The Magician of Miracles

Jevan looked at the group of people standing before him. He was able to recognize the man with the grayish black hair from his annoying smile. As for the rest, he couldn't recognize them, but he could guess the reason they had come here.

He raised his hand and muttered quickly: "Rule number one…" but before he could finish reciting the rule, the short man shot one of his claws at him. Jevan swiftly stepped back to avoid the strike, and the claw pierced through the shop's wall. Jevan stepped forward and waved his hand toward Morc, who was standing in the middle, and said:

"It has been a long time since our last meeting, my little friend. It seems you finally decided to listen to my advice."

Morc nodded as his smile widened slightly:

"Yes, I decided to heed your advice this time. I came with men capable of stopping you."

Jevan wagged his finger in the air:

"You're wrong this time as well."

"Do you think you can win?"

Jevan gestured toward the door behind him and said:

"Alone, no. But…"

Corvin rushed out from inside the shop, holding a black sword, nearly striking Morc's chest. But Morc vanished at the last moment, while the giant man intercepted the blow and shoved both Corvin and his sword backward with brute strength.

Jevan raised his hand again, attempting to mutter a new rule, but the short boy leapt at him once more to stop him. At that moment, more Claw men gathered from the surrounding shops and encircled Jevan and Corvin.

The giant man clashed with Corvin, who raised his black sword with both hands. The purple engravings on it began to glow, and then a dark vortex erupted from the blade, covering the entire area and blinding everyone's sight.

Jevan seized the moment and whispered quickly:

"Rule number one: anyone who does not possess an Authority power or hold a system piece is forbidden from moving."

Transparent chains extended from Jevan's glove and bound all the Claw men, except for the giant, the short one, and Morc. He knew he could only immobilize the assimilators for a few seconds at most, so he focused only on the remaining three.

The smoke cloaking the area dissipated. At that moment, Jevan noticed that the crow who had been perched on his shoulder had disappeared, but he didn't have time to care. The short boy lunged at him again. Jevan tried to block with the sword in his hand, but the claws shattered it in half and nearly pierced his chest. However, Jevan countered with a powerful kick that sent the boy flying backward.

On the other side, Corvin was facing the giant. The giant's massive fist nearly crushed Corvin's head, but Corvin barely managed to block it with his sword, then nimbly retreated and attempted to strike from the giant's right side. The giant noticed and blocked the strike with his bare hand, yet the sword still carved deep wounds into his flesh, spilling blood.

Shock flickered across the giant's face, but it quickly vanished, replaced by a feral expression. His eyes turned completely white, and his attacks became faster and more savage. Corvin could barely keep up with his strikes. One blow nearly landed on his head, but Jevan pulled him back in time, saving him at the last moment.

Inside the shop, Ash sat on the ground, immobilized by the transparent chains binding him. Still, he could hear the sounds of the battle outside echoing in his ears. He felt an overwhelming urge to flee, but he was powerless to do so.

While glancing around the shop, he saw Vensen enter the storeroom and come back out wearing shabby armor and holding an even shabbier sword. Just as he was about to leave, Ash shouted at him:

"Are you insane?! Do you plan to fight outside with that junk?"

Despite the harshness in his tone, his voice was saturated with genuine concern. Vensen didn't respond to Ash. He simply left the shop. Outside, a large crowd of Claw men filled the area, some of them wearing armor similar to what Vensen was wearing. Vensen blended into the crowd, exploiting their focus on the battle between Jevan and Corvin on one side, and the short man and the giant on the other.

The short man lunged at Jevan at the same moment the giant attacked Corvin. Corvin swung his black sword, unleashing a thick black vortex that blinded everyone except him. Corvin used the darkness to evade the giant's blow and swiftly dashed, shoving Jevan away from the short man's claws.

The giant smashed the ground with his massive fist, making the earth quake beneath their feet, cracking the floor, and sending chunks of stone flying into the air. The sheer force of the blow sent Jevan and Corvin flying in opposite directions.

As Jevan soared through the air, the short man rushed at his body, his gleaming metal claws about to strike. Jevan moved his hand, using his ability to alter the shape of objects on the claws. The twisting metal lessened the damage that struck Jevan, but one claw still managed to carve a deep gash into his shoulder.

Jevan exhaled sharply, pressing his hand against the wound, then kicked the short man hard, forcing him backward. Yet the boy quickly recovered, leaping at him again as his claws returned to their original form. Jevan dodged the strike, but he had no chance to counter; his sword had been shattered into pieces under the claws' strikes, and he was already exhausted from enforcing the rule. Holding dozens of Claw men in place had drained him, leaving him unable to cast another.

On the other side, Corvin battled the giant, who attacked with terrifying ferocity. Corvin blocked the successive blows with his black sword, but he knew very well that prolonging this fight was not in his favor.

The giant smashed the ground with his fist again, shaking the earth so violently that Corvin was sent flying through the air. The giant leapt after him, ready to crush him with his fist. Jevan, while dodging another strike from the short man, saw the scene unfold.

He quickly muttered:

"I wish that all the damage meant for Corvin would transfer to me, so he lands safely on the ground."

The giant's massive fist slammed into Corvin in the air, and he crashed onto the ground, shattering the stones beneath his body. Yet, despite that, not a single scratch marked him. As for Jevan, he didn't feel any pain. Thanks to the mask, he could still stand and fight.