated by animation is rendered nearly useless," Farrow elucidates.Vladimir realises that Farrow's mantra can drain the astral energy of m
The tournament kept progressing;; Tyson advanced after a brutal battle with his brother and mademade it to the final to face Zod.The bustling cheers of the crowd echoed more vibrantlyvibrantly than ever,ever, for today, the vagrant games shall end.The seats were filled. The streets of the city were nearly emptyempty as everyone was in the colloseum. Even previous participants wanted to see who would win the tournament. "Ladies and gentlemen, We have our two finalists ready!" Tyson and Zod were facing each other in the arena. They both hadhad wide smiles on their faces. "So, it's happening,happening, AstralEnergy, isn't Energy, isn't it?" "That it is, Tyson Bronze. I look forward to a memorable battle with you." Zod stretchesstretches his arm for the ex-assassinassassin. Much to the crowd's amazement, the two of them share a handshake. "I'm going to win,win, but, yeah, good luck, Zod." "Go Zoddy!" Kira cheered from the crowd. She was seated with the Nightshades and Enders. B
"What brings you here, Grim!?" Tyson's voice rang out, filled with surprise and disbelief."My, is that any way to address your beloved teacher?" Grim responded with a smirk, drawing everyone's attention towards Tyson."He's the most psychotic person in the House of Bronze. My father might lead, but Grim, he's pure evil," Tyson explained, his tone serious."Stop it!" Grim chuckled, gently touching his cheek. "You're making me blush.""Tck, Kaz!" Tyson turned to his vice captain.Kaz met Tyson's gaze and nodded. "Got it," he said, placing his hand on Tyson's, transferring some of his own energy."Thanks," Tyson said gratefully as he felt his powers replenish. It wasn't full strength, but it would do for what lay ahead."Three Dons, the strongest assassins of the house, using shadow or dark elements, and Grim, on par with them," Tyson summarised."Everyone," Tyson addressed his friends. "I can't guarantee our safety. If you want to leave, I'll understand.""No way am I missing this! I w
"I can't move." A man was drifting along the infinite blackness of space. He appeared to almost be completely lifeless with his back curved.He was clad in black and white tights with golden highlights on the sides. A name tag with the initials "Tyson" was pinned to his chest. "How long have I been drifting in space, hours, perhaps days? I can't tell. God! My mind is foggy, my Astro tech is almost fully drained and once it dries out, so will my astral skin, and I'll die from lack of oxygen." He tried to move his body in desperation, but to no avail... "This paralysis is that witch's hex. Is this how my story ends? Am I fated to die a loser? That too at the hands of the people I served for over a decade!?" More hours passed and Tyson's situation did not change. "It's so cold." He imagined hugging his body to stay warm, but alas, that was all he could do, imagine. "They dumped me way out here without a planet or celestial body insight." Lost in his thoughts, he felt regret. Reg
"So,"Victor, Tyson, and Xing were at the dining table."You ready to tell me how you wound up in the middle of literally nowhere?"Tyson paused his eating as he balls his fist.His past flashed before his eyes. Victor and Xing could feel the rage and anguish that overcame the white-haired man.He recalled working diligently for the association even though he was of the lowest rank. He worked tirelessly hunting down petty criminals with his Astro gear.He also recalled being left for dead by the woman he respected the most."Life is cruel, snow-white. So you don't have to talk if you don't want to."Tyson took a deep breath. "No, I owe you two for saving my life. So it's the least I could do."He stands up and begins his narration."As you already know, I'm a C-Grade bounty hunter working for the BHA. Or I was... Until recently.""Being a C-Grade, I did not command any respect from everybody else. We were seen as grunts. The weakest next to D-Grade hunters who could barely take down a
"Those bastards!" Tyson cursed."Captain," said Xing. "We're surrounded by an association warship and a dozen mini-cruisers."Haha, they went all out, didn't they? That, too is on my second day since resurfacing."Boom! The Ebon Phantom was receiving heavy fire from all directions."Argh!" Tyson yelled. "What do I do?" He yanked his hair. "I'm an unlucky bastard, aren't I?"He cursed his bad luck. First, he was betrayed and attacked by the association for no reason whatsoever. When he had given up on life, he was saved by an unknown cruiser.Now, it turns out that the cruiser belonged to one of the most wanted men in the Cosmos!"My fate is sealed, I'm doomed to die at the hands of the association." He plopped to the floor and hugged his knees."Hey, Snow-white."Tyson raised his head. "What?""Clench your teeth.""Huh?"Victor's hand flashed before his eyes."Ow!" Tyson held his cheek. "What was that for!" He jolts up and grabs Victor by the collar. A vein popped in his head."That w
LOCATION: RED WINEInside the warship of the association, Mistique was slamming her fists against the wall. "How is this happening? Why are they losing against one man?" She was checking the heat scanners as she saw the fate of her subordinates. "Is this the strength of the most wanted man in the cosmos?" She had sent waves after wave of hunters to the Ebon Phantom, but the result was the same. They were beaten and knocked out with single blows by one man. Mistique was unaware of the fact that it wasn't Victor who was beating up her crew. "I guess I'll just have to go there myself." ... Victor had a bucket of popcorn in front of him as he and Xing indulged themselves with the sight of a one-sided beatdown. They watched as bodies flew everywhere. "Ack, how is he so strong!?" "He has the rarest Astral Spectrum!" "But it was white moments ago because he was a C-Grade hunter!"The hunters tried to make sense of Tyson's awakened powers, but they all failed to get another word o