Shadow Assassin Rebirth

CHAPTER 1 — The Last Night of Li Wei

Drip… drip… drip… The rain pounded the mountainside, drowning out all hope. The mingling scent of blood and wet earth filled the air. Crackle… hiss… thud! Broken armor lay scattered like discarded dreams. Lightning slashed across the stormy sky, casting crimson and azure hues onto the desolation. The world felt as if it were taking its final bow.

Amidst the heap of fallen bodies stood Li Wei, a man transformed. His hair sparkled silver-gray despite his youth; his skin, pale and etched with lines of accelerated aging. He gasped, each breath a struggle, as steam curled from his skin. A faint mark of an ancient god burned on his chest. Behind him, the ruined temple quaked with echoes of his victory; he had cleared the Ruins of the Ancient God. But now, his strength waned. His sword clattered to the ground, a final farewell. Clang! He fell to one knee, panting, as thunder rolled ominously overhead. His eyes, calm yet tormented, fixed on the swirling light—the Eye of Judgment—hovering above the shattered altar.

Then came footsteps, velvet-soft in the rain. Tap… tap… tap… He turned to find her—Li Xue, his sister. Rain dripped from her long hair, framing a face defined by cold beauty. Cloaked in black, she wielded a dagger that shimmered with divine essence.

“You actually did it, Li Wei,” she murmured, each word a chilling caress. “You cleaned up our mess.”

Li Wei blinked, confusion and fatigue intertwining. “For us?” he echoed weakly, seeking clarity. Li Xue tilted her head, a thunderous silence wrapping around them.

“You cleared the ruins, faced the guardians, and unlocked the Eye of Judgment.” Her tone shifted—now sharp, laced with pride.

“Now we simply need to claim it.”

His heart thudded loudly—thump… thump… He attempted to rise, but pain coursed through his legs, a cruel reminder of the curse that besieged him. Reaching for his sword, he felt the chill of Li Xue's dagger poised at his chest. Shhhk!

“Li Xue…” he managed to whisper, voice trembling like a fading echo. “What are you doing?” Rain streamed down his face, blurring the betrayal’s sting. She remained still, her gaze devoid of love, even hate—just an icy indifference.

“I’m doing what I should have done long ago,” she asserted. “You’re not my brother, Li Wei. You never were.”

Time froze, the wind howled. Whooosh… crackle… Silence enveloped them for a heartbeat. He forced a fractured smile. “Don’t joke like that…” he replied softly, shaking his head. “I raised you, after Father and Mother—”

“—After they took you in,” she interjected coldly. “Don’t twist the truth. You were merely a child they pitied. Our blood doesn’t merge.”

Her words cut deeper than any blade ever could. Li Wei opened his mouth, but no sound emerged. His throat was parched as if a desert filled his chest. Hhh… ahhh… He had battled monsters, gods, and the very systems of LYTABERN, but this betrayal felt like the ultimate death.

Suddenly, a tall blonde man emerged from the shadows. His cloak shimmered with golden patterns, glowing dimly in the rain's embrace. Yang Xun (杨勋), the serpent poised to strike. He placed a hand on Li Xue’s shoulder, his smile faint and foreboding.

“Impressive, Li Wei. Useful, it seems, after all.”

Li Wei glared, fighting to hold onto his strength. “You… used me…”

Yang Xun chuckled. Pfft. “Used? No, no… you were merely fulfilling your calling—dying for someone else.” He beckoned, and the Eye of Judgment floated toward him, landing softly in his hand. Its light dimmed, sensing Li Wei’s despair.

“Thank you, Li Wei,” Yang Xun said, his voice silky smooth. “Without you, this would not be ours. You helped us navigate every curse and trap. You’ve done enough.”

Li Wei’s eyes widened as a deep agony pierced his chest. He looked down—there, a black blade burrowed within him. The Soul-Stealing Blade. Crack… thud… hisss… Yang Xun twisted it slightly, causing Li Wei to gasp.

“Do you like my parting gift?” Yang Xun whispered, his breath cold against Li Wei's ear.

Li Wei trembled, rain pummeling down. Boom! Thunder exploded overhead. His thoughts blurred, memories flickering—Li Xue’s tears when their parents perished, him carrying her through desolate cities, feeding her when hope ran thin, shielding her from monsters after LYTABERN rewrote their lives. He had protected her time and again, fought armies for her, bled for her, sacrificed his youth. And now… she looked at him with disdain.

“You always meddled in my life,” Li Xue said, her voice steady yet trembling. “You bossed me around, acting like a hero. But you’re just a broken man in a hero’s guise.” Her hand quivered around the dagger but remained firm.

“Back then, when Yang Xun and I needed your strength, you mattered,” she continued. “But now that we have the Eye of Judgment… you’re disposable.”

Li Wei's spirit dimmed, wishing to shout, but his voice faltered. “So… all those years… everything I did… was worthless?”

“It was for yourself,” she hissed. “You craved significance. You sought a purpose.”

Yang Xun chuckled softly. Heh. “How poetic. A man who sacrificed everything only to be left with nothing.” He stepped closer, raising the Soul-Stealing Blade higher. The divine energy pulsated, drawing the remnants of Li Wei’s life away.

Li Wei’s hands trembled, barely gripping his sword. Clink… It fell from his fingers, echoing the finality of his fate. His knees buckled; he crashed to the ground once more—hard. Thud! His breath grew slow and labored. Haa… haa… haa… The mountain wind swelled, whispering the souls of battles long past. Hmmm… hmmm… shhhh… The ground trembled as the ruins began to collapse. Yang Xun raised his weapon, ready to deliver the final blow.

“Don’t worry,” he said, cold as a winter's night. “I’ll take good care of Li Xue.”

Li Wei gazed upward one last time, lips moving slowly.

“You… won’t… get away… with this…”

Yang Xun’s smile broadened, darkness enveloping the land. Shhhhkkk… Lightning flashed. The rain turned crimson. And Li Wei’s world—fell into silence.