In the next moment a change was made known to all the participants as an holographic display flickered to life in front of them. The previous map they could call upon to navigate through the terrain had become something more. It was no longer just a map for it now displayed every remaining participant – a red dot pulsating faintly above a miniature figure. This unexpected shift sent a wave of shock through the audience. No more hiding, no more tactical maneuvering; now, it was a brutal game of cat and mouse, predator and prey, laid bare for all to see.Fen Yifan gritted his teeth as his location was revealed. Atticus on the other hand stole a glance at the map, his eyes expression then turned grim. Xue Long, a crimson blight on the digital landscape, was mere miles away, his path a gruesome trail of extinguished red dots.A new wave of worry washed over several students, but it was quickly replaced by a steely determination. They weren't exactly weak and in the blood fest, nothing w
The metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air, a grim counterpoint to the chirping crickets that had timidly resumed their nightly chorus. Jin Sohae, her body wracked with pain and terror, watched as the cloaked figure towered over the last whimpering brother. The figure in black lowered his sword, its tip dripping crimson. He turned towards Jin Sohae, his shadowed face unreadable. In the flickering moonlight, she caught a glimpse of a single, piercing blue eye. "You're hurt," he stated, his voice a low rumble that sent a tremor through her. "Just a few scratches," she lied, forcing a weak smile. The adrenaline was fading fast, replaced by a dull throbbing pain that radiated from every part of her body. Internally, she winced. A lie wouldn't do. These weren't scratches, they were injuries that would take weeks to heal, even with proper medical attention. "Can we stick together?" Jin Sohae continued, her voice gaining strength. "There's safety in numbers, at least until we find
As the battles played out in several parts of the forest in the blood fest the audience outside the coliseum were in a frenzy.The gore and killings seemed to make them more excuses, feeding their twisted fantasies but of course this wasn't a new thing.Every bloodfest was always like this.Atticus had once again come into the spotlight as he was noticed by several students in the audience.The way he carried himself and disposed off the cyan earth brothers had caught their attention and the plot twist of jin sohae betrayal also put them at the edge of their seat. But as if separating Jin sohae's head from her head wasn't enough, another contender had showed up from the shadows and started a fight but of course Atticus had still dominated his showdown.With every win the audience went crazy with cheers and screams.The girls couldn't help but be smitten by his devilish handsome looks and the aura of masculinity that radiated off him.But one person was still worried about him in the m
The crimson moon bathed the clearing in an unsettling glow. A raw energy crackled in the air as the Blood Moon ritual commenced. A surge of power coursed through the remaining seventeen participants, their eyes flashing predator-like. Atticus, a lone figure amidst a sea of murderous intent, felt the change too – his muscles tensed, his senses amped, but a knot of dread sat heavy in his gut.He wasn't naive. The side quest emblazoned on everyone's holographic display was a target painted on his back, a sick reminder of Ling Yue's meddling.As if on cue, a hulking brute emerged from the shadows. Xue Long, notorious for his savagery, stepped forward, crimson eyes fixed on Atticus. A cruel smile stretched across his scarred face. "Well, well, Bloodhound," he rumbled, his voice dripping with malice.Atticus, eyes scanning the battlefield for threats, didn't respond. Other participants were circling, their energies crackling in a deadly dance. He knew a straight fight wouldn't work – he nee
Atticus surveyed the scene, his chest burning with a mixture of exertion and dread. The clearing was littered with the fallen, their blood painting a gruesome tapestry on the forest floor. The once vibrant crimson moon now seemed to mock them with its eerie glow. Ember's declaration hung heavy in the air, a spark threatening to ignite another round of bloody chaos. The Shadow Weaver beside him shifted, her hand hovering near a hidden dagger beneath her cloak. He knew the uneasy truce was on a knife's edge. As if annoyed with all the stalling, another announcement boomed through the forest, shattering the fragile tension."[All enchanted weapons and armaments will be disabled and all spirit buffs will be rendered invalid.] [The Soul Grappling Fog will begin its shrink. If there are still more than 5 survivors within 5 minutes, all participants will be killed by the Fog.]"The soul grappling fog was referring to the black fog that covered the entire forest. Coming in contact with it
Ember, startled by the sudden turn of events whirled around, her fiery hair whipping through the air like a comet's tail. Fury and grime painted her face, contorted even further as she saw Xue Long writhing on the ground. A fleeting flicker of something akin to fear crossed her eyes, but it was quickly extinguished by the cold fire of survival."You dare!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from exertion. Her fiery aura, once a dazzling display of power, now sputtered and died, leaving behind a faint orange glow around her outstretched hands. Disarmed and weakened, Ember was a caged tiger, her fangs dulled. Atticus, however, remained a storm. He regarded her with a chilling detachment, his own body a monument to raw power. The enchantments that had dampened his abilities were shackles cast aside. Now, his skin seemed to shimmer with an unseen resilience, as if his very flesh had become enchanted armor.Fen Yifan, ever the pragmatist, saw this transformation and acted quickly. With a we
Atticus stood amidst the thundering cheers, a lone island of stoicism in a sea of roaring excitement. The cacophony of the crowd washed over him like a wave, but he felt strangely detached, as if encased in a soundproof shell. The lifting of the suppression on his cultivation base, a reward he'd yearned for, should have sparked a surge of elation. Yet, there was nothing. His power surged, a tidal wave coursing through his veins. His cultivation base, once forcefully restricted to the early stages of Spirit Gathering Realm, rocketed upwards. It breached his previous peak, barreling through the mid and late stages, finally settling at the precipice of the Perfected Spirit Gathering Realm, a mere hair's breadth from becoming a Spirit Master. The process of cultivation within the Spirit Gathering Realm was relatively straightforward, though not without its challenges. Every cultivator in this realm was destined to eventually reach the Spirit Sovereign Realm, the time frame dependent on
Atticus emerged from the coliseum, the cheers of the crowd a distant echo in his ears. He navigated the throngs of students, their excited chatter a meaningless buzz against the backdrop of his churning thoughts. His steps were mechanical, his gaze fixed on a point far beyond the bustling campus grounds. As the seconds ticked by, the light in his eyes seemed to fade further, replaced by a chilling remoteness."Atticus."The voice, laced with a hint of concern, pierced his introspective fog. He stopped abruptly, his head snapping towards the source. There, framed by the afternoon sunlight dappling through the trees, stood Xu Hua. Her usual self-assured demeanor was replaced by a flicker of unease, a subtle shift in her carefully constructed facade. "Are you okay?" she inquired softly, her voice barely above a whisper.Atticus hesitated, the question hanging heavy in the air. A simple "no" escaped his lips, a single word that spoke volumes of the turmoil within. He wasn't sure how