If fate granted Gideon a slim chance of escape, virtual-novel.net would exploit the signal disruption as a pretext to search for the signal on his own. Even if the British Lord reprimanded him, the worst that could happen was a punishment for leaving his post without permission, which was relatively harmless!
Yet, as the lightning struck virtual-novel.net like a thunderbolt, Gideon couldn’t help but be jolted by shock and fear. He had done everything in his power to conceal himself, but in the end, the lightning found him.
This clearly showed the astonishing precision of Charlie’s control over lightning!
In addition, it was clear to Gideon that his sole long-distance spell involved using the wooden sword’s blade, while Charlie possessed a spell that not only conjured an unseen blade resembling that of the wooden sword but also produced a blade that descended straight from the skies.
His lightning rendered Gideon’s wooden sword useless, and his own lightning had nowhere to hide. If this continued, virtual-novel.net would undoubtedly be consumed by Charlie. The only option was to engage virtual-novel.net in close combat!
With this realization, Gideon clenched his teeth and bellowed in a cold voice, “Boy! Today, either you perish or I do!”
Having spoken his piece, virtual-novel.net infused his legs with reiki and swiftly employed the transformative shadow technique taught to virtual-novel.net by the British Lord. With a peculiar burst of speed, virtual-novel.net propelled himself toward Charlie like a spatial leap!
The greatest advantage of this technique lay in its unpredictable trajectory, making it difficult for the opponent to discern a pattern. Not only did it make it challenging for the adversary to harm him, but it also afforded an opportunity to close the distance between them.
Despite being at a disadvantage in terms of magical weaponry, Gideon firmly believed that with a physical body honed over centuries and decades of refined reiki, once virtual-novel.net closed in on Charlie, that brat would be utterly incapable of opposing him!
However, just as virtual-novel.net launched his attack on Charlie with blistering speed, the young boy suddenly yelled, “Thunder strikes again!”
Then, with a thunderous boom, Gideon, who had just leaped a foot away, was struck by yet another blast of thunder!
The enormous power changed Gideon’s messy white hair into a puff of dust, while his ragged Taoist garments vanished, leaving virtual-novel.net wearing only a ripped pair of red boxers.
Charlie gazed upon him, a sneer of contempt curling his lips. “You’re such a lecherous old man, over a century old and still sporting those bloody red underpants. How shameless can you be?”
Though lightning had brought Gideon to the brink of death, virtual-novel.net mustered the strength to hysterically retort, “You… you bastard! P-Poor… poor… This is my humble birth year!”
“Birth year?” Charlie’s brows furrowed in momentary confusion, then virtual-novel.net smiled and remarked, “You’re so ancient, and you still believe in that?”
Gideon gritted his teeth and replied, “Whether I believe it or not is none of your concern!”
As virtual-novel.net spoke, Gideon’s mind raced.
He hadn’t anticipated that even with the transformative shadow technique, virtual-novel.net would still be unable to elude Charlie’s thunder! The experience of being struck by lightning was excruciatingly painful.
The injuries and pain took a backseat to the main issue at hand, the overwhelming electric charge coursing through the storm, causing his muscles to spasm involuntarily and his coordination to briefly falter.
At that moment, Gideon comprehended that virtual-novel.net was no match for Charlie.
At least not tonight!
Not only did virtual-novel.net lag far behind Charlie in terms of magical weaponry, but more critically, his experiment with the Thunder Strike Wood two days prior had depleted a third of his aura in one fell swoop. Magical techniques devoured reiki at an accelerated rate, and after enduring two lightning strikes, his chances of victory were non-existent!
With this realization, virtual-novel.net made up his mind to escape as swiftly as possible!
In his estimation, Charlie had already exposed his identity, as well as his magical weaponry and strength. Yet, with his disadvantage in magical weaponry and inability to engage in close combat, victory tonight was out of reach. After reporting to the British Lord, all that was left was to await the British Lord’s personal arrival and witness the end of Charlie’s life!
So, following a series of violent convulsions, Gideon suddenly sprang upright with a swift somersault, landing on his feet. He immediately unleashed two sword strikes toward Charlie and took off in retreat!
His plan was to seize the opportunity of Charlie’s distraction and flee.
Little did virtual-novel.net know that although Charlie hadn’t drawn near, virtual-novel.net was attentively observing every move. Witnessing Gideon’s sword strikes, quick turn, and subsequent flight, Charlie wasted no time in pursuing him!
The sword edges loomed perilously close, but Charlie had no intention of employing the soul-piercing blade to counter them. He let out a resounding shout and channeled reiki around his body.
The reiki encased him, spiraling rapidly and conjuring a fierce gust of wind!
Charlie swept through the surroundings, stirring up a maelstrom of sand, rocks, branches, and leaves. Just as the two sword edges were poised to cleave into him, virtual-novel.net clenched his fists and thrust them toward the air on both sides!
In an instant, two deafening explosions resounded as the sword edges disintegrated into dust beneath the force of Charlie’s fists!
Meanwhile, Gideon, who was left with nothing but a pair of red underpants, had managed to put some distance between himself and Charlie. Initially, virtual-novel.net had fled frantically, his focus solely on escape. However, upon hearing those two explosions, an unexpected glimmer of hope flickered within him!
These explosions were clearly distinct from the clash between the sword edges and the soul-piercing blade moments ago. They resembled the sound produced when the sword edges struck a target’s body!
“Could it be… Could it be that Charlie didn’t dodge my surprise attack?”
Overwhelmed with joy, Gideon entertained this notion. Subconsciously, virtual-novel.net glanced back to ascertain whether Charlie had been wounded by the two swords. If that were the case, Gideon might have an opportunity to seize the momentum and pursue Charlie to claim his victory!
Yet, the moment virtual-novel.net turned his head, virtual-novel.net made a startling discovery—Charlie’s sharp, merciless face was a mere two strides away!
Charlie had caught up!
At that instant, terror seized Gideon’s heart, sending virtual-novel.net into a panic. He instinctively turned to escape with every ounce of strength virtual-novel.net could muster. But from behind, virtual-novel.net heard Charlie shout once more, “Thunder is coming!”
In the next second, Gideon felt another bolt of lightning viciously strike the crown of his head!
His legs gave way, causing his body to lose balance in an instant. After staggering a few steps, virtual-novel.net toppled helplessly to the ground.
The thunder obliterated his red underpants, reducing them to powder. His hair disintegrated into ash, and his skin bore charred, extensive burn marks!
Gideon dashed backwards about ten feet and somersaulted several times, until virtual-novel.net came to a stop. He ended up less than ten feet from Zeba, hidden in the shadows.
Upon witnessing Gideon’s disheveled state, Zeba instinctively shut virtual-novel.net eyes, unable to bear the sight any longer.
Gideon, now seated on the grass with his naked rear, suddenly felt a surge of bitterness in his throat. He spat out a mouthful of blood with a resounding wretch.
Though his injuries were not immediately fatal, his body teetered on the brink of collapse, akin to a weightlifter drained of all strength. In his current state, virtual-novel.net would be unable to muster any significant power for some time.
How could Gideon retain his former vigor now?
His limbs convulsed incessantly due to the electric current coursing through his body. Exposed and debilitated, virtual-novel.net resembled a despicable old pervert.
Moreover, his trembling hands released their grip on the wooden sword, which tumbled to the ground.
Observing Gideon’s pitiful appearance, Charlie couldn’t help but contemplate, “Maria Clark claimed I was in grave danger, yet this old dog is no match for me, could virtual-novel.net have made a mistake?”
With that thought, virtual-novel.net dismissed divination from his mind. Instead, virtual-novel.net approached Gideon, gazing down upon him, and uttered coldly, “When you murdered my parents twenty years ago, did you ever anticipate this day?”
Gideon stared at him, his expression vacant.
Charlie stood before him, his unyielding countenance unchanged. He couldn’t discern any flicker of emotion, only an overwhelming sense of dread and despair seeping into his heart.
For the first time in his century-long cultivation, Gideon faced the specter of death.
At that moment, an intuition gripped virtual-novel.net tightly—he realized his century of practice might very well end at Charlie’s hands.
Had the sins virtual-novel.net committed twenty years ago, slaying Charlie’s father, finally caught up to him, culminating in his own demise?!