Chris got closer to the center of the room. He still couldn’t believe that he was talking to a giant serpent.

  “Come closer. I’m not going to swallow you.” The snake flicked its forked tongue to taste the air.

  “I’m not taking any chances. Why do you keep sticking your tongue out?” Chris’s voice was full of curiosity.

  “I don’t have time to explain the anatomy of my species. I’m using it to sense how close those assassins are. The illusion will buy us some time, but that elder is proficient in formations, and it won’t keep him busy for long.” Eun-Hwa scanned the cave, searching.

  “Who are they?”

  “They call themselves the Shadowveil Assassins. A bunch of turncoats who betrayed their allies; part of the old history. Now they do the dirty work of whoever pays the most gold.” She still hadn’t found what she was looking for.

  “Why are they hunting us?”

  “Maybe revenge, or someone put a huge bounty on our heads. My guess is the latter; they’ve become blinded by profits.” Eun-Hwa’s tail flicked as she peered around.

  “So if we give them more gold, they might let us live.” Chris thought he'd found an easy way out.

  “Foolish thinking, young reaper. If they let us live for more money, then no one will ever give them another mission.” She finally found it. “Catch.” She tossed Chris a jade ring.

  “What should I do with this?” He turned it over and examined it. “Beautiful craftsmanship.”

  “That’s a storage ring. It’ll help you conceal and carry around my egg.”

  “You are right, it’ll be easier to carry….wait a minute. What did you say about the egg?”

  “Your duty as a Baek is to protect it until it hatches. It’ll be hard to do with that crippled body of yours.” Eun-Hwa’s tone was blunt.

  “I’m fine. There isn’t anything wrong with me.” Chris felt offended.

  “You are giving me a headache.” She scratched her head with her tail. “Your cultivation was crippled when your dantian was injured. In your current state, you’re weaker than a newborn chick.”

  Chris jumped around and shadow-boxed to show Eun-Hwa that he was stronger than he looked.

  “I’m not that weak.”

  “Wow — your powers are too great; those assassins will run away at the first sight of you.” She was sarcastic.

  “Why are you such a hater?”

  “Maybe because I’ll die and won’t get to see my child grow up. Tell me if I’m exaggerating.” Eun-Hwa buried her head in her coils and began to sob.

  “I’m sorry, but I don’t know how your world works. I should’ve popped in, finished my job, and gotten out, but now I’m stuck here for who knows how long.”

  Chris turned around and began scrabbling in the dirt with his scabbard. He didn’t know how to comfort a snake.

  The cave began to shake.

  “They’ve managed to dispel the formation. Quickly put your imprint on the ring.”

  “I don’t know how.”

  “Put a drop of your blood on it, then imagine it absorbing the egg. I put in it some supplies that will help you recover your cultivation. Get out of here, I’m going to buy you some time for you to escape.” Eun-Hwa showed him a narrow tunnel and shoved him toward it.

  Chris did as he was instructed, and then the egg was absorbed into the ring. As he ran through it, he heard a tremendous explosion and the sound of swords clashing.

  'I have to get out alive. I can’t waste Eun-Hwa’s sacrifice.'

  The tunnel was pitch black, but Chris could easily move around. His heart was beating so hard that it almost burst out of his chest. His only companions were the sounds of the fight and the dying. He ran for a long time until he could finally see the exit. He was almost out of this nightmare, so he took a quick break to recover. Then he realized that everything went quiet.

  'Maybe she won the fight. My luck might have turned around.'

  He wanted to turn back, but the tunnel began collapsing. Chris ran like his life depended on it, because it did. He burst through the light, jumped, and rolled onto the grass. The tunnel collapsed behind him.

  'Nothing could survive that. I’ll respect your wish and do everything in my power to protect your offspring.'

  He prayed for Eun-Hwa’s soul and meant to dig a makeshift grave, but all around were weeds and poppies. For now, he put the idea on the back burner until he could find proper materials.

  For the first time since he’d arrived in this world, Chris felt he could take a break. He found a large stone heated by sunlight and took his time to recuperate and examine the ring and its contents.

  'How do I look inside this ring?'

  His mind drifted inside it and could see its contents. It was a huge space filled with the crystals from that cave. On the back, there was an egg sitting on a bed made from different colored fabrics. Next to it, he found a strange-looking stone that emitted a faint energy which flowed toward the egg. There were also old manuscripts and a few supplies, but a noise at the collapsed exit yanked him back to the present.

  Chris hid behind his rock, hoping she had somehow survived. The boulders blocking the exit crumbled and scattered. From the rubble emerged the leader of the assassins. He hadn’t come out unhurt; a corrosive substance burned half of his body, his clothes still smoking. Chris hoped that he would leave to take care of his wounds, but he just sat down and began meditating. After a few minutes, he stopped and opened his eyes.

  “That damned demonic snake ruined our plans.” His gaze rushed toward Chris’s hiding spot. “Junior, you don’t have to be afraid of me. Would you mind helping your senior with his wounds?”

  'Fuck! How did he find me? What should I do now?'

  Chris checked his system; it still had fifteen minutes before it would come back.

  “I know that you are behind that rock. You don’t have to be worried because of me, I mean no harm to you.”

  'I can’t let him see my face.'

  Then Chris had an idea, he took one of the fabrics and wrapped it around his face, set his sword in the grass, and palmed a small knife that he had found in the ring. He got out and went towards the killer.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Senior, I don’t know anything about wounds. I’m a poor peddler who got lost.” Chris hoped that he would believe his lie.

  “I can see, but why are you hiding your face?”

  “My face was burned in an accident when I was young. I hide the scars so I won’t be shunned.” Chris moved closer, fingers twitching.

  As he tried to strike him with the knife, the man grabbed his knife hand and began tightening his grip until Chris let go of the weapon.

  “Good try, junior, but you’ll have to try harder to trick this old master. Let’s see what you are hiding.”

  He ripped the makeshift mask. The man’s expression turned from curiosity to anger.

  “Those fools couldn’t do anything right! Now I regret not killing them. So you were the rat that was eavesdropping behind that log. I’ll finish what they couldn’t do.”

  Chris tried to resist, but he was outmatched. The master seized his arm and hurled him into the rock he had hidden behind. The impact rattled his bones and stole his breath, but he forced himself up and staggered back behind the boulder.

  “I like these games of cat and mouse, but I don’t have all day to play with you.”

  He leaped forward and, with one strike, shattered the boulder. The explosion hurled Chris back, and he couldn’t retrieve his sword.

  “It’s been a long time since I had to use these simple techniques. What did you try to pick?” He picked up Chris’s sword, and he looked disappointed. “What were you trying to do with this lump of metal?” He crushed it in his hand. “Look, it couldn’t even cut my palm, such sloppy work. The blacksmith who made it should have his hands cut.”

  “I’ll tell them when I get back.” Chris staggered to his feet, shaking

  'What is going on? He hit me hard, but still it couldn’t compare with Alek’s fists.'

  Chris looked at his system; he still had to wait for five more minutes.

  'I don’t know if I can resist that long.'

  “The only one you’ll speak with will be King Yama. Tell him that Go Hwan-Do sent you.”

  Chris looked inside the ring and found a new sword. He prepared to counterattack, but the man disappeared from his sight.

  “So you are not that poor, junior.”

  The man’s voice came from behind him. Chris didn’t have time to guard himself before he was struck in the chest and fell to his knees, blood leaking from his mouth.

  “Is that all that you got, old man?” Chris forced himself to smile; he tried to buy some time.

  “Brave words. You’ll die braver than most.”

  Go Hwan-Do grabbed him by the neck with his good hand and lifted him. He began squeezing. Chris was running out of air and time. He began trashing around, hitting and kicking him, but it did him more harm than good.

  “Struggle as long as you want.” He got closer to Chris’s face. “I love to see how the light leaves my prey's eyes. It is the best quirk of my work.”

  Chris was almost out of air, and his mind began to black out. The last thing he’ll see would be this maniac’s grin.

  His surroundings began to black out as his brain didn’t get enough oxygen, but then he heard something in his mind.

  -Upgrade complete. System rebooting.-

  -New speech pattern unlocked-

  -Regaining access to the host abilities-

  -Reactivating talents-

  He felt his strength come back and managed to hit his assailant with his right hand in the face. The strike took him by surprise, and he let go of Chris. Chris took a breath of fresh air and tried to roll away to get some space between them.

  “You annoying insect! I would’ve ended you quick, but now I’m gonna enjoy torturing you!” Blood was pouring out of his lip.

  Chris managed to distance himself, but he was still having trouble regaining his breath.

  'I’ve managed to piss him off. Now what should I do?'

  -You could keep your distance and find a way to give him a critical strike.-

  'Do you think that I didn’t think about that?'

  -You wanted an answer, and I gave it to you. Use that pretty head of yours and find a way-

  'I liked you more when you gave me those mechanical answers.'

  -I can go back if you find me annoying.-

  'I was kidding. Try to think about a way out of this.'

  -It’ll take some time. I’ll leave you this for encouragement.-

  *New quest: Defeat Go Hwan-Do.*

  Reward: increase the player’s level.

  'What is this?'

  -Go with it and let me think. You should pay attention to your fight.-

  “I’ve never been so humiliated in my long life. That snake’s venom distorted my Qi path; otherwise, you’d already be dead.”

  “For a fossil, you are talking big. Then get closer and finish your work.” Chris tried to make him lose his composure; it worked.

  “You impertinent child!” He unsheathed his blade. “I swear I’ll end you today. If I don’t, I’ll be swallowed by my heart demon and perish from Qi deviation.” His eyes sharpened with a fanatic gleam.

  He came with a swing that Chris intercepted. He might have gotten his power back, but there was still a difference in their strength. Chris pulled back and tried to stab him, but Hwan-Do just parried it and hit him with a kick in the chest. Chris softened the blow with his left hand, but it came with a cost; his bones in his forearm were now broken.

  “Was I too hard on you? I could hear bones breaking.” He was grinning.

  “It’ll get better in a few days.” Chris gritted his teeth.

  “When I’m done with you, you’ll no longer joke.”

  They clashed again, and from every clash, Chris began seeing that he was instinctively trying to hide his burned side, so Chris concentrated his hits on his left side. This change in strategy gave Chris a better chance for victory. He began pushing Hwan-Do back.

  “Enough!” He emitted a force that separated him from Chris. “This ends now!”

  The inscriptions on his sword lit up, and he smeared them with his bloody fingers. Something changed; Chris could feel that he would lose if he didn’t finish the fight quickly. He quickened his steps and used all his force to give a last fatal strike, but he was too late. Go Hwan-Do disappeared, swallowed by the shadows.

  Everything was pitch black; he could no longer hear or see anything. Hwan-Do's voice broke the silence.

  “Do you like it? It’s my precious Shadow Veil Formation; you should be flattered, as I don’t use it on anyone. Here you are separated from the real world.” He laughed manically.

  He began striking Chris from every angle, but he only used his sheath to inflict pain and torture him. Chris tried to guard himself, but he couldn’t keep up with the unseen strikes.

  “What happened? No more jokes?” Hwan-Do taunted.

  “I’ll do a stand-up comedy after I beat you up.”

  “You’re so scared, you began talking gibberish. Don’t worry, I’ll end it soon.”

  'This would be the best time to come out with a plan.'

  -I might have one, but you have to trust me.-

  'Just tell me what to do.'

  -

  ---In that ring of yours, you can find a vial filled with a strong venom, but I don’t know if your antidote will detoxify it. It’s a gamble-

  'I’ll end up dead either way. So tell me what I should do.'

  -When he gets close enough, I’ll give you the signal, and you'll have to smash that vial-

  'Ok. Wish me luck.'

  “You old fossil, are you going to finish me or are you going to let me die of old age!” Chris shouted as loud as he could.

  This must have really annoyed him.

  Hwan-Do didn’t even answer; he got ready to strike him down. He got behind Chris, but just as he was close enough to cut Chris’s head, the system gave him the signal to do it. Chris smashed the vial, and the venom got on him and his assassin. He heard a scream.

  “What did you do?” Hwan-Do shrieked as blood bubbled from his mouth.

  “I’ve finished what Eun-Hwa started!”

  The formation began to falter. The venom began spreading throughout Chris's body.

  -Quickly use the antidote; you don’t have enough time to waste.-

  Chris took out and drank the antidote, but it wasn’t strong enough to cure him. He fell on the ground and began convulsing; only a miracle will save him now.

  From the ring something small emerged, but he was too weak to see clearly. The world narrowed, then went black.

  The last thing he heard was the system.

  -What are you doing?-

  Then nothingness.