Chapter 173
Glancing up, the remaining conscious hunters—Daki, Jake, and Max could see soone entering their view.
He looked to have been floating earlier as he landed softly on the cracked ground, standing just a tre away from Max, who lay on his belly staring at him intently, uncertain of what was going on.
The man, who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, stood tall. His jet-black hair was slightly tousled, framing a face marked by piercing red eyes that burned with quiet intensity. Every inch of his presence radiated calm confidence, like soone who had long grown used to danger.
He wore fitted black pants and a simple black shirt, but most of his fra was concealed beneath a sweeping coat, its dark fabric patterned with subtle streaks of mixed colors that shimred faintly whenever light brushed across them.
The coat seed to carry a faint ripple of energy with every movent, as though alive with restrained power.
On his feet rested a pair of boots unlike any ordinary gear—crafted from deep blue scales, each scale overlapping like armor plating, glowing faintly with an aquatic sheen. They radiated both speed and strength, as though forged from the hide of so ancient sea beast long forgotten by ti.
Clutched firmly in his hand was a sword that mirrored the design of his boots—a long, elegant blade forged entirely from the sa shimring blue scales.
Its edge glead razor-sharp, reflecting light in rippling patterns like waves coursing over water. The hilt was wrapped in dark leather for firm grip, and the guard bore etched markings that pulsed faintly, hinting at sealed power waiting to be unleashed.
Together, his appearance struck a perfect balance between shadow and storm—an enigma cloaked in darkness but ard with weapons that promised utter devastation. His calm presence alone demanded attention, the air around him subtly bending beneath the weight of his aura.
That aura too was no less intense. His eyes burned with what seed like an old hatred as he glared at the demon fiercely, both hands gripping tightly around the sheathed sword in his grasp. Then, he tilted his head slightly, his piercing gaze shifting to the battered hunters lying across the field.
’The attire... it seems like he’s a hunter. But why does he have a coat over his uniform? We aren’t allowed to wear sothing over our hunter outfit unless... wait! Does that an he’s a higher rank? That’s good.
That’s really great! But what rank though?’ Jake thought, managing to peel himself off the wall before falling to his stomach. He groaned, then forced himself to sit upright with his back against the wall, eyes locked on the mysterious newcor.
’Hmm... they’re all in bad shape and can barely move right now. It’s honestly a miracle and quite a puzzling one how they managed to last this long against a Proto-Echelon. Impressive. I’ll need to look into this later,’ the man thought, his expression calm but his eyes sharp as blades.
"Y... you... who are you?! And how dare you hit ?!" the demon thundered furiously, its distorted voice echoing through the shattered terrain as it glared at the man standing only a few tres away.
"Isn’t it obvious who I am?" the man asked, his tone calm yet commanding as he pointed toward the association’s insignia on his attire.
’A hunter? Why does he feel weak? That doesn’t make sense. The association wouldn’t send a weakling here. No... they wouldn’t risk it. Which ans... oh, I see. He’s an S rank, isn’t he?’ the demon thought, a twisted grin splitting its face as excitent flickered in its dark eyes.
"You are an S rank, right?" the demon asked, its dark eyes narrowing as it stared at the hunter in front of it.
’S... S rank? The pinnacle of the association?! A strength just below the association master? That rank? Is he really an S rank?!’ Max thought, his eyes widening as the realization slowly sank in.
"You really want to know my rank? You disgusting pest... how about you co and find o..." the hunter began, but he trailed off abruptly as sothing strange caught his attention.
Glancing down, he noticed his sword vibrating in his grip, moving with restless force as though it wanted to break free. The blade trembled violently, pulling in one specific direction, almost like it was alive and eager for sothing.
Tracing its line of motion, the hunter’s gaze landed on a battered figure lying nearby—a hunter on his back, one arm missing but still very much conscious. Max’s eyes t his.
’Huh? Why are you suddenly reacting to him? Is he soone special?’ the hunter wondered with a furrowed brow, his instincts tightening as a thought clicked in his mind.
’Wait... your body and essence were both created from a dragon’s remains. For you to be reacting like this... does that an...’
His gaze shifted sharply toward Max again, the glow of his eyes deepening.
"What’s your na?" the hunter asked, his voice steady but curious as he stared straight at the wounded man.
"Are we here to fight or to make introductions?!" the demon snapped impatiently, scratching at its own face in frustration.
"I hate when I’m speaking and weaklings interrupt ," the hunter replied coldly, his tone carrying a chill that made the air tense. He tilted his head toward the demon, and for a brief mont, his eyes glowed bright crimson.
"Max," the dragon vessel muttered, his tone low yet firm as his gaze remained fixed on the hunter.
"I’m Hunter Drey," the man replied evenly, his expression darkening. "And when I’m done with that demon, we need to talk.
You’ve hidden long enough from us, and don’t think you can keep doing so for much longer without finding you." His words were heavy, and the glare he shot at Max carried both recognition and warning.
’That sword...’ Max thought as he tried to push himself up, his body trembling with effort. His dragon eyes activated once again, allowing him to peer deeper into the weapon’s aura.
’It feels just like Hunter Elijah’s sword. That ans it’s made from dragon parts. According to what I know, weapons like that aren’t given to the weak—only to those strong enough to wield them. Which ans... he could really be an S rank.’
"Okay, where were we?" Drey asked casually, turning his full attention back toward the demon. His voice was calm, but his eyes told a different story—cold, dangerous, and unblinking.
"Hunter Drey, we’re done. We’ve evacuated everyone within a sixty-tre radius. You’re clear to go wild," a voice echoed in his mind, calm and professional.
"We’re at the part where I kill and eat you up!" the demon roared in fury as it pushed off the ground with explosive force. The earth beneath its feet shattered, and in an instant, it closed the gap between them.
"Hahahaha! Die!" the demon cackled maniacally as it appeared directly in front of Drey, its sickle flashing through the air at blinding speed.
"Don’t touch ," Drey said calmly.
The next second, silence.
The hand holding the sickle suddenly fell to the ground with a wet thud, blood spraying out from the stump as the demon froze mid-motion, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Huh?!" Everyone—including the demon itself muttered in shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
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{A/N}
Hey everyone! This Chapter is about to kickstart the ten Chapters release. I hope you all enjoy!
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