Ex rank talent Awakening: 100\% Dodge rate-Chapter 319: BATTLING DOUBLE DIGITS IV

Number 16 observed the savage brutality of Greg's actions, a deep frown etching across his masked features, his posture rigid as he stood motionless in the dust-choked courtyard.

He remained utterly still, his mind racing as he carefully weighed his dwindling chances of emerging victorious from this unexpected confrontation.

Considering the situation with thoughtful deliberation, he came to the grim realization that his odds of winning were far from certain, the scales tipping heavily against him in this unforgiving arena.

First and foremost, Greg proved to be an adversary he couldn't overpower with any real assurance, his movements too precise, his power too overwhelming, like an unstoppable force of nature.

And then there was Elizabeth, standing poised and vigilant nearby, her icy presence a clear signal that she was ready to lend her formidable support at a moment's notice, her slender sword still humming faintly with residual frost.

With the unfavorable odds stacking up relentlessly against him, Number 16 made the calculated decision to retreat for the time being, prioritizing survival over a futile stand in the shadow of the looming castle walls.

"And where do you think you're going?" Greg inquired coldly, his golden eyes piercing through Number 16's intentions as easily as a blade through silk, reading the subtle shifts in his stance with effortless insight.

"I will return," Number 16 vowed, his voice laced with venomous promise, "and when I do, expect your death to be slow and agonizing."

As he spoke, a swirling pool of shadows began to materialize beneath his feet, bubbling and expanding like a dark portal eager to swallow him whole and spirit him away to safety.

"Actually," Greg countered smoothly, his tone unyielding and devoid of mercy, "you're not going anywhere."

Harnessing his superior dominion over the essence of darkness, a control far stronger and more refined than Number 16's, Greg seized command of the very shadows his foe manipulated, twisting them against their master and sealing off the escape route with an invisible barrier of impenetrable night.

A pronounced frown deepened on Number 16's face, his masked expression contorting with frustration as he sensed the immediate repercussions of Greg's interference, the shadows now rebelling against his will like treacherous allies turned foe.

"You are a very annoying foe," Number 16 admitted grudgingly, his words dripping with reluctant acknowledgment, the air between them thickening with mutual disdain under the gray, oppressive sky.

With his planned retreat thwarted and no viable path to evasion left, Number 16 had no alternative but to engage Greg in direct combat, steeling himself for the inevitable clash.

Calming his frayed nerves with a deep, steadying breath that did little to quell the rising tension in his muscles, Number 16 summoned a massive flood of shadowy water, the dark liquid surging forth in a raging torrent that swept across the entire courtyard, engulfing the area including the precise spot where Greg stood firm.

"You could have lived a while longer if you'd just allowed me to leave," Number 16 declared coldly, his resolve hardening as he committed fully to the assault, determined to go all out and conclude the battle with swift, decisive force before complications mounted further.

"How ironic," Greg retorted mockingly, his face maintaining an unruffled mask of calmness that belied the storm of power brewing within him, his long hair swaying gently in the stirred winds.

"To me, you're the weakest among the group," he continued, his words sharp and cutting like a honed edge. "And yet, you're the highest ranked. Quite the underwhelming revelation."

"Abyssal wave," Greg uttered calmly afterward, his voice steady and commanding, invoking the technique with effortless poise as dark energies coalesced around him in response.

Number 16 stared at Greg in utter confusion, his masked features twisting as he struggled to comprehend the sudden shift in the tide of battle.

But he didn't need to remain lost in bewilderment for long, the answer surging forth with overwhelming force.

From Greg's outstretched hand, an even mightier tidal wave erupted, gushing outward in a roaring cascade that engulfed the entire area, the dark waters churning with relentless fury.

The wave swallowed everything in its path, flooding the surrounding courtyard and beyond, its inky depths spreading like an unstoppable plague under the gloomy sky.

That was the Abyssal wave, a torrent of pitch-black water that not only threatened to suck the very soul from the living but pulsed with an insatiable hunger to do exactly that, its essence laced with void-like emptiness.

No, it didn't merely pose a threat; it actively craved to devour the essence of life, pulling at the core of any being unfortunate enough to be caught in its grasp.

"What is this?" Number 16 demanded, a displeased frown deepening on his face as the unnatural liquid closed in around him.

The water encircled him completely, its dark tendrils lapping hungrily and even consuming his own pool of shadows, overtaking it with superior dominance.

"Water merged with darkness? No, that's not quite accurate," Number 16 muttered under his breath, his mind racing to dissect the anomaly amid the rising chaos.

"It gives off an even more ominous feeling than that," he added, his voice strained as the wave pressed closer, its cold embrace seeping into his defenses.

"I see," Number 16 continued, piecing together the puzzle with analytical precision despite the peril. "I knew I had felt these elements before, though separately and in isolation."

"Primordial water of the dragons," he realized aloud, a flicker of reluctant admiration crossing his hidden features. "And the corrupt energy of demons. Fascinating."

"At least, I know I died to a strong bloodli—"

Number 16 was unable to finish his statement, the words cut off abruptly as he met his gruesome end shortly after, the realization dawning too late.

The Abyssal wave crashed over him with brutal force, smashing his form against the unyielding ground and claiming his life in a merciless surge of dark power.

The wave drowned Number 16 entirely, submerging him in its abyssal depths and creating an anticlimactic conclusion to the tense buildup, his struggles ceasing in a final, gurgling silence.

With Number 16's death sealing the confrontation, the Abyssal wave gradually receded, its dark waters fading away into wisps of shadow that dissipated harmlessly into the air.

Greg turned away from the scene, his expression returning to its usual calm indifference as he decided to resume his pressing war duties without further delay.

"So you are the Nemesis," a cold, draconic voice resonated through the courtyard, its timbre deep and ancient, causing Greg to pause right in his tracks, his body tensing instinctively at the unexpected interruption.