Chapter 352: Amanda’s growth

Almost two weeks had passed since the case of the three anomalous awakenings first came to light.

Since then, similar cases had continued to surface from all corners of the world. The phenomenon was spreading rapidly, appearing in people who had seemingly nothing in common with one another.

Researchers were no longer as invested in selecting subjects and conducting controlled assessments in laboratories. With more and more people awakening each day, it had become increasingly apparent that there was no discernible factor shared among those affected.

They simply awakened in the peak of their physical condition. At most, their ages reached forty.

"Fast-tracking newcomers onto the battlefield will only increase the casualty rate," the woman in the elegant black suit muttered with a frown as she finished reading the report.

The silver-haired man merely smiled and replied, "Can’t you see what’s happening, Mira? The world is trying to balance itself."

Jimmy’s voice carried a faint amusement, lacking the gravity one would normally expect from someone discussing a situation of such magnitude.

More than twenty newly awakened individuals were scheduled to arrive here today, and Jimmy had been assigned to teach them how to fight and, more importantly, how to survive.

This was his first batch, and he was among the earliest people selected for the task.

His instructions were simple. He was to train them in the use of their newfound abilities until they were capable of handling minor rifts on their own, at least enough to survive their first encounters.

Field experience was the best teacher, and the Nightwalkers knew it better than anyone. Since most of these new awakeners were mature adults, they were expected to learn quickly and, with their greater life experience, make wiser decisions when it came to understanding and utilizing their abilities.

Jimmy’s role was not to turn them into seasoned fighters. It was to help them discover the limits of what they could do, understand their abilities, and recognize the instincts that came with them. Within a matter of days, they would be sent into the field to fight monsters.

That was precisely what concerned Mira.

"I do understand, sir. However, we shouldn’t exploit them like this. It’s like sending a teenager into a ring full of boxers simply because he knows how to use his limbs."

Jimmy laughed at that. "I love that line. Mind saying it in front of the Chief?"

Mira fell silent immediately. Of course she didn’t dare. She could only speak so freely because Jimmy actually listened to her advice and never tried to silence her whenever she voiced her concerns.

Seeing her reaction, Jimmy exhaled softly before speaking in a gentler tone. "I understand how you feel, Mira. But this isn’t my decision. Besides, a part of me believes it’s necessary to make use of these resources while we still have something to protect."

Mira looked up at him. "But with the way things are progressing, I don’t think this secret will remain behind the veil forever. I fear the world will know about it one day."

Jimmy grinned. "Wouldn’t that be for the best, then? I wouldn’t have to hide what I do from my girlfriend anymore. Imagine the look on her face when she finds out that her lover sits in this office, commanding so many men."

Mira rolled her eyes.

Seriously, getting this man to take anything seriously was immensely difficult.

....

"Are you sure about this, Amanda?" Layena asked as she stood off to the side. Her vest was torn in several places, and her breathing remained slightly ragged from the battle.

Amanda was comparatively less injured than Layena, largely because Layena and the others had dealt with most of the monsters.

Now, only a single Ghoul remained standing.

And across from it stood Amanda.

All alone.

"Leave it to me," Amanda said, never taking her eyes off the massive creature that towered nearly eight feet above the ground.

A gigantic war hammer rested in its left hand. Its charred skin was marred by numerous cuts, each one a reminder of the battle they had just endured. Blood seeped from several wounds, yet the creature remained unnervingly steady.

Amanda stared into those crimson eyes and immediately understood.

There was still plenty of fight left in it.

Gruff.

The monster suddenly drove its hammer into the ground, the impact sending cracks spidering through the concrete beneath its feet. Its crimson eyes remained fixed on Amanda, as though it had already chosen its next target.

Amanda grinned.

Bare-handed as she was, she showed not the slightest inclination to retreat or call for assistance.

’Kyle is watching... I can’t disappoint him.’

The monster took a single step forward.

Amanda lunged.

She swung her hand in a sharp diagonal arc, releasing a compressed blade of air that tore toward the Ghoul.

TNG!

The creature raised its hammer just in time, deflecting the attack with a heavy clang.

Amanda merely snickered.

Rather than press the attack, she broke into a sprint and began circling the monster, swiftly moving toward its rear.

The others assumed, much like the Ghoul itself, that her initial attack had failed and that she was now attempting to confuse the creature by constantly changing her position.

The Ghoul slowly turned to follow her, its thick fingers tightening around the hammer’s hilt.

Then Amanda abruptly changed direction.

She rushed straight toward it.

"No," Layena muttered, a flicker of nervousness crossing her expression. She feared Amanda was about to rush the creature without a proper opening.

The Ghoul let out a guttural growl and raised its hammer, preparing to bring it down upon Amanda with enough force to turn her into little more than a smear of blood and flesh—

SLASH!

"Graaagh!"

The monster suddenly screamed.

A deep gash opened across its back, blood spilling from the wound despite the fact that Amanda was directly in front of it.

At the same instant, Amanda launched herself upward. Her hands seized the Ghoul’s head, using its own momentum against it as she drove her knee viciously into its face.

Huff!

The monster reeled backward, shaking its head as it struggled to regain its balance.

Blood now streamed down its back.

And the anger in its eyes was rapidly intensifying.

Meanwhile, Kyle stood some distance away, watching the battle with a faint smile as he observed the clear growth in Amanda’s abilities.

She created two slashes, one immediate and the other delayed. That would have been impossible for her in the past.

He wouldn’t claim that her progress was entirely the result of his blessings. If anything, Amanda’s greatest limitation had always been her lack of confidence in experimenting with her own powers. She had possessed the ability, but she had been hesitant to push beyond what she already knew she could do.

That had changed.

Now, she understood that her abilities could continue to grow. The increase in her potential had given her a renewed sense of possibility, and she had begun paying far greater attention to disciplined training. More importantly, she actively sought out opportunities to test herself in real battles, gradually learning how to adapt and refine her powers under pressure.

Kyle could see the difference clearly.

Amanda was no longer merely using the abilities she possessed.

She was learning how to make them her own.

°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.