Free Web NovelChapter 25: Saga 25— Ok!..... This Is Getting Weird II
’It can see me?’ Yuki could vividly see the strange figure moving their mouth. Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he was sure they had said something. The distance between him and them was approximately six kilometres.
Normal eyesight does not extend that far unless one had special eyes or a talent for such things like Yuki. His primary talent: Onlooker, allowed him to see across immense distances; some would even say he could see across half the continent.
The next second, Yuki realised that the strange figure had disappeared from his line of sight. His eyes darted around in search of their position. That’s when he deduced that they were screwed.
A giant hammer came crashing down from above Yuki’s head. Before he could register another thought, the immense weight of the hammer slammed into the earth, pulverising the ground, trees, and rocks alike.
"It seems you are quite capable," a metallic voice rasped.
Yuki dodged in the nick of time. The strange figure wasn’t surprised, as though they had already expected him to evade.
"You lot seem very strong... You will make good nourishment for the ’Ember Heart.’" The words ’Ember Heart’ were spoken with immense reverence.
None of them even had the chance to reply before the strange figure moved again. Its claws stretched outward like branches, disintegrating anything and everything they came into contact with.
"Frall."
Claire created a series of ice walls. The branches shattered through them one after another until they no longer served their purpose of protection.
’That was an advanced defensive spell...’ Claire was slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected the strange figure’s attack to destroy advanced magic so effortlessly.
Harriden swiftly evaded the claw-like branches as he closed in on the strange figure, splitting himself into multiple shadow doubles.
"This isn’t quite fair."
More than a hundred Harridens charged towards the cloaked figure, overwhelming it in sheer numbers. A wide grin spread beneath the hood. In a fleeting instant, steel-like branches twisted and lashed outward, impaling every one of Harriden’s doubles in a single sweep.
Mutated animals emerged from the surrounding shadows, encircling Azure Blake and Kael. Left with nowhere to retreat, they had no choice but to fight—though they would have fought regardless.
A sleek wooden staff condensed between Claire’s hands. She struck the butt of the staff against the ground, unleashing a tremendous eruption of magical energy that blasted the weaker monsters away.
"Claire," Sylvia called out.
"Eighty Greater Tier, thirty Ultra Greater Tier, twenty Ancient Elders, two Mythic Tier. But—" The look on Claire’s face became disturbed.
"Something is blocking me from assessing the guy in the robe." The ominous feeling that something was terribly wrong quickly spread through the group.
’Yo! Repulsive System... can you measure the threat level of the person in the ragged cloak?’ Kael asked.
[Sure. (Not that you deserve my kindness.)]
[Threat level...]
[I suggest the Host retreats... unless you wanna die.]
’What the hell is the threat level system?’ Kael furrowed a brow. This was the first time his system had ever done such a thing.
[Fine...]
[Threat Level: Supreme Greater Max.]
’What the hell is he, some final boss or something?’ Kael hadn’t expected a rating this absurd, as though he were facing the last villain of a game.
[It was nice knowing you. (LOL)]
Kael wasn’t displeased by his system’s words. The most logical choice would be to run, but how long could they keep fleeing before this bastard caught up to them?
The strange figure removed their hood. Beneath it was a husky middle-aged man. His face looked sickly—sunken eyes, protruding cheekbones, and pale skin—but his muscular physique told an entirely different story. Bloody markings were carved into every side of his neck, bearing a striking resemblance to runes.
"I’m Paul, proud disciple of the Fourth Ring of Salvation—" His lips curled into an alarming smile, revealing blood-crimson teeth.
"Rejoice, for you will become the sacrifice that shall nourish the prologue of the ’Becoming.’"
The man smiled madly, intoxicated by power, as though he had long since lost every shred of humanity. His words made no sense to them, much like a priest preaching salvation to a crowd of drunkards.
"Are you sure this dude—or rather, this man—is okay upstairs?" Claire placed a hand beside her mouth and whispered into Sylvia’s ear.
"Beats me," Sylvia sighed.
Mad or not, sane or insane, they all knew deep down that this man meant business. It was a law that hunters should never use their abilities against fellow people, citizens, and the like except under special circumstances. This was undoubtedly one of those circumstances.
"Listen, mister, we don’t care about your beliefs or religion, but we can’t let you keep harming the forest. So I’m asking you to either stop or—"
A massive hand suddenly appeared directly before Sylvia’s face.
Its fingers clenched together, but before Sylvia’s head could be crushed like a watermelon, she slid across the ground and slipped between Paul’s legs.
’That was a close one.’ Sylvia let out a sigh of relief. Her face twisted into a profound grimace. It had now become painfully clear to all of them that this was kill or be killed.
A massive blast of pure explosive energy tore straight through Paul, obliterating the trees along its path and leaving behind a trail of scorched earth.
"You have to be kidding me."
The gaping hole in Paul’s chest regenerated within mere milliseconds. Yuki was stunned. Not even Ancient Ogres healed this quickly, and they were renowned for possessing the fastest regeneration among monsters.
A multi-coloured spell circle materialised beneath Paul before he could move. The circle erupted with a devastating fusion of fire, wind, and water spells.
"Hexden 3: Dongona Rix."
Claire slid the butt of her staff across the ground.
Wisps of shadow mana coiled around the erupting spell circle. Harriden crouched atop a tree branch alongside his remaining shadow clones, each one standing upon a shadow platform positioned around every side of the spell circle.
They moved with surreal speed, relentlessly lashing Paul’s disintegrating body within the spell circle with concentrated strands of shadow mana.
"Gladina Assault."
A giant, pristine white celestial sword descended from a translucent spell circle, illuminating the dark clouds with its radiant brilliance. Sylvia floated high in the sky.
She lowered her right hand.
The colossal sword answered her command, crashing downward as a crimson barrier materialised before its tip, forcing its way through the air with overwhelming pressure.
The celestial blade thundered into Paul’s disintegrating body, triggering a devastating earthquake that shook the entirety of the highlands.
A violent gust of wind swept across the battlefield, annihilating several of the surrounding monsters.
"Woooo." Sylvia let out a sigh of relief.
"Is that all you got?"
Dark-purple energy dispersed the thick dust.
Paul stood there completely untouched.
— End of Chapter —
