Chapter 2: Blood Moon
*Seven years later...*
The moon above the twelfth district of the Sword Clan was red. It was said that this scarlet hue reflected the color of the ground after the passage of the assassin who had been making a name for himself for about three years. This elusive killer had already massacred hundreds of nobles and masters across all the clans of Hundun, and no one knew his origins or his true objective. This bloody reputation had earned him the nickname Blood Moon.
"Catch him! Dead or alive!" shouted a captain.
Blood Moon was crouched on the roof of a house, his slender silhouette under the scarlet moon. He was surrounded on all sides, and moreover, the Patriarch himself was blocking his path.
"Your nocturnal escapades have gone to your head, Blood Moon." Dorian Dagon’s voice resonated. He drew his sword in a fluid motion. "You will not leave my territory alive."
The Patriarch planted his blade in the ground for a moment, closed his eyes.
< First Sense of Sword : Blade Perception >
Suddenly, the entire environment became clear in his mind. He could feel every breath of the soldiers around him. And anticipate his enemy’s attacks.
Blood Moon drew a short sword from his belt. The blade was black, almost invisible in the darkness. Then the assassin jumped from the roof and landed in the middle of the soldiers.
He tilted his torso to avoid a thrust, spun around to dodge a side attack, and slipped between the soldiers... Each movement flowed naturally into the next. These dodges were graceful like a dancing snake.
Blood Moon lowered his head at the last moment, dodging at the last second two blades passing over him. Then he spun around, his short sword slashing their throats.
A soldier tried to strike him from behind, but he took a step to the side, grabbed the attacker’s wrist, and threw him against his comrades. The assassin’s footwork was based on a fluidity of movement that even Dorian’s Blade Perception had difficulty following. The dodges were unpredictable, the attacks seemed to come from nowhere.
Blood Moon raised his sword to sever a head.
It was at that moment that Dorian used chi in his feet. He leaped toward the assassin with lightning speed. Blood Moon tried to dodge at the last moment, but Dorian spun around in mid-air.
< Second Sense of Sword : Blade Breath >
The Patriarch stopped breathing for a second. This breath holding allowed him to concentrate all his chi into his blade. The silver gleamed, then a layer of pure chi appeared on the surface of the steel, making the blade capable of cutting through almost any material.
The assassin raised his short sword to block the impact.
But the power of the Blade Breath was so violent that he was thrown backward, sliding across the pavement for several meters before stopping after hitting a wall.
Dorian did not waste any time. He took a step forward, extended his chi-charged hand, and projected a concentrated wave directly at the assassin’s chest.
Blood Moon spat out a mouthful of blood. He plunged his hand into his belt, grabbed three daggers, and threw them toward the nearest soldiers.
The daggers exploded at a certain distance from them, sending wood and stone debris in all directions.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Blood Moon got up with a leap and fled quickly into the night, jumping from roof to roof with agility.
"Father..."
Dorian turned his head while dodging a piece of burning wood flying toward him. The young man who had just arrived had an athletic and well-groomed appearance. His blond hair fell neatly on his forehead and his blue eyes inherited from his father gave him a noble air. He was handsome, and he exuded a nonchalant aura of a young master who had never known defeat.
"You are late, Kristian. Where have you been?" asked Dorian as he sheathed his sword.
"I apologize, Father." Kristian bowed slightly. "I was making my report on the damage caused by Blood Moon earlier in the evening. The district chief kept me with his figures."
Dorian sighed while looking at the bodies lying on the pavement. "Blood Moon caused another dozen deaths tonight. It has been three years since this has been going on, and we are still no closer to discovering his identity."
He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. "Make sure he does not reach the thirteenth district. Even if he is a master, I damaged his chi core with my strike. You will be able to easily overpower him. I have to deal with the paperwork."
"Understood, Father. I am going right away."
Kristian Dagon was only eighteen years old, but he had already mastered the Second Sense of the Sword and was close to the Third. Throughout the Sword Clan, he was considered a genius, a worthy heir. He himself knew it, and this confidence showed in his relaxed gait.
He jumped onto the roofs with remarkable ease. With his senses enhanced by chi, he scanned the horizon and managed to perceive a dark silhouette moving quickly toward the limit of the district.
Kristian used chi in his feet to run faster. He closed the gap in a few seconds, then drew his two swords and leaped toward the silhouette.
"Not a single move, criminal!"
The assassin turned at the last moment, hiding his now maskless face with his arm.
And Kristian saw his eyes.
Piercing ruby eyes that shone in the darkness.
Those eyes completely distracted him.
’It’s...’
Kristian had already seen this gaze elsewhere. He had already seen these rubies shine, in another place. But he could not remember where.
’A woman?’ he thought, surprised.
Even before realizing what he was doing, Kristian slowed his attack. "Have we met before?" he asked.
That half-second of hesitation was a mistake. Against an enemy of Blood Moon’s caliber, giving even a moment of respite was potentially fatal.
The assassin exhaled cold smoke. A thick cloud formed between them, obscuring Kristian’s vision.
< Second Sense of Wyrm : Serpent Exhale! >
Then, inhaling a massive amount of chi, the air around the woman began to vibrate, and her muscles swelled slightly under the black suit. This freshly inhaled chi instantly boosted her physical abilities.
Then she sent a violent uppercut into his chest.
Kristian felt the air leave his lungs all at once, and he landed far away surrounded by debris.
When he got up with difficulty and came out, she had already disappeared in the direction of the thirteenth district.
About thirty minutes later, Kristian joined his father at the district manor.
"I apologize, Father. Blood Moon escaped. It seems that even tired and injured, his power remains devastating. I underestimated my opponent."
Dorian raised a hand. "It is nothing. You did your best." He observed his son’s injuries with a worried look. "Rest first."
Kristian hesitated for a moment. "I do not know if this is relevant, Father. But... I think Blood Moon is a woman."
"Are you sure?" Dorian straightened up, looking serious.
"Well, not completely." Kristian looked away. "The silhouette was difficult to distinguish with certainty. And Blood Moon is really a ruthless assassin. It is hard to believe that a woman could be so violent."
Dorian sketched a sad smile. "Ah... You are still young, my son. You no longer remember the former Matriarch, Persephone El Dagon?" He shook his head. "No one could match her cruelty. So never underestimate an enemy."
Kristian lowered his eyes. "I will not forget your lesson, Father."
Dorian patted his shoulder.
"After that, Father... I would like to ask permission to visit my cousin."
"Daemon?" Dorian paused. "Go ahead. Take some gifts from me."
"You are not planning to go too, Father? We are quite close to the thirteenth district." Kristian observed his father’s face, still with his usual impassive expression.
Dorian sighed: "I would not have the courage to appear before my nephew now. It would be too cowardly of me to go see him as if nothing had happened."
"I understand, Father." Kristian bowed respectfully. "I will pass on your greetings to him."
"Do as you feel."
Kristian watched his father walk away. His thoughts returned for a moment to those ruby eyes glimpsed in the night.
"Where have I seen those eyes before?" he wondered. "The criminal Blood Moon, I should conduct my personal investigation..."