Grand Ascension-Chapter 63: Barely Alive

Zack drove his other fist into Makun’s stomach.

Once.

Twice.

PUUAH.

The first blow folded Makun in half. Air exploded from his lungs. He had never been hit by such a punch before. It felt like being hit by a high-speed train.

The second drove deeper, compressing his organs, rupturing something inside.

Splurt.

Blood sprayed from Makun’s mouth onto the ground. A lot of it came out, even more than what Elias had spurted earlier.

Makun collapsed, gasping for air, his vision getting blurry.

All he could see was Zack stood over him, blood streaming down his face, one eye gone, the other burning with rage.

He still had not calmed down. He had lost too much after getting in touch with this guy. He had to pay.

Zack knelt down on Makun, his fist raised.

WHAM.

He connected with Makun’s face, spraying blood everywhere.

WHAM.

A second one, disfiguring Makun’s face.

What could an Initiate do against an Adept Warrior? It was true Zack right now could not be compared to an Adept Warrior. At most, the current Ashe running through his spiritual veins was that of an Apprentice. However, this was temporary.

He was someone who had the comprehension of an Adept Warrior, and had fought battles to earn resources to climb up to that stage.

Makun had a lot of Ashe, but even he did not know it was abnormal. He could not use it effectively like he should have used it.

Zack, who was very weak at the moment, was still superior to Makun.

WHAM.

Zack continued punching, rage still in his eye. He wanted Makun to suffer. If it was only for him, why would he go to such an extent for the book?

He was stuck right now but could patiently wait to move on.

However.

Lucie, Lucie...

He needed to advance for her.

ARGGHHH.

Thinking about how Makun stood in the way of his goal enraged Zack even more.

BAP. BAP. BAP.

He landed a series of punches on Makun, who struggled to stay conscious.

Makun was in pain. It hurt. Hurt like hell.

Nothing he had ever experienced was as painful or humiliating as this.

Once again, in front of this same guy who made him feel powerless in the market. Even now, after getting initiated into mysticism, he was still as powerless.

He had thought Zack would not kill him since he needed the book, He had thought zack needed him alive to direct him to the book. But looking at his face through his blurry vision, Makun could tell Zack had lost himself to impulse.

He was not thinking.

He did not care if Makun died.

Shit.

stay alive! stay alive then make him pay.

Makun thought to himself, searching for a way alive. He thought of the Phase veil charm, but Jorg had not exactly explained the function of this charm. Only that it was a protection charm.

He did not know what it did, but he did not care at this point.

Makun who was laying underneath zack weakly reached into his pocket touching the charm, Ashe running into the the charm.

The paper ignited. It was the second time tonight he had activated a charm.

Ffffffff.

The air shifted.

The street dimmed. It did not darken. It was muted. Like the color had been drained halfway.

The particles lingering in the air began to shimmer. They twisted and bent, flickering in and out of focus. The edges of the buildings blurred. The lamppost wavered without wind.

Makun was still there. Barely conscious, every bit of his body hurting like hell. He was laying on the ground, his chest rising and falling. Blood pooling beneath him.

But it was as if he was not there.

Zack’s fist came down again.

BAM.

It passed through Makun’s face and crashed into the ground.

There was no contact with Makun, just the ground.

Zack froze. His remaining eye widened.

Phase Veil Charm, he thought.

The Phase Veil Charm worked by shifting the bearer’s matter slightly out of the dominant physical frequency of the world.

Similar to when Zuri had used it, it did not remove Makun from the location. It desynchronized his interaction layer.

He still occupied the same space and could still see and hear. But he could not be touched.

Hahaha. AHAHAHAHAHA.

Makun lay there, listening to Zack, who had started laughing.

It was low at first, then louder. Manic. His voice echoed down the empty street, threatening to wake Elias, who had been knocked unconscious.

"A Phase Veil Charm, really?" Zack said. "You think you can run forever?" Zack said, standing slowly, blood dripping from his ruined eye socket. "The charm’s usage is going to run out. And when it does, you will be food for me."

Makun was unaware, but the charm could only hold on for a bit on its own. It needed concentration from the practitioner. A steady flow of Ashe and focused intent.

Makun was not in such a state right now.

How could he concentrate when he was wounded, badly, when his thoughts were elsewhere, questioning everything? 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Why me?

I bought the book normally. Why does he think he deserves it?

What did I think? Life has never been fair.

But... how did Zack even track me down? He knew to find me here?

I thought we were not in the same city...

Why is this even happening in the first place?

WHY AM I IN FUCKING PAIN EVERY TIME?

WHY IS TROUBLE FUCKING FOLLOWING ME?

The more Makun thought, the angrier he got. Ever since he could remember, he had never been happy. Everything had always gone to shit.

He struggled every day to stay alive, to live a normal life, have normal relationships. But he could not even achieve that.

Now that he thought he was going to find a solution to his problems. Now that he thought he might find the culprit of his demise, here he was, down on the floor.

Mouth covered in blood.

Barely alive.

I WILL MAKE YOU PAY.

EVERY ONE OF YOU.

Makun screamed internally. Rage. Extreme rage overtaking him.