Chapter 11: The One That Walks Through Rain
The rain did not slow, but the moment that presence entered Lin Yu's range again, it felt as though the sound of every falling drop had been pushed into the background, muted beneath a heavier, more oppressive rhythm, one that came not from the sky, but from the steady footsteps approaching through the darkness. Lin Yu stood at the entrance of the building without moving, his body relaxed but completely prepared, while the water spread throughout the structure tightened under his control, responding instinctively to the threat that was drawing closer with each passing second.
Su Yan remained behind him, her breathing uneven despite her efforts to stay calm, because even without sensing what Lin Yu could, she felt it—the weight in the air, the unnatural pressure that made it harder to breathe, harder to think. It was not like the previous enemies. This was something else entirely.
The figure appeared slowly at the far end of the street, its outline blurred slightly by the heavy rain, yet its presence was unmistakable. It walked forward step by step, unhurried, unbothered, as if the entire ruined city belonged to it. The rain seemed to bend around its body, the drops sliding off before they could fully touch it, creating a faint distortion that separated it from everything else.
Lin Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So this is the one," he thought.
As it came closer, its form became clearer. It was taller than the others, its posture straight, almost human-like, but its skin carried a dull, dark sheen, as if hardened beyond flesh. Its eyes glowed faintly, not wildly like the others, but steadily, with a depth that suggested awareness far beyond instinct.
It stopped just outside the building.
For a moment, neither moved.
The rain fell between them, forming a thin, shifting curtain.
Then—
It took one step forward.
Into the building.
The moment its foot crossed the threshold, Lin Yu acted.
The water spread across the floor surged upward instantly, binding around its leg with immense pressure, attempting to lock it in place. At the same time, multiple compressed blades formed around it from every direction, converging in a silent, lethal strike.
The attack landed.
But—
It did not work.
The water binding shattered instantly, as if crushed by an invisible force, while the blades struck its body and dispersed, unable to cut through. Not even a mark remained.
Lin Yu's pupils contracted slightly.
"Not enough…"
The creature did not counterattack immediately. Instead, it tilted its head slightly, its glowing eyes fixed on Lin Yu, as if observing him, measuring him.
Then—
It moved.
Not fast.
But direct.
Every step it took felt heavy, deliberate, carrying a pressure that disrupted the flow of water around it. Lin Yu felt it clearly—his control was being resisted, not entirely blocked, but weakened.
"A field…?" he realized instantly.
This creature was affecting the environment itself.
Lin Yu did not retreat.
Instead, he raised both hands, and the water throughout the building responded violently, surging upward and converging toward the center. The thin layers he had spread earlier thickened rapidly, forming a dense, rotating mass that filled the space between them.
If cutting was not enough—
Then he would crush it.
The water compressed inward with immense force, the pressure increasing continuously as he focused everything into a single point. The air trembled as the structure groaned under the strain.
For a brief moment—
The creature stopped moving.
Then—
It raised its arm.
And pushed forward.
The compressed water mass split apart.
Not violently—
But effortlessly.
As if it had been parted by something far stronger.
Lin Yu's expression hardened.
"This… is different."
The creature closed the distance in the next step, appearing within striking range before Lin Yu could fully react. Its arm moved, not wildly, but with precise, controlled force.
Lin Yu shifted his body instantly, avoiding the direct hit, but the shockwave from the movement alone sent him sliding back several meters, his feet carving into the ground as he forced himself to stabilize.
Pain shot through his arms from the impact of resisting that force.
"This strength…"
It was beyond anything he had faced before.
Behind him, Su Yan's heart pounded violently as she watched, unable to move, unable to help, her entire body frozen by the overwhelming difference in power.
Lin Yu steadied himself, his breathing still controlled despite the situation.
Running was no longer an option.
Holding back—
Was no longer possible.
The water around him began to change again.
Not just gathering—
But transforming.
The flowing liquid condensed further, becoming sharper, denser, almost solid, forming multiple layers that rotated at high speed around his body. At the same time, the thin domain he had spread expanded outward, pushing against the invisible pressure emitted by the creature.
For the first time—
Resistance met resistance.
The air between them distorted slightly as two opposing forces clashed silently.
Lin Yu took a step forward.
His eyes were completely calm now.
"If you can affect the field…" he thought, "then I'll overwrite it."
The water in the environment surged outward in response, not attacking directly, but spreading, infiltrating every possible space, reinforcing his domain against the opposing force. The ground beneath them cracked slightly as pressure built from both sides.
The creature stopped again.
Its glowing eyes flickered faintly.
For the first time—
It reacted.
Lin Yu did not give it time.
He moved.
Faster than before.
Not physically faster—
But through the water.
His body shifted forward as the water beneath him propelled his movement, closing the distance instantly while multiple compressed blades formed simultaneously around the creature, striking from all directions at once.
This time—
They did not aim to cut.
They aimed to penetrate.
The attacks hit.
A faint sound echoed.
Not a clean cut—
But impact.
The creature's body shifted slightly under the force, its posture adjusting as it absorbed the strikes.
Still not enough.
But—
Not nothing.
Lin Yu saw it clearly.
A slight change.
A slight delay.
"Good…" he thought.
That meant one thing.
It could be affected.
Which meant—
It could be killed.
The creature's gaze sharpened now, its calm observation turning into something more focused, more intent.
Then—
It moved again.
Faster than before.
This time, it did not hold back.
Lin Yu's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand once more, the water around him surging violently as both sides finally stepped past testing and into true combat.
Behind him, Su Yan could only watch as the space between them collapsed into chaos, water and force clashing violently in a storm of power that tore through the building.
The walls cracked.
The ground split.
And at the center—
Lin Yu stood facing something far beyond the enemies he had fought before.
The rain outside continued to fall.
But inside—
A storm far more dangerous had begun.