The two Shadow-Blade thugs, both at Level 8 Body Refining, glared at Su Han with eyes that were turning a deep, blood-red.
They moved forward together, their jagged blades catching the dim light as a thick, murderous intent filled the air.
Su Han's heart raced, but he wasn't afraid; he was on fire. He didn't want the Iron-Fist group to get hurt because of him, especially since they had stepped up to protect him.
He knew his first two kills were lucky, sudden strikes that caught them off guard. Those two had been Level 7, just like him.
But these two coming at him now were a level higher. They were Level 8, fully prepared, and moving as a single, deadly unit.
The Iron-Fist mercenaries were ready to fight, but Su Han knew they were just cannon fodder in this league.
Except for Chen Jian, who was Level 7, everyone else was only at Level 6. To make things worse, they were all battered and bruised from the previous fight.
There was one more Level 7 fighter in the group, but the battle with the four-ringed snake had left him broken and useless.
He couldn't even stand, let alone fight these killers who made the two merchants hide in the back, trembling like leaves.
"Mountain-Breaking Blade!" one thug roared.
"Blood-Red Cleaver!" the other hissed, unleashing their martial skills.
They weren't giving Su Han an inch of space. They were furious, their leader's order was ringing in their ears, and their comrades' blood was fresh on the ground.
Su Han gripped his Wolf-Tooth Dagger. "Nine-Time Slash!" he growled in his mind.
This Yellow-Level Middle-Grade technique was now fully mastered. Even his 'Shadow Steps' had reached over 60% proficiency.
He realized that these past few days of constant life-and-death struggles had pushed his skills to evolve at a terrifying speed.
If he had stayed with a regular group, it would have taken him months, maybe years, to reach this level of mastery.
He used a quick flick of his feet to dodge the first blade and lunged at the second man with a Nine-Time Slash.
Clang!
The dagger and the blade collided with a shower of sparks. Their strength was almost equal, but the first attacker was already spinning back for a second strike.
The move was so fast and fluid that it caught Su Han off guard. He felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead as he barely danced away.
"Tsk! These Shadow-Blade bastards actually have some real skill," he thought, his eyes narrowing.
He had fought people above his level before, but these guys were different. They were trained killers who knew how to work together.
He glanced sideways at the "Black Crow"—their leader, Liu Ba. Even while fighting Captain Lucy, that vulture was keeping an eye on him.
Su Han's brow furrowed. Liu Ba was a level higher than Captain Zhao Lucy, and his martial arts were brutal and polished.
Lucy was struggling. She was exhausted from the earlier battle, and the gap in their power levels was starting to show.
"I have to end this now," Su Han's heart hammered against his ribs.
If Lucy fell and Liu Ba joined these two thugs, Su Han would be dead meat.
His eyes turned a fierce, bloodshot red as the Dragon Bloodline inside him began to boil.
The thugs were relentless, their blades cutting through the air with a bloodthirsty rhythm. Su Han knew he couldn't just rush in blindly this time.
Suddenly, he saw Chen Jian and the other mercenaries lunge toward one of the thugs, trying to help.
"No! Get back!" Su Han wanted to scream, but the words died in his throat. It was too late.
The Shadow-Blade thugs smiled, a look of pure, arrogant cruelty on their faces. They didn't even break their stride.
One thug feinted a move, drawing Chen Jian in, while the other stepped inside the guard of a Level 6 mercenary.
Squelch!
The jagged blade buried itself deep into the man's stomach.
A fountain of hot, red blood sprayed out, soaking the clothes of the nearby Iron-Fist members.
Argh!
A soul-piercing scream echoed through the damp forest as the man collapsed.
The Shadow-Blade killer wore a twisted, sadistic grin as he slowly pulled the wet steel out.
Slurp!
He lightly licked the blood off his blade, his eyes locked on Su Han with a terrifying, hollow gaze.
When Chen Jian saw his comrade falling in agony, his eyes turned a violent, blood-shot red.
The rage boiled in his veins, and he lunged at the Shadow-Blade killer with everything he had.
But those bastards were cunning.
The second thug saw the opening and unleashed his martial skill directly at Chen Jian's lower back.
Su Han tried to intercept, moving like a shadow, but Chen Jian's speed was just too slow for this level of combat.
He couldn't dodge the lethal arc of the incoming blade.
Slash!
A gut-wrenching scream tore through the damp silence of the forest.
Hearing that sound made Su Han's blood turn to ice, then immediately to fire.
He ground his teeth so hard his jaw ached, his eyes glowing with a terrifying light.
He reached them in a heartbeat, launching a Nine-Time Slash, but the thug had already retreated after wounding Chen Jian.
Su Han was about to chase him down when the other Shadow-Blade killer blocked his path.
Captain Zhao Lucy heard the screams and saw her people being cut down like cattle.
Her eyes turned red, and her grip on her sword tightened until her knuckles turned white.
She ramped up her attacks on Liu Ba, her blade whistling through the air with desperate fury.
Liu Ba just let out a loud, mocking laugh.
"Hahaha! See, Lucy? I told you not to mess with me. I didn't want to be your enemy."
He pointed his blood-stained weapon at Su Han.
"My target was only this brat, but you insisted on playing the hero. Now look at your men."
Then, he let his filthy, red-rimmed eyes linger on her chest with a disgusting grin.
"Actually, there's a way out. Why don't you drink some wine with me tonight? Maybe I'll let them live."
Captain Lucy was trembling with raw hatred.
She was gasping for air, her stamina nearly depleted from the relentless struggle.
"Do you really think you can just slaughter the Iron-Fist Group here?" she hissed.
"Do you think this will just stay buried in this forest? Someone will find out."
Liu Ba's heart skipped a beat for a second as he looked into her cold, beautiful eyes.
He hesitated, but then his face twisted back into a smirk.
"You're right. You have a special identity, so I won't touch your life."
"But the others? I don't give a damn about them. And who said I was going to kill you?"
His smile became even more sinister, dripping with dark intent.
"You're a disgusting piece of trash!" Lucy screamed, her voice cracking with exhaustion.
Suddenly, another scream echoed.
Another Iron-Fist mercenary had jumped in to help Su Han, joining Chen Jian to block the killers.
Lucy's heart sank. She was in no state to plan or strategize anymore.
She could only throw her remaining strength into her attacks, praying for a miracle to happen.
Su Han was breathing heavily, but not from tiredness—it was pure, unadulterated rage.
He saw how these thugs were playing a sick game, targeting the weak just to distract him and Lucy.
His eyes flashed with a cold, predatory light.
"If you want to play games, then fine. Let's play by your rules."
He moved toward one of the thugs, his Wolf-Tooth Dagger held low.
"Nine-Time Slash!" he roared.
The thug smirked, thinking Su Han was falling for their trap again.
Their plan was simple: when Su Han attacked one, the other would strike from behind to exhaust him.
But this time, the world seemed to slow down for Su Han.
His eyes were ice-cold as he lunged toward a wounded mercenary where a thug was about to strike.
The Shadow-Blade killer thought he had the upper hand, but his eyes widened in total shock.
Two sounds of tearing flesh rang out at the exact same time.
Squelch!
Blood sprayed into the air like a fountain, soaking the dry leaves on the ground.
The thug looked down in disbelief. Su Han's dagger was buried deep in his chest.
Su Han's own back had been sliced by the other thug's blade, but he didn't even flinch.
The only sound he made was the grinding of his teeth.
"You... you're a lunatic..." the thug gasped, blood bubbling at his lips.
Su Han's face twisted into a terrifying, murderous smile.
"I'm your nightmare."
With a brutal twist, he ripped the dagger upward, shredding the man's heart.
The killer fell to the dirt, dead before he hit the ground.
"Su Han just traded his own blood for a killer's life—but when the Dragon Bloodline truly wakes up, will there be anyone left to scream?"
"Enjoying Su Han's rise to power? Make sure to add this to your collection so you never miss a breakthrough!"