Kill to evolve: A system that demands blood
Chapter 59: Battle (I)

Chapter 59: Battle (I)

Chapter 59

The bullet slid from the man’s forehead and hit the ground with a soft plink.

Ezren’s grin dropped.

"What... the hell?"

The man who took the shot—bald, lean, eyes dead like a doll’s—smiled wider. He tilted his head slowly, his neck cracking again. The wound closed completely, not even leaving a mark.

"You done?"

A blur shot forward.

Ronan.

He didn’t wait for orders. His body reacted the moment danger was confirmed. The ground cracked beneath him as he shot off, blades forming in both hands like shadowy fangs. His speed sent a pressure wave ahead of him.

The bald man moved.

Too fast.

Their clash sent out a shockwave. Metal scraped. Ronan’s dagger had collided with the enemy’s arm—and the arm didn’t snap. Instead, it held firm, pushing Ronan back with brute strength alone.

"Interesting," the man muttered, twisting.

Ronan leaned low, spinning under a punch, his foot kicking up to break the man’s jaw. But his leg was caught mid-air.

"What the—"

The second enemy was already behind him.

Dark-skinned, tall, with a scar running from chin to collarbone. He moved like a blur. Grabbed Ronan mid-motion and slammed him into the ground, the floor cracking from the force.

Before he could follow up, Ezren was already moving.

His hand lifted, fingers twitching.

"Mind Lock."

The dark-skinned man staggered. Just slightly—but enough. His right leg trembled, his balance shifted.

Ronan burst upward like a beast unchained. His knee crashed into the enemy’s chin, lifting him off the ground.

Clang!

A barrier had appeared—Aldric’s doing.

The third enemy tried to intervene. This one wore no shirt, lean muscles rippling as he blurred toward Ronan’s exposed side. But as he crossed into a ten-meter radius, the world shimmered.

Aldric’s voice was cold.

"Let’s see how you move with friction gone."

The man stumbled.

His foot slid mid-sprint like he was running on ice. He tumbled forward, instinctively reaching out—but the moment he did, his arm bent backward at an impossible angle.

Aldric narrowed his eyes. "Physics override. Momentum fails."

The enemy’s body collapsed awkwardly—like it had been rebooted wrong.

But then...

He laughed.

His broken arm healed instantly, bones shifting back in place with a sickening pop. He stood up, rolled his shoulders, and looked directly at Aldric.

"Cool trick," he said. "My turn."

The shirtless man snapped his fingers—and vanished.

Aldric’s pupils shrank. He didn’t move. He disappeared.

A shadow loomed behind him.

Ronan tried to shout, but it was too late.

CRACK!

A punch landed on the back of Aldric’s head, sending him flying forward like a ragdoll. He smashed through rubble, rolled twice, and skidded to a stop. Blood smeared the ground.

Ezren reacted instantly. "Sensory blackout."

His mind-lock targeted all three enemies simultaneously.

For two seconds, it worked.

The bald one froze mid-lunge, his body locking up. The scarred one’s leg collapsed beneath him. The third clutched his head as his senses were wiped.

But Ezren’s brow furrowed.

The lock... was already breaking.

"No way," he muttered. "They’re resisting this fast?"

The bald one grinned again. "You like to play in people’s heads, huh?"

He surged forward.

Ezren clicked his tongue. "Fine. Let’s play harder."

His aura shifted. The pressure in the air doubled.

Ezren activated full Mind Lock overload.

The enemies’ movements distorted. They staggered—seeing double, hearing delayed echoes, their own thoughts tripping over themselves.

Ronan didn’t waste the chance.

He leapt in, spinning mid-air.

Blades in both hands, he slashed a diagonal X at the bald enemy. The strikes connected—one to the chest, the other to the thigh. Blood sprayed, but the man didn’t flinch. He caught Ronan’s wrist mid-attack.

"You hit hard," he said through clenched teeth. "But you bleed too."

A fist slammed into Ronan’s ribs.

Bones cracked.

Ronan spat blood—but grinned.

"Wanna see something fun?"

A pulse erupted from his body.

Force Echo.

The enemy’s own punch was copied and slammed back into him, twice as strong.

His shoulder blew out. He flew backward, tumbling across the broken terrain.

Ezren and Aldric regrouped near Ronan.

"You good?" Ezren asked, eyes locked on the three enemies now standing again, bloodied but smiling.

Ronan coughed once, cracked his neck, and stood up like nothing happened.

"System cleaned it. I’m good."

Aldric wiped blood from his lips. "Alright then... time to stop holding back."

He raised his hand.

"Reality Clamp: Pain Loop."

The moment the enemies stepped into his zone, it triggered.

One blink—and they screamed.

Their bodies buckled. Over and over, they felt the last ten seconds of damage they took—looped without mercy. The broken bones, the shock, the impact. Repeating endlessly.

Ronan bolted through them.

He didn’t need a second chance.

He stabbed one through the throat.

Punched another in the gut hard enough to lift him.

And ducked under the third’s wild swing.

But just as it seemed they were done—

All three enemies let out guttural growls.

And healed. Instantly. Again.

The one Ronan stabbed? He pulled the dagger out and grinned, eyes wild.

"You guys are fun."

Ezren clicked his tongue. "They’re adapting too."

The Pain Loop snapped.

Reality rejected Aldric’s rule with a violent crack—the ground beneath him warped, twisting like glass under pressure. Blood poured from his nose, his vision hazy for a half-second.

The three enemies didn’t waste it.

The bald one lunged with terrifying speed, arm cocked back like a spear. He aimed straight for Ezren’s skull.

But Aldric stepped in.

No powers.

No override.

Just raw speed and timing.

He caught the man’s fist with his left hand—and drove his forehead into the guy’s face.

CRUNCH!

The bald one staggered, his nose shattered.

Aldric spun on one foot, his elbow crushing into the enemy’s throat.

He followed with a rising knee to the gut.

A flicker of black mist danced around Aldric’s arm—he twisted, grabbed the bald one by the back of the neck, and slammed him into the ground hard enough to form a crater.

Scar-guy appeared behind him.

Aldric sensed it. Twisted his waist, letting the punch graze his side—then drove a punch into the guy’s ribs.

One rib snapped.

Aldric didn’t stop.

Two more hits. The third crushed the man’s chest inward.

"Thought I only used rules?" Aldric muttered. "Try again."