Right after Nathan replied, the system’s voice echoed again.
[All Skills have been erased]
[Commander has been granted Authority of Mana]
[Genetics are now capable of storing mana like the ancients]
At that instant, an unfamiliar current of energy rushed through his body—without the childish labels of levels or exp. His strength had already accumulated to a point beyond the reach of crippled humanity, whose ancestors had been tainted by inbreeding.
The woman from the WhiteSnake Guild felt the strange aura. Her expression stiffened and she leapt back. "Boy, don’t get ahead of yourse—"
Nathan vanished in a blur, faster than a camera flash. His right hand clamped onto her face, covering her mouth. His eyes blazed with fury.
These fools... fighting over me? Endangering my father, who only works to feed his family? What kind of joke is this?
He yanked her face closer, forcing her to meet his eyes.
"If you dare to mess with me, then bear the consequences!!" Nathan’s voice rumbled, his jaw tightening like stone.
"Mmphhh...!" The woman struggled, trying to strike with her wind-imbued fist. But when she raised her arm, it faltered—her mana failed to flow as smoothly as before.
Nathan released her. Thud! She collapsed, coughing, then tried to flee. Strengthening her legs with mana, she shot forward like a gust of wind.
Nathan simply extended his hand.
"Aghhhk..." Her body froze midair, caught as if by an invisible barrier.
"Get..." Nathan’s voice deepened. "Over here!!"
She was dragged helplessly back toward him. His aura crushed down upon her arrogance until her knees buckled. Fear seeped into her veins, drowning her pride in a wave of inferiority.
"Please... forgive me..." she stammered, falling to her knees, trembling on the verge of tears. Old memories of being beaten helplessly by her father resurfaced. She choked out, "I can’t lose... That man is trash... I can’t bow down. Lady Rion must rule... she must..."
"Where is my father?" Nathan demanded coldly.
Just then, the bald man from the Eagle Eye Guild saw an opening.
"Boy, I’ll help you. Let’s interrogate this filthy woman and find your father!" he shouted, jogging toward Nathan.
Sophia, standing a few meters away with Validia, could only watch helplessly. She once thought herself strong—the rank-measuring crystal orb had shattered in her hands—but now she realized her power couldn’t compare to Nathan’s.
Validia, however, remained calm. Nathan’s strength wasn’t strange to her. Instead, she felt excitement—his rage for the sake of his family made her heart stir.
He always remind me of you, Father, she thought with a faint smile.
The bald man closed in, his subordinates trailing behind.
"Boy... let’s beat her until she talks. After all, this foolish wom—"
"Shut up!" Nathan snapped.
"Go away!" Nathan barked.
The bald man’s face twisted with rage. He gestured with his left hand—pointing down, then forming an OK sign. One of his men pulled out a syringe, ready to throw it. But Nathan had already sensed the threat.
"Go..." The air fell silent. Nathan’s hair lifted slightly, the atmosphere thickened. "AWAY!!"
Boom! The bald man and his underlings were blasted several meters back.
"Don’t think you can defeat me!" the bald man roared as he staggered up, flames igniting in his palms. "Telekinesis alone can’t stop my Brutal Fire!"
Nathan sighed, still gazing at the woman. "Do you know, lady? Humans are weak... and arrogant."
The WhiteSnake woman trembled and whispered, "You mean... women?"
Nathan exhaled again. "Neither woman nor man. All are weak... myself included."
The bald man hurled a fireball at Nathan. Just as it closed in, lightning split the sky.
Out of nowhere, David dashed forward, appearing before Nathan. He unleashed his thunderous power to block the fireball.
Sophia leapt in as well. Her Punch Synergy, fueled by emotion, amplified her fist. Together, she and David shattered the fireball.
The bald man clicked his tongue in frustration.
Validia almost laughed. How amusing... they think such feeble strength can protect Nathan? She walked toward him unhurriedly, unconcerned. Still, their intentions deserve some recognition.
Several of the bald man’s men tried to block her path, and he himself leapt forward to stop her.
Nathan’s irritation grew. The bald man’s stupidity was grating—and with Validia here, he had to restrain himself.
For Validia, crushing them all would be simple, but she needed to maintain Lilia’s image as someone who only possessed a repair skill.
Nathan then spoke firmly to the woman.
"If my father dies, you will die slowly. Every organ in your body will suffer the same pain he went through."
His words carried the weight of truth—proof that the lowly, docile soul of the past was gone. The foolish boy who once drifted with the current now sailed his own course, standing as someone who understood power, humanity, and the Tower better than anyone alive.
The woman from the WhiteSnake Guild could only remain silent.
My S-rank ability... useless before him. He caught me as if it were nothing.
Only then did she truly realize how powerless she was. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novelFirｅ.net
"Sophia, watch over this woman. Leave those fools to me." Nathan’s tone was firm as he walked forward at an unhurried pace.
Sophia wanted to argue, to join the fight—but the idiot she once knew was gone. In his place stood a man whose commanding presence left no room for defiance.
David remained standing nearby. He glanced at Nathan, and a chill ran down his spine. He looks completely different now... He thought.
"David, can you help me?" Nathan asked.
"Yes, Sir—" The words slipped out before
David could stop himself. His face stiffened. Oh, shit! Why did I call him ’Sir’? How embarrassing! He cursed inwardly.
Nathan gave a faint smile. "Don’t be so stiff. Let’s fight these fools together." He turned his gaze to David. "Brother!"
David’s eyes widened, then a grin spread across his face. "Sure. Let’s do this, Brother!!"
The bald man spread his stance, flames once again blazing in both hands. Two of his subordinates stepped forward to join him, while the rest surrounded Validia, preventing her from slipping away.
Validia glanced at Nathan and David, who now stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to fight. Oh? That looks good... a friend? Yes, Nathan, you’ll need one, she mused inwardly, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
Nathan and David tightened their grips, bracing themselves.
"You need a dagger?" David asked.
"Sounds cool. Gimme one!" Nathan replied without hesitation.
David reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulled out two daggers, and tossed one to Nathan while keeping the other for himself.
Their eyes met briefly, a silent pact formed between them.
Then—without another word—they both shot forward, blades gleaming in the fiery glow.