Amidst the tumult, Ashton found himself in a showdown with the Conundrum Leader, who had chosen to forgo a mask, revealing his identity as Rose's twin.
The Leader's face was contorted with anger as he charged at Ashton, fists clenched and muscles taut. He charged at Ashton with a roar, fists clenched and eyes blazing with determination to end the zompirewolf. His first punch was swift and powerful, aimed straight for Ashton's face.
But Ashton, being as agile as he was, moved with lightning speed. He leaned back just enough to let the punch whiz past him, his hair ruffling with the wind of the missed blow.
Ashton didn't use his supernatural abilities in this fight. Instead, he wanted to demonstrate the vast difference in their basic combat skills.
After all, it wouldn't be fun if he defeated the so-called Leader in one strike. But that didn't stop Ashton from making fun of Rose's twin.
As Ashton dodged another strike, he taunted the Conundrum Leader with a faint smirk, "Is that all you've got? I expected more from someone who calls themselves a leader."
The Leader's frustration grew evident as he tried to land a hit on Ashton, who continued to dodge with ease. Wooden floors below them creaked and squeaked as the Leader moved over them.
Since the punches weren't connecting, the Conundrum Leader attempted a flurry of punches and kicks, but it was as if Ashton had already predicted every move.
With a calculated sidestep, Ashton avoided a sweeping kick that sent the Leader off balance, exposing his side to Ashton. Ashton knew the Leader had intentionally done that, expecting him to step into the trap.
Leader's intentions were clear as day, but Ashton, being the generous soul he was, decided to take his opponent's offer.
Ashton saw the Leader smile the moment he leaned in to punch him. Clearly, the latter wanted to take the opportunity to deliver a knee strike. However, the Leader had severely underestimated Ashton's speed.
In a swift motion, Ashton delivered a well-placed strike to the Leader's midsection, causing him to stagger backwards. The Leader was wide-eyed as he couldn't see Ashton hitting him, let alone countering him.
"How did you do it?" the Leader gritted his teeth, frustrated with the outcome of their battle.
"I didn't do anything special," Ashton shrugged. "You're simply too weak to do anything."
"You-"
Rage once again blinded the Leader as he lunged at Ashton. However, Ashton's movements were fluid, as he effortlessly dodged everything the Leader threw his way and toyed with the Leader as if they were in a spar rather than a serious battle.
The more Ashton dodged the attacks, the more frustrated Conundrum Leader's got. He lunged forward once more, fists flying, but Ashton deftly ducked and weaved, slipping through the onslaught unscathed.
The Leader's attacks became increasingly desperate and wild, his frustration reaching its peak.
Ashton moved around the Leader with a sly grin, his movements graceful and precise.
He continued to tease, "You really need to work on your form. At this rate, you'll never be able to defeat anyone, let alone me."
The Conundrum Leader growled in anger, his punches becoming more erratic. He was no match for Ashton's combat prowess, and he knew it. Ashton's taunts were like salt in the wound, and his pride was wounded.
In a final act of desperation, the Leader attempted a powerful roundhouse kick. But Ashton, who had been waiting for the perfect moment, seized the opportunity.
With a lightning-quick movement, he caught the Leader's leg mid-kick and twisted it, snapping the leg in half and sending the Leader sprawling to the ground.
Ashton stood over the fallen Conundrum Leader, his expression mixed with amusement and disappointment.
"You're too weak," he said flatly, shaking his head. "I expected more from someone who dared to challenge us."
The Leader, defeated and humiliated, lay on the ground, gasping for breath. He had been utterly outmatched by Ashton, who hadn't broken a sweat throughout the entire fight. The whole place fell silent as the Conundrum Leader struggled to accept his defeat.
Ashton turned away, leaving the Leader on the ground. He had other battles to attend to and other allies who needed his help.
The Conundrum Leader, however, was left to grapple with his wounded pride and the harsh reality of his inadequacy in the face of Ashton's superior combat skills.
"You won't get away with this," Leader called out. "I, too, have a black blessing like yourself!"
"Aah, so that's why you were being so cocky..." Ashton mumbled before breaking down into a fit of laughter. "And here I thought you had a legitimate reason to believe you're stronger than me. Tsk, I never thought someone related to Rose could be so dumb."
With that, Ashton appeared before the man in the blink of an eye and stepped on his broken leg. Upon hearing their leader scream in agony, the Conundrum members didn't know what to do.
If the strongest amongst them was reduced to such a pathetic state, then they could only wonder what would have to them if they stood against Ashton.
Well, most of them did, as Donovan was busy dealing with Mera. He had promised himself that the next time he saw his beloved mistress, it would be the last time they saw each other's face as only one would be left alive.
Mera had always been the strongest amongst her companions, which gave her the illusion that she didn't need to bind them to her and that her strength alone would be enough to keep her people in check.
However, she had seen Donovan break that illusion and was thankful he did. Because if he hadn't, she would have never known that the one she thought of as her dog was a snake waiting for the right moment to strike her down.
"Before we do this... I would like to know something," Mera mumbled as she and Donovan got into a fighting stance. "Why did you do it? Was I that bad of a head for you?"
"Talking was never my strong point, so stop blabbering and get this over with," Donovan replied before lunging at Mera.
