The person who suddenly appeared to save the day was, of course, Ben.
He had already prepared himself when the heavily armored monster took out its short gun.
With his current agility attribute of 300 points, he could even catch bullets with his bare hands, so grabbing a short gun was a piece of cake.
Agility wasn't just about speed—it also determined reflexes. Combined with the visual enhancement from his mental attribute, Ben's ability to track dynamic movements far surpassed that of ordinary people.
He was even faster than a tabby cat!
If he wasn't confident, he wouldn't dare to play this game. If he messed up and let Leo die here, he would suffer a great loss.
After all, a good "shield" like Leo wasn't easy to find.
Ben spun the short gun in his hand, staring at the Earl as he spoke casually:
"Little bro, what's wrong with you? You want my people to kneel before you? And you want to kill her? So arrogant. Do you think you're the boss of the Spirit Realm?"
Despite his relaxed appearance, Ben wasn't completely unaffected by the Earl's eerie gaze.
There was still some pressure.
After all, his mental attribute was only about thirty points higher than Leo's.
However, he could endure this minor influence without a problem.
"The thing I hate most is show-offs—especially the ones who do it better than me!"
Ben glared at the Earl fiercely, his tone turning cold. "I'm very angry right now!"
"Little bro, you better be able to take a beating, so I can vent my anger."
It wasn't that he liked talking trash.
He was deliberately provoking the Earl.
Most intelligent creatures, when angered, lose some of their rationality and make mistakes.
Ben didn't know the Earl's full strength yet, but from Leo and Hales' conversation, he had determined that the Earl was no pushover.
If an opponent's strength is unknown, provoking them is often a smart tactic.
As for whether the Earl had intelligence?
The fact that he ordered Leo to kneel suggested he did.
He could even speak.
While Ben was trying to infuriate the Earl, the others stood frozen in shock.
Rogers, Hales, and the few North Americans stood there, dumbfounded, their eyes filled with disbelief.
What had they just witnessed?
The Earl's supposed "sure-kill" attack had been easily intercepted by Ben—someone with a so-called useless talent.
And not only that—he could stare the Earl down and speak so confidently, completely unaffected.
What was going on here...?
Even Leo's delicate face was filled with astonishment, his dark eyes widening in surprise.
He originally thought Ben was just a bit stronger than average.
Now he realized—Ben was on an entirely different level.
When Ben rushed forward to grab the short gun earlier, Leo hadn't even seen his movements clearly.
He had just swooshed—and suddenly appeared right in front of him.
That kind of speed was simply unimaginable.
Looking at Ben's broad back, Leo suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of security.
A strong sense of security—something only Ben could provide.
Two North Americans approached Rogers and the others, speaking in hushed voices.
"Is he your companion? Unbelievable! He's so powerful!"
Another added, "Yes! With him here, we might actually survive… May I ask, what is his talent ability?"
Although they spoke in their native language, the Spirit Realm had built-in translation abilities, allowing everyone to communicate freely.
Rogers himself was curious.
"Hales… Didn't you say he had a Kryptonian talent? How is this even possible...?"
"You ask me, who do I ask?" Hales' expression was serious as he stared at Ben's back. "I always suspected he was hiding something, but I never expected him to be this strong!"
Then, Hales suddenly smirked.
"Doesn't matter. Whether we live or die tonight—it's all on him now!"
That was the truth.
All eyes turned to Ben.
No one stepped forward to help.
Not because they were afraid—but because they knew they were out of their league.
This was a high-level fight.
Meanwhile, the Earl's expression darkened.
Ben's words had clearly irritated him.
His black, abyss-like eyes seemed even more sinister now, and his breathing grew heavier.
No offering had ever dared to provoke Him like this.
Seeing this, Ben decided to add fuel to the fire.
And test the monster's strength while he was at it.
"You want this broken thing back? Here you go!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Ben tightened his grip on the short gun.
Then—he hurled it with all his might!
Before his time in the Spirit Realm, Ben had played javelin in college out of curiosity. He wasn't an expert, but he understood force and accuracy.
And now, with his enhanced physical abilities, this wasn't a javelin throw anymore.
It was a laser cannon!
Whoosh!
A deafening sound ripped through the air as the short gun shot toward the Earl like a bolt of lightning.
It traveled faster and hit harder than when the monster had thrown it before!
The Earl didn't even have time to react.
Pfft!
The short gun pierced his left chest, tearing through his body before vanishing into the distance.
The impact sent the Earl staggering backward, retreating five or six steps before he managed to steady himself.
That told Ben everything he needed to know.
The monster's reaction speed was significantly slower than his.
Ben had caught the Earl's short gun earlier—but the Earl couldn't dodge Ben's counterattack.
That difference in speed alone could determine the battle.
This fight should be winnable.
Despite being impaled, the Earl remained standing—completely unfazed.
Like the other monsters, he seemed to possess an immortal body.
Ben's eyes narrowed.
Was the weakness in the head?
He focused on the Earl's skull, strategizing the best way to crush it.
ROAR!
A furious roar echoed through the town, brimming with rage.
Anyone could tell—the Earl was livid.
His black eyes quickly turned a deep crimson, glowing with an eerie intensity as he locked onto Ben.
In response, Ben smirked coldly.
Then—he waved at the monster.
Provocation complete.
The Earl wasted no time.
He charged forward.
Boom! Boom!
Each step shook the ground.
When he was just three or four meters away, the Earl suddenly swung his left hand at Ben.
Ben raised an eyebrow.
At that distance? How was he supposed to hit him—?
Then he saw it.
The Earl's left arm wasn't just an arm.
It was a tentacle.
A long section of it had been hidden inside his armor, but now, it shot out—extending over five meters toward Ben!
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