Chapter 36 Approaching the End 6

"I have considered the method you mentioned..." I carefully chose my words.

The reason I didn't do what Detective Kong suggested is actually quite simple.

Perhaps to others, my superpowers are innate, taken for granted, and strongly tied to me, but I have never thought about it that way.

Why did I awaken superpowers? This is a question I've pondered since the day I did. Was it truly because I was born with this potential, and it just happened to awaken during puberty? Or was my method of "lighting candles with my eyes" genuinely effective, and could it really awaken the power to manipulate flames if I persisted long enough?

Or perhaps my ancestors had the blood of monsters or gods, and their power came true in my generation? Or perhaps I recently encountered some external trigger that could awaken my superpowers, but I just don't remember it?

I've always felt that the origin of my superpower is a bit strange. Just when I was thinking about lighting a candle, I awakened the corresponding superpower, and the speed at which this superpower grew was terrifying.

At first, I was overjoyed by the incredible power that had appeared in my body, and I practiced how to manipulate my superpowers repeatedly in secret places; and in the process of practicing, my superpowers grew rapidly, just like muscles become stronger after repeated training.

But gradually, I realized something was wrong.

It seems that even without rigorous practice, my superpowers are growing stronger on their own. Although not as rapidly as when I actively practice, I feel that even if I just lie down on a patch of grass, my superpowers automatically amplify with my breathing. And as time goes on, this power has gradually grown to a point that I myself can hardly comprehend.

Is this really a power that can just appear in a human being like me so easily? — I often doubt this.

In many superpower-themed stories, superpowers are not permanent; they can diminish or even disappear due to various factors. Some stories go even further, portraying superpowers as a special phenomenon that only appears during adolescence, and that once adults, no matter how immense their power was, it will vanish over time.

What you gain for no apparent reason may one day be lost for no apparent reason as well.

I have never taken this mysterious power for granted, and I have long been prepared for the possibility that it might become unusable. Under these circumstances, I certainly will not take it for granted as my inherent asset, nor will I use it as the foundation for my future life, or flaunt it in broad daylight.

Of course, when necessary, I will abandon all my concerns and use this power without hesitation. When a threat like a fallen witcher appears before me, if I'm still pretentiously thinking about what tomorrow or the day after will bring, I'll end up not even getting through today.

Furthermore, I have no intention of actually taking my superpowers to my grave. Although I still have reservations about the details of this power, "adventures beyond reality" are what I'm most interested in. If I haven't been able to achieve what I want by following the trail of ghost stories before graduating from university and entering the workforce, then I will proactively reveal my powers to the public to attract visits from supernatural organizations.

Fortunately, before I got to that point, Luo Shan appeared in front of me first.

Seeing that I hadn't replied for a long time, Detective Kong kindly reminded me, "If it's inconvenient for you to answer, there's no need to force yourself."

"It's not that I can't answer, it's just a long story..."

Just as I was saying this, my ears suddenly caught an unusual sound.

It was a dull, strange sound, like stirring a stick vigorously in a viscous liquid, and it sounded familiar. This inexplicable sense of familiarity made me immediately shut my mouth and look in the direction of the sound.

It was a small patch of shadow on the edge of the curb not far away, which had become unusually thick and deep, so much so that it stood out from the surrounding shadows, and it kept spreading and growing like ink spilled on the ground. From that strange shadow, one after another boiling bubbles were rising, their surfaces constantly rippling, and the sound was coming from there.

Suddenly, an incredibly thick arm shot out from it, splattering a shadowy liquid, like ink or paint, around it. This scene was all too familiar; it was the same one that had appeared before me last night when the Fallen Witcher appeared. Soon after, a demonic monster identical to the Fallen Witcher crawled out from the shadows.

And the changes didn't stop there. Simultaneously, the other shadows around us underwent the same transformation, with a second and third demon climbing onto the ground. One appeared in front, just like the first, while the other appeared behind us, blocking our retreat. The three demons glared at us menacingly.

If it were just one demon, I could guess that the Fallen Witcher from last night had been resurrected. But with three appearing in a row, I can only conclude that there was more than one Fallen Witcher to begin with.

These three demons did not speak human language, but instead emitted low, bestial roars, drool dripping from their mouths. Perhaps they were not transformed from humans.

As expected, the story of the Fallen Witcher is not over yet.

What is their purpose in appearing here? Is it revenge for what happened last night? Am I the only target, or is Agent Kong included as well?

Does this have anything to do with the feud between me and the Fallen Witcher?

It's really unfortunate. If I were the only one here, it wouldn't be so bad, but there's also Agent Kong, who isn't good at fighting.

Upon seeing this scene, his voice trembled: "Zhuang Cheng..."

"Detective Kong, I'll handle them. You run away when the time is right."

I wasn't sure if these three demons possessed abilities different from the fallen demon hunter from last night, so I didn't speak definitively.

"...No, judging from their formation, I can't escape." Detective Kong composed himself and took out a pistol from his pocket.

I couldn't help but turn my head and glance at it. It was a gray revolver with a relatively long barrel, engraved with strange symbols, seemingly equipment used to deal with strange things.

"These are the weapons Luo Shan provided for the agents. Although they're not exactly high-end emergency weapons, we'll have to make do with them for now," he said, forcing himself to remain calm. "Next, we..."

He seemed to want to discuss how to cooperate going forward, but reality isn't a turn-based game. It's not that the enemy can't act until our turn is over.

Before he could finish speaking, the enemy launched an attack and charged forward.

As they charged forward, I turned my attention back to them and activated my superpower.

One of them was facing forward, and the demon at the very front was instantly set ablaze, turning into a blazing torch as if it were covered in gasoline.

This skill of igniting an opponent with your gaze has a flaw: it can only ignite one target at a time.

The principle behind this skill is to shift one's gaze—or more specifically, one's focus—on one's opponent.

Often, when we talk about "someone shifting their attention to a certain object," we actually mean "someone shifting their focus to that object." Humans are visual creatures; when a person concentrates their gaze on a specific object, they are shifting their attention there.

Therefore, people often compare the eyes to the windows of the soul; where the gaze is directed is where the spirit is directed. And where the gaze is focused is where the spirit finds its rest.

While flames can expand the area my vision can reach—and strictly speaking, this goes beyond the definition of physiological vision, bordering on supernatural perception—as long as I, the user, am still human, certain principles remain the same. Presumably, no one can focus their eyes on multiple directions simultaneously, and my "focus of attention," or rather, my "mental anchor," can only exist one at a time.

The second demon directly in front of me immediately used the burning demon in front as a shield, continuing its charge towards me. While this meant it would burn its own comrade, it avoided being seen by the naked eye.

This reaction shows that they know my gaze can be used as a medium for fire attacks, suggesting they somehow obtained information about last night's battle. However, they still don't realize that the area affected by the flames is within my line of sight.

Furthermore, even if my ability to ignite an opponent's gaze can only target one enemy at a time, it doesn't mean I can only use one ability at a time.

The reason I used this skill is simply because it's the first superpower I've learned to use, and it's also the one I'm most comfortable with. As soon as I see the enemy move, I use it reflexively. At the same time as I use this move, I also quickly raise my right hand and summon a small "firefly" from my palm.

A large amount of spiritual power was poured into it, and the "firefly" rapidly expanded, transforming into a giant fireball that then exploded.

A tidal wave of flames swept in all directions, instantly engulfing the three-headed demons that attacked from both front and back. The area where I was located was transformed into a fiery inferno, and the excessive light rendered human vision temporarily useless.

This time, because I had Agent Kong to protect, I no longer held back with a relaxed attitude and infused the flames with a serious will to destroy the opponent.

Under the impact of the destructive flames, the three-headed demon in its charging state was suddenly like a fish caught in a torrent, unable to control its own destiny.

It didn't even last a blink of an eye, turning to ashes in an instant.

(End of this chapter)