Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent!

Alex didn't stop at that.

He followed through with a powerful kick, with his leg that hadn't been injured, aimed at Rakul's midsection.

The Red Demon staggered backwards, gasping for breath.

The gap was closing, and Alex could see the panic in Rakul's eyes.

Desperately, Rakul tried to teleport again, but Alex anticipated this move.

He reached out, grabbing Rakul's arm just as he began to disappear.

The sudden contact between them caused Rakul to bring Alex with him.

"Not so fast!" Alex growled, a sinister smile on his face.

He tightened his grip on Rakul's arm and pulled him closer.

He swung Virtue's Edge, not having enough energy to produce and sustain Phoenix flames after his two uses of teleportation during this battle.

He had used it at the start against Gormak, and now against Rakul.

The blade sliced through Rakul's side.

"ARGHHHH!"

He screamed in agony.

Alex didn't give him the chance to recover.

He pressed his advantage, striking again and again, each blow weakening Rakul further and causing him to lose more and more blood.

Not to mention completely decimate his internal organs.

The Red Demon's teleportation talent was useless in such close quarters, hence why he opted to become a long range supporter.

Finally, with one last, powerful strike, Alex drove Virtue's Edge through Rakul's chest.

His body convulsed violently, his eyes wide in terror.

Rakul left a last scream across the battlefield before the light of life left his eyes.

Alex stood over his lifeless body, his breathing heavy and laboured.

His body ached from the numerous wounds, and the pain in his foot and shoulder was almost unbearable.

But he had done it.

All four elites were dead now.

He took a moment to catch his breath, letting his energy slowly rejuvenate and the regenerative flames in his foot do its work.

The battlefield was eerily quiet, the only sound being the crackling of residual flames and the distant, anguished groans of soldiers on other parts of the battlefield.

Clap

Clap

Clap

Alex turned his attention to Vorkath, the leader of the elite squad.

If it weren't for him suddenly starting to clap, Alex had almost forgotten that he was there.

Vorkath had watched the entire battle from beginning to end with an inscrutable expression, his stance unchanging.

Now, as Alex stood, heaving and eyes locked on him, Vorkath's gaze was surprisingly in a wide smile.

"Congratulations, human," Vorkath started speaking, his voice dripping with condescension.

"You've managed to defeat my men. That's no small feat."

Alex tightened his grip on Virtue's Edge, readying himself for another fight.

He wasn't in much of a state for a fight anymore, but what other choice did he have?

"They weren't much of a challenge," he retorted, though the pain in his voice betrayed his obvious exaggeration.

Vorkath's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Ah, the bravado of youth," he mused. "But I must admit, you have my respect. Few Red Demons could have done what you just did, not to mention an inferior species like you humans."

Alex didn't lower his sword, his eyes never leaving Vokath's.

"Respect or not, you're next."

Alex's tone was ice cold.

Vorkath chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound.

"You're in no condition to fight me, boy. Look at you. Barely standing, bleeding from multiple wounds. Do you really think you can back up your previous statement?"

Alex's body screaming in protest, but he forced himself to stand tall.

"I don't need your pity," he spat. "Just come at me."

Vorkath's smile softened into something almost resembling genuine pity.

He sheathed his massive blade with a slow, deliberate emotion.

"You misunderstand me, human," he said calmly.

"I do not pity you. I simply refuse to sully my honour by fighting someone who is already half a corpse."

Alex's eyes widened in confusion, his grip on Virtue's Edge faltering for a moment.

"What?" he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.

"In the Red Demon race, it is dishonourable for Prodigies like myself to fight an opponent in a state such like yourself," Vorkath explained.

"Especially for someone of my stature. Top class Prodigies like myself cannot tarnish our reputation by engaging in such cowardly acts. Or else I'd risk losing my position as a Prodigy."

Vorkath looked down and rubbed his blade, cleaning a little bit of dust off of it, before turning back to look at Alex.

"And that… is not something that can happen."

Alex's mind raced, trying to comprehend Vorkath's word.

"So, you have the perfect opportunity to finish me off, yet you're just going to let me go?" he asked, disbelief lacing his tone.

If someone suggested such a thing back in the federation, they would get laughed off by the entire awakened world.

There was no such thing as 'Honour' in the world of awakened.

Everyone cared about their own strength and survival, that was it.

Such things like public image, reputation etc was not on their list of priorities, and they'd gladly take an opportunity to finish off a strong opponent like Vorkath had right now.

Vorkath nodded slowly.

"Correct. But do not consider it an act of pity. Should we meet again, I will not hesitate to kill you."

Before Alex could respond, Vorkath's body tensed, and with a powerful leap, he ascended to the sky.

Alex watched in stunned silence as Vokath soared higher and higher, disappearing into the clouds.

A moment later, a sleek, dark ship materialised out of nowhere, its form shimmering as it emerged from what appeared to be some sort of spatial storage.

The ship's engines roared to life, and with a blinding flash of light, it vanished into the black expanse outside of the atmosphere, leaving Alex alone on the battlefield.

The silence that followed was deafening, the distant groans of injured and almost dead soldiers and Red Demons being the only sounds disturbing this silence.

Alex fell to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"What the fuck just happened!?"

He fell unconscious just a moment later.