Chapter 628: Introduction
Chapter 628: Introduction
As Utiko witnessed Taru rushing out, his body swiftly shifted sideways, slightly delayed at first, but in an instant, he caught up, almost level with Taru.
His sharp eyes fixed on Taru, unaware of her destination, but determined to stop her.
The others, in perfect harmony, started running without instruction, maintaining a formation that surrounded Taru.
Suddenly, Taru made a turn halfway.
Seeing Utiko's speed, she knew she couldn't shake him off, and in just a few more steps, he might block her path, leaving her no chance of escape. So, she decisively chose to break through in another direction.
Among the six, he seemed the weakest, making him the easiest to get past.
But facing Taru's charge, he remained calm, assuming a defensive stance.
Indeed, he was the weakest of the team, but even if Taru could knock him down in an instant, her movement would slow down, giving the others time to gather and trap her in a circle.
As Taru rushed towards him, she suddenly leveled the staff in her hand and poked it forward.
Her swift and fierce move, combined with the teammate's reluctance to retreat, made him shout and grab the staff with both hands, trying to hold it back. However, the force transmitted through it was unexpected; instead of pushing forward, it went upward.
Taru pried the staff upwards, lifting the entire person, then shook her arms, throwing him high.
In that brief pause, several members of the Tread Stream Squad quickly moved forward, almost surrounding her. But then, an unexpected scene unfolded.
The teammate, having been thrown, inadvertently pulled Taru upwards, or perhaps it was intentional. With the Double Strength in play, she leaped upwards.
Just as her body rose, a thrown object flew towards her, but Utiko, reacting swiftly, responded instantly to her jump.
Taru ignored the object, allowing a steel ball to hit her, tearing open her skin, yet she remained unfazed.
As a Third Limitation Fighter, she was unconcerned by such minor damage, and the Sol Stream was known for its endurance in combat.
Simultaneously, she reached out, grabbing a protruding branch mid-air. With a burst of strength, she swung and leaped sideways.
Below, the Turbulence Squad members immediately followed her movement, even the one thrown into the air, catching up after a few breaths.
Taru's chosen escape route was a dense forest with many branches and vines, slowing her down as she navigated unfamiliar terrain.
Entering the forest, Taru seemed at home, swinging and grabbing branches, using two consecutive leverages to clear a path. With a leap, she exited the forest, grasping a zipline that led straight down to a cliff platform. She slid down, hands gripping the line.
After some distance, she released the line, spreading her arms and diving into the seawater below. As she let go, she also snapped the zipline.
This series of actions was lightning-fast, without a moment's hesitation, indicating a well-planned escape route, likely rehearsed beforehand.
Utiko, seeing her leap from the cliff platform, didn't hesitate. He leaped out, crossing the platform, closely tracking Taru's descent, knowing she was the key to everything and must be captured.
The teammates behind him paused, then, after a few jumps to find their footing, followed suit, one by one.
Cautious of potential reefs below, they jumped one after the other, entering the water from a safe spot, avoiding any unnecessary dispersion.
Taru plunged into the seawater with a splash, her body wriggling like a fish, diving deep into the ocean.
The surface erupted as Utiko followed, his body rhythmically swaying, breaking through the water's resistance and giving chase.
One by one, the team members descended, following the trail he left in the water.
Their squad was named Turbulence, specializing in aquatic operations, each member a master of water combat.
It was night, with little light, and underwater, making it easy to lose track. Utiko released his spirit, relying on a faint sense to fixate on Taru ahead.
Taru, unconcerned with those behind, sped towards the rift, with a clear goal: to seek help from Chen Chuan.
As a fellow practitioner of the Pure Sect, there was no shame in seeking help. Before Chen Chuan's arrival, she had already sent a request for assistance to the sect.
Olevar had told her that Mr. Zuan wanted Chen Chuan to come for cultivation, perhaps with the intention of having him help them. So, without a second thought, she headed straight here.
After diving several hundred meters deeper, Utiko's spiritual senses detected that Tulu's figure suddenly vanished. He was taken aback, instinctively wanting to stop, but he couldn't give up. So, without hesitation, he followed.
The next moment, he felt the water flow out of his body, and to his surprise, his feet landed on solid ground. He found himself in a space vastly different from the ocean depths.
His expression tensed, and his sharp gaze scanned the surroundings. But then, his face lit up with immense joy.
Was this... a portal? He never imagined that the thing he had been searching for so desperately would be found so easily. Without even capturing and interrogating anyone, they had been led right to it!
But in an instant, a strong sense of vigilance arose within him.
The other party wouldn't bring them here without reason, unless there was someone or something here that could be used against them.
So, instead of rushing forward, he stood in place, waiting for the rest of his team to arrive. As they appeared one after another, he warned in a low voice, "Be careful, there's something strange here."
The team members behind him surveyed the surroundings, guessing the nature of this place. Their faces also lit up with joy, but their combat instincts kicked in, and they instinctively spread out in their usual battle formation, drawing their weapons.
At that moment, they saw Tulu at the forefront of this space, and not far from her side, there was someone sitting with their back to them. A glow emanated from the portal's entrance, illuminating the person, and beside them seemed to be a long blade.
Who was it?
Could there be another fighter hidden in the Sol Stream Pavilion? But as long as they weren't a combatant, they had nothing to fear. They had ample experience dealing with fighters of the same limitation.
In a 1619 book, one glance at the error-free version!
Utiko waved his hand, and the six team members immediately formed two rows, three in front and three behind, slowly moving forward.
Tulu walked up to Chen Chuan's back and said to him, who was meditating, "Sorry, Mr. Chen, for interrupting your cultivation."
"It's fine, you did the right thing," Chen Chuan replied.
Chen Chuan opened his eyes and slowly stood up, speaking naturally, "It won't take long."
As he turned around, the glow from behind still illuminated his figure, cutting out a tall and robust physique. But his face was hidden in the shadows.
Utiko narrowed his eyes; he was an experienced man. From the first glance at Chen Chuan, he knew he'd be a tough opponent. He made a gesture with his hand, and the team members, understanding his intent, drew their weapons. One of them grabbed a flying dagger and threw it towards Chen Chuan.
But in the next moment, Chen Chuan vanished from their sight. The thrower, to his surprise, found a figure appearing in front of him, a pair of calm eyes staring at him.
His heart jumped, and before he could react, his back arched with a sound of cracking vertebrae. Chen Chuan had punched him in the abdomen, and as the force of the punch continued to surge, his entire body was lifted upwards.
A blade flashed, and a team member nearby slashed horizontally, but the blade only passed through a phantom.
Before he could locate the person, a hand had already pressed against his face. 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 towards the oncoming fist.
With a loud bang, his head exploded in the collision of the two fists. One fist continued forward unwaveringly, while the other fist shattered, its force extending from the forearm to the body behind it. The fist's owner didn't even have time to scream before his skull was kicked and shattered by the following foot.
Several thuds sounded as three bodies fell to the ground, one after another, each twisted beyond recognition, evidently subjected to immense force.
Chen Chuan slowly lowered his foot and glanced at them.
Utiko couldn't help but stop, his pupils constricting in realization of the formidable opponent they faced.
At that moment, he heard hurried, tense breathing from behind, knowing his teammates were intimidated by the opponent's aura, their courage wavering.
He spoke in a low voice, "Don't think about running. They will never allow the existence of this place to be exposed. Now that we're here, we can only fight to the death. Follow me, and we still have a chance."
As he spoke, a ferocious expression indeed appeared on his face. They understood that Utiko was right; facing such an enemy, they had a slim chance of survival if they fought. If they didn't fight, they would surely die!
...
End of Chapter.
Chapter end
Report
