《BLACK TIGER GOD (黑虎神)》


 Chapter 1

    Li Wei opens his eyes and stares at the carnage. He¡¯s pathetic. Wearing nothing but bed clothes, Li Wei can do nothing but watch. Two ¨C maybe three ¨C Wushi slaughter his family. One by one.


    Li Wei¡¯s father is stricken with a blade to the throat. His mother cries in agony. Blood splatters onto the Wushi¡¯s mask. The Wushi looks straight at Li Wei. Slowly walking toward the teenager, the Wushi readies his hilt.


    Li Wei¡¯s mother jumps in the way. ¡°Please! Don¡¯t do this! I¡¯ll do anythi¡ª¡± The Wushi mercilessly stabs Li Wei¡¯s mother in the chest. She falls to the floor.


    The Wushi tries to strike Li Wei, but Li Wei is quick to dodge. He grabs a bow and quiver. He readies his arrow and holds his bow steady. His arms trembling with fear.


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere left to run. It¡¯s over.¡± The Wushi grins. ¡°If you think you can fight an A-Rank Wushi like me, you have another thing coming!¡±


    Li Wei lets go of the arrow, letting it fly through the wind. The arrowhead is seconds away from piercing the Wushi¡¯s eye, but the Wushi does nothing but laugh. All of the sudden, smoke encompasses the Wushi¡¯s body, neglecting to leave a trace.


    Li Wei pauses. He hears the faintest noises. Barely able to make them out, Li Wei waits for his inevitable fate. The smoke starts to clear. Li Wei¡¯s body continues to tremble. Only laughter escapes the fog.


    The Wushi leaps out of the dying fog and pounces on his prey. His body is lit with a silver aura. His left eye is blue, but his right eye is green. He grabs Li Wei¡¯s throat and squeezes.


    Li Wei can barely breathe. The entire world around him begins to fade. God dammit! he thinks to himself. There must be a way out of this situation ¨C but Li Wei is too weak to find one. The world around Li Wei fades into oblivion.


    Li Wei is trapped seeing nothingness. Not white, not black. Nothingness. He feels like he¡¯s floating in mid-air. Above him, a great light flashes and sparkles. So¡­ This must be death, huh? Li Wei thinks to himself. He relaxes his body, willing to let death take him.


    Li Wei¡¯s body rises, floating toward the light. He closes his eyes.


    I¡¯ve always been so¡­ Weak.


    I¡¯ve never been strong.


    In this world¡­ A world where the strong is on top, and the weak is at the bottom¡­Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    What¡¯s the point of living?


    My life¡¯s pointless¡­


    I can never survive¡­ Until I¡¯m strong¡­


    I want to be strong¡­


    Li Wei¡¯s eyes open. He returns to the real world. Black steam escapes his pores. ¡°What in the hell?¡± The Wushi says.


    Li Wei¡¯s long, brown hair begins to slowly turn black. His muscles become more defined. He screams, pushing Wushi back. Li Wei, having escaped Wushi¡¯s grasp, wipes blood from his nose.


    ¡°What ¨C What is this?¡± The Wushi remarks. ¡°The sheer force of his scream! Is he¡­?¡±


    Li Wei¡¯s body is lit with a fiery blue and white aura. Tiny pebbles raise in the air around him.


    ¡°His beast spirit¡­ Is that???¡± The Wushi begins to question his opponent.


    BEAST SPIRITS: Beast Spirits are sheer representations of a martial artist¡¯s soul ¨C their greatest example of power. They can either be classified as BERSERKER CLASS, meaning they specialize in close range techniques, or MYSTIC CASS, meaning they specialize in elemental techniques: Fire, Water, Wood, Metal, or Earth.


    Beast Spirits¡¯ power are ranked by three tiers: THE EARTH TIER (Ranked as ¡°C¡±, ¡°B¡±, or ¡°A¡± Rank), THE SUPER TIER (Ranked as ¡°S¡±, ¡°SS¡±, or ¡°SSS¡± Rank), or the HEAVENLY TIER (Ranked as ¡°Z¡± Rank).


    The Wushi doesn¡¯t fear. In fact, he grins. ¡°This might be a great fight. I¡¯ll show you what an A Rank, Berserker Class Siberian-Cat Beast Spirit can do!!!!¡± The Wushi¡¯s aura grows. The spirit of a silver feline appears behind him.


    The Wushi¡¯s hands are formed as claws. He leaps to Li Wei and attempts to deliver an ongoing combination of swift claw strikes, but Li Wei dodges them all. ¡°You can¡¯t dodge these techniques forever!¡±


    Li Wei forms his hand a claw and strikes the Wushi in his chest. The Wushi leaps back. ¡°Who the hell are you!¡±


    Li Wei answers. ¡°My name is Li Wei. My newly awakened beast spirit ¨C well, he likes to be called Heihu. S Rank, Berserker Class.¡± Li Wei grins, cockily.


    The Wushi laughs intensely. ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T BE KIDDING ME?! YOU JUST UNLOCKED YOU¡¯RE BEAST SPIRIT ¨C YOU CAN¡¯T BE THAT STRONG ALREADY!!!! HAHAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°Would you like to test me new strength out?¡± Li Wei says.


    ¡°You cocky bastard! Now you¡¯re making me mad!!!!¡± The Wushi exclaims. His blood starts to boil. ¡°IT¡¯S TIME TO GO ALL OUT!!¡±


    The Wushi leaps at Li Wei and attempts several failed strikes. Li Wei tries to kick the Wushi, but the Wushi grabs his leg. Li Wei grins, rotating his body 360 degrees and kicking the Wushi with the other leg.


    ¡°Listen here, you twerp!! I won¡¯t allow this kind of ridicule!!¡± The Wushi screams. ¡°It¡¯s time to end this!¡±


    Li Wei and the Wushi brawl, but the Wushi is barely able to hit Li Wei. ¡°SPECIAL TECHNIQUE: GREAT LION POUNCE!!¡± The Wushi¡¯s hand is surrounded in white light. He tries to strike to Li Wei¡¯s chest, but Li Wei blocks without a sweat. ¡°B-B-BUT HOW?!¡±


    Li Wei smirks. ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate your abilities. You may think you¡¯re a lion, but in reality¡­ You¡¯re but a small kitten.¡± The spirit of a black tiger surrounds Li Wei¡¯s body. Li Wei punches the Wushi into the air. ¡°NOW IT¡¯S TIME TO SHOW YOU THE POWER OF A REAL TIGER!!¡¯


    Li Wei leaps into the air, with the giant black tiger spirit surrounding him. He punches the Wushi repeatedly in mid-air with a chain punch, following it up with a spinning kick that pummels the Wushi into the ground.


    ¡°HEIHU ¨C LET¡¯S SETTLE THIS!! Art of the Wind and Thunder God!!¡± Li Wei thrusts his palm toward the Wushi. The black tiger spirit launches toward the Wushi and crashes into him. A giant explosion ensues, turning the environment near Li Wei into ruins.


    Li Wei falls to the ground and passes out. He is too tired from breaking his limits. He leaves himself there to die.

 Chapter 2

    Li Wei wakes up in a hospital bed. His bones still ache from his fight. He looks at the nurse. ¡°Where the hell am I?¡± he asks.


    The nurse smiles. ¡°Lay back down. They should be back anytime now.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my question. And who the hell is they?¡±


    Two girls in black robes enter the room. ¡°I think she means us.¡± The girls have a huge smile on their face.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Who are you again?¡± Li Wei asks, still confused.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mei Lian!¡± the girl on the left says. She has shorter hair than the girl on the right ¨C but beside that, the two girls look the exact same.


    ¡°I¡¯m Xue Lian!¡± the girl on the right says. ¡°We¡¯re the ones who rescued you!¡±


    ¡°Well ¨C thanks¡­ I guess¡­ Where am I though?¡± Li Wei asks. A man with slick, black hair enters the room. He is wearing purple robes ¨C instead of black, like the other two ¨C and a Japanese-style white eyepatch. ¡°You¡¯re in the Shinobi Hospital. Hi, I¡¯m Commander Dai Wen. I heard you¡¯ve taken out a high rank Wushi.¡±


    Li Wei is still extremely befuddled. ¡°Commander Dai Wen? Shinobi Hospital? What the hell is going on?¡±


    Dai Wen answers. ¡°The Shinobi Organization is a large group of rebels who raise money by assassinating key government figures in an attempt to overthrow the corrupt government and start anew.¡±


    ¡°I know who the Shinobi are. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    Dai Wen laughs. ¡°Yes, you are in the Headquarters of the Shinobi Organization. We thought you¡¯d make a great addition to our team¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Wei asks. ¡°You single handedly took out an upper level A Rank Wushi!! Gramps would love your help.¡± Dai Wen answers. Li Wei stares at Dai Wen weird. ¡°Gramps?¡±


    Dai Wen escorts Mei Lian, Xue Lian, and Li Wei to the Grandmaster¡¯s Office. Grandmaster Jin Liang sits behind a desk littered with philosophy books. His room is messy and unorganized. Jin Liang is noticeably older than Dai Wen. He has grey hair a long beard. His face is spotted with wrinkles.


    Jin Liang greets Li Wei. ¡°Hello¡­?¡± ¡°Li Wei. My name¡¯s Li Wei.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I believe you already met my beautiful young grandmasters ¨C Mei Lian and Xue Lian.¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    Jin Liang expresses a giant smile. ¡°Wonderful. Now, here¡¯s where things get ¨C err ¨C to the chase. I¡¯ve heard that you took out an A Rank Wushi by yourself, is that right?¡±


    ¡°That is right, sir.¡± Li Wei says, trying his hardest to be formal. ¡°My question is¡­ Why did you do it?¡± Jin Liang asks.


    Li Wei¡¯s throat begins to close. He swallows spit to open it a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Jin Liang pauses. He processes the situation. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    Li Wei elaborates. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I woke up this morning to the sound of banging on the door. I remember my parents telling me to lock myself in my closet, but¡­ I didn¡¯t listen. Then when the Wushi killed my dad, he went after me. My mom sacrificed herself to save me. And that¡¯s when¡­¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Jin Liang¡¯s eyes open wide. ¡°That¡¯s when¡­ IT came out?¡± Jin Liang asks. Li Wei nods.


    ¡°Li Wei¡­ I believe you have GREAT potential. You may even be past Elite level. You would be a significant table-turner in the overthrow of the Wushi Party¡¯s regime. What do you think?¡±


    Li Wei thinks for a second. ¡°What do I think¡­ When can I start?¡±


    SHINOBI RANKS: The Shinobi Organization ranks their members by the power of their beast spirits. JUNIORS have C Ranks, JOURNEYMEN have B Ranks, and ELITES have A Ranks. The handful of Super Tier Shinobi work directly under the Grandmaster. These Shinobi Include: Mei Lian, Xue Lian, Dai Wen, and Li Wei.


    Li Wei, Mei Lian, and Xue Lian surround Dai Wen in the training grounds. Dai Wen explains the rules of today¡¯s training. ¡°So, the rules of the game are easy.¡± Dai Wen and the others stand in a large red circle. ¡°All three of you are going to fight me, all at once. Your goal is to knock me out of the red in under three minutes. If you win, I will buy ramen for all of you. But I win, you guys will have to buy ramen for ME.¡±


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian get into fighting stances. ¡°Aye, Li Wei! If I were you, I¡¯d get into your fighting stance. This game can get pretty rough!¡± Mei Lian says, with a big grin. Li Wei follows directions.


    Dai Wen smiles. ¡°Begin!¡±


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian unleash their beast spirits. Mei Lian has an S Rank, Mystic Class ¨C Wood Elemental Crane named ¡°Muhe¡±. Xue Lian has an S Rank, Mystic Class ¨C Water Elemental Shark named ¡°Shuisha¡±.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian leap toward Dai Wen at maximum speed. Dai Wen is lit with a fiery red aura. He blocks both simultaneously and smirks. This aura is Dai Wen¡¯s SS Rank, Berserker Class Phoenix named ¡°Fenghuang¡±.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian flip backward. Xue Lian looks back at Li Wei. ¡°Try your best to keep up!¡± she says, cockily.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian throw multiple shuriken at Dai Wen. The shuriken¡¯s¡¯ direction tilts and drifts. Dai Wen unsheathes a katana and deflects the shuriken back at Mei Lian and Xue Lian. The sisters jump in the air and dodge.


    Dai Wen gets into a fighting stance. His fiery aura grows even larger. The spirit of a phoenix can be seen glowing around him. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn!¡±


    Dai Wen seemingly teleports behind Mei Lian and kicks her into Xue Lian. The sisters roll on the ground and unsheathe their own blades. Xue Lian and Mei Lian spin and flip around Dai Wen, using teamwork to try to strike him, but Dai Wen shifts his body weight and blocks their repeated strikes.


    ¡°Fenghuang!!¡± Dai Wen exclaims. Mei Lian and Xue Lian are no match for Dai Wen¡¯s speed. Li Wei gets more comfortable. He unleashes Heihu. ¡°Heihu ¨C Let¡¯s not go easy on him!¡±


    Mei Lian summons large trees that surround Dai Wen. The trees are filled with fruit that emit poisonous gas. Dai Wen throws multiple shuriken. They tilt and drift and hit the trees¡¯ fruit, releasing all the poisonous gas.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian surround Dai Wen on all sides. They attempt to strike him, but Dai Wen dodges. Mei Lian summons a giant centipede made from wood. Mei Lian and Xue Lian ride on its head. Mei Lian expels a stream of water from her mouth. Dai Wen twists his body and dodges it in mid-air, which leaves him open for another attack.


    Xue Lian launches a giant shark made from water at Dai Wen. Dai Wen grabs a short sword from his back. His spinning speeds up. Dai Wen¡¯s short sword creates a gust of wind that blows the water shark back.


    Li Wei appears behind Dai Wen, His body still lit with Heihu¡¯s fiery blue and white aura. Li Wei fights Dai Wen ¨C one vs one. Dai Wen is clearly too strong for Li Wei.


    ¡°Fenghuang¡­ Let¡¯s finish this.¡± Dai Wen focuses his beast spirit¡¯s energy into his fist. Dai Wen tries to punch Li Wei, but Mei Lian summons a wooden wall to act as a shield. Mei Lian, Xue Lian, and Li Wei try striking Dai Wen all at once, but Dai Wen dodges without a sweat. The timer in his pocket goes off. Dai Wen looks at his feet. Still in the red. ¡°Well, I guess I win! Sucks for your wallets, I eat a LOT of ramen!¡±


    Meanwhile, at the Wushi Party¡¯s Headquarters, the country¡¯s supreme leader ¡°Shogun¡± waits at his desk. General Hattori, the Commander and Chief of the Wushi Military, is called into the room.


    ¡°Bad news, Hattori. A-Rank Baizhao was killed yesterday during his raid on the Li Family¡¯s home. His teammates miraculously escaped. The parents of the Li Family were confirmed dead¡­ Meaning the child was the one strong enough to combat him.¡± Shogun says.


    Hattori processes this. ¡°We can¡¯t allow someone this strong fall into the hands of the Shinobi.¡± Hattori says.


    ¡°Exactly. That¡¯s why¡­ I¡¯m tasking you and your men to find and kill this boy. Any means necessary.


    Hattori bows to his leader. ¡°Yes sir.¡± Shogun smirks. ¡°I¡¯ll give you and Zhique three days. Don¡¯t disappoint me. Got it?¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Hattori agrees.

 Chapter 3

    Hattori and his small group of Wushi venture through the forest. Green, luscious trees, the size of high rises, surround them. The Wushi are distracted by the forests¡¯ beauty.


    The sounds of snapping branches and crackling leaves fill the air. The smell of the forest was pulpy, but still very relaxing.


    The brains of the Wushi were numbed. Their muscles were slackened. For some odd reason, they began to feel at home.


    Hattori enters his subconscious for a moment. The entire room is red as blood, and dark as night. Hattori sits alone in a chair, waiting for a friend¡¯s arrival.


    Hattori hears the chirps of a small bird. A faint breath. He smiles for the first time in a while. ¡°Zhique¡­¡±


    A large vermillion bird walks into the room from a dark corridor. Hattori pets it¡¯s head. ¡°I believe we haven¡¯t talked in a while¡±.


    Zhique begins speaking back, telepathically. I¡¯ve missed you too, Hattori.


    ¡°The reason why I¡¯ve entered my subconscious is because¡­ I have a question to ask you.¡±


    Yes, Hattori. Ask away


    ¡°Every since I was a boy, I¡¯ve been killing for Hattori. Killing men, killing women¡­ Killing children. I don¡¯t know why. The Wushi Dynasty has been the most prosperous era in this country¡¯s history, but¡­ For some reason ¨C this doesn¡¯t feel right to me.¡±


    It never settled well for me either. The poor citizens have starved and been left neglected, while the rich and wealthy are the ones who prosper. Under the Wushi¡¯s rule, the wealthy hold the power ¨C And their greed only benefits themselves.


    ¡°When you say it like that¡­ It does sound pretty bad. But¡­¡± What should I do then? Whose side am I on?¡±


    Don¡¯t be an idiot, Hattori. Do you want to know why the wealthy hold all the power? BECAUSE THEY SHOULD. Their ancestors worked hard and proved that they had the ABILITY to prosper. Hell ¨C How could we expect a poor person rule when he can¡¯t even rule his own self!!!!


    ¡°Zhique¡­¡±


    Hattori fades from his subconscious, re-entering the real world.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Y¡¯know we only have three days to find this kid, right? Let¡¯s hurry the hell up!¡± General Hattori yells.


    A small group of Journeymen-level Shinobi observe the area from the trees, gathering intelligence. The reconnaissance team¡¯s Captain communicates with Dai Wen via a Walkie Talkie. ¡°It seems they¡¯re Investigating some kind of¡ªmurder. Searching for a culprit.¡± The Captain says. ¡°Lead by General Hattori.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Captain Jean. Do not engage. Leave the area immediately.¡± Dai Wen demands. The Captain signals his team a retreat, and they follow orders.


    Dai Wen stands in Jin Liang¡¯s office. Mei Lian, Xue Lian, and Li Wei are by his side. ¡°It seems we have a new mission, Gramps.¡± Dai Wen says. ¡°So, whose going?¡±


    Jin Liang answers. ¡°Dai Wen, lead Mei Ling and Xue Lian. We can¡¯t suffer any casualties from our Elites. You¡¯re the only Shinobi who could possibly take out General Hattori. This is a big mission, guys.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± Li Wei asks. ¡°Can I come too? I promise I have the skill!¡±


    ¡°No. We can¡¯t give them what they¡¯re after.¡± Jin Liang responds. ¡°Dai Wen, I¡¯ve been training you for 24 years. Don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±


    Dai Wen and his team jump from tree to tree in the forest, searching for Wushi. ¡°Tell me when you¡¯ve spot them.¡± Dai Wen says.


    ¡°Can do.¡± Mei Lian responds. ¡°You ready Xue Lian?¡± She readies her shuriken between her fingers. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m ready.¡± Her sister responds.


    When Dai Wen eyes the Wushi, he signals Mei Ling and Xue Lian. ¡°Do what y¡¯all do best.¡±


    Mei Lian conjures a giant centipede made from wood. The sisters ride its head. ¡°Xue Lian!¡± Mei Lian cues her sister. ¡°Gotcha. Shuisha!!!!¡± Xue Lian expels water from her mouth. The water crashes as a large wave that wipes out the Wushi. Only Hattori is left standing.


    ¡°Do you really think a weak blow like that could hurt me?!¡± Hattori laughs. Mei Lian summons wooden hands to grab Hattori, but Hattori jumps in the air and dodges. He punches the air, expelling a stream of fire from his fist, but the Centipede dodges.


    ¡°Face it, old man! You¡¯re outnumbered!¡± Xue Lian exclaims. The General smirks. ¡°Let¡¯s see about that.¡±


    Hattori is lit with a fiery red aura. ¡°You have yet to witness the power of Zhique ¨C SS Rank, Mystic Class, Vermillion Hawk!!¡±


    Hattori expels a gigantic fireball from his mouth. Mei Lian attempts to shield by summoning a wooden wall, but the fireball overpowers her defense.


    The Centipede crashes to the ground. The air around Mei Lian and Xue Lian is filled with smoke. Hattori waits for a follow up attack.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian emerge from the smoke. They attempt to fight Hattori at the same time, but Hattori easily overpowers them. He jumps into the air, kicks them both at the same time, and flips backward.


    ¡°Zhique: Art of the Fire Dragon!!¡± Hattori exclaims. He punches the air repeatedly, hurling small fireballs that overwhelm Mei Lian and Xue Lian. Hattori follows up his attack. ¡°Type Two!¡± Hattori¡¯s fist is lit on fire. He jumps higher than the trees. His fist crashes into the floor, causing a giant explosion around Mei Lian and Xue Lian. The sisters fly back, overwhelmed by Hattori¡¯s sheer strength.


    ¡°Ha! Not even a scratch! It seems the Shinobi aren¡¯t that strong at all!¡± Hattori brags. Dai Wen appears behind him. ¡°I think you¡¯re forgetting about someone.¡±

 Chapter 4

    Hattori turns around and attempts to strike Dai Wen, but Dai Wen counter attacks with a swift duck and punch. Hattori flies back but lands on his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you were able to defeat my disciples so easily. Fool me once, shame on you.¡± Dai Wen says. He goes into a fighting stance. He is lit with a fiery aura, and his beast spirit glows around him. ¡°Fool me twice, shame on me!¡±


    Hattori cracked a smile and made sure to make eye contact with his opponent. ¡°You¡¯re just making it easy for me! Just tell me, who killed the Silver Wushi?!


    Dai Wen neglects to drop his guard. ¡°None of your fucking business.¡± Dai Wen says. Hattori laughs, and responds. ¡°Well, I gave you a chance, didn¡¯t I?¡± Hattori cracks the ground beneath him just by stomping. His hand is lit on fire once more. ¡°No more chances.¡±


    Hattori dashes toward Dai Wen at top speed. The two brawl, going all out. Their bird-like auras light the forest. Their acrobatic kicks are deadlier than car crashes.


    ¡°Your skills are better than a thought they would be. There¡¯s something about the legendary Commander Dai Wen that Shogun seems to take an interest in, huh?¡± Hattori remarks.


    While fighting, Hattori¡¯s punches and kicks are lit with fire. Hattori is extremely careful when dodging his opponent.


    ¡°Come on, Hattori! Look me in the eyes when you¡¯re fighting me!¡± Dai Wen jokes. Hattori is slightly offended. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me how to fight my opponent!¡±


    Hattori thrusts his palm toward Dai Wen, shooting a large stream of fire at his enemy. Dai Wen redistributes the weight on his heels, attempting to redirect the strike, but is overwhelmed by the attack.


    Hattori leaps at Dai Wen and tries to stomp on him, but Dai Wen barely dodges. Dai Wen pushes Hattori to a wall and reveals a small blade from his belt. The blade firmly presses against Hattori¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Listen here, General Hattori! I should end your life right now! The battle is over! I will never let you take the boy!¡±


    Hattori laughs and calls Dai Wen¡¯s bluff. ¡°Kill me! Kill me, I dare you! I fucking dare you, kill me! You wouldn¡¯t do it. The death of General Hattori would leave a sour taste in the mouths of the Wushi, wouldn¡¯t it? A loss for the Wushi in numbers is a gain for motivation!¡±


    Dai Wen kicks Hattori¡¯s chest, pushing him back. The General reveals a small sword from his scabbard and dashes at Dai Wen. The two martial artists fight with their blades, then with their hands. The sheer power of Dai Wen¡¯s aura clashes with the force of Hattori¡¯s flame-fueled punches.


    ¡°Wow, Hattori. You really use your beast spirit well. It¡¯s a shame I have to kill you.¡± Dai Wen grins. He tries to swiftly punch Hattori, but the General counters with an acrobatic kick to the back of Dai Wen¡¯s head.


    The remaining Wushi surround Mei Lian and Xue Lian. The sisters stand up, severely injured from their fight with Hattori. ¡°Aye, sis. Try not to die.¡± Mei Lian says, jokingly. ¡°You too.¡± Xue Lian cockily responds.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian slowly get into fighting stances. About two dozen Wushi surround them. The warriors dash toward the sisters, who are anything but scared.


    Mei Lian and Xue Lian combat the Wushi with high flying kicks and swift punches. Mei Lian summons wood to assault her opponents. Xue Lian uses water to assault them.


    The sisters have very little trouble killing the Wushi. Their strikes are fast enough to easily overwhelm their opponents. ¡°Dai Wen!¡± Mei Lian calls to her mentor.


    Dai Wen continues his struggle with Hattori. Hattori is starting to tire Dai Wen out, and he notices this. ¡°Need a break, Dai Wen?¡± We have been fighting for a while now.¡±


    Dai Wen smirks. ¡°I see your men have been defeated, General. Look around you, Hattori! Nobody¡¯s left to help you! You¡¯re completely outnumbered!


    Hattori observes his surroundings. Mei Lian and Xue Lian are behind him, in fighting stances. ¡°He¡¯s right, ¡®Tori. Give it up already, will ya?!¡± Xue Lian exclaims.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The sisters throw barrages of shuriken at Hattori, but he dodges them acrobatically. Hattori throws a few throwing knives back at the sisters.


    The three Shinobi fight Hattori at once, able to easily overpower him. Hattori¡¯s blood is shed by Dai Wen¡¯s blade, angering the General.


    ¡°Hattori! It¡¯s over! You can¡¯t fight all of us at once.¡± Mei Lian says. Hattori smirks. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m no match for three of the finest Shinobi, huh?¡±


    Hattori jumps atop a tree. ¡°Zhique and I appreciate the fight. It¡¯s been fun! But I¡¯m running out of time.¡± Hattori says, giving the Shinobi anxiety.


    Xue Lian grins. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to reveal the results of my training! Art of the Sea and Rain Gods Working Together!!¡± Xue Lian discharges energy into the sky, creating rainclouds.


    A stream of water coated with lightning crashes down on Hattori. This causes a giant explosion around the General, which leaves Hattori¡¯s body covered in smoke.


    Hattori¡¯s injured body is revealed amongst the disappearing smoke. ¡°Damn. For an S Rank Martial Artists, you damn sure have some impressive skills!!¡±


    Hattori laughs manically. ¡°Art of the Fire God!!¡± Hattori summons a ring of fire around the Shinobi.


    ¡°This might sting a little!¡± Hattori announces. He expels a literal sea of fire out of his mouth. The fire assaults his opponents. Mei Lian summons a wooden wall, but the fire overwhelms her defense.


    ¡°We¡¯re just warming up!! Literally! Art of the Fire Dragon ¨C Type 0!!¡± Hattori creates a Chinese dragon made from fire. The dragon flies into the air and chirps, intimidating the Shinobi.


    Dai Wen calls to his teammates. ¡°This might get a little scary!¡± The fire dragon dashes toward the sisters. Dai Wen jumps in front of them, taking the bullet. The fire dragon severely burns Dai Wen¡¯s chest. Blood gushes from his wound.


    ¡°DAI WEN!!!!¡± The sisters call to their mentor. They run to assist their friend, but Hattori triggers an explosion around them. Mei Lian and Xue Lian pass out, injured.


    Hattori laughs to himself. ¡°That was fun! Real fun. My heart hasn¡¯t raced like that in years!!¡±


    Dai Wen, severely injured, can barely stand. ¡°Aye, Dai Wen. What¡¯s with the eyepatch?¡± Hattori asks. Dai Wen is befuddled. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Hattori is annoyed. ¡°The eyepatch! What happened to your eye?!¡± Dai Wen attempts to explain. ¡°The sudden interest in me, eh? Well, that¡¯s a very touchy subject.


    Dai Wen narrates his story to Hattori. He remembers back to when he was still very young.


    I was a boy when I first became a Shinobi. A very young boy, in fact. Grandmaster Jin Liang¡­


    He was like my father, y¡¯know. When my parents died ¨C I was around 12 years old ¨C he took me in. He told my that I had this GREAT potential. And hell, I believed him¡­


    I was weak when I first started. I thought I was strong. B Rank at 12 years old is DEFINITELY over-average. But compared to me now ¨C I was an ant in a world of giants¡­


    I trained hard with Fenghuang. Hell, I never STOPPED training. I didn¡¯t reach SS Rank until I was 24 ¨C and Mei Lian and Xue Lian were still toddlers.


    Hell, maybe Jin Liang was right about my potential. Only a handful of people get to reach Super Tier.


    After I became SS Rank, I trained six more months, hoping I could defeat Shogun. Finally, I attempted to assassinate Shogun.


    In my fight with Shogun, I was easily overwhelmed. Shogun¡¯s beast spirit, Jinshi, was way too strong for me and Fenghuang. Jinshi was an SSS Rank, Mystic Rank Lion with the element of Metal. The lion¡¯s metal armor was like Shogun¡¯s perfect defense, almost impenetrable¡­


    I was almost easily killed by Shogun. I was way in over my head. But Shogun spared me. Me took me in and tried to make me his apprentice, realizing my full potential better than anyone else did.


    But I didn¡¯t want to assist Shogun. I attacked him multiple times, but I was never able to win. I was finally able to escape after six months.


    The Wushi hunted me down. Not just dozens. A couple HUNDRED of Shogun¡¯s strongest Wushi. I was able to defeat them, but not without any consequences¡­


    Hattori is stunned by Dai Wen¡¯s story. ¡°Wow, Dai Wen. I had no idea you meant so much to Shogun. I apologize on behalf of my Wushi.


    Dai Wen smiles. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Hattori. Really.¡± Dai Wen¡¯s friendliness makes even Hattori smile back. ¡°I envy you. Even through the toughest of times, you always remain wise, composed, and¡­ Happy¡­¡±  Hattori says.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Dai Wen. But you HAVE to come back with me to Shogun¡¯s Palace¡­¡±


    Hattori has a change of heart, but his decision has been decided. Hattori picks up Dai Wen and begins his trail to Shogun¡¯s Palace. Holding Dai Wen in his arms, Hattori starts to console him. ¡°Dai Wen¡­ You¡¯ve done well against me¡­ I guess I won¡¯t have to kill you ¨C after all¡­¡±


    Days later, Dai Wen wakes up CAGED in a luxurious family room. But this feels ¨C different. Wherever he is ¨C He isn¡¯t anywhere near home.


    ¡°Hello, Dai Wen.¡± Dai Wen hears a voice from outside the cage. It¡¯s Shogun, greeting him. ¡°Again, I apologize about your eye--¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Shogun. Really.¡± Dai Wen responds. Shogun continues talking. ¡°¡­I know you want me dead. And it would¡­ Probably be in your best cause, but¡ª¡±


    Dai Wen stops Shogun right there. ¡°I don¡¯t want you dead, Shogun. When I need to be, I¡¯m a warrior. When there is no need ¨C I¡¯m a pacifist. I don¡¯t wish for your death, Shogun. Life is precious. And¡­ All life matters. All life is here for a reason. You and Jin Liang see my potential. The great I can do in this world. And I know what I am on this earth to do¡­ I am on this earth ¨C to make peace. And that¡¯s exactly what I plan on doing.¡±


    Shogun and Dai Wen gaze into each other¡¯s eyes. Shogun too has a change of heart. ¡°Dai Wen¡­ Fenghuang is your legacy, your honor, and your prophecy. Never forget that, Dai Wen...¡±


    TO BE CONTINUED¡­

 Chapter 5

    It''s been only a few days. Dai Wen has eaten well, slept well. For someone who''s incarcerated in the Shogun''s family room, Dai Wen has been living lavishely.


    Shogun enters the family room. He rests his hands on the bars of Dai Wen''s cage. "Hey, uh... Dai Wen. I apologize for -- er, your eye. I really do." Dai Wen laughs to himself. "I''ve already told you Shogun, it''s fine."


    Shogun is confused, and this makes him angry. "Why are you being so nice to me?! So chill? I have you kidnapped and locked in my goddamn palace!--"


    Dai Wen smiles, still being friendly. He interupts. "If you wanted me dead -- I would be dead. If you wanted me to suffer -- I would be suffering. I can ask the same question to you, Shogun. Even back to the first time I was in this cage... In this room... You always treated me with kindness and respect."


    Shogun is astonished. "Correct."


    Dai Wen responds. "Let me tell you a story, Shogun. About the takers. And the taken...


    One day, far West of here, there was a simple shepphard. He was very normal. He did everything a normal shepphard does. He guarded. He fed. He was a great leader to the sheep. Powerful, smart, strong willed. He knew order, and he knew responsibility, but most of all... He knew beauracracy.


    And there were wolves. The wolves were cunning and easy to manipulate. Wealthy with power. Strengthened by greed.


    The Shepphard knew the greed of the wolves. He thought he knew all their tricks.


    One day, the wolves followed the shepphard and his sheep. The shepphard, obviously, was on the defensive. Everyday, he killed one wolf. Two wolves. Three wolves. The wolves never attacked a sheep.


    Finally, on the fourth day, the shepphard had a change of heart. "The wolves arne''t trying to kill my sheep!! They''re protecting!" Everyday, the wolves would follow the sheep and protect them from danger.


    Finally, on the tenth day, the wolves finally attacked. They killed one sheep. Two sheep. At the end of the day, all ten sheep were dead. The bloody bodies laying on the countryside..."Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Shogun is flabbergasted. He looks at Dai Wen with an intense -- but still very lighthearded -- expression. "Elaborate".


    Dai Wen follows instructions. "The message... Don''t be manipulated by the wealthy, who act solely upon greed. Make decisions to better benefit the country as a whole."


    Shogun''s mind races. He is heavily conflicted. "Dai Wen..."


    Hattori and a new small group of Wushi train in the Wushi Barracks. Some are sparring with one another, some are practicing martial arts and sword techniques. A Wushi of higher nobility runs to Hattori while Hattori is training.


    "Sorry to interupt you, General Hattori. But through thorough investigation, me and my cohort found the name of Baizhao''s killer." The Wushi announces.


    "Alright. His name?" Hattori responds.


    "Li Wei..." the Wushi reveals.


    "Great, thanks. Destroy any records of this investigation." Hattori demands.


    "But Hattori!! I can''t do that!! This is a serious investigation -- this information is--" The Wushi argues.


    "I told you to destroy the records, so you''re going to destroy the fucking records. I''d like to remind you that I''m your GENERAL. I could have you dead at any time." Hattori scares the Wushi. "Y-y-yes sir!" The Wushi runs, following orders.


    In the Shinobi Headquarters, Grandmaster Jin Liang and his aides meet to discuss their next mission. Present in the summit is Li Wei, Mei Lian, and Xue Lian.


    Xue Lian presents her case. "Grandmaster Jin Liang... As you may already know -- Commander Dai Wen has been taken to Shogun''s Palace in the capital, Shojing City. If we can somehow infiltrate the Palace without causing a major disturbance and rescue Commander Dai Wen, we could likely prevent further major conflict.


    Mei Lian presents her case. "That''s bullshit. Commander Dai Wen is one of the few people Shogun loves. Rescueing him would cause a major conflict anyway."


    Jin Liang elaborates. "That means Dai Wen, while in the vulnerable position he''s in, could be the diplomat to bring peace to the nation. If we can just change Shogun''s platform through negotions and communication--"


    Mei Lian interupts. "Actually, Grandmaster Jin Liang, there''s no way we can reason with Shogun. And even if we did, Shogun would be removed from power and another, even worse leader could potentially takeover the Wushi Party."


    Li Wei contributes to the conversation. "Right now, Shogun represents the will of the Wushi. If he were to lose his respect, the Wushi''s willpower would just live in the hands of his successor. But if Shogun dies while he''s still greately respected, then the willpower would die with him."


    Jin Liang''s mindset changes. "Maybe you''re right, Li Wei. Shogun is making a speech tomorrow. Mei Lian, Xue Lian... I am tasking you too with his assassination."


    "What about me, Gramps?" Li Wei asks.


    "Li Wei... Your training isn''t over. You have a lot more to learn."


    "Gramps, I need to go. Two people can''t save the world all by theirself." Li Wei argues.


    Gramps gives in. "Fine. You might be right. But remember, you are to follow Xue Lian and Mei Lian every order, got it?"


    Li Wei nods his head. "Got it."

 Chapter 6

    Shogun visits Dai Wen for the fifth time tonight. "Hey, uh -- Dai Wen. I''ve been thinking. About what you said earlier."


    Dai Wen smiles, confusingly friendly as always. "What do you mean?"


    Shogun is feeling -- awkward, so he changes the subject. "Y''know, I''m still surprised you haven''t attacked me yet. Last time you were here... You tried to kill me every chance you got."


    Dai Wen elaborates. "Yeah, but I was just a boy, y''know? Back then I was inmature and impulsive."


    "Well... Why did you change? Now you''re mature and wise." Shogun asks.


    "Fenghuang, my beast spirit. He''s always been by my side. And we talk sometimes. He tells my stories about the takers and the taken. Stories about the tortoise and the hare. The wolves and the sheep. The crow and the pitcher. To many people -- those fables might seem like kid shit. But believe me... These are anything but kid shit." Dai Wen answers.


    "I don''t understand." Shogun is flabbergasted oddly but conflicted.


    Dai Wen observes the room around him. The walls were clearly painted white -- he could still see red cracks in the wall. The ceilings were lined with golden streaks and ropes. The floor was carpeted in orange. A golden chandelier hangs above his steel cage. A red-blanketed futton stands in the middle of the room.


    "You''ll understand soon. It might take a while... But soon enough."


    In the Wushi''s Courtyard, General Hatori trains a new small group of Wushi. They spar with each other, practice sword techniques, and in general -- help each other get stronger.


    A Wushi of high nobility interupts Hattori. "General Hattori -- I know this may be a bad time, but--"


    Hattori is instanly aggrivated. "Then why the hell are you here?"


    "I have -- classified information. The Baizhao Killing Investigation." The Wushi answers.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Hattori looks at the Wushi, both proud and annoyed. "Well, come to my office."


    ...


    Hattori''s office is very different from any other room in the Wushi Party''s Headquarters. The only room in the entire building made from wood. His floorboards, his bed, his desk, his walls -- are wooden, rather than concrete. Hattori is a very tradiational person. He likes things done the old fashioned way.


    "So, spit it the fuck out. What classified information do you have?" Hattori asks.


    "Me and my cohorts believe we have found the killer of Baizhao." The Wushi states.


    Hattori hurries him. "Well spit it the fuck out."


    The Wushi completes his thought. "W-w-we believe the boy goes by the name Li Wei, 16 years old. The only thing that troubles me is-- the fact that he''s been missing from his town for weeks."


    The General expresses a wide grin. "Great. Delete all records of this investigation."


    The Wushi argues. "B-b-but General, I can''t do that!! T-t-this information--"


    The General quickly interupts. "You say he''s been missing, so he''s fucking missing!! I told you to delete the records, so delete the goddamn records!! I''ll have you know that I FUCKING OWN YOU, so you''re going to do WHAT I SAY, WHEN I GODDAMN SAY IT, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"


    "Y-y-yes sir!" The Wushi submits, filled with fear and anxiety.


    Li Wei, Mei Lian, and Xue Lian finally arrive in Shojing City, disguising themselves as wealthy aristocrats.


    "I still can''t believe we''re doing this. I''m scared as hell!!" Mei Lian declares.


    "Don''t worry, everything''s gonna be fine. Just don''t blow your cover." Li Wei comforts her.


    "Li Wei..." Mei Lian blushes. She has something to tell Li Wei, but she doesn''t know if she should.


    "Yes, Mei Lian?" Li Wei responds.


    "I think I like you..." Mei Lian declares. Her face redder than a tomato.


    Li Wei is surprised. He has no idea what to think. Mei Lian continues. "... Do you think you like me too?"


    Li Wei doesn''t know how to answer, so he doesn''t. An awkward silence ensues.


    Outside the Wushi Party Headquarters, Shogun begins his speach in front of countless aristocrats. In the back of the crowd -- Mei Lian readies her bow and aims at Shogun''s head. Li Wei and Xue Lian are next to her, giving her advice.


    "Mei Lian -- we only have one shot. You can''t miss this." Xue Lian pressures Mei Lian to take the shot.


    "Shut up, you''re going to make me miss!" Mei Lian says.


    "Just take the shot!" Xue Lian demands.


    Li Wei comforts Mei Lian, noticing her anxiety. He holds her from behind and guides her hands, helping her pull the arrow back. "It''s okay, Mei Lian. Just relax. You got this."


    Mei Lian follows orders. She relaxes her muscles, and numbs her mind. She releases the arrow, and takes the shot. Her arrow flies through the air, faster than sound. A clear shot to Shogun''s head.


    At the last second, Shogun turns and grabs the arrow. His instincts overpowered the arrows'' speed. The aristocrats scream in fear and run from the crowd. The only people left in the crowd is Mei Lian, Li Wei, and Xue Lian.


    "Change of plans." Xue Lian says. Shogun tries to run away, but the Shinobi chase after him...


    TO BE CONTINUED...

 Chapter 7

    Dai Wen is sitting still in his cage, overhearing Shogun''s speach -- which is taking place outside. He pays close attention to detail.


    Shogun starts with a long silence. Not an awkward silence, but more like a daring and suspensful silence.


    "Two decades and four centuries ago, after the creation of earth and the heavens, the dragon god Shenlong created this very land you live in. The center of the world, Shojing City, is where your feet stand today. This country, despite popular belief, was BUILT off peace, balance, and love. But, there is a problem. This isn''t a Shojing City problem. This isn''t a poor people''s problem. This is a national problem... I''ve learned a lot in the past few days. Things about the takers and the taken. The wolf and the sheep. The tortoise and the hare. The crow and the pitcher. To most people, these stories may seem like -- well, kid shit. And I thought so too. But a little friend told me the importance of--"


    Then another, completely unexpected, long silence, followed by screams. Dai Wen''s head is filled with anxiety and fearful visions of what the screams may be coming from --


    Hattori rushes into Shogun''s family room. He rests his hands on the cage''s iron bars. "Hey, there''s been a problem. I know you and your people don''t like my people -- to be honest, we don''t like yall either -- but we need your help." Hattori says, surprisingly politely.


    "Shogun knows that I can break out of this cage at any moment. It''s a given that I''ve chosen to stay with him. Why do you think that is, General?" Dai Wen says.


    Hattori doesn''t know how to respond. His mind races for an answer. I-I-I don''t know."


    Dai Wen laughs in Hattori''s face. He easily breaks through the iron bars. "There''s a time and a place for everything, General Hattori. Once you learn that -- you''ll be unstoppable."


    Dai Wen begins to walk out the room, but Hattori tries to interupt him. "Where are you going?" Hattori asks.


    Dai Wen looks back at the General and grins. "Making sure Shogun lives. I have a feeling about what might be going on."


    Li Wei, Mei Lian, and Xue Lian continue to chase Shogun. Shogun leads them deep into a forest, and just stops running. The Shinobi, confused, stop too.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    "I''ve lured you into an area where -- there''s nobody around to stop you. If you must kill me -- then do it. I don''t want to go down a villain, y''know. I''m trying to change." Shogun says.


    Li Wei is hesitant to kill the tyrant, but Mei Lian and Xue Lian are fixated on his assassination. "Am I supposed to feel sympathy toward you?! If I killed you right here, RIGHT NOW, there would be NO FUCKING REMORSE!!" Mei Lian exclaims.


    Li Wei intervenes. "Mei Lian -- it''s not worth it. If we can change the Wushi Party''s vision--"


    "There''s no way to change them, Li Wei. Shogun will either die a hero -- or a traitor. And that''s that." Tears fall from Mei Lian''s cheek. She is broken. She wants to kill Shogun -- knowing all the bad thing''s Shogun has done -- but for some reason, Mei Lian feels that is the wrong thing to do.


    Li Wei rests his hand on her cheek. He gazes into her eyes. "Mei Lian... If we''re going to kill Shogun -- let''s at least do it together".


    Shogun, even though he knows he could easily defeat the three Shinobi, raises his hands in the air.


    Mei Lian raises her bow to Shogun''s head. Li Wei supports her. "Three..."


    Shogun''s mind races. "Two..."


    Shogun enters his subconsious. His subconsious is very different than the others''. His subconsious is orange, with golden symbols lined across the wall. Jinshi, his beast spirit, a large tiger with metal armour, stands in front of him.


    Shogun... Don''t let me die. Please don''t let them erase me.


    Shogun is conflicted. He wants to die. He knows he''s a horrible person and he hates himself for it. But something just feels wrong to him. Jinshi continues speaking to Shogun, telepathically.


    I don''t want to die yet, Shogun. I''m too young to die.


    Shogun wakes up. "One..." Li Wei signals Mei Lian. The arrow flies straight toward Shogun''s head, but Shogun''s body is engulfed in metal at the last second. Shogun smiles, with a new twisted -- newfound will to live.


    Shogun grabs Mei Lian''s neck and raises her into the air. He squeezes tightly, intensely choking her. The world around Mei Lian begins to fade. Li Wei and Xue Lian are screaming, but it''s too late. Shogun grabs a knife from his belt and stabs Mei Lian in the stomach.


    Blood drips from Mei Lian''s mouth and stomach. "My blood... My sweat... Your tears".


    Shogun closes his eyes for a moment, but opens them wider than before. The expression on his face isn''t broken anymore -- he''s lost his mind. "TEARS OF JOY!!" Shogun pushes the blade further into Mei Lian''s stomach. She falls to the floor.


    "MEI LIAN!" Li Wei calls out to her. He feels hopeless.


    Mei Lian, even though she''s about to die, smiles at Li Wei. "Li Wei... I love you. Never forget me, okay?" Mei Lian rests her head on the ground and bleeds out.


    "MEEEEIIII LIIIAAAANNNN!!!!" Li Wei breaks down. He falls to his knees and cries. Xue Lian does the same. She closes her sister''s eyes, and stares at Shogun with a furious look.


    Li Wei stands up. His fiery, white and blue aura returns. His long, black hair shines in the night sky and flows in the wind. He wipes his mouth, and looks straight at Li Wei. His silver eyes glisten in the moonlight.


    "Today is your last day on earth, Shogun. Remember this conversation in the afterlife."


    Shogun conjures a steel sword. He grips it''s hilt tightly.

 Chapter 8

    Li Wei has a furious expression on his face. The forest is filled with fog, creating an eery and suspensful mood.


    Li Wei''s aura grows to it''s max. He swiftly punches Shogun, but his knuckle is nearly broken on Shogun''s steel armor. Shogun laughs and kicks Li Wei to the ground. Li Wei stands up and grins cockily.


    Shogun dashes toward Li Wei like a hulk. Li Wei jumps in the air and dodges, taking advantage of Shogun'' speed, which is brought down by the heavy armor. Li Wei spins and kicks Shogun in the head. The ground below Shogun cracks, but Shogun only smiles.


    Li Wei lands on the ground and chain punches Shogun repeatedly, though Shogun is not being affected at all. Shogun laughs arrogantly in Li Wei''s face. Li Wei tries to hit Shogun with an acrobatic kick to the head, but Shogun blocks. He grits his teeth and tosses Li Wei into the air.


    "HEIHU: ART OF THE WIND AND THUNDER GOD!!" Li Wei thrusts his palm toward Shogun. The black tiger spirit launches toward Shogun and crashes into him. A giant explosion ensues, turning the environment near Li Wei into ruins.


    Smoke engulfs Shogun''s body. When the smoke clears, Shogun is seen with barely any cracks in his armor. "This is the power of an SSS Rank Beast Spirit!"


    Xue Lian''s rage takes the best of her. She enters the battle with a surprise kick to Shogun''s neck. She leaps back and conjures a water dragon and tries to assault Shogun, but Shogun grabs the water dragon and defuses the attack.


    Xue Lian and Li Wei fight Shogun at the same time. Shogun easily blocks them. Xue Lian and Li Wei are extremely acrobatic, but Shogun is very stiff.


    "This is kinda fun!! I haven''t felt a rush like this in years!!" Shogun exclaims. He is easily overpowering the Shinobi, even with a lesser speed. His strength, skill, and instincts are unimaginable.


    Xue Lian is enraged. She feels hopeless. And weak. How could she let her sisters killer play with her like a toy?! She grits her teeth, and her eyes are strained. A single tear runs down her cheek. She thinks to herself...


    I can''t be weak.


    I refuse to be weak.


    I am not weak.


    I WILL NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE WEAK!!!!


    Xue Lian''s pupils dialate. She finds a new fire in her, and she lets it out. She punches Shogun at her absolute limits, and cracks his armor. The crack is pretty small, but still very impressive. Even Shogun is surprised at Xue Lian''s sudden growth of power.


    Xue Lian enters her subconsious for a split second. When she returns, she grins. "I''ll show you the power of Shuisha. Mystic Class. SS Rank!"


    Li Wei is as surprised as Shogun. SS Rank?! T-that''s comparable to Commander Dai Wen!! How can she be so strong?!" Li Wei thinks to himself. He''s proud that Xue Lian was able to break her limits, but still envious.


    The battle continues. Xue Lian, even with her new power, is no match for Shogun. Li Wei''s acrobatic strikes, and Xue Lian''s water elemental attacks are easily blocked by Shogun''s steel armor.


    "Shogun... I''ll end this here and now!! Art of the Sea and Rain Gods Working Together!!" Mei Lian announces. She discharges discharges energy into the sky, creating rainclouds. A stream of water coated with lightning crashes down on Shogun. This causes a giant explosion around Shogun, which leaves his body covered in smoke.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Shogun''s body is revealed amongst the disappearing smoke. Large cracks cover Shogun''s steel armor. "Damn, that was a pretty powerful attack. I might have to finally get serious!"


    Li Wei and Xue Lian are filled with anxiety. He hasn''t been fighting serious? How strong is this guy...?


    Behind Shogun, Dai Wen appears. He gets into a fighting stance. "Sorry I''m late, guys. I had no idea where you guys where... I''ll hold him off. You guys get to safety."


    Li Wei and Xue Lian nod. They take Mei Lian''s dead body and run away.


    Shogun stares at Dai Wen. He calms down, conflicted. Dai Wen smiles. "I''m sorry Shogun -- But I won''t let any more people die."


    Shogun wipes sweat from his forehead. "Dai Wen..."


    Dai Wen''s body is lit with a fiery aura. He knows he doesn''t want to hurt Shogun -- and Shogun doesn''t want to hurt him -- but he can''t let Shogun kill more of his friends.


    Dai Wen takes off his robe''s top, revealing his abs. He takes a sword from his scabbard. Shogun does the same.


    Dai Wen and Shogun swordfight, but Dai Wen''s speed is unamaginable. Dai Wen seemingly teleports around Shogun, and Shogun is barely able to keep up.


    Shogun''s instincts are faster than his raw speed. Dai Wen leaps back and redistributes his body weight. Shogun and Dai Wen grin at each other. Dai Wen cracks his knuckles at dashes at Shogun, delivering a swift punch to Shogun''s abdomen. Shogun stands still, completely uneffected by Dai Wen''s attack.


    Shogun''s metal armor thickens. He picks up Dai Wen and throws him on the ground. Dai Wen takes a kunai from his belt and tries to stab Shogun, but his kunai breaks on Shogun''s armor. Shogun tries to punch Dai Wen, but Dai Wen dodges. The ground under Shogun''s fist splits. Rocks and smoke fly through the air.


    Shogun tries to punch Dai Wen again, but Dai Wen jumps over his fist. A large boulder flies under Dai Wen''s feet. Shogun follows this up with another jab that catches Dai Wen off guard, pushing Dai Wen into a tree.


    Dai Wen lands a swift-tornado like spin kick to Shogun''s head, which makes his armor crack a tiny bit, but Shogun grabs Dai Wen and pummels him into the ground.


    Shogun dashes toward Dai Wen, so Dai Wen stomps on the ground, filling the air with smoke. The smoke blinds Shogun, who listens closely for the sound of movement. A shuriken flies through the smoke, aimed toward Shogun''s head. Shogun catches the shuriken by striking through it''s center. He spins and hurls the shuriken back at Dai Wen, who barely dodges.


    Before the smoke clears, Dai Wen spins two shuriken on both of his pointer fingers. The shuriken''s pick up speed. Wind rotates around them like a hurricane. He blows on the shuriken like a dandellion. The shuriken tilt and rotate, spinning around Shogun with no clear path.


    Shogun yells. The sheer force of his scream blows back the smoke, unblinding him. Shogun conjures thousands of senbon made from metal and hurls them at Dai Wen. Dai Wen acrobatically dodges them all mid-air. Shogun combines his senbon into one giant spear. He hurls the spear at Dai Wen, but Dai Wen spins at an intense speed like a tornado. After picking up wind, Dai Wen performs complex and fluid hand motions, directing the wind toward Shogun''s spear. The spear is reflected toward Shogun, who punches the spear, breaking it into metal dust. The dust is reshaped into a building-sized hammer with a rope tied around it. Shogun grabs the rope and spins, hurling the hammer toward Dai Wen. Dai Wen jumps on top of the hammer of waits for the best moment to strike.


    Dai Wen leaps toward Shogun and attempts to kick him, but Shogun tries both of Dai Wen''s feet and throws him high into the air. Dai Wen spins at maximum speed, picking up wind. When Dai Wen lands on the ground, he punches and kicks the air acrobatically -- like a Shaolin Monk -- and launches wind projectiles at Shogun, who barely dodges.


    Dai Wen does an entire martial arts form, picking up wind and concentrating it. Dai Wen launches a giant gust of wind toward Shogun. Shogun does a fluid form too - conjuring a giant wall of metal. Dai Wen''s wind barely cracks Shogun''s wall.


    Shogun breaks the wall into more metal dust. Shogun moves his arms in fluid motions, constructing the metal into steel blades, throwing them at Dai Wen. Dai Wen does similar arm motions, hurling wind toward the blades to deflect them.


    Shogun is surprised. "Wind? How are you able to control wind?! That isn''t a Wu Xing element?


    Dai Wen laughs. "Using a martial art I''ve developed -- BAGUASHENZHANG (Eight Trigrams Divine Palms). A martial art invented by my teacher, Grandmaster Jin Liang. This martial art combines Wing Chun and Shaoln Kung Fu techniques and allows the user to control the wind around them.


    Shogun laughs. He punches the floor, making the ground under Dai Wen''s feet collapse. Shogun starts pummeling Dai Wen further into the ground, but after a few dozen hits -- Shogun just stops. He spares Dai Wen.


    "Give up?" Shogun says, laughing.


    Dai Wen laughs, raising his hand as a sign of surrender. "I give up. I''m still not strong enough to defeat you, Shogun."


    Shogun grins. "Goodbye, Dai Wen. Until next time."


    Shogun and Dai Wen clash fists. They turn around and walk away -- in two different directions...


    Going wherever their feet take them...