Volume 7 Chapter 34 Smoldering Flames
Randy's left fist whipped through the air with cold certainty, hitting hard.
He felt it — the crunch of bone and flesh giving way, the snap of the enemy's neck breaking under the blow.
Randy knew this feeling well, from countless battles before. He knew, without doubt, that he had killed him.
But a part of him could not accept what his eyes then saw.
(No way... he's still moving?)
Randy aimed to shatter Zaif's skull — to smash it, break his neck, and leave nothing but a lifeless body.
But somehow, Zaif's body remained whole, still moving violently despite the shattered neck.
Zaif was bouncing hard on the ground, rolling again and again with a force no one would expect from a human punch.
Randy had planned to blast only Zaif's head away.
Seeing Zaif's entire body tumble across the dirt was not part of the plan.
Randy had struck with perfect timing, perfect distance, and full power.
He wasn't holding back — no special moves, no magic sword, just pure, full strength in that punch.
Every step forward, every ounce of force behind the fist was real. This was a true, no-holds-barred hit.
By Randy's judgment, Zaif's body and strength should not have held his head together — the skull should have shattered completely.
Yet, there it was: Zaif's head crushed and neck snapped, but his body still flew through the air, rolling violently.
Zaif bounced on the ground, tumbling like a ragdoll, until finally he stopped moving.
Randy couldn't help but crack a small smile at the unexpected outcome.
Though he had killed Zaif, he had also clearly missed finishing the job perfectly — all because of Zaif's quick thinking in that final moment.
At the instant Randy's punch was unavoidable, Zaif wrapped himself in every ounce of protection he could muster.
Without even drawing his magic sword, Zaif's sudden defense softened the blow, lessening its full power.
Randy broke through that defense, yes, but Zaif's fierce will had just barely outmatched Randy's strike — if only for a moment.
With observers nearby, Randy held back from using special techniques or his greatsword,
yet Zaif's raw, natural strength and skill surpassed even Randy's all-out physical punch — a surprising and thrilling revelation.
Randy had never underestimated Zaif.
He studied his opponent, fought with all his might to knock him down,
and still, Zaif's power surprised him. It proved Randy still had room to grow himself.
"Talent, huh... There are still strong fighters out there I don't know about."
Randy had thought only a few people like his father Alan, Victor's group, Rolf, or the empire's strongest — Lionel — stood above the rest.
But the wild card Zaif made him sit up and take notice.
"I still have to get stronger..."
Randy muttered, a hint of excitement in his voice, but there was also a touch of regret.
If Zaif had not rested on his natural gifts, if he had trained harder, he could have truly been a force equal to Lionel.
Zaif's skill with complicated magic swords, his deep understanding of magic, and his clever mix of sword and spell — all showed his talent clearly.
Had he sharpened those skills with hard work, he might have been able to match even Randy's fiercest blows with a greatsword.
Though Zaif's body lay still and cold, Randy couldn't help but wish he'd faced a Zaif who worked as hard as he did.
That talent ranked high in Randy's mind — maybe as high as Luke or Harrison.
If Zaif had been as reckless and hungry for strength as they were...
His years of experience would be a wild card no one could ignore.
Randy was certain that the name [Black Wolf] Zaif Aldren could have been a candidate for the world's strongest.
"But... it's all just 'if' and 'could have been'."
No matter how much skill or talent you have, it means nothing if you don't work to improve it.
Zaif wasted his potential and died before he could become truly strong.
Even his last burst of hidden power could not match Randy's true strength.
No matter how you slice it, Zaif was dead.
Now Randy only had to collect the body and the magic sword and toss them somewhere in the government's storage.
As Randy took a step toward Zaif's corpse, shadows appeared around him.
More than ten figures, moving in perfect, silent formation.
Randy felt the sharp skill in their movements — these were no amateurs.
"...What do you want?"
One of the shadows stepped forward, a man wearing a silver mask who seemed to lead the group.
"Let us end this here."
Randy stepped closer, his voice cold and firm.
"What if I refuse?"
"That would be seen as rebellion against the Empire."
"The Empire... huh."
Randy glanced over the men dressed in black, who made no move — suppressing their presence so well it was like they erased themselves.
"We are members of the Empire's special force, [Black Moon Bureau]."
Randy furrowed his brow deeper at the name.
(Wasn't that the Empire's secret dark force?)
"What are people like you doing in a place like this?"
The silver-masked leader said calmly that Zaif was originally part of [Black Moon Bureau].
(Wasn't that supposed to be the prince's private army?)
Character Notes:
• Zaif - A former Imperial Army soldier known as the [Black Wolf]. He has a sadistic personality and is described as a troublemaker who tortured prisoners and hurt training partners. He is Randy's opponent in the mock battle.
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