Just as he was about to continue fighting, Ethan noticed that the ghost hadn't taken the chance to attack him. Its focus had shifted—it was heading toward the two kids behind the Phantom Sentinel.
"It's trying to heal itself!" Ethan's heart clenched, and his pupils shrank in alarm.
He didn't know where the sudden burst of strength came from, but he rolled forward, grabbed a bottle of salad dressing from the ground, and hurled it at the ghost with all his might.
Smash! The bottle exploded mid-air, sending salad dressing flying everywhere. The ghost's attention was momentarily diverted, and it turned to look at Ethan.
In that split second, Nolan unleashed a surge of power and kicked the ghost hard in the lower back!
The ghost's HP dropped from 19% to 16%.
"Now's our chance!" Ethan's heart leapt with excitement. Before the ghost could react, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around its waist, slamming it to the ground.
The ghost thrashed and writhed on the ground, trying to break free from Ethan's grip.
Its body was already battered, with deep dents and wounds oozing dark blue blood. It looked pitiful.
But Ethan wasn't in much better shape—his ribs were broken, his skin torn, and blood was still dripping from his head. He looked like a complete mess.
But he didn't stop.
He raised his fist and slammed it into the ghost's face.
Thud! The ghost's HP dropped again, down to 15%.
"Anomalous Creatures, huh?" Ethan panted, his voice low and filled with rage. He raised his fist again and brought it down hard.
Thud! The ghost's HP continued to drop.
"You bastard, keep screaming!" Ethan growled through gritted teeth, his fists pounding down one after another.
"You like eating people, huh? Eat this! I'll make you choke on it!"
14%… 13%… 12%…
Each punch carried the weight of his fury and despair, and the ghost's HP kept falling.
Dark blue blood splattered onto Ethan's face, sizzling with a sharp hiss, but he couldn't feel the pain anymore.
The ghost, realizing it was in serious danger, began to struggle wildly.
Its seven-foot-tall body twisted violently, trying to shake Ethan off. But no matter how hard it fought, it couldn't break free from his grip.
Ethan's fighting style had no finesse—it was pure instinct and rage driving him.
If it had been any other Phantom Sentinel, they probably would've taken the ghost down with ease by now.
But right now, Ethan's fighting spirit burned like a wildfire, and no one could underestimate his determination.
He gasped for breath, sweat dripping from his forehead, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest.
Thud! The ghost's HP dropped to 10%.
At that moment, a red light suddenly flickered at the ghost's chest, glowing faintly on and off.
Ethan didn't have time to think—his right fist moved on instinct, striking directly at the red spot.
For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
The ghost's eyes widened, locking onto Ethan with an intense, unblinking stare.
"Execution," Ethan whispered, as his fist drove straight through the glowing red point.
The ghost's body went rigid, its struggling ceasing entirely.
Its remaining 10% HP dropped to zero in an instant.
A creature capable of slaughtering dozens of ordinary people had just been killed by Ethan's hand.
The light in the ghost's compound eyes slowly dimmed, until it was completely lifeless.
Ethan was still gasping for breath, his chest heaving. His vision blurred, the scene before him overlapping in dizzying layers.
He looked down at the ghost beneath him, then glanced around…
The fierce battle had left almost no trace in the Boundary Passage.
Only the scattered bloodstains on the ground and the shattered bottle hinted at the life-or-death struggle that had just taken place.
Nolan was half-lying on the ground, blind, his clothes in tatters. His exposed skin was covered in dark, lifeless markings.
The two kids had long since passed out from fear, their small bodies shielded behind Nolan.
With wet, trembling hands, Nolan pushed the damp hair from his forehead. His face was smeared with blood and grime, but the only thing that stood out were his bright, clear eyes.
Ethan's throat tightened, his Adam's apple bobbing as he struggled to calm the storm inside him.
Anomalous Creatures… So this is what they are?
He thought back to the other monsters he'd seen in the Boundary Passage. Compared to them, this ghost seemed so weak. If it hadn't been for the Phantom Sentinel's help, the ghost would've easily killed him.
Ethan's mind drifted, and suddenly, an image flashed in his head—Samantha pushing open Uncle Marcus's door, revealing that brief glimpse of the map inside.
It was a massive map, outlining the territory of The Federation.
The southern region was completely black, while the east, central, and northern regions were marked with five large red symbols, representing the primary Safeholds.
Scattered across the rest of the map were tiny red dots, like faint fireflies in the night sky, small and insignificant. Mesa Safehold was one of them.
A black sun hanging high in the sky, the Boundary Passage, Metahumans walking on a knife's edge, a fractured world, and faint sparks of hope…
Some people were living it up in the bright lights; others were fighting in the shadows; and some were dying in silence.
This was the world.
A world most people knew about, but at the same time, most people didn't really know.
The real world.