Linggis stood in the midst of the battle's ruins, his sharp eyes glinting as he watched the movements of the dozens of hunters encircling him. With the coffin now safely secured in his inventory pouch, he could move more freely.
"So, three against thirty? Interesting," Linggis murmured, spreading his arms wide. "Time to get serious."
With a single stomp of his foot, the two shadow knights under his control shot forward. The black knight, wielding its massive sword, slashed through a group of association hunters attempting to flank from the left. The sound of clashing metal and screams filled the air as bodies were flung aside like ragdolls.
On the other side, the shadow female knight moved with incredible agility. Her thin blade moved at blinding speed, striking vital points silently. Every movement was a dance of death, almost impossible to avoid.
"Ahhh!!!" A scream echoed as one of the Rank A hunters from Heaven's Shield fell, a deep gash across his chest. Blood flowed onto the ground, already littered with the remnants of the battle.
Leon, who had been holding his ground with his axe, finally couldn't withstand the onslaught from the black knight. He summoned every ounce of his strength to defend himself, but a single brutal strike from the creature hit him square in the chest. Leon was sent flying into a large boulder, gasping for air.
"Ugh… I can't…" His last breath escaped as Linggis chuckled softly.
"Leon is down," Seo Ah muttered, her face a mix of anger and fear.
Jin Woo gritted his teeth, his sword trembling in his grip. "We can't retreat! Hold the formation!"
But the situation was spiraling out of control. The hunters were falling one by one at an alarming pace. In mere minutes, over half of the original thirty were either dead or gravely injured.
Yet one person remained a thorn in Linggis' side—a silver-haired woman with a bow in her hands. Her eyes were sharp and calculating, always keeping Linggis' movements in her sights. Every time he moved, an energy arrow would shoot toward him, forcing him to stay on the defensive.
"Annoying pest," Linggis growled as he narrowly dodged an arrow that almost pierced his shoulder.
The shadow female knight tried to approach her, but the archer's arrows were faster, striking a joint in the knight's armor and halting its advance.
"Focus on her," Linggis commanded. The black knight immediately shifted its direction, but the relentless attacks from the remaining hunters hindered its movements.
The archer gave a faint smile. "I knew you'd target me, Linggis. But I'm ready."
Suddenly, several Rank A hunters threw energy traps toward Linggis. Chains of light erupted from the ground, attempting to bind him. Linggis dodged, but his movements became increasingly restricted. Another arrow shot out, striking his gauntlet and creating a small crack.
"This isn't funny anymore," Linggis muttered, retreating slightly.
Linggis took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening. "Alright, you've forced my hand."
In one swift motion, he plunged his cane into the ground. In an instant, the surrounding shadows began to converge, forming a wall of darkness that obscured his movements from the hunters.
"Too late for regrets," his voice echoed from within the shadows.
Within the darkness, only screams could be heard. One by one, hunters began to fall, their bodies thrown aside as blood stained the earth. Jin Woo and Seo Ah could only hold their ground, desperately searching for an opening to counterattack.
But the archer remained calm, her focus unwavering. She drew her bow once more, channeling an even greater amount of energy into her arrow.
"I've been waiting for this moment," she said. Releasing the arrow, a brilliant blue shot tore through the shadows, heading straight for Linggis.
The arrow struck true, hitting Linggis square in the shoulder. He staggered, blood dripping from the deep wound.
"Ugh… you're really persistent," he said weakly. Yet, despite the injury, a wide grin spread across his face.
"I guess it's time to stop playing around."
With a swift motion, he pulled the arrow from his shoulder and charged straight at the archer. Panicked, she tried to fire another arrow, but it was too late. Linggis was already upon her.
"Got you."
With a powerful strike, he sent her flying to the ground with his cane. But before he could deliver the finishing blow, Jin Woo appeared with a strike that cut through the air, forcing Linggis to retreat.
"Don't touch her!" Jin Woo shouted in fury.
Despite losing many members, the remaining hunters refused to give up. Seo Ah and Jin Woo moved in perfect synchronization, pressing Linggis, who now found himself on the defensive.
But Linggis only chuckled. "If you can still stand… so can I."
He readied himself once more, the battle showing no signs of ending until only one side remained standing.