Shin continued walking in silence, his eyes scanning his surroundings with caution.
Suddenly, a strange energy swept through the wind.
He turned sharply.
The source of that power...
It was coming from the same place where the Nine Dragon Empire once stood.
Now, only ruins remained.
With steady steps, he approached. As he got closer, the image of three men standing among the rubble became clear.
They were digging... searching among the ruins, as if looking for something precious.
Their clothing bore high-ranking emblems... and atop their heads were the hats of Ronin warriors.
Behind them...
Twenty heavily armored guards, armed with gleaming blades!
—
Rage boiled within Shin.
His blood surged violently.
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly...
Then dashed forward!
A thick black aura surged around him, and his blade gleamed with deadly light.
"Heavenly Triple Slash!"
Three deadly mana blades exploded from his sword, tearing through the rubble, unleashing a violent storm of dust and energy!
But—
No one was hit!
—
Shin froze in shock.
How?!
He had no time to think.
—
Confident footsteps echoed through the dust.
From the haze emerged a man—long white hair, noble features, elegant robes bearing the emblem of the Empire of Ice.
His eyes shimmered with cunning and amusement.
"Who are you, boy?"
His voice was mocking, playful—like Shin was nothing more than a reckless child.
—
Shin didn't answer.
Without hesitation, he charged with full force!
But—
At the last moment, his blade was blocked by equal strength!
—
Eyes wide in disbelief, Shin stared.
That man...
He had blocked it with ease!
"How impudent you are, child."
Smirking, the man parried Shin's relentless strikes effortlessly—as if toying with him.
"Don't make me angry."
—
Shin panted heavily.
He gripped his sword tighter, black mana surging from his body.
His right eye gleamed with a dark flicker.
—
"Let's get serious."
—
Just as he thought he had landed a hit—
The man vanished like a mirage!
Then—
Shin felt a heavy hand fall on his shoulder.
A chilling aura wrapped around his body.
"You're strong… quite impressive."
—
A brutal punch slammed into Shin's gut!
Pain exploded inside him—but he endured it.
Clenching his teeth, he shot forward—hurling his sword into the air!
—
Shawn's eyes followed the sword for a brief moment.
That moment was all Shin needed.
A swift kick crashed into Shawn's side!
But before he could be launched—
Shawn caught his sword mid-air and regained balance!
—
Shin dashed again, darkness swirling around him.
"Leaping Fang Slash!"
—
But Shawn countered with his own technique.
"Frost Blade: Inevitable Death!"
—
A massive collision!
A surge of power erupted between them, tearing the ground asunder!
—
Dust swallowed the battlefield.
From within the chaos—Shin emerged, bloodied, yet standing.
He panted… but smiled.
His aura spiked even higher.
He launched a flurry of shadowy strikes!
Shawn countered with a fierce kick—striking Shin square in the stomach!
Shin staggered—but didn't fall.
He rose again, eyes burning with fury.
Gripping his blade, he summoned every last drop of strength...
Another devastating clash!
Darkness and ice collided with titanic force