An Understated Dominance

Jermaine was dead. His death caught everyone off guard, especially since they were confident he would win when he used the Phantom Reaper technique.

After all, the technique was a long-lost secret technique that was renowned two centuries ago. It was said to be unbeatable against opponents of the same level and capable of killing those beyond one’s rank.

The Phantom Reaper technique could bypass physical defenses and protective barriers to deliver a deadly blow straight at the target’s soul. Hence, it was impossible to withstand this attack without solid mental strength.

At first, everything went as expected. After Jermaine unleashed the Phantom Reaper technique, he completely dominated the fight without allowing George to counterattack.

But no one anticipated what happened next. One moment, Jermaine was confident and in control. The next, he was pierced through the heart and died on the spot.

The entire sequence of events happened so quickly that the spectators could barely process it.

“Dead… Is he dead?”

“What the hell happened?”

“It happened too fast! I couldn’t see a damn thing!”

The spectators stared in stunned silence at the body on the battle ring. They exchanged bewildered looks and couldn’t understand what they had just witnessed. Jermaine, who had been dominating the match, suddenly dropped dead.

“Faith, did you see that?” Alicia blinked in surprise, then turned to Grace.

She had just seen Jermaine controlling the phantom to defeat George by shattering the fist shadow and knocking him to the ground. So, how did Jermaine suddenly get stabbed, and with a single fatal strike?

“If I’m not mistaken, the blade came from Number 30’s body,” Grace said gravely.

She continued, “It looks like he has a unique power. He can transform the metal he consumes into weapons, which allows him to launch a sneak attack.”

“Transforming consumed metal into weapons? What kind of strange ability is that?” Aurora frowned.

Martial artists typically focused on physical training, energy manipulation, or various specialized techniques. But George wasn’t following any of these conventional paths. So, he must have rare, supernatural abilities that originated from foreign countries.

At first, he relied solely on his brute strength, which led everyone to underestimate him. This misjudgment created the perfect opportunity for his unexpected and lethal counterattack.

“So, is this part of the Giant’s plan?” Alicia frowned as she analyzed the situation.

She continued, “First, he used his fist shadow to distract Jermaine. Then, his body acted as bait to make Jermaine use the Phantom Reaper technique, which left him vulnerable. Ultimately, this Giant used his special ability to kill Jermaine with the blade.”

“Are you saying he through the Phantom Reaper technique’s weaknesses?” Aurora asked, surprised and skeptical.

She added, “No way. How can a foolish gorilla-like man have such keen insight or planning skills?”

The Phantom Reaper technique caused mental trauma. It could leave weaker opponents mentally incapacitated or even die on the spot.

Despite George’s strength, such a mental attack should have left him with a splitting headache. So, it was nearly impossible for him to stay calm or spot the technique’s weaknesses.

“If I’m not mistaken, he probably had help from someone skilled.” Alicia frowned as she glanced at Jeremiah and Bill.

The three of them were working together. The other two wouldn’t have stood by when George was in trouble.

They might have used some sort of secret communication to give George the edge he needed to turn the fight around. Though it looked like cheating, their actions were subtle enough to go unnoticed, and there was no concrete evidence to prove it.

“Ugh! How despicable! They resort to underhanded tactics if they can’t win. It’s revolting.” Aurora scoffed.

“I always knew those guys were up to no good. It’s a shame for Jermaine. He finally mastered the Phantom Reaper technique and could have made a name for himself. But who would have thought he’d died in the battle ring?” Alicia shook her head in disappointment.

Jermaine was so close to reaching grandmaster level. With his Phantom Reaper technique, he would’ve soared to greatness if he had made it. But he met a tragic end, which was truly lamentable.

“If I were Jermaine and had learned the Phantom Reaper technique, I would’ve kept it hidden until I was strong enough to protect myself before revealing it to the world,” Aurora said.

“Life is full of surprises. It’s too late to change anything now.” Alicia sighed.

A maniacal laughter erupted on the battle ring.

George, still reeling from the mental trauma, shakily got to his feet. Despite his pale face, sweat-soaked skin, and unsteady stance, he smiled triumphantly. He knew he had made the right call and claimed the victory.

“Dragonmarsh martial artist, your special abilities are impressive. You nearly defeated me, but unfortunately, I won in the end.”

George approached Jermaine’s lifeless body with a sneer. He raised his foot and stomped on Jermaine’s head.

There was a loud, sickening crack. Jermaine’s head exploded like a watermelon, splattering red and white everywhere.