"Brother Thien… save me…!!"
The cry tore through the wind as the dark silhouette carrying Bao Uyen soared into the sky.
"…HALT!!"
Thien lunged after them. The sand beneath his feet exploded as he propelled himself upward, kicking the air with raw force.
WHOOSH!
The distance was still too great. I won't make it…!
His eyes narrowed. Suddenly, the necklace around his neck flared, radiating a pale blue energy that surged through his entire body.
VUT!!
His speed skyrocketed. He trailed the black-clad soldier toward the estuary. Ahead lay the dark, churning waters of the Bach Dang River. The wind began to howl.
"Give her back to me!!"
There was no reply. The soldier merely glanced back, his eyes cold and void of emotion. He raised a hand.
BOOM!!!
A massive pressure slammed into Thien mid-air.
"!!"
He was stopped dead in his tracks, suspended for a heartbeat before being—BLASTED BACK.
SPLASH!!
He crashed into the water, spray flying in every direction. "…Khụ…!"
Thien surged back up, gasping for air, his eyes locked onto the target. "Damn it…!!" He lunged again—no hesitation, no doubt. Only one thought fueled him: I have to save her.
In the distance, the soldier reached the middle of the river. The water began to oscillate, not from the wind, but from something massive moving beneath the surface.
RUMBLE…
RUMBLE…
A colossal shadow emerged from the dark depths. Thien froze in mid-air, his pupils contracting. "What is that thing…??"
SHRRED!!
The water's surface was torn asunder as a gargantuan black warship rose, its hull covered in vein-like crimson patterns. Steam hissed off the metal like a mist from hell. The soldier landed on the deck and tossed Bao Uyen down.
"Ư…!"
She hit the deck hard. Before she could even scramble up, she was pinned down. Thien landed on the water's surface, the waves parting around him. He stared up at the warship, his gaze turning icy.
"…Release her."
Silence. Then, four figures stepped forward—the elite soldiers of the Black Legion. One stepped to the front, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"If you want her… come and take her."
Thien clenched his fists, his muscles coiling like springs. The necklace vibrated violently—this time, it wasn't a warning. It was an activation.
BOOM!!
Blue energy erupted around his body, the water beneath his feet dipping into a crater. He launched.
VUT!!
"…Don't let him reach the deck."
"Understood."
Thien threw a punch, but the soldier blocked it with a single hand.
BOOM!
The shockwave exploded. But the soldier didn't budge. "…Faster than before, I'll give you that."
A counter-strike. Thien was blasted back, skidding across the water. He skidded to a halt, panting heavily. The other three soldiers dove down simultaneously.
Vut! Vut! Vut!
Thien spun, dodging and parrying.
BOOM!!
THUD!!
SLASH!!
Water was torn apart in every direction. But every strike he threw was blocked, and every hit he took felt heavier than the last. They… are not human.
One appeared behind him, kicking him square in the ribs. Thien was sent flying. Before he could recover, another was already upon him.
WHAM!!
A fist slammed down, making the water explode. "…Khụ!!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth. His vision blurred, and the sounds of the world seemed to drift away. His body stopped obeying his will. He braced his hands against the water, struggling to stand, his frame trembling.
On the warship, Bao Uyen looked down, her eyes filled with terror. "Brother Thien… stop…!"
Thien looked up at her. His gaze was no longer wavering. "…I'm taking you home."
He stood tall, though his body was beginning to shatter. The necklace glowed even brighter. Fragmented memories flickered through his mind:
Wooden stakes.
Raging fires.
The thunder of war drums.
And a voice echoed from a vast distance: "Stand firm."
BOOM!!
An aura of pure power exploded. The four soldiers froze in their tracks.
"…!"
Thien looked up. His eyes had changed—deeper, sharper, more lethal.
"…Come at me."
The wind over the Bach Dang River began to roar. In the distance, the waters shifted as if… awakening