The 2nd Battle: Ominous Strix

Before long, the days went by with Isshin's tireless training. With sheer willpower and unwavering concentration, he reached the 6th step of the Golden Core Realm.

For Isshin, advancement in cultivation was no longer a hindrance — it was simply the norm.

At last, the moment for the second battle came.

The arena was full.

The crowd buzzed with expectant energy, eager to hear more of what Isshin had to say. They still remembered his last victory, which was fresh in their minds, and now their expectations were all the greater.

Isshin walked onto the battlefield, his sword slung casually over his back. His face was relaxed, but his senses were on high alert.

His adversary this time was not a common soldier.

It was a monster — a creature like none he had ever beheld.

Opposite him stood a huge birdlike monstrosity, a beast close to ten feet in height, with massive wings and disturbingly human arms and legs. Its eyes burned with cold, calculating intelligence.

A Strix.

Isshin's eyebrows narrowed. He had never witnessed anything like it.

Yet Raijin's voice spoke softly in his mind.

"Be careful, Isshin. I know this monster. Trust me."

The Strix breathed out in a low, cold shriek.

The two combatants stared each other down, immobilized — until, in an instant, the Strix beat its great wings in a frenzy, stirring up wild blasts of wind that howled across the arena.

A dark, foreboding black and blue mist erupted from the Strix, covering Isshin immediately.

The audience gasped.

Even the Skeleton King inclined forward slightly.

Within the blinding fog, Isshin's vision blurred.

He could not follow the beast at all.

Then Raijin's voice cracked brusquely:

"Use the system! The moment you see it — record it!"

Isshin gripped his sword more firmly.

The instant he sensed even a glimmer of motion, he engaged the system. A mark materialized, lightly glowing — unseen by others but plain to him.

The Strix remained concealed, its actions unpredictable and erratic.

However, Raijin's system, driven by calculation and time-tested wisdom, forecasted its trajectory by millions of potential combinations.

Then, without warning, the tracker closed in.

Isshin's instincts flared.

He imbued Thunder Qi into his body and sword, muscles buzzing with power. And just as the Strix abruptly burst from the darkness with its fatal talons —

Isshin turned and stabbed his sword directly into its chest!

SCREEEEEEEECH!

The Strix let out a loud, screeching yell of agony, fighting wildly.

The crowd burst into cheers and gasps, completely shocked. Even Skeleton King's impassive face altered in surprise.

But it wasn't done yet.

The Strix flapped its wings in a panic, taking to the air. It flew overhead, its form quivering with anger.

It did not hesitate and unleashed a barrage of ominous blue Qi slashes slicing through the air towards Isshin.

Isshin clenched his teeth and used Flash Step.

He threaded his way through the assaults like a specter, thunder booming behind him.

He shot Thunder Qi Arrows while in mid-dodge, trying to drop the creature — but the hide of the Strix was hard. The arrows slid off its body, making shallow cuts, but not enough to bring it down.

The Strix next spread its beak wide — charging up an enormous beam of Qi, ready to destroy Isshin.

Isshin's mind wandered.

If that hits me directly.

He didn't hesitate.

Rather than shoot at the monster, he rapidly shot a burst of Thunder Qi Arrows upwards — at the huge stalactites suspended from the roof of the cavern above the Strix.

CRACK!

The arrows struck true.

With a deafening crash, tons of rock and debris fell from above.

The Strix flailed, caught off guard, shrieking in fury.

The heavy rocks pinned the beast to the ground, its wings spread out under the weight.

Isshin closed in suddenly, sword raised to finish the Strix — but even before he could swing, the Strix disappeared into a cloud of smoke, its form dissolving into dark mist.

A low, amused voice rang out across the arena. "That's it. You won this round. Here is your reward." The Skeleton King's demeanor was casual, but his eyes gleamed with interest. A treasure bag drifted towards Isshin, which was full of cultivation gems and treasures. Isshin caught it with a single hand. He was a little taken aback that the monster had vanished so abruptly, but he did not query it. Victory was victory. The bystanders roared once more for him — their roars making the cave walls tremble. Turning a deaf ear to the uproar, Isshin returned to his room, his mind already elsewhere. There was no time to rejoice.