Shadow of the Hunter

The figure stepped into the clearing, their dark cloak billowing in the faint breeze. Beneath the hood, a faint crimson glow emanated from their eyes, casting an eerie light over the ground.

Xu Tian instinctively took a step back, clutching his hoe tightly. "Who—who are you?"

The figure chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Names are meaningless to prey. But since you insist, you may call me Shadowhunter."

"Shadowhunter?" Wei Ling whispered to Shen Feng. "That's a bit on the nose, don't you think?"

Shen Feng smirked. "Don't provoke him. He might actually be good at hunting shadows."

Yue Lin ignored them, her sharp gaze fixed on Shadowhunter. "You're after the seal, aren't you?"

"Clever girl," Shadowhunter replied. "The mark is a beacon, and its power belongs to me."

Xu Tian held up his glowing palm. "Take it! I don't want it anyway!"

Shadowhunter laughed. "Oh, I'll take it, but it's not that simple. The mark is bound to your soul. To claim it, I'll need... your life."

Without warning, Shadowhunter lunged forward, his movements a blur. A curved blade appeared in his hand, its edge shimmering with dark energy.

Yue Lin reacted instantly, meeting his strike with her rune-etched sword. Sparks flew as the blades collided, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the clearing.

"Stay back!" Yue Lin shouted at the others.

Shen Feng and Wei Ling exchanged a glance.

"Do we listen to her?" Wei Ling asked.

Shen Feng shrugged. "Probably not."

The two of them sprang into action, flanking Shadowhunter on either side. Wei Ling tossed a handful of small, glittering objects that exploded in bursts of blinding light, while Shen Feng aimed for the gaps in the enemy's defenses.

Shadowhunter was unfazed. With a sweep of his blade, he deflected their attacks, his movements precise and calculated.

Xu Tian watched the battle unfold, his heart pounding. He gripped his hoe tightly, debating whether to run or fight.

"What are you waiting for?" Yue Lin yelled, her voice strained as she parried another strike. "Do something!"

"Like what?" Xu Tian shouted back. "I'm a farmer, not a warrior!"

The seal on his palm pulsed, sending a surge of energy through his body. For a moment, he felt a strange clarity, as if the mark was guiding him.

"Fine," he muttered. "But if I die, I'm haunting all of you."

He charged forward, swinging his hoe with all his might.

As Xu Tian's hoe connected with Shadowhunter's blade, the seal flared brightly. A shockwave erupted from the impact, throwing everyone back. Shadowhunter skidded to a halt, his cloak singed at the edges.

He stared at Xu Tian, his crimson eyes narrowing. "So, the mark has awakened."

Xu Tian blinked at his glowing palm. "Awakened? What does that mean?"

"It means you're even more of a nuisance than I thought," Shadowhunter growled.

He raised his blade, dark energy coiling around it like smoke. Before he could strike, Yue Lin darted forward, her sword slicing through the air.

"Focus, idiot!" she snapped at Xu Tian.

"I'm trying!" he retorted, swinging his hoe wildly.

With Yue Lin leading the charge, the group began to gain ground. Wei Ling's distractions and Shen Feng's agility kept Shadowhunter on the defensive, while Xu Tian's unpredictable strikes—powered by the seal—threw him off balance.

For the first time, Shadowhunter seemed to falter.

"You're stronger than I expected," he admitted, his voice laced with irritation. "But this isn't over."

He raised his free hand, and the air around him darkened. A swirling vortex of shadow energy formed, its pull threatening to drag everything into its depths.

"What is that?" Xu Tian yelled, struggling to keep his footing.

"A bad time," Wei Ling replied, flipping his coin. "Heads, we survive. Tails, we—"

"Stop flipping that thing!" Yue Lin shouted.

The vortex grew larger, its edges crackling with dark energy. Shadowhunter stepped back, his figure dissolving into the shadows.

"This is just the beginning," he said, his voice echoing ominously. "I will return for the mark."

With that, he vanished, and the vortex collapsed in on itself, leaving the clearing in eerie silence.

Xu Tian dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. "What just happened?"

Yue Lin sheathed her sword, her expression grim. "He's not gone for good. That was just a test."

"A test?" Xu Tian echoed. "That was a test? What's the final exam, a dragon?"

Wei Ling chuckled. "Relax. We survived, didn't we?"

As the group regrouped, Yue Lin turned to Xu Tian. "That mark is more dangerous than I thought. If you want to survive, you'll need to learn to control it."

Xu Tian groaned. "Great. More work."

Shen Feng clapped him on the shoulder. "Cheer up, buddy. Think of it as character development."

Wei Ling flipped his coin. "Heads, we train him. Tails, we dump him in the next town."

Yue Lin shot him a glare. "No one's dumping anyone. We're in this together now."

Xu Tian sighed. "Why do I feel like I just joined the worst club in existence?"

Yue Lin smirked. "Because you probably did."

As the group prepared to leave, the seal on Xu Tian's palm glowed faintly, emitting a low hum.

Far away, in a shadowy chamber, Shadowhunter knelt before a throne. A figure cloaked in darkness loomed above him, their voice cold and commanding.

"The mark has awakened," Shadowhunter said.

"Good," the figure replied. "Prepare the next phase. We must claim it before its true power is realized."