The system's auto-recovery worked faster than I expected, but I wasn't about to wait for full healing. Every second wasted was another second my enemies grew stronger. I forced myself up, ignoring the burning pain in my ribs and the cracked skin on my palms. My last target was close. The forest darkened, twisted with ancient roots and dead branches that clawed at the moonlight.
The air tasted heavy, different. Qi fluctuations spiked. I felt it before I saw it. A Shadow Lynx; a beast I'd heard of in whispered stories. Quick, silent, and deadly. Its black fur shimmered in the dark, eyes glowing faintly blue. It stalked me before I noticed. Then it leapt. The world slowed. The system flashed a warning.
[Danger: Elite Spirit Beast Detected]
[Recommended: Use stealth or ranged attack]
I clenched my teeth. No ranged attack here. Just me and the beast. It was fast. But I was faster. I dodged sideways, barely avoiding razor-sharp claws. My hand shot out, glowing with stolen Qi energy. The jade pulsed violently. I screamed as my palm slammed into the lynx's side. The beast snarled but faltered. Blood sprayed. It lunged again, more cautious now, I wasn't.
[Skill Unlocked: Feral Instinct Level 2 - Bonus Critical Chance]
[Heaven-Rebellion Points: 3/3]
[Quest Complete: First Step of Defiance]
[Reward: Forbidden Ascension Tree unlocked]
The system's voice was cold but proud. The Forbidden Ascension Tree appeared, branches sprawling in the air like glowing veins.
[New Skill Available: Poison Fang (Active)]
[Warning: Use with caution. Costs 10% max HP per activation.]
I didn't hesitate. This power was mine, for now. For the first time, I felt a spark of hope. Maybe I wasn't trash. Maybe I was the start of a new legend. I turned to leave the forest. But then, a shadow fell.
[Incoming message - Unknown Sender]
"Jin Ranziel. Your rebellion has been noticed. We will come for you soon."
No signature, no explanation, just a threat. I clenched the jade. The path ahead was darker than I thought. But this time, I had a weapon they didn't. The message burned in my mind like a brand.
"Your rebellion has been noticed. We will come for you soon."
A cold warning with neither a name, nor an explanation. The forest around me suddenly felt alive, every rustle and whisper seemed to carry a threat. I gripped the jade tighter, feeling its warmth pulse against my palm. This thing wasn't just a system; it was my lifeline. A sudden crack behind me made me spin. Dark figure, cloaked in shifting shadows, stepped into the moonlight. Eyes like burning coals.
"Jin Ranziel," the voice hissed, smooth but deadly. "You should've stayed dead."
I didn't flinch.
"Who sent you?"
The figure laughed; a cold, mirthless sound.
"Does it matter? We all serve the same hand."
My system beeped urgently.
[Warning: High-level Hunter detected]
[Recommended: Escape or prepare for combat]
I weighed my options. Should I Fight? Should I Run? Neither felt safe. But hesitation was a luxury I didn't have. The shadow lunged. The shadow moved like a predator born from darkness itself. Faster than my eyes could track, it slid through the forest as if the trees bent away in fear. My system screamed a warning:
[High-level Hunter Incoming - Threat Level: Extreme]
[Recommended Action: Maximum Evasion]
But I didn't run. Not after everything I'd lost. Not after the cliff, the betrayal, the pain. The jade pulsed fiercely in my palm, filling me with energy I barely knew how to control. I could feel my broken core burning, twitching back to life. The power wasn't stable yet, but it was enough for one fight.
The shadow lurched forward, claws flashing like silver blades in the moonlight. I rolled to the side just in time as the first slash tore a deep gash through the air where I'd been standing. Pain flared in my ribs, but adrenaline drowned it out. I slammed my fist into the ground, summoning every ounce of Qi the system let me borrow. A shockwave exploded beneath the hunter's feet, sending it staggering back.
"Not bad for a cripple," it snarled, voice like dry leaves scraping stone.
I didn't respond. Instead, I focused on my system screen, heart pounding.
[Heaven-Rebellion Points: 3/3]
[Skill Available: Poison Fang (Active) - Cost: 10% Max HP]
I gritted my teeth. The last thing I needed was to bleed out here, but this was the only skill close to lethal I had. I activated Poison Fang. A sharp pain shot through my palm as spectral fangs materialized, dripping with toxic green venom.
I lunged forward. The hunter barely had time to react before my jaws, 'my claws?' sank into its arm. The poison worked fast. The figure's movements slowed, eyes widening in surprise. I didn't loosen my grip. My Qi surged, stabilizing my broken core more. The hunter howled, slashing wildly, but the poison burned through its defenses. I kicked it away, panting, feeling my own life force drain dangerously low.
[Warning: Poison Fang has drained 10% of your Max HP.]
[Core Status: Unstable - Use caution.]
The hunter recovered faster than I expected and charged again. This time I dodged behind a thick tree trunk, panting hard. My vision blurred, ribs aching, but the system's energy was steady now. I had to end this fast. The hunter's eyes burned with fury.
"Why do you fight? You're nothing. A broken tool."
I laughed a harsh broken sound.
"Broken? Maybe. But I'm the tool that'll break your world."
The hunter sneered and lunged again. The battle raged through the moonlit forest. Each clash echoed like thunder in my chest. Every dodge, every counter pushed me closer to the edge.
Then the hunter's eyes flickered 'fear?' 'Recognition?' Suddenly, it stopped mid-attack. The system pulsed urgently:
[New Enemy Detected: Hunter's Identity Revealed]
[Name: Kairon Fel]
[Rank: Sect Assassin - Tier 4 Spirit User]
[Threat Level: Extreme]
My heart sank. A Tier 4 enemy? I'd barely killed Tier 1 beasts. I needed a plan, and fast. The hunter smiled cruelly.
"You're lucky the sect sent me. Otherwise, your little rebellion would've ended yesterday."
I didn't answer. Instead, I activated the Forbidden Ascension Tree. Branches of glowing energy spiraled in front of me.
[Ascension Tree]
* Skill Path: Steal
* Skill Points Available: 3
* Core Stability: 35%
* Current Perk: Feral Instinct (Lv. 2)
I had three points. One skill was unlocked, the others locked behind conditions I didn't yet meet. I chose to improve Feral Instinct, every second counted. The system buzzed:
[Feral Instinct upgraded to Level 3: Reflexes increase by 20%.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step (Active) - Dash up to 10 meters instantly. Cooldown: 30s]
A grin spread on my face. Now I had a way out. The hunter lunged again. I dashed with Shadow Step, disappearing and reappearing behind it. I struck the hunter's back hard with a Qi-empowered palm.
[Critical Hit!]
[Enemy staggered.]
The hunter roared, spinning around. Before it could counter, I pulled the jade from my pocket and slammed it into its chest. A surge of power erupted between us.
[Skill Stolen: Spirit Chain (Passive)]
(Allows user to link enemy Qi and restrict their movement temporarily.)
The hunter froze, I smiled. "Trash? Maybe. But this trash just got a hell of a lot stronger."
The battle didn't last long after that. Using Spirit Chain, I slowed Kairon's movements enough to land a killing blow. The hunter collapsed, eyes dimming. I stood over the body, gasping for breath. The system chimed:
[Enemy defeated: Kairon Fel]
[Heaven-Rebellion Points: 6/6]
[Core Stability: 50%]
[New Skill Available: Spirit Chain (Passive)]
[New Quest Unlocked: Survive the Night - Reach safe zone by dawn.]
Safe zone? I didn't even know if there was one anymore. But I had to try. As I staggered through the forest, something deep inside shifted. The jade's light steadied. My core throbbed. I was no longer the cripple who fell off the cliff. I was a threat, a rebel, a shadow rising. And the night was only just beginning.
The forest seemed alive with danger. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, felt like a trap waiting to spring. My ribs burned with every breath. The wound from the cliff fall was still raw, but there was no time to heal properly, not if I wanted to survive the night. The system pulsed softly in my vision.
[Quest: Survive the Night - Time Remaining: 4 hours 15 minutes]
[Safe Zone: Approximate distance 3 kilometers]
[Recommended: Avoid detection, use stealth skills]
I tensed up. Three kilometers through hostile forest, hunted by a Tier 4 assassin who wasn't even dead yet. I couldn't afford to move like the cripple they all said I was. The jade in my palm thrummed, a pulse I had come to trust more than my own heartbeat. I activated the Forbidden Ascension Tree again, spending my latest Heaven-Rebellion Points to improve Shadow Step.
[Shadow Step upgraded: Cooldown reduced to 20 seconds]
[New Skill Available: Qi Veil (Passive) - Reduces detectability by spirit sensors by 30%]
A veil of quiet power settled over me. No more reckless charges. I had to survive. I moved carefully, sticking to the shadows, every muscle taut with alertness. Ahead, a faint light flickered, smoke curling upward. A camp...
I wasn't safe yet, but it was the best chance I had. As I crept closer, I heard voices, low, angry whispers. The sect's hunters. Kairon's comrades. The ones who wanted me dead. My chest tightened. They were organized, trained, and ruthless. But I had something they didn't: a system that grew stronger with every kill, every heartbeat. Suddenly, a voice called out sharply:
"Stop! He's here!"
Chaos exploded. The forest erupted with movement as hunters poured from cover, weapons drawn. I squeezed my fists shut. No time to hide. I activated Shadow Step again and vanished from sight, reappearing behind a group of three.
My palm ignited with Qi as I struck them down swiftly; two unconscious, one staggering away screaming. Heart pounding, I dashed deeper into the woods. Hours dragged on, each minute a battle against exhaustion and pain. But the jade's power pulsed steadily, my core stabilizing with every step. I found a shallow cave and collapsed inside, panting. The system buzzed softly:
[Auto-Recovery Mode Engaged - Estimated Healing Time: 3 hours 20 minutes]
[Core Stability: 62%]
[New Skill Unlocked: Poison Fang Level 2 - Increased damage and reduced HP cost]
I smiled weakly. The night was far from over. But I was still alive. And soon, I'd be stronger than any hunter who came for me. Just before sleep claimed me, a faint whisper echoed in my mind.
"Jin Ranziel… the world is watching now."
The jade glowed brighter than ever. They had no idea what was coming.
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