The battle between Zephyr Kane and the Eternal Veil Syndicate representative had dragged on far longer than anyone expected.

What began as a one-sided display of dominance by Zephyr had slowly, mercilessly shifted. The once-maniacal laughter from the lone wanderer had grown quieter, more strained. His movements, which had been lightning-fast blurs of destruction, were now noticeably slower. Sweat mixed with blood ran down his face. His breathing had become heavier, each exhale carrying visible mist in the cold night air.

The Eternal Veil Syndicate representative had finally seized control.

He floated several meters above the shattered ground, dark Qi swirling around him like a living cloak. His silver-streaked hair whipped in the wind created by their clashes, and his eyes burned with cold satisfaction. The ten black-clad figures (now nine after Zephyr’s earlier kill) moved in perfect coordination around their master, no longer just attacking recklessly but methodically wearing Zephyr down — cutting off escape routes, forcing him to expend more energy, and landing precise, accumulating hits.

Zephyr swung his pitch-black blade again, trying to create distance with another devastating slash. The black sword Qi roared outward, swallowing light and devouring weaker attacks in its path. But this time, the representative was ready. He thrust both palms forward, releasing a concentrated beam of dark energy that collided with the sword wave. The impact created a violent explosion that lit up the ruined district like daylight. The black sword Qi was pushed back, weakened, and ultimately shattered by the representative’s superior control and sustained pressure.

Zephyr was forced to leap backward, landing heavily on a half-collapsed rooftop. His boots cracked the already damaged surface. For the first time, he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Not bad...” he muttered, still grinning, but the grin was tighter now, more forced. His chest rose and fell rapidly. The long, drawn-out fight was finally taking its toll. Even someone as monstrously strong as Zephyr Kane couldn’t maintain peak performance indefinitely against ten coordinated high-level opponents, especially when one of them was a powerful Syndicate representative.

The representative didn’t waste the opening.

He descended like a falling star, dark Qi condensing into a massive palm strike. The nine black-clad figures attacked simultaneously from different angles — some firing piercing beams, others launching explosive orbs, and two closing in for close-quarters blade work. The combined assault was suffocating.

Zephyr roared and swung his blade in a wide defensive arc, but he was slower than before. One of the black-clad attackers slipped through his guard and landed a heavy kick to his ribs. The impact sent him skidding across the rooftop, carving a deep trench in the reinforced concrete. Another attacker followed up with a palm strike infused with corrosive Qi, hitting Zephyr square in the shoulder. Dark energy seeped into the wound, burning and weakening his meridians.

Zephyr spun, slicing the attacker in half with a vicious backhand swing, but the damage was done. Blood flowed freely from multiple cuts and bruises across his body. His left arm hung slightly lower, injured. His breathing was labored.

Lian and Elara watched everything from their distant rooftop vantage point, barely breathing. Lian’s void eyes were wide, absorbing every detail. The shift in momentum was clear now. Zephyr Kane, who had been toying with his opponents earlier, was being systematically worn down. The representative’s strategy was working — using numbers and coordination to exhaust the lone wanderer.

The representative pressed his advantage mercilessly.

He unleashed a barrage of dark Qi needles, each one sharp enough to pierce steel. Zephyr deflected most with his blade, but several grazed him, drawing more blood. The nine remaining black-clad figures circled tighter, their attacks becoming more precise as they sensed weakness. One managed to land a solid hit to Zephyr’s back, sending him crashing through another building. Dust and debris exploded outward as the structure partially collapsed.

Zephyr emerged from the rubble moments later, laughing hoarsely, but the laughter was weaker. His steps were heavier. The black blade in his hand still looked terrifying, but even it seemed to dim slightly as its wielder tired.

“You Syndicate dogs...” Zephyr growled, spitting blood to the side. “You really think numbers will save you?”

The representative smiled coldly from above.

“Numbers? No. Strategy. Endurance. And the simple fact that you are alone, Kane. You always have been.”

The fight continued its brutal rhythm. The representative dominated the pace now, forcing Zephyr to defend more than attack. Every time Zephyr tried to counter, the black-clad figures would harass him from the sides, chipping away at his stamina. The representative’s dark Qi techniques grew heavier, more oppressive, slowly crushing Zephyr’s momentum.

The city district around them was almost unrecognizable. Half of it had been reduced to rubble. Fires burned unchecked. The ground was a maze of craters and fissures. Thousands more had died in the crossfire as the battle dragged on. Yet the two powerhouses showed no signs of stopping.

Zephyr Kane was slowing down.

His once-fluid movements had grown heavier. His powerful swings carried less force. His breathing was ragged. Exhaustion was setting in, deep and real, after fighting ten opponents for so long.

The representative, on the other hand, looked composed. His ten subordinates, though fewer now, continued their relentless pressure.

The tide had clearly turned.

Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)

Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.

Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.

Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.

Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.

Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc

Power Scale Reminder

Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.

Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle

Eternal Veil Syndicate: A powerful organization with higher-ups at Nebula Dominion and at least one Void Ancestor- level.

Keep it as reminders