Killer's Intent

《 Chapter 6 》

Ducking low, Kieran felt the blade pass by inches away from his head. The sword seemed to be giving off a chilling air as a black mist started to surround the blade.

He was certain that he had been alone for this entire time.

So who was this person? 

Kieran's eyes blazed a fiery gold as he used his daggers to stab upward. Metal clashed against metal, and the sheer force of his opponent's blow made him take a step back.

The air around him seemed to thicken as he saw the black mist reappear. In an instant, he and his attacker were completely shrouded in darkness.

This was bad.

Although the mist had completely covered them in darkness, Kieran knew that his glowing eyes were still visible to his opponent.

It was one of the main giveaways of having a Skill. Whenever someone used their Skill, their eyes would shine regardless of whether they wanted it or not. It made hiding the fact you have a Skill nearly impossible, and once you were identified, you would be forced to join the Sun Organization or be killed.

And now, Kieran was out in the open while his opponent was hidden in the shadows.

It was a difficult dilemma. He could either keep using his skill and continue giving away his location, or he could turn off his Skill at the cost of losing his advantage over his attacker. Judging by the powerful attack he had just felt back then, Kieran wasn't sure if he could beat him without using his Skill.

He also had to factor in the sword with the chilling aura, and the fact that his attacker could somehow control the black mist that had brought him here in the first place.

Just who was he?

He didn't have time to ponder the question any further as he felt another wave of killing intent appear on his left. Blocking the blow, he felt a chill run down his spine as their blades clashed. A cold wind wrapped around his fingers and slowly crawl up his arm, his opponent's blade emitting a dark and sinister energy.

Was it an Artifact?

His opponent didn't give him any time to react as he attacked again, each blow precise and deliberate. While defending each attack, Kieran tried his best to counter, but his opponent had the advantage of complete darkness while he could only rely on his senses and Skill to determine the other's location.

He felt movement from his right and dodged another attack. Lunging forwards, he slashed with his dagger. His attack was blocked, but he immediately followed it up with another stab, swinging his dagger in an arc and aiming for his opponent's torso. He felt the other move backwards, and heard a rip as his dagger sliced through the fabric of his shirt. His opponent's blade twisted in midair, and Kieran immediately crossed both of his daggers together, blocking the blow.

But they weren't done.

Their blades clashed again, sparks flashing from the sheer force of the blow before being swallowed up by the darkness around them.

Suddenly, the temperature in the room seemed to drop drastically. Waves of oppression extruded from his opponent as a massive pressure descended upon him. His opponent's blade slashed forward, barely giving him any time to react. With a sharp inhale, he threw himself back, relying on his instincts alone as he dodged within a hair's breath.

Something shifted in the air, subtle but deadly. It gave the illusion that his opponent had finally decided to stop playing around and take the fight seriously.

Despite the situation, Kieran felt somewhat offended.

Waves of adrenaline rushed through him, his heartbeat speeding up to an unnatural pace as the most powerful killing intent he had ever felt filled the room.