Chương 37: Hunting Or Being Hunted?

Maximus ran, keeping his speed fast enough not to lose track of the wolf, but controlled enough so the others could follow without losing sight of him. Quest Created: Resolve the crisis. Kill the mad beast and end its suffering. Rewards: 4 Talent Points + 1 Extra Level Or Tame the mad beast and help it regain reason. Only when the beast acknowledges you as the pack leader will the quest be deemed finished.

Rewards: Class Trait Unlocked + 2 Extra Levels After twenty or so minutes, the wolf suddenly stopped and turned, firing a cone-shaped attack that released shards of crystallized blood. Maximus shifted course, darting to the left before lunging forward and sprinting at full speed toward the wolf, then leaping at it, his claws glowing crimson as he slashed down. The wolf growled and jumped backward, leaving behind a small red crystal where it had stood.

It detonated just as Maximus struck, blasting him backward with a painful snarl. Maximus shifted back into his human form and summoned his staff before casting Entangle. Thick roots burst from the ground beneath the wolf, grasping and twisting toward it, but the beast leapt high into the air, avoiding the trap before swiping downward with its claws, sending arcs of crimson energy that shredded the roots into splinters.

As it landed, it lunged straight at Maximus, who used Gale Step to dodge, twisting aside while unleashing Nature's Wrath into its flank. The attack burned even more strongly with Embi floating just behind him, amplifying the spell. The emerald beam of green flames collided with the wolf, sending it crashing dozens of meters away as the explosion forced it to spit blood and carve a trench into the ground with its body, snarling in fury.

As the attack landed, Felix, Oscar, and Maria finally arrived, gasping for breath but preparing to fight without hesitation.

"Good job, crazy boy!" Maria called with a nod as she charged forward, Felix rushing beside her. She unleashed cross-shaped arcs of light that tore toward the dazed wolf, while Felix followed up with a barrage of freezing icicles, layering ice on impact. Oscar grabbed Maximus, who looked paler than usual.

"Bloody hell, mate, are you sound?"

"I'm good… just slightly spent. Let us end this," Maximus replied, his voice steady despite the strain as he shifted his legs back into their lupine form and lunged forward again. Oscar nodded once and followed without hesitation.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, the King turned to flee, only to be slowed down by Maria and Felix with a relentless rain of attacks. Seeing that he couldn't escape, his eyes shone a deeper bloody red as he turned and lunged. Attacks shattered against his fur, drawing blood as they struck, but he powered through, snapping at Felix and grabbing onto his ice-covered arm. He lifted him overhead before slamming him violently into the ground. Then he turned almost instantly to Maria and slashed with his claws.

She crossed her blades in defense, but the wolf was stronger. The force of the strike tore the weapons from her hands and sent her flying back into Maximus, her cuirass caved in, her chest dripping with blood. Maximus frowned and cast Focused Treatment on her wound before summoning Static Vines, lashing out at the blood-soaked wolf just as it prepared to bite down on Felix once more.

"No chance, you muppet!" Oscar roared as he hurled his burning spear, striking the wolf square in the chest and igniting its fur just as three Wind Spears descended one after another, caving in the beast's chest and driving the spear even deeper. Oscar dashed forward, grabbed his weapon, and ripped it free in a spray of blood before helping Felix retreat to safety.

Maximus, seeing that his spirit needed time to recover, swallowed a couple of Cinder Seeds before drawing his now-burning blade, enhanced with Embi's power, and charging at the battered wolf, which could barely remain standing.

"Give up already! What is driving you to go to these lengths? You already devoured everything alive in this area!" Maximus shouted as he leapt onto the beast's back and drove his blade down. It barely pierced through the thick fur before the wolf shook violently, throwing him back to the ground. Maximus landed on his feet, staring into the blood-filled eyes of the beast that, somehow, still stood firm, staring him down.

"Just give up. Maybe I can help you cure this madness that's consuming you… If you join me, I might be able to save you." Maximus tried to reason with it, hoping to tame the creature. Seeing the wolf's power, he wanted it for himself. But just as the wolf prepared to lunge again, a rain of transparent daggers fell over both Maximus and the beast, forcing them to the ground. Luckily, strengthened Barkskin held, mitigating most of the damage inflicted on Maximus.

The wolf remained lying, unmoving, while Maximus staggered back to his feet, only to see four humans standing further behind, their weapons raised at Felix, Oscar, and Maria, who had somehow recovered enough to stand again.

"Look at you, cousin, trying to reason with the beast. Though you were always a weirdo with that damn violent ginger cat of yours." Toby mocked as he approached slowly, his hands resting casually in his pockets.

"What are you doing? Don't you know what will happen to you for attacking fellow participants?!" Maria shouted. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

"Oh, shut up, bitch. Spare me the drama," Amy spat as she lowered her cowl.

"Did you miss me, Red?" She added with a mocking wink. Maximus frowned as he recognized the woman. This is what happens when you leave your enemies alive, he muttered inwardly.

"I guess the big fellow is the other scum?" Maximus asked coldly as he walked over, handing Maria a potion.

"Drink," he whispered. Brock lowered his cowl and stabbed his falchion into the ground.

"You cost me an eye. I'll take both of yours!" He growled.

"Did you kill my men?!" Andre suddenly spoke up, revealing a shadowy figure.

"Oh, it's you. Small world," Maximus replied coldly.

"I see… You will pay for ruining my plans," Andre growled.

"My, my… this is more like you, making enemies wherever you go," Toby laughed.

"What do you want, cousin? I doubt things will go well for you if you try to kill me here," Maximus bluffed, trying to recover as much spirit as he could. He focused most of his will on forcefully drawing in the ambient spirit, leaving only a sliver of his mind to handle the conversation. The air slowly started to twist, to hum with faint, invisible pressure, as his dry seed swallowed spirit energy like mad.

"Don't act as if you know what would happen," Toby smirked.

"But yes, for some reason, I'm not allowed to act personally." His expression darkened into a resentful frown.

"Why do you hate me, cousin? We are of the same blood," Maximus said, his tone turning almost pleading, trying to buy time.

"Hah! You must be fucking kidding me," Toby snapped.

"You never had to worry a single day in your life. Living like a spoiled bastard, while the rest of us had to take on missions before we even gained any real power. All for the family, all for the Crimson Claw… and you, you got to enjoy it all without lifting a finger. A favored child..." Toby spat onto the ground, his eyes burning with raw hatred.

"You only had one job: to train, to prepare to become the next head, and even that you failed to do. You little shit!" Toby mocked.

"And even when you were sent here, we were ordered to look after you, to disregard anything else. Do you know how that made me feel?" Toby stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous, serrated whisper, "Do you, cousin?!"

"And even my damn… wanted me to help you. What kind of bullshit is that?!" Toby shouted, raising his hand as a large white serpent manifested behind him, transparent, ancient, and coiling through the air. But before Toby could activate his skill, the snake tattoo on his neck suddenly tightened, coming alive as it constricted violently, forcing him to drop to the ground, choking, canceling his skill. Toby gasped for air, rolling on the ground. Seeing this, Andre turned toward Maximus and shouted, "Shadow Minions!"

From his shadow, five beings emerged, revealing his true form: a dark-skinned, bald man in his late twenties, with piercing light-blue eyes, shirtless, with a red eye tattoo carved across his chest. The rippling shadows twisted and solidified into shadow beasts. A massive shadow serpent, a large tarantula, a horned lion, and two jackals formed, standing between him and Maximus.

"Felix, Maria, can you still fight?" Maximus asked coldly.

"My left arm's a bit twisted, but I can manage," Felix muttered.

"Oh, I'll fight. I'm not dying in this damn shithole," Maria cursed, and despite the agony radiating from her cracked ribs, she forced her body to move, a blur of motion that made her seem to teleport forward toward Andre. Her short swords materialized in her hands as she slashed at him, only for the serpent to coil in front of him and block the strikes. The blades released pale light that seeped into the serpent, causing it to collapse and writhe in blood-curdling agony.

"My fucking luck… A light user," Andre cursed as he drew a massive scythe and slashed at Maria. She formed a circular shield of light in front of her, blocking the strike before ducking low and driving her blade forward again into the writhing serpent, cleaving it cleanly in half.

"Nooooo! My child… You will die and replace her!" Andre roared as he urged his monsters to leap at Maria. Felix didn't waste any time and jumped behind Maria, sending a wide cone of frost at the twin jackals.

"I got your back!" Felix said simply as he slashed again.

"Oscar, get the crazy woman. Don't hold back, I beg of you," Maximus whispered to Oscar as Brock lunged at him, his falchion shimmering crimson and growing longer as he slashed. The slash landed where Maximus had just stood, while Amy appeared behind Oscar and drove a blade into his back.

"Ouch, you little rat!" Oscar groaned as he turned, sweeping his spear in a wide arc while Amy dodged, flipping backward and sending a barrage of spectral daggers flying at him. Oscar spun his spear in a tight circle, deflecting the daggers, while Embi floated above him, launching bursts of fire toward Amy.

"Thanks, Embi!" Oscar gave a quick thumbs-up before dashing forward, unleashing a flurry of burning thrusts at Amy, who barely managed to defend against the sudden barrage of relentless, fist-sized fireballs. The strikes descended and landed across her body, forcing her to drop her daggers before she was blasted backward in a burst of smoke. Luckily for Embi, and unluckily for Amy, the smoke meant nothing to a spirit who perceived the world through different senses as he pursued her, spitting fire in rapid volleys.

Meanwhile, Maximus evaded Brock's rage-fueled attacks while summoning the Devourer Plant's corpse and sending Sprout to assist Felix and Maria. Sprout squealed fiercely before teleporting away, merging with the massive Devourer Plant, which erupted with thick, powerful vines that lashed at the spider and lion shadow beasts. Each strike scattered chunks of shadow from the grotesque creatures, making Andre lose his composure further, just as Felix shattered one of the jackal's frozen forms into fragments.

Maria left the remaining beasts to Felix and the strange plant and turned on Andre, charging at him. He slashed forward, sending ghastly black crescent arcs flying toward her. She parried two, but the third tore across her abdomen just as she leaned back to avoid a follow-up strike. The scythe grazed her as well, and the pain and sudden weakness forced a scream to escape her as tears burst from her eyes.

"Tasty, isn't it? I stole a chunk of your health," Andre chuckled madly as he sent more scythes her way. Maria ground her teeth before shouting, "Lunar Storm! Lunar Blades!" Her weapons turned completely white, and her entire body began to radiate blinding light as she moved faster and faster, shattering each incoming scythe with the overwhelming force of lunar power.

Meanwhile, Maximus dodged Brock's attacks with the aid of his beastly legs while lashing back with his Thorn Whips, carefully conserving his spirit until he found a clean opening.

"You must be fucking kidding me. The same tricks again. Have you learned nothing?" Brock growled as he suddenly spun, creating a violent whirlwind that began pulling Maximus inward.

"Oh, dear boy, what a pitiful excuse for a skill," Maximus smirked, provoking Brock to spin even faster before releasing Spore Cloud, which Brock inhaled even more rapidly due to the intensified rotation. Suddenly, Brock gasped as his body stiffened, his movements locking up as he dropped to his knees, still gripping his falchion.

"Look, child, I've picked up a new trick." Maximus's voice turned cold.

"Now, why don't I show you scum who hunt your own kin how it feels to be the prey?" He rushed to Brock's side and drove his blade deep into his back before activating Static Strike. Brock couldn't even scream as the lightning and flames surged through him, cooking his insides for what felt like an eternity until a broken whimper finally escaped his lips, and he collapsed, his heart no longer beating. You have defeated: [Human Slayer Lv. 24] Battle Tokens earned: 200 Maximus shook the crumbling remnants of his blade free and picked up Brock's falchion.

"A bit large… and heavy, but it'll do for now." He muttered, testing its weight, just as Oscar shouted, "Give it up, you're being proper daft!" Maximus turned to see Oscar standing over Amy's burnt body, her hair nearly gone and her chest riddled with deep, blood-soaked stab wounds.

"I've no desire to kill a lass, me. Just give it up, eh?" Oscar urged, his voice strained but genuine.

"Oscar, damn you and your idiotic notions; move away now!" Maximus roared just as Amy let out a shrill, unhinged laugh and sank into the shadows. In the next instant, she reappeared behind Oscar, her blades flashing violet as she stabbed him repeatedly in rapid succession, over and over, as Maximus bellowed, "Lunar Flare!" The night sky erupted into blinding brilliance, as if the sun itself had returned at midday and descended.