The dawn was pale as Russ and Mira faced the clearing surrounded by towering, twisted trees. The air pulsed with qi, heavy and sharp — perfect for the ancient rituals Mira promised to teach.
Russ steadied his breath, feeling the Bloodbane Seal burn against his chest, a constant reminder of the entity stirring inside.
"Focus on controlling the flow of your blood qi," Mira instructed, her voice steady but urgent. "Not just unleashing it, but bending it to your will."
---
Mastering the Crimson Flow
Russ clenched his fists, veins glowing crimson as he summoned a swirling vortex of blood qi around his arms. Mira circled him, her shadows flickering like living smoke, gently probing his aura.
"Good," she nodded. "Now channel it through your limbs, without letting it spill uncontrolled."
He extended his right hand, shaping the blood qi into razor-sharp blades that hovered menacingly. Mira's eyes narrowed as she sent her own shadows weaving through the blades, testing his control.
Russ focused, the blades steadied, slicing clean through the shadows without fracturing or scattering.
---
The Sudden Attack
Before Mira could praise him, the bushes exploded open. A squad of Void Hunters, Ravien's elite assassins, crashed the clearing, weapons gleaming with corrupted qi.
Russ barely had time to react before the first hunter lunged with twin daggers dripping poison qi.
He dashed forward with Shadow Step, his scythe slashing through the attacker's defenses, blood exploding from the wound.
---
Battle in the Wilds
More hunters surged from the trees, and Russ moved like a storm — spinning his scythe in deadly arcs while sending out Crimson Blades that sliced through enemy ranks.
Mira summoned shadows that tangled and strangled, turning the hunters' attacks against them.
One hunter unleashed a qi blast, forcing Russ to raise a Crimson Aegis, the shield glowing bright enough to scorch the leaves around him. The blast slammed into the shield, shaking Russ's bones.
---
Blood Whip and Shadow Chain
A hunter with a whip made of blood qi lashed out, aiming to bind Russ's legs. Russ jumped high, but the whip lashed again, slicing his arm and drawing deep blood.
Pain flared, but Russ grinned, igniting the wound with Bloodfire Surge, turning his blood into burning chains that snapped the whip and seared the attacker's face.
---
Mira's Rescue
Mira darted between them, summoning a cage of shadow chains that trapped two hunters. She muttered a healing spell, stitching Russ's wound as she moved.
"Keep moving!" she shouted. "We can't hold them long!"
---
Final Assault
Russ roared, gathering every ounce of qi in his body. The Bloodbane Seal flared wildly, its heat radiating outward. He activated Bloodshadow Overdrive, speed and power tripled as shadows coiled around his form.
His scythe became a blur — each strike bursting with fused blood and shadow qi, tearing through armor and flesh alike. The hunters fell one by one, unable to withstand the storm.
---
Aftermath
When the last hunter fell, Russ dropped to one knee, chest heaving. Mira stood beside him, her eyes wary but proud.
"This is only the beginning," she said. "They'll come back stronger."
Russ wiped blood from his lips, nodding grimly. "Then we'll be ready."