The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 359: The Earth User

Chapter 359: The Earth User

Hex grunted.

The blast had not only thrown him away, its impact also broke a few bones. It hurt. But not enough to slow him down.

Blink Step.

Without waiting for the mushroom cloud to dissipate, Hex moved toward the battle area.

The explosion had distorted the space to such a degree that quite a few Space pockets appeared in the area.

Usually, space repaired itself after some time. Unless...someone aggravated the situation.

Hex appeared inside the mushroom of clay and dust. He didn’t inhale the waste. A face mask made of Ice covered his face.

He stretched his senses, relying on his space affinity to understand the situation up ahead.

’There are at least four Space pockets, spread at random within an area of five hundred meters ahead.’

As long as his senses could pick up a Space pocket, he could move toward it. This was one of two greatest differences between Flex Step and Blink Step.

He could cover much more ground in any direction with Blink Step, plus it was instantaneous.

But he didn’t only discover the Space pockets. He also knew roughly where Elize was and where the Witchkin’s leader was.

Elize, despite not being a Space user, had somehow managed to slip free from the space layers. And the leader was moving toward the coach.

Boom.

As he observed the situation, the ground below exploded again. Using Flex Step, he climbed higher into the air. His enhanced senses had picked up the explosion a fraction of a second before it occurred.

’Seems like she survived but...’

The second in command shot out of the ground, using the cloud of dust and clay to hide her traces, coming straight at him. Despite her effort and her Stage, Hex still locked her in. His enhanced vision saw through the debris. Her appearance had changed drastically.

’So, that’s how the racial traits are transferred.’

Seeing her altered figure – her stomach’s skin had cut open and connected her arms and torso, creating bat-like wings – Hex gained a deeper understanding about the way the Serpents transferred traits.

Shriek!

The woman, coming within striking distance from Hex, suddenly opened her mouth. Her shriek hit Hex square in the face. He sensed the impact hitting enough muscles to slow them down. If he had been a regular person. But...he wasn’t.

Thinking she had stunned him, she continued her path and reached Hex the next instance. Her mouth opened again. Inhumanely. Her jaws seemed to be missing. It looked more like her face had split into two.

A long, grooved tongue shot out, giving off a metallic sheen, aiming at his heart. When the tongue reached within a centimeter of his chest, he reacted.

Frost Dragon – Tailwhip

An Ice spike shot out, hitting her outstretched tongue. Under his perfect control, the cold of the Ice transferred directly into her tongue. Instantly, the Ice spike melted, freezing her tongue.

The woman, if she could still be called that – panicked. She had failed to react in time. But Hex wasn’t done.

"A bit late to scamper away."

Hex grinned. He used Flex Step to catch up to her. When she was within punching distance, he swung his arm, using the momentum and Earthen element wrapped around his fist.

Earthen Might Punch

A self-made and self-named Technique. It strengthened his already-powerful fist even further, pushing it to the limit of what his body could bear.

Bam

His fist connected, shattering the frozen tongue into smithereens. She screeched. Blood seeped out of her mouth. Again, it didn’t stop just there. Hex punched through. The tongue was the first point of contact.

The woman clawed at his arm, injuring it gravely. But the pain wasn’t enough to make him withdraw. On the contrary. He pushed even harder.

Flex Step - Second Step

Propelled by his sudden burst movement, his fist slammed into her chest. Blood splattered. Out of her mouth and her caved-in chest. The impact tore her chest apart, revealing the ribs and the flesh beneath.

The power of the fist slammed her into the ground. Straight into the hole she had jumped out from.

Screech!

’What?’

Her screech escaped the hole first, before her upper half clawed out. She stared at Hex with her bloodied face. The hatred dripped from her eyes.

’So quick?’

Her surviving or even willing to continue fighting didn’t shock Hex. He sensed her abundant vitality in the short period they came into contact midair. But seeing her claw out of the hole immediately did surprise him.

Surprised didn’t mean being stunned. He readied himself to continue his attacks. But he sensed something.

The woman had almost pulled herself out. He saw her chest heal at blinding speed. It almost matched his recovery speed in his bear-transformed state. But right then the clay around her came to live.

Yes, to live. That was the only way he could describe it.

It swirled, twirled, and even slithered, grabbing her ankle. The unexpected obstacle infuriated her. She used her talon-like hand to break the clay apart but the soft mud’s fluidity couldn’t be broken.

It flowed like water out of her hand and hardened like stone around her body. The more pieces she tried to claw and tear it apart, the more elongated pieces sprang from the ground, covering her body.

It draped around her. She tried jumping out. But when she pressed against the ground, she sank into it. She grabbed around to hold onto something but the clay moved like a puddle of water when she tried to touch it.

Hex watched everything in silence. He couldn’t deny that the sight made him wary.

She struggled, clawed, swayed her arms, panic and fear replaced her anger and irritation. But nothing helped. She was drowning into the soft mud. Deeper and deeper. Until only her head from the chin up remained above the ground.

Swish.

At that moment, the ground moved a bit further, swaying gently up. The clay opened up and a figure flew out. Not a smidgen of clay, dirt or debris could be found on his clothes and body.

The woman looked horrified at the man’s appearance. Jonathan, however, had his signature soft smile on his lips.

"You silly girl. You used Earth against me? I guess, no one ever told you that I am the number one Earth element user inside Wrixia. Thanks for digging the hole, though. One less thing for me to do."