Everyone at this moment noticed the dark shadow, and immediately became cautious. Little Black and Cola also walked to David’s side, their fur standing on end. This made David realize instantly that the other party meant harm. The black shadow drew closer, and before it fully emerged from the thick fog, a deep, old voice sounded.
“David, this time I will take your life.” Upon hearing this voice, David couldn’t help but furrow his brow. He hadn’t expected the other party to know his name, indicating that they were prepared.
At the same time, David recognized the hunched figure; he seemed to have seen it somewhere before. Before he could continue his thoughts, the dark figure emerged from the fog and appeared before the members of the Ember Squad.
The person was none other than Alvin. In order to preserve his own life, he had to personally kill David. Looking at the elderly man before him, David immediately sensed his strength. An eighth-level esper awakened, but which series of abilities he awakened, David did not know for the time being.
Alvin lifted his eyelids and glanced at the members of the Ember Squad, finally fixing his gaze on David. A sinister smile crept up on his lips, and with a cold voice, he said to David, “Remember this day well, for it will be your doomsday. Hahaha!”
As Alvin spoke, he burst into laughter, and the thick fog surrounding him suddenly turned into flames burning in the air. The flames grew larger and gradually engulfed Alvin’s entire body. Combined with his gloomy and cold smile, it made everyone feel as if he were a demon emerging from a raging fire.
“A fire-based ability?” David also quickly deduced Alvin’s awakened ability series and expressed his surprise. In the apocalypse, the five elemental series of abilities—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—formed the basis of all abilities, making espers who awakened these series stronger than other espers.
“You’re smart, to have figured out my awakened ability so quickly. But the dead don’t speak,” Alvin disdainfully replied upon hearing David’s words.
David dared to come alone to find David, relying on his awakened fire-based ability and the combat experience accumulated over the years. In Alvin’s eyes, this young man was simply not worthy of being his opponent. If it weren’t for the butterfly’s sudden betrayal, he believed David would have been a lifeless corpse long ago.
Seeing this old man’s arrogance, Arnold immediately stepped forward and said, “Old man, don’t rely on your age to act superior. I advise you to leave now, or else you might get beaten up later. Don’t think we young people lack martial ethics.”
Arnold was confident in his own fighting power at the moment. Even though he knew the opponent had awakened a fire-based ability, he still didn’t consider him a threat. On the contrary, he urged the other party to leave quickly. Otherwise, if others heard that they were bullying an old man, it would tarnish the reputation of their Ember Squad.
Alvin slowly shifted his gaze to Arnold and then pointed with his cane, which had turned as red as molten lava, and said, “Young man, let’s start with you.”
Arnold couldn’t sit still in the face of Alvin’s disdainful gaze and provocative actions. He looked at David and said, “David, how about letting me deal with this old guy first?”
David pondered for a moment and nodded. “Stay safe and don’t prolong the battle. The reason I agreed to Arnold’s request for the first fight is because I also want to see the true strength of this eighth-level elder. And more importantly, I want Arnold to temper his inflated confidence.”
With David’s consent, Arnold ripped off his clothes, revealing his muscular physique. He approached Alvin and said once again, “Remember, the Ember Squad is not to be trifled with!”
After speaking, Arnold transformed into his werewolf form. His muscles instantly grew larger, resembling a fierce dragon coiling around his body. With a low roar, Arnold couldn’t wait any longer and launched a werewolf assault towards Alvin. Dust was stirred up like a gust of wind as he dashed towards Alvin, reaching him in the blink of an eye. He raised his right hand, exposing sharp wolf claws, and made a slashing motion towards Alvin’s chest.
Alvin simply smiled faintly at Arnold’s attack. He didn’t even consider opponents of this level as a threat. However, he didn’t mind letting the other party witness his true strength. Just as Arnold’s wolf claws were about to touch Alvin’s robe, Alvin struck the ground forcefully with his dragon-headed cane.
Instantly, a more intense flame erupted from the ground beneath his feet. The flames surged aggressively, approaching Arnold who was right in front of them. Seeing this, Arnold quickly retracted his arm and executed a werewolf kick, aiming fiercely at the other side of Alvin’s body.
But as if the flames had anticipated Arnold’s attack route, they immediately changed direction and blocked his strike. At the same time, the flames touched Arnold’s right foot, entwining around it like a slithering snake.
“Not good!” Arnold inwardly exclaimed. He fiercely slashed at the entwined flame on his leg, trying to sever its grip. However, the agile flame changed direction the moment Arnold launched his attack and began rushing towards his abdomen.
“Puh!” The flame struck Arnold’s abdomen, and he felt as if a raging fire had been injected into his body. Every organ and entrail seemed to be scorched with searing pain. Before he could even land, he spat out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.
Seeing Arnold about to crash onto the ground, Sophie immediately summoned a cluster of starry clouds to catch him mid-air, while Duke leaped up to save Arnold.
“Arnold, are you okay?” Charles quickly approached to check on him.
Spitting out another mouthful of blood, Arnold slowly stood up. “Damn it! I didn’t expect this old man to have some tricks up his sleeve! If I hadn’t been careless, I wouldn’t have been ambushed by him! I’ll continue fighting him for another three hundred rounds!” Arnold said, spitting out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and preparing to charge again.
“Arnold, don’t go!” David intervened at this moment.
“David, I…”
“It’s alright, you’ve done well enough,” David nodded at him. He knew that if Arnold went up again, he would still be beaten up by the opponent, possibly sustaining serious injuries. The reason Arnold wasn’t severely injured at the moment was that the other party hadn’t gone all out; it seemed like they were just warming up. But David knew that the ultimate goal was himself.
At this moment, Alvin looked at David and once again smiled in a sinister manner.