Wang Jin raised his hands again, new poisonous needles appearing in his palms with a menacing glint. His gaze was full of that infuriating confidence, as if his victory was already assured.

"This time, I won't let you escape again," he said coldly.

He threw the needles at full speed, forming an attack pattern tighter and more lethal than before.

I tried to dodge, my body moving as fast as I could leaping sideways, lowering my stance, spinning to avoid the incessant onslaught of needles.

But my left side was almost completely numb. My movements became slow, unbalanced, and I nearly stumbled several times. Every time I tried to evade, my body felt heavy, as if a great weight was pulling me down.

A few needles almost hit my legs, some whizzed past my ear by a hair's breadth, and others embedded themselves in the floor right in front of my feet.

Dammit! I can't keep this up!

Wang Jin laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the silent warehouse. "Look at you! Like a frightened rat! Do you think you can avoid all my attacks with a half-paralyzed body like that?"

I was panting, breathless, cold sweat streaming down my temples.

Wang Jin stepped closer, his eyes narrowed with sadistic satisfaction. "I know you're almost giving up. My poison has spread. Your body is starting to paralyze. How much longer can you last, huh?"

Wang Jin laughed mockingly. "I'm not like Draco, who killed your friend Ben with a single bullet. I prefer to enjoy my opponent's death slowly."

My rage exploded, but my body was too weak to react.

"You know what's the most pathetic thing about all this?" Wang Jin continued in a mocking tone. "You came here with the spirit of revenge, but in the end, you'll die meaninglessly just like your friend. No one will remember you. No one will care."

He stepped even closer, the poisonous needles in his hands ready for the final attack. "You're just a weak brat too stupid to know when to give up."

I stared at him, panting, my body trembling, anger and pain churning in my chest.

I... I can't lose here.

But my body could barely move anymore. My left arm was still numb, my legs began to wobble, and my vision started to blur.

Am I really going to die here?

Wang Jin raised his hand high, preparing to throw the final poisonous needles that would end this fight.

"Goodbye, brat."

In that moment of desperation, my mind suddenly drifted to a memory, the time I passed out at the dojo after the curse overload.

I remember... back then, I didn't just steal the ice curse.

I stole something else too.

I closed my eyes, trying to recall the sensation, the feeling of a gentle yet strong wind that enveloped my body back then.

The wind curse.

Just as Wang Jin threw his poisonous needles, the voice of the curse system suddenly echoed loudly in my head, clearer and more urgent than ever before.

///

[Wind Manipulation... analyzing...]

[Wind Manipulation... Activated.]

///

Instantly, I felt something change around my body.

The wind began to swirl rapidly around me, forming a small vortex that grew larger and stronger. The air around me turned cold and moved at high speed, like an invisible shield protecting me.

The poisonous needles Wang Jin threw hit the wind shield and were deflected.

Every needle that tried to penetrate the swirling wind was flung aside, lost its trajectory, and fell to the floor without touching my body at all.

I opened my eyes, watching the wind swirling around me, feeling a new power flowing through my entire body.

This... is the wind curse.

Wang Jin stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide with shock. He stared at me with an incredulous look.

"What... what is that?!" he shouted, his voice stunned.

I stood upright, still breathless, but this time supported by a new strength. The wind continued to swirl around me, forming a solid protection.

Wang Jin narrowed his eyes, then a smile slowly reappeared on his face, but this time with a different tone. Not a smile of contempt, but a smile full of interest.

"It seems this won't end that quickly," he said with a grin. "Not bad, you brat."

He took a ready stance, new poisonous needles beginning to appear from both his hands this time. "I'm starting to like this fight. Come on, show me what else you can do."

I stared at him sharply.

I will not lose. I won't.

This fight wasn't over yet, and now, I had a new weapon.

Wang Jin, *as far as I know, in this world, every mercenary only has one curse. Why can this kid use both an ice curse and a wind curse*

TO BE CONTINUED