Absolute Soul
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"Black Karma? Five minutes? Are you delirious or what?" Shear laughed cynically in response to Haikal's senseless words, but he did not lower his vigilance.

Shear knows that even though Blazer is a candidate, Haikal and Jack's strength is arguably equivalent to an Advance or Expert level Blazer. He himself despite being at the Expert level for longer than the two, Shear still did not know the full strength of the two of them so had to be careful.

Haikal did not care about Shear's response, he took a step, then another step, then another step. Haikal went step by step at a slower pace than walking until it confused Shear and Jack.

"This boy.. What does he want?" Shear raised his eyebrows not understanding Haikal's actions that looked so open, he blasted a number of flying knives to see what Haikal was really doing.

Jack reacted to Shear's attack, he deployed several of his magic spears about to hold Shear's blades, but he had not had time to do so Haikal's figure disappeared from his sight, similarly, Shear who was now glaring felt a great pain in his stomach.

"Ugh...." Shear immediately fell to his knees while holding his stomach in front of Haikal who was standing just a few steps away from him, making Jack rub his eyes several times in disbelief with what he saw.

"What just happened?" Jack muttered inwardly, he could see the presence of Haikal in front of Shear who suddenly fell to his knees, but his eyes were barely able to keep up with Haikal's movements.

Although Jack could still follow Haikal's movements, the truth was that he had only a momentary shadow darting towards Shear's place. He was unable to see Haikal's movements completely.

The cold sweat on Jack's back had not stopped flowing looking at Haikal, "This is Haikal's power?"

Jack did fight and even beat Haikal in the final round, but the pressure of Haikal's soul energy now and then was very different. Jack felt the pressure of Haikal's soul energy now so intense and cold, different from the pressure of Haikal's soul energy that he knew.

"Wake up." Haikal kicked Shear's chin until the man slammed into the air for a while and fell again with a groan of pain, but Haikal did not care, he grabbed Shear's collar and lifted the body of the mechanical puppet's controlling figure upwards, "Said to wake up."

"Urghs.... What the fuck...." Shear muttered softly feeling the unnatural increase in Haikal's strength before looking into the young man's eyes, he found an icy and sword-sharp gaze staring at him.

Shear's cold sweat began to flow down her back feeling the horror of Haikal's gaze which was very different from what she knew, but she did not give up. Shear played her finger moving the Knives Reaper to attack Haikal from behind, but unfortunately before she did that Haikal had already thrown his body first towards one of the buildings.

Bruaak!!

Shear penetrated several houses at once thanks to a throw from Haikal alone, now he sits on the floor of the house with his back rested on the cracked wall. Fresh blood came out from his lips along with groans full of pain.

"What the fuck is this kid?! How could his strength skyrocket so far?!" Shear screamed inwardly in shock as well as confusion, she had never heard Haikal being able to increase his strength to this extent.

As a Blackout eyeing the finalists of the Welcome Tournament, Shear is given as much information as possible about Haikal's strengths and abilities, but he had never heard nor seen an increase to this level from a first-rate Blazer candidate!

"You must be confused as to why my strength can increase to this stage, right?"

Haikal himself paid no heed to Shear's reaction, he once again pulled the man's collar and threw it back to where it had been, this time with an energy not as strong as before. Shear crashed and hit a building in that place but did not penetrate.

Jack who had been silent at the same place was a little surprised to see Shear crashing and hitting the building behind him, his eyes wide open to find it. His view was then shifted to the figure of Haikal who had just come out of the building hole due to the impact of Shear.

"Haikal, I think this is more than enough" said Jack trying to calm Haikal who he felt was angry or the like, but he was wrong.

"More than enough? No, it's not enough, it's not enough." Haikal did not turn to Jack, "He and Blackout have brought great disaster on Adele, this is far from enough."

Jack's forehead shriveled violently at Haikal's reply. In addition to the pressure of his soul energy that felt so thick and cold, he could also feel Haikal's famously warm and friendly personality change along with the increase in strength he gained.

Jack sighed for a moment before emitting a soul energy pressure that was not inferior to Haikal, his eyes narrowing sharply at the young man. "Haikal, I don't know what grudges you have against Blackout, but you can't kill him."

Without waiting for Haikal's answer, Jack unleashed a number of magic spears towards Shear which immediately turned into a restraining chain, binding the man who was arguably only a step away from death.

Haikal glances at Jack waiting for the reason why Jack is soft on Shear who incidentally is one of the famous fugitive Blazers as well as Blackout members who can certainly be the mastermind behind Adele's current mess, jack did not answer Haikal's expectations.

The two threw suspicious glances at each other, but Haikal did not want to make an unnecessary fuss and decided to give in. He drew out the pressure of his soul energy as well as the Black Karma technique he was using.

Slowly the black patches on Haikal's body began to shrink towards his hand back and finally disappeared without a trace, as did the pressure of his soul energy that felt thick and cold.

"Alright, do as you please." Haikal is a little bit in disbelief with Jack's decision being too good for criminals like Shear, but he was able to inform her after thinking there was a possibility that Shear was a core member of Blackout who could be interrogated about Blackout's plans and goals going forward.

"Thank you." Jack pulled the pressure of his soul energy, his eyes also softened, looking at Haikal not wanting to press the young man any further while muttering in his heart, "I can't let you kill a human being, at least for now."

Just as Jack was about to focus his attention on restraining Shear, Haikal suddenly fell to the ground followed by a groan of pain for a moment making his forehead shrivel in astonishment, "Haikal?"

"Sorry, Jack, can you take me too? My entire body was in pain and unable to move," Haikal said still grimacing in pain.

Jack was astonished to remember that Shear had not had the opportunity to attack Haikal in the previous one-sided fight, then an allegation flashed through Jack's mind that made him put on a wry smile, "Don't tell me your technique just now...."

"True, your guess didn't miss at all." Haikal replied after a moment of silence.

In the end Jack let out a long sigh before obeying Haikal's request, he raised Shear and Haikal together using his magic chain.