Chapter 397 - Southern Dipper's Strongest Force Energy Concept

Creak.

The door opened and an elderly man, thin as a rail, stepped inside. His hair was disheveled like dried grass and his cheekbones jutted out over sunken and weary eyes. He wore an old black and red suit, sans hat.

"You're here?"

After opening the door, Cassius turned to pick up a towel from his seat. Veteran hunter Herb observed Cassius's broad, wall-like back and thought of how much he'd changed in just the past week. Every time Herb saw Cassius, the man seemed noticeably and visibly stronger.

A faint, dangerous aura now radiated from his very being.

Click.

Herb shut the door and remarked, "It's only been two days, and your body seems even stronger."

Cassius clenched a bulging, veiny fist and shook his head. "Not strong enough, just barely usable."

Herb glanced at him but held his tongue. He had already guessed Cassius practiced Covert Martial Arts and came from the Empire's mysterious Covert Martial Arts community. Those who mastered Covert Martial Arts possessed terrifying strength and were capable of enhancing body, Qi, and mind in equal measure. They could manifest extraordinary effects at every stage of training through various ancient techniques.

Given this, the drastic changes in Cassius's physique within such a short time didn't overly alarm Herb. After all, White Aster was an outsider who had joined the Dark Hunter Organization rather than being raised from within; having secrets was only natural.

As long as Cassius wasn't a dark creature, Herb didn't care about his background. In fact, knowing Cassius practiced Covert Martial Arts only increased Herb's curiosity. Over time, Herb had come to appreciate Cassius's character, and he even considered using his Shadow privilege on him. Herb had already sensed his own end was near.

Splash...

The sound of running water came from the bathroom as Cassius washed off the foul sweat from his training.

Now alone, Herb sat on a wooden chair by the balcony. Sunlight touched half his body, deepening the weathered wrinkles on his aged face.

Herb was a veteran Hunter, ranked Class C like White Aster. But ten years ago, Blood Axe Herb had been a legend within the Dark Hunter Organization. The Dark Hunter Organization has four departments, each with distinct responsibilities. The combat focused Hunters’ Association boasted fifteen Dark Gold Hunters, each bearing an Class A badge.

Among these were six Hunters who stood as pillars of the association's strength: five Shadow Hunters and one Radiant Hunter. Their combat prowess rivaled that of top-tier combat artists and stood at the pinnacle of power.

The Radiant Hunter, the association's strongest hunter, also served as its president and was the designated successor to the Chief Mechanist, leader of the Dark Hunter Organization. This meant that if the Chief Mechanist retired or died unexpectedly, the Radiant Hunter would take the reins.

The five Shadow Hunters were ranked from Number One to Number Five.

At his peak, Blood Axe Herb had held the position of Number One Shadow Hunter and was the Radiant Hunter's primary successor. In other words, the veteran hunter Herb once had the potential to lead the Dark Hunter Organization. But that was ten years ago. As a Hunter battling dark creatures, Herb inevitably paid a steep price. During a critical operation, he took on the rear guard to ensure a safe retreat for many hunters, suffering grave injuries that weakened his foundation.

Though he had survived, his strength began to decline steadily. Within a year or two, he had fallen from Shadow Hunter status to Dark Gold level.

Herb was a man of principle. Once he felt his strength no longer warranted the Shadow badge, he refused to hold onto the title and requested a downgrade. Over the next ten years, he gradually dropped from Shadow Hunter to Black Copper Hunter. The Chief Mechanist of the Dark Hunter Organization personally promised Herb a compensatory privilege: the right to nominate one hunter for special training and the opportunity to compete for a Shadow Hunter position. Unquestionably, this was meant for Herb's protégé.

Special training was straightforward; an abundance of resources would be provided.

But the right to compete for a Shadow Hunter slot connected to the entire Dark Hunter Organization was a privilege even the royal court and council didn’t have. As the organization's combat arm, the Hunters' Association held a lot of influence, and the five Shadow Hunters and the Radiant Hunter were its cornerstones. Various factions with deeply rooted interests backed these positions, representing powerhouses across the Empire. There was a Shadow Hunter backed by the royal family, one by the council, and another by internal factions of the Dark Hunter Organization, along with a few independent members.

Currently, Number Four Shadow Hunter Soul Scythe Ivica had been severely injured six months ago during an operation and remained comatose in a hospital bed.

This vacancy for a Shadow Hunter has led to fierce competition.

One must have both strength and the support of a powerful faction, whether the royal family, the council, or another internal body of the Dark Hunter Organization, to claim this spot. Then there was Herb's unique situation.

With a promise directly from the Chief Mechanist, Herb held a reserved slot to compete. Half a year had passed since the Shadow Hunter vacancy opened. Various factions were actively eyeing the spot, having pre-selected their candidates.

Three Dark Gold Hunters represented three factions:

The Empire's royal family: Lion King Soss.

The Hongli Council: Thorn Solomon.

The internal Dark Hunter Organization: Siren Claire.

Each faction had bet on its candidate, so the competition was fierce. Becoming a Shadow Hunter was not just about the title; it could also affect the choice of the Radiant Hunter and even the Chief Mechanist. And Herb's nomination privilege was a coveted asset, attracting the attention of various factions.

Some factions had attempted to bribe Herb, seeking his nomination to increase their odds of securing the Shadow Hunter spot.

Others wanted Herb dead, knowing that one competitor would be eliminated with his death. However, they only dared to wait for him to die naturally, fearing retaliation. If Herb died, the Chief Mechanist would undoubtedly investigate, and they would ensure a severe reckoning if any faction were found complicit. The stability within the organization could not be compromised.

Seated in his chair, Herb appeared half-asleep, but his mind was deliberating whether to grant Cassius the privilege. Herb had always been guided by his principles; his voluntary surrender of his Shadow Hunter status was proof of that. He made friends based on personal compatibility, not gain.

Since his recovery, White Aster had shown a newfound decisiveness and confidence, as well as an undeniable charisma and talent that Herb admired. He wanted to bestow this privilege on Cassius, but once Cassius accepted it, he would inevitably be drawn into the fierce vortex of multiple factional intrigues for the Shadow Hunter slot.

Though his own strength had waned, Herb's perception remained keen. He had occasionally sensed watchful eyes on him, lurking in the shadows, since Soul Scythe was injured six months ago.

It was likely other factions monitoring his movements.

If Cassius entered the fray, he would become an immediate target for not just normal competition but potentially hidden dangers. Blood Axe Herb had made many enemies, especially within the royal faction, and with the Chief Mechanist's promise, even if Herb's strength diminished to that of an ordinary person, the royal family dared not touch him. But Cassius was different. The royal faction might resort to swift, decisive action to eliminate competitors.

In short, should Cassius accept Herb's gift, he would quickly gain substantial resources but also plunge into imminent peril.

This double-edged sword was a choice Herb would leave to Cassius himself. After all, Herb was not the type who liked to decide for others.

Half an hour later, on the living room sofa near the balcony.

"White Aster, if you accept this honorary badge, by tomorrow every faction will know, and you'll soon face open attacks and hidden schemes..." Herb's words paused as he held his teacup.

"It doesn't matter." Cassius put down his cup, his face expressionless but giving off an unwavering confidence. "Whether it's open attacks or hidden schemes, I have no fear. By the way, old man, that troublesome faction you mentioned was the Empire's royal family, right? And the one they're supporting is Lion King Soss?"

"Rumor has it he's a Dark Gold Hunter with royal blood." Cassius smirked. "That brat. When the time comes, I'll find a chance to kill him. Consider it my return gift for your generous present..."

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Cassius spoke with an unusual casualness, as if Lion King Soss's death was inevitable. Herb was taken aback; he had not expected Cassius to show no fear or hesitation upon hearing about the dangers ahead. Instead, he seemed eager as he planned to kill the royal supporters and offer it as a small gift.

If anyone else had said such bold words, Herb would have laughed and shaken his head. But Cassius's calm demeanor, unshaken tone, and subtle aura of intimidation and mystery made Herb consider the possibility that Lion King Soss might truly be in danger. For the first time, Herb could only shake his head.

He took out a golden honorary badge from his pocket and threw it to Cassius. "Do as you wish. If you can really kill Lion King Soss, it's your own business."

Plop.

Cassius caught the badge mid-air and examined it. The badge was about half a palm in size, shaped like a shield, with a lion-like embossed pattern on either side and a sword of judgment in the center. Winding olive branches and stalks of wheat were engraved around the edges. In the sunlight, the sword of judgment glinted with a metallic sheen, and on closer inspection, one could see thorn patterns intricately carved along the blade.

"Submit this honorary badge to the Hunter Association, and they'll officially record your name." Herb raised his porcelain teacup again.

Cassius looked down, slipping the badge into his pocket.

White Aster had two lingering attachments. The first was to become one of the top five executives of the Dark Hunter Organization within a year. Since Cassius had inherited White Aster's Hunter identity, he could undoubtedly start by engaging with the Radiant Hunter first. One bite at a time, one step at a time. Becoming a Shadow Hunter under the Radiant Hunter was Cassius's first goal.

This required not only strength but also a position recognized by the association. Since he was still within the Dark Hunter Organization, acquiring sacred spring water through this channel required adhering to the organization's rules. Herb gifting him this honorary badge was undoubtedly a crucial stepping stone.

Furthermore, the resources gained from this honor would likely include a substantial amount of sacred spring water. Cassius was particularly interested in that, since the sacred mark seemed to resonate and integrate with the unique force energy of the Southern Dipper Fist Technique. He intended to study this further and uncover the underlying connection.

If Cassius could truly grasp the principles behind it, then the greatest gain from this fifth time-travel might not be the vast reserves of life vibration energy in the World of Calamity, but rather the newly fused force energy of the Southern Dipper.

Death's Fang Force, Reverberating Force, and the Thorn Feather Force he had yet to acquire were incredibly formidable on its own. If they could be combined, who knows what kind of monster they might create? It was worth noting that the unique force energy of the Southern Dipper Fist Technique had properties that were specifically lethal to the undying and indestructible. If these three undying-targeting energies could be stacked, Cassius would become the ultimate nemesis of calamity.

He eagerly anticipated the unprecedentedly powerful force energy of the Southern Dipper...

By the time he calmed down from these thoughts, Herb stood up, clearly preparing to leave. Cassius rose to his feet to see him off but suddenly turned to look out towards the balcony.

The public building of the Dark Hunter Organization headquarters across from the Hunter's apartment. But a little further beyond was no longer within the Hunter Association's territory.

A hundred meters away, atop a clock tower within the workshop area, a middle-aged man was startled enough to almost drop his binoculars. Just a moment ago, the Hunter called White Aster had suddenly turned and looked straight in his direction. His eyes seemingly led into a crimson world, filled with a fierce killing intent and violent aura.

He had grinned like a savage monster wearing a human mask, exuding pure malice and an overwhelming presence.

"Damn lunatic. I wonder where this psycho came from..." the middle-aged man cursed.

He couldn't believe that Cassius had noticed his covert surveillance from a hundred meters away. He dismissed it as an insane Hunter with a mental disorder who enjoyed staring at the outside world with a weird grin.

"Blood Axe Herb finally gave out his spot..." the man muttered to himself, quickly turning and descending the clock tower.

He briskly headed toward a specific location within the Dark Hunter Organization headquarters.