Night Walk!

"Huh?" James, mid-chuckle as he enjoyed the unfolding chaos, was suddenly pulled from his amusement. The girl with the imposing muscles had locked her eyes on him, her brow furrowing into a deep scowl.

"What are you looking at?" she barked, her voice laced with irritation. "Never seen someone getting beaten before? Or are you itching for a beating yourself, huh?"

James met her glare with a raised eyebrow but said nothing. Meanwhile, Carmen, barely conscious from the beating he was taking, groaned and struggled to lift his head. Through swollen eyes, he made out James standing nearby, seemingly unfazed by the spectacle.

James casually shrugged, stepping to the side. He had no quarrel with Carmen, but seeing him in such a pitiful state gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction. After all, a setback like this for someone like Carmen was somewhat amusing.

Carmen's eyes widened in shock as he watched James move away. Wasn't James supposed to be trapped or beaten just like him? How had he walked out of the hall unharmed? Did this mean that James had managed to claim the three tributes in the hall without a scratch? The thought was dizzying.

But just as James was about to disappear from view, Carmen snapped back to reality. "Hey! Brother James! Brother James! Don't leave! We need to talk!"

Lily, the girl who had been tormenting Carmen, suddenly pointed at James as he headed for the exit. "Is he your friend?" she asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Caught off guard, Carmen hesitated for a split second before blurting out, "No! No! Lily, wait! Don't act impulsively! I... I need to speak with him..." He tried to continue but was cut off as Lily's fist connected with his mouth, silencing him instantly. Blood dribbled from his lips as he groaned in pain.

Standing up from her position over Carmen, Lily fixed her gaze on James, her tone shifting from angry to deadly serious. "Xiao Xing," she said, her voice oddly calm, "you need to stop hanging around places like this. Your so-called friends, and even that Sister of yours, they're holding you back. And if you don't cut ties willingly, I'll make sure you do; even if it means I have to break your legs."

As she raised her fists, glaring at James, a sinking feeling crept into his gut. Something about this girl's confidence and the way she moved signaled trouble.

"Lily, stop!" Carmen managed to shout, though his voice was hoarse, as he clutched his bleeding lip.

But it was too late. With a sudden tap of her feet, Lily launched forward, her body moving with a grace that didn't match her muscular build. In an instant, she vanished from her spot, only to reappear directly in front of James, her right fist already drawn back, brimming with a fiery energy.

Suspended mid-air, Lily twisted her body, muscles flexing as she delivered a downward strike aimed directly at James's face. His orchid mask, already cracked, seemed doomed to shatter under the impact.

For a brief moment, James's vision blurred. All he could see were the girl's muscular chest and her fist blazing with energy, closing in on his mask. "Of all the ways to go, death by pectorals wasn't on my list," he thought grimly, a hint of sarcasm flickering in his mind even in the face of danger.

But just as Lily's fist was about to collide with his face, something unexpected happened. The terrifying momentum she'd built up suddenly dissipated, and the once-devastating punch was reduced to little more than a forceful slap; enough to bruise the average mid-level F-rank fighter but nothing life-threatening.

James, watching it all unfold, couldn't help but smile faintly. "Your control's not bad," he muttered to himself, impressed despite the circumstances.

Lily, however, seemed pleased with herself, her lips curving into a slight grin as she glanced at Carmen, perhaps expecting admiration. But instead of relief, what she saw on Carmen's face was sheer disbelief. His eyes, still puffy from the beating, were wide with shock.

The punch had landed, yes, but not in the way anyone anticipated. Lily's fist didn't feel as though it had connected with flesh. Instead, it was as if her blow had struck nothing but air, leaving her momentarily confused, the energy of her strike seeming to vanish into the ether.

Lily's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Just as her fist connected with James, his form shimmered and dissolved into a swirling black mist.

"No way," she muttered, her heart racing. The space where he had stood moments ago darkened, as if a blank page had been splattered with ink, transforming the scene into a dense void.

A surge of weightlessness gripped her as she instinctively tried to pull herself back. Yet, to her horror, she felt herself being pulled into the depths of that darkness, the ground beneath her feet giving way.

In that same instant, a shadow coalesced beneath her, solidifying into the familiar shape of James. A wickedly sharp sickle materialized beside him, its blade gleaming ominously and aimed directly at her neck, poised to strike.

Lily's pupils dilated in fear. She barely managed to ground herself, pushing off the floor with all her might to escape the encroaching darkness. Her heart raced as she narrowly avoided the sickle's deadly arc, propelling herself away from James.

"You want to kill me?" she gasped, her fingers instinctively brushing against her neck, feeling the chill that lingered there.

James snorted, the sickle disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be standing here right now," he replied, a hint of smug satisfaction creeping into his tone. Inside, he reveled in the power of his newfound ability. This "Night Walk" technique was undeniably useful, though it drained his energy rapidly. He mentally noted that he was nearly spent after just one execution.

"You!" Lily seethed, frustration bubbling up, but before she could lash out, Carmen, still reeling from his earlier beating, grabbed her arm.

"Lily, enough!" he urged, bowing slightly to James. "I'm really sorry for dragging you into this mess, Brother James."

The sight of Carmen's swollen face and his awkward gesture was almost comical, and for a moment, the tension in the air lightened.

"It's no trouble," James replied, his tone measured and calm. "Actually, I was hoping to ask you something, Brother Chu."

"What do you need, Brother James? I'm all ears," Carmen said, eager to please. He was acutely aware of the high-grade spirit crystal that might now be in James's possession, and the fact that James had walked away unscathed from the hall made him wary. It was clear that if James wanted to, he could easily turn the tables on him.

After a moment of deliberation, he decided that it was better to cooperate than risk further conflict.

"I'm looking for places to gather large amounts of spirit crystals and blood crystals," James stated, his voice steady. "I need a significant boost in energy to train effectively. Otherwise, I won't be able to tap into my Darkness powers or any other skills."

He continued, his mind racing with calculations. To elevate his growth value, which was still about 70,000 points short, he would need a considerable number of blood crystals. Each mid-grade F-level creature provided barely 200 points, while high-grade ones yielded just under 400. At this rate, he would have to take down nearly 200 high-grade opponents to advance. The thought of such a daunting task led him to abandon any plans for a hunting spree.

Carmen scratched his head, contemplating. "As for spirit crystals, I don't have any great ideas. They're consumables; even if you rob someone, it's not like you'll walk away with a fortune. The best bet is to take on tasks in the hall. But I do know of a place where you can collect blood crystals. The catch is..."

He paused, his expression growing serious. "There are tons of alien species lurking around there. It's a dangerous spot, but if you're looking for blood crystals, that's your best bet."

Lily crossed her arms, still on edge but intrigued. "And what about the spirit crystals?"

Carmen shrugged. "You'll need to work for those. It's not easy, but tasks can yield some decent rewards if you play your cards right."

James nodded, considering the information. It seemed like the only way forward was to take risks and seize opportunities, no matter how perilous they might be.