V3 Chapter 19

Fusing themselves with the dense magical energy, the five figures fiercely pounced towards Cian like tigers springing towards their prey.

As they passed through the sky, violent winds began to form and rumble out from their fists in an attempt to envelop the traitorous Foxman in front of them. Although the Werebeasts spoke demeaningly, they were merciless once they attacked. It was evident that they were somewhat afraid of him. After all, what they had just seen a while ago had already somewhat shocked them. Just by looking at how he attacks them, it was clear that this Foxman was not normal.

Cian...!

Asceius saw Cian being besieged from every direction, though he was confident of him, but still, he couldn’t help but feel worried looking at the situation. He raised his hand, and blue icicles appeared around him. Even if he can’t kill them instantly, he should be able to stall them for a while.

However, when he was about to make his move before he could do anything, his eyes suddenly opened widely. His mouth was wide opened for quite a while.

What he saw was too astonishing!

That was the reason.

Asceius forgot to make his move as he watched Cian standing there like a god, with his black clothes floating in the air. Then, he saw him casually stepped left a bit and then right, stepped forward with a stride, and in the end, took a turn and move to somewhere outside the attack range of the Werebeast who was brandishing his claws like a wild beast.

Despite Asceius being a Mage, he was also trained in various close combat arts. Although he is no expert, he still able to hold his own against those who are in melee combat. He knew how difficult it was when he saw it.

When Cian stepped left, he broke the fierce assaulting magic attack; [Raging Beast Claws] a special attack of most Lycan’s, which moved in an incredible speed and ferocity. Then, after passing through it successfully, he stepped right, it slowed down the speed of the attack further; by stepping ahead, he got away from the area under attack successfully, and without any injury.

When Cian took the turn at the end, it was just showing off.

He was just doing all of the moves so casually.

The Foxman was obviously only at Mid Level in power. He even seemed to be incapable of his full transformation, and yet…he was able to dodge the attack from a High-Level Werebeast—a true Lycan. He even did it so casually? How is this even possible?!

Not only the other Werebeasts but also Asceius and Iris were a bit surprised. Iris even had the corner of her brows raised—this werebeast.

She knows that Cian was not an ordinary Werebeast, and his strength is surely not weak despite his low power level. Asceius had affirmed this as well. However, that seemly-mystical, yet looking ordinary movement had somewhat surprised her greatly—he appeared slow, but there is no wasted movement. What’s even more, was as if he’s been reading, or even predicting his opponent’s speed. [Prediction]? Does he possess that kind of skill?

[Prediction] is one of the infamous Werebeast's innate skills. But only a few, and selective geniuses possess supernatural skills. Much less, a kind of perception-type ability like [Prediction]. This kind of ability will make even the most normal Werebeast, into a heaven-gifted Genius, and would surely be nurtured by any tribe.

To think this Foxman has this skill…wait, no, that’s not right.

Any kind of Perception-type ability should have been restricted in this land. And yet, why is this Foxman still able to use [Prediction]? What is going on here?

The Werebeasts, who attacked failed to hurt Cian, were more surprised than the others. Their faces turned dark and the caution inside their mind skyrocketed. They started to attack faster and faster. Suddenly, energy flows filled the entire place. They were obviously making area attacks, trying to hit him!

However, as usual, Cian just kept making those casual steps.

Left, right, forward, backward, turn-over, and turn-over…

He just dodged so easily, no matter how fierce and powerful the opponents were attacking. He looked so casual, that even his handsome face remained calm. In fact, if one looks closely, he only moved the moment the attacks were about to hit him, wasting no movements at all.

The attacks were like a rainstorm, which could not even get his sleeve wet. He kept dodging as if he was losing. However, the others felt like he was a king, taking a walk in his own garden, with elegance.

“What is going on?! How is this possible!!?”

“This Foxman…! He’s using [Prediction]!!”

“That’s impossible! [Prediction] is a skill only to be obtained after reaching the High-Level Stage, becoming an Elite Lycan. And even if there’s a chance that one can possess it beforehand, only the greatest and most talented Werebeasts could achieve that! I never heard a Foxman like this!"

Looking at their expressions, they don’t know him? How is that possible? Iris who was observing the Werebeasts expression, trying to find any clue as to what the incorrigible Foxman was planning by getting close to them, thinking that perhaps, the Foxman was involved in a terrible scheme against them, was even more surprised.

What she saw and heard from them made her even more skeptical and confused. They acted as if they didn’t know the Foxman…but that shouldn’t be possible. How could they not know him? Even if they didn’t know his strength, how could not even a single one know this Foxman?

What’s going on here?

Is he not part of the Monster Alliance?

That’s even more impossible. Though, weak and often look down, the Fox Tribe is under the Monster King; Flame Tyrannous Winged Lion King; Atras. Not knowing what the Fox Tribe had such an incredible person would be impossible.

So, was his existence kept a secret even then?

But why kept a Foxman like him a secret?

The Foxman had already lost their power, their ancestor nowhere to be found. Their blood sealed, and they have already become weaker and weaker in every passing generation. This is the reason why the Foxman was completely looked down upon by the other Beast Tribe.

If he has this kind of power, wouldn’t the Fox Tribe turn their current situation for the better?

No one would surely look down on the Fox Tribe anymore after producing such an incredible person.

So why...

What’s going on here?!

The more she thinks about it, the more she felt at a loss. She just couldn’t understand what is going on anymore, and the identity of Cian become even more mysterious in her eyes. Though she was battling against a dozen Werebeasts at once, her eyes never left from him. And now, with him displaying his true strength, she was somewhat becoming interested in him.

What wondrous footwork! It doesn’t seem to be from somewhere I know. Not even any combat arts I know would give such a mystical effect.

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Not only the unexpected ability [Prediction], for Iris who had been cultivating her physical and combat arts since childhood, she saw not only the ability but also Cian’s combat technique. In fact, the latter dazzled her even more, making her interest go up.

It might look like he had been relying on his [Prediction] ability, and his footwork casual and ordinary, but any expert combat artists would surely understand the wondrous of the technique.

It’s fascinating! How is he able to move like that?

Let’s say even with the prediction ability, but to be able to move as if he was floating while being assaulted by magical auras from every direction, avoiding any attacks with the least amount of action—superb!

Iris has known and seen many kinds of combat arts, and movement arts through her life. However, even she had to admit that there is no other movement art that can be better than this.

Even though there are a few footwork techniques faster and harder than what he was using, none of them, however, could be so dominating like this!

It’s not his speed, nor the complexity of his movement, rather, it’s as if he was walking and standing in a different plane than his opponent, that no matter what his enemies do, they could never reach him.

Not only it’s a blow to the opponent's confidence, but also their ego. Their enemy is as if moving so casually and yet they can never touch him no matter what they do—only the one doing the attacking would understand how helpless they would be in this kind of situation.

Furthermore...

Iris turned towards the Foxman’s face and expression, and her eyes narrowed even more in surprise.

The Foxman stepped and stepped, smiling, as if he was born a king who had just descended to the world of mortals. There’s no hurry, nor impatience in his face. It’s as if he was confident that he would win.

But even if he can dodge well, defeating his opponents is another matter.

The chasm between their power levels is much deeper, and wider to pass.

Or does he have another trump card for him to defeat them?

As Iris, like most people on the battlefield, keeping an eye close to Cian’s battle, suddenly the fight once again developed in an unexpected way.

Cian and his opponents moved backward fast like shooting stars. Then, one of the Werebeasts, seemingly angered, suddenly shook his body, and suddenly, he made six faint shadows of himself!

The six figures suddenly all rushed to Cian from different directions along with the other people, almost doubling the area of attack. Apparently, he was going to give no space for his opponent to step away. He wanted to kill him as soon as possible, giving him no room for escape.

With so many people, even with Cian’s wondrous movement art, could he actually escape an attack with no blindspot?

Unfortunately, it's a foolish decision.

“An illusion?”

Cian chuckled, and his chuckle was very calm.

“Illusion technique against me?”

He was moving backward at the beginning, and then suddenly, he stopped. His sudden action surprised many, but they just thought that perhaps Cian had finally given up, not having an escape route anymore. Some Werebeasts even started smiling brightly, confident in their victory.

However, before they could fully rejoice, the moment the attacks were about to reach their target, Cian made his move.

In the instant that he moved, an afterimage appeared.

The winds from the Werebeast’s powerful fists roared and smashed the afterimage into nothingness.

“An afterimage?!”

Once their attacks missed, the faces of the Werebeasts changed.

Swish!

However, as their faces were changing, Cian’s figure had already appeared in front of one of them as if he had been a ghost. A golden light shone from his claws that remained extended like a sharp weapon. It was covered with black colored scales, looking like a metal gauntlet. Then, like a shining divine weapon, it tore through the air and charged towards the Werebeast’s throat.

After seeing how sharp Cian’s attack was, the target Werebeasts eyes also changed into shock, and then confusion.

How did he know?

This was the Werebeast who had used the cloning technique, and he should not have been seen through after using it.

But how did the Foxman managed to pick him out?! Luck?

The Werebeast gritted his teeth, as he ferociously changed his hand from a fist to a claw as well, and dense Magical Power surged out: “DIEEEEE!”

His strength wasn’t weak; he also had plenty of experience. Although the opponent's speed was beyond his expectations, as well as the fact that he luckily (?) managed to pinpoint him out among the clones he had made, he did not panic and immediately counterattacked as he waited for the other Werebeast’s support. Unfortunately, that would not happen.

Swish!

When his attack was about to collide with his opponent's attack, the latter’s eyes flashed and the figure faded away again.

The Werebeast’s attack missed and his eyes narrowed suddenly. He hurriedly turned his body and was somewhat surprised to see a black light erupt from behind him. In the end, it landed on the back of his head fiercely.

Puchi.

It was a black blade that pierced through and out his throat. Fresh blood sprayed out in all directions, causing the Werebeast to let out a scream from the assaulting pain. But he was alive, nevertheless, following his attack, the black blade in his opponent's hand made several afterimages in the air, and the Werebeast’s body was cut into pieces.

Despite his incredible vitality and amazing Healing Factor, even an Elite Lycan would have died by that.

Cian’s image was again distorted, as another Werebeast, pounced from behind him, then followed by another, and another as they desperately tried to save their friend. But it was too late, Cian was gone, and what’s only left was a dismembered body of a Werebeast.

Following the death of their companion, the five other clones of the Werebeast had disappeared in thin air.

“Doriaaaaaan!!!”

One of the Werebeast cried out in despair.

“You bastard FOXMAN!!! How dare you!!!”

“Stop! Don’t be reckless!”

“Let’s do this together. He’s extremely fast, we should not get separated by him so he can defeat us individually!” One of the Werebeasts shouted out. In a few moments, a High-Level Elite Lycan was completely defeated by Cian. This made the eyes of the other werebeasts jump. A hint of uneasiness filled their hearts.

The person they thought of as a weakling was actually this tricky.

The other Werebeast who was restricting the maddened companion nodded his head solemnly.

“Be careful, he’s not an ordinary Foxman!”

Cian once again appeared, not so far from them. His lips still curved into that usual, indifferent faint smile.

“As usual, you people are pathetic.”

“What did you say?!”

“No need to be so angry, all I’m saying is the truth,” he said with an amused smile.

“I had never provoked you, but you’re the one who did it. You’re the one coming here to attack, trying to kill us, kill me. But then, when I retaliate, you all are the ones crying out like a victim…if that’s not pathetic, then what could it be?”

“How dare you! You’re the one who sold your soul to the enemy! You’re a traitor of our race! And you say we are more pathetic?”

“Really, selling my soul to the enemy. That’s exaggerated. In the first place, I was never among you, so who am I betraying?”

“Who you said?!”

The Werebeast that looked like a lion, cried. Though rather than humanoid, his entire face was like that of a real Lion—he’s more of a bipedal lion than a beastman.

“You should be the one helping us! You are a werebeast! You belong to us. They are humans, they are the enemies! And you ask, who you are betraying?!”

“Seriously, can we stop this? Because I’m who I am, thus my side is already been chosen a long time ago? That I have no freedom to choose which side I am standing upon?”

Cian snorted coldly. Then, his gaze landed towards Iris, his eyes displaying an obvious rage. Iris who was keeping her attention on him, suddenly frowned, somewhat understanding that his words were also directed at her.

"…That’s beyond pathetic.”

He cursed.

“… don’t take me for a fool. I’m not a doll that feels nothing, with no mind whatsoever. I know which is right, or what is wrong! I am not a doll that would just follow what others do and said, without thinking about it himself!”

“You!!!”

Cian snarled in anger, cutting the lion-head's rage.

“As I said before, this war of yours, I have no interest in playing. Even if you kill each other in front of me, what does that got to do with me? And now you have the guts to cry victim when you're the one who tried to kill me!”

“You selfish mongrel!!”

“Selfish, indeed. But let’s face it. We only think we’re fighting for the right side because that’s what we choose to believe. You call others traitor, heretics because they didn’t sympathize with your cause…because they didn’t agree with what you believe in. If I’m selfish, then what are you?”

Cian snorted in annoyance. His expression was like a fed-up adult, trying to reason with a brat who didn’t know anything. He turned his gaze towards the other Werebeasts around them, and they flinched reflexively upon meeting his cold, demeaning gaze.

“…??!”

“Even the people who didn’t take up arms, who should have been away from your own battles, you see them as your own enemy—you kill them. You slaughter them in cold blood, and then you call me, selfish? Who are you to say that? Why don’t you look yourself in the mirror, Werebeast. Why don’t you try to see what you’ve done up until now?!”

“SHUT UP!!!”

An enraged Werebeast, who had lost a friend, was further incensed, and charged right in, raging. It was a panther-like werebeast with black fur and gleaming golden cat-like eyes.

“Orwak! Wait!”

“Pitiful.”

Cian sneered as he looks at the charging Werebeasts. Indeed, perhaps his power level is lower compared to them. But it doesn’t mean they were much stronger than him. Power level doesn’t mean everything.

“I heard that Werebeasts are narrow-minded, but to think it would be this worse,”

As he spoke, his figure once again vanished like ghosts and demons in the night.

“This is bad!”

“Be careful!”

The sudden change left everyone panic-stricken. All of them began to immediately retreat. They have already seen what kind of strength that this abominable, mysterious Foxman possesses. And this terrifies them.

However, it’s too late.

The Werebeast, whose name seemed to be Orwak, the one charging like a wild boar, suddenly felt a chill crawling down his back.

A thick killing intent had quietly appeared from behind him, locking onto his entire body!

"...?!"