A man was leisurely walking with a coffin strapped to his back after exiting a dungeon. A sword swiftly darted toward him.
Clang! The sword was deflected by his gauntleted hand, a piece of Rank A equipment.
"Whose sword is this?" he asked as the dungeon portal behind him closed.
"Oi oi oi, Linggis, you blocked that?" A figure quickly appeared alongside four others.
"Oh, it's you guys."
"Not surprised, Linggis?" said a beautiful blonde-haired woman.
"Of course not, Seo Ah, you're as lovely as ever."
"Hehe, thank you. Now, die peacefully."
"Attacking a crippled man, especially one carrying a coffin? Don't you have any ethics in the hunter code?"
Seo Ah glanced at Linggis's walking cane, held in his right hand. Its design was sleek and straight, with a horizontal grip at the top for comfortable handling. The cane appeared to be telescopic or adjustable in length, with a small rubber or metallic tip for stability. It was simple yet sturdy, with a modern and functional design.
"You're crippled now, huh?" Seo Ah sneered.
"Been a while since we met, my ex-party."
"If you keep engaging, Seo Ah, you might get manipulated," said Jin Woo, the sword Linggis deflected returning to his side.
"Alright, Jin Woo darling," Seo Ah replied.
"Leon, Jin, Seo Ah, form S," Jin Woo ordered, and they immediately took formation.
"My ex-girlfriend cheated on me with Jin Woo? And now my former party is hunting me?"
"Don't take it personally. You've been declared a threat by the hunter association. Hand over the coffin," Seo Ah demanded.
The four advanced, while Linggis stood calmly in front of his former party, his cane in his right hand and the massive black coffin on his back drawing all attention. His gaze remained steady, even though he faced four Rank S hunters in a ready-to-strike formation.
"A Rank S party attacking a lone Rank A hunter, huh?" Linggis smirked. "Should I feel honored or insulted?"
"You brought something out of that dungeon you shouldn't have, Linggis," Jin Woo said coldly, his sword hovering beside him like a serpent poised to strike.
"Then take it, if you can," Linggis replied coolly.
Formation S Initiated
Jin Woo gave a brief signal. In an instant, the four Rank S hunters moved in unison. Seo Ah, with her incredible speed, dashed forward, striking at Linggis with her dual daggers, which glowed with energy.
"My attack won't fail this time, Linggis!" Seo Ah shouted.
Linggis simply smiled as his cane extended with a mechanical click! He blocked Seo Ah's strike with its tip, creating a sharp metallic sound.
"You used to be better," he said, pushing her back.
Meanwhile, Jin Woo attacked from behind, his sword enveloped in a dark, suffocating aura that surrounded Linggis. But Linggis turned calmly, using his cane to block yet again.
"Two directions? A decent strategy. But not fast enough," he remarked.
Suddenly, Leon, a massive man wielding a large axe, leaped from above. His swing smashed into the ground with enough force to create a small crater. Linggis jumped back just in time, the coffin on his back shifting slightly.
"Get the coffin!" Jin Woo commanded.
But Linggis moved with surprising speed, far beyond what was expected of a Rank A. He swung his cane at Leon's face, causing the large man to stagger back.
"Rank A? You forget, I used to be above all of you before this," Linggis said in a low voice.
Combined Technique
Jin Woo and Seo Ah coordinated their attacks, their moves becoming more synchronized. Seo Ah launched her daggers, creating a rain of energy blades, while Jin Woo attacked head-on with his oppressive sword aura.
Linggis used his gauntleted left hand to block Jin Woo's attack. Sparks flew as the sword struck his glove. At the same time, he twirled his cane in his right hand, deflecting Seo Ah's daggers.
"Formation S, huh? You're really serious this time," Linggis muttered.
Suddenly, the fourth hunter, a silver-haired woman with a bow, attacked from a distance. A brilliant blue energy arrow shot toward Linggis with precision.
Linggis dodged to the side, but the arrow abruptly changed direction mid-air, striking the coffin on his back. A loud noise echoed, but the coffin showed no signs of damage.
"Wow, this coffin is pretty sturdy," Linggis said mockingly.
Linggis's Counterattack
Linggis finally stopped moving and stood tall. He planted his cane into the ground with a click!
"You want this coffin? Fine, I'll show you what's inside," he said with a cold smile.
The coffin suddenly emitted a menacing dark glow. The four Rank S hunters immediately felt an ominous aura radiating from it.
"What are you doing, Linggis?" Jin Woo asked seriously.
"I'm just giving you a little lesson. It seems you've forgotten who I am."
Dark light burst from the coffin, and a massive shadowy figure emerged. The entity resembled a giant black knight, clad in dark armor exuding an aura of death.
"Meet… my new friend," Linggis said casually. "Have fun."
The knight drew its colossal sword and attacked the four Rank S hunters with devastating power. Linggis stood back, watching the chaos with a faint smile.
"Hope you survive," he murmured. "Because I won't."