In the heart of a boundless forest, amidst towering trees that pierced the heavens, lay a clearing riddled with craters.
The massive carcass of a beast with thick, black fur sprawled across the ground, its imposing aura lingering even in death.
Beside the beast stood Zhihui, a diminutive boy with long, raven hair and oceanic eyes that held wisdom beyond his youthful visage.
Zhihui examined the body of the beast, his brows furrowed as he noticed a brown Qi leaking from the beast's chest.
He used his broken blade to carve out a section of the beast's chest, then dug into it with his hand, blood splattering all over his arm, dying his sleeves crimson.
He continued with an indifferent expression, when his hand felt a sensation and pulled out a brown-colored orb pulsating with Qi.
"This... is it a core? I see. So this is what allowed it to utilize Qi," he pondered whilst scrutinizing the sphere in his hands.
"I'll take it, it might be useful in the future." He walked towards the lake with a grin tugging at his lips.
The skill, even with its many drawbacks, was powerful. When used in the right hands, it could have vast effects. In the intricate poker game that was his second life, he had acquired yet another ace up his sleeve.
As he approached the lake, a bright blue that reflected the skies above, he was met with a sorrowful sight.
On the shore sat a young girl with cascading bubblegum-pink hair, clad in dull brown garments that seemed to absorb the vibrant colors around her.
Her expression revealed a palpable sorrow, etched in the downturn of her lips and the lingering redness surrounding her eyes. It was evident that tears had traced their somber journey down her cheeks.
Zhihui sauntered behind the girl, who seemed lost in contemplation. He hunkered down beside her, his lips brushing against her ear.
"WHAT IS LOVE?!" he roared.
The girl jolted in surprise, leaping to her feet with a shriek. Her eyes widened in recognition as she lunged towards him, wrapping her arms around him in a suffocating embrace.
She buried her face in his chest, her tears flowing freely.
"Please don't ever do that again," she stammered.
Zhihui stood there, confused, unsure of how to respond.
He raised his hand to pat her head, but then gazed at the blood that coated it, his hand freezing in midair. The metallic stench was overpowering.
His silhouette stood motionless against the tranquil lake, his expression blank and his shoulders slumped. A deep sigh escaped his lips, echoing through the stillness.
The walk back to the village was silent, Ai's cheeks flushed a rosy pink and Zhihui fidgeting with an orb in his hands.
The sun descended, casting a golden glow over the landscape, painting the clouds with fiery hues.
The magnificent sight eased the awkward atmosphere between the two, but the tension remained palpable.
By the time they reached the village, the sun had gone into slumber, and the moon had awoken, enveloping the world in its silver luminescence.
As they approached Roland's workshop, Ai and Zhihui noticed something off.
"That's odd," Ai exclaimed, her voice tinged with skepticism. "I can't hear it."
Zhihui frowned.
"Something's not right."
The rhythmic clang of metal hitting against metal was absent, which was strange as even if the world was ending, the sounds of Roland's hammers would still be heard.
Zhihui knew he had already been to the miners recently, and he had eaten before he left, so Roland hadn't gone to the bakers.
'What could stop that anvil pervert from hammering?' he thought.
Zhihui stepped into the workshop, his eyes scanning the room, his unease growing with each passing second.
Cold.
The workshop, typically brimming with heat and the pungent scent of coal, was now devoid of warmth.
A metallic stench lingered in the air, unlike the familiar aroma of hot metal. This one was tinged with a moist, coppery undertone.
'Blood,' Zhihui thought, his heart pounding in his chest. He slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Ai standing outside in confusion.
"What's going on?" Ai muttered, her voice echoing in the eerie silence of the village. The usually bustling streets were deserted, and the air was heavy with an ominous aura.
Darkness permeated the workshop, swallowing all but the faintest glimmer from the various metalworks.
'No sounds of hammering, smell of blood, cold air, barely visible, whatever happened- it's been a while..' He thought, taking a slow step forward.
The hairs on his body stood on end, his Qi flowing erratically, like a river caught in a storm. It was as if his Qi was under the control of someone or something else.
'What is-' Zhihui's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden impact to his chest, knocking the wind out of him. He slammed into the ceiling, his bones jarring on impact.
Before he could even register what had happened, another impact blasted him away. Zhihui slumped to the floor, panting heavily, his sweat dripping down his face.
'10 percent.' he thought.
'That's all I have left of my Qi. I can't use Sage Mode or Mind Split either. A prolonged fight is impossible, and whoever this is, they're incredibly fast. I couldn't even sense their Qi.'
'Think,' he commanded himself, his composure unwavering even in the face of potential death.
He gritted his teeth, wearing a resolute expression. He slowly rose to his feet, the pain from the impacts shooting through his body.
Squinting his eyes, he gazed around the workshop in search of his attacker. But the darkness was all-consuming, and he couldn't see a thing.
'No visibility, can't sense their Qi either, alright' he thought as he closed his eyes.
With his vision useless in this situation, Zhihui focused on his other senses. Though he wasn't in Sage Mode, his continuous use and regular meditation had vastly improved his concentration. Calming his breathing, he honed in on sound and touch, discerning even the smallest shift in the air.
He awaited his assailant's next blow.