Deviant: No Longer Human

Wang Xiao nodded inwardly, still keeping a wary eye on the barrage of trees. 'True, but his strength is better than I thought.'

Yin Yue's laughter echoed in Wang Xiao's mind, tinged with a hint of mockery. [This might be the weakest spirit you encounter. Others will be far stronger. This one possesses power but lacks intellect.]

Wang Xiao's expression turned grim. 'The weakest?' The thought unsettled him. The idea that this was just the beginning, that stronger foes lay ahead, weighed heavily on his mind.

Yet, he remained focused, leading Jake further into the forest, like a shadow luring an enraged beast.

*Boom! Booom!*

Jake's pursuit was never-ending, "Hahah! This pest thinks it can escape its fate!" he laughed, his torn clothes and bleeding body not affecting him in the least.

Suddenly, Jake came to an abrupt halt. From the air above, a sparkling dust began to drift down, shimmering in the moonlight. "What is this!?" Jake exclaimed, resuming his pursuit , his eyes fixed on the mysterious substance.

The dust settled slowly over his body, creating a surreal, almost ethereal scene. Jake's confusion and anger consumed him as he tried to understand this new development.

Just then, Wang Xiao reappeared in front of Jake, his expression calm yet intense. The contrast between the two was striking: Jake, a figure of raw, unbridled power, and Wang Xiao, a symbol of cunning and strategy.

"Surprised?" Wang Xiao asked, his voice steady. "You're not the only one with strength ."

Jake glared at him, his body tensed for the next move, the sparkling dust creating a halo of light around him. "What the hell is this!?" He demanded trying to tore the dust out of his body, tearing apart his own skin in the process.

Wang Xiao's frown deepened as he watched Jake tear at his own skin ruthlessly. "You won't be alive to know..." he muttered.

Jake's face contorted in confusion, then realization, followed by annoyance. "Tch, you bastard led me deep into this forest!" he snarled. He started advancing towards Wang Xiao, intent on tearing him apart with his bare hands. Suddenly, his eyes widened in horror as he took in his surroundings.

"Wha—"

*Thud!*

Before he could finish his sentence, Jake's body stiffened and he collapsed to the ground, completely paralyzed.

Wang Xiao watched, his expression unreadable, as Jake's body twitched and struggled weakly on the forest floor. "What... did you... do...?" Jake managed to gasp out, his voice a strained whisper.

Taking calm, measured steps, Wang Xiao approached the fallen figure.

With a *crack*, a branch nearby snapped and flew towards Wang Xiao's outstretched hand, as if summoned by an unseen force. He then kicked Jake's body, flipping it over to face him.

Jake's eyes trembled with fear and pain, his lips quivering. The poison was already doing its work, slowly draining the life from him.

Wang Xiao watched with focused, unflinching eyes. His expression was a mix of determination, a silent acknowledgment of the brutal necessities of survival. He brought the sharp end of the branch closer to Jake, its tip pointed directly at his eyes.

*Squish!*

"Arghhhh...." Jake wailing silently in pain, as but unable to move his body.

Gently, almost deliberate, Wang Xiao inserted the branch into Jake's eyes. His frown deepened slightly at the unsettling sound of blood and fluid gushing out, some splashing against his face.

The forest, once alive with the sounds of their fierce battle, now echoed with a chilling silence, broken only by the disturbing noise of Wang Xiao's actions.

--------

10 minutes later, the forest was pierced by a guttural roar.

*Roar!*

A bear, monstrous in size and bearing an ominous presence, lumbered into the clearing. Its three eyes, glowing with a sinister light, scanned the area, drawn by the scent of blood. It paused upon discovering Jake's body, its twisted grin frozen in death.

Without hesitation, the bear turned its attention to Jake's remains. With a gruesome *splurt!*, it tore off a part of the body in one savage bite, beginning to feast voraciously.

Hidden in the trees above, Wang Xiao watched, his eyes wide with a mix of disgust and recognition. 'So it wasn't an illusion...' he thought, a shiver running down his spine as he recalled a encounter with this very creature.

It had been this three-eyed bear that had once forced him to flee for his life, navigating the mysterious forest in a desperate escape.

As he observed, Wang Xiao couldn't shake off a chilling detail. 'Is it... smiling?' The bear's expression, eerily human in its contorted joy, sent a wave of unease through him. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Wang Xiao prepared to descend from his vantage point.

With a quiet leap, Wang Xiao descended from the trees, landing softly on the forest floor, his eyes never left the bear.

!?

Roarrrr!

The bear, with its ominous three eyes, immediately spotted Wang Xiao. With a ferocious roar, it lunged towards him, its massive body cutting through the air.

Wang Xiao, his lips curling into a slight smirk, watched the bear's approach. In a calculated move, he raised his hand, and with a deft motion, unleashed a shockwave.

Boooom!

The forest trembled and shook violently. Trees around them were uprooted and obliterated, leaving a path of destruction. The bear, caught in the full force of the shockwave, disintegrated into a mist of blood, splattering the area.

Droplets of the bear's blood splashed over Wang Xiao, staining his face. He grimaced in disgust. "Disgusting creature..." he muttered under his breath, his voice a mix of contempt and relief.

Without a moment's hesitation, Wang Xiao turned his attention to Jake's remains. With a focused burst of energy, he incinerated the body, reducing it to ashes in mere seconds.

The deed done, he leapt into the air, soaring towards the sea. The need to cleanse himself of the day's grim events was urgent, driving him swiftly across the landscape towards the cleansing waters.

________

In the midst of a smoke-filled battlefield, Ivan and his band of mercenaries were steadily gaining ground against the army regiment. The air was filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder and the shouts of combat.