Chapter 13: Sparks


    As Kelvin prepared to hurl another fireball, Kaja appeared at his side in a flash, his dagger aimed straight for Kelvin''s neck.


    *Clang!*


    A sharp metallic sound rang out as Kaja''s dagger was deflected by the black-clad figure standing beside Kelvin, sending the weapon flying.


    "Black-clad enforcer!" Kaja exclaimed, rolling backward and landing on the ground. He stared in disbelief at the man beside Kelvin.


    Han Ming, weak and barely conscious, also fixed his gaze on the black-clad figure. His heart sank. The enforcer wasn''t just openly protecting Kelvin—he had actively intervened to save him.


    Kelvin, furious at nearly being killed, didn''t hesitate. He hurled the fireball in his hand at Kaja, then conjured a smaller one and launched it toward Han Ming and Wei''er.


    Wei''er screamed, raising a thin water shield in front of Han Ming. But the shield was no match for the fireball.


    *Boom!*


    The explosion sent Wei''er flying. She landed on a distant slope, motionless.


    "Wei''er!" Han Ming cried out, his voice breaking. But there was no response.


    "You—a black-clad enforcer—directly interfering in the games!" Han Ming''s voice was low and filled with rage.


    The enforcer replied emotionlessly, "He''s a fire mage, a key asset. We can''t let you ants kill him. Though I must admit, I''m surprised you have a mage too. Too bad she''s a water mage. Her death means nothing."


    Han Ming glared at the enforcer and Kelvin, his eyes burning with hatred. "If Wei''er dies, none of you will live to see another day."


    The enforcer ignored him.


    Kelvin, panting heavily, sneered, "You cockroaches! I can kill as many of you as I want. None of you are leaving here alive today." The strain of casting three fireballs in quick succession was evident.


    "Go!" Kaja whispered, appearing beside Han Ming. He slung Han Ming''s remaining arm over his shoulder and began retreating. Blood dripped from Kaja''s mouth, and his long black hair had been singed off. His legs and back were severely burned, but he pressed on.


    "Dar went to save her," Kaja said, knowing Han Ming would worry about Wei''er.


    Han Ming turned his head with difficulty and saw Dar helping Wei''er in the distance. Rage boiled within him. When he had first been captured and forced into this death game, he hadn''t harbored much hatred. He had accepted it as bad luck, a consequence of crossing into this world. But now, seeing the rules blatantly violated and Wei''er''s life hanging in the balance, he was consumed by fury. He swore to himself that no matter the cost, he would make these people regret ever crossing him.


    "Trying to run? Not so easy!" Kelvin laughed, chasing after them. The black-clad enforcer followed silently, his sole mission to protect the fire mage. A fire mage was a rare and valuable asset, and Kelvin''s survival was paramount. Compared to him, Han Ming and his group were expendable.


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    Kelvin, relishing the chase, taunted them as he pursued. He held a fiery red crystal, occasionally drawing energy from it to replenish his strength. Ever since discovering his fire mage potential, he had been treated like royalty. Even his powerful family had seen him as their future leader. Being captured by the Dark Hall had only elevated his status further. They had activated his fire mark and assigned him a personal enforcer. For him, this death game was nothing more than a one-sided slaughter.


    But earlier, he had nearly been killed by Kaja''s sneak attack. The humiliation burned hotter than any flame. He was determined to make these "insects" suffer.


    Han Ming and the others struggled to flee, their injuries slowing them down. Kelvin''s fireballs, though not always accurate, kept them on the run. Rocks and debris from the explosions struck them mercilessly. Han Ming felt his leg break as a stone hit it, and Kaja wasn''t faring much better, with a shard of wood embedded in his back. Yet they pressed on, driven by sheer will to survive.


    At one point, they encountered another group. The newcomers, seeing their狼狈 state, eyed them greedily, ready to pounce and steal their tokens.


    "Get out of my way!" Kelvin roared, hurling a fireball into the group. The explosion tore through them, scattering limbs and blood. None survived.


    Finally, Han Ming and the others reached a dead end—a deep chasm with molten lava flowing below. The gap was only about fifteen feet wide, but in their condition, it might as well have been a mile. Despair settled over them.


    Kelvin caught up, laughing maniacally. "Run! Keep running! How dare you provoke me! Come kneel before me, and I''ll make your deaths quick. Otherwise, I''ll carve the flesh from your bones one piece at a time. And that little water mage? I''ll make you watch as I have my way with her!"


    Han Ming trembled with rage, his fists clenched. He had never felt such humiliation in his life.


    Dar, coughing up blood, managed a weak smirk. "You''re insane. Overreacting much? So what if we almost killed you? Without your little enforcer, you''re nothing. A spoiled brat who cries for mommy when he stubs his toe. Today, fate screwed us over, but hey, why don''t you come over here and sing us a song? Maybe we''ll spare your life and make you our court jester."


    Han Ming burst into laughter, despite his pain. "Well said! Even if we die today, you''ll always be a spoiled, useless brat!"


    Kelvin''s face turned purple with rage. He hated being called a "pretty boy" more than anything. "I''ll kill you!" he screamed, charging forward with his dagger.


    Dar, seeing his chance, lunged at Kelvin, taking a dagger to the arm but managing to land a slash across Kelvin''s chest. Kaja, seizing the opportunity, attacked from the side, aiming for Kelvin''s neck.


    But the black-clad enforcer intervened again, deflecting both attacks and sending their weapons tumbling into the chasm.


    Kelvin stumbled back, panting. "Kill them! Kill them all!"


    As Kelvin prepared to unleash another barrage of fireballs, a massive water shield suddenly appeared, shielding Han Ming and the others. A wave of water pushed them across the chasm to safety.


    Wei''er, her body broken and missing an arm and a leg, floated in the air before collapsing.


    Han Ming caught her, tears streaming down his face. "Wei''er... no..."


    "Cough... Han Ming... I''m sorry... I couldn''t become a great water mage... But I''m glad... to have met you..." Wei''er''s voice faded as her life slipped away.


    Han Ming''s heart shattered. This brave, kind girl had been his anchor in this world. Her death was a blow he couldn''t bear.


    "Brothers... live on. Remember, you had a friend named Han Ming... and a sister named Wei''er," Han Ming said, his voice calm but filled with resolve.


    Dar and Kaja shouted for him to stop, but Han Ming shook his head. He knew he was done for. With one arm gone and his body broken, he had no future. But he could buy his friends time.


    "Even if I become a vengeful spirit, I will never let you go. Your family, your friends, your precious Dark Hall—I will destroy them all. This, I swear!" Han Ming declared, his voice echoing with finality.


    Kelvin, now fully recovered, sneered. "You won''t get the chance!"


    As the fireball hurtled toward him, Han Ming leaped into the air, shielding his friends with his body.


    *Boom!*


    The explosion lit up the sky. Han Ming''s life ended in a blaze of fire and fury, his sacrifice buying his friends a chance to escape.


    As his body fell into the chasm, a massive shadow swooped down, snatching Wei''er''s body from his grasp. Han Ming, caught in the wind, tumbled into a narrow crevice, disappearing from sight.


    The last thing Han Ming saw was the fiery glow of the lava below. His final thought was a quiet hope: *If there''s a next life, let me be stronger.*