[As someone who has read countless novels and studied endless patterns of so-called protagonists, you know one thing very clearly:
Lucky protagonists are absurdly resilient.
No matter how certain their death seems, they always slip away at the last moment.]
Grayson narrowed his eyes.
Thus, he gave his orders without hesitation.
Luke had to die. Quickly, decisively, brutally.
[Naturally, you would never allow Shawn—your seventh-level Saint protector—to hold back. Any hesitation could cost you dearly.]
[At the same time, you remained watchful. You wanted to observe firsthand what strange methods Luke, the 'Destined Protagonist,' might reveal.]
[Although Shawn was momentarily puzzled by your ruthlessness, his loyalty prevailed. He obeyed instantly—his body vanishing into thin air as he tore across the fabric of space.]
Boom!
The earth trembled as Shawn moved.
[Luke, still charging toward the unconscious Anya, suddenly felt an overwhelming chill crawl down his spine.]
[Before he could react, a massive golden hand—shimmering with sacred power—reached toward his head.]
["A Saint-level expert?!" Luke cried out in sheer terror.]
[But destiny had not abandoned him yet.]
[A sudden soul-light erupted from within Luke, his cultivation soaring temporarily from the fourth stage of Magical Power to the fifth stage of the Mountains and Rivers realm.]
[Thanks to the soul-light's protection, Luke barely avoided total annihilation, escaping with his life.]
[Tear!]
Even so, one of Luke's arms was ripped clean off by Shawn's strike.
Blood splattered across the pavement.
Luke, clutching his bleeding stump, vanished into the shadows—fleeing for his life without a second thought.
Anya?
Honor?
Nothing mattered more than survival.
["You dare hide a remnant soul inside yourself?!" Shawn growled, eyes narrowing in disgust as he gave furious chase.]
Grayson observed the simulation with a faint sneer.
A remnant soul.
So that was Luke's so-called "Golden Finger."
The spiritual guardian left inside him must have been the soul of a long-dead powerhouse.
And judging by its effects—temporarily boosting Luke's cultivation—it wasn't weak.
Probably a former Celestial-level being at minimum.
Maybe even... a True Immortal on Earth.
No wonder Luke had survived this long.
[You, observing from a distance, immediately understood the situation more deeply.]
[Luke's strongest card had been exposed.]
[While Shawn continued his pursuit, you decided not to waste time waiting. After all, the odds of Luke slipping away were still high.]
[Your true goal had already shifted.]
[First, eliminate Luke's influence.
Then, dig deeper into the masterminds pulling the strings.]
[You got out of the car, picked up the unconscious Anya, and drove off yourself—taking the exact same route as your first simulation, except this time without Shawn by your side.]
The black Maybach roared into the night.
Time flowed quickly.
[You reached the hotel safely with Anya and immediately began the detoxification process.]
[At the same time, you sat cross-legged and started cultivating the Ancient Dragon Elephant Sutra.]
[The powerful spiritual energy surged into you, driven by Anya's remaining destiny blessing.]
[Within an hour, you advanced to the Intermediate level of the Hathi Realm.]
[Your understanding of the Ancient Dragon Elephant Sutra deepened tremendously, and your strength swelled.]
The Power of Three Elephants awakened within him—thrice the destructive might compared to before.
[Half an hour later, you reached the High Hathi Realm.]
[Your ancient elephant power condensed and fused.]
[You birthed the embryonic form of the "Power of One Dragon."]
Grayson's body grew stronger, harder, more terrifying.
At this stage, even without martial arts techniques, even without weapons, he could crush other High Hathi cultivators barehanded.
One punch.
One kill.
However, all good things had limits.
[You noticed your cultivation speed slowing significantly.]
[The enhancement from Anya's destiny seemed to diminish.]
It made sense.
As his power climbed, the resources he required to ascend grew exponentially larger.
Anya's contribution, while invaluable, was only a stepping stone.
Greater prizes awaited.
Anya stirred.
This time, Grayson did not knock her unconscious again.
Instead, he reached out and grasped her slender neck, lifting her effortlessly.
Her legs kicked weakly.
Tears welled in her eyes as terror froze her body.
Grayson's expression remained indifferent, cold as winter steel.
"Speak," he ordered.
"Tell me why you appeared here tonight.
Lie, and I'll wipe out your entire Grierson family."
[Terrified, Anya broke down immediately.]
Through sobs and choked gasps, she confessed:
[Her family—the once-proud Grierson family of Demonic City—was crumbling.]
[Her father had arranged a drinking party tonight, hoping to marry her off to the eldest son of the Zhao family—a powerful clan among the city's Four Great Families.]
[Desperate to avoid a forced marriage, Anya had escaped mid-banquet... only to collapse while fleeing.]
Grayson's eyebrows rose slightly.
The Zhao family?
That was unexpected.
The Zhao family was one of Demonic City's true titans, each household guarded by Saint-level warriors.
Though not as mighty as the Griersons, their influence was undeniable.
Could the Zhao family be tied to the mastermind orchestrating his assassination?
Or perhaps they were merely pawns themselves?
[You listened calmly, masking your deeper thoughts.]
[At the same time, the Supreme Emperor Bone stirred within you.]
[You siphoned part of Anya's destiny again, gaining a temporary boost in luck.]
Yet Grayson sensed something odd.
Anya hadn't told him everything.
Just as he was about to interrogate her further—
A chill pierced the air.
The same sinister presence from the first simulation had returned.
Boom!
The ground shook as a tremendous explosion rang out below.
[You caught snatches of conversation through the broken windows:
"Capture them alive!"
"Don't let him escape!"]
[The intruders identified themselves as warriors from the Grierson and Zhao families.]
But Grayson knew better.
Illusions. Lies. Deception.
He dared not bet his life on surface appearances.
[Without hesitation, you chose to flee.]
Trusting his Greased Lightning talent once again, Grayson slipped into the night like a wraith.
After a frantic, high-speed escape through alleyways and forests—
[You found a remote pool nestled within a dense forest.]
[Submerging yourself beneath the surface, you masked your aura completely.]
Ten minutes passed.
A black-and-white Maybach approached from the nearby road.
[From within, you heard Shawn's voice calling your name.]
Grayson frowned.
[This time, the driver sounded genuine.]
Still cautious, he emerged from the pool slowly.
He summoned his spiritual energy, evaporating the water clinging to his clothes.
Then, with careful deliberation, he approached the vehicle and slid into the back seat.
Instantly—
The chill returned.
An eerie premonition screamed in his bones.
["Got you!"]
The driver's head twisted grotesquely, spinning a full 720 degrees.
Blood poured from his nose, mouth, eyes, and ears.
His face twisted into a hideous, gleeful grin.
It was a trap.
Again.
But this time, Grayson did not panic.
Instead, he smiled coldly.
"No," he said, voice like a blade.
"I caught you."
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