The forest grew deeper, and the atmosphere shifted drastically. If the coast felt like a chaotic hell, the center of the island was silent. Too silent.
The crumbled, mossy Buddha statues were replaced by disturbing sculptures depicting strange, intimate entanglements between humans and unknown creatures.
"This place makes me sick," Yuzuriha muttered, covering her nose with her sleeve. "It smells sweet, but it's like the scent of flowers blooming over a rotting corpse."
Sagiri walked beside Ren, her eyes darting around. "Ren, do you feel it? Ever since we passed that stone gate, I feel like something is... watching us. But there's no Sakki (killing intent). Just an empty gaze."
Ren walked casually, but his golden eyes glowed dimly.
"Not empty," Ren corrected. "Arrogant. The creature ahead doesn't consider us a threat, so it doesn't bother hiding its presence."
They arrived at a vermilion bridge crossing a crystal clear river. Standing at the end of the bridge was a figure.
The person wore lavish, ancient noble robes. Their face was beautiful, skin as white as porcelain, standing with an unnatural calmness in the middle of this monster infested forest.
It was Ju Fa.
"Humans," Ju Fa's voice was soft, yet it made the hair on the back of Sagiri's neck stand up. "You managed to get this far. Usually, insects die on the coast."
Sagiri immediately drew her sword, her instincts screaming danger. "Who are you? Are you a human living on this island?"
Ju Fa didn't answer. He simply raised his index finger.
"Leave. Becoming nutrients for the flowers here is your only purpose."
Suddenly, Sagiri and Yuzuriha felt a heavy pressure on their chests. They saw no attack, no movement, but their bodies were flung backward as if hit by an invisible giant hammer.
THUD!
"Cough!" Yuzuriha gasped, clutching her chest. "What... what was that? Wind Ninjutsu?"
"No," Sagiri trembled, struggling to stand. "I didn't see any hand seals. He didn't do anything!"
They didn't understand the concept of Tao. The invisible attack sent them into a panic because they had no idea how to defend against it.
However, Ren stood still in his spot. He hadn't moved an inch.
Ju Fa tilted his head slightly, his flat expression showing a hint of surprise. "Oh? One insect remains standing."
Ren patted imaginary dust off his shoulder. He looked at Ju Fa with eyes full of boredom.
"Cheap tricks," Ren scoffed.
Ju Fa narrowed his eyes. "Tricks? This is the pure power that governs the world."
Ju Fa waved his hand again. This time, a denser wave of Tao launched toward Ren. To the naked eye, it was invisible. But to Ren's Golden Eyes, he saw a ripple of pale energy rushing at him.
Ren didn't dodge. He raised his left hand and swatted the air casually, as if shooing away a fly.
SHATTER!
A sound like breaking glass echoed in the air. Ju Fa's invisible attack crumbled instantly upon contacting the back of Ren's hand.
Silence.
Ju Fa's eyes widened. That was impossible. A normal human couldn't touch Tao without understanding it, let alone shatter it with their bare hands.
"You..." Ju Fa's tone changed from dismissive to wary. "What energy protects you? That is not Tao."
Ren began to walk forward across the bridge. His steps were heavy, making the wood creak beneath him.
[Synchronization Increased: 2.2% -> 2.4%]
[Pseudo-Energy (Artificial Tao) Detected. Activating Spiritual Dominance.]
"You call yourselves Gods just because you can throw some wind around?" Ren chuckled, a low, condescending sound. "Where I come from, even the monkey guarding the gate has better tricks than this."
Ju Fa felt insulted. His beautiful face twisted in anger. "Do not compare me to a beast, Lowly Human!"
Ju Fa leaped forward, his hand transforming into hard, sharp plant vines, aiming to pierce Ren's heart. His speed was beyond human comprehension. Sagiri couldn't even track his movement.
But Ren saw it in slow motion.
Just as the sharp vines were about to touch his chest, Ren caught them.
GRAB.
Ren gripped Ju Fa's wrist (which had already transformed).
"Got you," Ren whispered.
Ren's physical strength, amplified by Spiritual Essence (Xian Qi), was far denser than Ju Fa's plant body.
"Let go!" Ju Fa tried to pull his hand back, but it felt like it was locked in a hydraulic press. He channeled Tao to blow Ren's hand off, but the energy fizzled out the moment it touched Ren's skin, as if absorbed by a black hole.
Ren pulled Ju Fa's face closer. Golden eyes met the immortal's eyes.
"Listen, Fake Flower," Ren's voice was low and menacing. "I don't know what experiment created you. But this body of yours... is fragile."
CRACK!
Ren squeezed slightly, and Ju Fa's wrist bone snapped. Red blood dripped out.
Ju Fa let out a suppressed scream, then in a panic, he severed his own arm to escape Ren's grip. He leaped far back, clutching his stump with a pale face. Pure fear was etched in his eyes.
"You... What kind of monster are you?!" Ju Fa shouted, his dignity as a Tensen shattered instantly.
Ren tossed the severed arm into the river below the bridge. Strange fish immediately swarmed to devour it.
"Ren..." he called out his own name. "Remember that name when you run crying to your friends."
Ju Fa, realizing he couldn't win in close combat against this anomaly, gritted his teeth. He jumped high, disappearing into the dense canopy above, choosing to retreat and regroup.
Silence returned to the forest.
Sagiri and Yuzuriha were still frozen at the end of the bridge. They had just witnessed something nonsensical. A "God" who could throw them without touching them had just fled in fear of Ren.
Ren turned around, his face impassive as if he had just taken out the trash.
"Why are you standing there?" Ren asked. "We still have a long way to go."
Yuzuriha swallowed hard, then jogged over to catch up with Ren, hugging his arm tighter than usual. This time, it wasn't to tease him, but because she was genuinely terrified of being left alone on this island.
"Ren kun..." Yuzuriha whispered, her voice trembling. "You promised to protect me, right?"
Ren glanced at Yuzuriha, feeling the trembling grip of her hand.
"As long as you're useful and obedient," Ren answered briefly, but he didn't shake her hand off.
Sagiri sheathed her sword with shaking hands. She stared at Ren's back. Her fear of him was growing, but so was her awe. On this island of death, a monster like Ren was their only hope for survival.