Dance of Death

The temple ruins trembled as the monstrous shadow loomed over Yue Rin. Its six burning eyes locked onto her, brimming with malice. The lead assassin, standing before the beast, smirked as if already savoring his victory.

"You should have run," he mused, raising his hand.

The shadow lunged.

Yue Rin dove to the side, rolling just as a massive claw smashed into the ground, shattering stone like brittle glass. Dust exploded into the air, but she didn't pause—hesitation meant death.

She sprinted forward, spear blazing with golden flames. The lead assassin flicked his wrist, and shadows erupted from the ground, forming jagged spikes aimed straight at her.

Too slow.

Yue Rin's body blurred as she twisted mid-air, flipping over the spikes and landing in front of him. She struck.

Her spear sliced through empty air.

The assassin had already moved, fading into the shadows like a ghost.

"You're fast," his voice echoed from the darkness. "But you rely too much on sight."

A sudden piercing pain shot through Yue Rin's shoulder.

She barely caught the glint of a dagger before it disappeared into the shadows again. Blood seeped into her clothes, but she didn't falter.

Her eyes narrowed.

Fine. If he wanted a battle in the dark, she would show him true power.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Then, she let go.

Her body glowed with radiant energy, her senses expanding beyond the physical world. She could feel the faintest shifts in air pressure, the tremors in the ground, the heartbeat of her enemy.

Another attack came.

This time, she didn't dodge.

She caught the assassin's wrist mid-strike.

His eyes widened for the first time.

Yue Rin wrenched his arm back with bone-snapping force before driving her knee into his ribs. A sickening crack echoed as he stumbled backward, gasping.

The shadow beast roared.

It charged, a swirling mass of black energy aiming to swallow her whole.

Yue Rin didn't retreat.

She raised her spear, golden flames erupting like a celestial inferno.

And then—she struck the earth.

The temple shook violently as a massive shockwave of divine energy burst outward. Light met darkness in a blinding collision.

The beast howled in agony, its form unraveling as golden fire burned through its core.

The assassin, clutching his broken ribs, could only watch in disbelief. "Impossible…"

Yue Rin's gaze locked onto him. Her spear hummed with lethal intent.

"No more running."

Before he could react, she vanished—and reappeared behind him.

Her spear pierced through his chest.

His breath hitched. He looked down at the weapon protruding from his torso, golden flames already consuming his body.

"W-who… are you?" he rasped.

Yue Rin leaned in, her voice a whisper.

"The one who will end you."

With a final twist of her spear, his body disintegrated into ash.

The battlefield fell silent. The shadows faded. The temple, now bathed in moonlight, stood in ruins.

Yue Rin exhaled, gripping her wounded shoulder.

It was over. For now.