Chapter 108: Subduing a Formidable Foe [Thirty Thousand Words in the Third Watch—Please Support with Votes]

Despite his injuries, Trunks fled with remarkable speed, seemingly unaffected by the dense, thorny thickets he crashed through. However, he was unable to push his speed to the absolute limit. Han Shuo, maintaining his peak physical state and guided by the monitoring of his Demonic Infant, trailed him like an inescapable specter, the distance between them steadily closing.

The arrow lodged in his hip had been torn out during the chase. Trunks had intended to tend to the wound, but upon realizing Han Shuo was still on his heels, he had no choice but to abandon the idea. Ignoring the bleeding, he continued to flee with desperate abandon.

This cat-and-mouse game lasted for several tens of minutes. Trunks possessed startling endurance, gritting his teeth to keep going. Every time Han Shuo appeared in his line of sight, he would tap into his hidden potential to surge forward, hoping to shake his pursuer.

Unfortunately, Han Shuo, having cultivated the Demonic Arts, had long ago tempered his once-weak personality through repeated baptisms of agony. His willpower far exceeded what Trunks could have imagined. Throughout the entire pursuit, Han Shuo never slowed; instead, he seemed to grow more ferocious, as if he had become addicted to the hunt.

Although Trunks was intimately familiar with the local terrain, Han Shuo—with the Demonic Infant hovering in the void like a hawk’s eye observing all—could not be shaken, no matter what tricks Trunks tried.

Finally, after half a day of pursuit, a blood-drained Trunks realized this was a dead end. Unable to lose Han Shuo and suffering from the rapid blood loss caused by his physical exertion, he suffered a brief moment of vertigo.

Leaning against a large tree, Trunks wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, gasping for breath as he stared at Han Shuo, who was slowing down and closing in step by step. "So, it was only you following me," he wheezed. "I suppose you're courting death."

Han Shuo took a few breaths, his heart, which had been pounding from the intense exertion, slowly settling back to normal. He gripped the Demon-Slaying Blade, his expression devoid of joy or sorrow. He stared calmly at Trunks, not rushing to close the distance, his footsteps deliberate and slow.

Although Han Shuo knew Trunks was severely wounded, a Swordmaster, no matter how injured, remained an extremely dangerous entity. A single lapse in judgment could result in a fatal blow. Because he could not be certain of the extent of Trunks' injuries, Han Shuo hesitated to strike immediately now that his prey had stopped.

"If you weren't injured, I would indeed have no chance in a one-on-one fight," Han Shuo said calmly when he was fifteen meters away, his eyes scanning Trunks’ body. "But given the current situation, let's see if you have the capability to do anything to me."

After saying this, Han Shuo drew his crossbow again, loaded a bolt, and aimed precisely at Trunks. He intended to use the shot to test the current state of his opponent’s body.

"Do you only dare to probe me from afar?" Trunks, his back pressed against the tree, watched Han Shuo’s movements with cold eyes and sneered. "If you had the guts you showed last time, you would have charged at me without hesitation."

"Do you think I'm stupid, or are you?" Han Shuo was unfazed by the taunt. "You must realize that our roles have reversed. You are the prey, and I am the hunter. How this game is played is up to me." With that, he fired.

In the dark night, the tip of the bolt glinted with cold light. A sharp whistle pierced the air as it streaked directly toward Trunks' chest like lightning.

Trunks’ expression remained unchanged. Almost as soon as the whistle of the bolt reached his ears, his body launched into the air. The bolt slammed into the tree where he had just been leaning with a dull thud. Having dodged the strike, Trunks vaulted several meters, nimbly crossing the fifteen-meter gap and appearing before Han Shuo with a speed that defied his expectations.

Milky-white battle aura instantly filled Han Shuo’s vision. Caught in what felt like the center of a tornado, Han Shuo felt his body enveloped by the aura; his muscles went rigid, making it difficult to even move. He could only watch as the energy threatened to overwhelm him.

Though he could not move his body, the flow of his internal Demonic Yuan remained unimpeded. With a flick of his will, the Demon-Slaying Blade flew from his hand, shrieking as it danced around him, instantly wrapping his body in a defensive veil of light.

A series of violent, metallic clashes erupted around Han Shuo, accompanied by Trunks’ angry roar. Just as the jarring sound threatened to deafen him, the clashing ceased, and Han Shuo’s rigid body finally regained its mobility.

"Impossible! How can this be? How could your weapon withstand my Dragon-Binding Slash? Who are you?" As his senses returned, Han Shuo heard Trunks’ horrified cry.

Looking closely, Han Shuo saw that Trunks had turned deathly pale. The broadsword he clutched was riddled with notches. Trunks’ eyes darted between his sword and Han Shuo, wearing a look of utter disbelief as he muttered, "Impossible!"

Han Shuo’s clothes were shredded into ribbons, and his skin was marked with several long gashes, exposing raw, red flesh. The Demon-Slaying Blade lay motionless in the distance, seemingly knocked aside, yet it remained without a single chip.

"Nothing is impossible!" Taking advantage of Trunks’ shock, Han Shuo shouted and unleashed a powerful punch.

Only when the fist was inches from his face did Trunks react, raising his serrated broadsword to block. With a sharp *clang*, Han Shuo’s right fist went numb, but Trunks staggered back. A surge of joy filled Han Shuo; it seemed the Dragon-Binding Slash had exhausted most of Trunks' battle aura. He immediately closed the distance, unleashing a flurry of punches and kicks.

Trunks, notoriously difficult to provoke in the Dark Forest, had been reduced to a weakling by his repeated injuries. He was forced back by the relentless assault until, with a final stumble, he collapsed backward.

"Wait!" As Han Shuo gripped the Demon-Slaying Blade, intending to end Trunks’ life, the man spoke up. "Whatever your reason for coming to the Dark Forest, I can help you. We have no irreconcilable hatred; it was only over the spoils of the two-headed dragon, which aren't even that precious."

Han Shuo paused. Upon reflection, it was true. He had attacked first to avoid being threatened, and he wanted to kill Trunks now only to prevent future retaliation. In truth, there was no deep-seated enmity between them.

Han Shuo stepped up to Trunks and drove the Demon-Slaying Blade into the ground four times in rapid succession. Amidst Trunks’ agonizing, pig-like screams, Han Shuo coldly sheathed the blade.

The four strikes had pierced the vital points of Trunks’ hands and feet. While not fatal and unlikely to permanently damage his cultivation or strength, it would leave him unable to pose any threat to Han Shuo for a long time.

"My apologies," Han Shuo said naturally with a shrug. "You are quite dangerous, and I felt this was the only way to be safe." He paused, looking down at the grimacing Trunks with a smile. "I think we can talk now. If I don't kill you, what can you do for me?"

"Oh... it seems the Dark Forest has gained another cold-blooded beast hunter, ha!" After a painful moan, the limp Trunks began to laugh hysterically, his charred hair and disheveled appearance making his expression look grotesquely awkward.

"If you want to live, be honest with me," Han Shuo asked, smiling. "Tell me, how can you help me?"

"I must first ask: what is your purpose in coming to the depths of the Dark Forest?" Trunks’ expression was calm, his voice steady despite his pain.

Han Shuo hesitated, then decided there was no need for secrecy. "I came for the Dagma Fruit. Can you help me obtain it?"

"I have spent several years in the Dark Forest and have heard many legends. I know the general location of the Dagma Fruit. I can lead you there, though I cannot guarantee we will secure it. If you spare me this time, I promise to assist you with all my strength and will not seek revenge. If you have heard of the name Trunks, you know that I never break a promise!" Trunks looked at Han Shuo, promising solemnly.

"Deal," Han Shuo replied simply with a nod.