Chapter 408: Kinetic Touch

Over the holographic screen, the alien crime lord in Box 12 slammed his cane against the glass, his face twisting in rage. "What are you doing, Xander?! I already made a claim to that artifact! Are you trying to insult me?!"

The Black Cobra Leader didn’t answer. He merely removed the cigar from his mouth and focused on the arena.

The scaled alien gritted his teeth. "That brat!" He cut off the holographic transmission and turned to one of his own attendants. "Make sure we win that artifact! Do whatever it takes to win! We cannot let him insult us like this!"

Back on the podium, the host glanced up at the screen as the identification numbers appeared.

"Oh! It seems we have just two bidders!"

He glanced toward the first number.

"Participant 019 from Box 4, please present your fighter."

Just then, a quiet, unassuming man stepped into the arena. He wore a matte-black tactical suit, complimented by a black hood that concealed his face and neck. His posture was relaxed, and he was carrying no visible weapons.

Jayden’s eyes narrowed as he watched the hooded man enter the ring. There was something strangely familiar about him.

The man stopped near the centre of the platform and looked toward the opposite door.

"Participant 081 from Box 12," the host called out. "Present your fighter."

The second arena door opened, and a seven-feet giant wielding a massive battle-axe stepped in. He was wearing a complete set of golden armor, his steps shaking the entire arena floor.

This was the Varga Syndicate gladiator.

The host raised his hand.

"We have two fighters, but one artifact. Let’s see who takes home the prize. Fighters, get ready!"

Jayden leaned back in his seat, bracing himself for another round of bloodshed and ruthless combat.

The countdown appeared above.

THREE.

TWO.

ONE.

The host dropped his hand.

"BEGIN!"

The giant charged at the hooded man immediately, swinging his axe with a deafening roar.

The hooded man didn’t move until the axe was inches from his face.

Then, in a movement so fast it looked like a blur, he ducked beneath the swing, stepped into the giant’s guard, and drove his palm into the giant’s sternum.

BOOM!

A kinetic shockwave erupted from his palm.

The giant’s breastplate shattered instantly. The force of the impact crushed his ribs and abdominal organs in a single blow. He collapsed dead instantly, blood gushing from his mouth.

The crowd gasped. The entire match had barely lasted five seconds.

Even the host was stunned.

"P-Participant 019 is the victor!"

In Box 12, the Varga lord smashed his glass against the floor, cursing violently.

"That bastard!"

His fighter had been eliminated before he could even mount a proper defence, and now the artifact was slipping out of his grasp.

Meanwhile, in Box 4, the Black Cobra Syndicate leader remained calm. His lips curled into a small smirk as he watched the hooded man standing in the arena.

The host cleared his throat and gestured toward the arena.

"Does anyone else wish to challenge Participant 019 for the artifact?"

Silence.

Not a single bidder raised their identification tag.

Even the influential figures who had planned to wait until the match ended before challenging the winner reconsidered their options. Whatever ability the hooded man possessed; it was destructive and absolutely terrifying.

Nobody wanted to discover firsthand what happened when that palm struck them.

"Since no challengers have come forward, Participant 019 is officially the winner!"

The hooded man walked out of the arena, accepted his prize without a word, and stepped off the podium.

Jayden watched him leave. His expression remained calm, but his eyes followed the man’s every step.

What the hell was that?

The man hadn’t summoned a weapon, released a massive energy blast, or even demonstrated a complicated technique.

He’d simply struck his opponent with his palm.

Yet the resulting impact had been powerful enough to shatter heavy armour and kill a fighter who towered over him.

And to make matters worse, the man had accomplished it in a single movement.

Jayden had seen powerful fighters since arriving at the Grand Exchange. The hooded man, however, had caught his attention in a way the others hadn’t.

He was curious.

And he didn’t like leaving questions unanswered when he had the means to investigate them.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he activated Dragon’s Eye.

A translucent interface appeared before him, displaying the information he’d inspected.

——————

Name: Rick Gallagher

Age: 31

Level: 68 | Rank: S

Ability: Kinetic Touch (User converts energy into concentrated kinetic bursts, delivering devastating impacts through physical contact)

HP: 5,200/5,200

——————

Jayden’s gaze lingered at the rank.

S-Rank.

He knew what that designation meant.

Rick Gallagher was a Pioneer.

Jayden had encountered enough of them to recognize the distinction immediately.

But there was a problem.

The interface revealed his identity, level, rank, and ability. But it didn’t tell Jayden which organization Rick belonged to.

There was no distinct feature or emblem that could be used to connect him to a particular faction or family.

Jayden studied the information for another moment. Rick Gallagher. Level sixty-nine. An S-Rank Pioneer with a powerful close-combat ability. And judging by the way he’d ended the fight, he knew exactly how to use it.

Jayden had no intention of underestimating him. Still, he wasn’t particularly concerned. He’d already eliminated several Pioneers himself. Another one wasn’t enough to unsettle him, especially when the man hadn’t given him a reason to.

I wonder which organization he’s from, he thought as he dismissed the interface.

He could investigate further, but there was no point. Rick was already leaving the arena, and Jayden had his own business to attend to.

Besides, the universe was enormous. The Grand Exchange attracted fighters and underworld figures from countless worlds. The odds of running into the same stranger again after leaving Zeta were practically nonexistent.

At least, that was what Jayden thought.

He turned his attention back to the auction. Whatever organization Rick worked for, it wasn’t his concern. Not today.