Come on, hand over whatever you've got, one thug growled, stepping into the clearing, his eyes sharp and cruel.
Kairo lifted his gaze slowly, calm, almost unnervingly so.
I have nothing, he said softly, dismissively.
I'm just here to train.
That's it.
The words didn't deter them.
One of the bigger thugs spat on the ground.
Go on, then! Break his arms and throw him somewhere else!
For a heartbeat, fear pricked Kairo's mind.
But instinct, sharp and ancient, took over.
One thug lunged forward, fist aimed squarely at Kairo's chest.
The blow landed.
Nothing.
His Black Dragon Body absorbed it completely.
Not a scratch, not even a bruise.
Kairo's mind raced, calculating.
Six in total, he counted silently.
Three low-level Body Tempering, two mid-level, one low Qi Gathering…
A pressure slammed through his skull.
Pain, sharp and grinding, echoed in his mind.
His eyes flared crimson. Red aura erupted from him like wildfire.
The whites of his eyes turned black, swirling shadows leaking from his irises, while raw, murderous intent oozed from his every pore.
The thugs froze.
Terror twisted their features.
They knew, deep down, they were no match for this boy.
They started to flee.
But Kairo's mind snapped.
Aggression, cold and unfiltered, surged through him. Kill them.
Without a second thought, his arm shot forward, faster than the eye could follow.
His fist slammed into the leader's chest with a sickening impact.
Bones groaned. Breath left the man in a sharp, painful hiss.
The remaining thugs froze, pale and trembling.
The sheer force of Kairo's strike rooted them in place.
Slowly, the crimson aura retracted, flowing back into his body, his blackened eye whites fading.
Breathing steadily, he blinked.
Damn… I got aggressive, he muttered under his breath.
But it's fine. Level One of the Evil Cultivation Technique… unlocked.
I can absorb energy. Perfect. Nothing survives… and it's all mine.
He extended his hands.
Dark, rippling energy flowed outward, pulling the thugs' strength from them like a black tide.
Their bodies weakened, shriveled, energy sucked dry.
Even in appearance, they looked less than human—hollow, brittle, broken.
Power surged through Kairo, tingling through every vein, awakening something older, deadlier within his Black Dragon Body.
The clearing fell silent.
Only Kairo remained. Crimson eyes glowing faintly, aura coiled tightly around him like a living beast.
A small, dangerous smile curved his lips.
Level One… unlocked, he whispered. Let's see how far this goes.
Even the wind seemed to pause, and the forest held its breath.