Abyssal Awakening

Unlike the other rounds, the final round didn't continue immediately.

Everyone was given a two hour break before continuing so they could enjoy the festival some more.

Since that was the case, both Alyss and Jin looked for a place to eat and banned Alice from drinking.

At least for now.

Naturally, she protested with all her strength but with both Cayla and Alyss stopping her, there wasn't much Alice could say back to them.

###

Walking out of the arena with a defeated look on her face, Qiu Qiu glanced at the ground, trying to figure where she went wrong.

That fight should've been hers.

He was on the defensive and it was clear that her Zone was better than his. When it came to attacking.

In fact, looking back, victory was right in front of her.

One more attack, one more step, that's how close she was.

But she missed the chance and he managed to recover and fight back.

She recalled all the times where she's looked down on people her age, thinking that they didn't try hard enough or that she was simply better.

Chosen by the heavens.

Their resentful gazes and anger, was this how it felt?

She wasn't special. She was simply someone who could fight a little harder, move a little faster.

Compared to actual geniuses, she fell short.

'I'm not a genius after all. Best talent of the new generation… What a load of crap.' She smiled self mockingly as frustrations welled up in her chest.

"Qiu Qiu." Her master called out as she glanced up.

She saw his concerned gaze, clearly worried about her wellbeing.

However, she didn't want to see anyone right now.

She wanted to be left alone.

"Master. Can I be left alone for a little while?" Qiu Qiu forced a smile.

The leader of the demon extermination squad hesitated for a moment, clearly wanting to say something before shaking his head.
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"Alright. You know where to find me."

Nodding her head, grateful that he didn't push for more, Qiu Qiu wandered around the market with no goal in mind.

No destination and no thought.

She didn't think about the fight, she didn't think about anything. She simply allowed her body to carry her around.

Before she knew it, she was already by a small cliff near the beach, overlooking the sea.

Taking a deep breath, she let out a sigh.

It was a strange sensation. Not thinking about anything. By simply allowing herself to daydream, she felt herself free of her burdens. If only she could feel this kind of feeling more often.

"A unfortunate loss. It was quite a close match, well fought at that."

Hearing a voice not far away from her, Qiu Qiu frowned as she didn't sense anyone approach.

Standing up, she glanced back and saw a robed figure.

It was faint but she could sense the energy of the cult lingering on him as she immediately summoned her sword.

"You've got a lot of guts to show yourself in front of a Demon Exterminator." Qiu Qiu warned as killing intent began to spread out.

"I'm here simply to tal-"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Qiu Qiu lunged forward.

Instant Draw – Killing Arc!

*CLANG!!!

Seeing her attack warded off by a pair of chained blades, Qiu Qiu's pupils constricted as she felt a sense of déjà vu. The way he parried the blades, it was just like Jin whom she fought!

However, she knew it wasn't him since the energy didn't match!

"Who are you?!" Qiu Qiu immediately activated her Resonance, looking to end this fight as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for her, the robed figure wouldn't let that happen.

*BANG!!!

Stomping down, a ritualistic circle expanded in an instant as Qiu Qiu felt her vision overcome with crimson

She felt a weight crushing against her back, pushing her to the ground and forcefully dispelling her Resonance.

"Hmm, this is a little different from what I envisioned. I thought you'd be eager to get revenge against the man who defeated you." The robed figure squatted down in front of her, scratching his chin in confusion.

He clearly saw the darkness looming over her, her doubts and her despair.

Yet the moment she saw him, she dropped all of that in an instant.

"You thought? Ah I see how it is. You thought you could dig your filthy claws into me right?" Qiu Qiu revealed an angry smile as veins bulged on her neck.

*PU!!!

Spitting in his face, she revealed a taunting glare.

Wiping the spit away, the man raised an eyebrow before letting out a sigh.

*BANG!!!

Punching her in the face, the man flicked the blood away as he stood up.

"Seems like I misjudged. And here I thought I found the perfect seed." The man sighed.

He couldn't let her unleash the power of her Resonance otherwise the troublesome people here would sense it.

"If you think… Losing in the arena… Will make me turn into a vermin like you… Think again!" Qiu Qiu gritted her teeth, trying her best to push herself off the ground but it felt impossible.

"Why the hatred? Even going to the extent of calling us vermin." He sighed, lifting Qiu Qiu's chin effortlessly and staring into her eyes.

This hatred from within, it wasn't normal.

However, there was no need to hear her answer.

"Well I didn't want to resort to this but you're too good of a seed to give up. I'll apologize before hand."

Watching the man dig his hand into his mouth, Qiu Qiu's eyes widened in disgust and horror.

From within, he pulled out a pulsing lump of black flesh.

It looked like a miniature heart yet at the same time, different. Veins bulged across its body while a dark murky energy drifted from it like a mist.

Every fibre of Qiu Qiu's body told her to avoid that flesh at all costs.

But despite her desires, she couldn't move her body.

Seeing her fear, the man's lips couldn't help but twist up in sadistic joy.

*BANG!!!

Before he could implant the seed inside Qiu Qiu's body, the man frowned and glanced to his right.

He had caught a flying blade between his fingers but the force still caused the ground beneath him to sink down ever so slightly.

"I knew I didn't see wrong. What the f*ck are you doing here?" Jin narrowed his eyes in anger as his spare blade hung by his side.

He clearly saw this man before in his peripheries but he disappeared before Jin could make heads of tails of it.

Which is why whenever he was roaming around in the festival, he would keep an eye out for this man.

"Who knows? Why don't you find out?" He narrowed his eyes, flicking his wrist and striking back with a familiar attack.

Eclipse Reaver!

Clicking his tongue, Jin took a step back before parrying the strike. Before he could even link into his next strike, Jin watched as the man lung forward, ignoring any potential damage to his body and slashed without care!

"!!!"

Flicker Strike!

Jumping back, he whipped his blade at the man who managed to push it to the side.

A burst of energy erupted from the man's body, forming a momentary barrier to stop the attacks from reaching him.

Pulling back his arms, he aimed both blades.

Twin Fangs Collapsing Meteor!

*CLANG!!!

Hastily parrying the strike, Jin came face to face with Ye Shen, someone he would've considered an acquaintance. A person he sparred with often when he was still in the south, another candidate of the ritual.

After the coup, all the candidates should've been hunted down.

"Why are you here?!"

"You know we don't give away answers so easily." Ye Shen laughed, going into a handstand and breaking Jin's guard with a kick.

Gritting his teeth, Jin lunged forward for a slash but Ye Shen parried it effortlessly.

As long as he was to continue using this weapon, Jin understood that he won't win!

Without hesitation, he discarded the blades and chose hand to hand instead.

*BANG!!!

His punch was blocked by Ye Shen's blade but Jin used this chance.

Pushing it off to the side, he went in for an eye gouge but Ye Shen dodged to the side.

This didn't fluster Jin.

Instead, he adjusted his hand, turning it into a grab as he thrusted Ye Shen's head down into a knee strike.

"!!!" Quickly pulling back his leg before it gets cut in half by Ye Shen's blade, Jin adjusted his footwork, trying his best to break Ye Shen's stability.

'Heavy!'

Unmovable was the only thing Jin could think of when his kick landed against Ye Shen's leg.

"Oh it's not going to be that easy Jin." Ye Shen chuckled.

Stabbing his blades into the ground, flames began to erupt as rusted chains burst out, whipping against his limbs and searing his flesh.

Falling Shadow!

His blades came crashing down from above, breaking the chains and freeing him.

Ye Shen could see that Jin has modified the martial arts that was taught to them. However, there was still signs of the old movements.

And if there was signs of the old movement, Jin's habit will appear!

*CLANG!!!

Chains and cages erupted around Jin as he stood in Ye Shen's trap.

But despite this, Ye Shen felt that something was wrong since Jin wasn't concerned.

Then he felt the chill of death behind him.

Instant Draw – Soul Chaser + Killing Arc!

*BANG!!!

Jumping to the side at the last moment, Ye Shen looked at the wound on his arm before looking at Qiu Qiu.

Since there were now two, keeping things under wraps was going to be annoying.

"See you soon Jin." Ye Shen waved as rusted chains wrapped around his body, dragging him into his shadow and disappearing.

With his departure, the cage around Jin broke apart as he massaged his shoulders.

Just as he wanted to leave, he felt Qiu Qiu's killing intent lock onto him.

"Where do you think you're going?"