An Eye for an Eye
Boom— boom— BOOM—
Explosions erupting one after another, pillars of fire shooting high into the sky.
Amid the relentless bombardment, the hunters screamed.
Their sturdy hunter bodies refused to grant them an easy death.
“Kuaaagh…!”
“Save me!”
“Captaaain—!”
Desperate wails from those dying in agony.
Nix quietly watched them from within the flames.
'Ruthless.'
Destruction and regeneration repeating in real time.
The heat itself was no issue thanks to his resistance skill, but it was slowing his regeneration rate.
For now, he was holding on by burning through the energy stockpiled from Gluttony, but if this barrage continued, even that reserve would run dry soon enough.
'To think he'd sacrifice so many hunters without a second thought.'
That was why Nix had been slow to notice something was off.
His gaze shifted toward Wang Feng and his entourage, watching leisurely from beyond the inferno.
He'd known it wouldn't be easy—far from it—but deploying airstrikes right in the middle of the city? That was beyond imagination.
And using this many hunters as bait to boot.
Did he truly care nothing for how many lives were lost, as long as it meant his victory?
'I like that.'
A faint smile tugged at Nix's lips as he quietly slithered forward.
The aerial bombardment struck his body without mercy.
BOOM— CRASH!
A moment of excruciating pain, chunks of his body exploding.
The searing heat cooked his flesh in waves.
Regeneration lagged.
Nothing but brutal bombardment, one after another.
Nix snatched a screaming hunter from the flames and devoured him whole.
Crunch.
'I'll make it quick for you.'
For the hunters, this might even be a mercy.
At least Nix granted them a swift end, free of further torment.
His nine heads each sought out prey, devouring relentlessly.
'Wang Feng. You've shown such bold resolve—I'll return the favor.'
BOOM—
Amid the explosions, Nix quietly vowed.
Only when no more hunters remained in the flames to eat did the endless barrage finally taper off.
Nix, coiled tightly to minimize his profile and evade as best he could, slowly raised his head.
Crimson fire pillars still raged, thick dust clouds blanketing everything.
Recalling Wang Feng beyond it all, Nix gazed up at the sky.
'An eye for an eye. A tooth for a tooth. And not just equal measure… I'll repay it tenfold.'
—Right Head.
At the calm summons, Nix's right head sluggishly lifted.
[Hungrrrry—]
'Prey awaits outside in abundance. Eat your fill this time.'
[…Hunggrrry—]
'Chew them up thoroughly. Not a single one escapes.'
With those quiet words, the right head turned skyward.
It converted nearly all remaining energy into mana.
Everything except what was needed to regenerate unfinished wounds poured into mana.
Vast quantities—several times his usual output—gathered in an instant.
Exerting rare focus, the right head began casting.
Before anyone outside could sense a thing, preparations complete, it let out a low hiss.
“Shhhiiiii—”
Meteors rained from the heavens.
That blood-red blaze filling the sky beyond.
Apocalyptic flames plummeting mercilessly toward the earth.
Pillars of fire erupting, screams bursting from everywhere.
Wang Feng hurled his spear at the incoming meteor, grinning crookedly.
'Ruthless. Utterly ruthless!'
Each meteor wasn't huge, but their number was staggering.
A grand magic spell at the pinnacle of fire attribute sorcery.
It demanded at least an SS-rank skill.
Wang Feng marveled quietly even as he shattered yet another meteor—how many was it now?
'Just how much mana does that thing have?'
Surviving the bombardment was shocking enough, but to still wield such magic afterward?
He must have expended no small amount of mana fighting and regenerating so far.
'Infinite mana or something?'
The absurd, impossible thought flashed through Wang Feng's mind, drawing a scoff.
His spear cleaved another meteor.
'Truly ruthless.'
Did the world look like this when the dinosaurs went extinct?
Everything ablaze in crimson inferno.
The surrounding area resembled an apocalyptic wasteland.
“Kuaaagh!”
“Mercy, Captain!”
“Captaaain—!”
Screams erupting everywhere, desperate pleas calling his name.
Wang Feng's face twisted in grim resolve as he spoke quietly.
“Nam-hun!”
“Yes, Captain!”
“Surviving raid members?”
“…Can't confirm exact casualties, but at least half are gone.”
“…Damn it.”
Wang Feng's already furrowed brow contorted further.
Not grief for his fallen men, but regret for the time and effort invested in them.
How much more would it take to raise replacements like them?
Clicking his tongue briefly, Wang Feng said calmly,
“Gather every last survivor.”
“…What do you plan, Captain?”
“We kill it!”
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!
Gazing at the monster beyond the falling meteors and rising flames, Wang Feng declared lowly.
Nam-hun fell silent briefly at the sight, then nodded with a hardened face.
“I'll follow you, Captain!”
“No time! Move fast!”
“Yes, Captain!”
Whoosh—
Nam-hun vanished into the flames with the wind.
Ignoring him entirely, Wang Feng spun his spear with a flourish.
Crimson aura gathered as before, the massive spear slicing through the blaze.
“I wanted to go easy for the kumiho's sake, but you're forcing my hand, monster.”
The meteor rain slowing, the monster's form emerged clearly.
Chewing through scattering hunters, eyeing them leisurely—Wang Feng bared his fangs in a savage grin.
“Let's end this, monster.”
With casual poise, his figure vanished in an instant.
And then—
Wang Feng reappeared at Nix's right flank.
Nix, vigilant with nine heads and eighteen eyes scanning for gaps, still couldn't track him.
Too late to counter, Wang Feng thrust first.
Whish— BOOM!
In a blink, Nix's fourth head exploded.
“Shaaaarrr—!!!”
The other heads roared ferociously, lunging at Wang Feng.
As if mocking them, Wang Feng vanished again.
Whirl— BOOM!
The eighth head burst.
Having effortlessly destroyed two heads, Wang Feng grinned at the remaining seven glaring eyes.
“Shhhii—”
Realizing the danger, perhaps—the central head hissed lowly.
With it, thick gray ash-mist began spreading rapidly.
Spotting it, Wang Feng swiftly widened the distance.
“Shhhii…”
“Hah. Panicking already, monster? You think I've been fighting at full strength this whole time?”
Retreating from the gray mist, Wang Feng grinned at Nix once more.
At that repulsive smile, Nix's left head snarled viciously.
The fully regenerated fourth and eighth heads joined the howl.
Watching, Wang Feng spoke quietly.
“Impressive regeneration, as expected. Truly astonishing. But…”
Glancing sideways slyly, he taunted,
“No more prey to devour means no more regen. Can't recover that spent mana now, can you?”
“Shhii—”
“Thought I wouldn't notice? Me, Wang Feng? Underestimating me, monster!”
Snarling, Wang Feng vanished again.
As he slipped from view, Nix flicked his tongue alertly.
And—
Crash—
“Ha! Not falling for the same trick twice?!”
Blocking Wang Feng's ambush, Nix counterattacked immediately.
Shh—
With the low hiss, the gray mist that had spread began creeping forward.
Like a living thing, slithering across the ground, swiftly enveloping Wang Feng.
“Impressive!”
Wang Feng swung his spear wide, wind pressure scattering the mist.
But the gray fog persisted.
It recoiled briefly, then surged back relentlessly.
Writhing without gap, it closed in—Wang Feng scowled.
And Nix's assault didn't end there.
Exploiting the moment of focus, other heads charged from all sides.
“Shaaaarrr—!”
“Come on, then! Face me head-on, monster!”
Wang Feng didn't dodge the onslaught.
Far from it—he met it boldly.
Whirl—his spear danced graceful arcs.
Ripping lunging heads, blocking magic barrages.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
And seizing the chance, the gray mist lunged, engulfing Wang Feng in an instant.
His form vanished into the thick gray.
“Captain—!!!”
Nam-hun, arriving with surviving hunters, witnessed it all.
Seeing what looked like total defeat, a wretched scream tore from him.
And simultaneously—
BOOM—
The gray mist shrouding Wang Feng exploded outward.
Aura-clad, he landed safely on the ground.
“Nam-hun. How many?”
“193 total, including 37 from Changcheon Raid Team.”
“Enemies.”
“…Sorry. This is all who could rush here now.”
“No. Not your fault.”
Nam-hun bowed at Wang Feng's calm tone, then turned to Nix.
Unscathed as ever.
Fear gripped Nam-hun unbidden.
'How do we take down a monster like that?!'
Regenerating instantly from any wound.
Surviving that bombardment.
Slaughtering thousands of hunters.
An insurmountable beast—Nam-hun trembled.
“Afraid?”
“…N-no, Captain!”
“You should be. Even I'm feeling the pressure.”
“Captain…”
Meeting Nam-hun's gaze, Wang Feng said,
“Don't fear too much, Nam-hun. Who stands with you?”
“…The world's greatest! Divine Spear! Wang Feng!”
“Right—I'm Wang Feng. I've crossed death's door countless times. This will be no different.”
Wang Feng swept his eyes over the gathered hunters, trembling in fear.
They straightened at his gaze.
“Who am I?!”
“The world's greatest! Divine Spear! Wang Feng!”
He nodded sharply at their unified roar.
“Then fear not! Wang Feng fights with you!”
“Yes, Captain!”
“Fight! Die for me! I'll stand with you!”
“Waaaah—!!!”
Wang Feng launched first amid the cheers, dozens of hunters following.
Nix watched, slowly raising his heads.
All nine fixed on the hunters.
The central eye, closed till now, quietly opened.
Plop-plop—
Half the charging hunters collapsed limply to the ground.
“Shhii—”