Deviant: No Longer Human

"How is he… able to do it?" Wenxi murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she watched from the balcony of the villa.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief, fixed on the battlefield where Wang Xiao was holding his own against three Great-Grandmasters, despite restricting himself to Grandmaster-level strength.

Each of his clones, crafted from sand and controlled with pinpoint precision, moved with deadly grace, matching the overwhelming force of his opponents blow for blow.

Mini-earthquakes rippled across the battlefield, and the air seemed to tremble with his might.

Athene stood next on the balcony, her eyes calm and distant as she gazed at the battlefield below.

From the way she held herself—still, composed, her posture flawless—there was something about her that made the air itself seem colder, more controlled.

There was no trace of emotion on her face, not even a flicker of concern for the blood-soaked chaos beneath her.

And yet, when she spoke, her voice was soft, almost musical, every word flowing with an unsettling grace that made it impossible not to listen.

"Don't focus on him too much..." Her words were gentle, like silk brushing against bare skin, but beneath that softness was a chill that sent even the air shivering, "He has always been… exceptional. But also predictable in his own way. When he was young, all he relied on was brute force. Now…" She glanced down at the battlefield again, her eyes narrowing slightly. "He's finally learning refinement."

Though her expression remained cold, devoid of any real warmth, there was an elegance in how she spoke that made it difficult to look away.

She wasn't simply dismissing Wang Xiao; she was analyzing him, and in doing so, she gave the impression of someone who saw the world from above, far removed from the emotions and struggles of lesser beings.

Wenxi blinked, startled by the appraisal of Athene's words.

She had never heard Athene praise someone...

Even though she, too, was a Great-Grandmaster, standing next to Athene made her feel small, insignificant, like she was a step behind in understanding the true depths of the world.

There was something about Athene's presence that was almost intoxicating—a subtle allure, as if being in her shadow made you question your own worth.

Wenxi couldn't help but steal a glance at her, wondering how someone could exude such effortless power while seeming so untouched by it.

In fact, Wang Xiao radiates the same powerful aura that leaves Athena and beings like Eveline in awe and astonishment every time they gaze upon him.

However, his daughters, having spent so many years by his side, have grown accustomed to it and are no longer fazed.

Athene's voice continued, every word as smooth as glass, yet somehow sharper than a blade. "He's still holding back," she said, her tone measured, as if it were a simple fact of nature. "A master can crush walls. A grandmaster, buildings. But a Great-Grandmaster…" She paused for a moment, "can bring down entire skyscrapers. He has that potential.

The others… haven't even realized it yet."

There was no pride in her voice, no excitement or boastfulness—only a detached certainty, as if everything she said was inevitable.

It was that kind of certainty that made men uneasy, as though being in her presence meant you could never meet her expectations.

Athene was the type of woman who would make a man feel nervous, not because she was intimidating in the traditional sense, but because she seemed so utterly out of reach.

And that was what made her desirable...

The cold, emotionless aura she carried made it easy to believe she was untamable, untouchable—something to be admired from afar but never truly approached.

She gave off the impression of a goddess, distant and indifferent, with a beauty so refined it bordered on dangerous.

Yet the more you looked at her, the more you wanted to be the one to reach her, to see if you could tame the frost that froze her heart.

Wenxi hesitated, pursing her lips together, "So… you're saying I should be able to destroy skyscrapers at my current level if I reach my full potential?"

Athene's gaze was piercing, and though she spoke kindly, it was the kind of kindness that made you feel uneasy. "Yes. But not yet. He is showing you how it's done. And even then, he's toying with them."

Wenxi felt a small thrill of unease crawl up her spine. "But even with all that strength," she said slowly, "to be fighting three Great-Grandmasters at once…"

Athene tilted her head slightly, a gesture so subtle it felt calculated. "He's more than capable," she replied, her voice as cool and steady as before. "He's always had a talent for surviving, even when he doesn't deserve to."

There was a faint edge of amusement in her words, but it was so delicate that Wenxi couldn't tell if it was a joke or just another cold truth.

Her eyes gleamed slightly, but there was no warmth in them. "He used to be crude, back when he was nothing more than a brute. He couldn't even construct or store his own weapons when he was a Quasi-Sage."

Athene's lips curved ever so slightly, not into a smile, but into something more like a knowing contempt, "He relied too much on raw power then. But that's what makes him unique. His ego doesn't allow him to learn from others… and yet, it's that same ego that forces him to innovate, to create things no one else has even thought possible."

Wenxi nodded slowly, letting the words sink in.

Everyone says her father has an ego, but who doesn't?

Doesn't Athene have her own as well?

Whether men or women, both carry egos as they rise to power.

That's why, for most men, it's nearly impossible to bed a woman like Athene or make her fall in love—her pride simply won't allow it.

Only by using sheer strength to suppress that pride can love blossom, after you've made her feel truly subdued and hopeless.

"There's a beauty in it, in a way," Athene continued, her voice so smooth it almost made you forget how chilling her presence was. "He doesn't allow himself to be tied down by tradition. He learns in the most 'inefficient' way possible—through trial and error, through battles where most would fall.

But it's precisely because he refuses to be taught that he's able to create techniques— midbattle—that even immortals can't fathom."

She turned her gaze back toward Wenxi, and for a brief moment, their eyes met.

Wenxi felt her heart skip a beat, not out of fear, but out of a strange, unfamiliar tension.

Athene's gaze was so direct, so piercing, that it made you question your own worth.

The way she looked at you, as if you were something she was deciding whether or not to care about, was both unsettling and thrilling.

"Don't worry too much about him," Athene finally said, her voice softening, though still cold. "He's always been a step ahead. He's survived things that should have broken him. This is no different."

And with that, Athene turned back toward the battlefield, her expression unreadable once again.

Wenxi stood silently beside Athene, her emotions a mix of admiration and unease.

Watching Wang Xiao on the battlefield, it felt like she was discovering a different side of her father—one he never spoke of.

He had always told her to avoid chasing after anyone in the world, that chasing someone would only make you feel inferior.

That was why she didn't want strength to chase him but to protect him—a secret she would never share with anyone.

Yet, even without chasing him, the sheer amazement of his deeds was undeniable.

Wang Xiao had never viewed his previous life as something remarkable.

To him, it had been about survival, nothing more.

But to everyone else… he was a force unlike any other.

Suddenly, the air shifted.

Those watching the battle from the villa and those hiding behind ruins covered their mouths in shock.

Puff!

"You..." Master Long gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief. He had been fighting Wang Xiao's clones, engaged in a desperate struggle to fend off the continuous attacks.