Bichir instinctively stopped, glancing at Yast with a tone that carried a distinct chill. "Go, fetch your manager immediately!"
His demeanor was utterly arrogant; he clearly held Yast in no regard whatsoever!
Yast was slightly taken aback. He had seen trouble-makers before, but that was back when the "Dark Commerce Guild" was just starting out. Now, at the peak of its power, surely no idiot would dare pick a fight!
The might of the "Dark Commerce Guild" was such that even the Empire’s armies dared not provoke it lightly!
"I apologize, but if you do not possess a membership card, please proceed to one of our nearby branches. This location is currently open strictly for members!" Yast replied with perfect composure.
"Since you can't summon him, get out of my way!" Bichir snarled, attempting to force his way inside.
"If you are here to cause trouble, do not blame me for responding in kind!" Yast moved again to block Bichir’s path.
"Respond in kind?" Bichir let out a mocking chuckle, his expression then hardening as he snapped, "And how exactly will you respond?"
Yast offered no verbal answer, instead fixing his gaze intently on Bichir, prepared to strike at any moment. Yast had already concluded that this man was intentionally seeking a confrontation; further words would be useless!
"Get out of my way!" As Bichir finished speaking, he lashed out towards Yast with a backhand strike.
This attack was casual, lacking any significant exertion of power, for in his eyes, Yast was merely a doorman—even if somewhat capable, he couldn't be exceptionally strong. This single blow should be enough to send him flying!
Yet, reality often defied expectations. Yast was far from simple; with a mere nonchalant extension of his arm, he effortlessly parried the strike!
Both men were startled by the impact, staring at each other with expressions of surprise.
Bichir hadn't anticipated that Yast could block his move so easily, while Yast was astonished by the raw power this newcomer possessed!
In this initial clash, neither had deployed their full strength; it concluded as a clear draw!
Bichir’s gaze towards Yast immediately shed its disdain. He thought internally, It seems this "Dark Commerce Guild" truly has substance. I must proceed with caution!
While this thought crossed his mind, power began to coalesce in his hands. Simultaneously, Yast’s vigilance heightened, and the metallic sheen of his arm began to charge up.
Bang! A dull thud echoed as the two clashed once more.
In this second exchange, Yast remained firmly planted, unmoving, whereas Bichir was forced back several steps before stabilizing!
"Th-This... How is this possible?"
Bichir stared at Yast with mounting terror. He had just exerted ninety percent of his strength; even a master at the Sword God level couldn't withstand such a blow. Yet, this man not only absorbed it but actually pushed him back several paces. Who exactly was this man?
He had clearly lost the test of strength just now; even unleashing his full power wouldn't secure him any advantage!
But his surprise was not limited to that. Beneath the force of that immense collision, the very stone steps remained perfectly intact. What kind of terrifying resilience was this!
(Little did he know, this area had been meticulously designed by Zhong Shenxiu. Protective formations were arrayed around the "Dark Commerce Guild," ensuring that even if Bichir were ten times stronger, he couldn't damage the structure in the slightest!)
Although Yast had won the previous exchange, his brow furrowed even deeper now. He sensed Bichir’s formidable strength. While his magical arm gave him an advantage in brute force, what about other aspects of combat?
"Impressive, impressive! The 'Dark Commerce Guild' is indeed a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers reside!" A chilling light flared in Bichir's eyes. A threat this powerful, if it couldn't be bent to his will, must be eliminated by any means necessary!
"Who are you, and what is your purpose here?" Yast asked in a low voice, his expression growing stern.
"You do not need to know who I am. Just summon your manager!" Bichir declared, but privately, he was already brewing a new wave of attack—this time deploying a hundred percent of his power, and not relying solely on strength!
"I am the person in charge here," Yast stated coolly.
At this moment, Zhong Shenxiu, Robin, and Keni were all absent. All affairs of the Guild had been fully entrusted to him and his father.
"You?" Disbelief clouded Bichir's face. He had never, in his experience, seen the actual manager come out to guard the gate—not even once!
As the two stood locked in momentary confrontation, several figures emerged from within the Guild hall. These were the swordsmen who had previously signed servitude contracts with Zhong Shenxiu. Previously forced to act as guards, they were now genuinely devoted to the Guild, terrified of being dismissed!
Seeing these swordsmen appear, Bichir grew wary. He feared they might all possess the same monstrous resilience as Yast; if so, he would be in serious peril!
"Captain, what's happening?" one of the swordsmen asked Yast with profound respect. They had been drawn by the recent sounds of conflict.
Yast responded, "This is not your concern for now. Retreat inside and maintain high alert. Anyone who attempts to force entry is to be killed without question!"
This was no time for soft-heartedness. There was no guarantee this man didn't have allies; if they breached the interior, the people and merchandise inside would instantly be endangered!
"Yes!" The swordsmen replied in unison, simultaneously casting wary, unusual glances toward Bichir.
Just as the swordsmen began to fall back into the Guild, Bichir suddenly channeled power beneath his feet, launching himself toward Yast like a bolt of lightning, attacking simultaneously with both hands along high and low vectors!
Yast was prepared. He swayed sideways, evading the direct frontal assault, and simultaneously lashed out with a counter-palm strike, aiming precisely for Bichir's face... Thus, the two began trading blows!
Thump! A tremendous crash sounded, followed by both men being thrown backward.
However, Yast still held the advantage this time. Although both had struck each other in the chest, Yast was protected by the "Non-Sellable Armor," whose defensive capabilities were absurdly high; he only sustained minor injuries.
Bichir, on the other hand, had relied solely on the protection of his battle aura (Dou Qi) for defense and sustained significantly heavier damage!
"You... what kind of hand is that?" Bichir spat out a mouthful of blood, asking resentfully.
Because Yast had worn gloves initially, Bichir hadn't paid close attention. But during that last exchange, he had glimpsed the true nature beneath Yast's sleeve!
Yast did not answer. Wasting words on useless banter was a habit he had cultivated. He felt immensely grateful for his continuous training over the past two years; otherwise, he certainly wouldn't be a match for this man today! Moreover, he thanked Zhong Shenxiu for granting him this power, as it gave him the strength to protect his loved ones!
"It seems I’ll have to teach you a hard lesson if you won't cooperate willingly!"
Bichir was livid. This was the first time since emerging from the alternate dimension that he had suffered such humiliation. Why were the natives of this world so weak, yet this one doorman was so monstrously strong?
He couldn't fathom it and chose not to think about it further. Despite taking two hits, he remained confident he could defeat Yast, simply because he was a dual practitioner of Martial Arts and Magic!
Slightly calming his surging aura, Bichir retrieved a longsword from his magic ring!
Without any preliminary warning, Bichir charged. This time, however, he was wiser. As he rushed forward, he first unleashed a Dou Qi Slash, immediately followed by a fourth-level Binding Magic spell!
Boom! Another massive sound erupted, but this time, only Yast was sent flying!
"Hahaha! How do you like that?" Bichir roared triumphantly.
Yast struggled to pull himself up from the ground. Although he had managed to dodge the fatal blow, a gaping, bone-deep gash had been carved into his leg, and blood streamed out ceaselessly.
Bichir gave Yast no chance to recover, pressing the attack again, maintaining his tactic of combining Dou Qi and magic!
Crash! As Yast was flung aside again, new wounds marred his body!
What followed devolved into a personal showcase for Bichir. He gave Yast no moment to breathe, each sword thrust faster than the last, clearly intending to dispatch Yast immediately!
The swordsmen who had retreated into the Guild hall watched, trembling with fear and burning with anxiety!
"No more waiting, we must hurry to save the Captain. He can't hold out much longer!" one swordsman shouted.
"Right! Even if we aren't as strong as the Captain, we can cover him. We have magic scrolls!"
"Four of you stay here and guard the entrance, the rest follow me!"
As they spoke, the swordsmen charged out, indignation fueling their steps, each clutching a scroll in their hand. (Damn it, even if I can't beat you, the Guild has our back—we can still take you down with scrolls!)
They had intended to initiate a scroll bombardment immediately upon emerging, but upon stepping out, they all froze in their tracks, their eyes fixed rigidly ahead, faces etched with tension!
What were they looking at?
Following the direction of their gaze, they saw a figure moving toward the arena with somewhat stiff, mechanical movements. This person was none other than the zombie—Zachary!
These swordsmen recognized Zachary and knew that he was no longer just a man, but an unkillable monstrosity!
However, at this moment, Bichir, though he noticed Zachary, had no leisure to pay him heed, for he had cornered Yast completely. One more strike, and he could send Yast to his demise!
"Die!" With a savage roar, Bichir’s longsword shot forward like a streak of cold light, aimed directly at Yast’s throat!
And at that precise moment, Bichir’s peripheral vision suddenly registered the absence of Zachary from his sight...