'Buzz...!'
The air hummed violently.
Above the spot where the villa had exploded, the tornado kept growing larger. Even the surrounding airflow and the clouds overhead were dragged into it, gradually forming a massive vortex centered on the ruined building.
Fragments of the villa spun inside like bullets, moving at terrifying speed. Their destructive force was comparable to artillery shells, more than enough to punch straight through a human body.
Under such pressure, even the nearby buildings began to shake, looking as though they might collapse at any moment and be sucked into the storm, expanding it even further.
Even a Mysterious Being would have trouble surviving inside a storm like this.
Yet Fang Li was floating right in the center of it.
His clothes and hair whipped wildly in the gale, while pieces of debris occasionally smashed into him. But although those fragments were powerful enough to pierce flesh, they couldn't even leave a scratch on Fang Li.
That was thanks to his Battle Suit greatly reducing the force of the impacts. Otherwise, even Fang Li would've had to use Prana to defend himself in a situation like this.
With no need to worry about that, he simply hovered in the eye of the storm and looked across from him.
Tatsumaki was floating there, her entire body surrounded by the eerie green glow of her psychokinesis. At some point, she'd wrapped herself in a curtain, finally covering her previously naked body.
Her expression, however, was murderous. She glared at Fang Li through clenched teeth, looking like she wanted to tear him apart.
The surrounding wind continued to spiral around the two of them, expanding higher and higher into the sky.
Meanwhile, Sylvia's beautiful singing rang out. Protected by what seemed like an invisible barrier, she passed safely through the storm and landed outside its range, with Fubuki protected beside her.
"Elder Sister!" Fubuki's expression changed as she watched the rapidly expanding tornado.
"Tatsumaki-chan really needs to do something about that temper. She even destroyed my house." Sylvia could only sigh.
As if he'd heard them, Fang Li shifted his gaze and looked around.
'Crack... Crack...'
The surrounding buildings and even the ground had begun to tremble. At this rate, everything nearby would eventually be torn apart by the expanding storm.
Realizing that, Fang Li glanced toward Sylvia and Fubuki watching from a distance and narrowed his eyes.
'Tap.'
The crescent-shaped dagger fell into his hand, and an icy blue light flashed through his eyes.
'SHING...!'
A blade flashed.
'SCHLIK...!'
A sharp tearing sound rang out.
'BOOM...!'
The expanding tornado suddenly looked as though an invisible blade had cut straight through it. The entire storm was split cleanly in two, and then it dispersed.
Countless pieces of debris immediately rained down from the air, clattering onto what remained of the ruined villa below.
Fang Li and Tatsumaki were still floating in midair, staring at each other. One wore an almost amused smile; the other looked ready to bite someone.
"What kind of stupid little trick are you using?!"
Tatsumaki was genuinely furious. Even now, she still had no idea how Fang Li was dealing with her psychic powers. She had even begun to suspect that such a method shouldn't exist at all.
If there really were a way to completely counter psychic abilities, Tatsumaki wouldn't have spent all these years being feared by everyone and doing whatever she pleased. Yet Fang Li really could deal with her powers, no matter what Tatsumaki did, she couldn't affect him.
That fact alone was enough to drive her crazy.
Fang Li, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"So that's what you're worried about?" He casually spun the Moon Blade in his hand. "I thought you'd have a lot more questions than that."
And he was right. Tatsumaki had plenty of questions.
For example, where had Fang Li gotten that potion he'd forced down her throat, the one capable of turning her into an animal? Its effect had been so bizarre that, when she first transformed, Tatsumaki had nearly scared herself to death thinking she'd somehow become a Mysterious Being.
And then there was the fact that Fang Li didn't merely possess a way to completely counter psychic powers. He could also do things that looked very much like psychic abilities himself.
Right now, for instance, he was simply floating in the air. That wasn't something an ordinary person could do.
One question after another made Fang Li seem more and more mysterious. Eventually, Tatsumaki even started wondering whether Fang Li had deliberately approached her, or perhaps Fubuki, for some hidden purpose.
Fang Li seemed to see exactly what she was thinking.
"You really are full of yourself." His tone was mocking. "Do you seriously think everyone in the world is desperate to get close to you two? How stupid."
"What did you say?!" Tatsumaki immediately flew into a rage.
"What? You still want to fight?" Fang Li raised the Moon Blade, his expression turning calm. "I don't mind. But this time, you won't get off with something as simple as being turned into an animal."
Tatsumaki's breath caught, her expression becoming uncertain.
For the first time, even Tatsumaki seemed genuinely wary of this mysterious man. Not because she was afraid of losing, but because she was afraid of what might happen 'after' losing.
Being turned into a pet had already become one of the greatest humiliations of her life. If Fang Li had something even worse waiting for her next time...
Just imagining it made Tatsumaki hesitate.
But she refused to show weakness. After all, when had the Tornado of Terror ever backed down from anyone?
So she stubbornly raised her chin. "Someone like you? I could finish you off in ten minutes. What are you acting so smug for?"
In the end, Tatsumaki could only fall back on her usual boasting. What she failed to notice was that she'd once claimed she only needed five minutes to defeat Fang Li, now she'd increased it to ten.
Of course, Fang Li's answer remained the same.
"Someone like you? I could finish you in one second." He gave Tatsumaki a casual glance. "So if you want to fight, hurry up and come at me."
That completely dismissive attitude almost made Tatsumaki explode from sheer anger. She was just about to turn around and leave, deciding she couldn't be bothered dealing with this damn man anymore, when Fang Li suddenly added:
"You can leave if you want. But pay me back for the villa first. Otherwise, I'll upload your naked photos to the internet."
Tatsumaki froze.
Then exploded all over again.
"WHEN DID YOU TAKE PHOTOS?!"
Terrifying psychokinesis erupted once more. A storm swept outward, the road cracked apart, and another enormous tornado began forming.
Down below, Sylvia and Fubuki watched the whole thing happen. They looked at each other, then both smiled helplessly.
Those two really were natural enemies.
(End of Chapter)
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