Depthless Hunger: A Progression LitRPG, page 61
He stared down into the dark pool and realized that he had always been the only one there. Just like people could tell themselves that their worst impulses were actually some evil spirit tempting them, he had split himself into pieces. His savagery was so much simpler to dismiss when it was a monster inside of him instead of part of himself. That way he could pretend that he was still human, when he should have been realizing that being human meant nothing.
The last of the illusion dissolved and Kai realized that he was standing back in the city. Not human, not monster, something different. That wasn't a fact that made him special, it was irrelevant.
Before he could lose his clarity, Kai drained the flask in his hand. His body began to tremble, but this time he didn't fall. No, it felt good. He'd been fighting against himself for so long, now his power swept together in a great rush. His Physique transformed rapidly as it embraced the new unity of his nature.
When it was over, he stared down at his body uncertainly. He was still covered in blood, but his skin was whole underneath. Other than no longer feeling in conflict with himself, he didn't notice many changes. It did seem like he was more muscular and he was seeing the street from a slightly higher angle, but it wasn't the radical transformation he had been hoping for.
Still, when he examined himself with his spiritual sight, he saw a rush of new power.
<
Name: Kai Clanless
Total Power: 122
Cultivation: Qi Condensation 65% (17)
Physique Level: E-0 (80)
Soul Level: 5 (25)
Monstrous Hunger - VII (eta)
Direboar's Strength - V (epsilon)
Aquagorgon's Health - V (epsilon)
Gomodo's Stamina - IV (delta)
Isulfr's Bite - II (beta)
Rockspider's Claw - IV (delta)
??? (???)
>
Just as he'd hoped, breaking through to E-rank Physique had catapulted him far past the 100 power barrier. Direboar's Strength and all his other traits had become significantly stronger as well, particularly those reinforcing his body. It was still easy to think about them as his monstrous characteristics, but he knew better now. There was no more Direboar, only him.
His navel-gazing was interrupted by the sounds of screams coming from the defenders. Kai ran into the city, casually swatting aside a few monsters in his path. The giant had continued moving forward, but hadn't made it far: his internal vision must have happened in an instant.
He had expected to see the monstrous eagle tormenting the defenders atop the walls, but they seemed to be looking downward. Assuming there were pockets of defenders trapped below, Kai ran in that direction. His spiritual gaze revealed little, maybe a few weak symbols dissipating...
Suddenly he saw Inafay in front of him. She was barely on her feet, intending to go down fighting against a monster charging toward her. He acted before he could think about it, grasping the monster's antlers and pulling it back.
It jerked surprisingly sharply, almost breaking the monster's neck. Kai twisted it further to smash it against the wall, then hurled the corpse into the nearest monsters. Maybe it was his imagination, but they seemed to flee from him in a way monsters never had before.
"No way!" Inafay stared up at him and it did seem she needed to crane her neck more than before.
"Are you alright?" he asked. His voice was raspy, but normal enough.
"Forget about me! The flying one is dead and the defenders are holding the gate, but that giant can still smash everything. I don't know what you've done to yourself, but go kick its ass!"
Kai couldn't help but smile. He didn't leave Inafay immediately, instead making sure that she got to a street that had a clear shot to the next gate. Soon after that, he turned south and looked toward the last threat to Monskon City.
The giant looked no less imposing than before. As slow as it moved, it had destroyed a path almost all the way through the lower city and it would soon be at the gate. No one else came to join the fight and no hunters were coming to save them. If he didn't stop the incursion here, no one would.
He didn't roar like he might once have, just took a deep breath, crouched, and then hurled himself into the air. Houses flashed past his vision before he collided with the monster's chest. His impact didn't break through its armor, but it did push the creature off its feet and send it flying back down the central path.
When it tried to regain its footing, Kai clawed at its head and was glad to see the massive armored skull jerk back. Blow after blow, he drove it out of the gate and further from the city. Near the outer wall almost nothing was left alive, just rubble and corpses. The longer he could push it back, the better the chance of-
One of the monster's massive arms hit him in the side, driving him to the ground. Kai slammed into the dirt but was up the next second. His new E-rank Physique might not be able to shrug off a monster this powerful, but it could no longer crush him. It had regained its footing and now turned toward him as if recognizing a threat.
Kai charged, and this time he chose to roar.
Chapter 110: Formless True Forms
When the giant of a monster swung at him again, Kai dodged aside from its blow. The end of each limb was basically a bludgeon, so he doubted there was anything to damage within. Instead he struck at the narrower wrist, aiming a claw between the plates of armor.
He drew a little blood, but the plates stayed in place. Soon afterward the monster swung its limb to the side, churning up the soil with the enormous movement. Instead of simply dodging, Kai leapt over the attack and slammed into its chest with his full strength again.
Once more the giant staggered, but he wasn't getting through. Kai was still thinking about his best strategy when he landed, then realized that the monster was moving strangely. It wasn't just staggering, it was turning. Slow as its body was, the movement sent its tail whipping into him with deadly force.
Kai barely managed to catch the bladed tail before it cut him in half. The force still pushed him across the ground and he could feel a few of the spikes cutting into his side. He grimaced and did his best to bring the tail sweep to a halt. Even if he was stronger than ever before, this monster was the size of the city wall, he couldn't beat it with raw power. His hands were struggling just to maintain his grip on the tail.
Yet it was getting easier. As Kai skidded to a halt, still holding the bladed tail at bay, he realized that his hands had changed. He hadn't even noticed when his fingers had elongated. Instead of anything resembling human fingers, they shifted into cruel talons. Those claws had dug deeper underneath the plates of armor.
Acting on instinct, Kai used his full strength to tug at the segment he was gripping. A whole plate of armor tore loose, trailing blood. The monster let out a screech and its tail began thrashing wildly, forcing him to retreat.
Kai grinned as he stayed out of range, then leapt over the tail as it swung back toward him. His new E-rank Physique hadn't just granted him more muscle, it had granted him unity of form. Using his Rockspider's Claw technique had always felt awkward with his tiny human fingernails, but now his body shifted to match. Just like he'd realized in his spiritual vision, he had one body that was neither human nor monster.
When he came down on the giant monster's tail at the midpoint, he tore into it with greater purpose. His claws easily hooked underneath a plate of armor, but that was only the first step. Once it tore away, Kai thrust his other claw into the undefended flesh. This time the force that exploded from his hand felt like a perfect extension of himself and the blow severed the tail entirely.
The monster stumbled back, screeching as its severed stump lashed around the battlefield. Its tail twitched as well, but he could feel its life force fading. Kai sank his claws into it, then began trying to swing the severed tail. Though too heavy to move easily, even for him, he managed to spin in a circle with the tail swinging around him.
It struck the giant's leg with more force than he could deliver himself, driving it down to one knee. Kai pulled back and managed to spin again, this time lifting the tail high enough that the bladed end lashed across the giant's face. But when he tried for a third swing, the monster rose up to its full height and smashed one hand down on the tail. The blow splintered the armored plates and left it too damaged to use as a weapon.
As it loomed over him, Kai waited for the perfect moment. When it began swinging its arms again, he jumped directly up and his new strength took him to the monster's chest. There he dug his claws into its armor and he was surprised to feel his feet tearing through his boots, new talons gripping the plates. The plates on its chest were massive, but as he strained, he could feel one beginning to give way...
One of the house-sized fists slammed into him, flattening him between its surface and the armor. He cried out in pain and tried to push back as the monster ground him against its own body. Just when he managed to push up with his hands and knees, the second fist struck the first, flattening him with a hammer blow.
His arms hung limp as the fists pulled back for another blow. Kai didn't think that he could cut through them, even if he had the strength to turn around. Only his legs still worked, and they wouldn't for long if he kept taking blows like that. But, if he timed it right, there was a small chance.
Just before the next blow hit him, he released his grip. The monster struck its own chest and crashed onto its back. Kai landed and stumbled, still struggling to make his arms obey him properly. He'd knocked it down but definitely not taken it out. This was his chance, so he needed to do what he could.
Before it could get up, Kai bounded onto its chest. Just as he'd hoped, the hammer blow had cracked several of the weakened plates. His arms had reverted to their human form, but he still managed to get a grip on one and pull. The most he could do was lift the enormous plate, revealing the bloody flesh over the monster's heart.
It took all his arms' strength to hold it open against the sinew and raw mana, but Kai realized he still had his jaws. When he reached for Isulfr's Bite, he felt his body respond in a new way. He didn't think that his jaw was distorting, but when his tongue slipped against his teeth they felt sharp. As the giant started to rise, Kai took the largest bite he could.
He heard the sound of jaws closing, then he tumbled backward.
A hole larger than his entire body had been torn from the giant's body. The teeth marks were still visible, tearing deep into its flesh but also shearing through some of the armored plates. For a moment he was elated, then he landed on his back and all the wind was knocked from him.
As he lay there, trying to recover, he realized just how much his teeth ached. They had reverted to human form and they ached like they were going to fall out of their sockets. He might have been able to push himself enough to bite something as tough as the giant, but he almost hadn't been up to the challenge. Now he felt sickeningly full and he was sure he wouldn't be able to bite anything again. Probably no monstrous claws either, given how much his arms still hurt.
Still, he had won. He was lying in the wasteland and bleeding a lot more than he had realized, but he'd taken down the main threat. If his neck would stop being so stiff, he could turn his head to look at Monskon City.
That was when he heard the screech.
Kai stared in horror as the monster slowly rose. The gaping wound in its chest should have taken out its heart, but it kept moving with a terrifying life force. He realized again just how far this Frontier monster was above anything he'd faced before. It seemed fixated on him now, even though it could barely drag itself forward.
Before he could do more than struggle to his arms and knees, the giant loomed over him. It didn't seem able to attack anymore and he realized that it had something much simpler in mind: if it dropped its full weight on him, he would probably be crushed. Yet the armored body blotted out so much of the sky, Kai didn't think he could run in time.
His only hope was the wound on its chest. When the giant finally pushed itself up, then threw its body downward, he stumbled into the correct position.
The armored plates thundered past his head, just missing him, but the monster's flesh slamming into him was bad enough. It nearly knocked him unconscious and then he was surrounded, suffocating on gore and twisted organs.
His body refused to change anymore, even when he tried to focus on just one finger. He knew that he couldn't bite anymore and his arms ached when he tried to summon claws. Yet the monster wasn't dead, rising just enough to slam down again. He had only seconds before it continued battering him.
There was nothing left but his determination not to give up. With his bare hands and the final flickers of mana and qi in his body, Kai clawed his way upward. He didn't think he could go on, but he refused to die inside a monster's guts. Not after coming so far. Now that he had embraced the hunger deep inside him as his own, he knew that it wanted everything. His hunger could never be satisfied if he died here.
Finally he tore his way out of the armor on the other side. The monster had at last gone still, its armor turning brittle as its life force faded. Kai had wanted to crawl his way to a better position, but as soon as he pulled himself out of the gory hole, he just lay there, at his very limit.
It was lucky that his head had fallen facing the city, because he didn't think he could turn it. Blinking hurt. He watched the damaged part of the wall, hoping to see allies coming toward him. Instead, he had to wait a long time before survivors even began to emerge. Oh, right... they had all retreated behind the second wall. If hunters were exploring this far, they must have finished off the remaining monsters within.
While he recovered, he tried to calculate how many people in the city were left alive. No doubt a significant portion of the hunters had died, given how terribly the first wall had been broken. More civilians would have died in the retreat. But if the majority of them had gotten behind the second wall, then the worst had been avoided. Of course, there would be painful absences, but at least there were survivors left to mourn.
Was that good enough? It was all he had.
Eventually Kai managed to push himself up to a more dignified sitting position. Aquagorgon's Health within him felt sluggish and he wasn't healing properly. He'd definitely found his true limits beyond which willpower became irrelevant. Kai felt like he could sleep for a month.
How long had it been? He was beginning to feel surprised that no one had come out for him. Even if they still viewed him as a monster, someone should have gone to check if he was alive. Inafay for certain, or Juray if it was safe for civilians to emerge. That was assuming that they had both made it through.
Finally he felt a surge of mana as someone leapt from the city wall in his direction. His vision was blurry, but they seemed to be moving quickly. Kai smiled until he made out the long white beard.
"Impossible." Hannagan Lantrian stood over him with a look of pure disgust. "I don't know what fell power helped you survive this far, monster, but your luck has run out."
Chapter 111: Aftermath at the Edge of Life
Growing up with the dream of being a monster hunter, Kai had always known that it was likely he would die young. He had imagined countless deaths and ways to avoid them. When he'd grown older, he'd accepted that his fate could very well be one of those imagined deaths.
He had never expected to be lying on a monster carcass with Hannagan Lantrian prepared to deal him a fatal blow.
"You know everyone can see you, right?" It took most of Kai's strength to gesture toward the city. "Even the ones who hate me know what I did. Do you think you can keep leading the Hunters Guild after killing the savior of Monskon City?"
"I didn't expect it to end like this, Kai." Hannagan was still gathering mana in one fist, but he looked surprisingly regretful even with no audience to see his expression. "You were one of my favorites. When fate didn't smile on you, I tried to persuade you to adopt a better life instead of striving. And look where it brought you."
"Saving your city?"
"I've never seen an abomination like you before, but I know this sort of ambition. You won't ever be satisfied, and soon you'll start eating humans next. I can't allow that."
"You know, this would never have happened if you hadn't gotten me banished." Kai wasn't sure why he was delaying the inevitable. He didn't want to die, but he didn't see any way out. It hurt to use his spiritual sight, but he looked just in case.
<
Name: Hannagan Lantrian
Total Power: 138
Grandfist Class: 64 (74)
Physique Level: F-9 (48)
Soul Level: 4 (16)
>
The old man was cruel, but he wasn't weak. Over a lifetime of ruling the Hunters Guild, he'd grown strong and experienced. Kai was confident he could have taken him at full strength, but given his current injuries, one blow would finish him...
"Your type is always the same." Hannagan's sorrow faded into anger. "You're never responsible for your own decisions, you're always forced by someone else. Well, this is where all your decisions led you."
Kai stared at the fist overhead. Even if he had the strength, he wouldn't crawl or beg. At least he had done one undeniably good thing in his life.
Just before the fist came down, a surge of energy burst within the city. Both of them couldn't help but look, searching for one more threat. Kai saw only a dark flicker over the wasteland, then Hannagan Lantrian was thrown from the corpse.
The older man took several halting steps, eyes wide with shock. He started to open his mouth and only spat out blood. But Kai barely had time to look at him, not with Zae Zin Nim standing beside him.
Most obviously, she burned with so much power that he couldn't question that she had broken through to the Nascent Foundation stage. He was surprised to see that her face was still covered in jagged black lines, but they looked more like scars than open wounds. The next change he noticed was that her hair seemed to have been entirely restored: instead of uneven lengths, it hung around her shoulders in a glossy black. Before he could look at her too carefully, she bent down beside him.
The last of the illusion dissolved and Kai realized that he was standing back in the city. Not human, not monster, something different. That wasn't a fact that made him special, it was irrelevant.
Before he could lose his clarity, Kai drained the flask in his hand. His body began to tremble, but this time he didn't fall. No, it felt good. He'd been fighting against himself for so long, now his power swept together in a great rush. His Physique transformed rapidly as it embraced the new unity of his nature.
When it was over, he stared down at his body uncertainly. He was still covered in blood, but his skin was whole underneath. Other than no longer feeling in conflict with himself, he didn't notice many changes. It did seem like he was more muscular and he was seeing the street from a slightly higher angle, but it wasn't the radical transformation he had been hoping for.
Still, when he examined himself with his spiritual sight, he saw a rush of new power.
<
Name: Kai Clanless
Total Power: 122
Cultivation: Qi Condensation 65% (17)
Physique Level: E-0 (80)
Soul Level: 5 (25)
Monstrous Hunger - VII (eta)
Direboar's Strength - V (epsilon)
Aquagorgon's Health - V (epsilon)
Gomodo's Stamina - IV (delta)
Isulfr's Bite - II (beta)
Rockspider's Claw - IV (delta)
??? (???)
>
Just as he'd hoped, breaking through to E-rank Physique had catapulted him far past the 100 power barrier. Direboar's Strength and all his other traits had become significantly stronger as well, particularly those reinforcing his body. It was still easy to think about them as his monstrous characteristics, but he knew better now. There was no more Direboar, only him.
His navel-gazing was interrupted by the sounds of screams coming from the defenders. Kai ran into the city, casually swatting aside a few monsters in his path. The giant had continued moving forward, but hadn't made it far: his internal vision must have happened in an instant.
He had expected to see the monstrous eagle tormenting the defenders atop the walls, but they seemed to be looking downward. Assuming there were pockets of defenders trapped below, Kai ran in that direction. His spiritual gaze revealed little, maybe a few weak symbols dissipating...
Suddenly he saw Inafay in front of him. She was barely on her feet, intending to go down fighting against a monster charging toward her. He acted before he could think about it, grasping the monster's antlers and pulling it back.
It jerked surprisingly sharply, almost breaking the monster's neck. Kai twisted it further to smash it against the wall, then hurled the corpse into the nearest monsters. Maybe it was his imagination, but they seemed to flee from him in a way monsters never had before.
"No way!" Inafay stared up at him and it did seem she needed to crane her neck more than before.
"Are you alright?" he asked. His voice was raspy, but normal enough.
"Forget about me! The flying one is dead and the defenders are holding the gate, but that giant can still smash everything. I don't know what you've done to yourself, but go kick its ass!"
Kai couldn't help but smile. He didn't leave Inafay immediately, instead making sure that she got to a street that had a clear shot to the next gate. Soon after that, he turned south and looked toward the last threat to Monskon City.
The giant looked no less imposing than before. As slow as it moved, it had destroyed a path almost all the way through the lower city and it would soon be at the gate. No one else came to join the fight and no hunters were coming to save them. If he didn't stop the incursion here, no one would.
He didn't roar like he might once have, just took a deep breath, crouched, and then hurled himself into the air. Houses flashed past his vision before he collided with the monster's chest. His impact didn't break through its armor, but it did push the creature off its feet and send it flying back down the central path.
When it tried to regain its footing, Kai clawed at its head and was glad to see the massive armored skull jerk back. Blow after blow, he drove it out of the gate and further from the city. Near the outer wall almost nothing was left alive, just rubble and corpses. The longer he could push it back, the better the chance of-
One of the monster's massive arms hit him in the side, driving him to the ground. Kai slammed into the dirt but was up the next second. His new E-rank Physique might not be able to shrug off a monster this powerful, but it could no longer crush him. It had regained its footing and now turned toward him as if recognizing a threat.
Kai charged, and this time he chose to roar.
Chapter 110: Formless True Forms
When the giant of a monster swung at him again, Kai dodged aside from its blow. The end of each limb was basically a bludgeon, so he doubted there was anything to damage within. Instead he struck at the narrower wrist, aiming a claw between the plates of armor.
He drew a little blood, but the plates stayed in place. Soon afterward the monster swung its limb to the side, churning up the soil with the enormous movement. Instead of simply dodging, Kai leapt over the attack and slammed into its chest with his full strength again.
Once more the giant staggered, but he wasn't getting through. Kai was still thinking about his best strategy when he landed, then realized that the monster was moving strangely. It wasn't just staggering, it was turning. Slow as its body was, the movement sent its tail whipping into him with deadly force.
Kai barely managed to catch the bladed tail before it cut him in half. The force still pushed him across the ground and he could feel a few of the spikes cutting into his side. He grimaced and did his best to bring the tail sweep to a halt. Even if he was stronger than ever before, this monster was the size of the city wall, he couldn't beat it with raw power. His hands were struggling just to maintain his grip on the tail.
Yet it was getting easier. As Kai skidded to a halt, still holding the bladed tail at bay, he realized that his hands had changed. He hadn't even noticed when his fingers had elongated. Instead of anything resembling human fingers, they shifted into cruel talons. Those claws had dug deeper underneath the plates of armor.
Acting on instinct, Kai used his full strength to tug at the segment he was gripping. A whole plate of armor tore loose, trailing blood. The monster let out a screech and its tail began thrashing wildly, forcing him to retreat.
Kai grinned as he stayed out of range, then leapt over the tail as it swung back toward him. His new E-rank Physique hadn't just granted him more muscle, it had granted him unity of form. Using his Rockspider's Claw technique had always felt awkward with his tiny human fingernails, but now his body shifted to match. Just like he'd realized in his spiritual vision, he had one body that was neither human nor monster.
When he came down on the giant monster's tail at the midpoint, he tore into it with greater purpose. His claws easily hooked underneath a plate of armor, but that was only the first step. Once it tore away, Kai thrust his other claw into the undefended flesh. This time the force that exploded from his hand felt like a perfect extension of himself and the blow severed the tail entirely.
The monster stumbled back, screeching as its severed stump lashed around the battlefield. Its tail twitched as well, but he could feel its life force fading. Kai sank his claws into it, then began trying to swing the severed tail. Though too heavy to move easily, even for him, he managed to spin in a circle with the tail swinging around him.
It struck the giant's leg with more force than he could deliver himself, driving it down to one knee. Kai pulled back and managed to spin again, this time lifting the tail high enough that the bladed end lashed across the giant's face. But when he tried for a third swing, the monster rose up to its full height and smashed one hand down on the tail. The blow splintered the armored plates and left it too damaged to use as a weapon.
As it loomed over him, Kai waited for the perfect moment. When it began swinging its arms again, he jumped directly up and his new strength took him to the monster's chest. There he dug his claws into its armor and he was surprised to feel his feet tearing through his boots, new talons gripping the plates. The plates on its chest were massive, but as he strained, he could feel one beginning to give way...
One of the house-sized fists slammed into him, flattening him between its surface and the armor. He cried out in pain and tried to push back as the monster ground him against its own body. Just when he managed to push up with his hands and knees, the second fist struck the first, flattening him with a hammer blow.
His arms hung limp as the fists pulled back for another blow. Kai didn't think that he could cut through them, even if he had the strength to turn around. Only his legs still worked, and they wouldn't for long if he kept taking blows like that. But, if he timed it right, there was a small chance.
Just before the next blow hit him, he released his grip. The monster struck its own chest and crashed onto its back. Kai landed and stumbled, still struggling to make his arms obey him properly. He'd knocked it down but definitely not taken it out. This was his chance, so he needed to do what he could.
Before it could get up, Kai bounded onto its chest. Just as he'd hoped, the hammer blow had cracked several of the weakened plates. His arms had reverted to their human form, but he still managed to get a grip on one and pull. The most he could do was lift the enormous plate, revealing the bloody flesh over the monster's heart.
It took all his arms' strength to hold it open against the sinew and raw mana, but Kai realized he still had his jaws. When he reached for Isulfr's Bite, he felt his body respond in a new way. He didn't think that his jaw was distorting, but when his tongue slipped against his teeth they felt sharp. As the giant started to rise, Kai took the largest bite he could.
He heard the sound of jaws closing, then he tumbled backward.
A hole larger than his entire body had been torn from the giant's body. The teeth marks were still visible, tearing deep into its flesh but also shearing through some of the armored plates. For a moment he was elated, then he landed on his back and all the wind was knocked from him.
As he lay there, trying to recover, he realized just how much his teeth ached. They had reverted to human form and they ached like they were going to fall out of their sockets. He might have been able to push himself enough to bite something as tough as the giant, but he almost hadn't been up to the challenge. Now he felt sickeningly full and he was sure he wouldn't be able to bite anything again. Probably no monstrous claws either, given how much his arms still hurt.
Still, he had won. He was lying in the wasteland and bleeding a lot more than he had realized, but he'd taken down the main threat. If his neck would stop being so stiff, he could turn his head to look at Monskon City.
That was when he heard the screech.
Kai stared in horror as the monster slowly rose. The gaping wound in its chest should have taken out its heart, but it kept moving with a terrifying life force. He realized again just how far this Frontier monster was above anything he'd faced before. It seemed fixated on him now, even though it could barely drag itself forward.
Before he could do more than struggle to his arms and knees, the giant loomed over him. It didn't seem able to attack anymore and he realized that it had something much simpler in mind: if it dropped its full weight on him, he would probably be crushed. Yet the armored body blotted out so much of the sky, Kai didn't think he could run in time.
His only hope was the wound on its chest. When the giant finally pushed itself up, then threw its body downward, he stumbled into the correct position.
The armored plates thundered past his head, just missing him, but the monster's flesh slamming into him was bad enough. It nearly knocked him unconscious and then he was surrounded, suffocating on gore and twisted organs.
His body refused to change anymore, even when he tried to focus on just one finger. He knew that he couldn't bite anymore and his arms ached when he tried to summon claws. Yet the monster wasn't dead, rising just enough to slam down again. He had only seconds before it continued battering him.
There was nothing left but his determination not to give up. With his bare hands and the final flickers of mana and qi in his body, Kai clawed his way upward. He didn't think he could go on, but he refused to die inside a monster's guts. Not after coming so far. Now that he had embraced the hunger deep inside him as his own, he knew that it wanted everything. His hunger could never be satisfied if he died here.
Finally he tore his way out of the armor on the other side. The monster had at last gone still, its armor turning brittle as its life force faded. Kai had wanted to crawl his way to a better position, but as soon as he pulled himself out of the gory hole, he just lay there, at his very limit.
It was lucky that his head had fallen facing the city, because he didn't think he could turn it. Blinking hurt. He watched the damaged part of the wall, hoping to see allies coming toward him. Instead, he had to wait a long time before survivors even began to emerge. Oh, right... they had all retreated behind the second wall. If hunters were exploring this far, they must have finished off the remaining monsters within.
While he recovered, he tried to calculate how many people in the city were left alive. No doubt a significant portion of the hunters had died, given how terribly the first wall had been broken. More civilians would have died in the retreat. But if the majority of them had gotten behind the second wall, then the worst had been avoided. Of course, there would be painful absences, but at least there were survivors left to mourn.
Was that good enough? It was all he had.
Eventually Kai managed to push himself up to a more dignified sitting position. Aquagorgon's Health within him felt sluggish and he wasn't healing properly. He'd definitely found his true limits beyond which willpower became irrelevant. Kai felt like he could sleep for a month.
How long had it been? He was beginning to feel surprised that no one had come out for him. Even if they still viewed him as a monster, someone should have gone to check if he was alive. Inafay for certain, or Juray if it was safe for civilians to emerge. That was assuming that they had both made it through.
Finally he felt a surge of mana as someone leapt from the city wall in his direction. His vision was blurry, but they seemed to be moving quickly. Kai smiled until he made out the long white beard.
"Impossible." Hannagan Lantrian stood over him with a look of pure disgust. "I don't know what fell power helped you survive this far, monster, but your luck has run out."
Chapter 111: Aftermath at the Edge of Life
Growing up with the dream of being a monster hunter, Kai had always known that it was likely he would die young. He had imagined countless deaths and ways to avoid them. When he'd grown older, he'd accepted that his fate could very well be one of those imagined deaths.
He had never expected to be lying on a monster carcass with Hannagan Lantrian prepared to deal him a fatal blow.
"You know everyone can see you, right?" It took most of Kai's strength to gesture toward the city. "Even the ones who hate me know what I did. Do you think you can keep leading the Hunters Guild after killing the savior of Monskon City?"
"I didn't expect it to end like this, Kai." Hannagan was still gathering mana in one fist, but he looked surprisingly regretful even with no audience to see his expression. "You were one of my favorites. When fate didn't smile on you, I tried to persuade you to adopt a better life instead of striving. And look where it brought you."
"Saving your city?"
"I've never seen an abomination like you before, but I know this sort of ambition. You won't ever be satisfied, and soon you'll start eating humans next. I can't allow that."
"You know, this would never have happened if you hadn't gotten me banished." Kai wasn't sure why he was delaying the inevitable. He didn't want to die, but he didn't see any way out. It hurt to use his spiritual sight, but he looked just in case.
<
Name: Hannagan Lantrian
Total Power: 138
Grandfist Class: 64 (74)
Physique Level: F-9 (48)
Soul Level: 4 (16)
>
The old man was cruel, but he wasn't weak. Over a lifetime of ruling the Hunters Guild, he'd grown strong and experienced. Kai was confident he could have taken him at full strength, but given his current injuries, one blow would finish him...
"Your type is always the same." Hannagan's sorrow faded into anger. "You're never responsible for your own decisions, you're always forced by someone else. Well, this is where all your decisions led you."
Kai stared at the fist overhead. Even if he had the strength, he wouldn't crawl or beg. At least he had done one undeniably good thing in his life.
Just before the fist came down, a surge of energy burst within the city. Both of them couldn't help but look, searching for one more threat. Kai saw only a dark flicker over the wasteland, then Hannagan Lantrian was thrown from the corpse.
The older man took several halting steps, eyes wide with shock. He started to open his mouth and only spat out blood. But Kai barely had time to look at him, not with Zae Zin Nim standing beside him.
Most obviously, she burned with so much power that he couldn't question that she had broken through to the Nascent Foundation stage. He was surprised to see that her face was still covered in jagged black lines, but they looked more like scars than open wounds. The next change he noticed was that her hair seemed to have been entirely restored: instead of uneven lengths, it hung around her shoulders in a glossy black. Before he could look at her too carefully, she bent down beside him.
