Chapter 5 – Shadows Over Moonveil
The night in Moonveil was colder than before, as if the world itself sensed that something had shifted. Chen Yue lay in a small, creaky bed in the Silver Antler Inn, staring at the wooden ceiling. The dull ache in his ribs reminded him of Kael's mana-infused punch.
[HP: 62 → 74 (Natural Recovery)]
[Wound Status: Minor Bleeding Stopped.]
"First day in this world," Chen Yue muttered, "and I've already got cultists, nobles, and a fight in a tavern. Perfect start."
His system chimed softly:
[Notice: Host has entered a critical phase of progression. New Feature Available.]
[Bond Link System: When trust with key individuals reaches a threshold, special resonance skills unlock.]
Chen Yue sat up. "Bond Link?"
A panel appeared before him:
Bond Link System
Velira Duskveil – Current Trust: 8%
Ayara Windstride – Current Trust: 6%
Bonded Skill Preview:Tri-Spirit Resonance (Locked).
"Great," Chen Yue sighed. "I need to win their trust. Shouldn't be too hard… unless they hate men who nearly get themselves killed."
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.
"Come in," he said, half expecting a drunk adventurer.
The door opened—and Velira stepped inside, her silver hair glinting in the lamplight. She wore a deep-blue robe now instead of her battle cloak, and the faint aura of mana around her felt like standing near a frozen lake—calm, but deadly if disturbed.
"You're awake," she said flatly.
"Barely," Chen Yue replied, forcing a grin. "What brings the lady of moonlight to my humble room?"
Velira ignored the joke. "You're not ordinary."
Chen Yue froze. "What makes you say that?"
"I sensed something when you touched Kael," she said, her amethyst eyes narrowing. "No mana… yet you stood against a mana-user with nothing but a blade. And earlier, in the tavern, for a second… your aura felt strange. Ancient."
Chen Yue's pulse quickened. She noticed the Qi flare from the fight in the forest.
Velira stepped closer, her gaze sharp. "Who are you, really?"
Before Chen Yue could answer, a blood-curdling scream split the night.
Velira whirled toward the window. Outside, chaos erupted—shadows darting across rooftops, flames flickering as lanterns toppled, and the unmistakable clash of steel on steel.
"Damn it," Velira hissed, sprinting to the door.
Chen Yue grabbed his Fang Blade and followed. "What's happening?"
"Assassins," Velira said grimly. "Kael must have called the Black Fangs."
"Black Fangs?"
"Mercenary killers," she said, mana flaring around her hands like liquid starlight. "They'll slaughter everyone who gets in their way."
Moonveil in Flames
They burst out of the inn into pandemonium. Villagers ran screaming as hooded figures leapt from the shadows, blades flashing. Some wielded shortbows that fired arrows glowing with green mana—poison-tipped, Chen Yue guessed.
Ayara was already there, loosing arrows with deadly precision. Each shot dropped an assassin before they could strike. Her movements were fluid, like a dancer on the battlefield.
"About time you joined the party!" she yelled, firing another arrow that pinned a killer to a wall.
Velira raised her hands, chanting in a language that rolled like thunder. A circle of shimmering runes flared beneath her feet. Then she unleashed a wave of frost mana that swept through the street, freezing three assassins solid in mid-lunge.
Chen Yue stared. Damn. She's not just strong—she's a walking artillery unit.
His system beeped:
[Quest Updated: Allies of Fate – Defend Moonveil Village.]
Reward: Bond Resonance Progress +15%, 500 EXP.]
"Guess I'm in," Chen Yue muttered, charging forward.
Chen Yue Joins the Battle
The first assassin lunged at him, twin daggers flashing. Chen Yue sidestepped and slashed his Fang Blade, channeling Qi instinctively. Golden light flared along the edge as he shouted:
"Astral Fang Slash!"
The strike unleashed a crescent-shaped arc of energy that tore through the assassin—and the wall behind him.
Gasps erupted from nearby villagers. Even Velira's head snapped toward him, eyes widening.
"What… was that?" she whispered.
Chen Yue didn't answer—because three more assassins were on him. He ducked under the first blade, spun, and drove his elbow into the attacker's jaw before slashing upward, severing his throat.
Blood sprayed. Another came from behind—Chen Yue whirled, blocking with his blade and kicking him back.
The last assassin snarled and rushed him head-on. Chen Yue gritted his teeth, Qi surging again.
"Astral Fang Slash!"
Another golden arc ripped through the air, splitting the man in two.
[Enemies Defeated: +180 EXP]
[EXP: 540/1500]
Chen Yue panted, sweat dripping down his brow. Damn… the Qi drain is real.
[Qi Threads: 8 → 4.]
"Chen Yue!" Ayara's voice snapped his attention forward. She loosed an arrow that narrowly missed his ear—but struck an assassin about to stab him from behind.
"You're welcome!" she shouted.
Chen Yue smirked. "Guess I owe you one!"
The Assassin Commander
A sudden hush fell over the chaos. From the far end of the street, a figure approached—tall, draped in black armor that shimmered like oil. His mask was carved into a snarling beast, and in his hand he carried a curved blade wreathed in green flames.
Villagers froze. Even the Black Fang mercenaries paused as the commander's presence rolled over them like a tide of malice.
Velira's face hardened. "Kael really went that far… That's a Rank-4 Mana Warlord."
Chen Yue frowned. "Translation?"
"Someone who can carve through a building in one swing," Ayara said grimly, drawing three arrows at once.
The commander stopped, his voice a low growl. "Which of you harbors the Fragment?"
Chen Yue's blood turned to ice.
Velira stepped forward, mana flaring like a second moon. "You'll leave now, or I'll freeze your heart in its cage."
The commander chuckled—a sound that crawled over Chen Yue's skin. "Try."
He blurred—and in an instant, he was in front of Velira. His flaming blade descended like a guillotine.
CLANG!
Velira barely raised a mana barrier in time. The impact shattered the cobblestones, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the street.
Ayara's arrows whistled through the air—but the commander moved like a shadow, dodging them effortlessly before backhanding Ayara with enough force to send her crashing into a wagon.
"Ayara!" Chen Yue shouted.
[Critical Situation Detected: Activate Fragment Authority?]
Chen Yue gritted his teeth. "Do it!"
[Activating Astral Vein Burst – Tier 2 Upgrade!]
[Duration: 45 seconds | All Attributes +150% | Qi Output x4]
Power roared through Chen Yue's veins, his aura exploding into golden flames. The ground beneath him cracked as Qi surged like a storm.
The commander turned just as Chen Yue appeared in front of him—moving faster than his eyes could track.
Chen Yue's blade blazed with golden light as he roared:
"ASTRAL FANG SLASH—FULL BURST!"
The arc that exploded from his sword wasn't a slash—it was a tidal wave of light. It crashed into the commander with the force of a meteor, ripping through his armor and hurling him across the street into a building, which collapsed in an avalanche of dust and stone.
Silence.
Velira stared, eyes wide. Ayara groaned from where she landed, her green eyes locking on Chen Yue in shock.
Chen Yue lowered his blade, chest heaving. That… felt insane.
[Enemy Status: Severely Injured – Retreated.]
From the rubble, a dark mist slithered away into the night.
Velira approached slowly, her voice low. "That… was not mana."
Chen Yue smirked, exhaustion pulling at him like chains. "Told you… I'm different."
Then his knees buckled—and darkness claimed him.
End of Chapter 5