Chapter 12 – First Defeat

Cain stood panting, his body feeling heavy, and cold sweat running down his temples. The previous battle had drained most of his energy, and he knew that using Xenova for a long time would only worsen his condition. However, he could not just stand still. This opportunity was too precious to pass up.

He observed the situation sharply, each observing his three targets carefully. The Emberfang Primate leader who was still standing, although he had been poisoned and had been drained of his energy, still had a dangerous corrosive substance.

The white-haired man, he continued to fire Xenova energy consistently and always attacked the Emberfang Primate's vital parts.

While his comrades were still struggling to distract the Emberfang Primate, each ape turned their attention to his comrades behind, swiftly attacking the ape's eyes or chest.

Cain knew he had to act quickly, before the situation became more unfavorable for him.

"I have to take them all down..." he thought.

Cain closed his eyes and thought harder, his tired body strangely did not bother him to think, he continued to look for the best way, solution, and resolution.

After a while, he opened his eyes and remembered information from a book he had read, the instincts of wild animals that lived in groups or individuals tended to protect their territory more than anything else, especially female animals. If they felt their nest was in danger, they would immediately return, ignoring everything else. It was a survival instinct that he could take advantage of.

Cain's eyes flashed, the Emberfang Primate in front of him was a female ape, the chances of success were very high. Yes, that was the way.

He picked up a stone nearby among the bushes, feeling its coldness on his palm. With great calculation, he threw it towards one of the Emberfang Primates lying paralyzed on the ground inside the cave.

Bugh!

The stone hit the creature's body, hard enough to cause pain. Instantly, a loud howl echoed in the cave and out. The loud sound slipped into Cain's ears, making him wince a little, but the most important thing was that the result was successful as expected.

The Emberfang Primate Leader who was fighting suddenly stiffened, his red-glowing eyes darting wildly in all directions. Then, as if realizing something, he let out a loud roar before turning around and running towards their cave.

Cain smiled faintly. The first move was a success.

However, he could not immediately feel relieved. The two participants who had been fighting the ape did not immediately give chase. They exchanged glances, their expressions full of suspicion.

"Something's strange..." the brown-haired woman with a side ponytail said in a low tone.

"Their nest should be safe. Why is he suddenly more concerned with that than fighting us?" The white-haired man frowned.

"Wait! Yama hasn't returned yet, is his opponent skilled enough for him to have trouble fighting him?" The woman looked around, finding no signs of fighting.

"Just ignore him, his opponent has a very good Control Flow technique. But from my observation, he shouldn't have reached the third and fourth techniques yet. He's probably toying with his opponent, he's been quite stressed lately." The white-haired man answered calmly, knowing his companion's nature well.

Cain held his breath. They were starting to get suspicious.

He had to move faster. If they realized someone was orchestrating this in the shadows, this plan would fail.

After some brief debate, they finally decided to follow the Emberfang Primate into the cave, albeit with more cautious steps. Cain waited until they had gone in far enough, then moved quickly towards the cave entrance.

Cain's hands trembled slightly as he gathered the last of his remaining energy. He felt the flow of Xenova within his body, though limited, was enough to get this done.

"Destroy the stone pillars… and block the exit."

He used the Control Flow technique, feeling the vibrations in the rocks around him. With one long exhale, he slammed into the most fragile part of the natural pillar supporting the cave.

CRACK!

A large crack appeared.

BRAKKK!!

The boulders collapsed, blocking the cave entrance with a roar that echoed throughout the forest. Dust flew up, obscuring his vision for seconds.

Cain stepped back, gasping. They were trapped.

However, before he could be completely satisfied, his instincts screamed danger.

From behind the rubble, a voice sounded not panicked, not angry, but filled with a dangerous calm.

"So this is your plan, huh?"

Cain's eyes widened.

Cain felt the air around him tighten as his eyes the white-haired man stared at him sharply. Even though half of his body was covered in dust from the falling rocks, that gaze still locked onto Cain, stripping him naked, as if he were just a prey caught in his own trap.

"You're quite cunning, I like that." The man's voice was calm, too calm for someone who had just lost his comrades in a trap.

Cain gritted his teeth. This situation was not what he had planned. The man should have followed him into the cave, not stopped at the doorway! Now he had to face an opponent who was still in prime condition, while his energy was already drained from the previous fight.

However, running was not an option.

Cain controlled his breathing and took a low stance. His hands were open, ready to release Xenova at any moment. He had seen this man fight before using the Energy Release technique, a type of fighter who relied on Xenova's explosions in various forms.

And that meant… distance was his weapon.

"You've been observing us since the beginning, haven't you?" The man walked slowly forward, his steps steady without any gaps. "Creating chaos, pitting us against the Emberfang Primate, and then trapping us in a cave… You're cunning."

Cain didn't reply. There was no point in talking.

Bugh!

Cain immediately dodged to the side as an energy bullet shot past, knocking down a tree behind him in an instant.

Damn, he wasn't going to give him time to think!

Cain jumped back, trying to create distance, but the man didn't give him the chance. Attack after attack was fired, Xenova's blasts destroying the ground and rocks around him.

BOOM!

Cain crossed the ruins, almost losing his balance. One hit could end everything.

However, amidst the rain of attacks, something crossed his mind.

He only shot straight.

Cain noticed the man's movement pattern. He wasn't very quick in changing positions, and his attacks always came from a stable position. That meant there was a pause!

Cain sharpened his senses, counting the rhythm of each energy shot that was fired.

One… two… three… pause!

The moment the gap appeared, Cain shot forward with all his strength.

The white-haired man was surprised for a moment, but his reflexes were sharp enough. He raised his hand, preparing to fire an energy shot from close range.

Too late!

Cain bent his body in midair, using the Flow Control technique to adjust his momentum. With a swift movement, he grabbed his opponent's arm and...

BANG!

Cain used the rest of his Xenova to strengthen his grip!

However, the man reacted quickly. In an instant, he condensed Xenova around his body with the Focus Materialization technique, making his body as hard as stone. Cain felt his wrists tremble violently.

No way! I can't knock him out like this!

The man grinned.

"I've seen this technique before."

BUGH!

A heavy blow hit Cain right in the stomach, sending him flying backward, rolling on the ground before finally stopping with a gasp.

Cain tried to stand up, but his knees were shaking. He was out of energy, while his opponent was still able to fight.

The man walked closer, his hands starting to glow with Xenova's energy.

"Game over."

However, Cain smiled.

He had not lost yet.

Because this was not a battle of strength.

This was a battle of strategy.

The man raised his hand, preparing to deliver the finishing blow.

But the ground beneath his feet collapsed.

Trapwire!

Cain had set up the rope trap that Rin had given him at the beginning of the fight. The rope was invisible amidst the flying dust, and now, the white-haired man lost his balance.

Cain, with the last of his strength, lunged forward.

And kicked his opponent right in the chest, sending him crashing into a natural hole around the Emberfang Primate's nest.

Thud!

Silence.

Cain stood at the edge of the hole, breathing heavily. The dusk air felt cold on his skin, but the heat of battle still pulsed through every muscle. Down below, the white-haired man was trapped, his body pinned between rocks and the crumbling earth from Cain's trap.

I won...

The thought crossed his mind, making him want to smile faintly. This was a victory he had achieved with strategy, not just strength. He had defeated a stronger opponent, and this proved that on the battlefield, cunning was more important than anything else.

However, at the moment when his carelessness reached its peak.

Bugh!

A blast of energy hit the cave wall nearby!

"You think this is over?" The white-haired man's voice came from below, panting but still full of determination.

Cain was shocked. He saw the flash of Xenova still burning in his opponent's hand, which was now pointing towards the cave ceiling.

Damn! He destroyed the rocks above!

Craack!

The large rocks supporting the cave began to shatter. Cain gasped, trying to dodge.

Bugh!

Too late, large piece of rock hit his head, making his vision spin. Pain spread throughout his skull, and his balance was instantly lost.

Warm blood flowed down his temples. The world felt like it was spinning.

Cain tried to hold on, but his body felt heavy. His vision began to blur, his voice buzzing...

Brukk!

He fell to his knees, his hands gripping the cold ground.

From inside the hole, the white-haired man chuckled, even though his body was still stuck in the trap.

"You are cunning... but I will not fall alone."

Cain gritted his teeth, trying to gather his remaining consciousness.

I can't lose here...

However, his head grew heavier.

And slowly, the world seemed to fade into a red mist...

Dark. Silent.

Cain felt nothing but the throbbing pain in his head. His breathing was heavy, his body felt like it was drowning in a sea of emptiness. His consciousness tried to return, but the stabbing pain in his skull made it difficult for him to wake up.

He... lost.

Above the hole where his comrade was trapped, a black-haired man stood with a calm expression. Yama, the man who had been knocked unconscious by Cain, now looked down at him with a faint smile. His steps were leisurely, as if there was no urgency, as if he had known from the start that Cain would not emerge victorious.

"So… you finally fell."

His voice was calm, almost like the tone of an older brother reprimanding a naughty little brother.

Cain, even though he was half-conscious, could feel Yama's presence. His body refused to move, as if all his strength had been sapped. He tried to move his fingers, but even that felt like an uphill struggle.

Down below, the white-haired man trapped in the hole snorted. "You took so long to come, Yama."

"I just wanted to make sure he didn't have any other surprises up his sleeve," Yama replied casually, before his eyes returned to Cain. "And it seems I was right."

He crouched down, looking down at Cain who was still lying on the ground, then patted his cheek lightly not in mockery, but more to observe. "Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done enough to get this far."

Cain couldn't reply. His head felt heavy. His consciousness slowly faded back into darkness.

The first defeat.

A lesson that would be etched into him forever.