Chris frowned as the scene unfolded before him.
It was clear that this bald man wasn’t just an ordinary bandit leader. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have been able to command so many Pinnacle-level warriors. The only plausible explanation was that someone more powerful was backing him, and the bald man was merely acting on their behalf.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Jolin demanded sharply. “How dare you disrupt the Tomczak family auction!”
The bald man sneered. “Miss Tomczak, we meet again.”
Jolin’s face darkened at the sight of him.
With a cold voice, the bald man declared, “I have two objectives today. First, to kill you. Second, to take the Fifth Grade Restoration Pill.”
“You’re dreaming if you think you can steal the pill!” Jolin snapped, her fury evident.
Bob quickly stepped forward, rallying the Tomczak family’s warriors to shield Jolin.
Chris smirked mockingly. “Baldy, we meet again. Care to tell me who’s pulling your strings this time?”
The bald man’s eyes narrowed as he regarded Chris. “You again. Last time, you ruined my plans and killed my brothers. Today, I’ll make sure you pay for that with your life!”
With those words, the bald man unsheathed a long sword and charged at Chris. His speed was extraordinary-within moments, he was upon him.
Chris, gripping his Dragon Slayer, countered with a powerful slash.
Clang!
The sound of their weapons colliding reverberated through the room. The impact forced Chris to stagger back a few steps. His expression grew grim; this bald man’s strength was truly befitting someone at the late Pinnacle stage.
“You’re going to die today, boy!” the bald man growled, his voice icy. He lunged again, faster and more forceful this time.
But Chris didn’t retreat. Instead, he advanced, wielding the Dragon Slayer with precision. The two clashed fiercely, their battle growing more intense with each strike.
The bald man quickly realized that killing Chris wouldn’t be as easy as he had hoped. Gritting his teeth, he turned to his men and barked, “Kill the woman!”
It was a calculated move. While he held Chris at bay, his subordinates could eliminate Jolin.
At his command, the black-clad warriors surged toward Jolin and the Tomczak family.
“Stripes!” Chris shouted suddenly.
In a flash, a shadow streaked through the room like lightning. It was Stripes, a Thunder Leopard, who immediately attacked, slaying one of the Pinnacle-level Aetherbinding warriors with a single swipe of its claws.
“A Fifth Grade peak-level beast-a Thunder Leopard!” someone exclaimed in shock. The entire room was thrown into chaos. No one had expected such a powerful creature to appear.
“Kill that Thunder Leopard!” the bald man roared.
The black-clad warriors converged on Stripes. Despite its overwhelming strength, the beast struggled under the relentless assault of so many enemies.
At this critical moment, Jolin gritted her teeth and shouted, “All of you, come out!”
From every corner of the auction hall, waves of Tomczak family warriors poured in, their numbers overwhelming. The bald man’s face twisted in panic as the tide of battle turned sharply against him.
One by one, the black-clad warriors fell to the Tomczak family’s forces. The battlefield was soon littered with their lifeless bodies.
“Retreat!” the bald man shouted desperately. He knew that if they didn’t flee now, none of them would survive.
At his command, the remaining black-clad warriors made a break for the exit. Leading the charge, the bald man raced toward the doors, hoping to escape.
But just as he reached the threshold, another group of figures entered the hall. These were all Pinnacle-level warriors, led by none other than Liam, the patriarch of the Tomczak family and Jolin’s father.
Seeing Liam, the bald man’s face turned ashen with despair.
Chris couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. It seemed Jolin had anticipated this attack all along. She had set a trap, waiting for the bald man and his crew to show up so she could capture them in one fell swoop.
Liam’s gaze locked onto the bald man, his voice cold and menacing. “You dare try to kill my daughter? You must have a death wish.”
As he spoke, an immense aura emanated from Liam. It was the power of a Solstice-level warrior.
The bald man’s expression crumbled into utter hopelessness. “Mr. Tomczak, please spare me!” he begged. “I didn’t want to do this-Master Lucas forced me!”
“What? My brother?” Liam’s face registered shock at the revelation.
He had never imagined that the mastermind behind the plot to kill his daughter was his own elder brother.
Liam’s expression hardened. “You think I’ll let you go after what you’ve done? You dared to cause trouble at the Tomczak family auction. If I don’t kill you, how will I make an example of you?”
“Boss, run!” Several Pinnacle-level warriors charged at Liam, shouting for the bald man to flee.
It was a desperate sacrifice. These warriors were willing to give their lives to buy their leader time to escape.
The bald man clenched his jaw and bolted for the door. If he could just get out, he’d have a chance at survival.
“Do you really think insects like you can stop me?” Liam scoffed. His fists struck out like thunderbolts, obliterating the charging warriors in mere moments.
Their sacrifice, however, had bought the bald man enough time to reach the exit.
“Stripes! Stop him!” Chris shouted.
In a blur of motion, the Thunder Leopard intercepted the bald man, blocking his path.
Chris wasn’t about to let the man who had nearly killed him escape. Gripping the Dragon Slayer tightly, he lunged at the bald man.
The bald man fought back with everything he had, landing a punch aimed straight at Chris. But Chris dodged and countered with a devastating slash.
“Argh!” The bald man screamed as his hand was severed by the Dragon Slayer.
“You bastard! I’ll kill you!” the bald man roared in fury, his face contorted with pain.
Despite his injuries, he forced himself to stumble out of the auction hall. But just as he thought he was free, a streak of lightning flashed before him.
The Thunder Leopard pounced, its claws raking across his chest with devastating force. Blood sprayed as the bald man crumpled to the ground, his body battered and broken.