7 7. A Thunderous Battle

"Run!"

As soon as Hunter roared, Kavius bolted. Instead of heading toward the crowd and the road, he dashed into the nearby woods that bordered the lake. Though sparse, the trees provided cover from bullets and prying eyes. Brownie also surged ahead, leading the way.

Hunter did the same, taking the crowd by surprise. But just before he entered the woods, he noticed the unchanging calm smile on Captain Arthur's face. There was something about him—dangerous.

Woosh!

Leaves rustled, and branches brushed against Hunter's shoulder as he sprinted. His height had its advantages, and he marveled at his body's athleticism. It felt as though he was galloping, leaving deep footprints in the damp ground.

"Keep running!" Hunter kept pushing Kavius ahead. "Don't look back!" 

He had to push his brother after having seen how inexperienced and timid he was. A prince rarely gets into fights, let alone in life-threatening situations.

"I can't," Kavius gasped, his breath ragged. "We need to cross the road... The Nine Ring Forest is on the other side!"

"Then cross!" Hunter changed directions and moved towards the roadside. That calm face of Captain Arthur constantly kept him on edge. Something was coming, and he could feel it. "I'll lead!"

He was much faster than Kavius somehow, and he didn't even feel exhausted. His breath wasn't even ragged, nor was there an ounce of sweat on his body. His feet pushed pebbles into the soil by his mere weight, and his tall form leaned forward like a running panther. 

"Stay on my right!" He ordered since the way they had come from was on the other side. "No matter what, don't stop movin'. Brownie, if he lags, drag him with your teeth!"

Brownie was also tired. His hooves sank deeper, making it harder to move on the muddy, wet ground, but he agreed nonetheless.

"It's up ahead!" Hunter saw the edge of the forestation, the open area—the road was on the other side. He maintained his speed and leaped out in one go, his body in the air, trying to cross to the other side without stopping.

Right behind him, on his right, came Brownie and Kavius. The sunlight was scarce by then, and they hoped to evade the pursuers in the darkness.

"Don't st—No!"

Hunter abruptly halted, his heels dug into the ground with force. His eyes blazed with menacing crimson light as he swiftly altered his course, leaping towards his right to shield the passing Kavius from the roadside. For beyond loomed Captain Arthur, astride his horse, appearing as if conjured from thin air on the opposite side.

'Save Kavius!' The details of that quest flashed before Hunter's eyes, and he didn't think twice before jumping into action. 

"Going somewhere?" murmured the man perched on the towering, ebony steed, dressed in the uniform of a captain. His half cape stood out as did the golden stars on his shoulder—his index finger outstretched, extended towards Kavius'.

Something was coming. 

"Keep running!" It felt as if time had slowed. Adrenaline surged through Hunter's veins as he lunged toward the captain before Kavius could come in line with the stretched-out finger. 

Pang!

A light flashed and painted everything white for a split second. It came with a crackling boom, like thunder fell from the sky. 

"Ugh!" The next thing they knew, Hunter lay sprawled on the muddy ground, groaning and writhing on his back. His hands clutched his chest, where a fiery residue glowed in the center; a gaping burn mark had seared through his green shirt.

"Hunter!" Kavius only realized what had happened after Hunter shielded him. He tried to stop abruptly but lost his footing, tumbling to the ground on the opposite side of the road. "It's a Sorcerer! Stand up, Hunter!"

'My heart almost stopped!' Hunter felt piercing pain in his chest. It took a few seconds before Kavius' voice registered in his ears, 'Fool, why ain't he makin' a run for it?!'

"Aaargh…" Hunter grunted as he attempted to sit up. He looked much different all of a sudden, with a crimson glint now shining in his already red eyes. Veins protruded across his face, seeming to converge towards the center of his forehead. "Leave! Hurry! I'll catch up later!"

'I have to stall him.' 

"We didn't kill anyone." Hunter looked at the man atop the horse ferociously. "We were with Elder Karl."

"Then you shouldn't mind cooperating with me," replied Captain Arthur calmly. "Unless you have a guilty conscience."

Hunter clenched his teeth. He knew, and he could tell the man knew as well. Cooperating was as good as giving himself to their mercy. There was no guarantee they'd let him go even if his innocence was proven.

"Hunter, catch!" Kavius shouted, "Use it!"

His attention turned to the side. Kavius threw something extremely tiny at him before following Brownie deeper into the forest as the donkey persistently nipped at his back to pull him along. 

'Ring?' Hunter caught it and promptly slipped it onto a random finger before redirecting his attention to Captain Arthur. 'Why did he throw this?' 

"He can go." Captain Arthur didn't even attempt to stop Kavius. Under the shadow of his hat, his black eyes were focused only on Hunter's face. "I have a much better bounty to claim."

Hunter tried to step away and make some distance. "We only arrived in town today."

"Then let me investigate. Why run?" 

There was no use talking. Clearly, the focus wasn't even the murder accusation but rather his status as an Akursed.

'They should have covered some distance by now.' 

Hunter kept his eyes locked with the man and counted to three under his breath. His muscles strained, and his heart raced like a stallion as he lunged toward the trees in a sudden move to vanish into the forest.

Pang!

"Ah!" Hunter dropped to his knees right away, agony coursing through his flesh and muscles, paralyzing him in his tracks. The thunder didn't strike him directly but emanated from the earth itself. The ground was drenched with water, almost muddy.

'Fuck, this is bad.' 

TingI

[Aura Detected!]

[Magic Arts Unlocked.]

'This is Aura?' Hunter could sense it coursing through him and the earth beneath his feet. It was a sensation that defied explanation, like a warm embrace or a steady stream of ants creeping beneath his skin. It was heavy yet airy, akin to lifting a lighter weight after a heavy workout. 'Sure feels mighty fine.'

"You must have been a knight before you betrayed humanity." 

Hunter glanced over at Captain Arthur. If it weren't for the moonlight, he reckoned he'd hardly be able to see the man. The sun had set, and all that was left was the forest's nightly symphony. With a lake nearby, the noises were louder, giving an eerie feeling.

"I betrayed nobody."

"The curse mark speaks otherwise," Captain Arthur said, extending his hand. Now, instead of a finger, his whole palm was turned toward Hunter, while the other remained at his side as if it were a stroll in the park for him.

Hunter looked around for any options. The only two abilities he had tried until now were Devolution and Plague Hand.

Finding no way out, he looked at the ring Kavius had thrown. There had to be a reason why Kavius had done that. 

"This is your final chance. Surrender or die. I shall have you in my custody one way or another," Captain Arthur declared, raising both his hands and palms toward Hunter.

Hunter pondered his options, recalling his police training. He recognized the need for cover, yet the surroundings offered no refuge from the crackling current. Lacking a long-range weapon, he discarded that strategy too. His only recourse remained closing the distance and reaching the enemy to take him down—but that was suicide.

'What's that?' He noticed something strange on Captain Arthur's head. It hovered above his cap. 'A balancing scale?'

Upon closer inspection, it did resemble one. Moreover, one side of the scale glowed red, while the other side glowed green, with the red side outweighing the green completely at the moment.

"Ugh!" Hunter felt a sudden pain in the middle of his forehead, and the balancing scale disappeared. He fell to his knees, panting for some unknown reason. 'What was that?'

"So you surrender?" Captain Arthur asked.

Hunter shook his head and tightened his grip on the ring finger with his other hand. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, attempting to summon the other abilities from the magic book. Hellfire remained the only other unlocked option.

'Aura? Is that what they call magic?' he pondered, feeling a surge of nervousness. The impending thunderous attack could strike at any moment. 'That sensation... I…'

"So be it." 

Boom!

The thunder reverberated across the land and sky, sending shivers down Hunter's spine. He gritted his teeth and braced for impact. Though it all unfolded at the speed of light, it seemed to drag on in his heightened senses.

Ting!

"What?" Hunter exclaimed, feeling no pain, only a force pushing him back. He glanced at his arms, discovering a massive sword with a broad blade resting there. "A greatsword?"

"So that's what the ring contained?" Captain Arthur pondered, continuing his assault. "Not enough." 

Pang!

Captain Arthur launched strikes of flickering thunder that came at the speed of light. Strike after strike, whipping at Hunter from his hands. Each attack was followed by a loud crack in the air, almost shattering his eardrums.

"Aaaa…!" Hunter pushed back, digging his feet into the mud and pushing himself forward. With both hands on the hilt of the sword, he held it before his face and blocked the strikes.

But not enough, as the thunder brushed past his shoulders at times and left him nothing but searing pain. 

Pang!

One after another, it felt as if the entire world had turned white from its sheer, constant flashes. How powerful was Captain Arthur? This didn't seem like his peak since he hadn't even dismounted.

'I can't go on like this.' Hunter could feel energy depleting from his body. His arms felt sore, and his muscles were tired. His ankles held onto the mud the best they could, and trying to put the sword's blade in the right place at the right time wasn't always successful. 'Not gonna die… again.'

"Ugh!" He struggled to take a step forward.

Pang!

Bang!

On the second step, he remained standing and unyielding, propped up by utter willpower. His body sweated like there was no tomorrow, and the ground around him turned scorched. But that also meant there was no humidity in the soil anymore.

With the thump of his third step, Hunter abruptly lowered his blade. He knew the strike patterns now, aiming for that short moment of flicker between strikes. He quickly summoned the magic book, having a plan in mind.

He did it swiftly, already knowing every move he needed to make.

He tapped on the Status to allocate the one Attribute Point he had gained. His simple mind told him to give it to Strength and get stronger. 

But logic prevailed in that situation. 

'Agility!' 

"Aaaargh!" Hunter roared and lunged toward the horse, raising his greatsword once more. Panting, sweating, and bleeding from his shoulders and side, he charged like a lunatic.

Pang!

Hunter noticed the faintest spark that preceded each strike and the direction of the hand. He swiftly darted to the left faster than ever before, surprise evident in Captain Arthur's widened eyes and also frustration because the sword hadn't melted away as he had expected. 

Pang!

"Ugh!" Hunter blocked this one head-on, his speed slowing due to it. 

Pang!

But against the next attack, he jumped to the right while gaining speed. His every movement now noticeably faster. 

With a fierce grunt, he closed the gap to mere meters, yet this dwindled his precious time to react to the thunder.

He staggered, nearly stumbling as the blow crashed onto his left shoulder, splintering bone and tearing flesh asunder, leaving searing wounds in its wake.

"Argh!" He staggered upright, leaning on his sword for support. His eyes ablaze with fury, face bloodied and sullied, contorted like that of a crazed demon.

His speed quickened once more, and at last, he made a sliding leap, propelling himself to the front of the steed.

The thunderous strikes that threatened to tear the sky apart continued to reverberate and paint the world white, often striking Hunter on the edges of his body, causing pain, yet he persevered.

Shhh…!

Hunter slid underneath the horse's front legs, his boot tearing through the dirt with a crunching screech.

He released his grip on the sword's hilt and raised up a single palm, gently tapping the horse's belly.

His lips whispered faintly—a lifesaving move.

"Plague Hand."