Wang Jin stood before me, his gaze turning more serious. The slight smile on his face vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. He slowly raised his right hand, and I saw something strange happen.

From his palm emerged small, jet-black needles glistening with a thick liquid dripping from their tips. Poison needles. Wang Jin's curse.

"Time to end this game, boy," he said in a cold tone.

Without warning, Wang Jin hurled the needles at me with incredible speed. Dozens of needles shot forth like a deadly rain of bullets, aimed at every part of my body from various angles.

I reacted quickly, my body moving according to the patterns of the curse I had just mastered. I jumped sideways, rolled on the floor, avoiding the needles that embedded themselves into the concrete wall behind me with sharp sounds.

Fast! I have to keep moving!

I kept dodging, jumping, ducking, spinning, using every move I could to evade the lethal attack. The needles kept coming without pause, forcing me to move incessantly.

But amidst the chaos, Wang Jin suddenly smiled, an evil smile.

Why is he smiling?

Then I felt it.

A sharp pain in my left shoulder.

I glanced quickly and saw one of the black needles lodged squarely in my left shoulder, the poisonous fluid already seeping into my skin.

Instantly, my head felt dizzy. The left side of my body began to go numb; my arm grew weak and I could barely move it. The poison was working extremely fast, spreading through my bloodstream.

I staggered, nearly fell, my breath catching in my throat.

Wang Jin walked casually towards me, his hand still ready with more poison needles. "See? No matter how fast you move, you still can't avoid them all."

I clutched my left shoulder, which felt like it was burning from the inside. The dizziness intensified, my vision began to blur.

No... I can't lose here!

With the last of my strength, I used my right hand to pull the needle from my shoulder. A stabbing pain shot through me as the needle came loose, fresh blood trickling from the small wound.

The poison kept spreading. I could feel my body growing weaker, finding it harder to stand.

I have to do something. Fast!

I stared at the wound on my shoulder, then my instincts took over. I raised my still-functional right hand, aiming it directly at the wound.

The voice of the curse system echoed urgently in my head.

///

[Ice Creation... analyzing...]

[Ice Creation... Activated.]

///

Instantly, an extreme cold spread from my palm. Ice began to form around the wound, freezing rapidly and covering the hole where the poison needle had been.

The wound was sealed by ice, and I could feel the flow of poison stop, unable to spread further, blocked by the ice freezing the area around the injury.

I gasped for air, breathing heavily, my body still trembling. My left arm was still numb, but at least the poison wasn't spreading any further.

Wang Jin stopped walking, looking at me with an expression mixed with surprise and admiration. "Hoh... You can even use your curse to stop my poison? How interesting."

But that evil smile returned to his face. "But that won't save you, boy."

He stepped closer, his voice full of piercing intimidation. "You're weak. You're injured. You can barely stand. Look at you, half-dead from just one small needle of mine."

Wang Jin stopped right in front of me, his gaze looking down on me with utter contempt. "You think with your little curse, you can survive? You think you can get revenge for your friend? Don't dream."

He grinned widely, his eyes full of sadistic satisfaction. "Your death is in my hands, boy. It's only a matter of time. And I will enjoy every second of your suffering."

I stood with great difficulty, breathing heavily, my body covered in wounds and blood. My left arm was still numb, my head still dizzy, and my whole body felt like it could collapse at any moment.

But I didn't answer Wang Jin's provocation.

I just stared at him with an empty gaze, full of exhaustion, burning anger, and pain I couldn't express in words.

I'm tired. So tired.

But I won't give up. Not here. Not now.

Wang Jin saw my stare and laughed loudly. "Nothing to say? Given up, have you?"

He raised his hand again, new poison needles beginning to form in his palm. "Then, let me end your suffering now."

I took a deep breath, my body trembling, but I forced myself to remain standing.

This isn't over. I can still fight.

My ice curse began to react again, cold energy coursing through my right hand, ready for the next attack.

I won't lose. I won't.

Wang Jin sneered, then stepped forward, poison needles ready to be thrown.

The battle wasn't over yet.

TO BE CONTINUED