"Now, you should feel fear, or perhaps... you''re just masking your terror with


    indifference. Well, I''ve seen plenty of people on the brink of death who were just like you. But this time, I think I can offer you a chance. If you''re willing to teach me the technique you use to absorb others'' energy, I can spare your life. Just leave Buck Town, and I won''t pursue this any further. What do you say?"


    Jesse looked at Augheimer, believing he had given him enough respect. If Augheimer agreed, he could walk away with his life. However, Augheimer acted as if he had not heard anything, simply picking up the roasted rabbit leg and continuing to eat.


    "Insolent!"


    ng!


    Jesse drew his sword and struck it downward with a powerful sh. The sword''s force instantly shattered the stone Augheimer had been sitting on, sending fragments flying. But Augheimer had already dodged to the side.


    In the next moment, Jesse shed forward, appearing before Augheimer. Raising his sword, he pointed it at Augheimer and said, "I''m giving you onest chance. Where is that technique?"


    Augheimer, still eating the rabbit leg with a nonchnt expression, replied, "Mister Jesse, pointing your sword at me like this isn''t very friendly. Should I take it as you challenging me?"


    Jesse gritted his teeth and red at Augheimer. "What did you say?"


    Augheimer met Jesse''s gaze, and in an instant, Jesse suddenly withdrew his sword and shed horizontally. Augheimer quickly leaned back, the sword passing just above his head. In the next second, Augheimer straightened up and leaped forward, kicking Jesse.


    Since Jesse had not expected Augheimer to fight back, he was caught off guard. In just a few seconds, Jesse''s chest was struck several times, sending him flying.


    Jesse was hurled several meters back, hovering in mid-air. He quickly formed a white light barrier around himself andnded on the ground. The next moment, he leaped up again, turning into a blur as he thrust his sword at Augheimer.


    At the same time, Augheimer''s right hand formed a w-like shape, and a ck energy sphere condensed above his hand.


    Augheimer stood there, stepping back with his right foot beforeunching the energy sphere at Jesse.


    Jesse''s sword struck the energy sphere, but the energy in his sword was quickly absorbed by the sphere, causing it to growrger while the sword, having lost its energy, crumbled into dust.


    In the next second, Augheimer flew forward, pressing the ck energy sphere against Jesse''s white light barrier. Seeing this, Jesse hastily unleashed more energy, causing the light from the barrier to grow brighter.


    The two forces collided, with the ck energy sphere continuously absorbing the energy from Jesse''s barrier and expanding, leaving Jesse helpless and wide- eyed.


    At that moment, Jesse knew that if this continued, once the barrier''s energy was fully absorbed, he would suffer severe injuries. In desperation, Jesse had no choice but to self-destruct, causing the white light barrier to explode.


    Boom!


    With a loud explosion, Jesse was blown backward by the barrier''s energy. Just then, something astonishing happened. Jesse saw the massive ck energy sphere in Augheimer''s hand shrink and then get absorbed by Augheimer.


    "What kind of special technique has this guy cultivated?" Jesse wondered.


    With a wave of his hand, the dozen members of the Shadow Group turned into shadows and charged at Augheimer. However, at that moment, Augheimer''s body shook, and the ck energy he had just absorbed transformed into a ck barrier around him.