Chapter 20: Slaughter and Breakthrough
The day Shin left the hospital, Seria City was no longer the same.
The once-busy streets now echoed with screams. Black smoke curled into the sky. Corpses of soldiers and monsters littered the ground.
Shin tightened his grip on the dagger, his eyes cold.
> "So this… is the new world."
A goblin screeched and lunged at him, crude spear thrusting toward his chest.
Shin's Qi surged, his body moving instinctively. His dagger pierced the goblin's throat.
[Goblin Defeated – Level 3]
Reward: +30 Spiritual Energy
More rushed him. A pack of werewolves snarled, fangs dripping blood.
Shin exhaled slowly. His eyes flashed.
> "Let's try… my new power."
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Life and Death
Ding!
「 Divine Ability Activated — Life and Death 」
His body glowed faintly—half of his aura radiant white, the other half a chilling black mist.
He extended his hand.
From his palm, a black ripple pulsed outward. The werewolves froze mid-charge. Their eyes widened as their flesh decayed, muscles rotting, bones crumbling to dust.
They collapsed in seconds.
[Werewolf Defeated – Level 5 ×3]
Reward: +300 Spiritual Energy
Shin's chest heaved.
> "The… death energy is terrifying…"
He glanced at his wounds, still aching from the hospital. His other hand glowed white. Warmth flowed into his body, healing torn flesh, mending broken muscle.
In an instant, his body was as good as new.
> "And the life energy… it's like a miracle."
---
The Massacre
From dawn till dusk, Shin moved through the battlefield like a reaper.
Goblins, werewolves, snake beasts—one after another, they fell before him. His blade, infused with death energy, cut through even the toughest hides.
His wounds healed instantly with life energy.
Hours passed. Blood covered his clothes, but none of it was his own.
The system notifications flooded endlessly.
[+40 Spiritual Energy]
[+50 Spiritual Energy]
[+60 Spiritual Energy]
On and on.
---
Breakthroughs
Shin sat on a pile of monster corpses, his breathing steady. He felt his meridians boiling with energy.
Ding!
「 Qi Refraining Realm – Level 6 → Breakthrough to Level 7 」
His aura flared, the ground trembling slightly.
But he didn't stop.
More monsters came. More battles. More kills.
Ding!
「 Level 7 → Level 8 」
His body felt stronger, his Qi denser. His Divine Ability's control sharpened.
Still, he fought on.
By the time the sun dipped low in the sky, painting the battlefield crimson, Shin's aura erupted once more.
Ding!
「 Qi Refraining Realm – Level 8 → Level 9 」
The air quaked around him, and monsters instinctively backed away, sensing the predator before them.
Shin rose slowly, his eyes glowing with cold determination.
> "Level 9… One step away from Foundation Establishment."
He looked toward the horizon. Cities burned, monsters howled, the world was collapsing.
But Shin's voice was calm.
> "No matter how many monsters appear… I will survive. I will rise."
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✨ End of Chapter 20 ✨