Undercurrents

Three Days Later...

Silence.

A deep, unsettling quiet had settled over the forest. Even the wind dared not rustle the leaves, as if nature itself held its breath.

At the heart of this eerie stillness, three figures stood locked in a deadly stalemate.

The first was a tall, lean young man with striking white hair, standing casually yet poised, his blindfold concealing eyes that could see far more than any normal person. His body was positioned in a stance reminiscent of modern Taekwondo, feet light, hands relaxed but ready. A small, almost amused smile tugged at the corners of his lips, as if this situation was nothing more than a game.

To his left, a towering, battle-scarred bear stood on its hind legs, its massive body radiating a baleful aura of raw savagery. Blood dripped from its fangs, staining the dark fur around its mouth. Its intelligent yet feral eyes locked onto Gojo with murderous intent, its muscles tensed, ready to rip him apart in a single strike.

To his right, an enormous cream-colored scorpion, nearly half the size of the bear, stood menacingly. Its grotesque, bulbous body was covered in layers of chitinous armor, while numerous glossy black eyes studied Gojo with eerie precision. Its long, barbed tail twitched, dripping venom potent enough to dissolve bones. Sharp mandibles clicked hungrily, eager to sink into his flesh.

For a few heartbeats, the three remained motionless, tension thickening the air between them.

Then—

A single drop of water slipped from a leaf, landing soundlessly on the forest floor.

The moment it touched the earth, the atmosphere shattered.

The bear roared, the scorpion screeched, and Gojo vanished.

"Go!"

In an instant, Gojo moved, his body flickering like a mirage. His speed was unnatural, his steps light as air. Space itself seemed to pull him forward, bending to his will.

The bear was the first to strike, its massive paw sweeping out with the force to shatter a small hill. At the same time, the scorpion's venomous tail shot forward in a deadly arc, its sharp hooked end seeking to skewer him from above.

To any other warrior, these simultaneous attacks would be an unavoidable death sentence. But for Gojo—

It was child's play.

His breath remained calm, unhurried. In his vision, time slowed to a crawl. Every movement within a kilometer was reduced to raw data, dissected, analyzed, predicted. He saw not just where the attacks were aimed, but where they would be.

With a simple step to the side, he avoided the bear's paw by mere inches. Then, in a breathtaking display of agility, he launched himself into a front flip, landing effortlessly atop the bear's massive arm. The beast barely had time to register what had happened before Gojo was already sprinting up its body, moving so fast it couldn't react.

Upon reaching the bear's shoulders, he crouched, tensed, then exploded into the air like a loosed arrow—straight toward the scorpion.

The monstrous arachnid, however, was far more perceptive than its brute counterpart. It reacted instantly, its lethal tail lashing out at his incoming figure like a whip.

Had it been anyone else, they would have been impaled mid-air, unable to shift their trajectory.

But Gojo wasn't anyone else.

With a subtle twist of his body, he flipped unnaturally, narrowly avoiding the venomous barb by a hair's breadth. As he descended, his right fist clenched, muscles coiling with immense power.

Then, he struck.

BANG!

A thunderous shockwave erupted on impact. The ground split apart, trees shook violently, and dirt exploded into the air. Though Gojo's fist seemed small against the scorpion's tough exoskeleton, the sheer force of his blow bypassed its defenses entirely, turning its insides to pulp.

A sickening crack resounded as blood mist erupted from the creature's ruptured body. It didn't even have time to scream before collapsing lifelessly onto the ground, its many eyes growing dim.

Gojo landed smoothly, but before he could relax, a shadow loomed over him.

The bear had learned.

It wasted no time, capitalizing on the momentary opening. Its massive paw came crashing down on Gojo with terrifying speed, an attack that should have sent him flying.

But—

Rather than the expected outcome, Gojo merely took a single step back, absorbing the force with effortless grace.

Then, he retaliated.

BANG!

His fist met the bear's chest, and the monstrous beast was sent hurtling backward, crashing through several trees with bone-rattling force.

Letting out a slow breath, Gojo shook his hand, still smiling. His raw physical might was absurd. It felt almost unfair.

Before the bear could recover, he flickered above its head—

And descended like a missile.

BOOM!

The impact shook the land, sending blood, bones, and organs splattering in all directions. The once fearsome predator was reduced to nothing more than a gory mess.

Gojo landed lightly, casually shaking off the blood that had splattered onto his protective Yuan Power sheath.

Then, he turned his head—

And saw her.

A short distance away, a lone figure stood surrounded by three silver-back wolves, the last survivors of what had once been a full pack.

She was a vision of elegance, her long sword resting lightly in her grasp, her posture exuding imperial grace. Not a single strand of her dark hair was out of place, despite the carnage around her.

The wolves snarled and lunged. She closed her eyes.

Then, softly, she whispered—

"Great Empress' Soulblade Sutra: Six Desire Sword Dance."

The moment her eyes snapped open, her sword moved.

It did not merely slash or stab—it danced.

Each motion was a story. Each stroke carried an emotion.

Love. Hatred. Joy. Sorrow. Fear. Anger.

The air hummed with energy, rose petals swirling around her like an ethereal storm.

Gojo, for once, was speechless.

To him, the world was data. Every movement, every shift of Yuan Power was something he could analyze.

But this—

This was different.

The technique wove together Yuan Power and Mental Energy in a way he had never seen before. It was not just a sword technique—it was an art. The wolves had no chance.

Before their fangs could even touch her, she sheathed her blade.

A second later, their bodies exploded into a crimson mist.

She exhaled, turning to find Gojo watching her with interest.

Her cold gaze met his as she approached.

"I've never seen a technique like that before," he admitted, brushing a hand through his hair. "Wondrous. Wouldn't hurt to add it to my arsenal."

She raised a brow, lips twitching slightly before she rolled her eyes. "You have no affinity for the Dao of Emotions, much less the Dao of Swords. So, no. I won't teach you."

He chuckled. "Shame."

She glanced at the carnage he had left behind. "You finished your battle rather quickly. Those were Grade 4 spirit beasts. Even late-stage Earthly Yuan cultivators struggle against them....." Her gaze softened a bit.."yet you finished them with judt physical strength and made a mess like the barbarian you are.."

Gojo smirked. "What can I say? I'm built different."

But then, his expression turned serious. "Something's off. These attacks aren't random. They're planned."

She frowned. "The region is in chaos because of the flaming striped python. During this time of the year, it enters a period of weakness due to childbirth complications. Due to that, it is deemed as an opportunity by aspiring overlords to try and take over. A beast horde is expected.." She explained it perfectly and Gojo had to nod in agreement. Only problem was, things were never really as simple as they seemed. He could feel undercurrent rising.

"Maybe," Gojo murmured, gaze narrowing.

But his Six Eyes never lied.

Something wasn't right.

A/N: I was tempted to throw in an extra chapter, but nah - I changed my mind. I'm exhausted. Anyways enjoy. Comment, review, you know the rest.