Killing the Enemy

It must be said that President Catherine's ability to assess crises and adapt to changing circumstances on the battlefield is far beyond what ordinary people can achieve.

Even with this temporarily hired Scavenger Gang, she displayed astonishing momentum. Her decisiveness and leading by example left those hunters who initially had reservations with no choice but to charge forward as well.

If she hadn't chosen to lead the fight against these assassins to the death, and hadn't given Rein, that "Ghost Shadow" Qilos, a one-on-one duel, the merchant guild would probably have been wiped out long ago;

Even now, if she doesn't bring people to hunt down the fleeing assassins, and allows those assassins to fully dedicate their efforts to supporting him, Rein definitely won't be able to kill Qilos, and will only choose to protect himself and stop chasing.

It seems the assassins who launched the night raid have been routed and are now safe?

The "Black Skull Phantom Thieves" is not just this one squad. Even if they survive tonight, the pursuit will definitely continue, and these people from the merchant guild may not be able to return to "Black Wind Territory" alive.

Hesitation in any choice could ultimately lead to total annihilation.

Catherine's choice yielded a satisfactory result.

The assassins who had scattered and fled were nowhere to be found, and Catherine did not pursue them. Instead, she led her people to follow the bloodstains on the ground and chased after Rein and his companion.

They fired flares along the way, illuminating the surrounding area for miles and leaving the assassins nowhere to hide; they also fired their guns, the sound of gunfire ringing out, not expecting to hit anything, but their main purpose was to let people know that a group of people were chasing them.

Meanwhile, Rein, who was chasing Qilos, looked up at the flares that had been fired along the way and thought to himself, "Having a smart teammate makes things so much easier."

If it weren't for Catherine and her group behind him, he would never have dared to pursue and kill Qilos so recklessly.

After all, putting everything else aside, there's also the problem of having a Third Tier assassin. Rein isn't confident he can gain any advantage against two Third Tier assassins.

The reason he was able to chase after Qilos in such a sorry state was not because he was strong enough to defeat this "Black Skull" captain, but entirely because of the Fine Needle.

No matter how selfish the phantom thieves are, Qilos is still their captain.

If given the chance, they will definitely try to save them.

But now, Catherine has abandoned any thought of rescuing the assassins.

Although the members of the Chamber of Commerce's Scavenger Gang couldn't catch up with Rein and his group, they weren't far behind either. The Third Tier vice-captain wasn't confident he could kill Rein instantly. Once he was entangled and locked in a stalemate, he would be surrounded by the main force.

Selflessness?

You're overthinking it; there's no one like that in the Phantom Thieves.

The gunshot behind him made Rein think twice. He stared at the dark figure a few hundred meters away and gave chase.

He knew this was the best opportunity to kill [Ghost Shadow] Qilos!

"Damn it, does that guy have inexhaustible battle qi?! Is he really Second Tier Transcendent?"

[Ghost Shadow] Qilos cursed inwardly as he looked at the figure relentlessly pursuing him.

He recognized that Rein was using the "Secret Technique: Divine Speed" from the "Qi Master" lineage.

He had figured out the tricks of martial arts, but that only made him more confused.

This instantaneous movement technique does indeed greatly increase speed, but it also consumes a tremendous amount of energy. It's suitable for short-range dashes, but completely unsuitable for long-distance sprints; neither the muscles nor the battle aura can handle it!

Under normal circumstances, even Second Tier Qi Master, let alone Third Tier one, would not be able to muster any more fighting spirit if they used this extremely energy-consuming profound technique so intensively.

But what do I see now?

We've been running for several kilometers, and that guy keeps making loud "thump, thump, thump" sounds as he stomps his feet, using this [Swiftness] device the whole time.

Why didn't his fighting spirit run out?

Why didn't his muscles break?

(Note: The difference between the two methods of circulating qi between Qi Master and Martial Artist is like the difference between running 100 meters and 400 meters; neither is very sustainable.)

Unbeknownst to Qilos, Rein's advanced Gene Potion and cultivation Cultivation Method were both top-tier. His current battle aura was three times Transcendent of an advanced Golden Potion, and potentially five to ten times that of an ordinary Black Iron Potion Transcendent!

Furthermore, he also has two "mana regeneration buffs"—the [Thunder Totem] and the "Gang Line"—that constantly restore his battle qi. The sudden surge in battle qi consumption is far from enough to exhaust him.

As for muscles?

Rein himself wasn't sure why he hadn't reached his limit. Since the Bloodline Worms matured, his meridians had strengthened, and his muscles had become many times more resilient. Under normal circumstances, continuous use of [Swiftness] would cause muscle fatigue to accumulate exponentially, and he would definitely need to stop and rest after using it a few times; it's like you can't keep running a marathon at the speed of a 100-meter sprint.

But Rein did just that, and apart from finding it a bit strenuous, it didn't seem to be a big problem.

On the other hand, Qilos's condition had deteriorated to the extreme.

The body's muscles, meridians, and organs were Fine Needle.

It's like the "delayed onset muscle soreness" after strenuous exercise; it doesn't hurt when you're still, but it hurts terribly as soon as you move.

At this moment, Qilos finally understood the working principle of the "hidden weapon": the more powerful the battle qi circulation, the stronger the stinging sensation of the needles in his body.

His intuition told him that he had to stop circulating his fighting spirit, or he might die suddenly at any moment.

But now, does he dare to stop?

In a real fight, the amount of battle qi circulation would be several times greater.

Running away is actually the way to consume the least amount of battle qi.

Qilos finally understood why the guy behind him had been chasing him so relentlessly—it was to give him no chance to catch his breath.

His fighting spirit was constantly in motion, and he was constantly being harmed by "hidden weapons".

He could die suddenly at any moment without the other party even lifting a finger.

"Pfft~"

Thinking of this, Qilos couldn't help but spit out another mouthful of blood, but he didn't dare to slow down at all.

"We can only use emergency medication now."

Then, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he took out two more potions from his Storage Ring and plunged them into his neck.

This is a [Speed Frenzy Potion] and a [Special Healing Potion];

Both are emergency medications. After injection, one can quickly heal the body, while the other can powerfully stimulate muscle excitement without consuming extra fighting spirit, and can also increase speed.

However, drugs that stimulate potential in a short period of time all have strong side effects, which means that if the opponent cannot be shaken off after the drug is injected, he will surely die when the weakness period after the drug's stimulation erupts!

Sure enough, as soon as the medicine entered his body, a warm current instantly swept over him, and Qilos immediately felt his muscles filled with power.

With a gust of wind beneath their feet, their speed increased dramatically.

This was the only hope that Qilos could think of to escape his pursuers. He felt that he had used this last resort and that this should be enough to get rid of them.

However, as he dropped the syringe, he glanced back and the hope in his eyes instantly turned into despair.

"Heh, you've started taking drugs, huh?"

The moment Rein saw Qilos take out a syringe and stick it into his neck not far ahead, he understood what the guy was going to do.

Instead of being worried, he was delighted, a reaction he had expected!

"The amber-colored injection, which instantly increases speed by 30%, should be the [KS-II Speed Frenzy Potion] produced by the 'Parsons Medical Association'."

As a professional doctor, how could Rein not know about the common high-end drugs available on the market?

Seeing this, he did not hesitate to pick out an amplification potion and inject it into his neck.

Want to get rid of yourself with drugs? Ha! That's wishful thinking!

When it comes to drug use, not to mention a sly thief, even the wealth of a noble family can't compare to that of Rein.

Even if you, the Phantom Thief, had no access to top-tier potions, what potion in the world could be more potent than the unique potion that the former "Potion Guild Master" Ilubeck concocted for his disciples?

However, this emergency medication was originally intended as a precaution, and since the other party had used it, he naturally followed suit.

Moreover, his non-mass-produced potion is more advanced than the one Qilos, and has fewer side effects!

As for the thing that clearly looked like a "healing potion," Rein didn't pay it much attention.

After all, as long as Qilos's fighting spirit is still running, the injuries caused by the "Fine Needle" will not stop. No matter how powerful the healing potion is, it cannot repair the body as fast as the speed of destruction.

Then, after the two took drugs, the distance between them not only didn't increase, but actually decreased.

But Rein wasn't in a hurry to make a move; he just stayed close behind, intending to run the guy to death.

Clearly, Qilos had also noticed this.

Now that the emergency medication has been administered, there's no turning back; there's no escaping. The only option is to fight to the death before the aftereffects manifest.

Only by killing the pursuers will he have a chance to survive!

Then, near a large sand dune, Ghost Shadow Qilos stopped.

He stared at Rein with a cold, ruthless gaze, as if he were ready to fight to the death.

From the very first day he became a phantom thief, he was prepared to either kill his enemies or be killed by them.

Over the years, he has faced many desperate situations and survived by being ruthless enough to risk his life. This time, it will be the same!

That kind of gaze, like a venomous snake hunting its prey, would make an ordinary person feel like prey in the eyes of a venomous snake just by looking at it, causing them to tremble with fear.

But Rein showed no fear whatsoever, a sinister smile creeping across his lips as he muttered to himself, "So, it's time for a desperate gamble?"

The incident was sudden, yet also somewhat expected.

His entire body was enveloped in a surge of purple battle aura. He assumed a fighting stance and stared intently into his opponent's eyes.

Bazel had taught him some tips for fighting High-tier Extraordinary. To predict an opponent's movements, in addition to sensing changes in their aura, it was essential to keep an eye on their gaze. No matter how high-level the opponent, as long as they were still using visual perception to capture their movements, their attack would inevitably occur after their gaze locked on them.

If it were the old Rein, he would probably have chosen to avoid a direct confrontation at this point.

Since the opponent can't catch up anyway, slowly wearing them down is the safest method. However, if you switch from chasing to running, you can't keep your eyes on the target at all times.

Qilos's nickname "Ghost Shadow" is well-deserved; given any opportunity, he could magically disappear right before your eyes.

Let the venomous enemy go?

Rein is not that merciful.

Moreover, he felt that his understanding of the "Thunder Tiger Momentum" was just one step away from completion, and he needed a battle that would make him feel the danger to help him advance.

Second Tier Transcendent could no longer give him that sense of crisis, but there happened to be Third Tier one right in front of him.

The enemy at full strength couldn't defeat Qilos, but now that he's seriously injured, it's perfect.

Those who possess "strength-based" Transcendent must ultimately follow the path of direct confrontation and masculine strength. Those Transcendent choose this path inevitably possess an imposing aura and will always face crises head-on.

Thinking of this, Rein also became eager to fight.

The domineering "tiger's might" in my heart has quietly begun to take shape.

This battle, after all, will be a fight to the death.

The two stopped and immediately engaged in a fierce battle without exchanging a single word.

"Whoosh~"

An assassin's Movement Technique is far less dramatic than a fighter's; it appears light and airy, yet its speed is extremely fast.

Qilos used [Ghost Shadow], it was more like a ghost, leaving a series of afterimages in the reflection of Rein's pupils, and it came at lightning speed.

The Third Tier Extraordinary battle aura could remain within his body. Qilos gripped his twin daggers in a reverse grip, like the Poison Fang of a viper, and charged menacingly towards Rein. With a swift upward slash, two wind blades swept towards him.

At this moment, Rein's senses were heightened to their limit. He knew, even with just a glance, that he couldn't possibly keep up with this elite Third Tier assassin. In that split second, his ears twitched slightly, and the hairs on the back of his neck sensed a faint, oppressive aura.

"Behind you!"

Rein's pupils contracted sharply, and without paying attention to the two wind blades in front of him, he turned around and blocked them.

Sure enough, his judgment was correct.

"Clang~"

A crisp sound like metal striking metal rang out as a gauntlet-clad fist made contact with the sharp blade of a dagger.

For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate. The immense force from the dagger caused him to involuntarily sink at the waist, taking half a step back before regaining his balance. One could only imagine the consequences if that stab had landed on the back of his head.

Clearly, the enemy already knew of his extraordinary "Gang Line stitching" ability; even a pierced heart might not kill him, so a blown-out head would certainly kill him. Even for vampires, who are known as "undead," the head is a fatal weakness!

Professional thieves don't give others a chance to engage in prolonged combat. Having already been caught with his chain knife once before, Qilos had no interest in engaging in a second "foolish act" of trading injury for injury with Rein.

When the plan failed, the ghostly figure reappeared and disappeared once more.

After this attack, the two wind blades from before finally struck Rein's back, leaving two painless, inconsequential bloodstains.

As soon as the Ghost Shadow disappeared from his sight, Rein became alert. His senses had already picked up on the person who had appeared beside him again.

Looking at Qilos's bowing posture, Rein knew what the guy was up to.

This is also an essential martial art skill for assassins: the Tendon Slice.

This knife was aimed at his right ankle!

However, by the time he sensed the danger, the blade had already cut through his skin.

For anyone else, severing the Achilles tendon with this strike would inevitably shift their center of gravity, whether they dodge or take the hit. The enemy could then follow up with a combo, aiming for a vital spot.

"Snort!"

Rein's pupils contracted as he anticipated the opponent's movements, but he made no attempt to dodge, allowing the dagger to sever his Achilles tendon. Instead, he seized the opportunity to turn around and slam his hand down on the ground, precisely grabbing the Ghost Shadow's neck before pressing it down again.

With this Monstrous Strength, the figure was slammed onto the sand with a loud thud.

Then came the cannon punch, a second attack, a punch that slammed into his head like a cannonball hitting the ground, instantly creating a huge crater!

Although he couldn't break through Qilos's Bodyguard Battle Qi, in terms of pure strength, Rein was in no way inferior!

"Wrong!"

But after that punch, Rein immediately noticed that the texture was wrong. It didn't feel like a blow to a human body; it felt like a block of wood.

"Assassin's Profound Martial Technique: Phantom Substitute!"

Rein instantly realized he had been tricked.

Although they were extremely cautious in dealing with Qilos, they were still caught off guard by his exceptional combat prowess.

Just as Rein was punching the ground stand puppet, those two cunning daggers came flying toward his neck!

This sophisticated assassin combo would surely catch even Second Tier expert, let alone a Third Tier- tier one like Rein. Once hit, life or death would hang in the balance.

But Rein's situation is different from others!

Unlike others, he didn't need to protect his vital organs. Almost without hesitation, he raised his hand and used his flesh and blood to meet the sharp dagger head-on.

"Pfft~"

With a soft spurt of blood, the dagger easily pierced the upper arm muscle of the left arm. Taking advantage of the moment of being stabbed, Rein reacted, his right arm striking out with lightning speed, grabbing the wrist holding the dagger.

"Gotcha!"

Rein's expression hardened, and he made a move to exert force, intending to overpower the other man and subdue Qilos first.

Almost the instant he grabbed the enemy's wrist, he heard a "crack" sound from the joint, and it felt like he had grabbed a slippery Ni Qiu, instantly slipping out of his grasp.

Once the joint shifts, it has already escaped control.

Then the Ghost Shadow retreated dozens of meters, creating a safe distance.

"What a brilliant technique for dissipating force through the joints."

Rein straightened up and squinted at the figure that was retreating rapidly in the distance.

At this moment, Qilos had taken off his hooded coat and used it on his "stand-in," revealing his muscular upper body.

However, due to the "Fine Needle," blood beads were seeping out of every pore on his body, and his skin was covered in blood-red steam, making him look quite frightening.

Rein was also in bad shape. In one exchange, he was stabbed twice in the back, his right ankle was severed, and a green poison dagger was pierced through his left upper arm.

He expressionlessly pulled out the dagger, and a spurt of black blood sprayed onto the sand, emitting a hissing, corrosive white smoke. Then, the Gang Line instantly healed the wound.

If it weren't for his Extraordinary Sequence healing abilities, he wouldn't have had a chance to fight back in that round, even if he hadn't lost his life.

But now, it's perfectly intact!

If strength isn't enough, potions will do the trick. After injecting another [Secret Refined Healing Potion] into his body, Rein felt pretty good.

Moreover, he felt great right now.

The concept of "comprehension" is extremely mysterious. No one can clearly express in words what the "momentum" of the Third Tier Extraordinary is. Ten thousand people can comprehend ten thousand different kinds of "momentum".

Even with numerous demonstrations and guidance from bigwigs like Bazel, Rein still felt it was like looking at flowers through the fog or the moon's reflection in the water—illusory and unattainable, and he could never truly make it his own.

The feeling was wonderful, like a gentle breeze on your face, clearing your mind, but you couldn't quite grasp it.

But now, that feeling is becoming clearer and more tangible. He feels that he is gradually understanding the feeling of "the breeze is all in one's palm".

Rein was enjoying the moment.

On the other hand, the expression on the face of Ghost Shadow Qilos, the notorious thief whose mere name was enough to strike fear into people, grew increasingly grim.

His lungs, riddled with holes, leaked air everywhere, making his breathing extremely inefficient. Like a fish out of water, he had to gasp for air just to ensure his body received enough oxygen.

But he also knew that if he dragged it out any longer, his chances of survival would become increasingly slim.

After creating distance, he didn't hesitate at all. Instantly, his light blue wind-elemental battle aura surged, and the venomous snake phantom behind him became increasingly ferocious and solid, clearly indicating that he had entered a full-power burst state.

He knew very well that if he unleashed his full power, he might be stabbed to death on the spot by that "hidden weapon"; but if he didn't do so, he would be slowly worn down and killed like a frog in boiling water!

The notorious thief chose the former without hesitation.

We've risked our lives before!

After his fighting spirit surged, the dagger in his hand also gleamed with a menacing aura, with a three-finger-wide beam of energy condensing on its blade. He pushed off the ground with a powerful "whoosh" and charged towards his opponent once more.

"It's a fight to the death!"

Rein stared intently at the aura emanating from the dagger, his eyes filled with seriousness, yet he showed no fear as he met the attack head-on.

He knew it was time to decide the victor.

The two were locked in fierce combat again in the blink of an eye, their figures clashing amidst the yellow sand and blood splattering everywhere.

Both sides fought with a life-or-death mentality, gambling on who would die first and who was afraid of dying.

Fortunately, Rein had a pair of renowned boxing gloves that were impervious to cuts; otherwise, if he had used his bare fists to block that dagger, which was sharp enough to easily cut through stone and gold, his fingers would probably have been sliced off countless times.

Rein's wounds multiplied, and despite his best efforts to dodge, he eventually ran out of "Gang Line" to stitch up almost all of his wounds, except for the fatal ones.

But Qilos was in an even worse situation; the longer the time dragged on, the lower his chances of survival became.

Rein's meticulous handling left the enemy with no chance to fight back.

Ultimately, the "Fine Needle" that had been roaming within his body, fueled by his full-force attack, brought about disastrous consequences. After a long and arduous battle failing to defeat Rein, Qilos knew that further delay would mean certain death. In his desperation, he attempted to unleash some secret technique or ultimate attack. However, his battle aura collapsed like a pillar, even disintegrating his Bodyguard Battle Qi. He was then struck by Rein's powerful punch and died, spitting blood.

And so, the infamous Sixteenth Squad Captain of the "Black Skull Phantom Thieves," Ghost Shadow Qilos, died in this desert, at the hands of a Second Tier Transcendent.

Although Rein had the advantage of the "Fine Needle" as a surprise weapon, he, a Second Tier Transcendent, single-handedly killed [Ghost Shadow] Qilos, a figure even High-tier Extraordinary feared. This feat was absolutely unexpected by everyone.

Calculation, equipment, and luck are also part of strength.

Catherine and her group were delayed for a moment because they were ambushed by assassins on the way.

By the time the members of the Chamber of Commerce arrived, the battle was already over.

They were watching as Rein, covered in blood, sat on the sand, panting heavily, stitching up his wounds with surgical needles and thread.

Everyone was stunned by what they saw, speechless for a long time.