The wind shifted direction. The water's surface rippled, the air turning suffocatingly heavy, making it hard to breathe. Van Thien stood in the middle of the river, his entire body coiling. The pressure radiating from the man on the deck bore down on him like a mountain.
"…Take her, if you can."
Before the final word could even form, Thien vanished.
WHOOSH!
A direct charge, holding nothing back, offering no reconnaissance. His fist tore through the open air.
But it connected with nothingness.
"…!" His pupils contracted.
SLASH!
A hand materialized from his flank.
BOOM!
Thien was blasted horizontally, making the water's surface explode.
SPLASH!!
He skidded across the river. Before he could even halt his momentum...
WHOOSH!
Another force descended upon him from above.
CRASH!
He was crushed, sent plunging deep beneath the surface.
"…Khụ!!" Water rushed into his throat. So fast…! He burst back up, his breathing ragged, his eyes sweeping the surroundings. Nothing.
"…Where…?!"
"Right here." The voice echoed directly beside his ear.
WHAM!
A direct punch. Thien was sent flying through the air, blood spraying into the atmosphere.
Silence. One second. Then...
BOOM!
He crashed into the water once more. The waves parted violently.
"…Khụ…!"
His body was not keeping pace. On the deck, the man stood still, making no move to pursue.
"Is that all?" his voice was low, yet ice-cold.
Thien braced his hands, forcing himself to stand. His frame trembled, not from fear, but because his body had reached its absolute limit.
"…Not yet." He clenched his fists, the necklace... EXPLODING WITH LIGHT.
BOOM!!!!!!
A burst of blue energy exploded outwardly. The river's surface dipped, the waves sent retreating dozens of meters, and the air itself vibrated.
On the warship, Bao Uyen's eyes widened. "…Brother Thien…!
The energy wrapped around his body like living coils of light. Memories shattered and reassembled: Wooden stakes. Raging fires. The rapid thunder of war drums.
"Stand firm."
BOOM!!
Thien's gaze changed—deeper, colder.
"…8%."
He took a step. The water's surface... CRACKED.
VUT!!!!!!!!
He vanished, this time, significantly faster.
Punch.
BOOM!!
The air exploded. The man raised an arm—BLOCKED. An impact tremor echoed, the shockwave expanding outward.
"…Oh?" For the first time, he showed a sliver of interest. "Impressive."
Thien didn't stop. Punch. Kick. Pivot. BOOM!! THUD!! SLASH! Every strike carried a terrifying amount of pressure. The river's surface was torn apart.
But every single one was blocked. No strain, no difficulty. Just... blocked.
"…!!" The final strike was held fast, the man's hand clamping around Thien's wrist. A tight grip, impossible to pull free.
"…Faster," he looked directly into Thien's eyes, "but still not enough."
CRUSH.
CRACK.
Pain pierced straight through to his brain.
"…Khự—!!"
BOOM!!
A direct punch to the gut. The air was vacuumed clean from his lungs. His eyes widened, his body doubling over. THEN...
BOOM!!!!!!!!
He was blasted directly into the water. The river's surface exploded, the waves rising high. Deep beneath the surface, his body sank, the light slowly fading.
"…Not finished…" His hand twitched faintly, the blue energy still present, but WEAKENING.
Above the water, the man looked down, his gaze devoid of emotion. "It's over." He raised a hand, the air beginning to compress, a vortex of black energy gathering. Highly condensed. Heavy. Preparing to... TERMINATE.
Above the water, the man looked down, his gaze devoid of emotion. "It's over." He raised a hand, the air beginning to compress, a vortex of black energy gathering. Highly condensed. Heavy. Preparing to... TERMINATE.
Deep underwater, Thien's pupils vibrated. Another fragment of memory was pulled free: The river. The ancient wooden stakes emerging from the bed. And something... moving deep beneath.
BOOM!
The river's surface rippled softly. So faint no one noticed, save for the river itself. In the distance, the water began to swirl slowly. As if something... was emerging.