A vast crater dominated the battlefield, the air thick with dust and despair. The ground still smoldered from the explosion, bearing silent testimony to General Chu Kang's self-destructive final strike. All eyes within the Sanatan Flame Sect were fixed on the epicenter of the blast—a charred wound carved into the earth, and at its heart, no sign of their Sect Leader.
Tears brimmed in the eyes of every disciple. Their once proud faces now sagged with sorrow and disbelief. Lin Shu, trembling and shattered, had collapsed to her knees. Her tears flowed like a relentless river, dripping down her cheeks as if her soul itself were weeping.
Elder Liya knelt beside her, gently trying to console the girl, though her own eyes glistened. She, too, was fighting to keep her composure. Elder Wu stood nearby, fists clenched, his body visibly shaking, while Elder Wan struggled to hold back his grief.
Wang Tian, overcome by a storm of rage and pain, suddenly roared and dashed forward. "I WILL KILL HIM!" he shouted, attempting to break past the protective formation. But the barrier, still active, flared with golden light and blocked his advance. The impact threw him back.
"Let me out!" he growled.
Luo Chen rushed forward in a second attempt to breach the shield but met the same fate. He fell back, spitting blood, frustration carved into his face.
Lu Fang stepped forward, eyes calm though heart heavy. "We can't leave. The master locked us in. He closed the formation to stop us from risking our lives."
Wang Tian slammed his fist into the earth. "Then what are we supposed to do? Watch? Mourn?"
Xiao Rui stood silently, his fists clenched so tightly they bled. "Master... how could you do this? Are we not even allowed to avenge you?"
Lin Shu cried louder, her voice cracked and raw. "Shaurya! You promised me you'd take care of yourself. You said you would never let me cry! You promised me that! WHERE IS YOUR PROMISE?"
Then Scene Shift to General Chu Kang who is seeing the sect memebers and laughing. "You all emotional fools. Cry harder as much as you can."
Suddenly, a voice—cold, calm, and cutting—slithered into General Chu Kang's ears.
"Queen's dog."
His laughter died mid-chuckle. His body froze. Slowly, trembling like a condemned man hearing his sentence, he turned.
Shaurya stood behind him.
Alive. Unharmed. Smiling.
That same radiant, confident smile that had mocked him so many times before.
Shaurya casually waved his right hand. "Hello."
General Chu Kang's face went pale. His limbs trembled. Wang Tian's voice rang across the battlefield.
"LOOK! Everyone! LOOK!"
The disciples turned, mouths open in shock.
"Sect Leader..." Elder Liya whispered.
Lin Shu's tear-streaked face lifted. Disbelief melted into joy. "Shaurya...!"
A bright, overjoyed smile broke across her face. She quickly wiped her tears, stood tall, and shouted, "I knew it! You would never break your promise!"
The sect disciples erupted with cheers and cries of happiness. Their Sect Master lived. Hope had not died.
Back on the battlefield, General Chu Kang stumbled back, his voice cracked and full of disbelief.
"How... How did you survive...?"
Shaurya looked momentarily confused. Then he chuckled. "Did you really think you could kill me with that cheap trick? Like I said before... cheap tricks from cheap people."
Enraged but terrified, Chu Kang lunged forward. His fist cut through the air, aimed directly at Shaurya.
But this time, Shaurya moved.
A spinning back kick struck Chu Kang's abdomen with bone-shattering force, sending him flying. He crashed into the protective barrier of the sect and tumbled to the ground.
Shaurya unsheathed his glowing Meteorid Sword and began walking toward him. Each step was slow, deliberate, and deadly.
With a blur of motion, he disappeared and reappeared in front of Chu Kang, using his aerial footwork. He stood there, fearless.
"It's over," Shaurya said, voice laced with finality.
Chu Kang raised his trembling arm in one last desperate attempt.
"Ultimate Sword Slash!" Shaurya roared.
A flash of silver light sliced through the air. One clean cut. A single moment.
Chu Kang's head soared through the sky, blood trailing behind like a crimson ribbon. It landed with a thud, rolling to a stop.
Shaurya stood tall, raising his blade in a stylish flourish, his aura erupting around him in a storm of dominance.
He walked up to the severed head and kicked it with contempt. It flew across the field and landed near the remaining enemy soldiers, who stood paralyzed with fear.
"Take this head," Shaurya said coldly, "and return to your queen. Tell her this: Soon I will come. I will end her rule and make her like this."
He pointed at Chu Kang's severed head.
Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed.
Dragzard, the Sect Guardian Primordial Dragon, returned to the peak. In his jaws, the lifeless head of the Demonic Qilin dangled. With casual might, Dragzard tossed it into the air and swallowed it whole.
He licked his lips and let out a proud rumble.
Shaurya gave him a thumbs-up. "Great job, my Dragzard."
In response, the mighty dragon shifted into his smaller, compact form and glided back to the sect.
The protective barrier shimmered and vanished. The sect members rushed forward to meet their leader.
The remaining soldiers, terrified beyond measure, picked up Chu Kang's head and fled.
Lin Shu raced across the field and threw her arms around Shaurya.
"You scared me to death! I thought something happened to you!"
Shaurya gently stroked her hair and offered a calming smile. "I'm here. I promised, didn't I?"
The sect watched in stunned silence, then erupted in cheers. The sky cleared, the air fresh again. Joy returned to the Sanatan Flame Sect.
But far away, not everyone celebrated.
---
Scene Shift: Royal Palace
Blood splattered the marbled hallway. The remaining soldiers who had returned were executed where they stood.
The Queen stood tall in the blood-drenched chamber, her boot crushing General Chu Kang's decapitated head.
"You brought shame to the royal family," she hissed. "A general of Golden Vein Stage Level 4. With 5,000 men. Defeated by a mere sect?"
Her aura flared, her teeth grinding.
Her maid bowed cautiously. "Your Majesty... they reported not a single death from the Sanatan Flame Sect."
"HOW!?" the Queen screamed. "HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!? Did I underestimate them that badly?"
The maid continued. "They also delivered a message... from the Sect Master, Shaurya."
"Speak."
"He said: 'Tell her I will soon come. I will end her rule and kill her like General Chu Kang.'"
The Queen's eyes darkened. Her aura surged to purple, her irises turning blood red.
"So, he wants to kill me..." she whispered, then smiled—a cold, devilish smile. "Good. Now this is getting interesting. I love it when my prey fights back."
She looked more demon than queen.
---
One Week Later
The damage from the battle had been repaired. The Sanatan Flame Sect once again stood strong.
But something was different.
All disciples were training harder than ever before. Even Shaurya, who was often seen lounging or teasing, was now engaged in intense practice.
Elder Liya turned to the others. "A rare sight indeed. The Sect Leader is actually training."
Lin Shu smiled. "Yes. He rarely trains seriously."
Elder Wu nodded. "That means he's preparing for something."
"The royal family will regret crossing us," Elder Wan added.
Shaurya continued his shadow martial arts, his movements swift and precise. Then, he suddenly stopped.
The System pinged.
"Why did you stop? You rarely train."
Shaurya grinned. "Because I'm about to take it up a notch."
He sprinted across the field. Some disciples watched in confusion, but soon returned to their own drills.
Shaurya entered the gravitational training chamber and cracked his knuckles.
"Now the real fun begins. I've earned a lot of Dharma Points. I completed my mission of protecting the sect. So... when are you giving me my rewards?"
The System replied calmly. "Soon. Just wait."
Shaurya frowned. "You always reward me instantly. What's now?"
Shrugging it off, he approached the gate to Level 4.
"Whatever. Let's make this intense."
He pushed the gate open.
To Be Continued...