Sovereign of Chaos

Chapter 14: Strength That Amazes Everyone

"Ethan!" At that moment, Lily, in the crowd, noticed Ethan, her pretty face turning pale.

With his right hand resting on his knife handle, Ethan slowly approached the big cat. Behind him were the native villagers of Storm Clan's Village. Could Ethan retreat? Even if the villagers were indifferent and disdainful towards him, this was still the land where he'd been raised for thirteen years!

Ethan knew that this battle would have consequences, win or lose. If he lost, he'd be devoured by the big cat. If he won, it would create more variables for future vengeance. After all, once his enemy Caleb learned about his cultivation, would he remain calm? Would he still be composed? Surely, he'd be on guard, perhaps even sending assassins after him!

"Ah!"

Ethan opened the wicker gate and, to everyone's astonishment, stepped inside, then bolted it shut. The big cat didn't move but coldly observed the uninvited guest entering the enclosure, its tail hanging low, sensing that this "little one" was not to be trifled with.

"Roar!"

The big cat arched its body and let out a growl. Then, with a "whoosh," it sprang into action. It leaped forward, covering the two-yard distance in an instant and lunged at Ethan with the force of a mountain.

"Ah!"

"Get out of the way!"

Cries of alarm erupted from the crowd, and many closed their eyes. Ethan quickly dodged the big cat's attack and swiftly circled behind it, delivering a fierce punch!

Yes, a punch – not his trusty knife.

Ethan knew that while the Swift Shadow Blade Technique could greatly increase his chances of winning, if he couldn't kill the big cat in one strike, it would undoubtedly escape. If he recklessly drew his knife and startled the big cat, he'd be in real trouble!

If he used his knife, it had to be unexpected and lethal.

"Thud!"

Ethan's punch landed heavily on the big cat's flank. The big cat's body swayed, and it quickly turned its head to glare at Ethan. Ethan was shocked – his full-force punch had no effect on the big cat? That punch should have had the force of at least 500-600 pounds, enough to take half the life of an ordinary strong man!

"Good!" From the crowd, Lily stood on her tiptoes and watched as Ethan's punch struck the big cat. Just as she was about to cheer, she noticed the big cat seemed unaffected, and her beautiful eyes filled with concern.

"Is this kid out of his mind? Trying to outmuscle the big cat?" Some people muttered.

"I must use my knife!" Ethan's expression grew solemn, his dark eyes fixed on the big cat.

He had to use his knife and make it a fatal blow, giving the big cat no chance to escape and harm others.

"Roar!"

The big cat roared again, seemingly angered by this "little one" daring to challenge it.

Whoosh!

The big cat's tail suddenly flicked upward like an iron whip, hurtling towards Ethan with a gust of wind. Pouncing, lifting, and tail-slashing were the big cat's go-to attack moves. The pounce and lift were undoubtedly the most powerful, while the tail-slash relied on speed, capable of cutting down even small trees!

Ethan's pupils contracted slightly, and he clenched his teeth, not avoiding the tail. To everyone's shock, he reached out and grabbed the big cat's tail with both hands!

"Smack!"

Ethan stumbled from the force of the tiger's tail swipe, but he managed to hold on!

Without a doubt, Ethan knew the big cat was powerful. Luckily, he had moved with the momentum; otherwise, his left hand might have been rendered useless from the impact.

Ignoring the pain in his left hand, Ethan mustered all his strength and pulled!

Like yanking a r****h from the ground, Ethan's entire body angled at 45 degrees from the ground.

"That kid's got some nerve," muttered Charles, standing behind Lily outside the fence.

"Foolhardy!" many people gasped, sucking in cold breaths.

Lily's crescent-moon eyebrows furrowed as she nervously watched the young man inside the fence, her palms slick with sweat.

"Roar!!"

In pain and anger, the big cat roared and instinctively turned its head to bite Ethan.

"Ah!"

"Quick, dodge it!"

Marcus frowned slightly, his arrow already nocked, but with the fence in between, he wasn't sure he could hit his mark.

Ethan's right hand quietly let go of the tiger's tail, leaving only his left hand firmly gripping it.

And in that instant - unsheathing his sword, striking with it!

With a metallic "clang," only a handful of people, like Marcus, who stood near the front, saw when Ethan had drawn his sword. Although the torchlight illuminated the scene, visibility was still limited compared to daylight. Almost as soon as they heard the sound of the longsword leaving its sheath, the blade was already descending upon the big cat's neck with the force of a thunderbolt!

Marcus, standing at the forefront of the crowd, raised an eyebrow: "Such a swift blade!"

Whoosh~

In the cold night, the glint of the sword flashed, giving the big cat no time to react. The longsword struck accurately at its neck.

"Thud!"

The tiger's head, as large as a washbasin, fell heavily to the ground, producing a muffled sound.

A deadly strike, severing the head with a single slash!

Could it be that the big cat, whose very mention changed the expressions of the people of Stone Town, had died just like that? Slain by a thirteen-year-old boy? When had the big cat become so weak?

The crowd was stunned into silence, their eyes fixed on the fallen tiger's head.

"Is the big cat really dead? Killed by a thirteen-year-old boy?" The people exchanged incredulous glances, seeing shock and terror in each other's eyes.

"Clap, clap, clap!" Marcus led the applause, and everyone else followed suit. After all, the death of the big cat was great news for the villagers of Storm Clan's Village.

"Old Seven, did you see clearly how the big cat was killed?" A middle-aged man with a goatee asked the elderly man beside him.

"I saw it! I saw it! He used a sword! Such a fast sword, incredible!" Old Seven exclaimed, though he had been standing quite far back and hadn't quite grasped what had happened.

"Really? How did I miss that? Am I really getting old?" The goateed man asked, half in doubt.

"Edward's grandson is something else!" The crowd murmured, finding it hard to believe.

Ethan paid no heed to the clamor around him, deftly slicing an opening in the big cat's abdomen. After a thorough search, he found no trace of the so-called golden elixir, leaving him disappointed. In truth, it was only natural. Creatures possessing the golden elixir were at least demonic beasts with centuries of cultivation, on the verge of becoming Beast Spirits. Such adversaries were beyond Ethan's current capabilities.

"Excuse me, make way!" Ethan pocketed a fist-sized black gallbladder and, without a second thought, left the tiger's skin and carcass behind as he walked out of the enclosure. His handsome face was still streaked with the blood spatter from severing the big cat's head, his spine as straight as a spear, lending him an aura of ruthlessness. The crowd parted for him without a word.

As night deepened, the courtyard of the Joseph residence was still brightly lit, with many people yet to leave. They gathered around the big cat's corpse, fervently discussing the harrowing battle between Ethan and the beast. The youth who had been silent for over a year had awakened this very night.