Thatwasjusttoopowerful!“Haha!Yes!Wewon!”Abigailjumpedforjoy.Awhileago,shewasstillworriedthatherfatherwouldlose.Shedidn’texpecthimtowinsoeasily.


    “Apowerfulman,indeed.”Dustinsmiledfaintly.Hewasn’ttoosurprisedbytheresult.Michaelwasanultimategrandmaster.Hewas alsorankedthebestamongthefiveultimategrandmastersofBalerno.


    Theodoreandtheothertwomenweren’thismatchatall.IfMichaelhadn’tshownthemmercy,


    theywouldhavebeentakendownalongtimeago.


    “Doyoustillwanttofight?”Michaeltookastepforward.Hisdemeanorgrewevenmoreimposing.


    Itwashardnottobeintimidatedbyhim.From N?velDrama.Org.


    Theodoreandtherestcrawledoutofthepit,lookingamess.Theywerebothshockedand


    cautious.


    TheyhadneverimaginedthatMichaelhadhiddenhistruestrength.Hissuddenoutburstearlier


    hapletelycaughtthemoffguard.


    “Whatdo wedonow?Arewegoingtogiveupjustlikethis?”Theodorencedattheothertwo


    men,feelingdissatisfied.


    TheyweresoclosetogettingtheCelestialPearl.ThenMichaelshowedupandruinedeverything.


    “Unlesswegethelpfromsomeonestronger,wewon’tbeabletowinagainsthim.”Graham


    furrowedhisbrows.


    Hehadyet torecoverfromtheblowMichaelhaddealt himearlier.


    “s,there’sbarelyanyoneinthewholeofBalernothatcapeteagainsthim.”Orsonshook


    hishead.


    Asthethreehesitated,agustofwindsweptthroughthearea.


    Chillinessenvelopedthearea.Itmadethemartirtistsatthescene shiverasiftheyhadfallenintoanicecer.


    Theycouldevenseethebreathstheyexhaled.Despiteitbeingspring,itfeltlikewinterhadsuddenlyarrived.


    “What’sgoing on?Idon’tfeelgoodaboutthis.”


    J


    “Samehere.Thatchillistooeerie.I’vegotgoosebumpsallover.”


    Themartirtistswhisperedamongthemselveswhilencingaround.Theyfeltuneasy.


    Rightthen,amanpointedinthedistance.“Look!What’sthatckfog?”


    Everyonelookedoverinthatdirection.Theywatchedasthickckfogrolledoutfromtheforest.Itsurgedlikeatsunami,givingoffanintensefeelingofdread.


    Thethickfogresembledamenacingabyss,consumingeverythinginitspath.Allthentsandtreesittouchedwitheredanddiedonthespot.


    “Isthismiasmafromtheforest?Itlooksstrange,though.”Insteadofavoidingit,themannearesttoitreachedouttotouchthefog.


    Rightthen,hispalmckenedinaninstant,andhisskinwasbeginningtodecayatarapidpace.


    Themanwasstunnedforamoment.Thenheletoutanagonizingcry.


    Beforehecouldevenrunforhislife,thefogenvelopedhimandswallowedhimwhole.


    Themanscreamedevenlouder.Hestruggleddesperatelytobreakfree.


    Whenhefinallybrokefreefromthefog,hewascoveredinblood,andhisbodywasindecay.


    Secondter,hefelltotheground.


    Theman wasdead.


    “Run!Thefogispoisonous!”


    Theman’ssuddendeathbadlyaffectedtheothermartirtists.Theirexpressionchanged.


    drastically.


    Terrified,theyimmediatelyturnedaroundtogetthehelloutofthece.However,astheyran,a


    horrifyingsceneunfoldedbeforetheireyes.


    Theckfog hadcoveredtheentirearea.Itleftthemwithnocetohide.


    Atthesightofthat,everyonewasstunnedandfellintodespair.Therewasnothingtheycoulddoexceptwaitfortheirimpendingdoomasthefogdrewcloserandcloser.