by Jason Hale
"Wait…boss please wait!"
They tried to run after him but were far too slow to catch his trail.
Chapter 55 - Scarlet Pangolin
The extensive, dark green area of trees breathed in a cold, silent breeze that would put most inexperienced folks ill at ease.
"Interesting, the time here flows differently than in the outside. There should be time shards powering this world from the inside."
"If you can collect them, you can turn a space treasure of your choice into a space and time treasure."
"What's the ratio?"
"Three days here equals one day in the outside."
Konnor negatively shook his head.
"The risk is too high for such a low reward. Let's not even mention that I can probably obtain a time treasure in a different, more straightforward way. Even if I couldn't, what's the point of snatching something I most likely can't keep upon returning to the outside?
This is clearly asking for trouble."
The Flame Mark had nothing else to say.
Konnor activated his Origin Sight and scanned the area for demonic beasts. His sight could cover a three kilometers radius and detect all life within. Thus, the task was simple.
There were many scattered low-level demonic beasts within the first level, but most remained out of plain sight.
Konnor pulled out the point chart and did a quick calculation.
"Lesser Beast = 1 point
Intermediate Beast = 5 points
Voracious Beast = 10 points
Superior Beast = 50 points
Monstrous Beast = 200 points"
The cultivation system for demonic beasts was naturally different from the other sentient races. However, the number of realms were the same.
Lesser Beasts were equivalent to the Initiate Rank, while Monstrous Beasts matched the Arch Rank.
Unlike humans, demonic beasts naturally grew into magic. Starting with the Voracious Beast Rank, they unlocked spells specific to their own lineage which made them stronger than normal humans of the same level.
"According to the given information, the first level contains Lesser and Intermediate Beasts. The second level contains Voracious and Superior Beasts. As for the third level, it's only Monstrous Beasts."
"Then I suppose the fourth level contains Accursed Beasts."
Equivalent to the Transcendent Rank, Accursed Beasts were not something Konnor could deal with. They were not only powerful creatures, but intelligent and capable of speech.
Therefore, he had no intention to rush into the fourth level and court death. However, he also didn't want to waste time farming low-level monsters when his goal was to tamper himself.
"I will first spend two days within the third level to amass as many points as possible. Then I will return to the first and second to assess the situation. If there are still beasts to hunt, then hunt them I shall."
He rushed toward the edge of the first level, and dived into the second, before making his way toward the third.
If within the first and second level, beasts were aplenty and lurked behind all corners, within the third level, they were much more difficult to spot. However, there still was a fair amount of them.
And they all craved fresh meat.
Konnor's silent arrival at the third level raised no alarm. He lurked within the shadows and used his Origin Sight to choose his prey.
"Found you!"
He smiled upon spotting a beast that perfectly fit his current requirements and shot toward it.
…
The Scarlet Pangolin had just finished tearing his prey to shreds and feasting on its carcass when something emerged from the shadows and struck it with a ferocious kick.
*Bam*
The pangolin was sent spiraling into the air and crashed on a nearby tree. Its stupor didn't last for long, and in a flip, it was back on its limbs with its fuming red eyes locked on the assailants.
Naturally, that assailant was Konnor.
"Not even a dent."
Scarlet Pangolins were known both for their astounding resilience and formidable destructive power. This one was a low-level Monstrous Beast with a battle power similar to a second level Arch Knight. However, even a third level Arch Knight would have a lot of trouble breaking through its hide.
The pangolin made a menacing huff and bared its claws.
It pounced onto Konnor, aiming for his throat at speed inconsistent with its massive build.
"Energy Weapon!"
Konnor bent to avoid the blow, summoned a two meters long war hammer, and sent it crashing into the pangolin's face.
*Bang*
The beast flew into the air from the impact. Still, the damage was minimal, and before Konnor could get any time to breathe, it was back onto him.
"Your energy is dispersed. Learn to focus it at the edge of your blow, to gather everything within a single point to deliver maximum damage."
The Flame Mark's voice echoed within his mind.
Konnor swirled on one side, causing the pangolin to crash into the ground in a loud explosion of dust, and channeled his spiritual energy within his hammer. His energy overflowed from every pore of his body, wild, and unrestrained.
But now it was time to learn how to restrain and entirely focus it within his blows and moves.
He breathed in, holding his hammer within his hands, and drawing input from his previous battles against the likes of Wenzel, Koloman, and even his small match with Wolfgang.
In particular, Wolfgang's knowledge and experiences were now all within his mind. Knowledge and experiences he could tap in to build his own understanding of spiritual energy control.
However, the pangolin gave him no time to do so.
Red and brown light swirled around its body as it rushed back toward Konnor, intent on tearing him to shreds with terrifying claw strikes.
Using his superior speed, Konnor dodged blows after blows, but staying on the defensive, he kept losing ground and was quickly getting cornered. Droplets of sweats trickled on his forehead.
The pangolin sensed its advantage and threw an all-out frontal blow toward Konnor's chest.
But as the blow approached dangerously close to his heart, Konnor's lips curled into a smile.
"All current can flow backward, all force can be reversed."
He raised his hammer in a counter. The metallic edge colliding with the pangolin's claws in a silent clash.
Yes, no noise spread from the collision. And instead of going berserk, the energy released by the pangolin was absorbed by the hammer and returned with ten times the might.
The Scarlet Pangolin's claws shattered, and it flew backward with blood spurting from its maw and its body shivering from internal damage.
Having regained the initiative, Konnor wasn't going to let it catch its breath. He condensed his spiritual energy at the metallic edge of his hammer and flew at the pangolin to deliver a fatal blow.
Sensing death approaching with great strides, the pangolin slammed the ground with its tail.
Three brown circles appeared around its body and rippled with magical power.
The earth cracked, walls rose to protect the pangolin and resist Konnor's onslaught.
"A third circle spell?"
Spell levels were divided into circles. Before the True Priest Rank, humans couldn't use spells and magical power was more of an embellishment than a useful tool.
Starting with the True Priest Rank, however, they could use first circle spells. At the Arch Priest Rank, third circle spells were the standard. Therefore, Konnor wasn't surprised to see the pangolin able to use one.
He struck the earthen wall with his hammer, shattering it in an ear-splitting blow.
Three new circles appeared around the pangolin, red ones this time. It opened its maw and released massive, scalding pure red flames that caused the surroundings' temperature to skyrocket and flew toward Konnor at breakneck speed.
"Third Circle Spell: Inverted Light Mirror!"
&nb
sp; Three white-purple circles emerged by Konnor's side, and in a purple haze, a white-purple light mirror appeared in front of him.
The mirror swallowed all the pangolin's flames and spit them out in a stream of icicles that pierced through the pangolin's scales and nailed it into a tall tree.
Its blood gushed forth, it struggled to free itself, but resistance was futile, and life soon left it.
"No hard feelings."
Konnor collected its skull and left for another prey. But as he got a better grasp of spiritual energy and his Energy Reversal Technique, the third level of the Demonic Beast Forest was turning into hell for those creatures unfortunate enough to fall into his radar.
Chapter 56 - Ancestral Feud
While Konnor's hands bathed in the blood of the third level's Monstrous Beasts, the other contestants were not staying idle.
The weaker nobles at the low and mid-level Grand Knight Ranks formed Extermination Teams to slaughter all the beasts at the first level while those of the high-level Grand Knight Ranks did the same at the second level. All clung on the hope that they could replace quality with quantity and at least send one of them to the competition's next step.
However, among the Arch Knights of the margrave and duke-level houses, many chose to try their luck within the third level.
As for the imperial family's team, they, of course, did the same.
The fifth prince had just returned from dealing with a low-level Monstrous Beast when he realized someone was missing within the team.
"Where is Nier?!"
His bark almost caused his subordinates to jump from fright.
"Huh…he was here not long ago…"
"…we…don't know when he left…"
"Imbeciles!"
The two who'd just spoken were sent crashing onto the ground by two violent slaps that left burning red marks on their cheeks.
Holgren's eyes were bloodshot, and veins beat on his temple.
"You better find and bring him back within the next hour. Otherwise, should anything befall him, none of you can escape with your lives!"
The seriousness of his threat was evident. Therefore, they didn't dare delay and scattered in two groups to look for the ninth prince's whereabouts.
...
Meanwhile, Nier had decided to test her skills in a solo hunt. Although she still was at the Grand Rank, she was confident in her ability to defeat low-level Monstrous Beasts and avoid coming across stronger ones.
However, she knew her overprotective brother would never grant her the opportunity to truly test herself. So, she could only sneak out!
At the moment, she was lost in a fierce battle against a Nether Leopard, unaware that from the shadows, several gazes were locked on her.
...
"Koloman, do you really want to do this?"
Asked one of the Arch Knights among Koloman's teammates.
They'd unwittingly come across the scene of the ninth prince fighting a Monstrous Beast and initially planned to ignore it and carry on with their business. However, who would have thought that Koloman would order them to stop and observe the scene from the shadows, then wait for an opportunity to strike the ninth prince down!
"What? Afraid?"
The coldness within Koloman's tone made it clear that if they showed hesitation, their future was in jeopardy.
"Before the paragon spirits appeared, we winged-serpents ruled this land! However, a hundred thousand years ago they appeared out of nowhere and with their false holy church leading them, slaughtered us en masse and forced all the noble serpent clans into submission!
But not content of taking away our lands, they had the audacity to take the 'tamed winged-serpent' as the symbol of their house!"
Koloman snapped with deep rancor, his words causing fury to suppress the apprehension within his fellows' hearts.
"Look, look at his robe, look at that symbol! That glaring shame! Even today, in spite of our allegiance, they still openly scorn us as if reminding the world of how they subjugated our ancestors was their most ardent desire! Our elders may be able to swallow this shame, but I cannot!
A good von Juras is a dead von Juras!
All paragon spirits should die!"
However, not everyone had lost their minds.
"This is something even your maternal grandfather, Sovereign Prince Huber Voight would not dare. Let's not even discuss the consequences of an imperial prince's death. We have no way to hide our identities! What if he manages to escape and reports back to the fifth prince? My life is not much, but I will not see my entire family exterminated for such petty, misguided revenge!"
Immediately, the outraged men were cooled. However, Koloman's next words gave them no way back.
"You only have two choices, either come with me or kill me if you can. In any case, today I must slay an imperial prince!"
Nier was wrapping up her battle and delivering a fatal blow to her prey when she felt a distortion within the air coming from her back.
"…shit."
...
After slaying his seventh Monstrous Beast, Konnor chose to rest and meditate on his gains.
He found himself a secluded spot beneath a tree and sat cross-legged to refine his discoveries and solidify his foundation.
"You're a fast learner. It's evident that his majesty's blood runs through you."
"Hey, don't blame my awesomeness on that distant seed-planter I will most likely never meet in a lifetime.
You can just blame it on me."
"D-distant…seed-planter? Bold! How dare you disrespect his majesty? Do you know how many demon gods would kill for the privilege of being his blood?"
To the Flame-Mark's outrage, Konnor paid little attention.
"I don't know, and I don't care. Why would I give a damn about some random demon gods' daddy iss-?"
But before he could finish his words, the sound of heavy footsteps approached at breakneck speed.
Konnor cast his gaze toward its origin and was surprised to see the ninth "prince" fleeing a group of six assailants with two gaping wounds. In a flash, Konnor vanished into the shadows.
With two gaping wounds, one of which was at her thigh, Nier' speed had been shrinking all along. However, she couldn't afford to slow down and mustered all her strength to escape from Koloman's team.
But to no avail.
Taking advantage of her speed loss, the six team members of house Slesinger encircled her, blocking all paths of retreat.
Koloman stood at her front with a victorious smile.
"Ninth prince. I'm afraid this is the end of your struggle. Just obediently surrender your life."
The self-satisfaction within those words made Nier' blood boil and caused fury to shine on her outraged face.
"Why? Why plot against me? I have no grievance with you. House Slesinger has been for generations a loyal vassal of the imperial family. For what reason do you wish to take my life?"
Her clenched fists trembled, and blood dripped from her lips, chest, and thigh.
"Hahahaha! Reason? He's asking for a reason?!"
Koloman went from elated to infuriated in a heartbeat and aimed his index at the slouching winged-serpent embroidered on Nier' robe.
"This! This is the reason! Every step you take insults my people's dignity. What? Did you think the mighty winged-serpent race was content being used as the banner of your house?!"
"A day will come when we take back what is ours. But for now, I will satisfy myself by spilling your wretched blood! If you want to blame something, blame your lineage!"
There was a deep, personal hatred in Koloman's voice that clearly went beyond what he seemed to be targeting.
However, Nier could pay no attention to that.
"Hahaha. So, this turns out to be nothing more than the struggle of the defeated ant. Disappointing…"
"Say what you will, the result is set in stone."
Feeling that he was about to take the life of one of those von Jurgens he hated so visceral
ly, Koloman was wild with joy.
Although Nier managed to run across a short distance, from the sneak attack till now, everything went relatively smoothly.