Chapter 412: Chapter 411 Hunter
“I’ll see who’s causing such a ruckus,” Swamp Ant volunteered eagerly upon sensing the disturbance, heading out to investigate.
“I’m coming too,” the Flame Scorpion chanted, joining the departure.
Ivan glanced at the two half-centaur, gauging from their aura that they were likely the target of this commotion. With a sweeping gesture, he signaled everyone to go out and see for themselves.
Surrounding the courtyard were glowing lava spheres, the handiwork of Flame Scorpion, which illuminated a vast area.
Once outside, they could make out two tattered, emaciated figures in the distance, with a robust presence. As they drew closer, a putrid stench permeated the air.
“The Hunters have actually followed us here!”
…
By now, the two half-centaurs, heavy with worry, trailed behind. Recognizing the familiar figures, they couldn’t help but cry out.
The arrival of the Hunters didn’t just signify a huge crisis; it also suggested that the elites of their race, meant to distract them, had likely met with disaster. Out of a squad of nine, only two remained—their entire force was nearly annihilated.
They stood no chance against the Hunters and would soon be laid to rest like the rest of their companions.
“So they were indeed after you. Tell me, how did these undead creatures come to be, carrying curses and plagues among other powers?” Ivan could tell that the undead before them had transformed from half-centaurs.
His thoughts turned to his student, Helen—could the bloodline of the Centaur Race also contribute to becoming undead?
However, these undead in front of him were far more ferocious than Helen, radiating with a negativity that could aptly be described as ‘malicious’, and they appeared to have little spiritual intelligence.
This statement struck a chord in Angie and Saul. They might not stand a chance against the Hunters, but this terrifying human before them could. Perhaps they had a chance to be saved after all.
“They are Centaur Hunters, transformed from the remains of our people in our tribe’s graveyard, born solely to hunt down our Centaur Race. These two are just part of that,” Angie hastily explained without delay.
“And they were all Royal Family remains, with a strong lineage in their living days,” Saul added bitterly.
If it weren’t for these Hunters, how could the centaurs have fallen so rapidly, to the point of having to carefully strategize even a mere trip to the western borders?
Ivan quickly grasped the situation—it was undoubtedly a method to thoroughly rout them, meant to exterminate the remaining Centaur Race.
Now, it was clear that whomever enacted this plan had succeeded in suppressing the Centaur Race’s future development.
Such methods were terrifying and sinister.
“Swamp Ant, take the one on the left and seal it.”
“What about the one on the right?” Flame Scorpion eagerly asked.
“I’ll handle it myself.” Ivan beckoned, and the colossal Silver Moon Blade emerged once more. He stepped forward, instantaneously flashing over a hundred meters toward the approaching half-centaur Hunter.
His strength had grown immensely, and he had just mastered the Domain Aura—he certainly wanted to test his mettle.
“Clang!”
The Centaur Hunter’s skin was nearly withered away, its hands reduced to mere bones, with faintly visible golden spots on them. One bony hand tightly grasped a Knight’s longspear, which glinted with a chilling radiance.
Opting to strike first, the Hunter channeled its power through the Knight’s longspear, which shot out like a hurled javelin.
Its target was Ivan, charging forward.
Unfazed, Ivan conjured a faint red halo underfoot, spreading forward and causing the incoming power javelin to briefly stall.
Accompanied by a crisp sound, the Silver Moon Blade easily swept aside, dispersing the power javelin.
The Sacrifical Light spread forward again, enveloping the nearby Centaur Hunter and causing its movements to slow.
With a powerful stomp, Ivan increased his speed further, and in the blink of an eye, he was before the Hunter. He swung the now crimson-hued Moon Blade horizontally across.
The Centaur Hunter sensed something was amiss and converged all his strength onto the Knight’s Lance which struck towards the Moonblade.
Moonblade against Longsword.
One red, one grey.
Only to hear a loud clang, the Knight’s Lance snapped upon impact.
The Moonblade sliced through, splitting the Centaur Hunter in two, bones and bone fragments scattered all around.
Shattered in such a fashion, not even an undead creature could possibly remain unharmed.
Ivan looked upon the lifeless remains, shaking his head slightly. The Silver Moon Blade was too sharp; it made the combat test results less reliable. Had he foreseen this, he would have chosen a different weapon.
Come to think of it, it had been many years since he fought with a blade, and he had grown somewhat rusty in that regard.
Elsewhere, not far away, another battle also came to a swift conclusion. With the power of the “Ze King Aura”, the swamp ant managed to seal the Centaur Hunter within a giant rock, trapping him tightly.
The swamp ant was becoming more adept at such tasks.
Ivan was pleased to see this; it made capturing various experimental subjects more convenient.
Outside the manor, Angie and Sol were profoundly shaken as they watched the Hunter, who had nearly slaughtered them, being effortlessly dealt with—one slain, one captured—in stark contrast to their own ordeal.
They exchanged a look filled with complex emotions and a hint of alienness.
“Centaurs are no longer the same as they were, and neither are humans. I advise you to abandon inappropriate thoughts and stop dreaming the impossible,” Ivan warned solemnly upon returning to the front of the manor shortly after.
He harbored no ill will toward the Centaurs but had little good will either.
Seeing the two heavily injured, he knew their lives would be difficult to mend. In the underworld, they could well die soon.
“Thank you for the warning, Sir. Angie understands.” When overpowered, words are pointless. Angie acquiesced, no longer alluding to heritage matters.
“It’s best that you understand the situation,” Ivan remarked, not particularly concerned.
“Sir, may—I follow you?” Angie hastily asked as he prepared to leave.
Ivan paused, turning to glance at her.
“I swear on the soul of my ancestors that I have no other intentions, only a pure desire to swear fealty to you and explore the world above,” Angie quickly added, kneeling before him.
She performed the Knight’s oath of loyalty, though the procedure was not quite standard.
“Angie!” Sol, standing by, became anxious. A Knight’s oath of loyalty meant a lifetime commitment, rarely forsaken halfway.
“There’s no need to persuade me, Elder. My mind is set. I willingly follow a future Knight King.”
Angie didn’t lift her head at this, her thoughts on leaving the hidden town long-formed. To follow a human strong enough to have ties with the Centaur Race seemed like fate, and ascending to the surface world would also avoid past enemies of her kin.
Ivan didn’t mince words, scrutinizing her with his senses until he understood her completely.
Her bloodline potential was quite decent.
At Level 2, her strength was not bad either.
With her exceptional looks, she had a unique charm of an Alien Race.
“I accept your fealty.”
After a moment’s contemplation, Ivan flipped his hand, and a Longsword appeared, resting on Angie’s shoulder as he accepted the allegiance of this member of the Centaur Race.