He frowned as he felt the pain that started from his forearms travel inevitably to the rest of his body, however, he wasn't exactly frowning due to the pain he felt. No, it was because he realized that the strength behind Li Wei's punch was heavier compared to prior. He had a foreboding feeling spurting in his heart that he hadn't felt in a long time.
There was no way that he'd misjudged Li Wei's actual strength. From the first punch that the other had thrown out, Xing Liyun had blocked it and grasped the amount of weight and power behind Li Wei's attack. Xing Liyun was sure that Li Wei had used his full power with his first attack, but he couldn't explain how the latter suddenly became stronger in mere seconds.
Of course Li Wei's strength had increased compared to his first attack. He had used mana. Something that Xing Liyun didn't take into account, and neither was it something he could've taken into account when he has yet to even know of its existence.
Xing Liyun also felt something different about Li Wei's fists. When the latter's fist hit Xing Liyun's arms, the skin and bones felt more hardened than before, physically tougher, although it didn't look like it had changed, and the weight behind it felt heavier and stronger. He had felt pain from blocking this attack.
Which was a rare thing. For a mystical, unknown reason, just like his abnormal night vision, Xing Liyun had been born with a strong and tough body that isn't easily hurt. And add in the fact that he trained his body intensely from a young age till now, most people can't easily hurt him.
'Is it something to do with the fact that I'm in a different world so my body is less resilient than before? Or is there something amiss with the people here?' Xing Liyun tried to guess.
During the time he was thinking, Li Wei again charged in like a bull bulldozing its way through. He gave several consecutive strikes with his arms and legs, his determination to beat down Xing Liyun was obvious to all. However, Xing Liyun still easily blocked and dodged every punch and kick with a seeming ease that irked Li Wei, causing the latter to start to increase his strength with every attack by increasing the dosage of mana input.
This point did not go unnoticed by Xing Liyun. By now he had already guessed that there was a mysterious power added into Li Wei's every attack that made the other stronger. Despite knowing this, though, it couldn't help him with his current fight. After all, he still didn't know what exactly it was that was helping his opponent get stronger and stronger.
Li Wei's strength was starting to become a bit problematic for Xing Liyun to handle, and he had also noticed that besides his strength, the other side's speed was also getting faster and faster. The way it's going now, Xing Liyun is afraid that the fight won't end in his favor.
Internally, he laughed. He can't believe that right after he arrived in this unknown world he already can't deal with even one of them! Someone his own age!
How ridiculous was this?
'Then I guess I should do what I'm the best at; one of my specialties.' Xing Liyun thought to himself, and he gave out a powerful kick to Li Wei, pushing him back.
He then proceeded to reach into the bag that had accompanied him since the start of his transmigration to now and pull out a circular object. Raising his arm back, he threw the object as hard as he could at the ground.
Boom! Puff!
Out from the broken shell of the sphere came a dense whiteness. From the initial small smog floating out, it dispersed and grew bigger and bigger as well as denser in compactness. The white smoke soon came to cover a large area, including Xing Liyun and Li Wei, in the streets, occupying the space for a short time.
The sudden appearance of the mysterious blanket of white that covered their view and blocked out their eyesight of what was happening induced a sense of panic and fear in the bystanders watching the drama. Especially applying to those who were the closest to the fight. Even those who were just minding their own business as they walked past and ignored the happenings on the street were startled once they saw the white smoke. They all had never in their entire lives witnessed such a scene before nor have they ever heard of such an unprecedented phenomenon.
Panicked, the crowd of people started pushing and shoving into each other.
Meanwhile, while all this was happening, amidst the smoke, the one who had caused this sudden chaos was currently sneaking up on his blindsided enemy.
With movements that seemed as if he could see his surroundings with unclouded eyes, Xing Liyun swiftly yet lithely approached Li Wei who, like the spectators, was also startled by the sudden appearance of the unknown dense smoke that blocked off his sense of sight.
Being able to move with ease and a sense of direction was something almost nobody can do in this kind of condition where their sight is blocked. When a person's sight is blocked, they tend to also lose their sense of balance and security, making it all the harder for them to stay calm and find a way out.
Yet on the contrary, different from normal people, Xing Liyun had always felt serene and comfortable in the dark, in the shadows, and in places where he cannot see. Where his sight, his visual perception is not needed. Therefore, he relies on his other body senses---such as his sense of hearing.
At this moment, Xing Liyun was only relying on his ears to hear the slightest of movements and sounds produced by the people around him. Closing his eyes, he maximized his hearing ability. The sounds entering his ears became more distinct and he skillfully separated the sounds individually.
Approaching the blinded Li Wei, Xing Liyun struck.
-----
Outside of the white smoke that shrouded the people inside from the eyes of others.
The people slowly began to calm down once they realized that no one was actually harmed by the white smoke, only that it was a bit choking, but otherwise no one was hurt.
As minute by minute the time ticked away, the white smoke---resembling a cloud plucked out of the sky and brought to the ground---started to lose its initial density and began to thin out.
Slowly, as the smoke cloud dissipated, the crowd of onlookers came to see the situation inside more clearly.
"Ahhh!" Someone screamed in shock and horror once they saw the scene inside when the smoke completely cleared out.
The people were stunned.
What they all saw was not what they had expected, not even one bit.
There, on the sun-burnt rock ground, was a puddle of blood. Within that pool of blood lied a young man facing up with a confused expression and wide-open eyes in surprise and fear. Blood continued to drain out of his dead body, spilling more of his red liquid onto the ground, painting the streets in a disgusting crimson color. It was Li Wei.
And Xing Liyun was nowhere to be seen.
No one knew what had happened. However, the final outcome definitely shocked many. The one who had seemed to be on the losing end, the blue- and white-haired young man, had actually defeated and KILLED the student from a prestigious mana academy, the one who seemingly had the upper hand during the entire fight they had seen before the white smoke appeared.
No one could believe what their eyes had just witnessed. A mana manipulator actually lost to a none-mana user! A never before seen happening!
"Disgusting!"
Huh?
At this moment, someone among the dense pack of people shouted in repulsion and disdain.
The crowd was thrown into confusion for a moment, not understanding what that person meant. But then they slowly came to realize and understand what had just happened after their scattered reasoning came back.
That blue and white long haired young man assassinated this mana academy student! He killed him sneakily in that shrouding white cloud, taking advantage of the fact that Li Wei was unable to see!
Disgraceful!
Hateful!
Disgusting!!
The people in the vicinity were all filled with disdain towards Xing Liyun's actions of 'killing in the dark' and 'ridding of the opponent secretly'.
They were even more disgusted and disdainful of this than with the mana academy student's sly attack.
This was quite understandable as in this world that operates on mana, with a historical appearance yet is filled with some modern technologies, hates those who kill without being seen. As in those who attack unaware people in the shadows and kill them for money.
To that type of people with that kind of occupation, the people's insults and criticism could drown them in an ocean. They fear them for their phantom, reaper-like skill, yet at the same time, they disdain them. But if any one of them had to make a choice between which one they feel more about those 'people of the shadows', they would all undoubtedly without any hesitation say they disdain them more.
That's why they were so disdainful of and repulsed by Xing Liyun's move of killing Li Wei 'in the dark.' This is the reason why they also pitied Li Wei for meeting one of them, people like the grim reaper, dying without knowing they were killed. Those 'people of the shadows', they liked to call them, because they hide where they can't be seen and strike their unsuspecting prey while they're off guard.
They are also known by the moniker of Erebus, the personification of darkness. Darkness is cold and unfeeling, not human---and common people and rich people alike don't see them as human. That's why it's so fitting.
Human shadows.
This was a tough world for Xing Liyun to be in, not only because he has no idea of the existence of mana or how to use it, but especially because his main occupation besides being a mercenary, a hitman, and a hacker is. . . an assassin.
He is bound to be looked down upon with despise and be disdained. People will ignore his skill and talent and potential, their eyes veiled by the hanging label of 'Erebus' over his head once they knew.
But Xing Liyun will show them all what it means to look down on someone, to underestimate others just because of people's own fixed opinion and rigid overconfidence.
And that being an assassin does not mean one is not strong with direct confrontations.
☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️☁️
It was midnight.
The once lively townspeople had all long gone to bed, making the previous scene of a bustling town go quiet. Resting their bodies and mind in preparation for another busy day tomorrow.
At night, black clouds had come to gradually cover the moon and, with their numerous numbers, covered the entire vast night sky. This prevented the glow from the moon and stars to light up the town, resulting in the blockage of light on the earth below, veiling this sleeping town in complete darkness unable to be seen through by naked human eyes.
A small portion of the dark, murky clouds moved, allowing a tiny corner of the moon to peek out and shine its light onto the quiet empty streets.
Near an inn whose guests had all gone to bed and dreamed of dreams with great zeal.
Within the shadows of an alley, a faint voice was heard quietly whispering, not intending to disturb anyone's slumber this late at night or alert anyone of their presence and actions.
".....onfirmed, it is him.....I don't know yet....
"....he's strong, but not strong enough....yes I will....
"....For now I'll continue to observe him." The man finished his words, not intending to continue the conservation anymore with the other side.
Again, the same clouds shifted forward a tiny distance, uncovering a bit more of the moon. This time, the moonlight shone directly onto the face of this man. Right as the moonlight hit him, the man also lifted his head. His ghostly white hair glittered in the glow of the moon, looking beautiful yet eerie, giving people a mysterious and unsettling feeling.
He touched the monocle on his face, adjusting it to make it more comfortable on his face. Then he left the alley like the wind and using the lightless town as an advantage, he vanished into the dark night without a trace.
At the same time this conservation was taking place, another conversation similar to this one was taking place as well.
"....Understood. Keep on observing him and watch his every action. Follow him closely and don't let him out of your sight." Ending the call, the man who was just talking on the communicator stone turned to his right, and bowed respectfully.
"Miss, we have the target in our grasp," he said as he stared at the ground, not daring to look up and look into the face of the "miss" he was talking to.
"Well done. Keep an eye on him and don't let him out of your sight. Or else..." Or else what? She didn't need to elaborate, the man before him as well as all those servants around her could fill in the blanks themselves. There was no need for an explicit answer from their master.
If they fail at their job, there is only one ending. They all knew, so there was no need for an explicit wording to be used.
They subconsciously trembled in fear.
"Hmm..." The beautiful and elegantly dressed woman leaned back into her comfy throne-like chair decorated with numerous rare and exquisite jewels and gems. Her long dark-brown hair that reached her waist swayed with her tilting head. She closed her eyes. She pondered deeply to herself before she abruptly opened her gleaming black eyes and showed a wicked and malicious smile on her painted red lips.
"Another one...."