The guardian of the underworld rivers, Kharon, slowly advanced toward Xu with his massive body, directing the flow of water from his oar with a snap of his fingers. The water, spurting from all corners of the room, instantly formed a sharp, vibrating sword in Kharon's hand. Although the sword seemed to be made only of water, the pressure wave it radiated showed Xu the extent of the danger. Kharon pointed the sword, directing a high-pressure jet of water toward little Xu. The water approached him with the speed of a bullet.Little Xu tried to use his speed ability to escape this deadly attack. However, Kharon's high-pressure water was much faster than he had anticipated. His speed proving insufficient, Xu frantically looked around and took a shield from the corpse of a fallen ice soldier, using it as a barrier. When the pressurized water hit the shield, it crumpled like a tin can, and Xu was thrown back several meters. He felt a sharp pain as his back hit the cold stone wall.
Losing control from the force of the water vortex, Xu desperately plunged his Crimson Dagger into the dungeon wall. The dagger's firm tip secured him to the wall, allowing him to escape the vortex. However, during this maneuver, he had dropped his Wolf Fang Dagger, leaving him with only one weapon. He quickly lunged toward Kharon and managed to slice him in two with his dagger. But this victory was only an illusion. Kharon's body, covered in flowing water, instantly regenerated and returned to its former shape. Time was working against Xu; if he couldn't find a solution, the entire dungeon would be flooded, and he would drown.
As Xu contemplated his next move, a voice from his subconscious prompted him to check his inventory. The description for the Wolf Fang Dagger he had dropped appeared before his eyes: "Attack power +40. Resistant to Water and Fire."
Xu Liangchen etched this new information into his mind and quickly devised a plan. He clutched his dagger tightly and waited for Kharon to send another water vortex at him. His goal was to use the dagger's water resistance to cleave the vortex and deliver a fatal blow to Kharon's weak point: the nape of his neck. Just as he was about to make his move, he felt an unbearable pain in his leg and collapsed. His body had reached its limits from the bloody battles throughout the dungeon. As his consciousness slowly faded, the last thing he saw was a purple silhouette. Unable to remember any more details, his eyes were swallowed by darkness.
Xu's consciousness slowly returned, and he opened his eyes in a bright, white room. Instead of the smell of corpses and blood, his lungs filled with the sterile scent of a hospital. A clean, white sheet covered him, and medical equipment surrounded his bed. He felt as if he were in a dream. In the corner of the room stood two men in suits. One was a middle-aged man with a serious expression; the other was his bodyguard, waiting silently beside him.The older man approached Xu when he saw he was awake. He introduced himself as Zhihui, the Vice President of the Chinese Hunter Association. His voice was neither arrogant nor compassionate; it was simply flat and professional. "Xu Liangchen, you are an Awakened Hunter. Please touch this orb so we can test your power level," he said, revealing a faintly glowing crystal orb in his palm.Though Xu understood nothing about Hunters or the Awakened, he obediently reached out and touched the orb. The sphere instantly began to tremble, its inner lights flickering wildly. The professional expression on Zhihui's face was replaced by sheer astonishment. His eyes struggled to believe the power level the orb was displaying. "This... This is impossible," he muttered. "A small child cannot be at this level." He immediately pulled out his cell phone and began to report the situation with a trembling voice. Xu's power was far beyond any level he had expected.
Zhihui promptly reported the situation to President Shengxuan. When Shengxuan saw the reports, he couldn't believe his eyes. A thirteen-year-old child possessing such destructive power was a development that would shake the entire association. Shengxuan immediately requested a personal meeting with Xu Liangchen.
Amidst this chaos, Xu was discharged from the hospital. The Hunter Association escorted him home to ensure his safety. However, the moment he opened the door and stepped inside, his heart felt like it stopped. His mother and father lay lifeless in the middle of the living room. Their bodies were covered in blood, and their heads had been severed. The sight was more horrifying than anything he had witnessed in the dungeon.
Xu's eyes welled up, but this time, no tears fell. A horrifying aura radiated from his face toward the Hunter Association men standing at the door. He held them responsible for his parents' deaths. The hatred within him had now found a new target. His body filled with uncontrollable rage. In seconds, he lunged at the men, tearing them to pieces. With bloody hands, he vowed, "You, Hunter Association, you will all die!" His quest for revenge was now aimed at the entire Chinese Hunter Association.
Xu Liangchen's vow of revenge wasn't just empty words. He absorbed the souls of the hunters he had torn apart with his own hands, gained more power, and left home. His goal was clear: to annihilate the Chinese Hunter Association. Armed with his Crimson Dagger and Wolf Fang Dagger, he began his assault on the association's checkpoints and outposts across the city.
His first targets were E, D, and C-level hunters. They were no match for Xu's newfound power. As a C-level hunter tried to block his attacks with a shield, Xu's dagger sliced through it like paper, piercing the hunter's chest. Another tried to use his speed to escape, but Xu was far faster. In the blink of an eye, the hunter was knocked to the ground by a single blow. The massacre spread through the city like a whisper. Rookie hunters retreated in fear, while the more experienced ones tried to understand what was happening.Realizing the gravity of the situation, the Chinese Hunter Association sprang into action. Association President Shengxuan dispatched his most trusted hunter and the country's second most powerful, SS-level Lei Feng, to the scene.
When Lei Feng arrived in the blood-soaked street in the city center, his brows furrowed at the sight. Scattered across the ground were the dismembered bodies of hunters, and a small boy stood among them, holding the bloody corpse of one in his hands, with daggers larger than himself. Lei Feng's surprise quickly gave way to a professional seriousness. Xu stared at Lei Feng with bloodshot eyes, then nonchalantly tossed the corpse aside.The surrounding hunters were shocked that Lei Feng had come to the scene for a mere child. A B-level hunter stepped forward, proudly saying, "Sir, I can handle this brat. Please, don't trouble yourself." He lunged at Xu, swinging his twin axes. At the same time, an A-level hunter prepared to land a powerful punch on Xu with his heavily armored hand. But Xu's reaction was lightning-fast. In a single second, he had split both of their chests open and flung their lifeless bodies to the side.The remaining hunters gasped in horror: "Who is this kid?"This terrifying display had Lei Feng's full attention. A mocking smile appeared on his face. "Entertain me, brat!" he said, charging at Xu with his double-edged, flame-covered sword. Xu Liangchen parried Lei Feng's attacks with his daggers, and a fierce battle began. Using the poison ability of his daggers, Xu used his speed to get behind Lei Feng. His goal was to sever the crucial nerves in Lei Feng's legs to slow him down. But Lei Feng sensed the danger and unleashed his "Wrath of Flame" ability, creating a massive ring of fire around them. The resulting explosion sent Xu Liangchen flying back for several meters, and the surrounding buildings were heavily damaged.
After being thrown into a pile of rubble by the explosion, Xu Liangchen got to his feet, covered in blood. His left arm had been severed, and the burn on his chest caused him unbearable pain. He clutched both of his daggers tightly and looked at Lei Feng, his breath ragged. Lei Feng approached Xu, his flame-covered sword in hand, and said with a triumphant look, "Not bad for a weakling like you. You have two choices: surrender or die here."Xu Liangchen looked at Lei Feng with bloodshot eyes. His entire body was trembling, but not from fear. The rage within him was burning in every drop of his blood. With a pained hand, he raised his middle finger at Lei Feng. This act infuriated Lei Feng. "You little whore seed!" he roared. "I'll kill you while you cry!" As he raised his sword to deliver the final blow, the system suddenly intervened.
Notification: Player's Abilities increased by 50%.
Notification: Player's Recovery Speed increased by 100%.
To Lei Feng's astonishment, Xu's severed left arm began to regenerate in seconds. Flesh, muscle, and bone reconnected at a visible speed, and his burned skin peeled away to reveal new, smooth skin underneath. It was as if the system wanted Xu Liangchen to survive. This was not a rescue; it was a new beginning.Seeing this unbelievable sight, Lei Feng swung his flame-covered sword at Xu Liangchen with all his might. The sword split Xu's body right down the middle, and a massive explosion occurred. As the flames and dust cloud dispersed, the sight that emerged horrified everyone who witnessed it.
Xu Liangchen was alive and standing. He had thrust his hand through Lei Feng's chest, his heart clutched in his palm. After a moment of pause, he took Lei Feng's flaming sword in his other hand, a devilish grin on his face, and split his head in two. He tossed the lifeless body to the ground and absorbed Lei Feng's soul with his newly acquired Soul Eater skill.
Notification: Player Leveled Up. X3
A deadly aura gleamed in Xu's eyes. The pained expression on his face had completely vanished, replaced by that of a cold, bloodthirsty monster. He looked at the other hunters with eyes full of hatred. He would avenge all the wrongs done to him. And this revenge was just beginning