QIU MING raised his bow, and glowing arrows materialized instantly, streaking toward White Marsh. The Berserker barely rolled aside as the first arrow exploded against the ground where he'd stood. He lunged forward, muscles coiling to close the distance—but Qiu Ming was already aiming higher.
Three quick shots. Not at White Marsh, but at the jagged stalactites above him.
The crystals shattered. White Marsh barely had ti to look up before razor-sharp fragnts rained down. He threw his arms up, gauntlets blocking the worst of it, but the barrage forced him back a step. Qiu Ming didn't let up and shot another arrow, keeping White Marsh just out of reach.
The other growled, kicking aside debris as he tried to bullrush through. But Qiu Ming was already moving backward, fingers never stopping as arrow after arrow forced White Marsh to dodge or block.
Qiu Ming wanted to curse under his breath. When he was teleported here, he already had a feeling that Team Yunyue most likely planned to separate them and fight them one-on-one. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't really mind this kind of strategy. But the thing was, he was the team's designated "target". That was too much responsibility for his lazy ass. So, he tried to teleport out of here at the first chance he got. But of course, he couldn't use any teleportation scroll.
The only good thing about this situation was being paired against White Marsh. Unlike his other teammates, the guy relied more on brute strength than strategy. As long as Qiu Ming stayed smarter than him, he'd be safe. All he had to do was avoid losing until the teleportation restrictions lifted and he could finally go sowhere he could use his wings his properly.
Qiu Ming fired another shot, the arrow humming as it cut through the air. White Marsh barely dodged, the arrow scraping his ribs before exploding against the cavern wall. The other didn't slow down—he lunged forward, gauntlets glowing, ready to crush Qiu Ming in one hit.
He backpedaled, firing [Frost Arrow] at the ground. Ice spread under White Marsh's boots, making him slip. But the Berserker recovered fast. His fists beca a blur of brutal strikes, shattering the ice and forcing Qiu Ming into a desperate roll.
A stalactite hung low above them. Qiu Ming smirked and fired [Explosive Arrow] at its base. The crystal shattered, raining sharp debris down on White Marsh. The other roared, shielding his head with his gauntlets, but Qiu Ming was already nocking another arrow.
He used [Binding Shot] and ropes of light wrapped around White Marsh's legs. The Berserker snarled, muscles straining as he tried to break free. Qiu Ming took the chance to sprint back, putting more distance between them.
But White Marsh wasn't done. With a grunt, he snapped the bindings like twine. He charged again, his fist slamming into the ground. The shockwave sent Qiu Ming stumbling, his next shot going wide.
Cursing, Qiu Ming scrambled backward, firing another [Frost Arrow] to slow White Marsh down. But the other just tanked the hit, the ice shattering against his shoulder as he kept coming—grinning like a madman, his eyes locked onto Qiu Ming like a predator sighting prey.
Qiu Ming's boots skidded on loose gravel as he turned to run, but White Marsh was already mid-leap with his gauntlets raised. Qiu Ming barely twisted aside in ti, feeling the wind from the blow ruffle his hair as the attack cratered the ground where he'd stood.
Shit. Why did he ever think soone who only used their brawn would be manageable?
***
Zhong Hui narrowed his eyes as he watched the elf disappeared into the shadows. He knew about this skill. To traverse in the shadows, which was very apt for an Assassin like the elf. And in this underground cave, where the only light ca from the faint glow of the overhead crystals, shadows clung to every jagged wall and uneven floor. That ant Noctis could travel freely here.
He wasn't worried, though. He was confident he could handle it. What worried him more was how Li Xu Min was doing. The other had been the first to disappear alongside YUN. So, it was safe to say the two were most likely battling right now—sothing Li Xu Min had wanted for years.
His concern was that Li Xu Min's excitent and zeal for the fight might make him careless. That in his eagerness, he'd make mistakes and get hurt.
Zhong Hui didn't care if Li Xu Min made mistakes. What he truly disliked was the thought of him getting hurt. Even though this was only a ga and the pain wasn't real, the idea still bothered him.
He then felt the air shift behind him and twisted aside just as Noctis' dagger sliced through where his neck had been. The elf didn't stop—his other blade ca flashing in low, aiming for Zhong Hui's ribs. He barely blocked it with his mace, the impact sending sparks flying.
Noctis smiled and lted backward into the shadows before Zhong Hui could counter. For a heartbeat, the cavern was still. Then—
A dagger almost scraped Zhong Hui's shoulder from the left. If he didn't manage to move quickly, it would have wounded him. He swung his mace, but Noctis was already gone, vanishing into another patch of darkness.
Zhong Hui growled, spinning to face the next attack. He saw the glint of a blade a second too late—Noctis was faster, striking from his blind spot. But brute strength had its uses. Zhong Hui activated [Quake Slam], slamming his mace into the ground. The shockwave forced Noctis to leap back, his form flickering as he avoided the blast.
The other didn't retreat. He lunged again, daggers flashing toward Zhong Hui's legs. But he was ready—he pivoted hard, swinging his mace in a wide arc that forced Noctis to abort the attack mid-motion. The elf twisted away, barely avoiding the heavy weapon as it whistled past him.
Instead of pressing, Noctis disappeared back into the shadows.
Zhong Hui exhaled sharply, adjusting his stance. This cat-and-mouse ga would continue unless he did sothing to change the montum of the fight.
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