Chapter 113 The monster tide (2)
Chapter 113 The monster tide (2)
Chapter 113: The monster tide (2)
Aimee's boldness in jumping close to the skies and her skill in causing havoc on the battlefield was more than enough to win over Madam Erika and her subordinates. Avatars Of Death, coupled with her ability to hover in the skies, turned Aimee into an entity only a scant of monsters could reach her, after all.
Most of the monsters were ground types, meaning that Aimee's shockwaves disrupted the flow of the battlefield in more than just one way. In the beginning, she followed Keres' book, finishing the foes on the brink of death, fueling herself with their lifespan and mana.
Her shockwaves were quite random because of it.
But once she filled herself with enough energy reserves, Aimee returned to herself and directed her avatars in a way that shockwaves would hurt them the most. Using the environment and force of inertia was one of the ways to achieve that goal.
She also turned them over, defenseless, and provided easy targets for the soldiers under Madam Erika's command.
Just one woman had turned the tides of the stampede of monsters, her armored presence in the vista of the cloudless sky getting etched deep into the hearts of everyone.
The concept of the Death Queen had already bloomed alongside that impression in some hearts. Rumors were bound to spread sooner or later.
However, there was no one better to follow up on Aimee's schemes than her boyfriend and crimson-haired friend. The latter excused herself and turned into a crimson-black breeze as she weaved between stupefied soldiers and fallen monsters, getting close to the first defenseless foes.
Using her knowledge of the monsters she had harvested from years of lone hunting, Seraphina further leveraged Aimee's scheme and struck the monsters' vital spots with her searing blade. She herself had flames oozing out from every pore, so even if a monster leaped at her, she would be fine.
Her flames—ranked with measly C at the beginning of her path—were now much stronger than before as they assimilated with Sera's desires and concepts. A few keen-eyed people would also notice little blue tongues of fire within her moves, meaning that her power was slowly catering to Hunter's taste.
Perhaps that was caused by their relationship becoming real and better each day.
In addition to her skills, Seraphina was fast, fluid, and strong, tearing through monsters with ease and precision. She didn't want to lose to Aimee hanging above her, both in love and occupation. If her golden-haired friend was a queen of the skies, then she would become a devil of the ground.
That image was really coalescing into a reality as Seraphina's blade left crimson trails, and her flames kept spreading across the forest. Since she could feel her mana within those flames, it meant that, even though they were fanning out on their own and through the woodland, her mana was also 'eating' and using it for her gain.
With that in mind, Seraphina tried to control the flames all around her.
It was successful.
The flame lizards towering over the trees coalesced from the densest masses of flames, heeding her orders. Their long tongues mimicked Hunter's blood blade while their hulking frames devoured the monsters with simply their mass.
It was quite devastating. So devastating that Aimee and Hunter whistled.
'When someone gets close, she can also just flashbang their eyes… you've become strong, Sera,' Hunter inwardly commented as he walked through the devil's terror while his queen's avatars continued homing in on the monsters. His girlfriend's flames sensed his presence and staved off him as though opening up a path for the king.
Hunter halted and looked over his shoulder, "Follow me."
Hearing his voice and even more, feeling his cold gaze, Madam Erika and her subordinates woke up from the stupor caused by the two death queens and met his gaze, instantly listening to him. The black-haired noble woman with years of experience on her shoulders simply followed a much younger than her man.
It was so absurd, yet no one questioned the absurdity, let alone the reality of it. The subordinates hadn't even found it weird and obeyed his words.
Hunter said, "Brandish your weapons and finish off the survivors of my women's mayhem. Do not worry about anything, including your safety." Hunter's voice became deeper, "For I am here."
No one doubted him.
Just as he stepped onto the battlefield, the flames of the devil bowed before him, creating a path for him. The winged woman's avatars were also competing with the flames, sending off shockwaves that tossed wounded monsters at his feet, giving him an easy means to finish them all.
No, those were so harmed that Hunter simply had to stomp on them to finish their lives. It was Aimee's way of competing with Seraphina's flames, which also left enemies on the brink of death for others, focusing more on spreading their might.
All of that belonged to Hunter.
He hadn't done anything significant, at least that's what he assumed.
All he did was just say a few words, tramp a few dead bodies with his hulking frame, and reassure the forces to keep going over the monster tide. He didn't want Madam Erika and others to just stand there and gaze; he wanted them working.
It sounded so simple and normal… yet Hunter's words and presence had sunk into the depths of the hearts of everyone standing behind him, including Madam Erika. Domineering as he was, he simply turned over everything with his presence, so how could that not leave anything behind in their hearts?
In fact, if it weren't for the raging flames, Madam Erika wouldn't have an excuse for her reddened cheeks.
Therefore, Hunter had yet to draw out his skills and finish masses like his girlfriends had done. Yet, his presence had already reached the height of Death Prince, not the Black Prince that Mayun cherished.
Of course, that wasn't the final nail to their feelings.
The final nail happened sometime later when Hunter had an intact and fervent group of monsters rushing against him. Probably a ploy that Aimee had come up with to get more allies to their side.
Hunter smiled and announced, "Garden Of Liberation."
As the roses blossomed from the Blood Origin resting on his palm, Madam Erika's heart became completely snatched by him, to say nothing of her single subordinates.
He was truly Death Prince.
-
The monster tide was officially over.
The deaths of countless monsters in such a short time had broken the skill cast upon them by demons, so the rest of the monsters were driven away by fear. They rushed back to the forest and their nests, hoping for the best. Which they indeed could, as hunters couldn't leave most monsters extinct for the ecosystem.
By now, Death Prince and his queens had become more than a rumor, and everyone was aware of their presence. They were people that Madam Erika had somehow managed to bring over here to help them, so her fame rose alongside theirs. Also, because of that, World Order hadn't made any moves on them and decided to quietly clear off the scene.
Their upper-ups surely would look into Hunter and his teammates' identities.
But these three didn't really care about that.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I swear on my name to usurp Susan's position," Madam Erika shook Hunter's hand, her eyes melting as she gazed into his face. She was, without doubt, charmed by him. In her eyes, Hunter was a mix of adorableness and handsomeness, which somewhat aroused her more than she thought. It felt shameless, forbidden even, for someone her age to think of a man younger than her this way. "I'd be honored and relieved if you have accepted this gift as well."
Hunter blinked his eyes, lowering them to look at a letter in Erika's hand. He picked it up and opened it upon receiving a gentle smile from her. Once he read it, his eyes glittered with stars as this was an ownership of the private abode in the Red Mountain Hot Springs, which had been Hunter's target from the start.
It seemed Madam Erika was fond of them as well, and she had her own property there. In this letter, she had also sworn to pay fees herself, so it was like having everything for free! Well, he had done a lot of work, but that was still something he appreciated deeply.
"I couldn't be happier!" Hunter exclaimed, drawing more crimson colors from Erika's face. She was pretty adorable now. If he were a Casanova, he surely would have already her bouncing up on him in her bed. "…thanks." He awkwardly thanked her as the possibility of having a night with her began dispersing from his mind.
"Pleasure is mine," Erika belatedly chuckled and covered her face.
When Aimee stepped in, however, all colors were drained off her, and she seemed back to her usual self. These two spoke more formally about the future of this region and Susan's house. It was such a noble talk that Hunter excused himself and went over to Seraphina, showing her the letter.
She shared his enthusiasm but also couldn't stop herself from turning red.
Mixed hot springs.
How would that end? Perhaps she could use the scenery to beat her fears? It surely would be a much better place for the first time rather than an inn in which Aimee had lost hers. It'd be like a win over her.
If she really managed to go this far, it'd be a victory weighing more than mountains of gold for Seraphina.
She would take another step forward in her life to become a happier woman.
Someone that her mother and father surely wished her to be.
*Author's note: Hello everyone. I want to tell you that I will bring to light all important plots of Deathless in this month and finish it. You can call it the end of the book one, I guess? The reasons are simple: lack of readers, and my motivation and mistakes. I'll strive to write a better book by the end of november or at the beginning of december. If anyone's interested, I can notify you through comment when I start a new work. Also, if there are things you would like to know about this story or just have a question, feel free to comment and I will do my best to include it before book's done.*