The torches flickered violently, shadows stretching unnaturally.
From within Selene’s darkness, something monstrous stirred. A great form began to rise, its limbs twisting and stretching as if pulling itself free from the abyss.
The light dimmed further, feeding the thing’s growth, its mass expanding toward the ceiling like a nightmarish specter.
Selene said nothing.
Yun Jin’s patience snapped. He surged forward, executing Light Blade Sovereign Style: First Form – Arc Lightning, his sword crackling with energy as he struck—
But in that instant, she vanished.
And the world collapsed into darkness.
A silence more oppressive than any battlefield swallowed him whole. No light. No sound. No ground beneath his feet. Only an endless void.
Yun Jin gritted his teeth and activated [Mana Eyes].
Nothing.
Unlike the Dryad, unlike any enemy he had fought before, there was no core, no vital presence to strike. The only thing visible in the abyss was his sword, faintly gleaming like the last star in a dying sky.
Then, a disturbance.
Mana condensed, rushing toward him in an unseen wave. He twisted aside, slicing through the mass—only for another to surge from behind. Then another. And another.
He was being hunted.
Forced into constant movement, he dodged, deflected, struck at shadows that never truly took form. He needed to find the source—but there was none.
Then, a voice. Clear, smooth, and undeniably feminine.
“If you can land a single hit, I’ll answer one question.”
Yun Jin smirked, breath steady. "Finally open to talking, huh? Fine. I accept your bet."
The attacks intensified. He tried [Mana Eyes] again—still useless. He closed his eyes, relying instead on the flow of energy itself—
A silence more oppressive than any battlefield swallowed him whole. No light. No sound. No ground beneath his feet. Only an endless void.
Yun Jin gritted his teeth and activated [Mana Eyes].
Nothing.
Unlike the Dryad, unlike any enemy he had fought before, there was no core, no vital presence to strike. The only thing visible in the abyss was his sword, faintly gleaming like the last star in a dying sky.
Then, a disturbance.
Mana condensed, rushing toward him in an unseen wave. He twisted aside, slicing through the mass—only for another to surge from behind. Then another. And another.
He was being hunted.
Forced into constant movement, he dodged, deflected, struck at shadows that never truly took form. He needed to find the source—but there was none.
Then, a voice. Clear, smooth, and undeniably feminine.
“If you can land a single hit, I’ll answer one question.”
Yun Jin smirked, breath steady. "Finally open to talking, huh? Fine. I accept your bet."
The attacks intensified. He tried [Mana Eyes] again—still useless. He closed his eyes, relying instead on the flow of energy itself—
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
A sensation clicked into place.
[You have unlocked a skill: Mana Sense (Rank C-)]
Now, he could feel the shifting currents, the difference in density. Each movement of mana left a trail, a signature he could track.
His blade moved—
A powerful [Sword Wave] slashed outward, cutting through the darkness. For a split second, the void parted—but just as quickly, it surged back, swallowing everything once more.
But he had seen it.
A faint inconsistency. A ripple in the fabric of shadow. A moment of imperfection.
Yun Jin lunged at that point, his sword descending—
A wall of darkness formed in response, Selene’s first true defense. It was hastily constructed—an instinctive reaction rather than an anticipated block.
He grinned. "Got you."
A split second later, she formed a spear of pure darkness, aiming straight for his heart.
But Yun Jin was faster.
Lightning crackled along the edge of his blade, illuminating the dark space with brief, flickering arcs of energy as he executed Light Blade Sovereign Style: First Form – Arc Lightning, slamming the energy into the shadows as his sword met the unseen barrier—
And then, his blade was at her throat.
Selene chuckled softly, unfazed. With a single gesture, she motioned for him to look around.
Yun Jin turned—and his smirk faded slightly.
Hundreds of dark spears surrounded him, each aimed at his vital points. A silent checkmate.
Selene raised a finger to her lips. “Shh.”
Then she stepped back into the darkness, dissolving into shadow. “You can try again next time.”
But before he could move, she reappeared behind him, her presence silent as the void itself. A chill brushed against his skin as her arms wrapped around him in an eerie embrace, her voice a whisper against his ear.
“Sleep.”
A sudden wave of numbness spread through his body, his limbs growing sluggish, his vision blurring at the edges. His mind screamed at him to resist, to shake off whatever spell she had woven, but his body refused to obey.
A growl of frustration rumbled in his chest. Damn it! This wasn’t just an illusion—this was something deeper. A mental attack. And he had no proper defense against it. His frustration burned as realization set in: he couldn’t counteract this effectively. Not yet.
I’ll need Merlin’s help with this. Yun Jin forced his mind to carve the lesson into his memory. If he didn’t find a way to resist this kind of attack, it would be his undoing one day. He was sure of it.
Later that night, as he soaked in a warm bath, he traced his fingers over a faint scar on his arm—a reminder of the battle. His grip tightened into a fist, but his lips curled into a grin.
This world… I’ll use every danger within it to sharpen my blade.
One day, he would surpass even his master.
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He wrapped a cloth around himself and opened it to find a messenger, bowing as he handed Yun Jin a sealed letter.
Ardent had sent for him.
“Your invitation has been accepted. Tomorrow night, you enter the undercity.”
Yun Jin unfolded the letter, scanning its contents.
"A tournament? Hahaha!" Yun Jin laughed, the excitement bubbling within him. As a martial artist, there was no place more familiar, no battlefield more natural than a fighting arena.
The rush of combat, the thrill of facing new opponents—this was what he lived for.
But this was no ordinary tournament. The stakes were higher, the dangers greater. If he misstepped, it wouldn’t just be a loss—it could be his death. And yet, that only made the prospect more exhilarating.
The Syndicate’s underground arena was hosting a bloodsport tournament, a place where mercenaries, criminals, and desperate warriors fought for gold and power.
His target—one of the Ten Anomalies—was overseeing the fights.
To get close, Yun Jin would have to enter as a fighter.
But there was a catch—it was a barehanded tournament. No weapons allowed.
Yun Jin let the thought settle before smirking. "Now this... is getting interesting."