Predator in the Shadows

The forest stank of blood. For two days, the endless cycle of fighting, resting, and killing had persisted.

Gojo stood over the twitching corpse of a massive lion, its body caved in from a single punch. Crimson soaked the ground as steam rose from the fresh kill, a morbid heat radiating from its lifeless form. His six eyes flickered, scanning the beast as its last embers of life flickered out. And there it was again—that red glow.

The same eerie light he had seen in every beast they had slain. It pulsed dimly in its eyes like a dying ember before vanishing completely upon death.

'Controlled? Manipulated? But why?' Gojo frowned, tapping his foot in irritation. Spiritual beasts were powerful, but they weren't mindless. The weak ones avoided unnecessary fights, while the strong hunted with precision. Yet every single creature they had encountered in the last two days had charged at them like suicidal maniacs.

The attacks weren't random. They were patterned. Timed. Calculated. Someone—or something—was pulling the strings.

"Another one?" MeiYing's voice pulled him from his thoughts.

She walked toward him, wiping blood from her sword, exhaustion clear in her eyes. Her long, raven-black hair was damp with sweat, strands sticking to her fair skin. The dark circles under her eyes showed just how drained she was.

Gojo gave her a once-over and sighed. "You should rest. Your Yuan Power's almost spent." MeiYing arched a brow. "And what about you?" Gojo flashed a thumbs-up, grinning. "I'm built different."

She snorted but didn't argue. Gojo dusted off his hands. "I'll find water and something edible that isn't raw beast meat. Sit tight."

She watched him disappear into the trees, then let out a breath. As much as she wanted to argue, she was at her limit. She needed to meditate and recover.

Gojo walked aimlessly through the forest, hands stuffed in his pockets. Water. That was the priority. MeiYing wouldn't last three days without it. Even cultivators needed food and drink before reaching the realm where their bodies could sustain themselves on Yuan Power alone.

'This place is a damn wasteland.' The trees here were old, towering behemoths with thick, gnarled roots that drank greedily from the land. The ground was cracked in places, as if suffering from a drought. It made no sense—spiritual beasts were abundant here, which meant there should be a source of water nearby. Then he saw it.

Just beyond a break in the trees was an oasis of beauty. A garden—lush, vibrant, untouched. At its center sat a pond, crystal-clear and shimmering like polished sapphire. The water was so still it reflected the sky perfectly.

Gojo's lips cracked into a grin.

"Jackpot." He bolted forward, dropping to his knees beside the pond. His Six Eyes scanned the water. No poison. No foreign substances. No hidden formations.

It was clean. He plunged his hands in and took a deep drink, letting the cool liquid wash away the dryness in his throat.

Then, as he lay back, his gaze caught something even better. A tree. Not just any tree. A divine tree.

Thick golden veins pulsed across its bark, exuding potent Yuan Power. Its branches sagged under the weight of golden peaches, each one shimmering with radiant energy.

Gojo's grin widened. "Double jackpot."

With a flick of his wrist, a razor-thin distortion in space shot forward. A thick branch snapped free and floated toward him. He caught it effortlessly, tore off a fruit, and sank his teeth in.

The taste was indescribable. A mix of ripe peaches, honey, and the sweetest grapes—yet it carried an undertone of pure energy, flooding his dantian with every bite.

Gojo groaned in delight. "Holy shit—this is amazing."

He devoured another. Then another. He knew these fruits would enhance his Yuan Power, but at that moment, he didn't care. He was just enjoying the taste.

Then—

ROOOAAARR!

The ground trembled. The air shuddered. Gojo froze mid-bite, golden juice dripping from his chin.

A massive boar—easily four meters tall—stormed through the trees like a living battering ram. Its jagged spikes rattled along its back, its monstrous hooves cracking the earth with each stomp.

A single, metallic horn jutted from its forehead, gleaming in the light like a blade sharpened for war.

Gojo sighed, shaking his head.

"Don't be mad buddy? You should've put up a 'No trespassing sign here.."

The boar snorted, lowering its massive head. Its muscles coiled.

Then—

It exploded forward. The sheer force of its charge shattered the ground beneath it. It moved like a living cannonball, closing the gap in a heartbeat.Then it leapt.

Its body twisted midair, its massive horn gleaming as it descended straight for Gojo's skull. Even an Earthly Yuan Realm cultivator would be obliterated on impact.

Gojo didn't move. His fingers twitched. Yuan power slammed into the air around him. In that instant, reality broke. The air around him distorted. Cracked. Space itself rippled, fragments of another dimension shimmering in and out of existence. The gap between worlds trembled.

Gojo moved. His hand swept out --A single, casual motion.

SLASH!

Silence.

Then—A line split the world. The boar landed behind him. It stood still for a single breath.

Then— Blood erupted. The beast split clean in half, its two halves crashing to the ground with a wet, sickening squelch.

Gojo let out a slow breath, admiring his handiwork with a little pensive look. His gaze scanned through the corpse thoroughly.

And there it was—the proof. No red glow in its eyes.

Unlike the other beasts, this one hadn't been controlled. It had attacked simply because he had stolen its food. Gojo smirked.

"I was right." Someone was choosing specific beasts to control.

Which meant someone was watching them. His Six Eyes flared.

His gaze snapped to the trees ahead. A figure. Hidden in the shadows. Camouflaged perfectly against the greenery, but not to him. Gojo's smirk widened. He cracked his neck, took a step forward— And vanished. A blur of movement. A gust of wind.

The next instant, he was already on them. A shadow moved, shifting slightly, realizing it had been caught. Gojo lunged, his grin sharp as a blade. "Oi," he called out playfully. "You can stop sneaking around. A pulse of energy rippled from his body, cracking the ground beneath his feet, as the shattering of mirrors echoed throughout the vicinity. His voice dropped, tinged with amusement— "I don't play hide and seek."

A/N: It seems you guys aren't feeling the fic. Powerstones donations have gone down, no comments, No added collections --Nothing. Come on guys. A little appreciation won't hurt.