Brothers Clash Again

Kennen initially wanted Shen and Zed to settle things separately, but after hearing that this matter was related to the Vastaya, he immediately decided to set off. ღ(¯`◕‿◕´¯) ♫ ♪ ♫ ♫ ♪ ♫ (¯`◕‿◕´¯)ღ

Besides the two of us, Wukong and Akali also followed. Wukong's arrival was expected, but Akali is only twelve years old, and I didn't want her to take any risks.

Kennen was quite relieved. He said that Akali, after his and Shen's dedicated training, was now quite strong, and that the ancient Shadow Bloodline flowing through her veins might have an unexpected effect when fighting the Vastaya.

According to Shen's investigation, the Shadow Cult members have been frequently appearing in the deep mountains of the east recently, and the Raven is very likely there, so we headed straight east, only to encounter them halfway there.

Shen stood alone with his head held high, facing more than twenty Shadow Ninja, led by Zed.

Zed has changed quite a bit. Before, he was just more covered up, but now he's just like in the game, with a helmet on top of a mask, and a lot of iron weapons on his body, especially the huge Steel Claws on his two arms, which make him look very fierce.

Kennen didn't recognize him at first, but he sensed Zed's power. "It seems that besides Kayn, whom you mentioned, Zed has gained another powerful subordinate."

"This is Jie himself, only his aura and appearance have changed."

"You've seen him?"

"Uh... sort of." That's how it looks in the game, it's not easy to explain.

We didn't rush over; instead, we first scouted the surrounding area to make sure there were no ambushes before we felt relieved.

Shen had just arrived, and he also didn't recognize Jie. The two stood facing each other, neither speaking, but the killing intent around them was clearly pervasive.

Suddenly, without warning, the two clashed, and in a flash, they were back in the same spot. Shen recognized Jie:

"It is indeed you, you've changed a lot, but techniques don't lie."

"You've changed a lot too; you're stronger than when you killed me."

"Our feud should be settled between the two of us; there's no need to involve innocent people."

"That's not how you did it back then. You were chasing and ambushing Shadow Stream cult members everywhere, killing quite a few people."

"I was misled by Jin back then and did something wrong. I don't beg for your forgiveness, I just hope to use my life to resolve this conflict. Many people have died on both sides, you didn't want this to happen, did you?"

"Jin? You mean he was behind all of this?"

"Yes, after I killed you, Jhin told me everything..."

Shen recounted the events of that time without omitting or distorting anything, hoping only to gain Jie's understanding.

After listening, Jie remained silent for a moment, then laughed, "Hahaha, I've always longed to know the truth, and now that I have, I find it's nothing special."

"What's the meaning?"

"I'm going to kill you, and then wipe out the Kinkou Order!"

"In that case, I have no choice."

Shen did not gain Jie's understanding, not even by sacrificing his own life. He had no choice but to accept Jie's challenge.

Since the Shadow Ninja haven't made a move, we don't need to rush to help. Staying in the shadows will give us more control.

Just like their previous encounter, the two clashed again without warning, suddenly disappearing from their spots with a speed so fast it was almost unsettling. By the time we heard the clash of weapons, they had already moved on to their next move.

Shen had two knives on his back, a steel blade and a Soul Blade. At this moment, he only drew the steel blade to fight off Jie's Steel Claws.

Zed's fighting style was the same as before; his unique movement technique left many afterimages around him, which were both real and illusory, making them difficult to defend against.

Fortunately, Shen knew him very well, and a steel knife protected his entire body, so he was not harmed.

Unlike before, Zed was much more composed. He used to always avoid direct confrontation, but now he was completely unconcerned about the clash of weapons.

As the battle intensified, Zed's figure became almost invisible; his shadow filled the surroundings, making him a one-man army.

Shen slowed down more and more until his body seemed to freeze, only occasionally raising his arm to block the Steel Claws's sudden attack.

Of course, he didn't actually slow down; he simply used some secret technique to form a defensive array.

Just when the situation was at a standstill, Zed used his secret technique, the same move that killed Alanta, the Chains of Shadow.

There were only three shadows back then, but now there are countless figures.

Having witnessed this move before, Shen was no longer overconfident. He reached out and drew his Soul Blade, making it ethereal. Since he couldn't defend against it, he would let the attack pass through.

As the afterimages disappeared, Zed and Shen returned to their original positions, their breathing perfectly steady.

"It seems you've grasped the essence of the Kinkou Order; this is the true illusion, not the afterimage I create through speed."

"This wasn't something I figured out on my own; it was thanks to the Soul Blade left by my father. On the contrary, you mastered this killing formation solely through your talent and hard work. It's truly enviable."

You admire my talent and hard work, but I admire your ignorance and fearlessness. When the two collide, the fearless will surely win.

"Brother, why don't you come back to the Kinkou Order with me? We've already taken so many detours, why cling to past hatred?"

Shen saw that Jie's tone had softened and thought he had wavered, but he was clearly wrong. Jie had simply made up his mind!

"You're wrong, Shen. I won't be like I was when we were kids, easily swayed by a few words. I'm heartbroken right now because you're about to die here!"

After Jie finished speaking, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, and his two Steel Claws suddenly swelled up a bit, creating a shockwave that radiated forward with a violent aura!

Shen was taken aback and quickly defended, but was still knocked back several steps. Seeing Zed's current state, he immediately became intangible again.

"You think intangibility makes you invincible? Let me show you true power!"

Zed relentlessly swung his claws, unleashing countless shockwaves outwards, transforming himself from a Ninja into a mage.

The shockwave hit Shen Hunhua but didn't cause any damage; strangely, it didn't pass through his body!

Shin also noticed the anomaly. He stopped taking the attack head-on and instead dodged left and right, gradually enveloped in a layer of purple light.

With the added light, Shen's speed increased significantly, and his intangibility could not be maintained for long. He rushed towards Zed, wanting to finish the fight quickly.

Now the roles have reversed; Shen is on the offensive, and Zed is on the defensive.

Shen grew increasingly anxious as the fight progressed, while Jie remained composed throughout. Soon after, he abruptly retreated, a contemptuous smile on his face.

"Heh, you comprehended the ultimate technique using the Soul Blade left behind by your father, but I was also fortunate enough to Bai Juen and master powerful Natural Power. Now you can fall!"