E-Rank or SSS-Rank: I Awakened a Skill That Shouldn't Exist
Chapter 170: Nathan’s Struggle

Chapter 170: Nathan’s Struggle

Chapter 170

A thunderous battle cry echoed through the half-destroyed city, followed by the deafening clash of power. Furious whirlwinds spiraled around as two fighters were locked in savage combat amidst the rubble.

On the right stood a middle-aged man, his metallic hands embedded with glowing cores. Each core pulsed with power, enhancing his strikes with every blow. Opposite him was a young man with ash-gray hair and a wild, maniacal grin etched across his face. Two massive metal arms protruded from his back, effortlessly parrying the barrage of attacks thrown his way.

After another brutal exchange, the two combatants finally separated, a wide gap forming between them amidst the ruined streets.

Nathan panted heavily, his chest rising and falling in labored breaths. The intense strain on his body was undeniable—he had activated his Multiplier skill at the start of the battle, doubling all his stats. It made him immensely powerful, but even that wasn’t enough to contend with the monster standing across from him.

Metallo looked completely unbothered, not a scratch or drop of sweat in sight.

Nathan had always known the gap between an A-Ranker and an S-Ranker was immense—but never, not even in his worst nightmares, had he imagined it would be this overwhelming.

No... this isn’t just any S-Ranker, Nathan thought grimly. If my instincts are right... then he’s a monster even among S-Rankers.

Metallo’s terrifying ability to manipulate metal with near-absolute control skewed the battlefield in his favor. Every move Nathan made could be turned against him with a flick of Metallo’s hand.

Nathan’s mind raced through dozens of strategies. If he deactivated Multiplier, he’d be down in seconds. But keeping it at ×2 was steadily eating away at his stamina. If he tried pushing it to ×3 or ×4, the strain on his body would become catastrophic—he could break apart before even landing a decisive blow.

I have to risk it. There’s no other way, Nathan thought. Gritting his teeth, he took a determined step forward.

"Duck!" a familiar voice shouted from the distance.

Instinct took over. Nathan dropped low just as a piercing yellow beam shot past, narrowly missing his head.

Fwoooom—BOOOOM!

The beam obliterated a half-collapsed building behind him, reducing it to smoldering debris. Sweat rolled down Nathan’s face as he processed what just happened. That shot would have vaporized him—he didn’t even sense it coming.

With rising dread, Nathan turned to face the direction of the attack. His eyes narrowed, his heart sank.

Atop a precariously standing building stood a lone figure, calm and unmoving. His jet-black hair danced in the wind, but it was the large, glowing third eye on his forehead that stole Nathan’s breath away—a blinding yellow orb radiating pure, merciless death.

The man wore a dark armored suit similar to Metallo’s, the only thing the two shared in appearance.

Nathan’s face paled. The realization hit him like a blow to the gut.

The second Dark Emissary had arrived.

The battle had just become significantly more dangerous.

But at least he wasn’t alone anymore.

Landing beside him was Bron, blood smeared across his body—but thankfully, none of it was his. He and Shin had been the first to receive healing while Shae went off to find Silver. Shin was currently trying to hold back the third-eye freak for as long as he could... though, realistically, both of them knew it wouldn’t be long.

"We have to take this one down before that thing finishes Shin," Bron muttered, his voice grim.

Nathan gave a sharp nod. If they could just eliminate one of the Dark Emissaries, even one... their chances of survival would rise drastically.

Metallo, overhearing their exchange, widened his eyes in mock fear and gasped dramatically.

"Whaaat? Kill me? But I thought we were having such a good time!" he said with a smirk, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Nathan scoffed and surged forward.

"Multiplier—All Stats ×3!" he roared.

His muscles screamed in protest, a surge of agony tearing through his body. A strained groan escaped his lips, but he clenched his jaw, endured the pain, and vanished from sight—only to reappear a heartbeat later, right in front of Metallo.

Metallo’s eyes widened, genuine surprise flickering across his face. He barely had time to react.

BAM!

The impact rang out like a cannon blast.

Nathan’s fist smashed into Metallo’s face, snapping his head back violently. Blood burst from the man’s nose—the first time he had bled since entering the ruined city of Serenya.

But Nathan wasn’t done.

He twisted, driving both fists into Metallo’s chest and gut.

WHAM!

Metallo doubled over, coughing up a mouthful of blood as his body was hurled backwards, crashing through buildings before slamming into the debris-strewn ground far away.

Nathan collapsed to one knee, eyes bloodshot, body trembling under the overwhelming strain. Every cell in his body screamed in agony. The pain was unbearable—like his muscles were tearing apart from the inside out.

Breathing heavily, he dropped the multiplier back to ×2. His body screamed for rest, but his mind refused.

He pushed himself to his feet, wavering but determined.

He would’ve loved to believe that was enough to end Metallo—but he wasn’t naive.

Sure enough, the remains of the collapsed building began to tremble... then burst apart.

Standing amidst the dust and rubble was Metallo, blood trailing from his mouth and a fresh gash on his forehead. His carefree demeanor was gone—replaced by seething fury.

Nathan smirked, forcing defiance into his voice.

"What happened to your usual smug grin?" he taunted.

Metallo stared at him in silence, then began walking forward, each step cracking the concrete beneath his feet. The anger on his face melted away into something far more dangerous—a gleeful, bloodstained smile.

"You’re... really something," he murmured. He touched his forehead, smearing the blood, then licked it with unsettling satisfaction.

"I can’t even remember the last time someone made me bleed."

His eyes lit up with manic delight.

"So I’ll honor you... by tearing off your head and keeping it as a trophy."

Bron had heard enough.

He lunged in from the side, aiming to catch Metallo off guard.

But Metallo didn’t even glance his way.

With a flick of his wrist, a massive metal fist formed in the air and came crashing down.

BOOM!

Bron was slammed into the ground with brutal force, the earth splitting beneath him from the sheer impact.

"Damn it!" Nathan cursed internally, eyes flicking to Shin—who was barely holding on against the third-eyed monster.

Time was slipping away. If he didn’t act now, everything they’d fought for would fall apart.

He sucked in a sharp breath, pushed past the pain, and charged again—slower than before, but still relentless.

Metallo’s eyes narrowed. So... his earlier boost was from a skill.

Nathan’s fist flew, but Metallo had already adapted.

Two large metallic arms shot out—one blocking the punch, the other uppercutting Nathan into the sky.

As he soared upward, Nathan gritted his teeth, every part of his body begging to shut down.

But he wasn’t done.

I have to do it now.

What he was about to attempt was suicidal. Insane.

But he had no choice.

Even if it killed him.

Nathan’s breathing was ragged—each inhale felt like knives in his lungs. His body trembled uncontrollably, barely holding together under the strain.

Still, he rose.

His fists—now metallic from the system’s enhancement—glowed with a blinding light. The sheer heat shimmered off them as the glow intensified, roaring to life like twin stars. Clenching his fists tighter, Nathan’s eyes blazed with determination.

With everything he had left, he screamed:

"Multiplier—×5!"

And he dove.

Spiraling downward like a meteor, the force of the fall tore through the air. His bones shrieked in protest, threatening to snap apart from the inside, but he didn’t stop. He couldn’t.

All he needed was one clean hit.

Just one.

Metallo’s expression shifted—his casual confidence replaced by something far more serious.

Fear.

He could feel it—the overwhelming pressure of the attack. He didn’t hesitate.

In an instant, he raised his hands and conjured layer upon layer of metallic shields, each reinforced with his core energy. One. Two. Four. Six. Ten layers stacked atop each other, hovering above him like an armored dome.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!—

The sound of destruction echoed across the ruins of Serenya as Nathan’s fist tore through each layer like wet paper. The shockwaves cracked the earth, shattered glass, and flattened nearby debris.

In two seconds, the final shield shattered.

Nathan was right in front of him.

But—just barely—Metallo shifted to the side.

BOOOOM!

Nathan’s fist smashed into the ground like a divine hammer. The resulting shockwave blasted Metallo off his feet, sending him skidding several meters back, eyes wide with disbelief.

He stared at the impact crater, then at Nathan—shocked and rattled.

He could’ve died.

No tricks. No pretending. That blow could’ve killed him outright.

What kind of monster was hiding in this so-called "upstart" guild?

But Nathan...

Nathan was done.

He knelt at the center of the crater, steam rising from his body, his breathing shallow and broken. Every muscle felt shredded. He couldn’t even lift a finger.

The beast cores he’d relied on—the only things that had shielded him from external manipulation like Metallo’s metal-controlling energy—were now depleted. Gone.

Without them, Metallo could control the metal in Nathan’s arms.

He could force Nathan’s own hands to end him.

Nathan knew it.

And yet, here he was—still alive.

Barely.

By all logic, he should’ve been dead. The backlash from overusing his flawed skill at ×5 should’ve torn him apart. The fact that he was still breathing?

A miracle.

But in the end... even after all that...

He had failed.

He didn’t stop Metallo.

He didn’t protect Serenya.

His fists trembled—not from power now, but from helplessness.

And as the dust settled, Nathan lowered his head, the weight of failure pressing down heavier than any wound.

To be continued...

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