As Alister heard the strange human’s words, a sharp, searing pain shot through his skull. His vision blurred, and he clutched his head with his right hand, his teeth gritted tightly. The words echoed in his mind, but this time they sounded different, as though spoken directly into his soul:
“Let’s make a deal… What do you say?”
Alister’s breath came in short bursts as the voice echoed. His knees shook as if the weight of the words was pulling him down.
“My Lord?” Mar’Garet’s voice broke through the haze, her tone soft and filled with concern. “Are you alright?”
Alister heard her but didn’t answer. His focus was entirely inward, his mind reeling from the mysterious presence that had invaded his thoughts.
‘W-what was that just now?’ he thought.
Back on the battlefield, Quinton stood tall, his sharp eyes scanning his surroundings as the oppressive presence of the dragons bore down on him. Suddenly, a low, rumbling voice came from directly behind him.
“If you’ve come to save these humans, you’ve made a fatal mistake.”
The tone was venomous, dripping with malice.
Quinton’s breath hitched as he whipped his head around. His eyes widened as he caught sight of Draven’s massive tail, glowing faintly with crackling lightning, arcing through the air, closing in, intending to crush him. The sheer size and speed of the attack left no time to think. “Gear Shift!” Quinton shouted through gritted teeth.
In an instant, his body was engulfed in a radiant blue glow. His reflexes sharpened, his muscles surged with mana, and his legs kicked off the ground with lightning speed.
BOOM!
Draven’s tail slammed into the earth where Quinton had just been standing, the force of the impact creating a massive crater. Debris shot into the air, and the ground trembled violently. Quinton landed to the side, skidding across the fractured ground, his heart pounding in his chest. Once he came to a halt, he felt a massive surge of pain in his legs. That leap he made just now had broken the bones in his left leg due to the fact he directly used Gear Shift.
Gear Shift was his way of using Cosmic Gear control to suddenly increase the speed of a target, so depending on how sturdy the target was, it could be a start booster or a means of attack. Normally, he would have enhanced his body first with Gear Enhancement, but there wasn’t enough time to do so. Now, even if he did enhance his body, he would still have to endure the hellish pain of walking on it.
“You’re fast,” Draven growled, his slitted eyes narrowing as he turned to face Quinton.
“But speed won’t save you for long, human.”
Quinton smirked, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. “Speed’s all I need to stay out of your way, big guy.”
Draven let out a deep, guttural laugh. “Arrogance. Typical of your kind. Let’s see how long you can keep running.”
As Draven reared up for another attack, Quinton’s thoughts raced. He couldn’t afford to waste time or mana dodging forever. He needed to figure out how to turn the situation in his favor… and fast.
“Vira,” Quinton called out without turning his head. “Get ready to back me up if this goes-.” “That’s ENOUGH!”
Alister’s voice boomed, the sheer force behind his words rippling through the air, silencing even the howling winds stirred by Draven’s tail.
Draven’s glowing eyes darted toward Alister, his massive form halting mid-attack. A touch of respect and curiosity flickered in his reptilian gaze.
Quinton, breathing heavily and leaning on his uninjured leg, stopped in his tracks as well. Alister’s fiery gaze locked onto Quinton, his expression unreadable, though the pain lingering from the mysterious voice still burned in his skull.
He leaped off Mar’Garet’s head and landed before Quinton with a massive…
BOOM!
As the dust slowly settled around him, his golden gaze was fixed on Quinton.
“Who are you?” Alister demanded.
Quinton wiped the sweat from his brow, his body trembling from the pain in his shattered leg. Still, he managed a small grin, the kind that displayed his defiance and charm all at once.
“I’m just a guy. A guy who came here to win your favor,” Quinton replied, his voice strained. The words hung in the air, bold and brazen.
Alister’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Quinton. There was something about him—an air of confidence masking a deep well of desperation.
Draven let out a low growl, his massive form shifting as he glared at Quinton. “This insect dares to claim he’s here to win your favor, my Lord?”
Alister raised a hand, silencing Draven with a single motion. His gaze didn’t waver from Quinton.
“You risk your life, throw yourself into a fight you clearly can’t win, and now you’re standing here… telling me you want my favor?”
Quinton’s grin widened despite the pain coursing through his leg. “The game of life is a constant gamble… only those willing to take the biggest risks can expect to get the biggest rewards. And as long as that proves to be true… I’ll always go all in.”
Mar’Garet, now in her humanoid combat form, standing nearby with her spear in her grasp, frowned deeply as she glanced between Alister and Quinton.
“My Lord… this one speaks in riddles. Shall I remove him for his insolence?” she said with a touch of disdain, an intense look in her narrowed eyes.
Alister shook his head. He took another step closer to Quinton, who stood his ground, a bit
unsteadily.
“You have my attention,” Alister said.
“But don’t mistake that for trust. Speak carefully, or your gamble will end here.”
Quinton exhaled, his smirk softening. “Fair enough,” he said, lifting his chin. “But trust me… you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.”
“Then speak,” Alister said, his voice calm but edged with danger. “And it better be worth my
time.”
“It definitely will, but first… could you help me out here? As I’m sure you can tell, I’m the one holding back all of these attacks… The moment I lose concentration… Let’s just say things won’t look so good for me.”
Alister narrowed his gaze, then glanced around, noticing all the halted attacks frozen in place by Quinton. He then spoke, “Shattering space law.”