The Monkey King, reacting on instinct, dodged the first two daggers, but in doing so, it unknowingly moved into the path Leon had intended.A grin spread across Leon's face as the Monkey King found itself exactly where he wanted it.

He lunged forward, his katana flashing in a deadly arc. The blade sliced through the air, cutting deep into the Monkey King's side. The beast howled in pain, its eyes wide with shock as blood sprayed from the wound.

But this wasn't enough to stop the King. With a furious roar, it activated its Qi, the golden energy enveloping its body growing brighter.

Leon barely had time to react as the Monkey King unleashed another sonic shockwave, the sound crashing into Leon like a physical force. He staggered back, his ears ringing and his vision blurred.

The Monkey King didn't waste a second. It charged forward, its claws glowing with Qi as it aimed for Leon's chest.

Leon managed to deflect the blow with his katana, but the force behind it sent him skidding across the ground. His muscles screamed in protest, but he refused to give in.

Gritting his teeth, Leon focused on circulating his own mana, pushing the energy through his meridians to counter the effects of the Monkey King's Qi-enhanced attacks.

The pain in his body lessened slightly, and he felt his strength returning. He couldn't let the King overwhelm him.

With a deep breath, Leon steadied himself, his eyes narrowing as he watched the Monkey King approach.

This was it—the final clash. He could feel it in the air. The King was throwing everything it had into this fight, and Leon needed to match that intensity.

The Monkey King lunged at him once more, its claws aiming for his throat. But this time, Leon was ready.

He sidestepped the attack, his katana slicing through the air in a perfect arc. The blade met the King's exposed side, cutting deep into its flesh. The beast howled in pain, but Leon didn't stop there.

He followed up with a flurry of strikes, each one aimed at a vital point. The Monkey King tried to defend itself, but Leon's speed and precision were too much. His katana cut through muscle and bone, weakening the King with each blow.

Finally, with a powerful upward slash, Leon struck the final blow. His katana sliced through the Monkey King's chest, cutting through bone and sinew. The King let out a gurgling roar, a desperate call to its pack. Even with the severe wound, the beast's survival instincts kicked in, urging it to flee.

Using every last ounce of strength, the Monkey King swiftly withdrew, its massive legs pounding against the earth with heavy thuds.

The King leaped onto a nearby tree branch, leaving behind a gruesome trail of blood from its grievous injuries. The crimson trail smeared across the forest floor, a testament to how close the creature had come to death. The forest itself seemed to hold its breath as the mighty King, once full of pride and strength, now clung to life, roaring weakly at what remained of its bandit monkey pack.

The message was clear—their hunger for loot no longer mattered. Survival was now paramount. One by one, the remaining bandit monkeys followed after their injured King, their once fierce expressions replaced with uncertainty and fear. They moved quickly through the trees, their eyes darting between Leon and their retreating leader.

Leon stood still, watching the scene unfold with a heavy breath. His body ached from the intense battle, and the adrenaline that had fueled him was starting to fade. He could see the Monkey King in the distance, its once majestic form reduced to a desperate creature struggling to survive. Blood dripped from the trees as it leaped from branch to branch, every movement leaving a crimson mark.

The bandit monkeys were quieter now, their chattering reduced to hushed whispers as they trailed after their King. The once chaotic forest had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of the wounded King's retreat. seaʀᴄh thё novёlF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Leon didn't bother to chase after them. He had no interest in finishing off the wounded creature or prolonging the fight. The battle was over, and the path ahead was now clear. He sheathed his katana, wiping the sweat from his brow as he took a deep breath. The sight of the bloodied trail disappearing into the forest made him feel a sense of finality.

With a determined look in his eyes, Leon continued on his journey, leaving the battlefield behind. The echoes of the battle slowly faded as he moved forward, focused once again on his destination.

After leaving the battle behind him, Leon continued down the long, winding path. He wasn't far from the central part of the region now, but the journey wasn't an easy one. His

decision to travel by foot had

seemed natural to him.

There was something freeing about walking

alone through the wilderness, relying only on himself for survival.

Every step took him further from the

Viscount's estate and deeper into the unknown.

The wind played with his silver hair as he walked, his thoughts drifting back to the people he had left behind. He thought of Amelia, Seraphina, and Lily.

For a moment, he allowed himself to wonder how they were faring, especially Amelia, it seems distance really makes the heart grow fonder.

But then, he quickly shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. His path was set,

and he couldn't afford to be

distracted by emotions.

He had more important things to focus on.

The terrain grew more challenging as the hours passed. The dense forests gave way to rocky hills and narrow paths, with jagged cliffs rising on either side.

The air was cooler here, and the occasional gust of wind carried with it the scent of pine and distant rain. Leon's steps were steady, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger.

It wasn't long before his instincts were proven right.

From the shadows of the cliffs, a group of armed men appeared, their rough, tatte red clothing and menacing grins revealing their

intentions long before they spoke.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

one of the men sneered, a maniacal grin spread out on his face, as he stepped forward with a blade in hand. "A lone traveler in our territory? You must have a death wish."

Leon's eyes narrowed as he sized up

the group. There were five of them, all bandits by the looks of it.

They looked robust and muscular, when their tall muscular frame is compared to his lean figure it was only common sense for one to think he'll be crushed easily by the five versus one gang up.

They were strong in their own rights, but it's not always good to judge a book by its cover even when things were as obvious as it is now, but still it couldn't be helped...

Their weapons were crude, but the glint in

their eyes told him that they had

experience in ambushing travelers.

The leaves of the bandit group harrumphed in anger when he saw Leon's indifferent attitude despite the stakes being against him, an unsettling feeling rose in his heart, but he ultimately choosed to ignore it, after all, Leon with his looks, remembers him of some naive young master venturing out of his clan to the cruel outside world, couped with Leon's indifferent attitude he vowed to teach Leon a lesson.

Without a word, Leon reached for his katana, the blade appearing in his hand as he readied himself for the inevitable fight.

The bandits didn't hesitate. They lunged at him, their weapons raised.

But Leon was faster. With a swift motion, he deflected the first strike, his katana flashing in the dim light as he countered with a precise slash that cut down the nearest bandit.

The blade sliced cleanly through the man's neck, and his head was sent rolling into the air from the momentum of the strike. As it landed on the ground, the headless Corpse stood still for a brief moment, as if in shock.

The bandit's companions froze in place as they witnessed the gruesome scene, but he headless body soon crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Before the head went blank, the bandit's final vision was that of his own body, slumping alongside his falen comrades.

The other bandits faltered for a moment, clearly not expecting such resistance, but their hesitation was brief.

****

A/N;

How was the chapter, what do you guys think of it, I'll try to fill in the dno chs as soon as possible...