Chapter 449 - Turbulent On All Sides

The Gale Shaman had actually received a boon during his visit to the Ten Thousand Mountains, when he met the Totem King's incarnation. He was not only granted a totem power that was truly formidable, but his body had also been made younger.

However, the Gale Shaman had grown accustomed to his elderly visage and felt it gave him greater authority. Hence, he continued to maintain his former appearance, even though his body had broken free from decay and now possessed unimaginable youthful vigor.

He rose into the air, gradually ascending above the sea of trees. He gazed into the distance at the undulating mountains as moonlight shone down on him. He had come under the express orders of the Totem King. He was overjoyed; however, Gale Shaman also understood that the person the Totem King wanted him and Thousand-Beast Shaman to kill at all costs would hardly be so simple!

Indeed, that individual ought to be extremely dangerous. At the very least, dangerous enough to demand the cooperation of two great shamans, and so perilous that the Totem King saw fit to restore their youthful bodies and bestowed each one an exceptionally powerful totem.

The more the Totem King valued them, and the more extensive the preparations, the more formidable their target was certain to be. Therefore, even though Gale Shaman carried an unwavering determination to kill Cassius, he still took his adversary extremely seriously.

Nevertheless, Gale Shaman remained puzzled about one matter: where had this top-tier expert from Florence suddenly come from? Based on the descriptions, he was neither the Radiant Hunter Deleshart nor the enigmatic Chief Mechanist.

All of that would likely only be answered once he reached Florence...

"Including Thousand-Beast Shaman and me, four great shamans are joining forces, plus ten elite shamans for support. This amounts to nearly half of the Totem Temple's combat strength. Whoever this man may be, provoking such an unprecedented mobilization should already be enough for him to boast about..." Gale Shaman muttered to himself as his toes brushed the lush treetops.

***

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Farr County’s Rika City lay less than a hundred kilometers away from the imperial capital Florence. While it could not match Florence's bustle, it was by no means deserted. Nighttime had fallen, and yet several shops remained open.

Lanterns glowed brightly, particularly on five streets in the east of Rika City. A constant stream of people arrived and departed, with numerous carriages parked at both ends of the streets. It was a night market, selling all sorts of foods and goods. Along one of those streets stood an old tavern in a secluded spot.

A dark figure flickered across the entrance, and two minutes later, the tavern's doors shut. Two indistinct silhouettes conversed in the dim interior.

"It's confirmed that the dark creature test site in District Six was completely destroyed by an unknown foe. Zhu Hun and Yang Yan remain missing. They have possibly been captured and interrogated or perhaps killed..."

"Could the Dark Hunter Organization have been behind this!?"

"That possibility can't be ruled out..." The voice paused briefly. "According to recent investigations, the Radiant Hunter Deleshart appeared in District Six on the day the test site was destroyed. He was also injured while returning to headquarters and received medical treatment..."

"Did the Shadow Hunters discover our plan?"

"It's hard to say. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. I got in touch with those old codgers in the royal family and the council again. They said senior council member Louis and Duke Berry both went missing that day, along with a Shadow Hunter-level expert whom the Hongli Council had raised since childhood."

"So it wasn't just Zhu Hun and Yang Yan at the test site that day; there were also observers from the royal family and the council. But I've got a question.. that Shadow Hunter-level expert raised by the Hongli Council was obviously brought along by senior council member Louis, so what about Duke Berry? Didn't he bring any guards or someone to keep him safe?"

"That is precisely what I've been looking into during this period."

Another voice replied, "There aren't many in the imperial family who can reach the level of a Shadow Hunter, and the only one close to Duke Berry is the rapier expert, Constantine's second apprentice, Sachi the Silver Pistol Sword. I investigated Sachi's whereabouts on that day; apparently, he was gone for most of it, with no traces anywhere. Based on the data alone, that man is suspicious..."

"So, what should we do next?"

"Investigate Sachi and find out what really happened that day. If necessary, we'll torture him. Also, we need to mobilize manpower from the surrounding areas. Anyone sitting idle should come here if possible. Anyone who could raze the test site and defeat Zhu Hun and Yang Yan together is certainly no pushover..."

"What about Yang Yan and Zhu Hun? They..."

"Of course we need to look for them, but given the current situation, we can't hold out much hope. The most crucial thing is to retrieve the tablet. That's our top priority—understand?" The voice paused briefly. "Luckily, the test site sent updates to the organization every month, including all experiment logs. Otherwise, this loss would have been truly catastrophic..."

***

To the southeast of Florence, in the Anta Mountains, lay Anta City.

Three figures conversed in hushed tones in front of a bronze post where one could ring a bell to summon a carriage.

"What!? You really have a way to break free from the Black Rain Manor?!! Don't lie to me, Ghost-Man! Don't try to fool me with such news, or no matter how calm my temper, I'll make you pay!" A middle-aged man in hunting attire spoke in a loud, astonished voice.

He was powerfully built and had brown leather gloves on both hands. He also had a mechanical steam crossbow slung across his back. This metallic crossbow was exceptionally large, almost spanning the breadth of his entire wide back.

One could only wonder how thick the bolts it fired must be, or how heavy the sharpened tips were. It was clearly designed to hunt large monsters.

"Blood Crossbow, you may doubt what the Ghost-Man says, but you can believe me. You know I've never lied to anyone..." Iron Knight, still clad in heavy armor, spoke quietly.

One had to admit, once he spoke those words, Blood Crossbow grew noticeably calmer. Though he still hesitated, his mood had steadied considerably.

Iron Knight genuinely had a sterling reputation. He always kept his word, and was a Hellsing known for his intense principles. Such a person was quite interesting; he might overstep boundaries in other respects, such as acting like a scoundrel. However when it came to certain matters, he was exceptionally faithful to his promises and willing to pay a steep price to keep his word.

It was an interesting phenomenon among some top-tier knight-level marked-ones. They had to cling to some unshakable principle in order to remain, in some sense, human. It prevented them from being overly corrupted by calamity's side effects, keeping them from breaking all bounds of decency and plunging into darkness in an instant.

Iron Knight's particular obsession was clearly to fulfill his promises. Hence, when Iron Knight spoke those words and Blood Crossbow saw that Iron Knight did not exude a fully depraved aura of madness, he felt somewhat convinced.

Before long, the three of them began discussing matters under the assumption that the fake-death pill existed. Blood Crossbow promptly accepted certain plans and Ghost-Man offered certain guarantees. For instance, he would deliver some fake-death pills at a particular juncture.

They would test them on lower-level marked-ones to gauge their effects, thus placating Blood Crossbow. When he saw how readily Ghost-Man and Iron Knight agreed to the tests, Blood Crossbow felt an inexplicable surge of confidence.

He rapidly changed his mindset. "Tell me, how are we three going to deal with the Ripple Master and Tyrant Black Dragon?" Blood Crossbow fixed his gaze on Ghost-Man.

However, Ghost-Man shook his head. "It's not just the three of us, but many more top-tier knight-level experts. We already have five including you, me, and him. So you won't be fighting alone. We're setting up an organization..."

***

The next day, at the headquarters of the Dark Hunter Organization.

Cassius emerged from the washroom of his private residence. Golden sunlight streaming through the window illuminated his bare chest, revealing a magnificently powerful physique.

Droplets of water trickled off his broad shoulders, yet they were absorbed by the gaps between his muscles. They could not leave behind a trail of moisture as they would on a slighter figure.

He had spent much of the previous night familiarizing himself with his new strength and tirelessly circulating Sonic Fang Force. He also had to repeatedly mend the self-inflicted damage caused by such an extreme force.

Cassius had slept only about five hours, yet that was entirely sufficient for him. He had awoken around seven-thirty that morning. A gentle breeze blew in from outside, carrying the fragrance of earth and green leaves. While Cassius was pulling on his trousers, the sound of knocking came from the first floor.

He unhurriedly walked downstairs to open the door and found a young hunter delivering clothing. Once the clothes were handed over, the young man departed swiftly.

Cassius returned to his bedroom and laid out several items on the bed. On the left were two sets of attire belonging exclusively to Shadow Hunters. They were stylishly designed, bearing some resemblance to a naval uniform.

Each shoulder featured a firm protrusion, like the pauldrons of armor. Tassel-like decorations adorned the chest, with a few metal studs along the trim. A cape-like tail draped from the back, imparting a knightly, almost general-like impression. Clearly, these were not what Shadow Hunters usually wore. They were more like ceremonial apparel for significant occasions.

Next to that uniform lay a tightly fitted combat attire with a similar overall design. While it looked tight-fitting, it was not as thin and clingy as modern-day garments. It resembled the practice uniforms found in a martial arts hall. Its material was remarkably elastic and resistant to damage.

Cassius turned his attention to the far right side of the bed. He had been given a black mask of unknown composition, featuring intricate patterns suggestive of an ancient courtly style, giving it a rather ornate look.

It seemed the legendary antique he had used for this time-travel had actually been such a Shadow Hunter mask. In earlier times, masks like this had a practical purpose. Now, it was more of a ceremonial tradition passed down through the ages.

The Hongli Empire had endured for a thousand years, and in its first few centuries, the Dark Hunter Organization had served as a lethal blade of the royal family. They had not only performed their modern duties but also engaged in covert assassinations and surveillance behind the scenes. Hence, a mask that concealed one's face had found its use. Over time, that purpose had fallen away, leaving no real function for it.

Cassius cast a slow glance at the items before beginning to dress. The Hunters' Association Hall was holding a ceremony in his honor that day. Similar to awarding a medal to a general, the ceremony required onlookers of appropriate standing. The Chief Mechanist would also attend, and very likely speak privately with Cassius afterward.

After straightening his attire, he stood before a full-length mirror. His tall frame filled out the general-like uniform while his broad shoulders made the armored pauldrons appear all the more imposing.

Cassius glanced at the Shadow Hunter mask in his hand and affixed it to a specially designed clasp on his chest. There was no such clasp on the other side, but the Shadow Hunter badge could be pinned directly onto his chest, shining with metallic luster in the sunlight and bearing the digit "Two."

Thirty seconds later, Cassius, the new Number Two Shadow Hunter, left the residence. He headed for the Hunters' Association Hall, passing hunters who stopped in their tracks to watch him. They froze as he passed by, standing stiff and wordless like wooden mannequins.

They didn’t burst into conversation until Cassius had left the street entirely.

"The Number Two Shadow Hunter!? Did my eyes just deceive me!?"

"You're telling me only two of the five Shadow Hunters remain? Did some formidable enemy suddenly threaten our Hunters' Association? Oh my goodness..."

"What happened yesterday during that Shadow Hunter competition? White Aster won, and I wasn't surprised because he really was a dark horse, but how did he end up as the Number Two Shadow Hunter..."

Fueling all sorts of speculation, Cassius reached the Hunters' Association Hall. He pushed open the door and stepped inside, drawing many gazes at once. More particularly, they focused on the Shadow Hunter badge emblazoned on his chest.

However, unlike the onlookers outside, these hunters carried significant standing. Many had already heard the news and had gotten over their initial shock. Hence, Cassius wearing the badge of the Number Two Shadow Hunter did not incite an uproar.

Instead, their eyes shone with curiosity. Cassius’s eyes swept across the hall and, in the leftmost area, noticed several veteran hunters, their faces bright with excitement, alongside Claire.

He did not see Solomon the Thorn or Lion King Soss, so presumably they had not come. There were other figures, some familiar, some strangers, belonging either to the Dark Hunter Organization or to the royal family and council.

At the very front stood four Shadow Hunters in a row. They regarded Cassius with an unreadable look. He had no idea how many among them bore ill will, but it hardly mattered. Cassius believed in the power of one's fist; as long as his fist was strong enough, no matter how resentful his enemies might be, they would still be forced to kneel and swallow their complaints.

Head held high, he strode down the central aisle toward the elevated platform.

Two individuals already awaited him there. On the left stood someone Cassius knew well: Radiant Hunter Deleshart, dressed in a black suit.

However, the other man radiated a commanding presence and sported short red hair like a blazing flame. Even his brows were red. He had a gold ring on his right thumb. The ring's surface seemed to ripple like liquid metal, as though a tiny golden serpent coiled and writhed there.

Sensing Cassius's gaze, the red-haired man turned his head to look at him and their gazes met.