Ethan lunged forward with explosive force—Boom! His foot struck the ground with a resounding bang, launching him five meters in a single bound. There wasn't even a blur—he moved too fast for the eye to track. Channeling the momentum, he roared, "Energy Fusion… Heavy Strike!" and threw a punch.
Boom! A muffled thud echoed through the air.
Matriarch Whitmore's body swayed slightly. Her golden Dragon Soul Shield shimmered, flaring brilliantly.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Ethan's arm dropped limply at his side, and he staggered back three paces. Pain shot through him like lightning. The moment his fist touched the shield, the rippling pattern reappeared—and reversed—sending a fierce counter-shock directly into his body.
He came to a stop, glancing down at the ground. His footprints had sunk three inches deep into the stone. His arm, he now realized, had been broken by the rebound force of the Dragon Soul Shield.
