Chapter 8 - 7: Unseen Bloom
The wind changed.
It was a subtle thing — a shift in the air, as if even nature itself knew something was about to break.
Jinmu Yeon stepped forward from the tree line.
The sound of gravel beneath his feet reached the clearing just moments before his voice did.
"Two-on-one. Doesn’t seem very honorable for so-called martial artists."
The two Crimson Flow Blade Union members turned immediately, blades rising in tandem, eyes sharp and aggressive. The taller one squinted.
"You—"
Jinmu was already walking, his hands resting loosely by his sides.
The woman from the Yeonhwa Lotus Palace wavered on her feet. Her breathing was shallow. She looked toward the voice, recognition flickering in her eyes — but her lips didn’t move. Her knees buckled slightly.
She’s about to pass out.
Perfect timing.
Jinmu didn’t break his stride. His steps were even, measured. Each one deliberate. He stopped between her and the two attackers, standing with his back to her crumpling form.