60. Malice

**Radiation World**

A snowstorm raged overhead, thick flurries swirling around a massive, blood-colored energy shield that encircled six fortresses. Between the fortresses and the energy barrier, a crowd of warriors stood tall, the fierce storm unable to touch them.

Among the crowd, a young man named Luke watched intently, his gaze lingering on a boy and girl nearby, his attention especially drawn to the girl.

"Luke! Luke!" called a voice from beside him.

Luke snapped to attention. "Yes, Master Hei Lun."

Hei Lun followed Luke's line of sight to the boy and girl, a knowing smirk crossing his face. "Ah, so you like the girl, do you?"

Luke hesitated, then nodded slightly.

Hei Lun leaned in with a mischievous glint. "With that boy around, your chances are slim. How about I kill him for you?"

Before Luke could respond, another young man interrupted. "Hei Lun, don't start trouble."

Hei Lun scoffed. "Cousin Hei Zhao, trouble? Killing a mere boy? What trouble could he possibly cause?"

Hei Zhao's tone was firm. "That 'mere boy' is only sixteen, yet before entering the Dead Battlefield, he broke through to middle D-rank in under a month. And don't forget, he's on Sky Caldwell's team."

Hei Lun's expression twisted in disdain. "I don't need to dirty my hands to end him."

Luke, uneasy, finally spoke up. "Master Hei Lun, I don't want him dead."

Hei Lun's gaze hardened. "His death isn't up to you, Luke. I've made my decision—he must die."

Hei Zhao stepped forward. "I'm warning you, Hei Lun—don't be reckless. Our family has orders from Lord Hei, your father, not to cause trouble. Lord Martin is already dissatisfied with us, especially your father. Your actions could bring unnecessary danger to our family."

With that, Hei Zhao turned, signaling the group to proceed. Luke cast one last glance at the boy and girl before following.

Hei Lun lingered a moment, glaring at the young boy from afar. "I hate geniuses," he muttered before turning to catch up with the others, his expression dark with resentment.

---

Meanwhile, Rain was deep in thought, talking to Siobhan while reviewing the memory transferred from his clone. The clone had successfully obtained the Iron Sword Art by threatening the leader of the Iron Sword Escort. Rain noted that, although the sword art was designed for a two-handed heavy sword and focused on building momentum with each move, leading up to a powerful finishing strike, it wasn't entirely compatible with his single-handed, medium sword style.

However, Rain considered that incorporating the momentum-gathering technique into his own style could enhance his attack power significantly. There were drawbacks, though: if the momentum was interrupted for any reason, He'd need to start over, and the Iron Sword Art was designed for single combat—not for the chaotic environment of a battlefield with multiple enemies. *What should I expect from a low-rank technique?* Rain thought, dismissing it with a hint of frustration.

Turning to Siobhan, Rain said, "Today, we should stick together."

Siobhan responded confidently, "Rain, I can fight alone; you don't have to look out for me. I've broken through to middle D-rank."

Sky, overhearing them, interjected, "Today, all of you need to stay together. Yesterday, after we left, the domain released three more types of monsters, and many people died…"

As Rain listened, he suddenly sensed an intense malice directed at him. He didn't turn abruptly but glanced subtly in the direction of the hostility, surprised to see Luke nearby. However, the malice wasn't coming from Luke but from another boy around their age standing beside him. *Why would that boy have such malicious intent toward me?* Rain wondered, bewildered, but he turned his attention back to his own group as they started moving toward the domain.

As they walked, a thought crossed Rain's mind: *When the monsters in the Dead Battlefield attacked, I never sensed any malice from them. They felt more like machines operating on a set program, with predictable attack patterns.*The observation deepened Rain's curiosity about the mysteries within the domain.

Crossing through the blood shield, he re-entered the Dead Battlefield. This time, he noticed the previously empty sky now teeming with bone birds circling ominously above. Rain watched as one bone bird swooped down in a predatory dive. He followed Sky's lead as they moved to swap places with a team near the exit, allowing that team to leave the domain.

As they approached, Rain observed the group of six warriors locked in combat with eight monsters—five black skeletons and three blood beasts. Judging by their movements and control over genetic energy, none of them had reached True Body Realm; the strongest among them appeared to be a peak D-rank warrior fending off three monsters simultaneously. 

Suddenly, a dark shape flashed past them. Two of the team's fighters froze mid-combat, then crumpled to the ground. Rain quickly turned to identify the threat: a mantis-like creature with sickle-shaped forelimbs, poised for deadly slashes.Its sleek, gray form exuded an eerie menace. *Dead Scythe,* Rain thought, marking this new and lethal adversary. Then, in a flash, it vanished into shadow. 

They quickened their pace to reinforce the team under siege, which was rapidly becoming overwhelmed. As they advanced, Rain noticed the bodies of the two fallen fighters slowly dissolving into the domain, much like the monster corpses he'd seen absorbed the day before; this was his first time witnessing humans vanish that way.

Upon arrival, Rain engaged a skeleton, noting it was a low D-rank. Meanwhile, Sky and Damian were handling five of the monsters with skill and precision. "You guys can leave," Sky instructed, and the team began their retreat. Shortly after, Rain finished off the skeleton and saw that Lily and Siobhan had taken down the remaining three monsters. 

Suddenly, Damian swung his weapon above Siobhan's head, and Rain caught sight of a bone bird swooping down toward her. With one powerful strike, Damian took down the bird in mid-air. 

Instead of seeking out more monsters, they decided to stay put, awaiting the inevitable. Within moments, a fresh wave approached—fifteen skeletons and seven blood beasts. Damian and Sky moved forward, intercepting thirteen of the creatures, leaving the remaining eight for the others. Lily faced four on her own, while Rain took on three, leaving one for Siobhan. They braced themselves, prepared for the fight. Rain initially focused on defending against the three skeletons, quickly gauging their realm—middle D-rank. He could defeat each individually within minutes, but against three, he shifted to a defensive stance, focusing on counterattacks. He wasn't worried, as he'd observed their attack patterns yesterday, though he soon noticed slight variations today, just enough to keep him on his guard. 

Using his shield and sword, Rain timed each move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike one skeleton when he could dodge or block the others. After a few minutes, Siobhan joined him, taking on one of the skeletons and reducing his burden. Now facing only two, Rain switched to a more aggressive style, attacking one while defending against the other. After fifteen minutes, he dispatched one, then turned his full attention to the remaining skeleton.

Suddenly, he sensed movement—a dark, swift shadow heading straight for Siobhan. In a split-second decision, he kicked the skeleton back to create some distance, then dashed forward, positioning himself between Siobhan and the oncoming threat. *Clang!* His shield absorbed the impact of Dead Scythe's attack, pushing him back a step. Rain recognized it as a middle D-rank monster. After its attack, the Dead Scythe retreated and vanished.

Rain returned to engage the remaining skeleton, drawing its attention back to himself as it tried to go for Siobhan. Within five minutes, he eliminated it, only to see the shadowy Dead Scythe darting toward him once more, this time directly targeting him. Rain raised his shield to defend the strike, feeling the force as the Dead Scythe's blow pushed him back. After the single strike, it retreated once again. *I have to find a way to kill it,* he thought, but its speed made that almost impossible. Realizing that even Damian, Sky, and Lily might struggle with such a swift opponent, he called out, "Leader Sky, Damian, Lily—you guys need to find a way to deal with the Dead Scythe; it could strike when we're not paying attention!"

Lily replied, "I've noticed it. Next time it comes, I'll handle it."

Rain, momentarily free of enemies, scanned his surroundings. Suddenly, three shadows passed over the ground. Looking up, he saw three bone birds diving fast—one aiming for him, another for Siobhan, and the third for Lily. "Siobhan, Lily—incoming from the sky!" he shouted.

He raised his sword to meet the talons of the incoming bird, bracing for impact. The collision pushed him back, but the bird landed clumsily on the ground. Recognizing that it was more vulnerable on land, Rain immediately charged at it to prevent it from taking off again. A late D-rank, the bird was slower and had weaker attacks on the ground. Relentless in his assault, he killed it within minutes.

As the battle settled momentarily, a memory flashed through Rain's mind—it was the Cloud Sword Art. The chip he'd instructed before entering the domain had sent the technique's information after his clone obtained the sword technique, delivering the knowledge when he was clear of immediate threats.