Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 454: Battered Lucas

The moment of silence that followed their successful strike did not last long enough to become relief, because what came after it carried a level of fury that none of them had truly prepared for, not even Lucas who had been expecting retaliation the instant that explosion landed. The frost and dust stirred violently as a surge of energy burst outward from within the fading blast, the very air trembling under the weight of it, and when Ken stepped forward from the aftermath, it was clear that something had shifted, not in his strength, but in his intent.

There were marks on him now, visible signs that he had been hit, his clothing torn slightly, faint traces of frost clinging to his form, but none of it slowed him, none of it diminished the overwhelming presence radiating from him, and if anything, it seemed to have done the opposite, because the calm, controlled opponent they had been facing before was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous, something that carried anger, pride, and the need to crush everything in front of him without restraint.

His eyes locked onto them, and the intensity behind that gaze alone was enough to make the space feel suffocating, his voice low and sharp as it cut through the battlefield around them. He acknowledged what they had done, not with respect, but with anger, with the kind of fury that came from being forced into a position he did not believe they deserved to reach, and in that moment, it became clear that he was done holding back.

Then he moved, and everything changed.

He was faster than before, not by a small margin, but by a degree that shattered the rhythm they had barely managed to maintain, his form vanishing and reappearing within striking distance in an instant, and before Lucas could fully react, the first blow had already landed. The impact was devastating, crashing into him with a force that tore through his already strained defenses and sent him flying backward, his body slamming violently into the frozen ground as cracks spread beneath him from the sheer weight of the strike.

He tried to recover, tried to pull himself back into position, but Ken was already there again, closing the distance with terrifying precision as another strike followed immediately, then another, each one heavier, faster, more brutal than the last, leaving no space for Lucas to regain control. His spatial abilities flickered as he attempted to escape, to create distance, to break the sequence of attacks, but his timing was off, his body slowed by accumulated injuries, his focus strained, and Ken exploited every weakness without hesitation.

The Ice Belle reacted instantly, her domain surging as she launched a counterattack, ice and wind crashing toward Ken with lethal force, the condensed pressure amplifying every strike, but this time he did not evade, he broke through it completely, his flames erupting with overwhelming intensity as they tore apart her attacks, dispersing them before they could fully connect. He closed the distance in a single motion and struck her directly, the force of it sending her backward through layers of her own ice, her body crashing violently before finally coming to a halt, her form flickering under the strain as the damage settled in.

Even in her mature form, even with the domain under her control, she was not spared from the sheer difference in power that Ken was now displaying, her movements slowing, her presence no longer as fluid as before, the strain of both the domain and the damage beginning to take its toll.

Nyx stepped in with precision, her control sharp as she attempted to reinforce their defense, layering ice constructs and launching calculated attacks meant to disrupt Ken’s momentum, but he cut through them with ease, his movements unimpeded as he struck her aside with a burst of force that sent her staggering, her footing broken as she struggled to maintain her balance under the impact.

Lira tried to intervene, pushing forward despite the fear that had begun to creep into her chest, her determination forcing her into action as she attempted to create space for the others, but she was met with a wave of heat so intense it felt like it would consume her entirely, forcing her back immediately as her defenses strained just to withstand the pressure, her body driven off balance before she could even get close.

Selene, still beside Henrietta, could do nothing but watch as the situation unraveled, her focus torn between protecting the one already down and the reality of what was happening in front of her, because Ken was no longer just fighting them, he was dismantling them, breaking their coordination, their rhythm, their ability to function as a unit.

Lucas forced himself back to his feet, his body screaming in protest, blood spilling freely from multiple wounds as his breathing grew uneven, but before he could fully steady himself, before he could even gather enough control to re-enter the fight properly, Ken was already in front of him again, his presence overwhelming, his intent clear.

The next strike landed even harder than the last.

It crashed into Lucas with brutal force, tearing through what remained of his defenses and sending him skidding across the ground once more, blood spraying from his mouth as the accumulated damage reached a point where even staying conscious became a struggle. Every part of his body felt heavy, strained, his movements slower, his reactions dulled, and yet Ken did not stop, did not ease up, did not allow even a moment of recovery.

Lucas was taking the worst of it.

Every attack directed at him carried more weight, more intent, as though Ken had chosen him as the one to break first, the one whose fall would collapse whatever resistance remained.

The Ice Belle struggled to rise again, her domain flickering slightly as she forced herself back into position, but the damage she had taken was evident, her control no longer as seamless as before, her movements carrying a strain that had not been there earlier, and for the first time since her transformation, she looked like she was being pushed beyond what she could comfortably sustain.

Ken stood at the center of it all, his breathing steady, his presence overwhelming, his gaze cold as it moved between them, measuring, deciding, continuing without hesitation.

They had managed to land a hit.

They had forced him to feel it.

And now, in return, he was making sure they felt exactly what that cost.

Ken no longer bothered to divide his attention evenly, no longer entertained the idea of dismantling them one by one in any balanced manner, because in his mind, the fight had already been decided, and all that remained was to crush the one who had dared to challenge him the most. Lucas had become the center of his focus, the target of his fury, and every movement he made now revolved around breaking him completely, beyond recovery, beyond resistance.

He closed in again with terrifying speed, his presence overwhelming as another strike landed against Lucas’s already battered body, the impact driving him down into the frozen ground with such force that the ice beneath him shattered outward, cracks spreading in all directions. Lucas tried to respond, tried to gather his spatial energy, but his control was slipping, his body no longer keeping up with his intent as pain and exhaustion dragged him down.

Nyx moved, refusing to stand by as Lucas was overwhelmed, her ice surging forward in a precise and calculated attempt to disrupt Ken’s momentum, but Ken did not even turn fully toward her. A single motion of his hand released a concentrated burst of force that tore through her attack and struck her directly, sending her hurling away across the battlefield before she could even stabilize herself.

The Ice Belle followed immediately, her domain reacting as she launched a sharp, compressed strike aimed to force Ken off Lucas, but he countered just as quickly, his flames erupting in a focused blast that collided with her attack and overpowered it, the force of it slamming into her and throwing her backward once again, her body skidding across the ice as her control flickered under the strain.

Lira tried next, her determination refusing to let her stay back as she rushed forward, but the result was no different. Ken’s response was immediate and merciless, a sweeping attack that forced her off her feet and sent her crashing away, her body rolling across the ground before she could even attempt to regain balance.

Selene could not leave Henrietta, but her eyes widened as she watched the pattern repeat itself, the realization settling in that none of them could even slow him down, not when he had decided to focus everything on Lucas.

And each time they were thrown aside...Ken returned.

To Lucas.

Again and again.

The blows did not stop, each one landing with brutal precision, each one carrying enough force to break through what little defense Lucas could still muster. His body absorbed hit after hit, his attempts to evade growing weaker, slower, less effective as the gap in power became something he could no longer bridge, no matter how hard he tried.

Lucas staggered, barely able to remain standing, his vision blurring, his senses dulled under the weight of the punishment he was taking, yet Ken did not give him the mercy of collapse, did not allow him to fall and stay down. Every time he faltered, another strike forced him back into motion, another impact kept him conscious just enough to feel everything.

Blood streamed down his face.

Dark.

Thick.

Corrupted.

It poured from his wounds, from his nose, from his mouth, and eventually, it covered his eyes completely, the blackened blood blinding him as it clung to his vision, turning everything into darkness.

He could not see anymore.

Only feel.

Only endure.

His breathing became ragged, uneven, each inhale a struggle, each exhale laced with pain as his body reached its limit, his muscles refusing to respond as they once did, his control over his Qi slipping further with every passing second.

The difference in power was no longer something he could deny, no longer something he could fight through with will alone, because against Ken, against a force that overwhelming, his strength, his techniques, all felt insufficient.