Whenever these hounds shrouded in dark shadows swept past her, Qiu Shubai would think of her childhood, specifically that afternoon when she first stood in the rain.
The wind had battered her body, and a never-ending cacophony of chaotic sounds filled her ears.
The three shadow hounds led by the Heterosequence were incredibly fast. Even Qiu Shubai, who excelled in speed herself, felt an overwhelming sense of pressure under their fierce onslaught.
If anyone else from the Punisher Academy had been standing in her place, they likely would have been torn apart and devoured long ago.
However, Qiu Shubai knew this stalemate couldn't last much longer. The reason she could hold her own against the shadow hounds for so long—besides her own strength and combat skills—was the red gem she had absorbed on her way here.
The gem had been infused with a certain medicinal agent that drastically enhanced her reflexes, endurance, and speed. In this state, she could almost hold her own against a Punisher five minor levels higher than herself.
But this was only temporary.
Like an item in a game, the buff provided by this gem had a time limit and came with a price. Once the duration ended, a prolonged period of weakness would inevitably follow.
Qiu Shubai couldn't afford to worry about that now. The ticking clock urged her to launch an attack on the Heterosequence's main body as quickly as possible.
But simply dealing with these three shadow hounds consumed all her energy. It wasn't that she didn't want to find an opening; it was that she simply couldn't find a way to break free from their entanglement.
What should she do?
In countless battles, Qiu Shubai had asked herself this very question. The difference was that before today, she could always give herself a definitive answer. Now, the question only fueled a growing sense of frustration.
If the current situation persisted, the only outcome would be her being ground down to death.
The shadow hounds were merely its pets, yet each possessed strength nearly comparable to a Dark rank Heterosequence. Most demoralizing of all was their perfect coordination; whenever Qiu Shubai parried an attack and prepared to counter, another hound would lunge from an unexpected angle to take over the offensive.
There might be no way out.
What remained of her rationality was telling her this hard truth.
As her emotions spiraled into a low point, Qiu Shubai's movements inevitably faltered. Seizing the opportunity, one of the shadow hounds decisively bit into her left arm.
The searing pain jolted her consciousness back into focus. In the next instant, her longsword gathered a blinding white light. With almost every ounce of her strength, she swung the blade toward the hound's neck.
Even as powerful as a Heterosequence was, it could not stop what was already set in motion.
The shadow hound clamped onto her arm was sliced clean in half. Under Qiu Shubai’s enhancement, the longsword—a weapon not typically suited for hacking—acted like a massive cleaver, brutally shattering the hound's energy-based skeleton.
The slain hound dissolved into black particles and vanished. With the obstruction gone, the wound on Qiu Shubai's arm immediately began to bleed.
Her blood did not simply spill onto the ground. Instead, it was absorbed by the light on the sword, swirling around the blade.
White and red mingled together. The longsword’s originally pure and holy appearance underwent a subtle, eerie transformation.
Gritting her teeth, Qiu Shubai swung her blade again. She launched herself forward like a cannonball, and in the blink of an eye, the white sword-light, streaked with threads of blood-red, flashed before the Heterosequence.
Her ability craved blood, but not for the blood itself; it sought the blood energy hidden within.
This acquisition wasn't an instantaneous conversion; it required a brief period of fusion before it could be fully digested.
If that was the case...
Then she would gather the blood that hadn't been converted yet, along with the blood energy already in her body, and concentrate it all into a single strike!
Only by doing this would she have a slim chance of survival. Otherwise, she would just be slowly worn down by these dogs.
This approach completely contradicted her usual combat style, but now, she had to gamble.
She thought fast and moved faster, but unfortunately, she had gambled wrong.
The powerful thrust hit its mark, but it passed straight through the Heterosequence's body.
There was no scream, no sensation of a blade cutting through flesh—only the sound of the sword plunging deep into the ground and the boom of the blood energy surrounding the blade disintegrating.
Under Qiu Shubai’s final control, the massive, dense energy pierced straight downward. No explosion occurred.
“To think you still had the spare energy to guide the release of the blood energy to prevent an explosion. You are truly noble, young lady, still considering those mortals even at a time like this.”
The Heterosequence’s form recoiled and re-solidified a few paces away.
“If I had truly taken that strike, I probably would have dissipated for good.”
“Unfortunately, I don't really feel like taking a beating today.”
It giggled, the sound shrill and piercing, sending a wave of unease through the heart.
Qiu Shubai used her sword as a crutch to stand up. Her blood energy was nearly depleted, and she had essentially lost the capacity to fight.
“A space-type... I miscalculated...”
She looked directly at the Heterosequence, a smile even playing on her lips.
“Aren't you going to hurry up and finish me off?”
Her smiling face should have been beautiful, but now it looked like a mockery, even bordering on the sinister.
“Finish you off? Finishing you off... does me no good.”
The Heterosequence scanned the surrounding humans who still dared not move. “Shadow hounds... are better off eating these.”
“With their appetites, they can't quite stomach a Punisher like you.”
“You!” Qiu Shubai struggled to lift her sword, attempting to attack again, but her body’s sudden collapse stated the cold, hard truth.
Even if her will had not surrendered, her body could no longer support her.
She had been holding on purely through the power granted by the gem, and she had chosen a combat style that left nothing in reserve. Now that the gem's effects had expired, no amount of struggling would help.
“Oh dear, it seems there's no encore...”
The pure white mouth split into a long, crescent-shaped grin. The two remaining shadow hounds waited at the Heterosequence's feet, their eyes fixed on the trembling humans with an irrepressible hunger for food.
“In that case, I'll let you watch this feast.” The pitch-black collars around the shadow hounds' necks were released, and their bodies began to swell rapidly, growing to the size of adult tigers in an instant.
“This is their original form... unfortunately, their combat power in this state isn't very strong,” the Heterosequence explained calmly, as if sharing trivia about the shadow hounds.
“Those collars amplify all their abilities, but the trade-off is a smaller size.”
“Since wearing the collars is suited for combat, what is releasing them suited for?”
“Feeding, of course.”
The moment they received their master's permission, the two shadow hounds lunged forward like lightning.
Flesh tore and blood splattered.
Qiu Shubai watched helplessly. The intense emotional fluctuations granted by the gem had vanished, and she had returned to her usual calm.
There was anger in her heart, but more than that, there was disappointment—disappointment in herself.
“Am I still not strong enough...?”
Perhaps this was her end. To say she was powerful was only in comparison to those her own age. Dying at the hands of a Shadow rank Heterosequence wasn't exactly a disgrace.
She closed her eyes, prepared to accept reality.
“Your eating habits are quite unsightly.”
The smile on the Heterosequence's face suddenly froze. It turned toward the source of the voice. Three men in formal suits stood atop the rubble, their eyes locked onto it with murderous intent.
“Oh... hello there. It's been a while. I trust you've been well?”
“Well? We’re far from well.”
The white-haired man in the lead drew a handgun and fired two bullets shimmering with golden light at the shadow hound that was currently feeding.
The hound that was hit died instantly, vanishing into black dust.
The other hound wasn't hit, but it didn't dare continue its feast, immediately scurrying back to its master's side for protection.
“We've been chasing you for so long, yet you still managed to claim so many lives. You're making our job very difficult.”
“Oh... I see. You've worked hard, Mr. An.”
“It's no trouble. Such effort is necessary when tracking a Shadow rank Heterosequence.”
“So, it's time for you to come with us, isn't it, Ying Xiu?”
An Youxing spat on the ground and aimed his gun at the Heterosequence he called Ying Xiu.
Ying Xiu stared at An Youxing’s sour face for a moment, and its long-frozen smile finally faded.
“It's no fun where you're taking me.”
Since the opponent was unwilling to surrender, An Youxing wasted no more words.
The trigger was pulled, and the gunshot echoed through the ruined building.
Born from the fusion of supernatural power and modern industry, the bullet shimmering with dazzling golden light tore through the barriers of physical laws. This creation of human wisdom was destined to shatter all enemies of humanity.
Swoosh.
The bullet pierced through its chest before even Ying Xiu could react.
A smile finally appeared on An Youxing’s stern face, but it only lasted for a few seconds.
Because the Heterosequence before him remained standing there quietly, as if nothing had happened.
Rate on N.U.
