Kai crouched in the thick foliage, his breath steady despite the tension. The assassins were relentless, but he had turned the game around. No longer was he simply their prey—he was now the hunter.
Zhao Ren and the silver-haired woman moved cautiously below, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
"He's waiting," Zhao Ren muttered, his injured arm wrapped in a quick bandage. "We should fall back and regroup."
The woman shook her head. "No. He's dangerous, but he's wounded. If we let him go, we lose our advantage."
Kai smirked. They underestimated him.
He gripped a handful of Crimson Pepper Dust, a powerful irritant that could blur vision and disrupt breathing. A small trick, but deadly when used well.
With a flick of his wrist, he released the fine powder into the air, letting the wind carry it toward his targets.
A few seconds later—
Zhao Ren coughed violently, his eyes watering. "What the—?!"
The silver-haired woman realized the danger instantly, covering her mouth with her sleeve, but the spice had already taken effect.
Kai didn't waste the opportunity.
He moved.
Dropping from the trees, he landed behind Zhao Ren, striking with precision. His knife flashed, slicing through the tendons of the assassin's leg.
Zhao Ren collapsed with a pained grunt, his dagger slipping from his grasp.
"One down," Kai murmured.
The silver-haired woman reacted instantly, spinning with a dagger strike aimed at Kai's throat.
But he was ready.
He ducked low, sweeping his leg in a fast arc. A precise strike to her ankle.
She staggered but managed to twist mid-fall, catching herself in a low stance. Her eyes gleamed with something new—caution.
For the first time, she realized she wasn't dealing with an ordinary opponent.
Kai adjusted his grip on his knife. "Still think I'm just a target?"
The woman didn't answer. Instead, she took a slow breath, her aura sharpening.
She was getting serious.
Kai's heart pounded in anticipation. He had the upper hand now—but this fight was far from over.