Volume 4: Hidden Battles – Chapter 176: Humans Also Count

“I never expected that a trip to Europe would broaden my horizons so much. Not only did I witness the legendary vampires and the holy warriors of the church for the first time, but I also got to see such a remarkable phenomenon here. It was truly worth the journey! By the way, Archbishop Thorne, what I don’t understand is how you turned this shadow into another of Europe’s top rulers, who has dominated the British Isles for so many years. In my view, it’s nothing but a lifeless corpse!” Chu Tianyu asked curiously. The more he knew about his enemies, the better—no harm in that.
“Hehe, Easterner, I still don’t know your name,” Thorne said casually, bolstered by the power of the Black Eagle.
“My friends in Europe usually just call me ‘Chu’!” Chu Tianyu replied readily.
“Chu, I really hope we can become friends. But perhaps this beautiful wish will be something you deeply miss once you’re in heaven!” Thorne said provocatively.
“You still haven’t answered my question,” Chu Tianyu said unfazed.
“Oh, it’s simple. It’s just my shadow. With my strength and a suitable backdrop, I can easily create another powerful entity to rule the British Isles with ease.”
“Is Farouk also your shadow?” Chu Tianyu asked suddenly, as if struck by an idea.
At this question, Thorne flashed his most charming smile and said softly, “Dear Chu, I truly admire your imagination. But I can tell you clearly—Farouk isn’t some shadow. He’s a real being. Only…”
“Only what?” Chu Tianyu pressed.
“Only that you’ve been deceived!” Before he could finish speaking, a clear silhouette of the Black Eagle formed behind him. Thorne suddenly raised his head and roared, “The power of gods, the wind of fierce battle, the thunder of the earth—all are my faith. Please grant strength to your most loyal believer…”
Instantly, black flames erupted around Thorne, spreading outward from him and the Black Eagle behind him. The entire space seemed to darken in an instant, thunder rumbled in the sky, and the ground trembled in ways impossible to discern with the naked eye—everywhere, one could sense an immense force being unleashed.
Chu Tianyu was all too familiar with this scene. Just a few months ago, during the winter break in Hong Kong, when he fought against the tyrant Farouk, he had amplified his strength by reciting these same spells after going into a frenzied state.

The brutal battle against Chu Tianyu back then is still fresh in his memory—it was a fierce fight. Although his Purple Void True Qi wasn’t very strong at that time, thanks to the powerful assistance of the Purple Void Dragon Core, he was able to secure a decisive victory with the final strike. Now, Thor could even summon the power of the War God, plus that Black Hawk whose strength was still unknown. It’s no wonder Thor dared to face Chu Tianyu’s challenge alone today—he truly had the arrogance to back it up.

Chu Tianyu also understood the answer to the question he had just asked. Faruk wasn’t actually Thor’s other shadow; rather, it was Faruk’s power to fight against the War God that came from Thor’s grant. The difference in strength and the level of summoning the War God became immediately apparent. So, even if Faruk wasn’t Thor’s shadow, he must surely be one of Thor’s puppets or subordinates.

Therefore, given Faruk’s ability to summon the War God, Thor’s power was truly unimaginable!

“Gah gah, see? That wretch Faruk only learned a little bit of my skill in summoning the War God, yet it’s already enough for him to dominate all of Norseland. You’re quite lucky today. Normally, with the help of the Black Hawk, I wouldn’t need to summon the War God again. But, Chu, you can be proud—your formidable strength truly scares me and gives me my first chance to give it my all. Haha…” After summoning the power of the War God, though still conscious, Thor’s face had become grotesque, and his firm, harsh voice made people feel terrified.

Even Fernandi in the distance couldn’t help but shiver several times, instinctively stepping back to find some respite from Thor’s overwhelming presence. He was drenched in cold sweat, filled with extreme fear.

Facing Thor in his ultimate state, Chu Tianyu, naturally, felt it the most. He had thought he had a trump card, but he never expected Thor to combine two forces like that, reaching such an incredible level.

Still, Chu Tianyu acted. With all his strength, he threw a punch straight at Thor’s face. Thor’s surroundings filled with dark energy, instantly forming a barrier around him. Although it couldn’t stop Chu Tianyu’s fast-pushing punch, it greatly reduced its speed, making it seem like slow motion in his eyes.

Thor sneered disdainfully. Driven by the power of the War God, his slightly swollen fist charged forward mercilessly to meet Chu Tianyu’s slowly approaching punch.

With a “Boom~”, the ground shook violently as an immense force spiraled out in all directions. Chu Tianyu, one of the two fighters in the arena, was instantly sent flying by this punch that harnessed the power of heaven and earth. He traced an arc through the air before landing on the ruins of the former church.

After achieving success with his move, Thorne didn’t pause like Chu Tianyu did. Instead, he rushed forward immediately. The imaginary black eagle behind him let out a long cry, emitting a wave of deathly energy as it swooped down toward Chu Tianyu on the ground.

“Kid, let me teach you a lesson before you die: never slack off just because your enemy seems at a disadvantage. There’s no mercy for enemies—only relentless attacks until they can never threaten you again!” Thorne spoke while fighting fiercely against Chu Tianyu, his punches coordinated with the attacks of the black eagle.

Thorne’s onslaught was like a mountain pressing down on Chu Tianyu, the fierce energy putting immense pressure on him. Although the black eagle’s attacks weren’t primarily meant to strike, its dark light acted like a black hole, seemingly capable of devouring all living things around it. This made Chu Tianyu feel as though his energy was constantly flowing out of his body.

Moreover, the black eagle would occasionally shoot black arrows from its beak, hitting Chu Tianyu. Although Chu Tianyu already had a layer of true energy protecting his body, being harassed like this while also facing Thorne’s direct attacks left him in a state of chaos.

Thorne’s pride filled his chest. This was exactly the effect he wanted. For someone arrogant and confident, especially such a young person, suddenly showing strength far beyond his opponent’s expectations would deal a direct blow to both his body and mind. This is what they say—“The higher you jump, the harder you fall!”

Such extreme fluctuations and the ultimate sense of despair could instantly break down an opponent like this, turning them into a victim of his punches, without him having to pay any price.

He remembered a similar concept in Chinese military strategy: “To subdue an enemy without fighting is the way of a true ruler!” Isn’t the current situation the perfect illustration of this?

Thorn looked down at Chu Tianyu, who was under his relentless attacks and could only resort to passive resistance. The domineering aura that he had earlier seemed to have vanished without a trace. In Thorn’s eyes, Chu Tianyu was no longer a formidable opponent capable of threatening him; instead, he was a pitiful wretch worse than a dog, destined to be slaughtered at his will!

Chu Tianyu was indeed in a dire situation. Without the strong support of the Purple Void Dragon Core within him, relying solely on his Purple Void True Qi, he was no longer able to match Thorn’s power drawn from the forces of heaven and earth. All he could do now was rely on the various martial arts he had practiced since childhood, using agility and clever tactics to counter his opponent’s fierce, even brutal, attacks.

The balance of power seemed to have shifted instantly. It was now Thorn who delivered punch after punch without any fancy moves. Due to the huge disparity in strength, he saw no need to use any elaborate techniques—Chu Tianyu was too busy trying to survive to even think about fighting back.

Yet this situation forced Chu Tianyu to endure a tough test of fighting and defense under adversity. This long-forgotten experience reminded him of the times when he had started training under his third master, facing challenges everywhere. It seemed that only in the early battles had he found himself in a similar situation…

Now, Chu Tianyu was using every intricate technique he could think of to resist Thorn and Black Eagle’s savage attacks, struggling to hold on. The situation was perilous, and for now, he could only maintain this passive stance.

Up to this point, although Thorn was already certain of victory, he still had to admire this mysterious Chinese cultivator. Despite his small size, he could unleash such immense strength, stubbornly resisting Thorn even with such a significant advantage. It seemed that the opponent’s will had not wavered or weakened despite going from a sudden strong fighter to one on the defensive.

At the same time, watching the opponent’s slippery movements and bizarre evasion angles, Thorn felt inexplicably annoyed, as if something was off, though he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.

The battle between them had reached a fierce stage. Though Thor kept unleashing the power of the God of War, his fists generating whirlwind-like hurricanes that slammed wildly at Chu Tianyu, Chu Tianyu could always make accurate judgments in response to his attacks—either dodging ahead of time or using some extremely intricate techniques to parry and deflect them, rendering them ineffective. Of course, Chu Tianyu was also in a dire situation, as evident from the torn clothes on his body caused by Thor’s punches piercing through his defensive energy. With a “bang~”, Thor finally seized an opportunity with Black Eagle’s help, forcing Chu Tianyu to take his full-powered punch head-on. Chu Tianyu was instantly sent flying backward, his upper clothes turning to ashes under Thor’s intense force, revealing his muscular chest. Thor felt immense satisfaction from that punch! Without even looking at Chu Tianyu’s miserable state, he immediately followed up with another punch from a distance. Chu Tianyu barely raised his hands to gather a layer of energy to block it, but this layer of energy was utterly insignificant against Thor’s attack—it was like trying to stop a car with a mantis’ arms and was instantly shattered, causing Chu Tianyu to fly even faster, his body tracing irregular paths as he tumbled. Amidst the tumbling, Thor faintly sensed a dark shadow appearing on Chu Tianyu’s chest. Watching Chu Tianyu roll away, Thor was about to pursue him when suddenly an answer came to his mind—realizing what had seemed odd earlier: why, despite knowing the overwhelming difference in strength, did Chu still insist on staying and fighting instead of fleeing? Given his speed, if he had truly chosen to escape, Thor would have had no way to stop him, yet he chose to stay and confront him head-on. Could it be out of foolish pride and confidence? At this thought, Thor paused momentarily, quickly widening the distance from the rapidly flying Chu Tianyu. But before he could think further, he heard a long roar from afar—as Chu Tianyu, who had stopped moving, suddenly appeared in front of Thor like lightning. “No one can humiliate the dignity of our dragon race or strike at our nobility so recklessly! I swear by the noble dragon race—I will wash away the shame of just now with your blood! Take my punch!” Chu Tianyu’s deliberately feigned madness dispelled Thor’s doubts, as the lifelike black dragon tattooed on his chest already explained everything.

It seems he truly is a descendant of some noble dragon race, which explains his unyielding fighting spirit and foolish pride. Thorne, now unguarded, watched Chu Tianyu, who was full of fighting spirit at that moment. Upon seeing the fist coming toward him, he felt delighted. Such a person, who was extremely blind in pursuit of some belief, certainly didn’t deserve to be called a master, let alone his opponent—at most, he was just a high-level waste! After thinking this through, Thorne acted swiftly. Just as Chu Tianyu threw his rapid punch, dark energy surged throughout his body, and the black eagle behind him instantly retracted. This caused a series of crackling sounds as his energy surged, and with the power of the War God added, his strength increased by several notches… Thorne watched Chu Tianyu’s approaching fist and swung his own massive fist, covered in black light, with all his might. The speed was so fast it was barely visible to the eye, and with greater force, the energy it generated distorted the air itself, as if that single punch could end the entire battle. The expected roar never came; instead, there was only a piercing “thump” sound drowned out by the noise of the energy cutting through the air. Thorne stared in disbelief as a dark-colored long sword suddenly appeared from Chu Tianyu’s fist, piercing through his fist and then his heart… At the same time, Chu Tianyu’s cold voice rang in his ears: “Finally, I’ve waited for you to be weakened. Without the Black Eagle to replace you, it seems the title of ‘Immortal Thorne’ should come to an end. Remember! Those who count others as mere tools will also be treated as such!”