Max kept following the river, searching every corner, bush, and shadow, hoping to catch sight of the Bandit Boss.
He searched tirelessly, day turned into night, and then back into day—but there was no sign of him. Exhausted, Max eventually stopped to rest.
He was just about to sit when he heard something strange—a sound like steel clashing against stone.
Curious and alert, Max quietly followed the sound.
Behind a thick patch of trees, he finally saw him—the Bandit Boss. The once-mighty warrior now looked worn down, battered, and almost broken.
The Boss was trying to force his way into a sealed cave, but a massive boulder blocked the entrance. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move it.
Max stayed hidden and watched.
The Boss gave it his all—he punched, kicked, tried to lift or shatter the stone—but his injuries were too severe. Bloodied, tired, and on the verge of collapse, he eventually slumped down and began gulping water, breathing heavily.
He looked up at the sky and muttered, "Once I reach Grandmaster... then no one in this world can stop me."
He glanced back at the sealed cave and whispered again, "Once I unlock this… I'll be unstoppable."
Max's eyes sharpened. He realized: this was it. The perfect chance.He waited for the right moment.
The Boss made another attempt to break the seal after resting for fifteen minutes… then again after thirty… but he was slower now, barely managing to stay upright. His body trembled from the pain and exhaustion.
Max moved in.
As the Boss leaned down to drink again, Max attacked from the shadows—aiming straight for his neck.
But the Boss sensed danger at the last second and dodged, taking the hit to his shoulder instead. The blade tore into flesh.
The Boss winced and backed away, shocked. He'd assumed a Grandmaster was chasing him—but it was just a young man.
Realization dawned, and a twisted smile spread across his face. "Looks like I'm not destined to die today," he sneered. "You think you can kill me? If I let you live, those three Grandmasters will hunt me like a dog.
You've seen my face—so now you'll never see the next sunrise!"
Max didn't flinch.
The Boss lunged, sword swinging. Max ducked and countered with an uppercut straight to the chin, staggering him. As the Boss stumbled, Max rushed forward with his short sword, aiming for a kill. The Boss raised his wounded arm to block—and the blade sliced right through his palm and into his left eye.
The Boss screamed in rage and pain.
Max whispered, "This ends here. One of us walks away."
The Boss swung wildly, his sword flashing. Max dodged, grabbed his arm mid-strike, and locked it. But now the Boss was fighting like a cornered animal—using every last ounce of strength.
Max could feel it in the air either he would die here… or take the Boss down with him.
The Bandit Boss roared and slammed his knee into Max's chest, throwing him back.
Blood trickled from Max's mouth. He landed hard, but didn't stay down. He kicked his own sword upward—the blade flew straight into the Bandit Boss's head.
At the exact same moment, the Bandit Boss's blade sliced through Max's neck.
Silence.
Both fell. Both stopped moving.
---
Max's eyes burst open.
He was back in his real-world body, breath ragged, sweat soaking through his clothes.
He could still feel the sharp pain near his neck—as if his copy body had really died.
For a few seconds, even as he stared at the ceiling of his room, he could still "see" the place where his other body had fallen. The memories were vivid—far too real for a dream. Every second of that brutal, final battle was etched into his soul.
Then, he noticed something.
The place where his copy body had died… it was dissolving—slowly melting into a pool of dark red liquid, like blood. His mind was still connected—he could "see" it happening even though he was now fully conscious.
Max turned and looked at the clock.
Only a few hours had passed in the real world.
It almost felt like a dream. But everything—every detail, every face, every drop of blood—was still crystal clear in his mind. And strangely, there was no mental trauma. No panic. No fear.
Just… calm.
Suddenly, a faint humming sound filled the room—"Siiiiiiiii"—followed by a flash of green and blue light that struck his eyes.
Something wasn't over yet.