Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The once-green forest was now reduced to a burning and broken battlefield. All one could see was destruction. And at the center of this destruction stood two figures, one yelling in pain while the other calmly avoided the wild attacks he threw.

They were Alex and the leader of the assassins.

"I am surprised again," the leader spoke, his gaze fixed on Alex trembling in pain. "You somehow recovered all of your mana, and you turned out to have life affinity as well."

"Dammit!" Growling in pain, Alex tried to smash the leader into the ground, but again he failed to cover up for the speed. 'I'm already using all of my speed-related abilities!'

"I have been trying to maintain distance not because I was scared," the leader went on, his expression lazy but body in full alter.

He knew that Alex was dangerous—way more dangerous than he had initially thought.

"But because I wanted to get more information on you before killing you," the leader spoke as he jumped to the side, avoiding another claw attack aimed at his head.

BOOM!

Dust and debris flew as Alex's fist landed on the ground, forming a ten-meter-wide crater.

'Hm, his casual punches carry a lot of force,' muttered the leader on the inside, his eyes sharpening for a second before he continued his words.

"Now, however, with all the places I could hide now destroyed, I don't think I can avoid killing you anymore—" The leader, with his grip around Alex's melting arm tightening, uttered, only to be cut short by a cold wave of energy he felt from the side.

"Yaaaaaaa!!"

It was Zahara, who had rushed here when she saw what was happening; with her body covered in an impenetrable icy shield, she dashed toward Alex.

'Fuck it!' She thought, not caring about anything. Her eyes burned with fiery energy, and her hair, already flowing wildly, was now set ablaze with blood-red fire. Her features looked more feline now, with two lion-like ears and a tail on her back being the most pronounced of them.

Zahara knew that she couldn't do much, but with the shield made of Vanessa's energy covering her, she could be as reckless as she wanted without getting hurt.

"Che," the leader, who saw that, clicked his tongue audibly. He could see Zahara's palm moving toward his—the one that was holding Alex.

"This is annoying," he muttered before another green portal appeared below his feet as he sank into it.

He knew it as well: he wouldn't be able to harm Zahara, and if she were to hold him in his place—even for a second—then Alex would be able to land a hit on him.

"Alex!!!" Zahara, on the other hand, quickly kneeled next to Alex as she saw her plan work.

"Are you okay?!" She asked, her eyes filled with worry. She was still surprised by many things, but as she saw Alex in danger, her body moved on her own.

She didn't even have a plan when she dashed toward him; only on the way did she make the plan.

"I'm... fine," Alex, using his breath control and healing breath, nodded his head, gazing at his wrist covered with a thick bracelet—one that took the direct impact of the leader's corroding skill.

'Are you fine, Verathian?' He questioned inwardly, to which the bracelet trembled as if saying, 'It's fine.'

"Impressive," the leader's voice cut through the air. He was standing next to the lying assassins, his dagger twirling in his finger as he slashed down at their neck.

Slash-Splurt!

'No!!!' Zahara's eyes widened as she saw that. Alex had told her to stay there. She had to make sure that those assassins didn't die. But looking at Alex's condition, she didn't want to leave his side.

The assassins' heads rolled and blood pooled, but the leader, without flinching, continued, "Quite a unique weapon you got there." Titling his head, he chuckled, "It covered your wrist with it right before my fingers touched you."

Slash-Splurt! Discover hidden content at empire

"No wonder your wrist didn't melt down," he nodded to himself as the assassins slowly started to rise one by one.

"But what are you going to do now?" Killing the final assassin, the leader grinned. "We are back to square one."

The situation had returned to what it was before. If there was something different, then it was that Alex and Zahara were running out of time.

The shield protecting Zahara could go off anytime, and Alex was tight on time as well.

'Do I have no other choice than to use it?' Alex sighed inwardly, his frustration and pain turning into a sense of defeat.

There was just one thing left for Alex to use, but using it would come with risks, and both Alex and Sophie didn't think now was the right time to take that risk.

[It seems to be the only choice left.] Sophie's voice echoed through Alex's head, reluctant but filled with a sense of defeat just like Alex's.

Alex nodded inwardly, standing up with his head down as he muttered, "Zahara, run as far as you can from here."

His words confused Zahara, but as Alex turned to look into her eyes, his expression as serious as it could be, she nodded. Without a second's delay, she turned around, dashing through the broken forest, still hissing and crackling.

Zahara didn't want to. She wanted to stay next to Alex and keep protecting him, even if she had to use her body to do it, but the expression Alex had...

'He was scared to hurt me...' She could tell that was the reason. But that was precisely why it hurt her more.

She thought that at least with this power shielding her, she could be helpful to Alex. But not anymore.

Zahara had discovered many things about Alex today. So many that she started doubting whether Alex was someone she could ever catch up with. The power gap between them demotivated her more than anything else.

'I don't want this!' She yelled inwardly, her fists clenching, but she couldn't feel anything. The shield was protecting her from self-harm as well.

'Why do I even need this?!' Her fingers tightened around the locket-like artifact she wore, not feeling it worth it. Zahara felt like it was wanted on her. All she could do was be baggage, so what was the use of this?

"Where do you think you're going?" It was then that the assassin leader's voice echoed, filled with mocking confusion. Zahara's head snapped toward the center, and she saw the guy waving his hand before six of the 7 star, star formation realm assassins and one 1 star, star connection realm assassin bolting toward her.

For some reason, she felt hope—a hope that they would follow her. Zahara wanted them to follow her. That way, although not by much, she would be able to shoulder some of Alex's problems.

That hope, however, turned dim when she saw Alex stepping toward them, his body trembling in a strange way.

But just then, as Alex was about to stop the assassins, he heard Sophie's voice in his head.

[You should trust Zahara more, Alex...] Her voice was low, reminding Alex that Zahara wasn't just anyone. She was a girl that Alex had selected. [She isn't weak, you know.]

The moment he heard that, he paused, sighing as he knew he wouldn't always be there to protect her.

That action surprised both Zahara and the assassins, including the leader.

"Are you going to let her die—?" The assassin leader asked with genuine confusion, but his words were cut short as Alex shook his head. "I trust her enough to know that she won't lose against mere subordinates."

Those words stunned everyone, including Zahara, before a large smile bloomed on her face. Her speed increased, but her mood, which had turned all-time low, was somehow lifted.

Right now, Zahara felt like she could fight against anyone. Just that trust from Alex was enough to give her a boost. What she didn't know was that Alex had boosted her with those words by using 'Commanding Presence' when he spoke.

"Great," the leader, however, just chuckled darkly. As he saw Zahara and his subordinates moving into a distance, getting ready to fight, he added, "Thanks to your actions, I will have an easier time taking care of things here—"

But he paused again, not because someone cut him off but because his words wouldn't come out. He felt a chill—a chill that made him flinch and step back.

'What...?' His eyes widened as he saw Alex again. The atmosphere of the field changed again. Results uncertain.