Taking the Lead

"Ah!?"

Nicola's vision flooded crimson, and terror spread across her face.

Just as she immediately manipulated the water currents, trying to drive away the surrounding mist, that black figure silently emerged from the far side of the bloody fog, flickering behind Nicola like a ghost.

Nicola turned to look, her expression freezing and her heart turning ice-cold. Her fingers instinctively tried to pluck the strings again, but before she could, a crimson blade-light had already mercilessly swept across her shoulders.

Swish.

Accompanied by a crisp, clean whistle of steel cutting the air, Nicola's two arms and the "Thunder Psalm Harp" were severed from her body forever.

"..."

Nicola lowered her head to look at her empty shoulders, then raised it to stare at the young hunter before her.

"..."

Ye Chen met her gaze with an icy expression, then silently lowered the scarlet Blood Blade in his hand.

"You..."

"Just... what..."

"Urgh... Aah..."

Nicola stared blankly at Ye Chen in disbelief, letting out a hoarse whimper filled with shock and despair.

Then, countless lines of blood emerged all across her body.

Crack, crack, crack.

As a succession of bone and flesh tearing apart rang out, the body of this top-tier Clown split into over a hundred tiny chunks of flesh, smoothly shattering apart before Ye Chen's eyes.

Ye Chen expressionlessly stepped aside to avoid Nicola's flesh and blood, while also confirming that no abyssal parasite had taken root within her.

Thus, Ye Chen seized the lead, becoming the first to slay one of the top-tier Clowns.

Then, with its owner's death, the entire domain of water immediately began to collapse and disintegrate on all fronts.

Feeling the normal pull of gravity return to the space, Ye Chen stood in midair through the technique of "Spirit Void," then turned to look