The Blood Pact Assessment battlefield was a desolate area enveloped by a special barrier. Rin and Ye Xue were teleported here, surrounded by a suffocating atmosphere of death; the scent of blood seemed almost palpable. Their opponents, two instructor-level assassins disguised as "prey," were already hidden within this deadly domain, awaiting their fatal strike.
Rin and Ye Xue stood back-to-back, their eyes swiftly scanning their surroundings. There were no words between them, only the tacit understanding unique to top assassins. A cold killing intent emanated from Ye Xue, and the snow owl wooden carving in her hand was clutched tightly, seemingly her only comfort.
The battle began without warning. Two shadows, like ghosts, attacked from different directions, aiming for Rin and Ye Xue's vital points. Rin instantly assessed the opponents' attack paths. He and Ye Xue simultaneously activated "Shadow Strike," their forms blurring into afterimages, evading the fatal blows.
"They're instructors," Rin's voice was low, with a hint of gravity. "Their strength far surpasses that of ordinary cadets."
"I know," Ye Xue replied coldly, her arrow silently nocked on her bowstring.
The battle was exceptionally fierce. The instructors were experienced, their moves ruthless, each attack aimed directly at their weaknesses. Rin's dagger clashed with his opponent's short blade, producing ear-splitting sparks in the air. Each of his strikes carried destructive power, attempting to end the battle in the shortest possible time. However, his opponent, a former comrade with whom he had trained in the camp, seemed to anticipate his moves, narrowly dodging each time.
A flicker of frustration surged in Rin's heart. He couldn't completely abandon that "kindness," couldn't bring himself to lethally strike a comrade with whom he had once trained and suffered. This hesitation was fatal in a life-or-death struggle. His attack speed and strength were at their peak, but that psychological resistance prevented him from unleashing the true power of the "Blade of Demise."
"Whoosh!"
A cold glint flashed, and his opponent's short blade grazed Rin's shoulder. Blood instantly stained his clothes.
The sharp pain made Rin momentarily clear-headed. He knew this wasn't training; this was the Blood Pact Assessment, where failure meant death! He had to cast aside all hesitation!
However, just as the killing intent in his eyes re-condensed, he saw a complex expression flash in his opponent's eyes—it wasn't the look of a disguised killer at "prey," but a deep-seated sorrow and relief.
In that instant, another long-sealed memory fragment suddenly exploded in Rin's mind!
It was also a sea of fire, more real, more brutal than in Ye Xue's dream. He was surrounded, his former comrades falling one by one to cover him. Before his eyes was Ye Xue. She was drenched in blood, her bowstring drawn to its fullest, her eyes filled with pain and despair.
Her target was a former comrade rushing towards Rin, attempting to capture him alive. That comrade had fought alongside her countless times, sharing a deep bond of camaraderie.
But Ye Xue did not hesitate.
"No… don't!" Rin roared in agony within the memory, trying to stop her.
However, Ye Xue's arrow shot out like lightning, precisely piercing that former comrade's heart.
"Thud!"
Blood spurted, and the comrade, with a look of surprise and relief, crashed to the ground.
Ye Xue's body trembled violently. She looked at the comrade she had personally killed, and instantly, torrential tears poured from her cold eyes. She bit her lower lip fiercely, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, mixing with the tears on her face, making her look tragically beautiful and despairing.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"
She wept silently, but her bow remained steady in her hands, unhesitatingly firing the next arrow, clearing the next obstacle for Rin. With each person she killed, the tears in her eyes intensified, but she never stopped. Every kill was made to protect him.
She, this was not her first kill, nor was it the first time she had personally killed her "comrades."
The pain from the memory intertwined with the bloodiness of reality. Rin's body trembled violently, and he almost fell to his knees. That pain, that despair, completely engulfed him like a tide. He saw the suffering Ye Xue endured for him, saw her forced to make such choices, saw the silent tears she shed.
His mind was on the verge of breaking!
"Rin!"
A cold voice, with undeniable force, brutally yanked him back from the abyss of memory to reality.
Ye Xue!
Her hand was now tightly gripping Rin's left arm, her fingernails almost digging into his flesh. Her eyes were cold and firm, with a hint of urgency, looking directly into his almost vacant pupils.
"You have to survive," Ye Xue's voice was low and powerful, every word striking Rin's heart like an alarm bell. "Only by surviving can you find answers. Only by surviving can you change everything!"
She offered no superfluous comfort, no hint of pity, only the most direct command. Because she knew that Rin, at this moment, needed this cold and brutal reminder to pull himself out of the mire of memory.
Rin snapped back to attention. He saw the instructor, his former comrade, close by, with a cruel smile, his short blade aimed directly at Rin's heart. He also saw the firmness and determination in Ye Xue's eyes.
She had endured all of this for him. And now, she was reminding him to fight to survive.
"Click!"
Rin's eyes instantly turned cold and resolute. The power of the "Blade of Demise" completely erupted within him at this moment. He no longer hesitated, no longer agonized. He understood that only by surviving could he seek justice for Ye Xue, for their shared past!
The dagger in his hand thrust out with unmatched killing intent.
"Squelch—!"
This time, the dagger mercilessly pierced the heart of his former comrade. The opponent's eyes glazed over with a hint of surprise, then he slowly collapsed to the ground.
Rin stood in the pool of blood, his body trembling slightly, but his eyes had regained their extreme clarity and ruthlessness. He knew this was just the beginning. He had to become stronger, more ruthless, to carve a bloody path for himself and Ye Xue in this darkness.
Ye Xue released Rin's arm. She cast a cold glance at the fallen instructor, then her gaze returned to Rin. There was no praise, no criticism, only a silent handing over of a map.
"Next target."
Rin took the map, scanned it, then met Ye Xue's gaze. In that look, there was no longer the struggle and confusion of the past, only resolve and a readiness to face life and death together.
The Blood Pact Assessment had only just begun its true prelude.