THE DARK TEMPEST

The silence that followed the fall of the Butcher of Frozen Blades was almost unreal. Jin stood there, panting, muscles tensed, his eyes scanning the battlefield. He had just ended a difficult fight, but despite the victory, something told him that it wasn't over.

The air was heavy. A bone-chilling cold had descended upon the battlefield, far more intense than what the Butcher had created. Jin squinted his eyes, forcing himself to stay alert. The ice shards littered the ground, remnants of the carnage. The Butcher lay there, his body shattered and frozen under the weight of his own failure.

Jin slowly approached, his flames flickering weakly around him. He didn't have time to check if his enemy was truly dead because a presence stopped him in his tracks. Something had changed in the air, as though a shadow had stretched, consuming everything around him. A shiver ran down his spine.

Slowly, a crackling sound reached his ears. A dark figure emerged from the gloom, fluid, elusive. The cold intensified, and shards of black ice erupted from the ground in a sinister flash. Jin's eyes widened as he watched the scene.

"Impossible…" he muttered, his throat tight.

The shadow moved in complete silence, its body ethereal, seeming to blend into the icy mist. It advanced without a sound, rising with each step, and its face slowly revealed itself. It was a blurry figure, almost imperceptible, but the tension in the air left no doubt.

The shadow's voice rose, deep and hoarse, as though multiple voices were speaking at once, vibrating with menace.

> "You saw the Butcher fall... But you have no idea what awaits you."

Jin clenched his fists, his gaze hardening. He knew he wasn't in a normal situation. He had felt immense energy, but here, in front of him, it was clear that this shadow wasn't just a physical being.

"Who… are you?" he asked, his voice strained. He tried to shake off the growing sense of terror.

The shadow began to laugh, an eerie sound, void of warmth. "I am the shadow that rules this place. The one who watches from afar."

Jin moved abruptly, his flames exploding around him as he attacked with blinding speed, his movements amplified by his Predator's Eyes. But as soon as he struck, an ice barrier materialized, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"You're fast, Jin… but too predictable," the shadow replied, seemingly blending into the surroundings before reappearing right behind him. A freezing wind blew, and a cold hand rested on his shoulder.

A cold shiver ran through his body, and he felt his energy freeze instantly. His breath caught, and every fiber of his being seemed to freeze under the weight of this presence.

"You see, you're not even close," the shadow said, leaning slightly forward, an invisible sneer on its face. "The Butcher was just a pawn. I… am the real test."

Jin straightened, fighting against the icy grip that weighed him down. The flames in his eyes burned brighter, but the pressure was too much. He attempted another strike, a rapid, swift movement, but his body refused to obey.

The shadow dissipated, and in an instant, it reappeared in front of him, inches from his face. Its eyes glowed with malevolent intensity, but all around him, the air seemed to freeze in an increasingly oppressive atmosphere.

> "The Butcher… You think you defeated him?" the shadow repeated, its tone dripping with disdain. "He's already dead. By my hand."

Jin felt the heat of his flames flicker. The shadow had just revealed a truth he didn't want to hear. He hadn't killed the Butcher. It was the shadow that had done it.

> "You're not the only force here," Jin muttered through gritted teeth. "I won't fall so easily."

But the shadow didn't respond with words. Instead, it let out a shrill cry that transformed into an explosion of absolute cold, enveloping Jin in an instant ice cage. The cold pierced through him, his limbs becoming as stiff as the ice surrounding him.

The pain was unbearable. His body cracked under the pressure of this malicious force, but he refused to give in. His inner flames shone even brighter, struggling to break free from the icy hold.

> "We're not finished yet, Jin," the shadow said, its laughter fading into the air. "I'll show you the extent of my power."

Jin struggled, but the more he fought, the tighter the shadow's grip became. He could no longer move, no longer breathe properly. His flames were being consumed, swallowed up by the freezing ocean around him.

All around him, the scene blurred. His eyes burned with feverish light as he prepared to shatter this ice illusion.

> "You haven't seen everything yet, Jin. But I'll show you everything... soon."

Before he could retaliate, a searing pain exploded in his skull. His mind plunged into total darkness.

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End of Chapter 11.