Chapter 56 - Preparations for the second day

After Li’s intense battle, the arena looked like it had barely survived a natural disaster, with chunks of flooring scattered, the air heavy with the scent of scorched earth and metal. The tournament officials called for an immediate break to repair the damage, and the audience, still buzzing with excitement and shock, filled the stands with murmurs and exclamations. Meanwhile, Kazue, who had been watching intently, finally managed to sit up, her body feeling more stable as the adrenaline ebbed. Drake stayed beside her, silently offering his support as her strength returned, to which she shot him a quick nod of appreciation, even managing a faint smile, as they both relaxed slightly after the tense match.

Adam and Gregor went to the medical wing to check on Li. As they entered, they were greeted by the sight of their teammate, completely swathed in bandages from head to toe, save for his mouth. His weary eyes looked up as they approached, annoyance flickering there.

He was clearly unimpressed with his current state, but that didn’t stop him from trying to shift, wincing as some needles pinned across his body restricted his movements. His healer was an elderly man with a long white beard, his skin weathered yet somehow glowing with a healthy resilience. Dressed in a flowing robe cinched at the waist with a leather cord, he seemed like a wise man by looks alone: simple in appearance but commanding a deep knowledge of the body and spirit.

The healer looked over Adam and Gregor with a sharp gaze before explaining in a calm, authoritative tone.

"Your friend here suffered extensive injuries—broken bones, internal bleeding. I’ve seen worse."

He added with a small smirk, almost as if the state Li was in was routine. Adam and Gregor exchanged worried glances, but the old man was unfazed, waving his hand as if to brush away their concern.

"All of that is normal, his ki vessels remain unharmed, which means I can stimulate his recovery, and he’ll be as good as new by tomorrow."

He reached into a small pouch at his side, retrieving a pill and holding it out to Adam.

"Make sure he takes this tonight."

The doctor said, as if it were the simplest instruction in the world. Adam hesitated, but a quick scan with his [Cursed Eyes] confirmed the pill’s properties, though the old man’s lack of further explanation left the boy with the uneasy feeling of holding an unmarked prescription.

[Spirit Replenish Pill - Rank D ] ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A small, unassuming pill with a dark green hue. Despite its incredibly bitter taste, it’s a favored remedy for daily recovery, as it stimulates the natural flow of ki within the body, enhancing self-healing abilities as long as the user remains in a state of complete rest.⌡

Despite its low rank, it seemed like a very useful item—and apparently common enough to be handed out without a second thought. Still, Adam couldn’t help but wonder if it would work on Li, since the description clearly stated it relied on the ki of the person who consumed it, which seemed to be the energy used in this world, something none of them possessed. Even so, Adam decided to store the pill carefully to give it to him later.

The tournament resumed after the delay, but the remaining matches lacked the intensity of the previous fights, the contestants seemed reluctant to push themselves to the limit and leaving the audience somewhat disappointed. By the time the final fight wrapped up, the sun had begun to dip below the horizon, casting a warm amber glow across the arena. The announcer, still buzzing with excitement, gave a rousing speech, her voice filled with an almost childlike enthusiasm as she recounted the day’s highlights. She urged the crowd to return tomorrow for the second phase of the tournament, promising even more surprises.

The group reconvened near the exit, participants and spectators alike, each bearing their own set of bruises and experiences. Adam and Gregor had to support Li, who was barely able to move under his layer of bandages and was likely still under the effects of the pain-numbing herbs and acupuncture used in his treatment. Chloe bounced up to them as she greeted each one with a mix of genuine excitement and mischievous teasing. Her gaze fell on Adam, and with a sly grin, she began to speak.

“Well, you didn’t do half bad there, ghost warrior.”

Her words dripped with playful sarcasm, and she gave him a quick wink, enjoying the hint of irritation that flashed in his eyes.

Near there, Katya approached Kazue with her usual nervous energy, stammering out a congratulation as her cheeks flushed a faint pink.

“You were… so impressive. Are… are you okay?”

She managed to muster a barely audible voice, so Kazue offered her a reassuring smile and responded with a casual remark.

“Just a scratch or two, don’t worry your pretty head.”

Striking a pose that only made Katya blush harder. On the other hand, Nikolai gave Gregor a nod, acknowledging the older man’s prowess.

“I’m almost disappointed, I expected you to slip up somewhere. Guess there’s no need for a flashy fight when you can just… win, that was impressive.”

He said with a grin, Gregor gave him a grunt and a slight nod, neither fully accepting nor dismissing the compliment. Meanwhile, Emir, the quiet young boy, simply looked up at everyone with wide eyes.

“You were all… amazing.”

He whispered, more to himself than anyone else. His awe was short-lived, however, as Sebastian, the older, silver-haired man in the group, chimed in with a more somber tone.

“Glad you’re all in one piece, though I’ll admit, I didn’t think it’d come to that.”

He said, his gaze drifting to Li; his meaning was clear, and a tense silence fell over the group, each person reflecting on the violence that had erupted in the arena.

Sebastian’s perspective had shifted considerably after the end of the last scenario, largely due to the time he’d spent talking with Isaac through his little mechanical bird. He was finally beginning to accept that everything that had happened wasn’t a dream, as he’d been trying to convince himself all this time. It was still a difficult reality to fully grasp, but he was making progress, bit by bit, after all, he wasn’t exactly at an age where surprises of this scale came easily.

But anyway, deciding to put the day’s events behind them for now, the group left the palace grounds in search of dinner, but as they strolled through the streets, however, Li’s weakened state meant that every few steps required a pause, prompting them to vote on whether they should simply return to the hotel. After a brief deliberation, they agreed to call it a night and order room service to allow the man the rest he clearly needed, but as they neared their hotel, Drake leaned in close to Adam.

“We’re being followed.”

He whispered, voice barely audible. Adam stiffened, casting a subtle glance over his shoulder. At first, he noticed nothing, but after a moment, he caught sight of two figures, their movements too synchronized to be casual passersby. As they walked, the figures shifted, one trailing a few feet behind while the other maintained a steady pace alongside them on the opposite side of the street.

The group continued while both guys were on the fence about what would happen at any minute. Fortunately, nothing happened, but it was only when the hotel came into view that Adam felt a sliver of relief, though the lingering presence of their shadows hinted that tonight’s rest might not be as peaceful as they’d hoped.

In the quiet of their hotel room, the group settled in, their exhaustion finally catching up with them. They ordered a spread of food, and when the meal arrived, it was nothing short of a culinary feast. Plates of steaming, colorful dishes were arranged across the low table, each crafted from ingredients infused with ki. There was an electric energy in the air as everyone dug in; each bite seemed to radiate warmth and strength. Chloe took a generous helping of fried noodles infused with weird spices, and even Kazue, still tired but feeling better, relished the flavor of a dumpling soup that seemed to ease her sore muscles with each sip.

Li, still wrapped from head to toe, tried to join and eat a little, but his layers of bandages prevented him from holding anything, let alone something like chopsticks. With a mischievous smile, Chloe took charge, picking up his food and feeding it to him piece by piece.

“Come on! Here comes the steam dumpling!”

She teased, holding it just out of reach, her grin widening as Li’s face twisted with mortification. He huffed, too proud to accept this treatment easily but too hungry to refuse. Around them, the others stifled their laughter, amused at seeing the normally stoic Li squirm as Chloe relished the moment, finally getting her revenge for the man’s rude comment the last day about their bodies; she didn't seem like it due to her outgoing and friendly personality, but the truth was that the pink haired girl was quite spiteful.

Once they’d eaten their fill, Adam raised the idea of heading back out to gather more information. However, he cautioned that Li needed rest, and Kazue was still regaining her strength.

"Just Drake and I will go.”

He said firmly, glancing around the room, his gaze falling on each member in turn. Chloe opened her mouth to protest, but Adam silenced her with a look. She relented with a pout, mumbling something under her breath as she crossed her arms.

Night fell, and after a couple of hours of quiet, Adam and Drake slipped out of the hotel saying they would be gone for a while and that they needed to rest as early as they could. Both were tense but resolved, knowing that without Li and Kazue, the responsibility for their group’s safety fell squarely on their shoulders since the rest of them were either new members or non-combatants like Sebastian and Nikolai. They wove through the quiet streets, following the narrow alleyways and scanning their surroundings. After several blocks, Adam finally spotted one of the men from earlier, his figure shifting in and out of shadow. With a quick hand signal to Drake, Adam extended his arms to the front while visualizing what he wanted to do.

⌠Notice: UR-class Plot device: “Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are” has been used⌡ ⌠For the remainder of the scenario, you can mark one character or user at a time as long as they are in your line of sight. This will allow you to know their exact location and position at all times.⌡

With this, they were finally ready… The alley grew darker, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and hidden intent. Suddenly, three men sprang from the shadows, their knives gleaming in the faint light. Adam reacted instinctively, ghostly, skeletal arms sprouting from his back, each one catching and pinning the first attacker with an iron grip. Drake sidestepped another assailant’s lunge, twisting his arm into an armlock and pinning him effortlessly.

"Who sent you?"

Demanded the blonde, his voice cold as steel. Stopping in his tracks, one of the men, still free, sneered.

“We’re from the ‘Golden Crow School’, here to avenge the disgrace you brought on young master Hao Yang!”

He spat, his voice filled with pride and resentment.

"He’s the son of one of our highest-ranking members, and you’ll pay for humiliating him."

Drake and Adam exchanged glances, each thinking the same thing—was this man really revealing their intentions so easily? As the man kept speaking, his voice went full of boastful details about their supposed power play in the city and how winning the tournament was key to the expansion of their school.

"He's still going on? Is he an idiot?!"

Adam thought incredulously, wondering how it was possible to be that much of a loose mouth. Either way, both boys released their captives, stepping back just enough to give their foes a fleeting hope of escape. It was only a moment before their adversaries regrouped and lunged, knives gleaming under the faint streetlight. The tension thickened, but Drake’s expression remained serene, his stance loose yet coiled like a spring ready to snap. On the other hand, Adam raised his arm, summoning a ghostly claw around it that seemed to phase into existence, faintly translucent with an ominous glow.

The first attacker charged at Adam, knife thrusting forward. With a swift flick of his wrist, Adam’s spectral claw met the blade mid-air, closing around it with a crunch. The knife cracked as if gripped by a vice, the ghostly fingers moving with an unnatural, almost fluid strength. Without missing a beat, Adam twisted his arm, sending his attacker flying back with a bone-rattling impact, his assailant gasping in pain as he crashed into the alley wall.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Meanwhile, Drake faced off with his opponent, whose knife slashed wildly in an attempt to reach him. But the blonde’s reflexes were razor-sharp; he pivoted with a dancer’s grace, sidestepping the blade and slipping just close enough to catch his opponent’s arm mid-swing. With a quick turn, he locked the man’s arm in an iron grip, pulling it tight against his body. In one swift motion, Drake drove his fist into the attacker’s gut, knocking the air out of him with a brutal punch. The man staggered back, coughing, his eyes wide with panic as he scrambled to join his fleeing companions.

Adam and Drake watched them go, their breaths steady and controlled, the ghostly claw around Adam’s arm fading back into the shadows. The assailants disappeared into the night, but their escape was in vain; Adam’s tracking Plot Device was still in effect, and he felt the faint tug of their path in his mind, like a glowing thread leading him precisely to where they were headed.

———————

The men were still fleeing, their steps echoing frantically down the dimly lit street as they darted in and out of shadow. Panic fueled their movements, each heartbeat thundering as they stole glances over their shoulders, half-expecting the two weird boys to appear behind them at any moment. One of them, the man with a bruised arm from his encounter with Drake, grimaced in pain but urged the others on.

"Come on, faster!"

He whispered in a frantic tone, trying to ignore the ache in his ribs and the faint tremble in his legs. The group weaved through narrow alleys, desperate to lose any trace of their pursuers.

Breathlessly, they rounded a corner into a larger, dimly illuminated square, the street lamps casting a feeble glow over cracked stones and faded banners bearing the emblem of the ‘Golden Crow School’. Their destination was now in sight: a looming structure ahead of them, a stone building adorned with intricate carvings and gold filigree that symbolized the power and prestige of their clan. At the entrance, Hao Yang was waiting, his face still partly obscured by bandages from the earlier fight and a case on his nose, narrowing his eyes as he spotted his men approaching.

“Did you finish the job?”

Hao Yang’s voice cut through the air, its edge sharpened with impatience and bruised pride. But his expression twisted when he caught sight of their injuries and the fear etched across their faces. One of the men hesitated, glancing nervously back the way they had come.

"We were close, but—”

Before he could finish, the heavy doors behind him burst open with a thunderous crash, and there they stood—Adam and Drake, framed by the fractured doorway like ominous shadows, eyes blazing with an intensity that silenced the room. Hao Yang took a step back, a spark of disbelief flashing in his gaze.

"How... how did you find us here?"

He stammered, though a literal Golden Crow emblem adorned every wall and tapestry within the building. Adam raised an eyebrow, sighing at the obviousness of it all.

"Really?"

Adam murmured, glancing around at the decor. Hao Yang’s face flushed with anger, but he quickly straightened, attempting to regain his composure.

“You fools! You’ve made a grave mistake coming here alone!”

He snapped his fingers, and dozens of the ‘Golden Crow School’ members poured into the room, encircling Adam and Drake with a show of sheer numbers, faces steely and weapons drawn. Hao Yang sneered, assured of his advantage.

"You’ll regret crossing the Golden Crow School!”

He spat, a hint of sadistic delight flashing across his face, however, neither Adam nor Drake was assumed by this. Both glanced at each other briefly, their silent exchange punctuated by a very subtle hint of a grin on Drake’s lips and the steady calm in Adam’s gaze. In an instant, the Spectronomicon materialized before its master, its hollow eyes glowing as it floated ominously by his side. With a grim look, Adam murmured.

"Mgehye'lloig"

The word was barely more than a whisper, but its effect was instantaneous. The air in the room thickened, and an otherworldly reverberation pulsed outward, sending waves of distorted energy through the minds of everyone within earshot. Golden Crow members staggered, clutching their heads as if assaulted by an unbearable sound. Gasps and strangled cries filled the air as one by one, they dropped to their knees, faces twisted in agony, even Hao Yang himself reeled, pressing his hands over his ears as if trying to block out the invisible assault.

“Stop this! Do you know who I am?”

He shrieked, his voice cracking.

“I am the son of a high executive of the ‘Golden Crow School’! How dare you, mere commoners, stand against me!”

Ignoring the guy's desperate boasts, Adam watched impassively as the young man struggled to stand. Hao Yang’s face twisted in rage as he forced himself to his feet, his body trembling from the strain of the mental assault. He clenched his fists, his golden-clawed gauntlet gleaming with a malicious light as he locked eyes with Adam.

With a furious yell, he charged forward, his gauntlet raised to strike, while the air around him crackled with a kind of ki-infused energy, a desperate final assault. But as his attack connected, Hao Yang’s eyes widened in shock—his claws passed straight through the boy’s body, as though he’d struck nothing but mist. Adam’s form flickered, ghostly and intangible, his expression unmoved… He had to admit that all the sparring sessions they'd done had really helped hone the skills he already had. The training room’s ability to reset him to his prior state after each session also meant that any cursed energy he used was restored, giving him ample opportunity to practice techniques like [Ghost Phasing], which he now nearly mastered. Additionally, he had gained control over summoning other specters within his body—a feat he managed by instructing his parasite to shut down his pain receptors each time he used them.

Returning to the attacking man, he stumbled forward from his own momentum, and was left defenseless, finding himself directly in front of Drake, who wore a faint, mocking smile. The realization of what was happening set in just as the blonde took his familiar stance—the very same one that had defeated Hao Yang in the tournament. The memory struck him even before the kick did, but he had no time to react.

With a precise, brutal blow, Drake’s foot connected with Hao Yang’s head, smaghing him against the stone floor with enough impact that it cracked the ground beneath him, echoing loudly through the room. His body lay still, his form defeated and humiliated yet again, an unconscious reminder of his failure. The few remaining grunts looked on, stunned and fearful, as Adam and Drake turned their attention toward them, unbothered and utterly calm.

Adam let out a sigh, eyeing one of the few conscious grunts lying on the floor. He stooped, grabbing the man by his collar and lifting him with an easy, but firm, grip.

“I’ll spare you all if you promise to stop interfering with us and answer a few questions.”

He stated, his voice cold but almost weary, as though tired of having to play the role of the enforcer. The grunt, a younger man with wide, fearful eyes, stammered in response, trying to summon some defiance despite his obvious terror.

“What… what if we refuse?”

The question was barely more than a squeak, and the man’s voice wavered as he realized just how idiotic it sounded, given the state of his comrades strewn across the room. Adam raised an eyebrow and paused, his expression a mix of exasperation and reluctance, but then he tilted his head, lifting his free hand, hovering it close to the man’s forehead.

“Then…”

The boy said with a sigh, clearly trying to restrain an eye roll.

“I’m going to have a little snack.”

He didn’t offer any further explanation, but the effect of his words was immediate and the grunt’s eyes widened in alarm, glancing from Adam’s hand to his eyes. Even Drake, who understood the boy’s reluctance, felt a twinge of unease at his friend’s acting. Adam placed his hand on the man’s head, channeling a command to his parasite through his palm… At once, an invisible force pulled the grunt’s vital energy, a torrent of raw life force, from within him.

The sensation flooded the grunt’s body with a searing, burning pain that spread through his nerves like wildfire. He choked, unable to stifle a strangled scream and broke almost instantly, nodding furiously, the words tumbling from his mouth as he promised in a desperate rush.

“I swear! I swear we won’t bother you again! I’ll tell you everything—please, just stop!”

Adam released him, letting his hand fall and retracting the energy pull, leaving the grunt breathless and shaken, crumpled on the floor. There was an almost pitying look in his eyes as he stepped back, clearly unsettled at having to play the “villain” role; he knew intimidation was necessary sometimes, based on what Li had told them he had managed to get all the info about the third faction in the last scenario, but it didn’t make it any easier.

Drake, who had watched with an unflinching expression, gave Adam a small nod, acknowledging the effectiveness but also sympathizing with the uncomfortable position. Any remaining defiance in the Golden Crow members had been thoroughly extinguished; they were now nothing more than shells of fear, eager to divulge whatever information would appease their captors.

Adam looked at Drake, giving him a resigned glance.

"Well then, let’s get to the bottom of this. There are still a few things we’d like to know…"

—————————

As all this unfolded, the night pressed on, and those who’d stayed behind at the hotel were finally settling down for rest, just as they’d planned. Before anyone truly turned in, however, they made sure to give Li that strange pill that Adam had left, and even though his expression twisted at the medicine’s bitterness, Li took it without complaint, quickly swallowing it down.

With that done, everything seemed to be in order. The girls and the young boy prepared to share the bed, as they had before, while the others took to the sofas. This time, though, they arranged for Li to rest across two sofas pushed together, giving him a bit more space and comfort given his injuries. He shot them a quiet, grateful look before lying back, closing his eyes, and slipping into a deep, exhausted sleep.

The hotel suite was calm and silent as the group drifted off to sleep. Fatigue hung heavy in the air, leaving them lost in deep, dreamless slumber. Li lay sprawled across the makeshift bed of the two sofas, his breathing shallow and steady, finally able to let his guard down, if only for a night. The room’s stillness was broken only by the occasional creak of furniture or the soft murmur of shifting bodies, each member of the team resting as comfortably as their circumstances allowed. In the cool dimness of early morning, nothing seemed amiss—until subtle movements flickered in the shadows beyond the windows and balcony.

Silhouettes slipped across the balcony railing, their figures quick and seamless, blending into the darkness with fluid, almost unnatural grace. Silent as specters, they moved with precision, every motion measured, each step calculated to leave no trace. Bloodlust thickened the air, a simmering, invisible tension emanating from the shadows—yet within the room, no one stirred, unfortunately, Kazue and Li, the only ones truly attuned to such sinister intent, lay deeply asleep, their bodies too exhausted to react. The figures neared the doors, ready to infiltrate, like silent, deadly shadows lurking around their prey.

Just then, Emir stirred, blinking as he emerged from the haze of sleep. His throat felt parched, and, without really thinking, he slid out of bed, still half-asleep, and padded quietly across the room to pour himself a glass of water. As he gulped it down, he suddenly sensed a presence, a strange prickle against the night. He glanced out the window, but nothing was there; the shadows had vanished. Shrugging, still drowsy and unaware of the danger, he set the glass back down and returned to bed, drifting back into sleep.

But above them, on the hotel roof, the scene was a battlefield of pure terror. Twenty men clad in black attire and dark masks stood ready, their faces obscured save for eyes narrowed with deadly focus. These were no ordinary intruders—they were members of the ‘Dragon Gate Gang’, notorious for their ruthlessly efficient assassins trained to kill with precision. Unlike the inept grunts from the ‘Golden Crow School’, these men were experts in stealth and lethality, moving like shadows in their mission to end Li’s life and everyone in that room, seeking revenge for the death of Kai Zhang during the tournament.

But as they prepared to descend on their unsuspecting targets, a nightmarish figure emerged from the darkness. It loomed before them on the rooftop, immense and monstrous, its form impossible to fully decipher in the low light. The monster’s silhouette took on an even more unsettling, insect-like quality as it showed over the assassins, its body was elongated, unnaturally slender, with limbs that jutted out in crooked angles, each one ending in enormous, sickle-like claws that glinted menacingly in the faint light. Along its back, translucent wings—thin and segmented like those of a monstrous insect—quivered in place, casting eerie, distorted shadows against the rooftop. The wings gave off a faint buzzing sound as they flickered, lending a nauseating hum to the creature’s already nightmarish aura.

Its head was long and narrow, almost too elongated for its body, and it bore no distinct facial features—no eyes, no nose, just smooth, seamless skin where a face should have been. Yet, disturbingly, the creature’s mouth remained horrifyingly human. Rows of visible, human-like teeth formed a broad, sinister grin that stretched unnaturally across its jaw, each tooth polished and sharp, giving the impression of a predatory smile. It was as though the creature understood their fear, savoring it while showing that its skin had a glitchy quality, as if seen through static, and it seemed both solid and intangible.

Without warning, the beast attacked with sudden and terrifyingly efficient movements. One of the assassins barely managed to raise his weapon before a massive, clawed limb tore through him, ripping him apart with grotesque ease. The others responded instantly, moving at speeds undetectable to the human eye, every muscle trained for such encounters, yet no matter how they struck, their attacks passed through the beast’s form like a knife slicing through smoke. Some felt their weapons meet it’s shadowy form, only for the monster to distort around the impact, its body glitching like a hologram.

“W-What is that thing?!”

One of the assassins gasped, desperation in his voice as he tried to regain his footing, only to be flung aside by the creature’s powerful claw.

“It’s impossible… It's just like… it’s not even real!”

Another muttered, slashing at the creature only to watch his blade bounce off the, now solid, hard shell harmlessly. The beast screeched, a bone-chilling sound that echoed through the night like mocking laughter, as it tore into another assassin, its claws ripping through armor and flesh alike.

One by one, the assassins fell, their numbers dwindling rapidly. Each attempted counterattack was met with horrifying futility, as either the creature phased around them or their blows were useless against its monstrous exoskeleton. The last man standing was breathing heavily with his eyes wide with fear as he realized there was no escaping; nevertheless, he turned to flee, but in a blink, the beast was upon him, claws clamping down on his head with crushing force.

“Going somewhere?”

The monster’s voice rasped, low and growling, words twisted with a malevolent, almost gleeful malice. The sound was rough and inhuman, as though dredged up from the depths of some dark abyss.

“I can’t let you harm my master’s group, especially when someone precious to ■■■ is here…”

It continued, its grip tightening.

“But something’s troubling my master, it seems I’ll need to take care of it personally.”

The assassin’s remaining will crumbled. His mind filled with dread as he realized he was utterly at the mercy of this unnatural entity. The beast’s grip intensified until, with a final, brutal twist, it crushed the man’s head in its claws. Dropping the lifeless body, the creature turned its gaze toward the horizon, its hollow face focusing on some distant point with a dark sense of purpose.

With a powerful leap, the beast launched itself across the rooftops, vanishing mid-air as its form shimmered, blending seamlessly into the shadows once more. In a low, rumbling whisper, the creature muttered to itself.

“The Shaolin temple, was it?”