Changcheon's Ferocity
Countless individuals served under Wang Feng.
Starting with his sworn brothers, numerous hunters had pledged their loyalty to him, whether by choice or coercion.
Among them were SA-rank hunters and many other exceptional talents, but if one had to pick the absolute best, it would undoubtedly be the Changcheon Raid Team.
"Everyone, maintain formation!"
Namhun, the vice-raid leader of the Changcheon Raid Team, took command of the raid members in place of their leader, Wang Feng.
He often led the raid during labyrinth explorations even when Wang Feng was present, so neither he nor the members under his command felt any awkwardness.
"Split into two groups for the assault. The formation will handle the three central heads, and we'll take the rest!"
"Woooaaah!"
With a roar of cheers, the Changcheon raid members charged toward the hydra, toward Nix.
The average rank of the hunters in the Changcheon Raid Team was S-rank.
Even the lowest were A-rank, and most were S-rank elites.
There were as many as five SA-rank hunters right below Wang Feng himself—individuals more than capable of leading any guild.
Judging purely by rank, they were the pinnacle among those under Wang Feng, but the reason the Changcheon Raid Team stood above all his other talents was something else entirely.
It wasn't just because they were Wang Feng's direct raid team. Each member's individual skill was extraordinary, and above all, their teamwork was impeccable.
While all nine of Nix's heads were fixated solely on Wang Feng...
A portion of the Changcheon Raid Team moved stealthily.
Nix wasn't dull, and with not one but nine pairs of eyes, there was no way they could miss such movements.
The seventh head, dodging Wang Feng's attack at that very moment, spotted the sneaking Changcheon members.
"Shaaah───!!!"
With an enraged cry, the seventh head lunged toward the Changcheon Raid Team.
At the same time, one of the SA-rank hunters, Xiang Pei, boldly stepped forward.
Boom!
Xiang Pei blocked the seventh head's attack with a heavy thud, staggering back unsteadily.
"As expected of an SS-rank monster! Even a casual strike packs an incredible punch!"
Muttering in admiration, Xiang Pei hurriedly dodged.
The seventh head was launching another assault.
Baring its sharp fangs in a wide-open maw, it charged ferociously at Xiang Pei.
"Hup…!"
Xiang Pei inhaled sharply and blocked the attack, retreating further.
Other Changcheon hunters piled onto the seventh head, which pursued him relentlessly.
"Target the eyes first!"
At Namhun's shout, the raid members drew their weapons and swarmed in.
The seventh head faltered momentarily at their synchronized assault.
"Kyaaah───!"
It bellowed fiercely at the hunters charging it.
In that instant, mana gathered around the head.
Namhun yelled urgently.
"It's casting magic! Everyone, scatter!"
Swift judgment without hesitation.
The raid members obeyed instantly, and the seventh head's attack fizzled out.
They all dodged the sharp stone spikes erupting from the ground without issue.
"Does each head use different elemental magic…? Leader!"
Wang Feng, who had just pierced one of Nix's heads, glanced over at the call.
"It seems each head wields a different element!"
Wang Feng nodded curtly in response.
One of the heads had already finished regenerating and lunged at him again.
Heads closing in from all sides.
Dodging or blocking somehow, only for magic to shoot out as if anticipated.
Wang Feng clicked his tongue in frustration—a rare sensation for him.
"I can't keep playing defense like an idiot!"
Wang Feng swung his spear wide.
Even a light swing carried lethal menace, forcing Nix's heads to recoil momentarily.
"Namhun! From now on, dodge on your own!"
"…! Yes, Leader!"
Before Namhun could fully respond, Wang Feng was already moving.
Mana converged on Wang Feng's Dragon Fang Spear, manifesting red battle aura.
And once more, a massive red spear formed.
Wang Feng swung it without restraint.
An indiscriminate assault that ignored nearby Changcheon members and other hunters alike.
In truth, the Changcheon Raid Team's greatest strength wasn't anything special.
Their individual skills were top-notch, but that wasn't it.
Their seamless teamwork was impressive, but not the core advantage.
Their true edge was surviving Wang Feng's rampage unscathed.
"The leader's going all out! Everyone, stay sharp!"
Once Wang Feng cut loose, he ignored his surroundings.
Even normally, but especially when unleashing full power, bystanders had been caught in the aftermath more than once.
The Changcheon Raid Team consisted of seasoned, valiant hunters who had conquered countless labyrinths alongside Wang Feng.
They were the ones who could avoid his reckless strikes.
Anyone who couldn't had long since fallen and died—they could never have stayed in the team.
Ku-goo-kwang! Amid the collapsing skyscrapers, the Changcheon Raid Team darted about chaotically.
* * *
At that moment, as the battle between Nix and Wang Feng intensified...
The fight on Snow's side was heating up as well.
'So many.'
Snow, reverted to her true fox form rather than her beautiful woman guise, scanned her surroundings.
It had been dozens of minutes since the hunters first appeared and the clash began.
Despite felling quite a few, their numbers showed no sign of dwindling.
If anything, they seemed to be growing—if she took even a brief breather, she'd face double the initial horde.
'My love must have started fighting by now, yet they're still swarming like this. He wasn't nagging me to be careful for nothing.'
She'd nearly gotten in over her head treating it like a casual warm-up.
'Fighting in human form versus my true self is entirely different.'
She had gained experience battling numerous hunters in human guise, but facing them as her true self was a first.
The power she could wield was overwhelmingly greater in her true form, yet it was still no easy feat.
Truly worthy of those who made monster hunting their calling.
"Fall, you monster!"
Snow whipped her tail at a hunter charging with a kiai.
Though she'd aimed to end him in one blow, the flung hunter didn't die.
As she moved to finish him, another hunter leaped at her.
'Individually weak, but in such numbers, they're formidable.'
Not a single standout among them, yet here they were.
There were quite a few SA-ranks, but to Snow, they were merely slightly better fodder.
Yet in this situation, she couldn't even dispatch them properly?
Handle a frontal assault, and one strikes from behind.
Turn to that, and flanks converge.
She'd faced groups before, but nothing like this horde.
'When was the last time I was hunted this thoroughly?'
Excluding her faint memories of feeble youth, this was a first.
'I planned to wrap this up quickly and aid my love, but no such luck.'
She needed to go all out just to hold her own.
Snow repelled the charging hunters with her tail and leaped back.
They pursued without mercy, denying her respite.
'Truly tenacious.'
—Annoying.
Her lush tail slammed the ground.
The full-force strike, infused with mana, shook the earth around her.
"Kuhk…!"
"Earthquake!"
The advancing hunters faltered at the massive tremor.
Snow seized the opening, gathering mana.
"It's gathering mana!"
"Don't let it! Rush all at once!"
At the shout, the hesitating hunters charged anew.
Snow frowned at them and exhaled softly—"Hoo—."
Pure white frost swept over them as a gust of wind.
"…Get out of the line of fire!"
The lead SA-rank hunter shouted, but too late.
A few quick ones dodged, but the rest were exposed.
"Kyaak!"
"Ugh…!"
With brief screams, their bodies froze solid.
They stood as white ice statues before anyone could react.
A stunned hunter muttered in dismay.
"…Tch! Don't space out! Follow-up coming!"
As the SA-rank bellowed, another white frost wind engulfed them.
"Hmph! This much is nothing to me! My resistance is a solid SA…!"
A hunter charging on his resistance skill froze instantly.
Even high-rank resistances proved useless.
The SA-rank who had dodged yelled frantically.
"Use fire magic! Do something! You wanna die like idiots?!"
At his cry, the dazed hunters sprang into action.
Those who could cast fire magic began chanting in unison.
And Snow wasn't one to watch idly.
She couldn't understand their words, but the mood and mana flow told her enough.
'Whatever you're planning, think I'll let you?'
With quiet amusement, Snow launched herself forward.
She streaked through the hunters like lightning, slashing with her forepaw.
"Gaaak!"
"B-block it! What are the shielders doing?!"
The preparing casters fell.
Not all were grouped, so not everyone perished, but many did.
Magic from distant survivors lit the sky.
Some from high-rank hunters stood out vividly.
'Oh? Fire, is it? Not a bad choice, but…'
Her frost wind wasn't something petty flames could counter.
After ravaging the hunters, Snow evaded the incoming swarm and leaped to a quieter spot.
Landing where hunters were sparse, she gathered mana again.
"It's gathering mana again! Don't let it this time!"
Having seen it once, their response was swift.
Dozens charged to interrupt.
Swords, spears, bows, magic—attacks of every kind poured toward her.
Snow glanced at the onslaught and snorted derisively.
'Do they think me a fool to stand defenseless?'
An insultingly naive assumption.
Her nine lush tails swayed lightly.
Blue flames flickered into existence around her.
Foxfire, as commonly known.
Without warning, the foxfire sought targets on their own.
The living flames blocked the hunters smoothly.
"Kuh…!"
"This ain't ordinary fire! Watch out!"
Each flame's power wasn't immense, but their numbers were.
Above all, their autonomous, lifelike movement made evasion or blocking difficult.
Despair crossed the face of the lead SA-rank charging Snow.
While the foxfire stalled them, Snow's preparation completed.
Her white tails swayed gently.
The maximally gathered mana erupted in an instant.
"…!"
The high-rank hunters, including SA-ranks, noticed first.
From the vanguard and scattered throughout, they reacted quickest.
"Dodge!"
"Too late! Brace for impact!"
"Shields, protect everyone! Use barriers if you have them! Do anything!"
As they screamed, others scrambled belatedly.
The area plunged into darkness.
"Storm clouds…?! Out of nowhere?!"
"…Damn! It's not just clouds! Be careful!"
Storm clouds blanketed the clear sky, and wind howled.
Not mere wind—an ice storm raged.
"Blizzard…?!"
"No! This ain't some basic spell!"
A magic far beyond S-rank Blizzard, perhaps several tiers higher.
A frost storm that froze all it touched white.
Regardless of rank, the merciless gale swept hunters away helplessly.
Watching, Snow quietly flicked her tail.