Chapter 62: Counterattack

  Night fell. The moon was almost covered with dense cloud, and the forest was eerily silent. Unless one looked closely, one couldn't even see what was directly in front of them. The moonlight, which used to be warm and friendly, now sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the forest tonight.

  They were all traveling through the forest at night. Even the injured Sila insisted on joining. Their formation was a basic one. Napha and Gion led the way. Next was Leader Mei, a specialist in long-range attacks. Following him was Tawan, who stayed beside Princess Pailin, protecting her and supporting the front line.

  The back line consisted of Nitaan and Sila. Nitaan wasn't at the front even though he is a Scout. His exceptionally long detection range meant he didn't need to lead. His positions also made him able to provide support to Sila. Although Sila was a First word Engraver, his injuries prevented him from contributing effectively in combat.

  Finally, there were Kasa and Rain at the far back. With their unique abilities as Beast tamers, Rain could patrol the rear, preventing ambushes, while Kasa, combined with Rain, could protect both Princess Pailin and Tawan.

  This formation was unfamiliar to them. Unit 3 usually undertakes missions in cities, not in the forest. The one who manages the formation is Nitaan, who has spent more than half his life in the forest. Along the way, Nitaan constantly reminds them of the smallest details, like observing poisonous plants, concealing their tracks, and moving as quietly as possible.

  They travel without any light. While lighting a fire would be safer and easier, their goal this time was to ambush that Devil beast. Given its intelligence, if it discovered their tracks first, it would undoubtedly flee.

  The safety of the villagers is a constant reminder of this mission. They cannot afford any mistakes.

  Nitaan teaches the members techniques for seeing in the dark. It only helps them adapt more easily. They are all Learners and Engravers. Their senses are far superior to those of Newborns. Only Princess Pailin endures the hardship, her face showing signs of exhaustion, yet she doesn't complain. Her determined pink eyes remain steadfast as she presses onward.

  Hour after hour passes. They move slowly and silently, as if even the slightest sound from pushing through the bushes could have serious consequences.

  Traveling in the darkness of the forest is dangerous. Whether it was predators or poisonous insects, none of these were a problem for Nitaan. Normally, he would use his ‘Fade’ to ward off insects. Since they were traveling in a large group this time, he simply applied insect-repellent herbs to everyone instead. Furthermore, the walking technique and breathing pattern Nitaan had taught them were very effective.

  Predators were even easier to deal with. If any predator approached within three hundred meters, it would be devoured by a dark shadow leaping out of the darkness.

  Kiita could also borrow Nitaan's ‘Fade’. Therefore, he didn't need to worry about leaving traces. Simply covering them with a pile of leaves and applying a small amount of ‘Fade’ would be enough.

  Hours of tension passed like this. At one point, near a steep cliff, Nitaan signaled for everyone to stop. He walked ahead, pushing through the tall grass to find a cave. The cave wasn't very large, but its entrance was covered with thick trees and grass, making it difficult to see. A faint scent of blood wafted from inside.

  "Is this its lair?" Napha's face brightened as he asked softly.

  "Its scent is spreading in many places around here. But the source of its scent is in there, no doubt," Nitaan replied softly.

  "According to the plan, Napha and Gion, you two go in first and hold it down. I'll be the main attacker. Tawan, support me. Kasa and Nitaan, you two protect Princess Pailin and Sila. Princess, if you see it trying to escape, please release the Sky-Covering Net," Leader Mei instructed.

  Everyone nodded in agreement. Princess Pailin untied a strand of hair, holding it tightly in her hand. The entire rope was red, as if woven from thousands of spells. From afar, it looked like a rope, but upon closer inspection, it was a mass of fused energy.

  The atmosphere froze. Not even a breath could be heard. In an instant, Napha, Gion, and Leader Mei charged into the cave fiercely.

  Napha was the first to enter. He was the most resilient of the group. If there were any traps inside, he would tank it with his body. His body glowed slightly, and a golden energy shield appeared around him. A protective talisman was placed on his chest.

  Gion was not much different from Napha. He held a pair of swords in both hands. Protective talismans were plastered on his body, and a golden energy barrier enveloped him.

  Leader Mei had no energy barrier, only a long-handled spear in her hand. Spiritual energy pours out from the glow on her forehead. Spiritual energy of First word Engraver swiftly radiated, covering the area.

  Princess Pailin tensed, holding her breath, bracing for the impending battle. A battle between two First word Engravers and 2 Learners would undoubtedly have a huge impact on the environment, just as when Elder Grai fought two First Word Engravers—the surrounding area became a sea of ??flames, the forest was ravaged by burns, and the ground was distorted by the bandits' abilities.

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  When an Engraver strikes, the surrounding area is bound to be devastated!

  Yet, the reality before them was strangely different. There was no sound, no clash of energy, and not even any power was released, except for the power from those 3 who had just stormed in.

  In a moment, all three emerged from the cave, their faces grim. Leader Mei held something in her hand.

  “There are no Devil beast in there,” Napha shook his head, his face irritated.

  “You’ve been tricked, Nitaan. It’s smarter than we thought,” Leader Mei said with a tense expression. In her hand, she held a severed insect leg.

  Leader Mei tossed the arm-sized insect leg to him. Nitaan sniffed it closely and noticed it emitted the beast's distinctive scent with an unusually strong intensity.

  Nitaan's face fell. The Devil beast was intelligent enough to sense they were being followed. It had even planned a trap, leaving a decoy behind while it remained elsewhere.

  "We must hurry back. If it knows we're coming and has left a decoy like this, there's a high probability it will attack the village," Tawan thought, his heart racing.

  "The village!" Sila panicked. The FlameFrost Village was now without any strong protectors, only a few soldiers and guards.

  "Damn it! If only we had called for reinforcements earlier!" Sila was furious, glaring at Nitaan with anger, though he managed to suppress his frustration.

  Nitaan remained silent, his face pale. He approached Princess Pailin with Kiita. Nitaan snatched the small red rope from Princess Pailin's hand.

  Princess Pailin frowned at Nitaan's impolite behavior but allowed him to hold the Sky-Covering Net.

  "What the hell! We prepared all these treasures, and it’s been a trick all along!? Dammit!!" Nitaan was frustrated. He punched a large rock, cracking it in his hand.

  Princess Pailin frowned deeply. She didn't blame Nitaan for the mistake, but his behavior was becoming excessive.

  "Enough! We need to get back to the village now!" Princess Pailin walked over and shook Nitaan, her eyes filled with anger.

  "Let's hurry back to the village!" Sila shouted.

  "I know! Stop making such a fuss! Let's hurry back now. We might make it in time. Kiita is super fast!" Nitaan said loudly, as if unable to control his emotions. He stomped his feet three or four times like a spoiled child while pointing at Kiita.

  Everyone frowned at this. Even Princess Pailin couldn't tolerate it any longer and prepared to drag Nitaan back to the village.

  "This treasure is useless now," Nitaan, who was about to throw the rope back to Princess Pailin, suddenly stopped.

  Nitaan rapidly channeled his spiritual energy into the Sky-Covering Net amidst Princess Pailin's bewildered gaze. The net trembled violently.

  The rope glowed, and Nitaan instantly tossed it into the sky, transforming into a massive net covering an area of ??over a hundred meters with him at its center, becoming a cage trapping everything within.

  While Sila watched the Sky-Covering Net unfold in a daze, a black misty figure shot out from the forest. Its emergence coincided perfectly with the activation of the Sky-Covering Net.

  The black mist figure paused briefly upon seeing the net activate, but this is still a perfect time for an ambush. Its sharp scythe hand gleamed, cutting through the air with incredible speed.

  None of the Unit 3 members were prepared. Before they knew it, the black mist had attacked, its scythe brandishing boldly.

  The target of this scythe of death was none other than Kiita!

  Kiita was terrified, his eyes wide, staring blankly at the scythe aiming to end his life. No one rushed to help Kiita. Everyone stood frozen, unable to react to what was happening.

  Seeing this, the black mist sneered. It didn't understand why the Sky-Covering Net had activated, but escape could wait. Its primary goal was to kill this dog that could track it!

  As the Tiran’s grasp drew closer, Kiita suddenly shed away all of his panic acts earlier. A mocking smile spread across his face, his jet-black fur gleaming, and his speed exploded, propelling him towards the black mist.

  Clang!

  The sound of metal clashing echoed as Kiita, enveloped in a protective energy barrier, slammed into the black scythe. The black mist body halted from the impact while Kiita was sent flying backward unharmed. Amidst the black mist's bewilderment, a massive number of spears pierced through space and appeared beside it.

  Leader Mei also discarded her bewildered expression. Her hands glowed, and she unleashed spear after spear. The other Unit 3 members were quick to react, spreading out to surround the black mist tightly.

  It watched the unfolding scene in shock. Everyone from Unit Three seemed ready. The hail of relentless attacks fell upon it.

  It could only parry the initial barrage of spears with its two scythes and block some with its thick scales. It couldn't withstand the next attacks in time.

  Leader Mei unleashed three spears more at once as a faint mark appeared on her forehead. The three spears pierced its body. As its body flies backward, its body suddenly freezes in mid-air as if seized by something. Tawan's eyes glowed faintly as he held it in place with his ability.

  Kasa, Gion, and Napha appeared simultaneously, attacking the black mist. Fists, swords, and wind hammers violently struck its body. Although its thick scales lessened the damage considerably, the impact was still severe. Already weakened by the attacks from First word Engraver like Leader Mei, it coughed up thick green blood, battered and bruised.

  Even though it is a First word Engraver with a strong defensive scale, being simultaneously attacked by Learners who are highly skilled in close combat wasn't something it could easily withstand.

  It didn't understand at all. A moment ago, it had launched a surprise attack that no one had time to react to. Yet, it was counterattacked by its target off-guard. After that, it was surrounded by them all at once, as if everyone had been prepared. Even the surprised expressions on their faces were fake.

  It immediately sensed something was wrong. It had fallen completely into these humans' trap! It had to escape now!

  It let out a silent roar. Everyone shuddered violently from the mental attack. Taking advantage of the chaos, it quickly fled, releasing black mist in all directions, obscuring visibility once again.

  Even though many members of Unit 3 were accustomed to this black mist obscuring their vision, this black mist also slowed them down considerably.

  With the physical fitness of First word Engraver, it was able to reach the edge of the Sky-Covering Net. It swung both scythes to their fullest extent, hoping to destroy the net in one blow.

  However, it didn’t have the chance to land an attack. A young man suddenly appeared above it. This young man with deep blue eyes hung from the tree like an acrobat.

  It couldn't sense him at all. It was as if he had suddenly appeared out of thin air. It only saw an emerald green flash aimed at it at high speed.

  It canceled its attack on the Sky-Covering Net, attempting to parry with its giant scythes. But in that moment, its scythes became too heavy, causing it to lose its balance.

  The matter became worse when its body was pulled towards the emerald knife by a mysterious force. Even though it was just a light pull, covering less than half a meter, at that close range, its eyes were instantly locked on the sharp green knife.

  It used its last ounce of strength, hoping to pull itself to the side, but suddenly the knife's speed increased in an instant. The hand gripping the knife plunged it towards its eyes with a changed rhythm, shattering its last attempt to dodge.

  Four consecutive setbacks—the surprise attack, the scythe's increased weight in a flash, its body being pulled a bit forward, and the knife accelerating in an instant—left it no way to evade. All it could do was watch as the emerald green flash pierced its soft, unprotected eyes.

  In its final moments, it saw a young man's faint smile.

  "You know…surprise attacks are kind of my specialty."

  With those words, its head exploded violently. Its consciousness vanished, leaving only eternal darkness to engulf its spirit.