Chapter 176: Anger Took Over Me

Jax stood concentrated on the sphere in his hand.

Manipulating it. Testing its limits. Feeling the dark energy respond to his copied signature.

Around him, murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Did you see that?"

"How is that possible?"

"What kind of skill was that?"

General Ithris leaned toward his daughter.

"Nerith. Did he use magic nullification?"

It was the only explanation that made sense. A rare ability that could neutralize incoming magical attacks.

Nerith stared at Jax.

The man who had just caught a lethal attack like it was a toy.

Who was now... scolding it--the sphere itself, something which was too overpowered a moment ago.

"I don’t know," she whispered.

Because magic copying? That wasn’t something anyone had ever heard of. Such a skill didn’t exist in any records.

Nullification was the only logical answer.

Then Nerith’s eyes widened.

Jax had done something to the sphere.

In his hand now rested a weapon.

A stupid-looking boomerang made from the black rod.

Curved. Bent. Absolutely ridiculous.

Jax examined it with the pride of a father looking at his newborn.

"I told you not to curve so much."

He sighed.

"But anyway, you look cool."

He turned to Eryndel.

Their eyes met.

Eryndel’s confusion melted into fury.

"How did you—"

Then he stopped himself. Forced a grin.

"That doesn’t matter. Magic nullification is rare, I’ll admit."

He cracked his neck.

"But what can you do if I don’t use magic?"

His claws extended. Sharp. Deadly.

"What can you do with that weak, broken body when I crush it with THESE?"

Jax blinked.

Scratched his ear.

"Magic nullification?"

He seemed genuinely confused.

But before he could say more, dark energy swirled around Eryndel’s hand- first the sphere then...

A weapon formed.

A straight black rod. Long as Jax was tall.

Jax stared.

"Aren’t you dumb?"

His voice was flat.

"A moment ago you made up some story about nullification."

He gestured at the weapon.

"And now you’re using a magic sword?"

He spread his arms in disbelief.

"What if I just vanish it when you strike?"

He made an exaggerated magician gesture.

"Then kick your balls? Or pussy? Whatever you have down there?"

Eryndel hissed and launched forward.

Jax hissed too.

"Stupid NPC," he muttered. "Tsundere bastard. Didn’t he JUST say he’d use his claws?"

The demon closed the distance fast.

Rod raised for a killing blow.

Jax readied his own weapon.

Brought it up for a parry.

Then looked at its shape.

’Shit.’

The curve was all wrong. No matter where he held it, Eryndel’s straight weapon would slide along the bend and slam into his gripping fingers.

Useless for defense.

Split-second decision.

He switched the boomerang to his left hand.

And as Eryndel’s strike came down, Jax raised his bare right palm.

Caught the rod mid-swing.

His fingers wrapped around it. Palm absorbing the impact. Slowing the force gradually.

The weapon’s momentum died completely when it tapped his shoulder.

No pain.

Eryndel’s eyes went wide.

"Just—DIE!"

He pushed harder. Applied more force. Gritting his teeth.

Jax stood motionless.

’Is he serious? I literally just demonstrated the power gap between us and he’s STILL trying?’

He sighed.

"Leave it."

He turned to address the crowd, completely ignoring the demon still pushing uselessly against him.

"Don’t think my weapon was some defective garbage!"

He raised the curved boomerang proudly.

"It’s WAY cooler than his no-damage stick!"

He pointed at the spectators.

"Watch this. I’ll throw it, it’ll curve back, and hit this idiot’s head from behind."

He threw it.

Jax was pissed. His creation was being looked down upon. And with its shape, he was certain it could act as a boomerang.

Besides, boomerangs would be a completely foreign concept to these demons. When it curved back and smacked Eryndel’s head from behind, he’d look like a genius.

’Watch and learn, you primitive fucks.’

He looked proudly at his weapon sailing through the air.

Then his expression shifted to shame.

It was going straight. No curve at all.

Then his face glowed.

A slight bend appeared in its trajectory.

’Yes! YES!’

But the truth was harsh.

He knew that trajectory. He could calculate the arc.

It wasn’t going to make it back.

He looked at Eryndel.

The demon had turned around, confused, watching the black thing flying through the air.

His weapon still pressed against Jax with slight pressure, but his attention was completely elsewhere.

Before people would have laughed. Before that stupid thing lands on the ground and he becomes a joke.’

Jax’s fist moved.

Every ounce of anger from the beating.

Every humiliation he’d suffered.

Everything.

Channeled into one punch.

CRACK.

It connected with Eryndel’s face while he was still watching the boomerang.

Totally clueless.

The sound was so brutal that every head in the sanctum instantly snapped toward Jax.

Eryndel flew.

Meters apart. His body crashed and skidded across the sacred floor.

Jax looked at his fist.

Pain throbbed through his knuckles. Teeth imprints were dug deep into the flesh. The sharper edges had cut him, blood trickling down his fingers.

On the ground lay Eryndel.

Half his teeth were gone. Either swallowed during his short flight or scattered somewhere across the sanctum.

Blood flooded from his ruined mouth. The pain was overwhelming.

And then he looked up.

Saw Jax walking toward him.

That angry face. Those murderous eyes.

A chill shot down his spine. His mind screamed at him to run, to scream, to do SOMETHING.

His body informed him it was abandoning ship and preparing to piss itself immediately.

He panicked. Closed his eyes while still lying there. Praying.

STOMP.

Jax’s foot crashed onto his chest.

Then lifted.

And without bothering to go around, Jax simply walked over him. Using his body as a road. Stepping on him like he was dirt on the path.

He grabbed his weapon from the ground where it had pathetically landed.

Then walked back toward Eryndel.

While approaching, he looked at the watching crowd.

"See? In a battle, never let your guard down."

His voice was calm. Educational.

"Don’t ever trust your opponent. That’s the lesson I wanted to share with my fellow blood. For us The Great Demons to conquer the world it was a demonstration."

He placed his foot on Eryndel’s chest again.

Pinned him down. Made it impossible for him to move.

Then threw the boomerang.

Straight at Eryndel’s face.

Eryndel squeezed his eyes shut.

’This is it. I’m done.’

No pain came. Just pressure. Around his neck.

He opened his eyes.

The curved weapon had dug into the ground on either side of his throat. The bend wrapped around his neck like a cuff.

Pinning him completely.

Jax smiled down at him.

"See? My weapon was superior in the end."

He raised his hand.

Dark energy swirled above his palm. The sphere reformed—Eryndel’s own magic, now completely under Jax’s control.

"Now then. This is how you properly use that beam."

He aimed at the pinned demon.

"Step one: Don’t let your opponent escape."

The sphere began shrinking. Energy gathering. Compressing into a beam.

Ready to fire.

Ready to split Eryndel into two pieces.