Chapter 22: Valley of Shadows (Part 4) – The Leader
The valley lay in a heavy silence after the fall of the mid-level crocodiles, a calm so deep it felt like the ominous stillness before a raging storm.
The air was thick with the stench of blood and mud, suffocating and heavy. Shen Yuan stood at the center, panting violently, his body battered and bruised, his clothes shredded in dozens of places.
His hands trembled from exhaustion, but his eyes burned like molten steel, unwavering and sharp with determination.
The voice of the Elder echoed slowly in his mind:
> "Hold on, only one remains… The Leader. This is the strongest creature in the valley. There is no room for mistakes now, Yuan."
Shen Yuan lifted his gaze to the Shadow Lake. Its black surface rippled violently, as if a colossal force stirred beneath. Slowly, the highest stone-backed crocodile emerged.
It dwarfed the others, at least twice their size. Its rocky hide was layered with dark gray stone plates, eyes burning like twin embers in a moonless night, and every breath shook the valley like thunder.
Each step it took sent tremors across the ground.
Shen Yuan realized he faced an opponent that could not be defeated by brute force alone.
Yet, there was no turning back.
He swallowed hard, lifting his right hand. The black ring on his finger gleamed ominously.
In an instant, a deep crimson light surged, transforming the ring into a black sword as dark as night itself. Its veins pulsed with a raw, bloody energy that seemed alive.
"I won't run…" Yuan whispered, a vow carved from steel and fire.
The crocodile lunged, compressing the air around it into a devastating force.
Shen Yuan narrowly dodged its snapping jaws, but its stone tail struck like a lightning bolt, smashing the ground and sending soil flying for dozens of meters.
He leapt aside, but the tail grazed his arm, the snap of bone echoing through the valley.
"Damn it!" Yuan growled, staggering back, the burning pain spreading like wildfire.
Yet, even in agony, his eyes caught the cunning gleam in the beast's eyes. It was preparing for another strike.
He recalled the Elder's words:
> "Trust your instincts… not your mind. The primal body will guide you."
Breathing deliberately, his heart settled into a rhythm—strange, steady, and powerful, as if his heartbeat aligned with the pulse of the universe itself.
His body moved instinctively, anticipating the next strike.
When the crocodile opened its massive jaws, aiming to swallow him whole, Shen Yuan bent beneath its fangs and drove his sword into the soft flesh behind its throat.
A thunderous roar shook the valley, a mix of pain, fury, and defiance.
But the shock that hit Yuan was immediate—the sword bounced off the inner flesh like it had struck solid rock!
He pulled back swiftly, blood sizzling on his skin from the potent toxins in the air.
The crocodile opened its mouth wide, exhaling a suffocating black mist—a deadly blend of venom and primal blood.
It engulfed nearly the entire valley, making each breath a battle.
Yet at that moment…
The black sword in his hand began to shiver violently, as if something ancient and fierce had awakened within it.
Crimson threads of energy erupted along its blade, coursing through its veins.
It was alive… screaming with hunger, or perhaps with wrath.
Yuan did not yet realize that the pearl had absorbed the blood of the previous beasts, ascending to a low-grade second star weapon.
But he could feel the difference—the weight crushing, the sharpness brutal, and the power flowing from it enough to tear through the very air.
"Good… come then!" Yuan roared, launching forward like a streak of shadow.
The collision was cataclysmic.
Blade met stone armor with a shower of red sparks, the clash reverberating across the valley, shaking every rock and tree.
The crocodile retaliated with its tail, sending Yuan tumbling across the ground like a ragdoll.
Every muscle in his body screamed in protest, yet his eyes blazed with unyielding fire.
He braced himself on the sword, forcing himself to rise, panting, blood dripping from his mouth.
Charging again, he used the jagged rocks as springboards, landing directly atop the beast's armored back.
He anchored himself, sword in hand, plunging it deep between the stone plates.
Strike after strike, each blow harder than the last, until the first cracks appeared in the rocky armor.
The crocodile was far from defeated.
It heaved its massive body and slammed down, sending a shockwave that threw Shen Yuan off balance. Had he not leapt, he would have been pulverized.
Midair, he twisted, drawing the sword with all the remaining strength in his body.
A piercing scream tore through the silence.
Black blade, crimson aura, blood scattering like rain.
Upon landing, the crocodile still stood, but a deep gash ran from its stone chest to its neck.
Black blood gushed like a river, and the sword sank deep into its head with a final, decisive strike.
Yuan stood for a heartbeat, breathless, his eyes dazed, as calm finally settled over the valley.
Then, without warning, his knees buckled.
He collapsed onto his back, arms splayed, sinking into a pool of blood and mud.
Staring at the gray sky above, he laughed… a wild, insane laugh, laced with relief, exhaustion, and victory.
He laughed until tears mixed with blood, vision dimming, as the Elder's voice finally reached his mind:
> "Well done… you've surpassed your limits again."
Yuan smiled faintly, whispering weakly:
"My limits? Seems I'm still breathing then…"
Closing his eyes, he sank into deep darkness, while the black sword beside him pulsed with a faint crimson aura, like a heart refusing to stop.
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Enjoy everyone:)
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[Note: English is not my primary language, so if you find any mistakes, just ignore them or mark them so I can correct them.]