Finally, after a rough ride, the group of rouge evolved arrived at the Glass Tower, only to be pleasantly surprised.
"Wow! This place seems to be bustling."
Inside the expansive compound, large construction was ongoing and people moved about with smiles.
"Ugh. The sight is definitely out of place." Bob, the head head, grimaced.
"I wouldn't agree more." Johnson nodded.
Scarface remained silent, though his face was tensed. He thought deeper than his two companions.
'For them to be able to carry out heavy work without the fear for zombies, they must have trust in their combat team. Or, they've ensured that the entire area is safe.'
His eyes narrowed as he spotted two girls exiting the Tower. They looked young and clean, a feast to men's eyes. However, Scarface noticed that they were evolved and carried weapons which were not ordinary.
"Bob you might want to be cautious."
Realizing his tone was heavy, Bob ignored his perverted thoughts and looked at the girls again. His face grew serious when he realized how geared up they were.
"Good. Let's go."
Seeing his friends now serious, Scarface stepped forward, the other two behind him.
When the trio got close, those from the tower noticed them and paused, wary of the uninvited visitors.
Anna, Ye Ming, and Amelia stepped forward, meeting them with equal caution. Neither side said a word, silently gauging each other for over a minute.
Finally, Scarface spoke, his voice gruff.
"Mind if I speak to your leader? I'm interested in joining you guys."
Both sides were surprised. Bob and Johnson were even more shocked. They had been preparing to face these people in battle, but Scarface's words completely stumped them.
"Hey Scarface! What the hell are you saying?!" Bob scowled, confused and displeased.
The three of them had agreed to be rouge evolved, scavenging the world in freedom. Yet...
"Bob. If you're feeling insecure, you can leave. I won't stop you."
"Wha—? What are you saying?! Stop joking like this!"
Scarface ignored the red head's question and turned to Anna, awaiting their answer.
"You want to join? Prove yourself." Anna said flatly, her expression remained indifferent.
Her words silenced Bob and surprised everyone. She didn't question his motives or even welcome him. Instead, she asked him to prove himself.
Amelia almost facepalmed. Is this a test conducted for joining a sect? Are we in a xianxia cultivation novel? She wanted to ask the blonde girl. However, she remained silent, watching the drama unfold.
Scarface's brows furrowed at her words, then he asked. "How?"
"Huh? You're actually considering it?" Bob's voice rose again in disbelief.
"Hey Johnson, did Scarface eat something wrong?" He turned to his other friend who was equally astonished and confused.
Anna ignored the two, focussing entirely on the large man.
"Fight me. If you can last ten exchanges, we'll accept you."
The condition was absurd, almost making Amelia cringe. Could it have sounded any more cliche?
Scarface heaved, contemplating the proposal. "Should I assume you're the leader?"
The girl shook her head, "No. But I have enough authority to bring you in."
"I see." He hummed, then raised his weapon, a thick broadsword.
Bob and Johnson slowly backed away, realizing he was serious about everything. Their confusion lingered, though they were more interested in the outcome of the battle. They wanted to see Scarface crush this rude teenager.
Anna gestured for Ye Ming and Amelia to step back, then unfurled her whipsword which was coiled around her arm. The blade dragged across the ground, leaving faint scratches.
"Ready?" Scarface asked, his large frame dwarfing her petite physique.
In return, Anna's whipsword lashed out.
It sliced through the air like a projectile, straight at Scarface's chest. The burly man raised his sword, parried the attack, then stepped forward to close the distance.
???
When he tried to retract his sword, his expression stiffened and he realized, he couldn't pull his weapon. Anna's whipsword coiled around it tightly, holding it in place.
What even surprised him was the fact that she was able to match his strength. Amazed, he decided to fight more seriously.
Using his class abilities, he felt a natural connection between himself and the earth, and the ground partially submitted to his will.
The ground beneath Anna's feet softened, turning into a swampy soil.
The moment she sensed the change, Anna moved. Her sword released Scarface's, then pulled her to another side unaffected by his ability.
The large man raised his sword again, cautious. Anna's whipsword moved again—this time, faster. He tried to parry again, but as if anticipating his action, the sword dodged his parry and nicked his chest, tearing through clothes and drawing blood.
"Two." She muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.
Both Bob and Johnson were stunned beyond disbelief. In just two exchanges, Scarface had already been injured. Although it was a superficial injury, almost negligible, it was to be noted that Anna had purposefully held back. She only cut deep enough to draw some blood. The way the two viewed the girl changed. They no longer saw her as a rude teenager but a monster.
'The Apocalypse can actually produce such people...' Bob thought, awed and amazed.
Unperturbed by the reaction of those around them, Anna and Scarface stood opposite each other, eyes focused.
Again, Anna's whipsword moved. It lashed out from the left, then curled to a ball which crashed into the flat of Scarface's blade.
The large man staggered, taking a step back to stabilize himself. That single strike had reverberated deep within his arms.
'Such monstrous strength... My decision was never wrong...'
He steadied himself, then prepared for the fourth blow.
This time, Anna herself moved, surprising him. He raised his sword, cautious and wary.
When she got close to him, he swung the blade. Despite the close range, the blonde girl ducked. The blade missed her by an inch while she struck a palm at his chest.
Confused but still cautious, he tightened his muscles.
Pa!
A loud smack resounded as the attack connected. Scarface shook, rooted to the spot. His expression which was full of seriousness finally changed.
"How?"
He asked, too surprised. Just now, he had felt his chest muscles cramp from the force of her palm. The pain was brief but stinging, like a spank on wet skin. Even the muscles still ached after relaxing.
"Four."
Anna ignored his question, announcing the number of attacks, then stepped back. She gave him a moment to breathe and regain himself before she attacked.
Her whipsword came down, thin but heavy with force. It connected with his sword in a jarring clang. His arms buckled, but he held firm.
Anna retracted her weapon, then charged again.
Clang!
His arms shook visibly from blocking the attack. A bead of sweat slid down his forehead as he felt pressure mounting on him.
'This girl... she's a monster.'
"Six."
At this point, Scarface was starting to doubt his ability to last ten blows. His eyes narrowed as Anna's stance changed.
She took a measured step forward, legs apart in a controlled distance. Her arms aligned, and her muscles tensed. Then, the next four blows came in a blur.
Bang! Bang! Clang! Boom!
His eyes widened as the girl blitzed around him, appearing here and there. Her attacks were fast and heavy, shaking him to the core. If it had been Bob or Johnson, they wouldn't have been able to follow her movement at all.
By the time he finally came to his senses, he was on the ground, kneeling. His arms were numb and his body had four new stinging cuts. A testament that he hadn't fully blocked her attacks.
"You passed."
She said, her breathing steady. Despite the force she had unleashed, she didn't look tired in the slightest.
Bob gulped, vaporizing any thoughts he had about her in his mind.
Meanwhile, Anna herself sighed quietly. Ever since she had woken up from her injuries, she had been training nonstop. From real-life battles to building her body muscles, she did everything rigorously. And finally, the hard work had bore fruits.