The arrogant smirk that had been plastered on Liu Ba’s face finally vanished. He ground his teeth in pure rage and lunged toward Su Han like a starving predator.

  ?Su Han’s eyes were a terrifying shade of blood-red. He knew the clock was ticking—he had exactly sixty seconds to cripple Liu Ba.

  ?If he failed to deal serious damage within that minute, he wouldn't just lose; he’d be a dead man walking.

  ?He tightened his grip on the Wolf-Tooth Dagger, his knuckles white, and swung it with everything he had against Liu Ba’s incoming blade.

  ?"Nine-Time Slash!"

  ?Clang!

  ?A deafening metallic ring echoed through the trees. The force of the collision sent both of them staggering back two steps.

  ?Liu Ba froze, his eyes widening in pure disbelief. He couldn't wrap his head around how a kid on the brink of death could possess such raw, explosive power.

  ?He noticed Su Han’s transformation—the crimson hair and those glowing red eyes—and a dark sense of greed began to swirl in his chest.

  ?'This technique... if I can get my hands on it, my power will reach a whole new level!'

  ?With visions of climbing the ranks in the Shadow-Blade Sect, Liu Ba’s attacks became even more vicious and precise.

  ?Swish! Slash!

  ?Parrying and dodging, Su Han realized Liu Ba was unlike any thug he had faced. The man was two levels higher, and he wasn't leaving any openings.

  ?Even with the Invincible Supreme Dragon bloodline boosting him, Su Han’s battered body was struggling to keep up with the sheer intensity.

  ?'I can't beat him in a fair fight like this. I need a trick, and I need it now.'

  ?Liu Ba was a cunning fox. He saw Su Han’s eyes darting around and sensed the mounting tension in the boy's movements. A realization hit him like a lightning bolt.

  ?"I see... no technique can boost a brat's power this much without a heavy price. This strength is borrowed time, isn't it?"

  ?Liu Ba didn't retreat. Instead of killing Su Han immediately, he wanted to drag the fight out, drain the boy's energy, and then torture the secret out of him.

  ?Su Han kept one eye on the system interface flickering in his mind. The countdown was heart-stopping.

  ?Suddenly, Su Han stopped playing defense. He threw caution to the wind and lunged forward with a suicidal intensity.

  ?"Nine-Time Slash!"

  ?This time, he didn't aim for the sword. He aimed straight for Liu Ba’s throat.

  ?Liu Ba flinched, shocked by the sudden change. He used a high-level movement skill, his body blurring as he slipped backward.

  ?Whoosh!

  ?Being from the Shadow-Blade Sect, Liu Ba had access to techniques most commoners never even dreamed of, including his Yellow-Level High-Grade blade.

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  ?But Su Han was relentless. He stayed glued to Liu Ba, forcing the older man to keep retreating.

  ?Liu Ba was confused. 'Why is he attacking like a madman? He knows he can't win this way!'

  ?After several exchanges, Su Han finally found the opening he was looking for. He channeled every ounce of his remaining strength into one final, desperate strike.

  ?Liu Ba’s patience snapped. The mockery was gone, replaced by a cold, murderous intent.

  ?"You little rat, you really don't know what's good for you. Fine! Taste this!"

  ?"Blood-Shower Blade!"

  ?Liu Ba’s weapon glowed with a sickening light as he unleashed his ultimate technique, aiming to turn Su Han into a pile of minced meat.

  ?Vroom!

  ?Su Han’s eyes narrowed to slits as he tracked the trajectory of Liu Ba’s blade. This wasn't just any move; it was a high-grade martial art, easily matching the complexity of his own Shadow Steps.

  ?'Shit!'

  ?Su Han cursed inwardly, throwing his body into a frantic dodge. He shot a glance at the system interface flickering in his vision. Eighteen seconds. That was all the time he had left before the dragon's fury drained out of him.

  ?Whoosh!

  ?If he didn't end this now, Liu Ba would turn him into a living nightmare. The Iron-Fist mercenaries were too battered to even lift a finger; they could only watch with their hearts in their throats as Su Han danced on the edge of a razor.

  ?Every time it looked like Su Han was finished, he would somehow snap back. It was like watching a man survive a high-speed crash over and over again.

  ?Slash!

  ?A sharp cry tore through the air as Su Han failed to dodge completely. Liu Ba’s blade ripped through his sleeve, carving a deep, jagged trench into his arm.

  ?Crimson blood sprayed onto the forest floor. If it weren't for his own martial arts protecting his vitals, that arm would have been severed clean off.

  ?But Su Han didn't flinch. His eyes, now burning with a demonic red light, stayed glued to the system's countdown. He was looking for one opening—just one.

  ?As Liu Ba’s blade retracted, Su Han lunged forward, his Wolf-Tooth Dagger aimed straight for the man's heart.

  ?Squelch!

  ?The sound of metal meeting flesh echoed, followed by a spray of blood. But something was wrong. The dagger didn't sink into the heart; it hit something hard and slid an inch to the side, burying itself in the chest instead.

  ?"No... how?!" Su Han gasped, his vision blurring.

  ?Liu Ba didn't give him a second to process. With a cruel sneer, he planted a heavy kick right into Su Han’s gut.

  ?Thud!

  ?Su Han flew backward, his body crashing into the dirt. He vomited a mouthful of thick, dark blood, his dagger slipping from his numb fingers.

  ?The world was spinning. Seeing Liu Ba stalking toward him like an inevitable shadow, Su Han didn't hesitate. He burned 20 Store Points and pulled a High-Grade Healing Pill from the system.

  ?He swallowed it instantly. A wave of warmth surged through his veins, stitching his wounds at a visible rate, but even a high-grade pill needed five to seven minutes to fully work.

  ?Liu Ba wasn't going to give him five seconds.

  ?Su Han struggled to his feet, his breath coming in ragged, painful gulps. Perspiration soaked his brow, mixing with the blood.

  ?The mercenaries were watching with clenched fists, their eyes bloodshot. They didn't even dare to blink, feeling as if their own lives were tied to Su Han’s survival.

  ?"Nine-Time Slash!"

  ?In a final, desperate burst of energy, Su Han charged. But Liu Ba was faster. He slipped past Su Han’s guard and swung his blade in a vicious arc.

  ?Rip!

  ?Another spray of blood. Su Han was sent sprawling again, his Wolf-Tooth Dagger flying out of reach.

  ?"Brother Han!" Chen Jian’s voice broke in a desperate scream, but he could only tremble in helplessness. Even Captain Lucy’s eyes were filled with a grim, hopeless fire.

  ?Su Han lay flat on the ground, his body broken. He still couldn't understand why his dagger hadn't pierced Liu Ba’s chest. It felt like he had hit a wall of steel.

  ?Liu Ba walked up to him, a victor's smile twisting his features. He slammed his boot down onto Su Han’s wounded arm, grinding it into the dirt.

  ?Crrrk!

  ?Su Han let out a gut-wrenching scream, his teeth grinding together so hard they nearly shattered.

  ?Liu Ba bent down, reaching for Su Han’s collar to drag him up for the final interrogation. But then, Su Han’s other arm—the one Liu Ba thought was useless—suddenly shot up.

  ?Liu Ba’s eyes flared. He thought it was a desperate slap and moved to swat it away.

  ?But then, Liu Ba’s entire world froze. His jaw dropped, and his eyes bulged as if he had just seen a ghost.

  ?"Impossible..." he wheezed, his voice trembling with a fear he had never felt before.

  ?Su Han, despite the blood and the pain, let a cold, dark smile spread across his face.

  ?What had Liu Ba seen that turned the predator into the prey?