WHAT! I Have To Kill Heaven's Son To Live!

Reon's vision blurred, edges darkening as his grip on consciousness slipped further with every second.

Pain clawed through his body with a fierce and unyielding bite, a sensation that ran deeper than any physical blow he had ever known.

Even the brutal beating Yang Lie had once given Xue Taiyang paled in comparison to this, for Reon had only felt the aftershock of that suffering.

But here, here in this forest facing death's own shadow, there was no escaping it. He felt every crack, every pulse of pain, as if his very bones had turned to shards of fire inside him.

Each shallow breath felt like it might be his last. Yet, through the fading slivers of consciousness, he could still make out Cloudia beside him. Her figure blurred and flickering in his vision, bruised and battered, she struggled to rise.

Seeing her determination through the haze, Reon gritted his teeth and pushed against his own broken body, forcing himself upright.

Blood coated his lips as he tasted the bitter metal tang, but he refused to let his spirit surrender to the darkness inching into his vision. That fire—however faint—still burned hotter than his wounds.

Around them, the forest seemed to close in, heavy shadows darkening as the Shadow Claw Bear loomed closer, its guttural growl echoing like distant thunder.

Reon's heartbeat slowed, each pulse a solemn reminder of how thin the line was between life and death. He couldn't let it end here. Not yet.

Mustering his last reserve of strength, Reon reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a Healing Pill he had wisely purchased from the Skyreach Mission Pavilion.

With a labored breath, he swallowed it, feeling the warmth of the pill spread slowly through him as he absorbed its restorative properties.

Channeling his Qi to amplify the healing effects, he felt a flicker of relief as his pain eased—though only marginally, enough to stand but far from enough to fight. They were still cornered, still broken.

"Cloudia," he gasped, his voice strained but determined. She looked up at him, eyes fierce and unwavering through her own agony. "This isn't over."

Their gazes met, and in that silent exchange, Reon felt a surge of Compliance. The forest might be wild and unforgiving, the beast ruthless, but together they would face it. Bloodied, broken—but not defeated.

They couldn't run any longer. They would have to fight here, even if it cost them their lives.

The beast prowled closer, its steps slow and calculated, like it was savoring the moment, relishing their fear.

It seemed to understand they were too weakened to pose any real threat; this was a game, a cruel mockery of the power it held over its prey.

Reon knew well that many beasts grew stronger by devouring the Primal Cores of their kind, but they also feel delighted in increasing their own strength by feeding on human cultivators just as human would on powerful beast meat to advance their cultivation.

Without warning, Cloudia surged forward, channeling what little strength she had left, and launched herself at the Shadow Claw Bear.

Her claw was a blur of silver as she unleashed a flurry of attacks, each strike faster than the last, her movements desperate yet precise.

She poured everything she had into those blows, slashing relentlessly, and for a moment, her fierce assault seemed endless.

But against the massive bear, it was as if a mosquito were biting a tiger. Her strikes barely scratched the beast's hide, leaving only shallow lines across its thick fur, mere annoyances to something so vast.

Reon watched in horror as the beast raised its massive clawed paw and swung at her with devastating force.

This time, it didn't hold back. The blow landed squarely, and Cloudia was hurled backward, her body crashing into a tree again with a sickening thud.

She crumpled at the base, barely moving, her breaths shallow and labored. The blow had been brutal—fatal, if she couldn't stand.

And now, the beast's dark, merciless eyes turned toward him. Reon could see the glint of savage amusement in them, a knowing look that told him it relished the game, savoring his weakness.

It wanted him to suffer. A wave of helplessness settled over him like a stone in his chest, heavier than the pain that throbbed through his shattered body.

He forced his mind to cut through the haze of agony, reaching for any chance, any desperate plan. Should he use the Sword Aura Comprehension Card?

It could unleash Sword Aura, though he had no idea at what stage. Even if it was only the Awakened Stage, it might be enough to let them escape.

But if he couldn't stabilize its wild energy afterward, he risked being crippled for life—a cost he'd dreaded too much to pay until now.

He'd hoped for a quiet, safe place to cultivate, where he could stabilize the aura within himself and make it firm. But with the beast prowling closer, each thunderous step shaking the ground, he could feel that opportunity slipping through his fingers.

"Damn it!" he hissed, tasting blood on his lips.

If he was going to die, he wouldn't go quietly. He'd take the beast down—or die trying.

And if luck favored him with a higher stage of Sword Aura, he might even make it out alive.

Fists clenched, he made his choice. This would end on his terms.