Chapter 28 - Pride

The Duskrend Striker's corpse still pulses with residual qi, the essence of a powerful predator refusing to fade.

De-Reece sits cross-legged beside the fallen beast, blood drying in the cool air, the scent of iron thick around him. His breathing is steady but deep, each inhale measured, each exhale slow. Eyes closed, he guides the chaotic energy coursing through his meridians, absorbing the lingering essence left behind.

The power is there, pressing against the edges of his qi pathways, demanding to be seized. A single push, and he could break past his current limit—force a breakthrough on the spot.

But no.

A foundation built on impatience is no foundation at all. A reckless advancement only guarantees a fragile strength, one that crumbles under pressure.

Refine. Strengthen. Then ascend.

Instead of forcing the energy outward, De lets it settle, weaving into his meridians like tempered steel folding into a blade. The process is slow, deliberate, reinforcing his control rather than forcing expansion. When he finally opens his eyes, the fatigue in his limbs is lessened, his body sharper—stronger.

But still… incomplete.

A lingering unrest gnaws at him. A thread of unfinished business.

His fingers brush over the hilt of Cheon Ma Sin Gun's sword, the ancient blade humming faintly beneath his touch. The violet lines inscribed along the steel pulse once, sensing his intent.

This is the weapon he should have wielded that day.

The day he fled.

The day he ran into the cave, too weak, too unprepared, barely escaping with his life.

The Komodo dragon-like beast had ruled that battlefield.

And De had allowed it.

His breath steadies, mind sharpening. That failure has haunted him long enough.

Time to fix it.

A whisper brushes against his consciousness—Solar's voice, her presence in his mind becoming more natural with each passing day.

"You're hunting it."

No hesitation. No doubt.

De rises to his feet, sheathing his blade in a smooth, deliberate motion.

"Yes."

Solar huffs, padding up beside him as he turns toward the deeper forest.

"About time."

And so, the hunt begins.

The canopy thickens overhead, strangling what little sunlight remains, casting the world in half-shadow. Silence swallows the usual sounds of the wild. No insects. No distant calls of prey animals.

Only stillness.

The weight of a predator's claim lingers in the air, pressing against De's senses. A presence—massive, ancient, undeniable—lurks ahead.

It knows he's coming.

And this time, De isn't running.

Boots press into damp earth, each step deliberate, firm. Not the cautious tread of prey, but the assured stride of something greater. Solar stalks beside him, her muscles coiled, ears flicking at every subtle shift in the air. The bond between them pulses—wordless but understood.

"It remembers you."

No need for the warning. The moment he steps beyond the last wall of dense foliage, golden eyes meet his own.

The Komodo dragon-like beast waits.

A living mountain of muscle and scarred scales, coiled in the center of a scarred clearing. Its body is marred with the remnants of past battles, deep gashes carving through its thick hide—marks of warriors and creatures that tried to challenge it.

But none succeeded.

It is the undisputed king of this land.

And De has returned to take the throne.

The creature does not move immediately. Its golden irises narrow, flickering with something deeper than primal hunger. Recognition.

A rumbling vibrates through the air—not a growl, but something akin to acknowledgment.

It remembers.

That day. That hunt. That incomplete chase.

A second chance.

The Komodo's throat vibrates, the deep, guttural sound somewhere between curiosity and a warning.

De does not flinch.

Feet slide into a lower stance, shifting forward—not in defense, but attack.

A single breath.

The Komodo shifts, tension rippling through its massive frame, claws digging into the dirt.

It waits.

Testing.

Will the human run again?

Will this be another wasted hunt?

De exhales.

Then, in one explosive motion—he launches forward.

The Komodo reacts instantly.

A tail like a battering ram snaps toward him, the force behind it obliterating a nearby tree into splinters. But the strike meets only air.

Shadow Phantom Steps—De flickers, vanishing for a breath before reappearing at the beast's flank.

A surge of qi floods his limbs. Domineering Demon Fist.

His palm strikes with bone-shattering force, the impact rippling through the creature's armored hide.

For the first time, the Komodo staggers.

But the pause is fleeting.

A snarl tears from its throat, and with terrifying speed, it whirls—massive jaws lunging, venomous fangs parting in a lethal snap.

Too close.

De barely twists away, the heat of its breath searing against his skin. The very air crackles with toxicity, venom dripping from exposed fangs, sizzling as it meets the earth.

Even a glancing hit could be fatal.

This isn't a battle he can afford to chip away at.

It's an execution.

A drawn-out fight plays into the beast's favor.

One clean kill.

His fingers tighten around his sword, the long blade hissing free. The violet lines along its steel glow in time with his heartbeat.

Across from him, golden irises remain locked onto his every move.

Neither blinks.

Neither falters.

They move in the same instant.

The Komodo's tail lashes out again, a blinding strike. De ducks low, the air howling above as the attack misses by a fraction. But this time, the beast anticipates.

It lunges, fangs snapping.

De shifts—half a breath too late.

The edge of its attack clips his ribs.

Pain explodes, a searing, gut-wrenching agony, sending him skidding backward. Breathing becomes sharp, shallow. The sensation of something breaking inside is unmistakable.

Broken ribs.

His left arm dangles at an unnatural angle—dislocated.

Across the clearing, Solar crouches, golden-violet eyes burning. She twitches, muscles screaming for release.

She can feel his pain, the bond between them humming with strain. Every instinct demands she intervene.

But she doesn't.

Because he told her not to.

And De has never told her that before.

So she respects it.

Even if it kills her to do so.

Through the haze of pain, he stands.

The Komodo watches. Waiting.

Then, something shifts.

A hum builds in the air, low and vibrating, spreading outward.

The beast's scales darken, a translucent sheen coating its massive body.

A qi shield.

It had been holding back.

Testing him.

And now, it deems him worthy of seeing its full strength.

The weight of its power cracks the earth beneath it.

De exhales.

This is fine.

He's still learning, too.

And now?

Now, he will match it.

Pain roars through his body like wildfire, but he moves regardless. With a sharp inhale, he grips his dislocated arm. A sickening pop echoes as he forces it back into place.

White-hot agony lances through every nerve. He embraces it. Pain is temporary. Weakness is not.

Across from him, the Komodo tenses.

Not testing. Not playing.

The real fight begins now.

De shifts his stance.

This time, something new stirs in his qi.

Not just the Domineering Demon Sword Style.

Something deeper.

Lightning crackles faintly at the edges of his blade, silver arcs threading through the violet lines. The air stirs unnaturally.

For the first time since this battle began, the beast hesitates.

De smiles.

Now, it's a fair fight.