Chapter 628: Introduction
Chapter 628: Introduction
As Talu sprinted away, Utko's body shifted sideways, slightly delayed at first, but within an instant, he caught up, matching her pace.
With sharp eyes, Utko fixed his gaze on Talu, unsure of her destination, but determined to stop her.
The rest of the team, in perfect harmony, started running without needing instructions, maintaining a formation that encircled Talu.
Suddenly, Talu changed direction mid-run.
Realizing Utko's speed, she knew she couldn't shake him off, and if she took a few more steps, he might intercept her. With no chance of escape, she decisively chose to break through in another direction.
Utko, sensing the weakest aura among the six, was the easiest target to breach.
But he remained calm as Talu charged, assuming a defensive stance.
Indeed, he was the weakest on the team, but even if Talu knocked him down instantly, the team's strategy was to stall. With a brief delay, the team could regroup, contain him within the circle, and launch a joint attack, quickly subduing him.
As Talu rushed towards Utko, she leveled her long stick, stabbing forward.
Her swift and fierce move, combined with the teammate's refusal to retreat, forced him to grab the stick with both hands to block it. But the force transmitted through the stick was unexpected, pushing upwards instead of forward.
Talu lifted the stick, hoisting the teammate into the air, and with a shake of her arms, she flung him high.
At that moment, several Turbulence Squad members quickly closed in, almost encircling Talu. But then, an unexpected scene unfolded.
The airborne teammate, flung by Talu, seemed to pull her upwards, or perhaps it was intentional, as she soared upwards using Dual Force.
Just as she leaped, a thrown object hurtled towards her, but Utko, with his quick reflexes, reacted instantly.
Talu ignored the object, allowing the steel ball to hit her, tearing her skin where it struck. Yet, her expression remained unchanged.
As a Third Limit Fighter, minor damage was insignificant, and Single Stream was renowned for its resilience.
Simultaneously, Talu reached mid-air, grabbed a protruding branch, and with a burst of force, swung sideways, clearing the forest.
Below, the Turbulence Squad members followed her, even the airborne teammate, who, after catching his breath, joined the pursuit.
Talu's evasive direction was a dense forest with many vines and branches, hindering their speed and causing minor obstacles for those unfamiliar with the terrain.
Talu, however, navigated effortlessly, using the branches to swing forward, clearing the forest. With another leap, she clasped her hands in mid-air, revealing a zip line leading to a cliff platform below. She slid down, severing the zip line as she released her grip.
This rapid sequence of actions, without pause, indicated a premeditated escape plan, likely rehearsed beforehand.
Utko, witnessing Talu's leap from the cliff platform, reacted instinctively, leaping after her, fixated on Talu's descending figure, the key to everything.
The team members behind her hesitated, then leaped down, following her path.
Cautious of potential reefs below, they jumped one by one, entering the water from a safe spot, avoiding dispersion.
Talu plunged into the seawater, her body undulating like a fish, diving towards the rift.
The water's surface erupted as Utko followed, his body rhythmically swaying, breaking through the water's resistance to pursue her.
The team members descended one by one, tracing his path through the disturbed water.
Their team, Turbulence Squad, specialized in open ocean operations, with every member skilled in aquatic combat.
It was night, with minimal light, and underwater visibility was poor, making it easy to lose track. Utko released his spiritual energy, relying on faint sensations to maintain focus.
Talu, ignoring her pursuers, increased her speed towards the rift, with a clear objective of seeking help from Chen Chuan.
There's no shame in seeking help from fellow members of the Pureline Sect. Before Chen Chuan arrived, she had already sent a message to the sect requesting for backup.
Olive Ber told her that Specialist Chen Chuan was sent here to cultivate, which likely meant he was meant to assist them. So, without a second thought, she came straight here.
After diving a few hundred meters deeper, Talu's figure suddenly vanished from Utko's spiritual perception. He instinctively wanted to stop, but he couldn't give up, so he followed without hesitation.
The next moment, he felt the water current recede from his body, and his feet landed on solid ground. He found himself in a space entirely different from the ocean floor.
His expression tensed, and his sharp gaze swept the surroundings. But soon, his face revealed immense joy.
Was this... a rift?
He never imagined that the thing he had searched for so desperately was right here, and without them even capturing and interrogating anyone, someone had voluntarily led them in. Finding this place was unexpectedly easy!
But in the next instant, his vigilance heightened.
The other party wouldn't bring them here without reason; there must be something or someone here they wanted to deal with.
So, instead of rushing forward, he stood in place, waiting for the rest of his team to arrive. As they appeared one by one, he warned in a low voice, "Be cautious, there might be something strange here."
The team members behind him surveyed the surroundings, and they too realized where they were. Joy also appeared on their faces, but their combat instincts remained sharp. Instinctively, they formed their usual battle formation, drawing out the weapons they carried and holding them at the ready.
At this moment, they saw Talu at the forefront of this space, and not far from her side, a person sat with their back to them. Light emanated from the front of the rift, illuminating the person, and beside them seemed to be a long sword.
Who was this?
Could the Single Stream Pavilion be hiding another fighter?
But as long as it wasn't a master fighter, they had nothing to fear. They had ample experience dealing with fighters of the same limit.
Utko waved his hand, and the six team members immediately formed two rows, three in front and three behind, slowly moving forward.
Talu moved behind Chen Chuan, and to the seated Chen Chuan, she apologized, "Sorry, Mr. Chen, for interrupting your cultivation."
"It's fine, you did the right thing," Chen Chuan replied, opening his eyes and slowly standing up. His tone was casual, "It won't take long."
As he spoke, he turned around.
At this moment, the light from behind still illuminated him, outlining his tall and sturdy figure, but his face was hidden in the shadows.
Utko narrowed his eyes; he was an experienced fighter. From the first glance at Chen Chuan, he knew this opponent was formidable. Utko made a hand gesture, and the team members understood, each drawing their weapons. One of them grabbed a flying blade and threw it towards Chen Chuan.
But in the next instant, Chen Chuan vanished from their sight. The thrower was startled to find a figure in front of him, and a pair of deep, calm eyes stared back.
His heart skipped a beat, and before he could react, his back arched with the sound of a spinal fracture. Chen Chuan had punched his abdomen, and as the force of the fist continued to surge, his entire body was lifted upward.
A blade shadow flashed, and a team member beside him slashed horizontally with his sword, but it only passed through a phantom.
Before he could locate the person, a hand had already pressed against his face, and his facial features caved in under the sudden impact, as if about to burst out from the back of his head. The force propelled him forward, colliding with the fist coming from behind.
A loud bang echoed as the head exploded from the clash of the two fists. One fist continued to strike forward unwaveringly, but the other fist shattered limb by limb, the force extending from the forearm to the body behind. Before the owner of the fist could even scream, his skull was kicked and shattered by the following foot.
Several thuds sounded, and three corpses fell to the ground one after another, each twisted beyond recognition, evidently struck by a powerful force.
Chen Chuan slowly lowered his foot and glanced at them.
Utko couldn't help but stop, his pupils constricting as he realized they had encountered a formidable opponent.
At this moment, he heard hurried and tense voices from behind, understanding that his team was intimidated by the opponent's aura, their courage wavering.
He immediately spoke in a low voice, "Don't even think about leaving. They will never allow the existence of this place to be exposed. Now that we're here, we must fight to the death. Follow me; there's still a chance."
As he spoke, a fierce expression appeared on his face. They understood that Utko was right; facing such an enemy, they had a slim chance of survival if they fought, and if they didn't fight, they would surely die!
...
...
(End of Chapter)
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