I Can Kill It

"Whoosh—!"

Amidst the howling wind, the dagger sent flying by Kurusu Kunoichi's single slash spun like a windmill, rapidly rotating through the air and arcing upward.

Moments later, the dagger's tip stabbed heavily into the carriage ceiling, embedding itself firmly there.

"Shing—!"

Facing Fang Li, who had lost his weapon, Kurusu Kunoichi's eyes sharpened. The longsword in his hand carried the sound of wind cutting, like a bright arc of light, transforming into a crescent-shaped violent slash that hacked ruthlessly down toward Fang Li's body.

And precisely, Fang Li's repeated retreats had backed him against the wall, leaving him unable to take another step back.

In other words, this slash was impossible for Fang Li to dodge.

Instantly, cries of shock rose from all around.

Especially Ikoma, who watched the scene unfold with his eyes wide open, nearly splitting at the corners.

To this, Kurusu Kunoichi showed no reaction at all. His expression was cold, his gaze fierce, and the longsword in his hand descended like thunder, cutting down at Fang Li without mercy.

In that moment, Kurusu Kunoichi was certain of his victory.

Yet, just as Kurusu Kunoichi's slash was about to land on Fang Li, Fang Li's body suddenly tensed. He leaped straight up, jumping into midair.

"Clang—!"

With a piercing clash of metal, Kurusu Kunoichi's sure-kill slash struck the wall Fang Li had retreated to, sparking violently and leaving a white scar upon it.

This time, it was Kurusu Kunoichi's turn to have his palm numbed by the recoil force, and he couldn't help but let out a muffled grunt.

But Kurusu Kunoichi still forced his head up, looking above.

There, Fang Li had leaped up, jumping straight into midair, his body inverted, his feet planted on the carriage ceiling as if hanging upside down. His Ice-Blue Demon Eyes swept toward Kurusu Kunoichi.

"—!"

Kurusu Kunoichi felt a chill run through his entire body, a shadow of death rising in his heart.

And then, Fang Li reached out and firmly grasped the dagger embedded nearby.

Gravity finally began to act on Fang Li's body, pulling him downward.

But before that, Fang Li stomped heavily on the ceiling, his entire body shooting down like an arrow descending from the sky, aimed at Kurusu Kunoichi below. The dagger in his hand gleamed like a sharp fang, flashing with cold light.

"Too naive!"

Kurusu Kunoichi's expression sharpened. He suddenly raised his longsword, blocking it above himself.

Unfortunately, Kurusu Kunoichi didn't know that Fang Li wanted exactly this obvious block from him.

"This way, I can't miss the cut, can I?!"

Falling from above, Fang Li raised the dagger high. His Ice-Blue Demon Eyes clearly saw the Death Lines on the longsword blade that Kurusu Kunoichi had raised to block.

"Even if it's a weapon, if I can see its 'death,' I can kill it!"

The moment those words fell, Fang Li, shooting downward, brought the dagger he held high slashing down.

This time, Fang Li smoothly cut into the Death Line of Kurusu Kunoichi's longsword.

Thus, the sharp dagger sank into the steel weapon as easily as if it were fragile paper, severing it effortlessly.

"Crack—!"

Like a broken branch, the longsword in Kurusu Kunoichi's hands was cleanly cut through.

"What?!" Kurusu Kunoichi was greatly shocked.

In that instant, Fang Li landed on the ground, took a step forward, and closed in, his body pressing into the arms of Kurusu Kunoichi, who had lost his weapon.

Kurusu Kunoichi's expression shifted again and again.

But by now, reacting was completely too late.

A cold sensation assaulted Kurusu Kunoichi's nerves.

The dagger, gleaming with cold light, pressed tightly against Kurusu Kunoichi's throat, slightly piercing the skin there, causing a trace of blood to seep from his neck.

"Drip..."

Blood beads slowly dripped from the dagger pressed against the tiny wound, falling to the ground.

Kurusu Kunoichi stared at the face so close to his, his eyes shifting rapidly.

"Haah... haah..."

Fang Li panted slightly. The Ice-Blue Demon Eyes quietly faded, revealing a pair of pitch-black pupils filled with exhaustion.

All sound around them vanished completely, leaving utter silence.

Everyone watched the scene before them—Fang Li holding the dagger to Kurusu Kunoichi's throat—and couldn't speak a single word for a long time.

What a familiar scene this was.

Three days ago, on the arena of the Martial Contest, Fang Li had similarly held a dagger to Kurusu Kunoichi's throat and claimed victory.

Only, back then, Fang Li had won more by outsmarting Kurusu Kunoichi than by overpowering him.

At the cost of injury, Fang Li had secured that victory.

Three days later, Fang Li once again claimed victory from Kurusu Kunoichi.

But this time, Fang Li had won fair and square.

So no one had anything left to say. Only Ikoma looked genuinely surprised.

As a result, a long silence fell over the scene, with no one breaking it.

In the end, the first person to speak was still Fang Li.

Watching Kurusu Kunoichi's shifting, uncertain gaze, Fang Li suddenly smiled.

"That means I win, right?"

Just like the arena match three days ago.

Just like the exact same words at the end of that match.

Kurusu Kunoichi stared fixedly at Fang Li. After a moment, he closed his eyes.

"You win..."

Those words sealed Fang Li's victory.

"Rank B side mission complete. 5,000 Exchange Points awarded."

As the system's notification rang through Fang Li's mind, Kurusu Kunoichi had already turned his back and was walking toward the door leading to the next car.

"Kurusu." Kibito Aragane couldn't help but call out. "Are you going to stand aside?"

Kurusu Kunoichi stopped in his tracks without turning around. "This is a promise between him and me."

Kibito Aragane had nothing to say.

But the surrounding warriors began to speak up.

"But, Kurusu, that guy is in league with those two monsters!"

"If we let them go, who knows if they'll turn everyone on the Iron Fortress into Kabane?!"

"When that happens, we'll all die!"

The voices of the warriors made Kurusu Kunoichi suddenly open his eyes and sweep his gaze across them.

His eyes were sharp as blades.

The warriors' voices died in their throats.

Under that gaze, Kurusu Kunoichi spoke coldly.

"I am a warrior. Don't make me abandon even the most basic dignity of a warrior."

The warriors could no longer speak.

"B-but... they're Kabane!"

Only a very few still struggled.

Kurusu Kunoichi said expressionlessly, "I've already agreed not to interfere. What you do is none of my business."

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