I planted my feet firmly, digging them into the ground, but he still had the upper hand.
But it was no use—he had the upper hand, his sheer force overpowering me. My boots scraped against the floor, leaving faint trails as I was dragged.
Being passive sucked.
Minh Dương smirked, sensing my struggle, and with a sudden heave, he swung me like a rag doll. My body slammed into the cold, unforgiving walls of the dimly lit basement, the impact knocking the air from my lungs.
He didn't stop there. Before I could recover, the chains yanked me back and hurled me again, the force rattling the old concrete walls. Dust and debris fell around me as I hit the ground, coughing and struggling to regain my composure.
"You're pathetic," Minh Dương sneered, tightening his grip on the chains. "I thought you said you were better? Is this really all you've got?"
How did Elder Elies do it again?
Wait. When I used **Soul Transfer** during cooldown, I ended up here instead of inside the worm's body. That means… this isn't my physical body—it's my soul. And haven't I commanded my soul to move between hosts before? What's stopping me from escaping these chains the same way?
The realization hit like a spark in the dark. I wasn't bound by physical limitations here. Not really.
Command your soul.
I willed myself to vanish, to leave the spot where I was trapped. The familiar sensation of **Soul Transfer** coursed through me, like a ripple spreading through still water.
In an instant, I disappeared.
When I reappeared, I was free. The chains clattered to the ground behind me.
Minh Dương looked shock but was quickly replaced by realization.
"**Soul Transfer,**" he muttered, his voice edged irritation.
I didn't give him time to react. The moment I saw his guard drop, I disappeared again.
I reappeared beside him, driving my fist into his jaw with all the force I could muster. His head snapped to the side, and before he could recover, I vanished once more.
This time, I materialized behind him. Another strike—this one to his ribs, earning a grunt of pain as he stumbled forward.
He swung blindly, frustration clouding his judgment, but I was already gone.
I reappeared above him, delivering a kick to his shoulder that sent him staggering. The momentum drove him to his knees, and I teleported again before he could even think to grab me.
"Stay still, damn it!" Minh Dương snarled, spinning around in a desperate attempt to locate me.
But I wasn't going to let him.
I reappeared right in front of him, my face inches from his. "Now that I've got a good look at you… Nope, still can't see your face."
I swung my fist, aiming for his jaw—but something went wrong.
Wait—no.
His hand shot up, catching my fist mid-strike. His grip was iron, unyielding, and a knowing smirk spread across his face.
"I watched all your fights before during high school. You think I don't know the way you fight?"
He activated **Soul Absorption**, and I felt it immediately—the sharp, unnatural pull as my finger began to dissolve into nothingness.
Panic shot through me. No way I'm letting this happen.
I blinked away in an instant, teleporting to put as much distance between us as possible. But the reprieve was short-lived.
A metallic whistle cut through the air, and before I could react, a flying chain hurtled toward me, sending me into the wall.
"Great, That's my favorite pinky, you jerk," I groaned, clutching my stomach.