The punk-haired thug still refused to let go of Amy, his face twisted into a mocking grin as he stared at Cain.
"Hey, kid, are you brain-dead or something? Do you even know where you are?"
Several more thugs approached, grinning menacingly as they drew their energy pistols and pointed them at Cain.
In the past, Cain would have backed down, knowing he was powerless to fight back. But now? He was no longer an ordinary person.
He had personally wiped out an entire cult, awakened his evolutionary totem, and even possessed one extra totem compared to the average evolver.
These changes gave Cain confidence, even though he still didn't fully understand his true strength.
Cain knew he could easily deal with these thugs, but he held back. He didn't want anyone nearby—especially the other young people—to get caught in the chaos.
Instead, he calmly said, "Relax." Cain pulled out a silver EC Card—a gift from Michael—and held it up.
"There's 99 EC on this card. Let her go, and it's yours."
The thugs paused, their eyes lighting up greedily. 99 EC was a fortune for most people. Even these low-life thugs were tempted.
The punk leader burst into laughter. "Hah! What a dumbass! You think you can bargain with the Red Skull Gang? Boys, take the card!"
The thugs surged forward, chasing after the EC Card as Cain tossed it far across the alley. Like dogs after a bone, they scattered.
Now alone with the leader, Cain acted. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance. The thug had no time to react before Cain disarmed him, sending his weapon clattering to the ground, and then delivered a crushing punch that sent him sprawling.
The fight had begun. There was no turning back.
"Amy! Take your friends and get out of here—NOW!" Cain shouted.
Amy, eyes wide with gratitude, nodded. "Thank you, Cain! I won't forget this!"
"Take care!" her friends called, hurrying toward the exit.
The noise reached Billy, the leader of the Red Skull Gang. His cold gaze scanned the room as he asked, "What's going on out there?"
One of his lieutenants pressed his earpiece, listening for a moment before answering.
"Boss, some kid caused a scene. Took down one of our guys and ran out the back."
Billy's expression darkened, his voice low and venomous. "Bring him to me. I'll kill him myself."
Cain waited in the dark, damp alley. Dim lamps barely lit the shadows, and mutant red-eyed rats scurried across the cracked ground. The air was heavy and sour.
He didn't have to wait long. A group of fifteen thugs appeared, led by a lieutenant. Unlike the others, this man gave off a faint aura of strength. Cain could sense it—it was weak, but present.
"E-Tier Level 1," Cain thought to himself, roughly between 1 to 50 Evolution Metrics.
Cain didn't yet have the training or equipment to measure power levels precisely. But it didn't matter. Even without formal training, Cain knew he was far stronger.
Still, he stayed focused. Numbers mattered, and every one of them carried weapons.
The lieutenant smirked. "Didn't run, huh? Brave, but stupid."
Cain ignored the taunt. "Where's your boss?"
"You're here for Billy?" The lieutenant raised an eyebrow.
Cain nodded. "He has something I want. Hand it over, and no one gets hurt."
The leader laughed harshly, his face twisting into a sneer. "Who the hell do you think you are? Take him down! Don't kill him—just beat him into the dirt!"
The thugs surged forward, eager to earn credit.
They wielded shock batons, poison-tipped knives, and even a heavy magic staff. Cain's lips curled slightly. They thought he was just a stronger-than-average human.
They were wrong.
Suddenly, Dante's voice echoed in Cain's mind—dark, cruel, and bloodthirsty.
"Kill them all, Cain. I know you want this. Let loose. Spill their blood!"
The sudden shift in tone startled Cain. Dante's voice hadn't been this savage since their first encounter—violent, unhinged, and soaked in hatred.
Cain grit his teeth. "Not now, Dante. Killing wasn't necessary. Not yet."
The first thug rushed forward, swinging a crackling shock baton at Cain's head.
Cain dodged instinctively, letting the weapon pass harmlessly by. Before the thug could react, Cain's fist smashed into his stomach. The man crumpled to the ground, coughing and vomiting violently.
Another thug rushed forward, his paralysis-coated dagger gleaming faintly under the dim light, aiming straight for Cain's abdomen.
Cain sidestepped with precise ease, the blade slicing harmlessly through the air. Without hesitation, he drove his knee into the thug's chest. The impact was brutal—air exploded from the man's lungs as he crumpled to the ground, blood spilling from his mouth.
The rest of the thugs faltered. One gripped a shock baton, its crackling energy flickering nervously. Another fumbled with a heavy crowbar, his face pale with uncertainty.
Cain didn't give them a chance to recover. Moving like a shadow, he ducked under a wild swing and slammed his fist into a thug's stomach, sending him sprawling. Another lunge ended with a sharp palm strike to the jaw, knocking the man out cold.
The so-called fight ended in less than a minute. Thugs lay scattered across the alley, groaning in pain or too dazed to move.
The lieutenant confident smirk vanished, replaced by a deep frown. His gaze darkened as flames began to flicker faintly along his clenched fists.
"Looks like I underestimated you," he muttered.
Cain straightened up, brushing his hands off calmly. "Call your boss. I'm not here to waste time on you."
The lieutenant snarled. "You think you're worthy to see Billy? Get through me first!"
With a shout, the lieutenant's evolution energy flared to life. Flames burst from his body, dancing along his arms and even igniting his hair. Cain tensed. A fire-type evolver.
This would've been terrifying in the past. Fire evolvers were like gods compared to ordinary humans. But now, Cain just felt… tense. Not afraid—just unsure.
"Scared yet?" The lieutenant taunted, flames roaring around him.
Cain shifted awkwardly into a combat stance. He had no idea what he was doing.
The lieutenant didn't wait. With a roar, he hurled a blazing fire punch straight at Cain. The flames shot forward fast, too fast for Cain to dodge.
The fire struck him directly—but then… it vanished.
Cain blinked, stunned. The flames had been… absorbed? Dissipated?
The lieutenant froze, his confidence faltering. "What the hell?"
Cain looked at his hands, equally confused.
"What… just happened?"