The Almighty Doctor

Chapter 8 One Punch's Devastating Power

In the past, Eldric had been weaker than a sickly kitten, dragging himself through each day like a consumptive invalid. But now? Every muscle in his body thrummed with raw energy—a sensation so exhilarating it made his head spin.

With this newfound power coursing through him, Eldric burned with curiosity. Just how destructive could his punch become?

He strode to the villa's corner where a massive boulder stood. Drawing a deep breath, he gathered the qi swirling in his dantian, channeling it all into his clenched fist. Then—c***k!—his knuckles smashed into the stone with earth-shaking force.

BOOM!

The boulder disintegrated instantly, fragments exploding outward like shrapnel. Eldric's eyes blazed as he surveyed the destruction. That single strike had pulverized solid rock—far exceeding his wildest expectations.

And this was merely the beginning. Just reaching Qi Refining Level 1 had transformed him completely. No ordinary man could hope to match him now.

Eldric's heart raced with exhilaration. Strength—this was what he'd hungered for all along. At last, the path to true power lay open before him.

The night had grown late, and after hours of cultivation, exhaustion finally claimed him. He collapsed onto his bed, slipping into a deep, satisfied sleep.

Dawn arrived with the shrill scream of his phone. Bleary-eyed, Eldric grabbed the device—then froze at the caller ID. Naviya. His cheating ex-wife.

"What does she want now?" he growled, jabbing the answer button.

"Still breathing?" Naviya's voice dripped venom. "Get over here immediately. We're signing those divorce papers today."

Eldric's grip turned the phone's casing white. "In such a damn hurry to throw yourself at Demontae?" he snarled.

Naviya's laugh was pure ice. "Cut the drama, Eldric. Our marriage was her family patriarch's idea—Old Man Logan's pet project. I never wanted you. Demontae gives me everything you couldn't. Keep fighting this, and you'll only get hurt."

"Heh. Fine. I'll enjoy watching you choke on regret, Naviya."

"Regret?" Her mocking cackle grated his ears. "Name one thing—just one—you've ever done better than Demontae. You couldn't even wring a chicken's neck without collapsing. What exactly will you do—bore me with your pathetic excuses for strength?"

"People change," Eldric shot back, his voice steady as granite. "One day I'll tower over you like a god, and you won't dare lift your eyes."

The old Eldric would've never dared such words. But now, armed with his father's legacy, he spoke with unshakable certainty—his voice didn't waver for a second.

Naviya's response was a derisive snort. "Oh please! You? Reaching heights I can't touch? Keep dreaming! If that day comes, I'll eat my designer heels!"

"Enough. Get over here now so we can sign the divorce papers. Consider yourself free—go chase your strength. I'll be waiting to eat crow when you make it big."

Naviya's voice dripped with venom, sharp enough to draw blood. Without ceremony, she hung up, leaving Eldric gripping his phone until his knuckles bleached white. Molten rage erupted through his veins, consuming him whole.

"You'll regret this, Naviya," he hissed through gritted teeth, the vow searing his throat. Every betrayal, every calculated cruelty over two years—each had carved deeper than the last. The sting of her contempt outlasted any physical wound.

Years of marriage in name only—a farce without intimacy. Yet some foolish part of him had clung to embers. Now? Only smoldering resentment remained.

His phone buzzed again. Lirael's name glowed like a lantern in the wreckage Naviya left. Where Naviya was frost, Lirael was warmth—his steadfast lifeline.

He answered on the first ring. "Eldric, still at the villa?" Her voice, rich as fresh coffee, steadied his pulse. "I've sent a car. Breakfast?"

The offer wrapped around him like a heated blanket. For a breath, he ached to accept. But reality's chains yanked him back—Naviya's demand, the divorce, the shackles he needed to shatter.

"Ms. Veyra," he began, voice iron-steady, "Naviya called. I need to scrawl my name on those divorce papers first. May I join you after?"

Silence stretched—three heartbeats too long. Then Lirael's reply, velvet over steel: "This needs settling. But Eldric... let me come. The Logans need to learn their place."

Gratitude burned hot behind his ribs. Yet staining her hands with his wreckage? Unthinkable. "This is my battle to fight," he said, fist clenched at his side. "The weakling they knew is gone."

On the other end of the line, Lirael detected the subtle shift in Eldric's voice—a newfound confidence that hadn't been there yesterday. Though the reason for this transformation remained a mystery, she decided not to push. If he wanted to handle this alone, she'd respect that.

"Alright," her voice softened with understanding. "Just stay at the villa—the driver should be there any minute. I'll have him take you to the Logan Family estate first. Once everything's settled, tell him to bring you straight to me."

"That works perfectly. Thank you, Ms. Veyra. Looking forward to it."

The moment Eldric stepped outside, the low hum of a powerful engine announced the Maybach's arrival. The luxury sedan purred up the driveway, its obsidian paint gleaming like liquid silver in the dawn light. That distinctive grille left no doubt—it was the same car that had ferried him home yesterday, with Xaiden grinning behind the wheel as always.