I stared blankly ahead as the ghost before me grinned wickedly.
"I'm not foolish enough to trust you, Ethan Zhang. What's wrong? Weren't you going to kill me?"
I immediately raised the Deathbane Aura Blade and shouted, thrusting it forward.
"Brother, isn't it about time you saved your little brother here?"
The ghost spoke leisurely. Suddenly, a shadow appeared before my eyes—something rushed at me. I quickly raised the Deathbane Aura Blade to defend, but with a bang, I was sent flying, tumbling across the ground several times before coming to a stop.
I spat out a mouthful of saliva with a hiss—my lips had been struck and split open.
Standing before me was the Night Warden, dressed in a black-and-yellow uniform, his hair tousled, face sharp and handsome. He held a pitch-black baton, grinned, stretched out his hand, and tore away the emerald-green aura swirling around the ghost. Then, grabbing the ghost's head, he forcefully dragged him out of the formation.
The ghost instantly curled up in agony, writhing on the ground.
"Don't cause trouble on my turf, or I won't be so polite."
The Night Warden spun the black baton in his hand, smiling at me.
I stood up, staring coldly at him as I walked over. The Night Warden immediately raised his baton and pointed it at me.
"Don't come any closer, or I won't be so polite."
I sneered coldly, suddenly grabbing his baton with one hand and swinging the Deathbane Aura Blade at him with the other.
"That's what I should say. If you try to stop me again, I'll kill you."
The Night Warden smiled slightly, deftly dodged my Deathbane Aura Blade, then reached out and grabbed it. With a bang, the blade in my hand vanished into thin air.
I stared at him in astonishment.
"For someone like you—a mere mortal—to come this far is impressive enough. Let's end it here. He's been severely wounded by you and won't be able to do much for years. Go back."
"Move aside," I insisted, my tone unwavering.
The Night Warden kept his cheerful demeanor, pressing the black baton against my chest.
"Why? He clearly..."
"Whether he kills people or ghosts, it's none of my business. As long as he pays, he's my underling. Be smart and go home."
I roared, conjuring another Deathbane Aura Blade and grabbed his black staff. But just as I did, he let go, spreading his hands wide. I swung the blade without hesitation; he simply closed his eyes.
Despite my relentless sword strikes, the Night Warden dodged them with ease, no matter how fiercely I attacked.
I aimed a slash at his neck, but he effortlessly stepped back, the blade grazing his throat. My left hand conjured a Deathbane Aura Dagger and thrust it toward his abdomen.
Suddenly, I saw him lift his leg—a blur of motion. The Night Warden's right leg struck my wrist, and the Deathbane Aura Dagger in my hand dissipated.
The Night Warden opened his eyes and grabbed my right wrist, squeezing hard. I cried out in pain as the Deathbane Aura Blade vanished from my grasp.
"Come on, quit fooling around. Go home. When he can't pay up someday, you can come back and kill him—no rush."
I looked at the ghost, who had recovered somewhat and now stood at a distance, cackling. Suddenly, I saw several lesser ghosts gathering around him again.
"I'm feeling a bit hungry, Ethan Zhang. You hurt me just now. I need a snack to recover."
The ghost said this, grabbing a lesser ghost and opening his mouth wide.
I screamed and struggled desperately, but the Night Warden gripped my hand tightly, refusing to let go.
I suddenly ducked low, slipping past him. With a sickening crack, I knew my right hand was broken.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The Night Warden spoke while I gritted my teeth, my lips curled in pain.
"If you want it, then take it."
I lunged forward recklessly, Deathbane Aura surging through me. With a tearing sound, I screamed and finally broke free, charging at the ghost about to feast.
"Die!"
I raised the Deathbane Aura Blade and stabbed it into the ghost's chest. The ghost shrieked, dropped the lesser ghost, and floated into the air, trying to escape.
With a thought, the formation flared with green light. Streams of emerald aura shot out from the array, wrapping around the ghost and dragging him down.
Screaming, I swung the Deathbane Aura Blade again and again, hacking at the ghost's limbs until they were severed. He wailed in agony, trapped by the emerald glow, unable to escape.