Novel's Extra: I Awakened The Strongest Physique From The Start

The woman's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, her blood pooling around her as the sound of her collapse echoed through the cavern. The other assassins didn't flinch. Their expressions remained cold and detached, their mechanical precision eerily unnerving.

"Interesting," one of them muttered, his gaze fixed on Alex. "His mana isn't depleted. And he isn't disoriented like he should be."

It was hard to differentiate them from one another as they all wore the same all-black assassin outfit.

The leader's frown deepened as his black eyes locked onto Alex. "No... he's still staggering," he said, making others finally see Alex's unfocused eyes, which slowly seemed to be gaining clarity.

"He killed her simply by following her voice," he rubbed his chin, his body tilted, and his tone measured. "It seems he's far from the class of a mere kid."

Every word from that guy—or any other assassin—cleared Alex's haze more and more. Every word from them made him pinpoint their positions.

'This fucking dizziness!' He growled inwardly.

[... It's already good that you survived. You need higher pain in order to get your head straight.]

Sophie, after a pause, commented.

Alex's gaze flicked to Verathian, his trusted sword. 'Pain,' he muttered, and the next second, gritting his teeth, he pierced his thigh, making the sword pierce right through it.

"Ghhh!" He growled a bit, but that pain really did clear his vision.

[Sigh...] Sophie sighed looking at this. She knew he would do this—precisely why she was hesitant—but this was the only way.

"He seemed to have regained his clarity," spoke the assassin closest to Alex as he saw Alex's steady gaze.

"Matters not," the leader drew his dagger, spinning it around as he licked its blade, whispering lightly, "Proceed to kill." Continue reading at empire

At the command, the assassins moved in unison, their weapons drawing with a synchronized fluidity that made Zahara's heart lurch.

She could feel the power of the seven figures—they were all in the star connection realm. Each of them, exuding lethal intent, advanced toward Alex, who stood amidst the chaos with his ink-black sword dripping blood onto the stone floor.

Alex exhaled slowly, his expression calm despite the odds. "Seven against one?" he muttered, rolling his neck as a crack echoed in the cavern. "You should've brought more."

Zahara's breath hitched as she watched him—she could tell he was bluffing. Right now, he didn't have the power to face seven-star connection realm assassins.

But despite her earlier fears and the overwhelming pressure in the room, Alex didn't falter. He wasn't just fighting for his life—he was fighting for hers.

She wanted to help, but she didn't know how.

[Alex.] Sophie's voice echoed in his mind. [You need to be careful. These aren't ordinary assassins. They feel... strange.]

'I know,' Alex replied aloud, his voice steady. 'But I'm not alone.'

He glanced at Zahara, whose eyes happened to meet his, desperation and fear evident in them.

Alex's eyes, however, scanned her body for any injuries. Much to his relief, she didn't seem to have any.

His gaze then turned back to the assassins flanking him from all sides.

'They aren't amateurs,' he concluded. Their postures were tense; they clearly weren't going easy on him, even with how relaxed their chat seemed.

The leader stood behind, spinning his finger ring dagger with a smile. "He is said to have gravitational manipulation, but he must've one trump card. So, be careful," he warned them, unperturbed.

He didn't seem concerned about Alex winning. It was as if he knew the end result.

'He's dangerous.' Alex thought. Unlike what it seemed, Alex could feel that guy's sharp eyes observing every move he made. Alex could feel even his muscle movements being perceived by that guy.

The worst thing was that the guy was standing quite close to Zahara, which bothered Alex more than anything.

'Sophie,' he called out to the only person who could let him and Zahara share messages without being detected, telling her what to do.

The assassins, however, finally moved.

The first assassin lunged, their blade aimed directly at Alex's heart. In a flash, Alex sidestepped, his movements precise and calculated. His sword swung upward, severing the assassin's weapon in two before plunging into their chest. A sharp gasp escaped the attacker's lips before they collapsed, lifeless.

"Two down," Alex said, his voice cold as he pulled his sword out. Inwardly, however, he frowned.

'Strange,' he muttered, his gaze moving toward the dead assassins. 'This feels too easy.'

[But... they are dead.]

Sophie, who could feel the same thing, spoke.

The remaining assassins, however, didn't hesitate. They moved together, their attacks coordinated as they encircled him.

They all moved together, and Alex, a major realm below them, couldn't follow their movement, but that didn't mean he would lose.

His fingers twitched before he waved his hand, rushing toward one of the assassins.

Crack

Green veins erupted from the ground, cracking it from several places before they gripped the assassins' ankles, who, unprepared, stumbled.

With a vertical slash, Alex quickly decapitates the assassin closest to him, his gaze as cold as before.

Blood spurted out, splashing over Alex's clothes, but he just waved his sword, wiping the blood off.

"Three down," he counted, his heart beating against his ribs as he kept glancing at Zahara, hoping that she got the message, and from the looks of it, she did seem to have received it.

Zahara could only watch, her heart pounding as the sick sound of flesh being torn apart still echoed through the cavern.

She wanted to help, but recalling Sophie's words, she waited. Moving right now would endanger herself and Alex alike.

The leader was just next to her after all. Although his gaze was fixed on Alex, observing him with an unreadable expression, she could feel it in her bones. His attention had never left her.

"This is pointless," the leader finally said, his voice cutting through the chaos. "You're outnumbered, Alex. Even if you have earth affinity, you'll never be able to take them by surprise again."

Alex didn't respond immediately. Instead, he ducked under a blade, driving his sword into another assassin's stomach, which was blocked by their blade.

A sharp clang of metal clashing was heard, making the leader sneer again.

"Just give up—"

But before he could complete his words, a bright flashlight blinded everyone. Its origin was Alex's free hand.

Everyone, including the one blocking Alex's attack, was momentarily blinded, shielding their eyes, frowning at the sudden flash.

Thud

It didn't take longer than a second for the leader to recover, but when he did, he saw the body of the one who had blocked Alex's attack on the ground with a deep gash next to his heart. Dead and motionless.

Alex was already standing in front of another assassin, his sword next to their neck, and in a flash...

Thud

The body and the head separated as they fell.

Alex turned to the leader, his piercing gaze locking onto him. "You talk too much for someone who's been hiding behind his subordinates," he said, his tone sharp and unyielding.

The leader's lips twitched into a faint smirk. "Say's the one who can't keep up with the same 'subordinates' even with your speed increased with gravity magic."

Alex stood his ground, not in the least shaken as he observed the remaining three assassins, none of them bothered by the deaths of their comrades.

Just when it seemed like Alex had run out of trump cards and tension in the atmosphere was at an all-time high, three streaks of thunder flashed, appearing right above the heads of assassins, pouring down on them before they could even react.

Sizzle

Their bodies burned under the impact of the attack, and before they could regain their footing, three blades made of wind moved toward them.

Splash X3

Thud X3

After being cut off by the wind blades, the heads rolled down the ground before the bodies fell with a heavy thud.

"One trump card, you said?" Alex turned to the leader, his eyes cold and unyielding, staring right into his.

There was nothing but stunned silence enveloping the cavern as the air itself seemed to be surprised by the quick attack.

"Wow," spoke the leader, breaking the silence as he clapped, a wide smile perceivable even with the mask on.

"I take it back. You didn't just have one trump card," his voice filled with defeat, but Alex frowned as the sense of unease in his heart suddenly spiked.

"But, was that all?" The leader tilted his head, his words laced with disappointment: "I was told to be careful, but is this it?"

"What are you on about?" Growled Alex, his grip around Verathian tightened.

"You were strong, Alex," the leader said, his voice pondering yet relaxed. "But I feel like you are still hiding more."

Clap!

He clapped, his voice turning serious as he added, "You guys need to get serious. I want to see him bleed."

At those words, all the seven assassins Alex had cut down suddenly stood up, their heads getting attached and their wounds getting healed.

Strange cracking sounds could be heard echoing through the wet walls of the cavern as Alex saw, with his eyes gaining solemn light as more assassins emerged from strange green portals that appeared on the walls.

"Let the round two begin," the leader chuckled.