第73章 "Betrayal's Blazing Ember"

**73 Chapter: The Flame of Betrayal**

The words hung in the air like a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down by Lin Feng's burning anger. Little Fifth, the supposed friend, the trusted ally, the one who had shared countless battles and secrets with him, now stood before him, his eyes cast downward in shame.

"You knew," Lin Feng repeated, his voice crackling with fury. "You knew all along. Why, Little Fifth? Why would you do this to me?"

Little Fifth's shoulders slumped, his chest heaving with sobs. "I'm sorry, Lin Feng. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was promised a reward, a chance to gain power and prestige, by the one who gave me this information."

Lin Feng's eyes narrowed. "Which one?"

Little Fifth's gaze flickered, then met Lin Feng's unyielding stare. "The Shadow Hand. They offered me a deal, Lin Feng. A deal that would make me strong, incredibly strong. And I took it."

The air was heavy with the weight of Lin Feng's wrath, his anger simmering just below the surface. He took a step forward, his hand clenched into a fist. "You betrayed me, Little Fifth. You betrayed the trust we shared. How could you do this to me?"

Little Fifth's eyes welled up with tears. "I know, Lin Feng. I'm so sorry. I never meant for it to come to this."

Lin Feng's face twisted in a snarl. "You should have thought of that before you betrayed me. You should have thought of the oath we swore to each other, to protect each other, no matter what."

The silence that followed was oppressive, heavy with the weight of Lin Feng's anger and Little Fifth's shame. Lin Feng's thoughts thundered through his mind like a storm, as he struggled to comprehend the depth of his friend's betrayal.

And then, without warning, the anger in Lin Feng's eyes seemed to ignite, and he unleashed a blast of dragon's fury upon Little Fifth. The young warrior stumbled backward, his eyes wide with shock, as Lin Feng's dragon-enhanced strength sent him flying across the room.

The battle that followed was intense, their blows ringing out in a cacophony of steel and flames. Lin Feng's rage fueled his attacks, his dragon's strength amplifying his every move. Little Fifth, on the other hand, fought with a desperate ferocity, his own skills and training propelled by a mix of guilt and fear.

As the fight raged on, Lin Feng's thoughts began to clear, his anger slowly giving way to a burning determination. He was not going to let Little Fifth get away with this betrayal. He was going to make him pay for what he had done.

And so, the battle continued, the outcome hanging precariously in the balance, as Lin Feng and Little Fifth clashed in a frenzy of steel and flame, their fates hanging in the balance like a delicate thread.

To be continued...