Juwon used the moment of confusion to strike—one feint hook, then a sharp pivot. A blur of motion, a fist in the uppercut motion aimed at Shen Tianyu’s jaw.

  Tianyu retaliated with a hook. Both hit each other at the same time. But no impact was felt.

  It was a mirage of mist from Shen Tianyu and an afterimage from Juwon.

  As the afterimages faded away, both their fists clashed.

  The air vibrated from the force of their clash, the mist thickening between them.

  For the first time, both fighters grinned at each other.

  "Let’s see who reads the other first."

  Juwon’s instincts screamed at him, and he barely managed to duck as a flying dagger whizzed past his ear, slicing a thin red line across his cheek. He felt the warmth of his own blood, but there was no time to dwell on it. He twisted, sweeping his leg toward Shen Tianyu’s ankles, only for the assassin to dissolve into mist once more, his laughter echoing in the haze.

  “Still chasing shadows? You’ll tire long before I do.” Shen Tianyu’s voice slithered through the fog, his form flickering in and out of sight.

  Juwon cracked his knuckles, grinning in a menacing way. "Okay, I’ve played with you enough. Time for your slaughter."

  Meanwhile, Shen Tianyu smirked. “You are not bad. But let's see how you handle this—”

  He raised his hand, and the mist around them surged violently, condensing into a razor-thin crescent.

  “Phantom Severance Slash.”

  The attack shot forward, a slicing arc of mist-bound Qi aimed directly at Juwon’s chest.

  Juwon’s eyes narrowed. There was no dodging—it was too fast. Instead, he channeled Qi into his right fist, reinforcing it as he still went through with the punch.

  Dragon Fang Void Break

  The moment the Phantom Severance Slash connected; a deep shock reverberated through his fist.

  However, it was Tianyu’s hand that got crushed under the weight of Juwon’s punch.

  A sharp scream could be heard as Tianyu was thrown away, rolling on the floor with his hands deformed, his fingers twisted and his hands blood red, all while screaming in pain.

  As Tianyu raised his head, he saw Juwon standing in the dark with two giant red eyes glowing through the mist. Almost like a giant dragon.

  "S-so you are one of the crazy ones too. You are just like them. Talent beyond your years and blood lust like never seen before. The demon king's personal elite unit, The Nightmare Sentinels.

  Tianyu, let out a breathy chuckle, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth. "Slaughter me eh? You righteous sects always act like you stand above the rest, but in the end, you're no different from us," he rasped. "Preaching justice while drowning in blood. Tell me, will you hesitate when you tear me apart? Or will you enjoy it just like we do?"

  Juwon paused. His fingers twitched slightly, but his expression remained unreadable.

  “It should have worked,” he spat. “We had the resources. We had the techniques. Everything was in place. If the shamanic experiments went as planned… it would be you lying in the dirt right now, Juwon.”

  Juwon's fist clenched, "Experiments?"

  His breathing was ragged, but his voice held a bitter edge. “But no. Something was missing. Something none of us could figure out. And now here you stand, acting like you’re any different. This is unacceptable. You should have died by my hands. I should have gotten my sweet promotion”

  Juwon groaned, "Tell me! Were you personally involved with the Miao children?"

  As Tianyu coughed, blood staining his lips, his grin widened "Oh? So, you met them? those Miao children? Hahaha, I remember the first batch we processed. Do you know most humans remember their loved ones when they face death? But there are always some who go completely blank, their minds unable to comprehend pain. That is what happened to those children as well Juwon." "Some of those children screamed for their mothers "mewwmyyy"." Tianyu said in a mocking way.

  "Some were so scared they couldn’t even scream. Hahaha But regardless of how they reacted… you’d be surprised how quickly they were broken apart Juwon."

  Something inside Juwon snapped.

  The mist around him trembled as an unseen pressure filled the space. His Qi surged outward, twisting with something deeper—something primal.

  Tianyu’s smirk vanished as his instincts screamed at him. His body shivered as a foreign presence loomed over him—not Juwon, but something far older, far more terrifying.

  A dragon’s gaze.

  Juwon stepped forward, his voice a whisper of restrained fury. “Say that again.”

  Tianyu’s throat locked up. He tried to force a grin, but his lips refused to move.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Go on,” Juwon continued, his crimson eyes glowing. “Tell me more.”

  Tianyu felt his chest tighten, as if an enormous claw had wrapped around his lungs. The mist thickened—not by his own will, but as if the world itself recoiled from the presence before him.

  The air boomed as Juwon vanished and reappeared in front of Tianyu, his foot pressing down on the assassin’s mangled hand. The sickening crunch of bones breaking echoed through the battlefield.

  Tianyu screamed."A-aaaaaaaaaah! you bastard!"

  “The Miao children. The ones Hei Long took,” Juwon said, his voice dangerously low.

  Tianyu froze. His pupils shrank, fear crawling into his expression.

  Juwon leaned down, his voice lowering to a whisper.

  "Do you know what they looked like when I found them?" he said, his tone eerily calm. "Skin shrivelled. Their eyes hollow. Drained to their very bones. Those were the ones I was able to save. Dont get me started on the ones we found in the outpost."

  Tianyu’s breath turned ragged.

  "They must have screamed, right Tianyu." Juwon’s fingers twitched. "Begged for help right?" His eyes burned brighter. "I remember them I remember what was left of them."

  Tianyu tried to shake his head. "I-I just followed orders!"

  Juwon exhaled sharply. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice taking on a chilling edge. "But now I'm curious... which one are you, Tianyu? Are you the type to scream mommy? Or the type to die in silence?" He tilted his head, his crimson eyes burning brighter.

  "Ah... I see now. I think I am starting to understand the thrill you cultists crave. Tianyu"

  The Domination

  Tianyu trembled, his breath ragged as he stared at Juwon. The pressure in the air was suffocating, and his body refused to move. He coughed, forcing a strained chuckle. "Tch... you really are something else." His voice wavered, but he forced himself to speak. "But no matter how strong you are, no matter how much rage burns inside you, you still bleed. And that means you can still die."

  Desperation flickered in his eyes as he suddenly clapped his remaining hand together, his Qi flaring violently.

  "Phantom Labyrinth!"

  The entire battlefield shifted. A powerful force erupted from Tianyu’s collapsing Qi, sending Juwon skidding backward as the ground beneath him twisted unnaturally. The mist solidified, stretching into an endless maze of reflections—copies of Juwon flickering in and out of existence.

  From every direction, Tianyu's voice echoed. "Let's see you escape this!"

  Juwon halted, his eyes scanning his surroundings. Every step he took, the mirages shifted, twisting reality around him.

  Tianyu’s whispers slithered through the air. "You're strong but lets see how you beat yourself"

  Suddenly, a phantom dagger sliced across Juwon’s arm. Then another from behind. Then another.

  Juwon dodged, but the moment he countered, a copy of himself materialized behind him, its fist already in motion.

  Dragon Fang Void Break.

  Juwon's ribs shattered under the force of his own technique, sending him rolling across the battlefield. Pain exploded through his torso as he forced himself back to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

  "Ugh! What is happening?" Juwon panted.

  His breath came ragged as he barely had time to react—another copy's hand shot toward his face, its palm inches from his eyes.

  Dragon Claw: Dragon’s Wrath.

  "Hahaha, you are a dead man talking, Juwon. This is my labyrinth! A domain where even the strongest are reduced to nothing but prey. Once you enter, your Qi signatures are scattered, fragmented, turned against you. You may be stronger, but what happens when you must battle a legion of yourself? How long before you crumble under your own perfection? Hahahaha!"

  Juwon’s instincts screamed. He activated Void Drifting Steps, vanishing just as the attack connected, reappearing several meters away. His heart pounded as he sprinted around the battlefield, dodging incoming attacks while scanning for an exit—or for Tianyu himself. But both were nowhere to be found.

  A streak of light flickered in his peripheral vision—another attack.

  Rendering Slash.

  A crescent-shaped blade of Qi flew toward him, launched by yet another clone. Juwon barely twisted in time to avoid it, feeling the heat of the attack as it sliced through the air beside him.

  His mind raced. I’m capable of that? A smirk tugged at his bloodied lips. Interesting…

  He kept running, dodging, occasionally blocking attacks as they came from all directions. The sheer relentlessness of the assault forced him to stay on the defensive.

  Then, a realization struck him. His breathing steadied. Oh yeah… Aren't I Core Formation now?

  His eyes gleamed as he recalled something from the Celestial Dragon Steps’ ancient text. What did the book say…?

  He slowed to a stop, his body loose, relaxed. His heart pounded in rhythm with his breathing. He exhaled deeply.

  Then, he closed his eyes.

  At least 20 copies of Juwon lunged towards him who remained in the center with eyes closed and his hands behind his back.

  For the first time, Tianyu laughed.

  "Hahaha Thats it. Give up Juwon. There is nowhere to run. This is the end for you. Hahaha"

  "Master, I've done it"

  Juwon closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. He had attempted this before—failed before. But now, his foundation was stronger, his control absolute.

  Then, he stepped forward. Not physically, but through the sheer force of his will.

  A deep pulse of Qi rippled outward, not just shaking the air but distorting the battlefield itself.

  Tianyu’s smirk vanished. "W-What—?"

  Juwon’s form didn’t disappear—he planted his foot firmly on the ground.

  Dragon Tyrant’s Stomp: Void Wave.

  A white lotus bloomed behind him, ethereal and radiant. The moment his foot struck the ground, a massive shockwave of dimensional energy erupted outward, twisting space itself. The battlefield trembled as cracks formed in the ground, and the Phantom Labyrinth shattered instantly.

  Tianyu gasped. He was seen in the corner of the room, clutching his chest as blood trickled from his lips. "Impossible—!"

  Juwon’s figure blurred forward, appearing before Tianyu with a menacing gaze.

  "Your illusions don’t matter anymore. Lets get this over with Tianyu"

  Before Tianyu could react, Dragon Fang Void Break crashed into his chest, sending him flying backwards.

  Tianyu gasped, coughing up blood as he hit the wall, his body crumbling under the sheer force of Dragon Fang Void Break. His vision blurred, pain screaming through every nerve.

  But before he could even process what had happened—

  Juwon was already there.

  His figure flickered like a phantom, appearing before Tianyu in an instant. One hand shot forward, fingers wrapping around Tianyu’s throat like a steel vice.

  SLAM!

  Tianyu’s back crashed against the cold, unyielding wall, the impact cracking the stone behind him. His legs dangled helplessly, his breath choking as Juwon’s grip tightened.

  Juwon’s eyes glowed a deep, menacing crimson, his expression unreadable. The mist that once clouded the battlefield had fully dissipated, leaving only raw, suffocating pressure in its wake.

  "Just a tip before i send you off. Who told you I am righteous? " Juwon muttered, his voice calm.

  "Huh? Ugh" Tianyu gasped

  Tianyu’s hands clawed at Juwon’s wrist, his body convulsing. His once-arrogant smirk was gone, replaced by wide, panic-stricken eyes.

  Juwon’s fingers tightened further.

  "Now," Juwon whispered, tilting his head slightly. "Let's see how quickly you break."

  "N-No M-mas-"

  Draconic Damnation

  Only screams could be heard from the room as Tianyu disintegrated into the mist. But this time it was blood red.