The guards, clearly well-trained, reacted after a brief moment of stunned silence, instantly encircling Zachary.
At that moment, Aldridge also approached, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the impassive Zachary!
The palm strike he had just sustained was only deflected because of his battle aura protection and the close-fitting armor underneath; otherwise, he would have been injured.
However, he likely didn't know that the strike from Zachary hadn't even utilized one-tenth of his actual power—it was merely a casual touch. If it had been otherwise, Aldridge certainly wouldn't be standing there now!
"Lord Zachary, please cooperate with our duties!"
These guards were acutely aware of Zachary's prowess, so none dared to make a rash move.
While they were speaking, more guards arrived, including some masters at the "Sword Saint" level!
After a quick briefing on the situation, these newcomers joined the ranks of the initial guards!
Given the circumstances, it seemed impossible for Zachary to defeat so many masters single-handedly. With all escape routes blocked, surrender appeared to be the only option!
But how could they know that the Zachary standing before them was no longer the man he used to be?
After special manipulation by Zhong Shenxiu, Zachary's body was now as hard as steel, impervious to ordinary weapons! Furthermore, Zachary's speed and strength had reached terrifying levels, now comparable to Zhong Shenxiu’s four "Skeleton Roosters"!
Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Zhong Shenxiu's faint voice drifted over again: "Are you all ready?"
Everyone turned to look with puzzled gazes, none able to guess what this question might portend.
Aldridge frowned; he suddenly felt that this entire situation was being orchestrated by this young boy!
Just as he pondered whether to neutralize the boy first, Zachary, who had been standing motionless, moved again!
This time, his speed was faster than before, and the force behind his strikes was more violent!
"Bang, bang, bang, boom!"
In an instant, all the nearby guards were blasted away, smashing the surrounding courtyard walls into even greater disarray!
Because the guards had not anticipated Zachary's sudden attack, they were caught completely off guard. Combined with Zachary’s immense force, one after another, they collapsed, clearly incapacitated and unable to fight!
After a slight pause, Zachary charged toward the slightly more distant "Sword Saints," increasing his power and speed further!
The remaining men, jolted by the series of thunderous impacts, reacted quickly, preparing their combat stances fully before Zachary reached them!
Yet, they never dreamed that Zachary, at this moment, was like an Asura returned from the abyss. Facing their drawn swords, he neither dodged nor evaded, employing a mutually destructive style! While this in itself was alarming, what terrified these men was that their swords had absolutely no effect on Zachary's body, whereas every strike he landed on them inflicted severe wounds!
In mere seconds, everyone lay sprawled on the ground, save for Aldridge, who remained standing unscathed!
In that moment, Aldridge was truly stunned! He looked at Zachary as if he were a monster, never having imagined Zachary could be this powerful—effortlessly defeating so many experts alone, reaching a level of sheer abnormality!
Consequently, Aldridge was forced to accept one fact: with his current strength, he was no match for Zachary!
"Is that all?" Zhong Shenxiu appeared slightly unsatisfied. "Is this all the strength you possess here?"
Zhong Shenxiu spoke lightly, yet so many Sword Saint masters had already fallen—what strength could possibly remain? Even a Sword God wouldn't be enough to handle this level of chaos!
But credit must be given; the Duke's manor certainly had numbers. As soon as the guards were down, several new waves arrived, including some mages, and some were accompanied by formidable magical beasts!
Considering this lineup, if it weren't for the three monstrously overpowered individuals—Zhong Shenxiu's group—an ordinary person would certainly perish here!
These newcomers asked no questions; the state of the scene informed them immediately of their duties, and they once again encircled Zachary.
The magical beasts crouched low, primed to attack, while the mages began chanting their incantations.
The undead grow frantic, but the stronger they are, the stronger I become!!!
Suddenly, a chilling, icy aura erupted from Zachary's body, and his expression became ferocious, more demonic than the beasts themselves!
A dangerous aura instantly enveloped everyone present, and they all stared at Zachary in horror!
Then, a deafening roar tore from Zachary's throat, and the next instant, he vanished from their sight.
It wasn't that he truly disappeared, but his speed was so immense that the crowd couldn't even register his movement!
Subsequently, several strange sounds echoed, and amidst these sounds, Zachary's figure reappeared in their line of sight.
However, everyone's pupils instantly dilated by nearly double as they stared, aghast, at the several magical beasts not far away!
There, half the bodies of those magical beasts were embedded deep within the stone tiles, only their rear legs remaining motionless!
And looking at Zachary, though he stood still as before, blood was dripping steadily from his hands. This blood was clearly not his own; there could only be one conclusion...
This single act terrified even the mages standing further back; the chanting of their spells abruptly ceased!
That speed and destructive power could instantly obliterate any one of them!
Silence. The surroundings became utterly dead quiet.
"You—you are not Zachary!" Suddenly, Aldridge cried out, his voice trembling.
Indeed, the real Zachary, no matter how powerful, could never achieve this level of grotesque transformation!
"Hey," just then, Zhong Shenxiu spoke again, "Isn't it time to discuss the real matter?"
As he spoke, he began walking toward the center of the fray! Zachary, having fulfilled his purpose—having given everyone a "surprise"—retreated, leaving the ensuing matters to Zhong Shenxiu!
"What real matter?" Aldridge's question seemed to leave his brain entirely.
Zhong Shenxiu didn't reply but instead offered an evil smile; whenever that smile appeared, it signaled trouble!
"Don't rush, I'll give you one more 'surprise'!" No one could fathom the meaning of Zhong Shenxiu's words, nor did anyone know what this "surprise" entailed!
Hadn't the "surprise" just delivered to them been enough? What more could he possibly intend to do? For the rest of the story, please log in for more chapters and support...