NOVEL WEB Chapter 22: The Shadow Huntress
The Crimson Ash's Forgotten Secrets
The woman's smirk didn't falter as she tilted her blade, its serrated edge catching the dim light of the tomb. Her stance was casual, yet every muscle in her body was taut, coiled like a predator waiting for the perfect strike.
"You look like a man in a hurry," she mused, stepping forward. Her boots barely made a sound against the ancient stone. Silent, and Experienced. A true assassin.
I tightened my grip on my daggers. "If you know who I am, then you know I don't have time for distractions."
She chuckled, unfazed by my words. "Oh, but you are a distraction, Bae Kae. The rebellion, the empire, even Kai-Hoon's ambitions,.none of that matters to me. I only care about what's inside this tomb."
Her eyes flickered to the relic at my side. The Crimson Ash.
I exhaled slowly, realization clicking into place. "You're not just another scavenger, are you?"
She bowed her head mockingly. "Lady Xue of the Obsidian Veil. Tomb raider, assassin, and, let's just say, the rightful owner of that relic you're holding."
The Obsidian Veil. A mercenary guild that operated outside imperial law, known for stealing sacred artifacts and selling them to the highest bidder. They weren't loyal to the empire, the rebellion, or anyone but themselves.
If Lady Xue was here, it meant the Crimson Ash wasn't just some forgotten relic, it was valuable enough to attract the worst of the worst.
And I had no doubt she was willing to kill for it.
---
>BOSS FIGHT: LADY XUE – THE SHADOW HUNTRESS
Gameplay Mechanics Introduced:
✓Duel System: Players must fast, counter, and read enemy attack patterns.
✓Assassin's Agility: Xue uses rapid dashes, teleportation feints, and poison-tipped blades.
✓Dark Fog Technique: She can extinguish torches, plunging the battlefield into darkness for a stealth advantage.
She struck first.
I barely had time to react as her dagger whistled past my face, a blur of silver slicing through the air. I dodged left, pivoting into a counterstrike, but she was already gone.
Fast. Too fast.
The moment I adjusted, she was behind me, her blade arcing toward my back. I rolled forward, feeling the sting of wind as her attack barely missed.
"You're quick," she admitted. "Good. I hate boring fights."
She lunged again, her movements unpredictable. One moment she was in front of me, the next, a shadow on my flank. Such unnatural speed. The Obsidian Veil's assassins were rumored to have enhanced techniques, honed by forbidden methods.
I didn't have time to confirm whether those rumors were true. Because, I had to adapt.
✓Option 1: Fight her in the dark, using stealth to outmaneuver her.
✓Option 2: Force her into an open confrontation, using brute skill.
I chose the dark.
Diving behind a crumbling pillar, I shattered one of the torches with a thrown dagger. The chamber dimmed immediately, plunging us into a shifting battlefield of flickering shadows, and thick silence.
Then, I heard a whisper of movement.
I closed my eyes, tuning my senses. The first step to hunting a predator is becoming one yourself.
I sensed a shift in the air. A slight inhale.
She was right behind me.
I spun around, my dagger slashing upward. Steel met steel, the impact jolting up my arm. She had blocked me, but I had disrupted her rhythm.
Taking advantage, I struck low, just a feint. She reacted, twisting to avoid it, and that was when I kicked her full-force in the ribs.
She grunted out loudly, staggering back.
For the first time, her cocky smirk vanished.
"Not bad," she breathed. But the fight wasn't over.
---
Plot Twist: Lady Xue's True Goal & The Obsidian Veil's Secret Involvement
Before I could press my advantage, she flipped backward, landing gracefully on the edge of a broken statue. She twirled her dagger between her fingers, her smirk returning.
"You fight well, Bae Kae," she admitted. "But do you even know what you're holding?"
I didn't respond.
She sighed. "That relic? The Crimson Ash? It's not just some artifact. It belonged to the First Emperor's secret enforcers—the ones who betrayed him."
My grip tightened.
"I'm not here just to take it for myself," she continued. "I'm here because you're being played."
My breath slowed. Another twist. Another hidden truth.
The Obsidian Veil didn't steal artifacts without reason. If they wanted the Crimson Ash, it meant there was more to it than I had realized.
And if Lady Xue was right, then my entire plan had just become far more complicated.
"Give it to me now," she said, raising her blade, "or I'll take it off your corpse."
I exhaled, steadying myself. I wasn't giving up the relic.
The only way out of this was to finish what we started.
Next Mission: Defeat Lady Xue & Unravel the True History of the Crimson Ash
---
Mission Continuation: The Shadow Huntress' Gambit
Lady Xue flicked her wrist, and a second dagger slipped into her grasp. Dual blades. The fight had just escalated.
Her smirk deepened. "Enough warm-up."
Without another word, she vanished.
Not a step. Not a whisper of movement. Just gone.
>Gameplay Mechanic Introduced: Phantom Step
•Lady Xue enters a shadow-phase, vanishing from sight for short bursts.
•Players must use environmental clues—footsteps in dust, flickering torches, the faintest sound—to track her.
She strikes from unpredictable angles, testing reflexes and forcing rapid counters.
I steadied my breathing, keeping my dagger raised. My heart pounded in my ears, but I forced myself to focus.
The torches flickered—a movement in the dark.
I spun, raising my weapon just in time. Steel met steel, sparks flaring.
But she was already gone again All I heard then, was a whisper of wind.
I twisted, barely avoiding the dagger that aimed for my throat. Another clash, another dodge. She was relentless, testing every weakness, hunting for an opening.
>Tactical Choice: Counter or Trap?
1. Rush her and fight aggressively—Risk leaving an opening.
2. Bait her into a predictable strike—Set a trap using feints, and terrain.
I chose the trap. I purposefully left an opening, feigning exhaustion. My grip slackened just enough to be convincing.
She took the bait. Lady Xue lunged forward, her daggers flashing. At the last moment, I sidestepped, twisting my body mid-air, and drove my blade straight into her side.
She gasped, staggering back. Her hand flew to her wound, blood spilling between her fingers. But then, to my surprise, she laughed.
"Not bad," she admitted, voice laced with pain. "You're better than I thought."
I didn't lower my weapon. "And yet, you're still standing." Her grin widened.
Then, she did something unexpected—she slammed the hilt of her dagger into a hidden pressure plate on the floor.
Trap activated.
---
>Gameplay Mechanic Introduced: The Tomb's Death Trap
The floor collapses, forcing a split-second escape decision.
I, and Xue must either battle while falling or find a way out mid-collapse.
The entire chamber trembled. With a deafening crack, the ancient floor crumbled beneath us.
I barely had time to react before gravity took hold.
>Falling Sequence – Player Decision:
✓Grab onto a crumbling ledge.
✓Use Xue as leverage to jump.
✓Accept the fall and prepare for impact.
I grabbed onto a ledge, my fingers straining against the crumbling stone. Xue, however, was still falling.
Her eyes widened in surprise—for the first time, her confidence cracked. She reached out. A silent plea.
I had a choice.
1. Let her fall.
2. Save her.
I reached out.
Our hands locked, and with a grunt, I swung her onto the ledge beside me.
For a moment, she just stared at me, breathless. "You—"
Then, she scowled. "Why the hell would you do that?"
I smirked. "Maybe I wanted to see you owe me."
She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Idiot." But I caught the slight relief in her tone.
---
Aftermath & The Crimson Ash's True Nature
As we climbed out of the ruined chamber, Xue moved more cautiously. I could tell she was reevaluating me.
Finally, she sighed. "Look, I'll admit it—I underestimated you."
I arched a brow. "You sound disappointed."
She crossed her arms. "I wasn't expecting someone like you to be… less ruthless."
I chuckled. "And I wasn't expecting an assassin to be so chatty."
Xue huffed but didn't argue. Instead, she nodded toward the relic in my grasp. "Now that we're not trying to kill each other, let's talk about that."
I glanced at the Crimson Ash. Its surface pulsed faintly—alive.
"The Obsidian Veil doesn't steal relics for money," Xue admitted. "We steal them because they hold power. Dangerous power. The kind that emperors kill for."
I frowned. "And the kind Kai-Hoon might already be using?"
Xue nodded grimly.
That meant the Crimson Ash wasn't just a relic—it was a weapon.
And if it had fallen into the wrong hands before, then... what else was hidden within the empire?
I looked at Xue. "So, are we enemies or allies now?"
She smirked. "I'd say… rivals. But for now, let's just say we're on the same side."
---
>Next Mission: The Imperial Cult's Involvement & The True Counter-Artifact
The Crimson Ash was only a piece of the puzzle.
Somewhere in the empire, the real counter-artifact—the only thing that could challenge Kai-Hoon's relic—was still hidden.
And we weren't the only ones looking for it.
The Imperial Cult had set a deadly trap, ensuring that anyone who sought the artifact would pay the price.
I clenched my fists. This war was far from over.
---
>Next Mission Preview: The False Counter-Artifact – A Deadly Trap
°Bae Kae & Xue track the next relic, only to find a cursed imitation.
°The trap drains Bae Kae's strength, forcing a desperate retreat.
°Kai-Hoon's forces close in as Bae Kae struggles against the artifact's corruption.
The rebellion's fate now depended on finding the real weapon before it was too late.