Chương 11: The Prince’s Last Hunt

Ch 11 - The Prince's Last Hunt The arrow projectile shot toward Jester at incredible speed. He had no time to dodge. It was a lock-on arrow projectile.

"Spend 50 stat points on Constitution!" He shouted at the top of his lungs just as the arrow slammed into the tree trunk he was perched on. A deafening explosion erupted on impact, blasting him backward with terrifying force. He crashed across the ground, rolling over and over as dirt, broken rocks, and debris scattered in every direction. The violent momentum only stopped after he had tumbled several more meters, leaving him sprawled across the battlefield in pain. The damage was overwhelming.

A huge portion of his HP disappeared from that single attack alone. Fortunately, he had managed to invest those 50 stat points into Constitution just moments earlier. Otherwise, that one arrow would have killed him instantly. Jester forced himself to his feet and tried to run. There was still time. As long as he moved fast enough, the prince should not be able to catch up to him. Then, without any warning, the prince suddenly appeared right in front of him.

Before Jester could even react, the prince had already raised his sword and pointed its razor-sharp blade directly at Jester's neck. His cold, piercing gaze held no trace of hesitation, as if Jester's life was already in his hands.

"You really thought you could escape from me?" Caelan said. Jester remained completely silent. He had no way to resist. After suffering that devastating arrow attack, it was painfully obvious that he stood no chance against the prince. Caelan could end his life with a single swing of his blade.

"I knew from the very beginning that it was you," Caelan said with a faint smile.

"You were watching from a distance, waiting for the perfect moment to steal that monster. I admit, your patience was impressive. You stayed hidden well enough that most people would never have noticed you." He slowly tightened his grip on the sword.

"But your biggest mistake was your arrogance. You thought you had all the time in the world. You should have left the moment you got what you wanted." Caelan's smile widened.

"You should have known who I am. You should have heard my name, heard of my greatness. I am the Prince of the Valtherion Kingdom, and the greatest archer of this generation. My eyes have been trained to see what others cannot. A target can flee for miles, hide behind walls, or vanish into the wilderness."

"It changes nothing. Once I set my sights on someone, they no longer have a choice. All they can do is wait for the arrow that will end their life." He leaned in slightly.

"My prey can run as far as they want. They can hide behind forests, mountains, or darkness itself. It doesn't matter. Once I've marked someone as my target, I can always find them." His smile turned colder.

"And once I decide to hunt someone. There has never been a single prey that escaped me." Jester and Caelan stood facing each other in silence. Neither of them moved. Then, something suddenly appeared in Jester's right hand.

"I know what you want," Jester said. Caelan's eyes shifted to Jester's hand.

"Hand over the Heart of the Abyss," Caelan said.

"And don't try anything foolish. The moment you make a suspicious move, this sword will separate your head from your shoulders. My blade moves faster than your eyes can follow." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Jester slowly raised his right hand. Every movement was careful and deliberate, so slow that it almost seemed harmless. Across from him, Caelan's sharp eyes followed every tiny motion without blinking, watching for even the slightest trick.

"If I give this to you..." Jester said quietly.

"Will you let me leave?"

"Of course," Caelan replied with a smug smile.

"I like obedient dogs. Know your place, hand it over, and I'll be generous enough to spare your miserable life." Then, without warning, Jester hurled the core as hard as he could toward his right.

"You ungrateful little rat!" Caelan instinctively turned his head following the object as it flew through the air. [You have successfully diverted your enemy's attention.] [Curtain Call has been activated.] [You have become completely invisible for 3 seconds.] [Chaos +5] Jester's body vanished from sight the instant the notifications appeared. A heartbeat later, Caelan turned back toward where Jester had been standing. For the first time since the battle began, genuine disbelief flashed across the prince's face.

His eyes darted around the battlefield as he quickly searched every direction. His expression twisted into rage.

"You're not getting away from me!" Caelan roared.

"No prey has ever escaped my hunt!" At that very moment, something burst out of the darkness behind Caelan. A massive scythe wrapped in swirling dark energy shot toward him with terrifying speed. There was no warning. No presence. No killing intent for him to sense. By the time he noticed it… It was already too late. [120 Chaos consumed.] [Divine - Chaos Reaping Activated] The enormous blade swept through his body in a single, merciless slash. [You killed Elite Named Human - Caelan Valtherion (Lv. 105)] [+104, 400 XP] [Level Up!] [Level Up!] [Level Up!] [Lv. 38 → Lv. 41] [Level Up Bonus: Health, Mana, and Stamina have been fully restored.] [XP Progress: 13, 042 / 44, 940 XP (29%)] Jester stepped out of the darkness a moment later, his figure gradually becoming visible again. He had gambled everything on one attack. And he had been right. Caelan's attention had been completely drawn away by the Heart of the Abyss, leaving him exposed for the briefest instant. That tiny opening was all Jester needed.

The Eight Prince of Valtherion lay on the ground, his body split cleanly into two. Blood rapidly spread across the battlefield as the light faded from his eyes. [You have slain an influential figure of the Valtherion Kingdom.] [Your actions have significantly altered the future of the kingdom.] [Chaos +55] [Reaper of Chaos: Harvest Mask has been triggered.] [Enemies slain by the Reaper have a chance to leave behind a Mask.] [Equip a harvested Mask to perfectly assume the target's appearance, voice, and aura.] [You have successfully harvested your first Mask.] [Mask Obtained: Caelan Valtherion] [Chaos +25]"Harvest Mask...?" Three of his scythe's abilities were Divine-grade. One of them was even a passive skill that consumed neither Mana nor Chaos. Unfortunately, Harvest Mask only activated by chance, making it impossible to rely on during battle. But this time, it had triggered. At last, he had obtained his very first mask. To be honest, Jester had never been particularly interested in killing the prince.

His original plan had been much simpler. He had secretly recorded the battle between the Silverwings Guild and Caelan. With that evidence alone, he could blackmail the guild whenever he wanted. They would never allow news of their actions against the prince to become public, so they would have little choice but to cooperate. That alone would have been enough. But, a wide grin slowly spread across Jester's face. He had gained everything.

He had escaped with his life, killed the prince, obtained Caelan's Mask, and still possessed the recording that could be used against the Silverwings Guild. It could not have ended more perfectly. Until, all of a sudden, a low, powerful growl echoed across the area. Jester turned toward the sound, and his eyes widened. Standing a short distance away was the enormous gray dire wolf that had carried Caelan into battle.

The leather saddle and royal barding were still strapped securely across its broad back, making it unmistakable. The massive beast lowered its body for an instant before leaping straight toward Jester. It stopped only a few steps away. Even standing on all fours, the beast was nearly as tall as him. Its muscular frame radiated overwhelming strength, and its enormous jaws slowly opened, revealing rows of razor-sharp fangs. Jester didn't move. Instead, he smiled.

"So... have you come to greet your new master?" The moment those words left his mouth, his appearance began to change. His red clown hair gradually turned blond, and an elegant crimson royal cloak draped itself over his shoulders. When the transformation was complete, the person standing before the dire wolf was no longer Jester. It was the Eight Prince Caelan Valtherion. His cold, arrogant gaze met the beast's without the slightest hint of fear. [Harvest Mask Activated.] [Current Mask: Caelan Valtherion (1st Mask)] [While wearing a Harvested Mask, your appearance, voice, and aura perfectly replicate those of the original.] [Beware of suspicion. The more doubt you draw from others, the more unstable your disguise will become.] [Play your role well.]