The decision had been made. Torra Yun was the leader, with Shin Aoren as his vice.
Yet, as the group dispersed, Raikai turned to Shinryu, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"You let them leave." His voice was edged with dissatisfaction.
Shinryu met his gaze, unshaken. "Unlike us, Tian Zhen wasn't alone. The Black Lotus Sect wouldn't send a prodigy without protection nearby."
Raikai scoffed. "We could've taken them."
Xue Mor stepped between them, her gaze cold and unwavering. "We cannot afford casualties before reaching Death Knights' territory. That is both of your responsibility."
Raikai clenched his fists but said nothing more. He understood.
For now.
---
The Journey to the Death Knights' Territory
Morning came swiftly. With the rising sun at their backs, the expedition set out.
Their mounts thundered along the beaten path, heading deep into the vast, untamed forests beyond the druidic town. Silence hung thick in the air.
But as they moved deeper into the trees, Raikai felt it.
A prickle at the back of his neck. A whisper of movement where there should have been none.
His grip on his reins tightened.
They were being followed.
Shinryu, sharp as ever, noticed Raikai's shift in posture. Without a word, the two warriors vanished into the trees.
High above, their keen eyes scanned the shadows.
Then they saw him.
An old man draped in obsidian robes, standing motionless on a branch. His aura was suffocating—the peak of Qi Fusion Realm.
Raikai's grin widened. "Tough fight incoming."
Shinryu's gaze darkened. "This isn't just some random elder. He was waiting for us."
The hunter had been hunting them.
---
The Returning Executioner
From the forest floor, Shin Keilan let out a low chuckle.
It wasn't just the old man.
Keilan's 'victim' had returned.
Tian Zhen stood below, his wounds wrapped, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
But this time—he wasn't alone.
At least thirty bone-forging warriors surrounded him, their gazes filled with malice.
Keilan licked his lips. "So eager to die."
Then—a voice rang through the trees.
"PROTECT YOURSELVES AT ALL COSTS!"
Shinryu's command cut through the battlefield.
A moment later—Hou Jian and Hou Liang gave their own orders.
Hou Jian's voice was absolute. "NO ONE DIES TONIGHT!"
Hou Liang's was colder. "LEAVE NO WITNESSES."
And the battle began.
---
The Twin Beasts vs. the Qi Fusion Master
The Predator's Hunt
The forest trembled under the weight of the old man's aura. The pressure alone made the leaves shudder, the trees groan.
Shinryu and Raikai stood firm, their bodies coiled like springs, ready to strike.
The elder scoffed. "Two cubs think they can hunt a wolf?" His voice was like grinding stones, filled with contempt.
Then he moved.
A dark blur.
Shinryu barely had time to react before a black-clawed hand shot toward his throat.
His instincts roared—Gravity Shift!
A pulse of power surged from his body, distorting the space around him. The elder's attack slowed just enough for him to twist away.
But Raikai was already countering.
Lightning erupted from his body, surging into his chain-linked scythes. He swung one downward, its curved blade glowing with electric fury.
CRACK!
The elder blocked with his bare arm, and the entire airspace exploded with thunder.
Yet—he remained unmoved.
Raikai's grin faltered. "What the hell is this guy made of?"
The elder's other hand shot forward—blazing with dark qi.
Raikai barely had time to react before a fist sank into his gut.
His body crashed through three trees, lightning flickering wildly.
Shinryu's eyes narrowed. He's too fast. Too strong. Their normal attacks weren't enough.
He inhaled sharply. Then we take this further.
---
The Storm and the Gravity Field
Shinryu rose into the air, defying gravity itself.
The elder flicked his gaze up. "Oh?"
Suddenly—a field of crushing force descended.
The elder's knees buckled for the first time.
His face twisted in irritation. "Brat—!"
Before he could react, Raikai was already there.
The air exploded with thunder.
Raikai's body blurred forward, lightning wrapped around his fists. Thunder Step—his fastest movement technique.
The elder twisted his body, ready to strike—but gravity weighed down his limbs.
He was a fraction too slow.
Raikai unleashed a full-power kick straight into his chest.
BOOM!
The elder soared backward, crashing through the earth.
Dust and debris flew everywhere, and the trees near the impact site splintered like twigs.
Raikai cracked his knuckles, panting. "That should've shattered his ribs."
But deep down, he knew. It didn't.
And sure enough—the elder stood.
Dark qi surged, and his eyes burned crimson.
"Impressive." He rolled his shoulders, cracks forming in the ground beneath him. "But still not enough."
Shinryu knew—one last coordinated attack. That was their only chance.
His gravity intensified. The trees flattened. The air thickened.
Raikai's lightning crackled violently. He channeled all his power into his scythes.
The elder charged forward.
So did they.
Three forces collided.
The dark qi of the elder.
The crushing gravity of Shinryu.
The thunderous wrath of Raikai.
It was only for an instant.
A single moment—where power, instinct, and will clashed.
And then—
A blinding explosion.
The world trembled.
When the dust settled—
The elder was on his knees, his chest gashed open, blood dripping.
Shinryu stood behind him, his golden-clawed fist embedded in his back.
Raikai stood in front, his scythe crackling with thunder, buried in his gut.
The elder coughed blood. His eyes flickered with disbelief.
"You… brats…"
Then—he collapsed.
Dead.
---
The Aftermath
Raikai stumbled back, his body shaking. He was exhausted, drained.
Shinryu wiped blood from his mouth, looking at their fallen enemy.
They had won—barely.
If that fight had lasted even a second longer, they might've lost.
Raikai exhaled. "That was hell."
Shinryu nodded. "And it's not over."
Because far in the distance—the sounds of battle still raged.
Their allies still fought.
And they had a war to win.