"Who are you?" Jetro's voice was low and threatening as he fixed his gaze on the man before him. There was no way this guy was ordinary. Whoever he was, he'd clearly done his homework—this wasn't a coincidence.
What puzzled Jetro even more was the cat woman's lack of importance. She wasn't worth someone going through all this trouble to rescue her.
'Unless some rich guy wants to score some points,' he mused, only to have his thoughts interrupted by the man's chuckle.
"Me? I'm just a man of culture," Caleb said with a grin, glancing briefly in Jess's direction. His answer was strange, but Jetro didn't dwell on it. If the guy didn't want to give his name, so be it.
"Alright, we both know how this will go," Caleb continued, his tone casual. "I don't care who's right or wrong. And from the way you're standing... it's clear you're ready for a fight."
Jetro's eyes narrowed as Caleb shrugged off his coat, revealing a well-built frame under his long-sleeved shirt. The man's relaxed demeanour was unsettling.
Despite being outnumbered, he acted like he was out for a leisurely stroll, showing no signs of nervousness.
"So, what are you waiting for?" Caleb said, rolling up his sleeves and gesturing for Jetro to come at him. He didn't even glance at the armed men surrounding him.
'Is he insane?' Jess, watching the rising tension from the sidelines, began to doubt the sanity of her so-called saviour.
Everything about Caleb's demeanour suggested he had the situation under control, but Jess couldn't shake her doubt.
Reality, after all, wasn't often kind.
"Hey! These guys aren't just some random thugs!" she called out in warning. Caleb, however, remained as carefree as ever.
"Don't worry, sweetheart," he said, flashing her a grin. "These extras can't hurt me."
His dismissive words caught everyone off guard, including Jetro. The leader glanced at his men, a silent signal passing between them.
Weapons were drawn, and mana began to crackle in the air as they prepared to strike.
The tension grew thick as Jetro studied Caleb. The man didn't shift into any recognizable combat stance, nor did he give off any detectable energy.
But Jetro wasn't about to underestimate him. He'd survived too many battles to make the mistake of underestimating an unfamiliar opponent.
With a quick nod from Jetro, four of his men lunged at Caleb, weapons at the ready.
'First, we test his strength and find out where his skills lie,' Jetro thought, watching closely. It was a probing attack, meant to gauge the stranger's abilities.
But Caleb was already one step ahead. His domain sense stretched 50 meters in every direction, giving him complete awareness of their movements.
The instant they acted, he was ready.
In the blink of an eye, the four men closed the distance. The first attacker lunged straight at Caleb, his sword glowing with mana as it aimed for a direct hit.
Meanwhile, the second and third moved in low from the sides, targeting Caleb's legs, while the fourth came from above, aiming to strike from behind.
Their strategy was clear. The frontal attack was meant to force Caleb into a reaction—either block or retreat.
If he tried to step back to avoid the blade, the two side attackers would close in for a pincer attack. If he jumped to escape, the fourth man would finish the job from above.
"Not today, boys!" Caleb muttered, a calm grin spreading across his face.
He had no intention of playing into their hands. Just before they could reach him, Caleb lifted his right foot and slammed it into the ground with tremendous force.
*BOOM!*
The ground shook violently, cracking beneath him as a small crater formed on impact. A wave of dust and debris shot into the air, instantly shrouding the area and cutting off the men from view.
Jetro squinted, trying to make sense of the chaos within the dust cloud. Sparks of lightning crackled through the swirling haze, followed by the roar of flame magic as it surged outward.
A sickening crunch echoed through the clearing, the unmistakable sound of bones breaking. The noise sent a chill down Jetro's spine, his heart skipping a beat.
"AHH!"
A scream ripped through the air, and before Jetro could process what was happening, a figure was hurled out of the dust cloud. It shot past him like a cannonball, slamming hard into a tree far behind.
*Gulp.*
Jetro swallowed nervously, realizing how close the person had come to colliding with him. Just a few centimetres closer, and he would've been sent flying along.
Before he could regain his composure, more cries of pain erupted from within the swirling dust. The horrifying sound of bones crunching reverberated again and again, making every spectator shudder.
One by one, the remaining three attackers were launched from the dust cloud. Their bodies vanished into the woods or slammed into nearby trees with sickening force.
*WHOOSH*
With a wave of his hand, Caleb cleared the air, dispersing the dust and restoring visibility. He stood exactly where he had been at the start—unscathed, his posture relaxed, and his calm demeanour unbroken.
"What are the rest of you waiting for?" he asked casually, dusting his hands as if the entire encounter had been nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
The remaining men froze in place, their expressions betraying fear. Though they hadn't seen what happened, the sounds alone had been enough to terrify them.
The ears, as they say, were often quicker to frighten than the eyes.
"If you don't move, I will~" Caleb's voice took on a menacing edge, and the men instinctively stepped back. Their gazes darted toward Jetro, silently pleading for guidance.
'We still outnumber him. If we all rush him at once—' Jetro's thoughts were cut short as Caleb vanished from sight.
*BOOM!*
The ground beneath Caleb's feet fractured as he exploded into motion, reappearing in a flash before two of Jetro's men.
"Shit!" they cursed, trying desperately to react, but Caleb was faster and they couldn't keep up.