Half a minute later, when Huai Shi tossed aside his disposable sniper rifle and stepped into the gradually dispersing mist, the deathly silent Gear Emperor began to turn once more. Steel grew, completed itself, and once again enveloped Huai Shi's body.
As though crowning a new king.
On the ground, amid a pool of blood, the broken Flame-shaped Sword was embedded in the earth, letting out a soundless wail beneath the beating rain.
The dying beast struggled to breathe.
His eyes wide, he stared into the pitch-black night sky.
In terms of pure skill, he had been an opponent capable of contending with Old Man Luo, yet Huai Shi had defeated him with a bullet.
But at the very end, he showed neither regret nor resentment.
He merely sighed calmly. "I lost."
"I was the one who used a trick."
Huai Shi did not understand. "Aren't you angry? That I tarnished the duel and all that?"
"Ha, a loss is a loss. Why all the nonsense?" Avery glanced at Huai Shi, seemingly mocking him. "You really aren't like Luo Siwei... If it were him, he'd definitely be smug about it."
Huai Shi said nothing.
He merely raised his pistol and aimed it at Avery's face.
Avery closed his eyes. He heard the trigger being pulled, then froze where he stood.
A treatment needle plunged into his heart, and the medicine spread.
"Consider it a favor for Raymond." Huai Shi put away his gun and bid him farewell coldly. "Retire early, old man. At your age, stop competing with young people like Solomon. It's really annoying."
He casually tossed him a phone picked up from the ruins so he could call an ambulance.
Huai Shi turned and left.
Toward the end of the torrential rain.
At the other end of