Ren Kai appeared the next instant.

His sword came down in a precise, controlled strike, aiming not for power, but for a decisive hit.

Aiden met it.

Clang.

This time, neither moved.

For a brief second, they held, and Ren Kai’s eyes locked onto his.

"You’re not human," he said quietly.

Aiden’s expression didn’t change.

"Maybe," he replied.

Then his free hand moved again.

"Bone Prison."

The ground burst open behind Ren Kai.

Bone ribs shot upward, trying to close in.

Ren Kai reacted instantly, jumping back just before the cage could form, but it forced him to disengage.

Again.

Another interruption.

Another break in their rhythm.

Aiden pressed forward.

Relentless.

His attacks came faster now, heavier, more precise. Every movement carried intent, every strike forcing them to react instead of act.

Even with the boost...

They were being pushed back.

Step by step.

Hao Jin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, breathing harder now.

"His abilities are annoying."

Cai Wen steadied himself, eyes locked on Aiden.

He said. "We pressure him together. Don’t give him time to use them."

Aiden, standing a short distance away, heard every word.

A faint smile touched his lips. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at them.

’Damn... these guys are pretty good.’

Even with everything he had, they were still standing. Still adapting. Still pushing back.

His thoughts shifted for a moment.

’So this is what a Qi Sense Stage master leaves behind...’

His gaze flickered briefly toward the faint Qi coating surrounding them.

’Just an item... and it’s already this troublesome.’

Aiden let out a quiet breath.

"Then let’s see how long you can keep it up."

His hand lifted again.

This time, there was no pause.

No buildup.

The air around him twisted.

And then— 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"Bone Spear."

They formed in the air.

One.

Then another.

Then ten.

Then more.

Sharp, white spears condensed out of nothing, their tips already pointed forward before they even fully took shape. For a split second, they hovered, trembling slightly like arrows held at full draw.

Then they fired.

At first, it was controlled.

A volley.

Ren Kai moved immediately, his blade flashing as he deflected the first spear, then shifted his body to let the second pass by his shoulder.

"Stay moving!" he shouted.

But Aiden didn’t stop.

His hand remained raised.

And the spears kept forming.

Again.

And again.

Like a machine that didn’t need to reload.

"Bone Spear."

"Bone Spear."

"Bone Spear."

The air filled with them.

They shot forward continuously, not in a single burst, but in an unending stream, each one adjusting slightly, forcing movement, closing angles, cutting off escape.

"Damn it!" Hao Jin roared as he slammed his blade against an incoming spear, shattering it, only to be forced to twist aside as another came straight for his chest.

Cai Wen’s rings spun wildly, knocking several spears off course, but even he was starting to fall behind.

"There’s too many!"

Lian Yue moved like flowing water, deflecting what she could, dodging the rest, but even her breathing had turned uneven now.

Ren Kai’s eyes sharpened.

He stepped forward instead of back.

His blade moved faster, sharper, cutting down spears one after another, his movements precise, conserving energy, choosing only the ones he couldn’t avoid.

"Don’t panic!" he shouted.

But even as he said it, there wasn’t one.

Aiden adjusted with every shot. Changed angles, timing, forced them to think and react.

And slowly...

They started slipping.

A spear grazed Hao Jin’s arm.

Another cut across Cai Wen’s side.

Lian Yue stumbled half a step as one struck too close, the impact throwing off her balance.

Then, Shen Lu.

He moved in again, trying to close the distance, trying to break the rhythm.

"Get in close!" he shouted. "Don’t let him keep—"

Three spears formed at once.

Right in front of him.

His eyes widened.

"...Shit—"

The first one pierced through his shoulder.

The second struck his side, breaking through the thin Qi layer just enough to drive into flesh.

The third, hit his chest.

The force lifted him off the ground.

For a brief second, everything seemed to slow.

Then he was thrown back.

Hard.

His body hit the ground and slid several meters before coming to a stop.

Silence.

Just for a moment.

"Shen Lu!" Hao Jin shouted.

No response.

Shen Lu lay there, unmoving.

Blood spreading slowly beneath him.

No one could tell if he was breathing, or not.

Cai Wen’s expression darkened.

"...Damn it."

Ren Kai didn’t look away from Aiden.

But his grip tightened.

Aiden lowered his hand slightly, the barrage stopping just as suddenly as it began.

The air cleared.

Fragments of shattered bone spears littered the ground.

For a brief moment, the battlefield seemed to breathe again.

Then everything broke.

A heavy force landed beside them, the ground cracking slightly under the weight.

Voss.

His armor was scratched, parts of it dented, his breathing rough, but his eyes were sharp, wide in a way they hadn’t been before.

"Young Master Ren Kai," he said, his voice low but urgent, cutting through everything, "we need to leave. Now."

Ren Kai didn’t move.

His gaze stayed on Aiden.

"...We’re still holding," he replied.

Voss shook his head immediately.

"No," he said, firmer this time. "We’re not."

That made the others pause.

Hao Jin frowned, still gripping his blade tightly.

"What are you talking about? We can still—"

"Look around," Voss cut in.

Just two words.

But something in his tone made them listen.

One by one, their attention shifted.

And what they saw...

Was not the battlefield they thought they were in.

The defensive line behind them was gone.

Not pushed back.

Gone.

What remained of the allied forces was already breaking apart, scattered into small groups, some still fighting, most running, their formations completely collapsed under the relentless pressure of the undead.

The elders of the Clear Water Sect, who had been holding the rear, were no longer advancing.

They were retreating.

Some of them were already injured, their movements slower, forced back step by step as waves of skeletons pressed forward without pause, without fear, without exhaustion.

One of the clan leaders shouted in the distance.

"Fall back! Fall back!"

Another voice followed, filled with panic.

"We can’t hold them anymore!"

The realization hit all at once.

Cai Wen’s expression shifted first.

"...We’re losing," he said quietly.

Hao Jin clenched his jaw, turning his head sharply as if refusing to accept it, but the more he looked, the clearer it became.

They weren’t just losing ground.

They were collapsing.

Lian Yue’s grip on her spear tightened.

"...Since when..." she whispered.

No one answered.

Because none of them noticed when it started.

Aiden gave them no time to notice.

Ren Kai stood still for a second longer.

Then his jaw tightened.

"...Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

Another wave of undead surged forward in the distance, cutting off what little space remained between the retreating forces.

Voss stepped closer.

"If we stay," he said, quieter now, but no less urgent, "we get surrounded. And once that happens..."

He didn’t finish.

Ren Kai understood.

They all did.

Ren Kai exhaled slowly, forcing the frustration down.

Then he made the call.

"...We’re pulling out."

Hao Jin looked like he wanted to argue.

He didn’t.

Instead, he turned immediately, rushing toward where Shen Lu had fallen.

"Help me!"

Cai Wen moved with him without hesitation, the two of them lifting Shen Lu carefully. His body was still warm, but limp, blood soaking through his clothes.

"...He’s still breathing," Cai Wen said quickly, though his voice was tight.

"Then don’t let him die," Hao Jin snapped.

Lian Yue stepped in, helping stabilize him as best as she could.

Ren Kai turned back one last time.

His eyes locked onto Aiden again. Standing there, unmoving.

Like everything that just happened had already been expected.

Aiden met his gaze.

Just quiet understanding.

Ren Kai’s grip tightened around his sword.

"...This isn’t over," he said.

Aiden didn’t respond.

He simply watched as they began to retreat.

Behind Ren Kai, Voss and the remaining elders formed a moving barrier, cutting down the undead that tried to close in, buying just enough time for them to pull back.

"Move!" Voss barked.

"Don’t stop!"

They moved fast.

Step by step, they broke away from the center of the battlefield, carrying Shen Lu with them, pushing through the chaos as everything behind them continued to collapse.

And Aiden...

Didn’t chase.

He stood there, sword still in hand, his expression unreadable as he watched them go.

After a few seconds, he let out a quiet breath.

He stood there for a moment longer, watching their retreating figures disappear into the chaos of the battlefield.

Then the tension left his shoulders.

Just a little.

He exhaled slowly.

"...I’m at my limit too," he murmured under his breath.

The words were quiet, almost lost beneath the distant sounds of fighting, but they were real.

For the first time since the clash began, his posture shifted.

Not outwardly.

But inside.

The strain was there.

His grip on the sword loosened slightly, his fingers stiff from repeated impact. His breathing remained controlled, but heavier than before, each inhale drawing in air that felt thicker than it should.

He closed his eyes briefly.

And felt it.

Across the battlefield, his undead were still fighting, still advancing, still tearing through what remained of the defenders.

But every time one of them was destroyed...

He felt it, a drain.

He rolled his shoulder slightly, the bone armor fading off his body as he released the skill. The hardened layer crumbled away into fragments before dissolving into nothing.

"Ah, so tired," he muttered.