Bone Grave Valley.
Mist. Blood. Silence.
Arjun stood over a pile of corpse beasts, his clothes stained dark. The fog around him swirled like it was afraid to touch him.
🔊 [Kill Count: 37]
🔊 [Points Gained: +740]
🔊 [Body Tempering Stage: 93/100]
Just seven points away.
Seven points from a breakthrough.
Arjun wiped the blood from his knuckles, then walked deeper into the valley like a man taking a morning stroll.
Then—
A sharp sound.
Metal clashing.
A scream.
Someone was fighting nearby.
Arjun's new passive skill activated.
✅ BLOOD SENSE:3 living targets detected.
1 target critical condition.
Arjun vanished into the mist.
Like a shadow.
On a broken hill of bones, he saw them.
Two outer disciples were surrounding the injured inner disciple girl he spared earlier.
She had crawled to hide.
But they found her.
One of them raised his sword.
"Inner disciple? Heh. Doesn't matter. You're dying in this valley anyway."
The girl's eyes were filled with terror.
"Please—"
The second disciple laughed and grabbed her hair.
"No one will save you. Not even the elders can hear you here."
The first disciple's sword came down.
But before it touched her—
A hand grabbed the blade.
Barehanded.
CRRRK.
The disciple froze.
His eyes widened.
Arjun stood there calmly, holding the sword like it was a twig.
The disciple's voice shook.
"Y-you…!"
Arjun tilted his head.
"Who sent you?"
The disciple tried to pull his sword free.
But Arjun's grip was iron.
"I asked you," Arjun repeated, voice cold, "who sent you?"
The second disciple stepped back in fear.
"Brother… that's him. That's Arjun…"
Arjun's eyes turned to the second one.
"So you know me."
Then he smiled.
A smile without warmth.
"Good."
The first disciple shouted angrily to hide his fear.
"You killed Karan! You're dead! Karan's brother will tear you apart! We just came to—"
Arjun interrupted softly.
"To murder me?"
The disciple swallowed.
Arjun nodded.
"That means you came prepared."
And then—
CRACK.
Arjun snapped the sword in half with his hand.
The disciple's mind broke.
"W-what are you?!"
Arjun leaned in close and whispered:
"I'm the consequence of your actions."
Then he punched.
💥 IRON BONE FIST!
The disciple's chest exploded inward.
His body flew backward, smashing into a pile of bones.
Dead.
The second disciple screamed and turned to run.
But Arjun was already behind him.
Like teleportation.
✨ SHADOW STEP!
The disciple stopped.
Because Arjun's fingers were already around his throat.
He lifted him off the ground slowly.
The disciple kicked and clawed.
"P-please… please… I'll tell you everything!"
Arjun's eyes were calm.
"I know."
He squeezed harder.
The disciple's face turned purple.
"Karan's brother… his name is Rudra… he's an inner disciple… he's in the top ten…!"
Arjun listened like he was hearing the weather report.
Rudra.
Inner disciple.
Top ten.
So Karan was just a dog…
And Rudra was the owner.
Arjun nodded slowly.
Then he asked:
"Did Rudra say how he wants me dead?"
The disciple gasped.
"D-dismembered… he said he wants to hang your head at the sect gate…!"
Arjun's lips curved slightly.
"What a creative man."
Then Arjun tightened his grip.
The disciple panicked.
"WAIT! I TOLD YOU! I—"
Arjun whispered:
"Good."
Then—
SNAP.
The disciple's neck broke.
The girl on the ground trembled, staring at Arjun like he was a demon from a nightmare.
Arjun turned to her.
She flinched.
But he didn't kill her.
He didn't even look emotional.
He only said:
"Now you're safe."
The girl's lips trembled.
"Why… why are you helping me?"
Arjun walked past her, deeper into the valley.
Without looking back, he answered:
"I'm not helping you."
"I'm using you."