Chapter 161 Combat Awareness
Steven froze, his smug expression faltering for a fleeting moment before morphing into a sneer.
"Strong will; I'll give you that," he conceded, his voice laced with slight admiration. He turned his head slightly, muttering.
"Time for Brain Corrosion, level two."
The air crackled with energy as the waves from his forehead intensified, becoming almost visible to the naked eye. A stray breeze from the window ruffled Steven's long hair, revealing a metallic band encircling his forehead like a crown. Thin wires snaked from it, disappearing into the hair at the back of his head. At the center, a circuit module pulsed with an eerie, growing light.
"He's using tech to amplify his brainwaves," Robert's voice buzzed with excitement. "Fascinating! This is cutting-edge stuff, Elbert. Hold still a moment; let me analyze this."
Elbert stifled a sigh. Leave it to Robert to get distracted at a time like this. Still, he couldn't deny a flicker of curiosity himself.
As Robert delved into the intricacies of Steven's device, the chaotic energy waves transformed into neat, pulsating curves in Elbert's vision.
It was strangely mesmerizing.
Steven, meanwhile, mistook Elbert's stillness for defeat.
"Such a shame," he said, his voice laced with mock sympathy. "I had such high hopes for you. But it seems you're just like the rest, easily manipulated."
He raised his hand, smiling cruelly. "Time to die, Elbert."
But before he could deliver the final blow, the door burst open with a deafening crash.
"Steven, stop!"
Jessica rushed into the room, tears streaming down her face. She threw her arms around Steven, holding him tight.
Steven's usual cold, calculating mask shattered, replaced by a look of genuine affection. "Jessica," he murmured, his voice softening.
"Please, Steven," Jessica sobbed, clinging to him. "Don't do this. Don't kill him. Elbert… he's not a bad person."
Steven gently pried her arms away, forcing a reassuring smile. "Don't be silly, Jessica. I have to do this. If I don't, the Card Club will hurt you. They'll hurt our child."
He raised his hand again, pointing toward Elbert. However, Jessica grabbed it, her grip surprisingly strong.
"Steven, please," she begged, her voice thick with desperation. "This path… it leads only to darkness. Don't let it consume you. Please, for the love of our child, for the memory of Father… stop this madness."
Steven's face contorted with a mixture of anguish and resolve. "Jessica, my love, you don't understand. I'm doing this for you. All of it. The people you can't bring yourself to kill… I'll kill them for you. Elbert is weak, vulnerable. This is our chance."
Before Jessica could respond, a thunderous boom shook the room, sending a cloud of dust billowing from the ceiling. The bedroom door, reduced to splinters, collapsed inward.
A hulking figure, built like a human tank, stepped through the wreckage. He stood almost eight feet tall, clad in a simple tank top and shorts that barely concealed mountains of muscle rippling beneath his dark skin. His chest was a slab of iron, his arms thicker than most men's thighs. His face, framed by a shaved head, was hard and unforgiving.
"Spade K?" Jessica and Steven breathed in unison, their eyes filled with fear and disbelief.
Spade K, the Card Club's deadliest weapon. A man who reveled in brute force, who scoffed at subtlety and stealth. His reputation preceded him, a terrifying legend whispered in hushed tones.
"Well, well, well," he rumbled, his voice a deep, resonant bass that seemed to vibrate in their chests. "First time I ever took a dive, and look what I find. Paul Three, wanted dead or alive. And Steven; the prodigal son himself. The boss is gonna be pleased."
He turned his gaze on Jessica, smiling cruelly. "Club Queen, you've led me on a merry chase. But it was worth it. You've brought me quite the prize."
Steven tensed, his eyes narrowing. Of course, he knew of Spade K. Everyone in the organization did. They called him a B+-level monster. He was rumored to be practically bulletproof, with strength that defied belief. This wasn't a light opponent.
Instinctively, Steven unleashed his Brain Corrosion, aiming to catch Spade K off-guard and sow confusion for an opening.
However, Spade K merely chuckled. "I've heard about your little parlor tricks, boy. Don't waste your time. That weak sauce wouldn't even tickle."
He took a step forward, the concrete floor cracking beneath his massive weight. The force of his movement seemed to disrupt Steven's energy waves, dispersing them like smoke.
"You're out of your league, kid," Spade K sneered. "Brainwaves? Against me? You might as well try and stop a charging rhino with a feather."
As Spade K turned his attention to Jessica, ready to claim his bounty, a quiet voice cut through the tension.
"You're interrupting my experiment."
Everyone froze, their gazes snapping toward Elbert.
He stood there calmly, as if nothing had happened and that the monstrous Spade K wasn't looming over them like a vengeful god.
"Elbert?" Jessica gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "You… you can move?"
Spade K threw back his head and roared with laughter. "Don't worry, girlie," he boomed. "He's next after I'm done with you."
"Three seconds, Elbert," Robert's voice whispered urgently. "That's all you get. Make them count."
A jolt of energy surged through Elbert's body, a feeling of being submerged in a pool of pure, invigorating electricity. He could practically feel his cells buzzing, rearranging and unlocking hidden potential.
The world shifted and sharpened. Where before he saw a hulking brute, now he saw flaws, weaknesses, opportunities. Spade K, for all his strength, was slow and predictable. A blunt instrument; easily outmaneuvered.
In that brief instant of clarity, Elbert saw a thousand ways to end the fight, each more brutal than the last.
This was the power of a new human. This was combat awareness unleashed.
He didn't hesitate.
With a speed that seemed to defy physics, Elbert moved. He crossed the room in a heartbeat, too swift for the eye to follow.
Spade K, caught completely off-guard, could only stare in disbelief as Elbert launched himself into the air with his knee cocked back.
The impact from it was sickening. A wet crunch came with a spray of blood and bone.
Spade K's head snapped back, his eyes bulging and his jaw pulverized. He crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut, his reign of terror brought to an abrupt and brutal end.
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