The fog curled like smoke around Ye Wuchen as he moved swiftly through the dense undergrowth.
Branches clawed at his clothes. Stones shifted underfoot. But he never stopped.
He could feel it—the hunter was getting closer.
> [Heartbeat elevated. Enemy proximity: 320 meters. Tracking instinct: Trained.]
> [Suggestion: Create misdirection or camouflage.]
Wuchen hissed under his breath. "I have no tools. No traps. Just this forest… and me."
He paused beside a large, gnarled tree covered in moss. An idea sparked.
> "System. Can I mask my spiritual scent?"
> [Not directly. But temporary suppression is possible using compatible environment + inner focus.]
> "Let's try."
He crouched, back against the tree, and closed his eyes.
---
System Prompt: Shadow Meditation – Improvised
> [Hold breath. Lower heart rate. Suppress outward soul energy.]
[Shadow element interaction in progress…]
The mist responded, slightly tightening around him.
His aura began to fade—like a candle behind thick glass.
> [Detection resistance: 38%]
[Effect duration: 2–3 minutes if undisturbed.]
> "Better than nothing."
---
Meanwhile – The Tracker's View
The armored man moved slower now, blade held low, scanning.
The soul particles were faint now… no trail left.
He muttered, "He's suppressing himself? At Stage Zero?"
He tapped the lens on his eye again, adjusting scan filters.
Still… nothing.
He smirked. "Clever."
Then he pulled something from his belt—a black marble-like object. He crushed it in one hand.
A low pulse rippled through the air—thump—a wave of invisible energy.
> [System Warning: Pulse sent – soul suppression weakened]
Ye Wuchen gasped as the fog around him thinned. His cover broke.
The man turned sharply toward his location.
Wuchen bolted.
---
The Chase
Wuchen ran downhill, leaping over logs, ducking low branches. The man followed—silent, efficient, his blade flashing occasionally in the fog.
> [Cooldown: Shadow Step ready.]
He triggered it—blinking behind a large tree farther down. He rolled into the roots, panting.
> [Cooldown reset: 10… 9…]
But the enemy was closing fast.
Wuchen knew he couldn't outrun him forever.
> "I need a chance. Just one mistake from him."
His eyes flicked around the area. A half-fallen branch… some loose stones… a slope.
A plan began to form.
---
The Counter Trap
He climbed slightly up the slope, placed the largest stone at the edge, and hid beside it.
The fog was thicker here. He waited.
Footsteps neared.
Then—movement below.
Wuchen kicked the stone down hard.
It crashed and rolled—noisy, tumbling—right past a bush.
The hunter immediately turned and followed the noise.
Wuchen didn't wait.
He jumped from behind, aiming low—tackling the man from behind.
They both rolled downhill—mud flying—Wuchen clawing, grabbing, punching.
The man growled and elbowed him hard in the ribs. Wuchen coughed but didn't let go.
The dagger flashed—
A shallow slash cut across Wuchen's side.
His first taste of blood.
---
System Auto-Response Triggered
> [Pain threshold exceeded. Shadow Instinct Protocol – Engaged.]
[Reflex +15% | Strength +10% for 30 seconds]
Wuchen roared.
He slammed his head backward into the man's face. The crack of bone. A curse.
Then he rolled away, pulled a jagged stick from the ground, and drove it toward the man's thigh.
It hit.
Not deep. But enough.
The man shouted, staggered.
Wuchen didn't finish him—he fled.
---
Escape and Collapse
After five more minutes of desperate sprinting, Wuchen collapsed behind a cluster of rocks.
His shirt was soaked in blood. His ribs ached. Breath ragged.
> [Wound moderate. Internal bruising. Bleeding: slowing.]
> [Temporary effect gained: Battle Wake – Shadow Instinct will evolve after 3 such encounters.]
> "I'm… still alive," he muttered.
He laughed weakly.
> "System… that hurt."
> [Correct. But you survived. And left a scar.]
---
Back at the Fight Site
The tracker stood leaning on a tree, one hand over his thigh wound.
He smiled, a touch of respect in his eyes.
"Kid has instincts."
Then his expression darkened.
"But he also left blood. And blood… is a beacon."
He pulled a vial from his belt, dropped a bit of the blood onto it.
It glowed faintly red.
> "Now I won't need to guess. I'll smell him wherever he hides."