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Chomp, Slurp-!
The beastmen pulled by Rakiman's palm shrink so small that their forms became unrecognizable in an instant. As he clenched his fist, the beastmen crumpled like crushed apples, and blood oozed through Rakiman's massive fingers.
As if drinking the essence of a healing medicine.
Rakiman raised his hand and consumed the heavy blood droplets dripping down like medicine. While his throat sluggishly gulped, the Kinzelos couldn't even consider launching an attack.
'What is that guy...?'
Badray's expression, which had been gleeful all along, stiffened in an instant. Berakt understood the terror the lower ones had been feeling. The pinnacles of the surface battle races trembled in fear.
A conviction to flee.
The instinct of the beastmen told them that Rakiman Hog was a predator they must absolutely avoid, not an enemy they could fight and win against.
It wasn't a matter of a disparity in strength.
The current Rakiman could not even utilize a third of his inherent power since awakening from his seal. Berakt and Badray also realized that he wasn't in a normal state, and they knew that fighting properly at this moment would yield higher chances of success.
However, they couldn't easily overcome their fear.
"Since the last time, I've noticed that the taste of blood isn't very pleasant. Perhaps it's the limitation of being a mongrel."
Chomp!
Another group of beastmen was sucked into Rakiman's hand. Upon closer look, a spreading red lightning was pulling and crushing the beastmen. Without any hindrance, Rakiman took another sip of the concentrated blood. The beastmen' remains turned into black powder as they were oxidized by lightning and scattered.
"I told you all to run away!"
But the beastmen were no different from flies caught in a spider's web. They couldn't move a finger, and they were unable to hear Berakt's voice.
'We shouldn't have set off the signal flare...!'
Patrol teams must have gathered due to the signal flare set off by the Red Plutonian tribe.
However, it was unlikely that the entire main base of the organization would mobilize. If that had happened, they could have abandoned the base and issued orders for everyone to evacuate to the headquarters.
"Stop it, you monster!"
Badray said, driving his greatsword into the necks of the fallen Red Plutonian tribe members.
"You just mentioned they were compatriots, right? It seems like you also care about your own kind. If you move one more time, these bastards will forever bid farewell to their heads...!"
Of course, Rakiman didn't stop his meal despite Badray's desperate threat. Another group of beastmen lost their lives under Rakiman's outstretched hand.
Rakiman never belittled the lives of the Red Plutonian tribe members. His love for his compatriots was greater than anyone else's, but he believed that if they died, he could simply retrieve their corpses and bestow upon them the honor of becoming an undying warrior.
"You mongrels may not know our Red Plutonian tribe, so you are making such threats."
"I don't want to know. Can't you think of it as negotiation instead of a threat? Just as you mentioned at the beginning, just quietly go back with them. Let's not exhaust ourselves. Your body doesn't seem in good shape either."
"It's admirable that you gather courage despite your fear. I'll give you one last chance to choose. Will the two of you become underlings of the Red Plutonian tribe, or will you engage in futile resistance?"
"What will you do if we become underlings?"
"I'll keep you alive and put you to good use."
"And the rest?"
"They will become nourishment for me and my compatriots."
Swoosh-!
Finally overcoming his fear, Badray rushed toward Rakiman and swung his greatsword. But he couldn't penetrate the protective shield formed by Rakiman's lightning energy.
He hadn't fully regained his composure as 10-star warriors. Badray's strike carried hesitation like those consumed by fear.
"Badray, take the lower ones and run away. I'll buy us as much time as possible."
As the newly arrived reinforcements continued to gaze at Rakiman, they stood frozen like statues. Although the demons were in slightly better shape, even they felt fear when they saw the afraid beastmen and the demoralized great warrior.
"Is that how it's gonna be? Damn it all. What the hell is going on now?"
Boom...!
Suddenly, a distant explosion was heard. When Badray and Berakt urgently turned their heads to check the direction, red lightning was striking down from the sky.
It was towards the direction of the main base.
Other infiltrating Red Plutonian tribe members who had been lying in wait began to move. At the same time, a square-shaped window appeared above Rakiman's wristband, revealing the face of another Red Plutonian tribe member.
{Great Battle King, compatriot Rakiman, we have successfully subdued everyone in the building. Although there are fleeing demons, compatriot Ozen is tracking them down for elimination.}
It was Andolin.
The time it took for Andolin's infiltration team, including herself, to occupy the main base was 15 seconds.
With Berakt and Badray present, the occupation of the base was practically over the moment the Red Plutonian tribe appeared. The lower ones and assault team leader-level beastmen couldn't resist the aura of Red Plutonian tribe's ordinary warrior. But with the 2nd-class battle kings having regained their strength, resistance became a futile endeavor.
"Compatriot Ozen's strength has almost fully returned, so there should be no problem. Any other noteworthy information?"
{...There are experimental specimens resembling the Blue Plutonian Tribesmen in the basement facility. They seem to be failed living-golems imitating the Blue Plutonian Tribe. Fortunately, I and my compatriots were able to confirm that the basement was not completely destroyed by the projectiles we fired.}
"I see, it's an interesting era in many ways, the current surface world. Understood, I'll head over there soon. You do not have to leave any for me, so you guys can fill your illuminating heart."
{Red Plutonian!}
Andolin placed her hand over her chest and saluted with proper decorum, and the window that appeared above the wristband disappeared.
'The main base has already been taken care of...?'
'It can't be easily defeated no matter how hard they try. How many of these bastards are there?'
Berakt and Badray, who were listening to the conversation, had to gather their courage once again.
"You damn son of a bitch! You said if we released your compatriots, you would leave quietly. But you've already prepared to attack us, haven't you?"
"The Red Plutonian doesn't lie. It's just that you pathetic ones failed to recognize the opportunity more valuable than gold."
"Enough with your bullshit! You find it amusing, don't you? Huh? Watch your back because today won't end just with laughs for you either. No matter who's behind you, we'll find out and exterminate them. It's an all-out war from now on, you bastards!"
In response to those words, Rakiman let out a low laughter that sounded like boiling iron.
"Badray, the wretched mutt, and Berakt, the white fur. You two were reported to be among the strongest in the current era, but I'm greatly disappointed. Is the human named Jin Runcandel at your level?"
"Why are you suddenly asking about Runcandel's young patriarch?"
"If you don't know, then at least tell me about Orgal, your leader. Where is he? He's said to be the leader of one of the four major forces in the current era, so I'm curious to have a conversation with him."
"If you wanted a conversation, you should have asked before committing such slaughter. As Badray said, what remains between you and our Kinzelo is only an all-out war."
"Once again, rejecting a precious mercy... That's why you can only be mere mutts."
The red aura flashed in Rakiman's pupils like blood vessels.
Upon seeing that, Berakt and Badray felt an even greater surge of overwhelming terror, and the nearby beastmen all collapsed to the ground, powerless.
Red aura formed giant swords in both of Rakiman's hands. Whenever the two red blades vibrated, the surrounding air distorted due to thunderbolts.
"Come forth, you mutts. The power I currently possess is not necessarily greater than yours, but let me personally awaken within you the true nature of the mightiest race among all mortals in this world."
"Kaahhhh!"
"Die, die, dieeee!"
The battle cries of Berakt and Badray were like incantations cast upon themselves. It was because they couldn't fight unless they forcibly embraced their wickedness. The two of them are the only one among the Kinzelos who could face the Red Plutonian tribe's Great Battle King and maintain their sanity.
The battle was completely one-sided from the beginning.
Rakiman wielded his sword lightly and gracefully, as if enjoying a game, while Berakt and Badray fought with all their might, facing death at every moment.
Yet, Berakt and Badray couldn't even unleash half of their original strength. As Rakiman had mentioned, there existed an insurmountable barrier and disparity between predators and prey.
Therefore, within a matter of minutes.
Berakt and Badray had no choice but to decide to retreat. It was shameful, but they had to survive, inform the headquarters of this fact, and prepare for another battle.
Rakiman saw through their true intentions clearly. The desperate desire to flee, the overwhelming fear that couldn't be resisted despite possessing greater power, the sudden humiliation of becoming weaker than an ordinary warrior in a single moment.
He felt the joy of the hunt, reading all those emotions.
Soon, the two beastmen, who represent the battle races of the surface, turned around and started running in a panic.
Ultimately, their instinct to survive crushed the last remnants of their pride. Berakt and Badray, especially Berakt, had never experienced such humiliation before.
Rakiman couldn't chase after the running duo. His physical abilities were still inferior to theirs.
Furthermore, he didn't have any intention of capturing them. They would make even better prey when they were more matured.
Instead, Rakiman gathered his strength and unleashed a slash behind them. It was to obtain high-quality blood that needed to be consumed immediately.
Swish!
That slash severed Badray's left arm. Even as his arm was severed, Badray didn't look back and continued running.
Afterward, Rakiman didn't pursue them as they quickly disappeared from his sight. He leisurely walked, like taking a stroll, only to collect the fallen arm and the blood it contained.
"As expected, excellent nourishment. I should share half of it with compatriot Shemat."
After picking up Badray's severed arm, Rakiman looked towards a distant rock. He had been aware of that rock since earlier. More precisely, he was aware of the human hiding behind it.
"Yona Runcandel. If my speculation is correct, you're probably Jin Runcandel's sister. I heard that there are only two humans who can hide this well in the current era: you and the Nameless King. Now, you will let your brother know what you have observed so far."
Yona.
As Rakiman said, she had been observing the situation since earlier. Recently, she had been hiding in the territory of the beastmen under Jin's request.
"So, go back and tell your brother. If you kill Ameris now and betray the Blue Plutonian Tribe, I'll allow you to become a compatriot of the Red Plutonian Tribe."
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