Jasper trembled violently, muffled screams erupting from behind his gag. Shiva impatiently gripped his jaw and said: "You're good people, but everyone who's seen Shiva's true form must die—good people included. For the likes of you, even qualifying for a competition at this level is a privilege, let alone witnessing Shiva's true form. Consider it a mercy."
"Shiva, I have a question for you!" Selene shouted.
"Oh?" Shiva looked down at her from above, his body radiating a violent yet languorous killing intent. "You think you're in a position to ask me questions?"
That aura struck at the very core. I doubled over, retching, and even Selene's face drained of color, unable to speak a word.
"Enough. For the sake of your kindness, I'll make your deaths quick." Shiva spoke dismissively, pressing a finger against Selene's forehead.
"Stop..." I whispered.
"What?" Shiva looked at me with curiosity—he couldn't believe someone was giving him orders.
"I said stop..." I didn't know why, but from the moment Shiva had begun the dance of destruction, a power had been surging within me, resonating with his dance. My body burned, my heartbeat accelerated wildly, yet my five senses were razor-sharp—I could even hear the blood rushing through my own temples!
An unexplained force was on the verge of erupting! I gathered myself and—crack!—the ropes binding my hands and feet snapped apart!
Shiva looked startled. I'd already launched myself at him, fist flying for his face! The speed of that punch exceeded my own expectations—the friction of my fist against the air produced a hissing sound.
Shiva took the punch square in the face and staggered back several steps before catching himself, staring at me in disbelief: "Who are you..."
I gave him no time to speak. My mind held only one voice, screaming endlessly: Fight! Fight! Fight!
I roared and charged, launching a flying high kick at his head. I swear I'd never thrown a faster kick—it sliced toward his skull like lightning!
Shiva braced with his arm, catching my leg, then grabbed my hair and drove a knee into my head.
I took the knee full-on, but felt no pain—only rising battle fever. My fists rained down from every angle. An ordinary person would have been pulverized, but Shiva weathered every strike and growled: "You've gone berserk!"
He drove a Spearhand through my barrage, straight into my left chest.
I finally felt pain. My wild heartbeat slowed. The surging power seemed to drain away instantly. I coughed blood and collapsed to my knees.
Shiva grabbed my right arm and yanked back my sleeve, revealing the crescent-shaped scar. He froze, then laughed: "Of course, of course. Headquarters certainly has ambition!"
"What do you mean..." I'd lost all strength, unable even to stand.
"You and I are the same kind—gifts from Headquarters to this world." Shiva flicked the blood from his hand. "As a fellow of my kind, I'll spare you today. But next time, you won't be so lucky."
"Wait..." I lay weak on the ground, clutching his pant leg. "Just one question. Was Victor Day... did you kill him?"
Shiva smiled. "If you want answers, find me in future trips and force me to talk. But remember—only competitions with prizes over one million might have me. This time was an exception. And as for you, Ryan Knox—" he lifted my chin, "you still need time to awaken. I'll be waiting."
With those words, Shiva disappeared into the night. I rose unsteadily and staggered toward Selene, wanting to apologize, to say I was sorry I hadn't gotten the answer about her father... but before I could speak, I collapsed unconscious.
When I woke again, I was in a hospital.
I opened my eyes to find Jasper keeping watch by my bed. I tried to sit up and he quickly helped support me: "Don't move. You've been unconscious for three days."
I was dizzy and extremely weak. "What happened?"
"Your sternum was broken. They operated. The doctor said it nearly hit your heart."
I moved slightly and a dull throb radiated from my left chest. If Shiva's Spearhand had gone one inch deeper, I wouldn't be lying here.
"Did we make it to the finish line?"
"Yeah." Jasper nodded. "The hiking competition is over. Of course, you were unconscious for the entire second half."
I noticed his right arm in a sling—his condition wasn't much better.
"Oh, right—" I suddenly remembered. "Where's Selene?"
"She left after your surgery. But before she went, she asked me to give you this." Jasper handed me an envelope.
Inside was an address, and a key.
"This is Selene's address. She said you can find her there anytime." Jasper paused, then added, "She said she's never given her address to an outsider."
I held the key gently, a pang of regret in my heart. We'd met Shiva, but in the end, we hadn't extracted a single answer.
"Ryan, I'm sorry," Jasper guessed my thoughts. "When it mattered most, I was completely useless..."
"That's not your fault." I shook my head. "He was too strong, and he disdained any communication with us. Honestly, we should have known from the start—we'd never get any useful information from him."
Shiva's strength had exceeded all expectations—physically and psychologically, he'd crushed us completely. But the more overwhelming he was, the thicker the fog of mystery around me grew.
I had a hundred questions I wanted to force out of him.
"What's your next move... are you still going to do the trips?" Jasper's expression was uncertain.
I understood his thinking. Shiva's appearance must have dealt him a massive psychological blow. His academic passion could temporarily suppress his fear of death, but when facing the "God of Destruction" head-on, his instinct was to flee.
If we met Shiva in future competitions, we might not be as lucky as this time.
I had plenty of questions to resolve, but I now understood that uncovering the truth through round after round of Death Trips was a vanishingly slim hope. Shiva alone was an insurmountable mountain, blocking all secrets.
A bold idea took root in my mind.
"Old Jasper—we fight back," I said. "I've made my decision. I'm going to expose the existence of 'Death Trip' to the entire world!"