Chapter 57: The Struggle for the King of the Hunt

The number of combatants dwindled as the chaotic melee went on. Many participants were gradually eliminated from the arena, some willingly, others not. After about forty minutes, fewer than ten teams remained, with six of those composed of beasts. The vast coliseum was beginning to feel desolate, as the remaining ten teams paired off in battle, no longer interfering much with each other.

The host and the spectators in the stands could barely distinguish which team was which, relying only on numbers. They needed the giant screen to match numbers to faces. At this moment, Zhang Xingmin and his companions were under assault from three monsters. Initially, two beasts had been fighting among themselves, but they drew close to Zhang’s team and collided. Since these monsters belonged to different ranks, they quickly reached an understanding.

Things became tricky. Though it was four against three, the monsters clearly held the upper hand. One was a half-beast that had appeared in the Wild Mountain, another a mutated leopard, and the third looked like a wolf creature.

Despite facing the combined attack of three beasts, the Falcon Squad maintained their formation and suffered no losses. This was caught by the giant screen, and spectators’ eyes all focused on their corner of the arena.

The half-beast was evidently more intelligent than the other two, acting as the leader among them. Following the principle of capturing the king to break the band, the four targeted the half-beast with their main attacks.

The half-beast was no easy prey. Agile as a human, Zhang Xingmin exerted himself to the utmost, barely managing to restrain it with his Life-lock. Zhao Nana wielded her Phantom Blade, aiming to bleed the brute, but its hide was so tough, akin to that of a crocodile, that even her most forceful strike only left a shallow cut, with no blood drawn.

Lin Xiaofeng had just struck the wolfman, a creature already wounded from its earlier bout with the leopard. Now, it was barely clinging to life and attempted to flee. Lin would not let it escape so easily. His Yuri gun excelled in speed, accuracy, and lethality, and could fire tracking rounds. After a few shots, the wolfman fell, granting the Falcon Squad two bonus points.

There was no time for celebration. Zhang Xingmin and Zhao Nana were still locked in a struggle with the half-beast, unlikely to last much longer. Long was in even greater peril, facing the feline’s unique agility and dexterity—it was almost as if the creature had supernatural abilities. Thankfully, Long had his Thunder Shield; otherwise, he would have ended up as the big cat’s dinner.

The leopard was not mindless; it was, in fact, quite clever. After being jabbed several times by the shield’s barbs, it began to retreat, clearly unwilling to follow the half-beast’s lead, as there was no pact binding them. Moreover, seeing the shield-bearer join the fight, it prioritized escape.

Knowing not to chase a desperate enemy, Long and Lin Xiaofeng let the leopard go and regrouped with Zhang Xingmin and Zhao Nana, encircling the half-beast once more.

Four against one was an easy advantage. With Zhang and Long holding the half-beast in check, Xiaofeng and Nana attacked from different angles. Zhao Nana, after several attempts, finally found the creature’s weakness—the skin atop its head and around its eyes was thin and could be easily sliced.

Nana attacked the upper regions, while Lin Xiaofeng targeted the lower parts for safety. After several shots, he was frustrated; the beast’s hide was so thick that even bullets failed to penetrate.

Unable to solve the problem with his usual ammunition, Lin resorted to his secret weapon—drill-shaped bullets—and fired at the half-beast’s heart.

It worked! But the beast remained largely unaffected; its heart was reversed. Lin cursed and prepared to shoot again.

Meanwhile, Nana, perched on the half-beast’s shoulders, plunged her Phantom Blade into its temple. The half-beast went berserk, breaking free of Zhang Xingmin’s Life-lock.

“Nana, be careful! Get down now!” Zhang shouted as the lock snapped.

Seeing Nana in danger, Long charged up, shouting, “Beast, die!” and slammed the half-beast away.

In that instant, Nana leapt from its shoulders. Nearly three meters high—enough to risk injury—but she did not hesitate. Zhang quickly used a new Life-lock to cushion her fall, allowing her to land safely.

As for the half-beast, two blades stuck out from its temple—it would not last long. After being knocked down, it struggled to rise.

Lin Xiaofeng was ready, firing a rain of bullets until the beast was well and truly dead. Only then did the four relent.

Counting their points: two for the wolfman, four for the half-beast, four for time survived—they now had ten points. Five more and they could escape this hellish place!

Determined to leave, they disregarded fairness or ethics, heading straight to the other side of the arena to hunt. The fleeing leopard was on its last legs; Lin Xiaofeng finished it off with two quick shots, securing three more points. The participant who had wounded the leopard glared at the fierce foursome but wisely bowed out.

Ahead lay a fallen stegosaurus. Zhang Xingmin swung his Life-lock, dragging the barely living beast over, while Zhao Nana finished it with her Phantom Blade—another three points.

Others, seeing their determination, sensibly withdrew from the contest. Now only the Falcon Squad remained in the arena, along with one unknown monster. It looked like a man nearly two meters tall, but with a tail and unable to speak.

“Our points should be almost enough now. Should we fight this last one?” Zhao Nana asked, noticing the creature’s rank—five points, higher than the half-beast.

“To be safe, let’s do it! If we win the Hunter King title, we can leave directly, regardless of the points!” Long said, still hungry for battle.

Zhang Xingmin assessed their condition—all four had only minor injuries and should be able to take down the monster—so he agreed.

With the decision made, the four prepared for combat.

Spectators in the stands cheered at the scene below. They had already amassed enough points to leave the arena, and from the looks of it, might even break the record. The Grand Elder lived up to his reputation. Though the Wild Mountain dungeon he managed was destroyed, he was now residing here. His judgment was impeccable; the puppet he recommended was indeed formidable.