chapter 176 part 2
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In the slightly dim room, the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost tangible.
Zhao Yingkong gripped the dagger in her hand tightly. Its cold glint flickered in the faint light, reflecting off her sweat-drenched cheeks.
Her eyes were fixed on Ren Arakawa!
At this moment, in her eyes, Ren Arakawa was like an impossibly high, majestic mountain peak, exuding a despair-inducing sense of pressure!
Whether it was his instantaneous reaction speed, his steel-like physical toughness, his sharp insight into the battle situation, his combat intelligence that allowed him to anticipate the enemy's moves, or his dazzling and ever-changing application of abilities—no matter how you measured it, Zhao Yingkong was being completely suppressed by Ren Arakawa in every aspect, utterly powerless to fight back.
It was like a police investigator in a movie falling into the hands of the mafia.
And this was merely a tiny glimpse of the power Ren Arakawa was casually displaying.
Zhao Yingkong knew clearly in her heart that if Ren Arakawa went all out, it was uncertain if she could even last a single move against him. She might be instantly killed and reduced to cannon fodder.
One had to know, she was no longer an unknown nobody. The unlocking of her second-tier gene lock had resulted in a qualitative leap in her physical attributes and sensory abilities. Coupled with the unique agility and explosive power granted by her Ghost enhancement, and the Nether Spirit's Fang Dagger in her hand that was especially effective against spiritual beings, she was truly armed to the teeth.
What's more, she had crawled her way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood since she was young, growing up amidst piles of bodies. She had experienced countless life-and-death struggles, and the number of people she had assassinated was enough to link hands and encircle a shopping mall. That was a history built upon fresh blood and lives.
But even so, in front of Ren Arakawa, she seemed like an ant trying to shake a tree. All her skills were rendered useless; there was basically no room for her to resist.
Zhao Yingkong gritted her teeth, nearly shattering them. She took a deep breath, trying to dispel the fear and helplessness in her heart. Mustering her courage once more, she charged toward Ren Arakawa like an arrow released from its bow.
Her determined posture was as if she were rushing into a battle from which there was no return.
However, she had just taken a step, not yet even close, when her gaze suddenly caught something strange in Ren Arakawa's eyes.
His originally black pupils had, in an instant, turned a vivid red!
That piercing red was like a blazing flame, yet it held a mysterious and unfathomable depth that made one's heart palpitate.
This was definitely not the pupil of the Sharingan she was familiar with; it was clearly a brand new, never-before-seen ability!
With just a single glance, Zhao Yingkong felt an invisible force crash toward her like a surging tide, striking her consciousness and plunging her brain into a momentary state of chaos!
The dagger she held tightly clattered to the ground uncontrollably. Her body began to tremble violently, as if enveloped by a bone-chilling cold from the depths of the abyss!
This terrifying scene lasted for more than ten seconds, and each second felt as long as a century to Zhao Yingkong.
By the time she finally regained some of her senses and control over her body, a wave of lingering fear washed over her.
In a battle where fortunes could turn in an instant and life and death hung by a thread, a single second of hesitation, a single second of losing control, could very well change the entire course of the fight and lead to a completely different outcome.
For those full ten seconds, if Ren Arakawa had intended to kill her, it would have been as easy as turning over his hand.
He could have killed her several times over, let alone simply cutting her down.
"What was that?" Zhao Yingkong forced herself to calm down, bent over to pick up her dagger, and wiped the sweat rolling down her forehead. Her eyes were fixed on Ren Arakawa, her voice trembling with a hint of unwillingness as she asked.
"Take off your chest wrap and I'll tell you."
"Damn you!" Hearing this, Zhao Yingkong's eyes instantly blazed with furious flames, like a lit powder keg. Without another word, she brandished her dagger again and charged at Ren Arakawa with reckless abandon.
Amidst the clanging sounds, Zhao Yingkong and the feather-wielding Ren Arakawa were locked in a back-and-forth battle.
Zhao Yingkong's movements were nimble, the dagger in her hand like a lithe, venomous snake, stabbing swiftly at Ren Arakawa time and again. Meanwhile, Ren Arakawa, who was fighting against her, held a light feather in his hand. It seemed soft and powerless, but with every wave, it transformed into sharp gusts of wind. Each time it collided with the dagger, it produced a dazzling shower of sparks.
For a time, the two were evenly matched, trading blows.
As Zhao Yingkong parried with all her might, she grew confused.
She keenly sensed that Ren Arakawa's current power seemed to be somewhat weaker than before.
Although he was still a tough opponent and she had to give her all for every attack and defense, the sense of pressure he exuded was noticeably less than the overwhelming power from just moments ago that felt like it could crush anything. This change truly baffled her.
Just as the battle reached a stalemate, the surrounding environment suddenly changed.
The originally empty and cold training ground was manipulated by a mysterious power, undergoing a heaven-and-earth-shattering transformation in the blink of an eye.
The brick walls rapidly peeled away, replaced by mottled, yellowed old wallpaper. The cold, hard ground turned into a wooden floor marked by the passage of time. The bright lights overhead became soft and dim. The entire space instantly morphed into a cozy, old, and small home full of life.
Zhao Yingkong looked around in astonishment, finding that she was now standing in the corner by the shoe rack at the entrance. Not far ahead, a slightly worn-out table laden with home-cooked dishes had appeared out of thin air. The steam rising from the hot food carried an enticing aroma, adding a touch of worldly warmth to the unfamiliar scene.
"Click—" A soft sound broke the brief silence.
Another Ren Arakawa slowly pushed open the kitchen door on the side. He wore a faint smile and was steadily carrying a plate of tantalizingly colored stir-fried beef.
The tender beef, paired with vibrant green chili peppers, looked mouth-wateringly delicious under the rising steam.
Ren Arakawa looked up, his gaze warm as he greeted Zhao Yingkong, "Let's eat first. Hey, you, you can go back now."
The other Ren Arakawa frowned, "Hey! I do all the hard work, and you don't call me for dinner?"
"Listen to you. Isn't cooking easier than fighting? Besides, you were fighting Zhao Yingkong. You know full well how many benefits you got, don't you?!"
"Tch, I won't argue with you!"
With that, the "Ren Arakawa" who had just been dueling Zhao Yingkong clapped his hands together. With a "poof," he vanished into a puff of white smoke, leaving no trace behind.
Only then did Zhao Yingkong realize.
The one who had just been fighting her on relatively even terms was actually Ren Arakawa's shadow clone.
(end of chapter)