The masked hunter clutched his wound, his breath coming in short bursts. His dark mist flickered, unstable, as he took a step back.
Li Jun didn't let him recover. He pressed forward, his sword slashing through the air with relentless force.
The hunter dodged, but Li Jun had already predicted his movement. Twisting his wrist, he reversed his swing—his blade cutting deep into the hunter's side.
A sharp grunt escaped the man's lips as blood splattered onto the broken stones beneath them.
"Your mist won't save you anymore," Li Jun said, his eyes gleaming.
The hunter didn't respond. Instead, he clenched his teeth and forced his body into motion, retreating into the shadows.
The black mist surged again, but this time, Li Jun sensed it differently.
Before, the mist had been used to hide and attack.
Now, it felt… desperate.
Li Jun's All-Knowing Eye pulsed, analyzing the hunter's condition. The wounds were severe, his energy reserves running low.
"He's reaching his limit."
But even a cornered beast could still be dangerous.
The hunter lunged forward one last time, dagger aimed at Li Jun's heart.
"Die!" he roared.
Li Jun didn't move.
At the last moment, he tilted his body slightly, letting the dagger graze past his ribs.
In that instant, his sword thrust forward—clean and precise.
The blade pierced through the hunter's chest.
His body froze. His dagger fell from his grasp, clattering onto the stone floor.
The black mist began to fade.
His mask cracked, revealing a pair of shocked eyes.
"You…" He coughed, blood dripping from his lips. "You're… stronger than I thought."
Li Jun pulled his sword back, watching as the hunter's body wavered.
Then, with a final breath, the man collapsed.
Silence filled the ruins.
Li Jun exhaled, rolling his shoulder. The wound on his side stung, but it was nothing compared to the battles he had fought in his past life.
As he stood over the fallen hunter, his All-Knowing Eye activated once more.
A small black crystal rolled from the man's cloak.
Li Jun bent down and picked it up. The moment his fingers touched it, a surge of dark energy pulsed through him.
His eyes widened.
"This power… It's not ordinary."
He clenched his fist around the crystal.
Whatever this was, it had something to do with the strange forces rising in this world.
And he would uncover the truth—no matter what.