Chapter Fifteen – When the Gloves Come Off
The leader stood still for a moment, chest rising and falling in short, sharp breaths. He looked around at his men sprawled across the forest floor—groaning, half-conscious, useless.
Hopeless. That was the only word in his head.
His fist clenched. Then, with a sudden movement, he pulled a small black capsule from his belt and smashed it in his palm.
A burst of violet mist shot into the air, swirling around him before spreading outward like wildfire.
Monroe's eyes narrowed slightly.
The leader's power began to climb. Not slowly—violently. It was a surge you could almost hear in the air, the hum of Soul Energy thrumming through the trees.
And it wasn't just him.
Bodies on the ground twitched. Those who'd been out cold moments ago started to stir, eyes snapping open as the mist washed over them. They rose to their feet, shaky at first, then firm, each one radiating a sharp, unnatural pressure.
"Hm. That's new," Monroe said quietly.
The ten surrounded him again, forming a loose ring.
Branches creaked overhead. Leaves whispered under the weight of Soul Energy hanging in the air.
The leader's voice was low and firm. "You're not walking away from this."
Monroe looked at him. And smiled.
"You sure about that?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
The ground under his feet cracked. The air seemed to twist.
Then it hit.
His aura exploded outward like a tidal wave, slamming into every tree in the clearing. Bark split. Branches snapped like brittle sticks. The forest groaned under the pressure, the air itself bending under the sheer force.
Several of the attackers staggered back instantly, their boosted power still buckling against the crushing weight of his presence.
One dropped to a knee, gritting his teeth, barely able to breathe.
Monroe took a single step forward, and the ground cratered beneath his boot.
"Alright," he said, rolling his shoulders. "Let's skip the warm-up."
The first attacker lunged. Monroe didn't dodge this time.
Instead, he met the strike head-on—his bare hand catching the blade. Soul Energy surged through his arm, and with one squeeze, the metal snapped clean in two. His free hand shot forward, slamming into the man's chest with the force of a battering ram.
The attacker flew back, smashing through two trees before hitting the dirt.
Another came from behind, faster than before. Monroe's aura flared again, and the man's charge froze mid-step as if he'd run into a wall. Monroe turned, grabbed him by the collar, and hurled him into the nearest trunk. The impact left a crater in the bark.
Two more closed in from opposite sides. Monroe stepped toward the first, shoulder-checking him so hard the man folded over before hitting the ground. The second swung, but Monroe's hand caught his head and simply pushed him down into the dirt with bone-rattling force.
The leader charged in then, Soul Energy crackling violently around his fists. He swung with everything he had.
Monroe blocked with one arm.
The shockwave from the clash sent leaves and dust spiraling upward. The ground under them split apart, a jagged line of broken earth.
"You're stronger now," Monroe admitted, voice calm. "Still not enough."
Before the leader could react, Monroe's aura spiked again. A brutal front kick slammed into the man's midsection, launching him backward like a cannonball.
Three more tried to dogpile him at once. Monroe planted his feet, letting them come. His Soul Energy wrapped around him like armor, their blows landing with dull, useless thuds. He grabbed one by the arm and swung him into the other two, sending all three tumbling away.
The forest floor was wrecked now—trenches from footfalls, broken branches everywhere, craters dotting the ground where bodies had landed.
The leader spat blood and came at him again, roaring. Monroe didn't sidestep this time. He didn't block.
He punched.
It wasn't a technique. No fancy form, no setup—just a single blow packed with raw Soul Energy. The hit connected, and the leader's body bent around Monroe's fist before being launched straight into the air, smashing through the lower branches before crashing down again with a heavy thud.
"Two left," Monroe muttered.
The remaining attackers hesitated. One looked to the leader, who wasn't moving. The other backed away.
Monroe's smile widened just a fraction.
He stepped forward once, and that was all it took. His aura slammed into them like a hammer, and both collapsed to their knees. He closed the distance, grabbed them by the back of their collars, and knocked their heads together. They went limp instantly.
Silence followed. The forest seemed to hold its breath.
Monroe looked around at the bodies scattered across the ruined clearing. Then he exhaled slowly, letting his aura fade back into him.
"You should've stayed down the first time," he said, almost conversationally.
Somewhere behind him, the leader groaned weakly, rolling onto his side. His thoughts were sluggish, but the same question kept looping in his head.
Same rank… but it's like fighting a mountain.
Monroe didn't bother finishing him. He just turned, walking back into the shadows of the forest, his coat swaying gently with each step.