Chapter 687: Chapter 688: Evolve His expression remained impassive, but inside, Damon had to admit he was stunned beyond words. If not for the fact that he was being broadcasted, and losing his composure would make him lose the aura he was farming, he would have already started shouting for a referee to appear. This was just too unfair. He had planned her death beautifully. First, he had destroyed her soul using Alazard’s cursed blade, the sword known as Broken Bonds. It was a wretched weapon forged to disintegrate the very soul of its target. Damon knew this power all too well. He had once been on the receiving end of it when Alazard cut him back in Lysithara. He liked the sword. Its effect was absolute. But like most weapons in his arsenal, it had one fatal flaw. It could not withstand the overwhelming heat of Ashborn. He had lost more than a few blades that way, reduced to molten scraps by his own flames. That was why he didn’t use Broken Bonds often. The next part of his plan was to erase her body completely, and for that, he used the Staff of Carnage. The weapon could gather energy and unleash it in a devastating explosion. The longer he charged it, the greater the destruction. With this combination, Damon had meticulously eviscerated every part of Wendy’s being, body and soul. And yet, she wasn’t dead. The shattered pieces of her flesh began to twitch. Small fragments crawled toward larger ones, merging, fusing, rebuilding bones and sinew. Damon’s jaw tightened. The effects of the Soul Blaze Potion were fading, the strength draining from his body with every passing second. He didn’t have much time before weakness claimed him again. "Are you a Wendigo or a cockroach...just... die." He raised his hand, unleashing the flames of Ashborn across the writhing remains. The black fire tore through her forming body, consuming flesh and bone in waves of infernal heat, yet she continued to regenerate. Damon frowned. Something was off. This wasn’t the same as before. The flames weren’t working. He increased their intensity, the air around him warping from the heat, but the more he burned her, the less damage the flames did. Her flesh... he had seen something like this before. No, he had experienced something like this before. "She’s adapting to my attacks." His voice dropped, realization dawning with grim clarity. This was similar to his own mastery mechanic. What the hell was this? An enemy that couldn’t be killed, one that could adapt to his every move? Wendy’s monstrous form reconstituted fully, larger than before, her presence heavier and more violent. For the first time ever, Damon saw Ashborn rendered completely useless. The flames that burned both body and soul had no significant effect on her now. She was resisting Ashborn completely. "My attempts to kill her only made her stronger." Blood trickled from his nose as the potion’s effect wore off further, his power flickering as his wounded soul ached violently. ’Ashborn destroys both body and soul. That means her soul itself is evolving. No, it’s becoming more durable.’ "Rawrrrrr....grrrr!" The massive Wendigo roared, her hatred exploding outward in a wave of killing intent as she charged straight at him. Damon gritted his teeth, raising his hand to grip his sword tightly. The ground split beneath his feet as he caught her massive claw mid-swing, dust exploding outward. "I can try possessing her, but that’s just a temporary solution. Her soul still won’t die. Ahhh, annoying." He leapt, propelling himself over a large building and sprinting across its crumbling rooftop. The Wendigo followed, crashing through structures like a walking calamity. Around them, nearby demon beasts stirred, drawn by the chaos. They roared and began to move, their instincts reacting to the battle. But when Damon turned his cold gaze toward them, their rage faltered. Fear replaced it. They backed away, then turned on the Wendigo instead. She tore through them effortlessly, a single swipe of her claws splattering their bodies like mud. Damon knew time was running out. He pressed his palms together and slashed both Dealer’s Hand and Broken Bonds in a cross formation. [Dark Blade] Two massive crescent slashes screamed forward, tearing through the air before colliding with her. But when the energy cleared, all they had done was draw shallow cuts, barely any blood. He clicked his tongue. Her body was adapting to his sword strikes now too. He pointed his hand forward. Bang. Bang. Magic bullets fired, pelting her body, but each impact merely bounced off her skin, the energy dispersing harmlessly against her growing resistance. "Hmmm." That wasn’t unusual. Some monsters naturally had magic resistance. Damon himself had plenty of it. But something about this was off. The spells weren’t entirely useless. They just lacked force. ’These are blunt trauma attacks.’ Magic bullets were powerful because they were fast, sharp, and cost little mana. They were never meant to pierce creatures like her. He slid down the side of a collapsing structure, pushing off a wall mid-fall. The Wendigo’s claws cut through the air where he had been a heartbeat earlier. Damon landed on her arm, slashing deep before kicking away, his strength faltering even as his movements remained precise. She lunged again, fangs bared, but he met her charge with a fierce backhand. The impact sent her crashing through a half-ruined building that crumbled entirely upon impact. Debris rained from above as the two clashed amid the falling dust, Damon’s breathing heavy now, his strength slipping away while hers grew more monstrous by the second. ’What if I improved the penetrating power of the magic bullets.’ He ducked a swing, spun low, and kicked her square in the chest, then followed up with an uppercut that cracked against her snout. ’No, why not make it bigger, no, faster.’ He thrust his hand forward, mana surging. A large sphere of energy began to form in his palm, spinning rapidly, condensing into a sharp, vibrating javelin of pure force. The air itself seemed to sizzle around it. "Then launch." With a deafening crack, the projectile tore through the air like lightning, slamming straight through the Wendigo’s arm. The vibrations detonated a moment later, causing a violent explosion that shattered what remained of the building and sent her flying. The shockwave rippled outward, wind howling past Damon’s hair as dust billowed around him. "Rawrrrr!" Her pained roar echoed through the ruins. Then came a familiar chime. [Mastery... Magic Missile] Damon’s eyes narrowed. Using the brief pause, he activated Appraisal and scanned her status. His expression hardened. It was so unfair. No, this was practically cheating. Her second-class skill appeared before his eyes. [Evolve]