"Leave now!" Merlin shouted.

Margaret nodded briefly, then ran to the right with all her might.

The burly man was taken aback.

"After her!" he shouted.

One of his men immediately turned and pursued her. Due to the obvious difference in physical ability, Margaret was quickly overtaken.

But suddenly—

Whoosh!

A flash of shadow appeared. It was Merlin. He spun through the air and kicked the man squarely in the chest.

Bang!

The man's body flew five meters before crashing into the bushes.

"Argh..." he groaned, clutching his chest. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and his vision blurred.

The sight left the burly man and his comrades stunned.

'This kid is no ordinary opponent,' the burly man muttered, narrowing his eyes.

He had known Merlin belonged to a group with special powers, but he had thought the boy was easy to handle. What he hadn't expected was that Merlin's mana control was already so advanced.

Margaret looked back and saw Merlin smiling at her with a small nod.

Though reluctant, she forced herself to keep running until she finally disappeared from sight.

Once she was safe, Merlin's serious expression melted away, replaced by a playful smile.

"System, do you think I can win this fight?" Merlin asked, stretching his stiff body.

"[Hmm… I'm not sure, but I believe you can. Just be careful—I sense an unusual aura coming from the man behind that burly one,]" the system warned.

"Oh?" Merlin frowned and turned his gaze toward the man the system had indicated.

The man was tall, with short blonde hair. His eyes were slightly slanted, sharp as a knife. His muscles weren't particularly large, but they were well-defined and toned.

"Status panel," he whispered.

[Status]

Name: Jack

Age: 35

Identity: -

Talent: C

Guardian Spirit: -

Rank: Ninth Spirit Core

Bloodline: -

Favorability: -40

Merlin's eyes widened in shock as he read the status.

"Ninth Spirit Core?" His gaze sharpened, alarm flashing across his face.

He hadn't expected the man to possess a special power. Even at just the ninth level, it was already formidable—at least, powerful enough to be a serious threat to him now.

"Kid, you've gone too far," the burly man snapped. His eyes bulged with anger as he pointed at her. "Since you dared attack one of my comrades, you'll face severe punishment—including that masked girl!"

Two more men immediately darted toward him. Unlike the previous ones, both moved with complete focus, leaving no room for a sneak attack.

Sensing their approach, Merlin took five quick steps back and leapt into the air.

He channeled his mana into his legs and launched a strike at the left side of the face of the man on his right.

Bang!

The kick hit with force, but the man blocked it with both arms.

Surprised, Merlin adjusted his stance, only to be caught off guard by a punch from the other man.

Bang!

It struck his stomach and sent him flying two meters. Fortunately, he twisted midair and landed safely.

'This body is really weak,' he muttered in annoyance, rubbing his sore stomach.

His body was still too young, making free movement difficult. His bones and muscles weren't fully developed yet, and pushing too hard could easily cause a serious injury.

"[Master, do you want me to help you?]" The system asked, its tone filled with concern. "[There are many one-time-use items available for purchase. Don't worry about system points—the cost is minimal. Would you like to buy them?]"

Merlin felt a warmth in his chest at the system's worry. He shook his head gently. "Thank you for the offer, System, but I must decline. Remember, I once said I would change the destiny of the original Merlin Clay. I don't want to violate that. To do it, I must grow stronger myself."

"If I rely on you for everything, wouldn't that just trap me in dependence? I don't want that."

He clenched his right hand tightly, eyes burning with determination. He had never seen the system as his true source of strength—it was merely a tool to help him become stronger.

As the old saying from the far eastern lands goes, "True strength comes from within, not from without."

Hearing this, the system let out a small sigh, though inwardly it was proud. Using its help was only a temporary solution; leaning on it too much would make its master lazy, stopping him from trying on his own.

It had not chosen Merlin in vain—he was extraordinary.

Merlin took a deep breath, feeling his strength return.

Ahead, he saw the two men already running toward him.

"Since a direct attack didn't work, I'll have to try another approach," he muttered to himself.

Whoosh!

In an instant, he shot forward, appearing in front of the man on the right within seconds.

"Hahaha! You're finished, kid!" The man laughed, throwing a punch at his face. It was so fast that if it landed, Merlin would have lost consciousness.

Time seemed to slow, as if a video had been slowed to 0.75 speed.

Just as the fist came within two centimeters of his nose, Merlin vanished, reappearing above the man's head.

The man was startled and instinctively looked up, but Merlin twisted his body midair and delivered a powerful kick to the back of his neck.

Bang!

The kick, reinforced with the mana coursing through his body, sent the man flying instantly.

The man on the left was momentarily shocked, but he had no time to react—Merlin was already darting toward him.

Bang!

Merlin's fist shot toward the right side of the man's face but was blocked by his left palm. The man immediately clenched his right fist and slammed it into Merlin's chest.

This time, Merlin was more careful. He dropped to the ground to evade the attack, bent his legs, and sprang back toward the man.

Under the man's stunned gaze, Merlin grabbed his neck, pulled him close, and locked his legs tightly around it.

"Argh!" the man groaned, throwing punch after punch at Merlin, who clung stubbornly to his neck.

Merlin gritted his teeth, enduring the pain while tightening his hold.

Eventually, the man ran out of breath and collapsed to the ground.

Merlin gasped lightly, then slowly stood up.

"I did it," he muttered.

He hadn't expected to beat two opponents at once, but it made sense.

They were skilled fighters, but their reflexes lagged—so he managed to take them down.

Clap!

A sharp clap came from the front, immediately followed by the burly man's taunt.

"What a surprise—you beat two of my men. Seems I underestimated you."

Merlin snapped to alert, took a fighting stance, and stared at him coldly.

The burly man didn't flinch; his eyes flashed with murderous intent. "No more games. I'll make sure you meet a bad end, kid."

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