The leader's words were ice shards, shattering the brief peace. The blatant threat made Lin Yuan's gaze turn arctic.
"And if I refuse?" Lin Yuan stepped forward, shielding Qingxue and the others, his voice deceptively calm.
"Refuse?" The leader sneered, the ice in his hand flaring. "The weak have no right to refuse."
He flicked his wrist. A blast of cold, sharp enough to freeze blood, shot towards Lin Yuan's face with impossible speed.
Lin Yuan's eyes widened, his body too slow to react. But then, a slender, desperate figure shoved him aside, taking the full force of the attack on her back.
"QINGXUE—!!!"
His scream was raw agony. He watched, helpless, as the shock on her face froze solid. White frost crawled over her, encasing her flowing hair, her warm body… until she stood, a statue captured in the act of pushing him to safety. The last emotion in her eyes was worry, and farewell.
The world turned red.
"AHHH—!!!"
A rage unlike any he had ever known erupted from his very soul. His blood boiled, his bones hummed, every cell screamed in fury. The cold voice spoke again in his mind:
[Host's mental threshold exceeded. Extreme emotional state matches hidden protocol.]
[Talent 'Infinite Evolution' permission unlocked—Host physical evolution initiated!]
[Commencing fusion…]
BOOM.
Power didn't flow out; it detonated within. His muscle fibers restructured, density skyrocketing. His bones gained a faint golden sheen, becoming unbreakable. His sight and hearing sharpened a hundredfold; he could see the hexagonal structure of the ice crystals in the air.
Fine, resilient golden scales briefly shimmered across his skin before fading from view.
[Host: Lin Yuan]
[Level: 5 (Temporary)]
[Talent: Infinite Evolution (SSS)]
[Abilities: Combat Instinct (Proficient), Golden Scales (Passive), Frenzy (Basic)]
"What… what have you done?!" The leader's arrogance vanished, replaced by shock. He felt a pressure from Lin Yuan, primal and threatening.
Lin Yuan slowly raised his head. His eyes held no human emotion, only the cold, predatory glare of a beast. He didn't answer. He just looked at the man.
The next instant, the ground where he'd stood shattered, and he was gone.
"So fast!" The leader barely managed to conjure an ice shield.
CRACK!
The shield shattered like glass. Lin Yuan's fist, wreathed in golden energy, smashed into his chest.
CRUNCH.
The sound of breaking ribs was sickeningly clear. The leader flew backward like a discarded doll, painting the air with a trail of blood.
Lin Yuan didn't stop. "Frenzy" activated, boosting his speed further. He became a phantom, catching the leader mid-air. The ordinary fruit knife in his hand now gleamed with an unstoppable golden light.
"This is for Qingxue."
The blade flashed, finding its mark unerringly in the man's heart.
The leader hit the ground, twitched twice, and lay still, his face forever locked in disbelief.
The remaining Black Dragon members broke, scrambling to flee. But they were no match for a frenzied Lin Yuan and a bloodthirsty Xiao Yue. Soon, only carnage remained.
As the fight ended, the golden light faded from Lin Yuan, leaving behind crushing weakness. He staggered over to the ice sculpture.
His hand trembled as he reached out, touching the frozen surface. The cold was bone-deep, but it was nothing compared to the desolation in his heart.
"Qingxue…" he rasped, the word a prayer. "Wait for me. I'll find a way to bring you back, even if I have to tear hell apart."
With infinite care, he lifted the ice sculpture. It wasn't heavy, but its weight threatened to crush him.
"Xiao Yue. Let's go home."
The black war-hound lowered its head, allowing the heavy burden to be placed on its back. Man and beast, followed by their shell-shocked followers, walked into the blood-red sunset. Lin Yuan's silhouette was no longer that of a student, but of an avenger, bound by oath and vengeance.