Shawn Young was utterly shocked. He instinctively threw himself backward and rolled on the ground. The fierce blade aura of "Cloudcutter" flashed dangerously close to his chest and vanished. Shawn felt a burning pain in his chest. When he scrambled to his feet and looked down, he saw that his shirt had been sliced open by "Cloudcutter," revealing a not-so-deep but bleeding cut on his chest. The wound wasn't too serious, but Shawn felt as if he'd just taken a stroll at death's door.
"Oh, not bad, kid! Anyone who can dodge my blade isn't just some ordinary punk! Heh, let's see how you handle my next strike!" Akira Akita, the wicked swordsman, slowly raised his "Cloudcutter," assuming a bizarre stance to prepare for another attack.
"Intent Blade! Be careful!" Fiona Tang cried out from the side. As she shouted, she desperately tried to gather her energy and focus, attempting to forcibly activate her true power. Unfortunately, her vitality hadn't recovered yet. If she forced herself now, it could severely damage her meridians and leave her disabled for life. But the situation was dire—Akira Akita's strength was terrifying, and Fiona couldn't afford to hold back!
"Dodge this!" Shawn roared at Akira Akita, rolling on the ground and grabbing an AK-47 dropped by a Jihadist Brigade fighter. Without hesitation, he aimed at Akira Akita and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A burst of AK-47 bullets swept toward Akira Akita, but he roared, swinging "Cloudcutter" through the air. The blade traced a dazzling arc—clang, clang, clang—the bullets exploded midair, bursting into brilliant sparks.
After the flash of the blade, Akira Akita withdrew his sword stance. On the ground lay a neat pile of bullet heads, each sliced cleanly in half by "Cloudcutter." Shawn was stunned, his scalp tingling and his eyes wide. Akira Akita truly deserved his reputation as one of the top ten killers on the Black List—his swordsmanship was freakishly powerful!
"Heh! You little punk, you tried to trick me? I'll show you what it means to wish you were dead!" Although Akira Akita had deflected the AK-47 bullets, his "Intent Blade" was ruined by Shawn. Akira's eyes glinted like a venomous snake as he focused his energy. "Cloudcutter" pulsed in his hand, and this time, he was determined to take Shawn's head!
As Akira Akita unleashed his sword stance, the air was instantly heavy with killing intent. The whole market was shrouded in a deadly aura. The venomous snake tattoo on Akira's right hand, gripping "Cloudcutter," seemed to come alive, growing fiercer as he channeled his true power into the blade—like it could leap out and bite Shawn at any moment.
Shawn didn't hesitate for a second. He quickly formed the Diamond Seal with both hands, activating all his Heavenly Gang Supreme Qi and silently chanting: "Within and without the Three Realms, only Dao reigns supreme. My body shines with golden light, shielding me from harm. Let the light appear swiftly and protect the true one—now!" He shouted, raising his hands, and a white glow descended from the sky, enveloping his body. Shawn had cast the Daoist protection spell—the Diamond Protection Charm.