Endless Debt Chapter 1059 - 106: Mountains Fall (Part 2)

A slight easing of Ernan's tense state occurred as he abruptly lost bodily control, plummeting into the ruins below.

What was happening?

Ernan could not fathom it, but soon a searing pain shot through his ankle. Without his notice, a clean wound had severed his tendons, and blood began to pour out uncontrollably.

After a brief moment of shock, Ernan quickly maneuvered his body into a dusty corner, enduring the intense agony and checking for any other life-threatening injuries.

The calamitous crash of the collapse muffled the whistling sound of the Flying Knife, its roaring descent overshadowing the muted pain from bruises sustained by hitting debris, which had caused Ernan to overlook the initial, subtle discomfort.

Palmer was not dead; he lurked nearby, attempting to hunt him down.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Ernan's curses continued. He was now also plunged into the peril of a slow demise.

Remaining here meant the encroaching boulders would eventually crush Ernan. However, attempting to escape with his injured ankle would make movement extraordinarily challenging, let alone evading Palmer's pursuit.

Soon, Ernan reached a decision. Gripping the Sharp Nail tightly, he resolved to take Palmer down with him, as death appeared unavoidable.

Leaning against the quivering wall, Ernan strained to stand. He realized Palmer was adept at Ethereal Concealment, explaining the stealthy nature of his attack.

"Was this all pre-arranged?"

Muttering to himself, Ernan felt a surge of dread. He had initially dismissed Bologue's rampage as mere madness, but now it seemed to align with his partner's strategy.

Bologue had not only segmented the combat area but also positioned the advantages favorably.

Ernan fought to maintain composure, his gaze persistently sweeping the rising dust. Both were formidable assassins, implying that he and Palmer had but a single opportunity for a decisive strike. The one who struck first would claim victory.

With amplified focus and agitated blood circulation, Ernan, as if in a trance, perceived the surrounding changes decelerate. He could discern the descent of rubble, the calculated path of the swirling smoke, and amidst the chaotic shifts, he detected a subtle irregularity.

A section within the dust suddenly erupted, and a hazy form rapidly materialized.

Almost by reflex, Ernan prepared to launch the Sharp Nail at the emerging shadow, yet he halted himself at the final instant of raising his arm.

A whirlwind of thoughts assaulted Ernan's mind.

Regardless of the Sharp Nail's speed and lethality, a preparatory wind-up was necessary to imbue it with force, creating a vulnerable interval between his actions—Ernan's critical weakness.

What if the apparition was merely a diversion by Palmer? What if his assessment was flawed? The obscuring smoke concealed everything, leaving Ernan uncertain of his target's location. What if he failed to eliminate Palmer with a single blow?

Ernan's mind went momentarily blank, and then he hurled the Sharp Nail.

The Alchemy Metal scraped intensely against the air, generating a series of echoing sonic booms. A subsequent cloud of fire followed its trajectory, drawn into a crimson fiery streak by the high-velocity airstream.

The fiery line sliced through the smoke, dispersing the dust. A hurtling boulder was instantly pierced and obliterated.

A booming Ether reaction erupted from Ernan's vicinity, just as he had anticipated. It was a ruse by Palmer, and simultaneously, from his peripheral vision, Ernan perceived a figure rapidly closing in through the airborne debris.

Ernan's expression tightened with intense concentration, and abruptly, he let out a laugh.

This was not the first occasion Ernan had found himself in such dire straits, nor his inaugural encounter with an enemy's close-quarters assault. Ernan realized that during high-stakes combat, excessive focus often led individuals to overlook the most elementary details.

For instance, Ernan possessed two hands, enabling him to unleash multiple Sharp Nails consecutively.

Ernan shifted his weight to one side, twisting his body with potent force. His free hand snatched additional Sharp Nails from his waist, while the hand already holding several projectiles launched them with all his might towards the source of the rising Ether.

Palmer had acted with excessive haste; this engagement belonged to Ernan.

Ernan felt an inner surge of elation. Even if Palmer's form was obscured by dust, making precise targeting difficult, it mattered little. The barrage of Sharp Nails wove a fatal net, akin to scattered pellets, leaving Palmer with no avenue for escape.

The howling wind roared as the surging air currents tore through the dust, revealing Palmer. Dense lines of fire advanced towards him at high velocity from every direction, yet Palmer exhibited no inclination to retreat.

Palmer remained stationary, holding his throwing stance.

In the subsequent instant, to Ernan's utter disbelief, every crimson line precisely traced the outline of Palmer's body, failing even to graze him.

"How is this conceivable!"

Ernan stood dumbfounded. He acknowledged the existence of luck but had never conceived of such extraordinary fortune, as if fate herself had bestowed her favor, diverting all incoming projectiles away from him.

With the bloodline spreading across his neck, Ernan's rage instantly vanished. He grasped his throat, blood erupting from the wound, his eyes locked on Palmer in disbelief. Subsequently, the descending massive rocks pulverized his form, burying him within the deeper ruins.

Palmer remained steadfast, a placid expression on his face, though an immense tide of terror surged within him, finally seizing his heart.