Chapter 77 — The Two Lords

The ground shook again.

Kael stood inside the cavern, katana in hand.

Two enormous signatures were approaching.

The System continued updating their distance.

[Target 1: Level 46 — Lord]

[Target 2: Level 46 — Lord]

[Distance: 2.8 km]

Kael slowly looked around his temporary shelter.

PR-02 rested against the wall.

AR-04 was partially damaged.

GL-02 had almost no ammunition.

HW-02 was unusable.

His body was exhausted.

A normal hunter would have hidden.

Recovered.

Waited.

Kael knew that wouldn't work.

The two Territory Lords were already moving directly toward him.

More importantly—

they weren't moving separately.

Their signatures were overlapping.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“They're cooperating.”

That was different.

Two Lord-class monsters working together could create problems far greater than the sum of their individual strength.

Kael opened his father's old map.

The cavern sat at the edge of an enormous rocky basin.

Three exits.

A narrow western passage.

A steep eastern slope.

And the wide southern opening.

Kael studied the terrain.

The western passage was too narrow for a large creature.

The eastern slope was unstable.

The southern opening gave the enemies plenty of room.

He smiled faintly.

“Then I won't let them choose.”

Kael immediately began preparing.

He moved metal stakes into position.

One near the western entrance.

Two beneath the eastern slope.

Three near the southern opening.

He connected them with thin mithril wire.

Then he placed his remaining explosive charges.

Not enough to destroy anything powerful.

Enough to alter movement.

He took out AR-04.

The weapon's damaged receiver had begun separating.

Kael repaired the weakest portion with Metal Control.

It wouldn't last forever.

But it would work.

He looked at the Void Crystal fragment.

He had no time to forge his new weapon.

That would have to wait.

“Come.”

The First Arrival

The first monster arrived sooner than expected.

A huge shadow passed over the cavern entrance.

Kael looked up.

Something landed on the ridge above him.

BOOM!

Stone broke beneath its feet.

The creature slowly unfolded.

It was enormous.

Nearly ten meters tall.

Its body resembled a heavily armored gorilla covered in dark metallic plates.

Two enormous tusks protruded from its lower jaw.

Its arms were disproportionately large.

Each fist was covered with layered black armor.

Its shoulders carried glowing orange markings.

The System activated.

[Ironback Colossus]

Level: 46

Grade: Lord

Potential: Overlord

Traits:

Ironback Armor

Titan Strength

Impact Storage

Shockwave Fists

Regeneration

Mountain Grip

Territory Authority

Kael stared.

“Pure strength.”

The Colossus looked down at him.

Then it punched the ground.

BOOOOOOM!

A shockwave tore through the area.

Kael immediately jumped.

The cavern entrance shook.

Rocks fell from above.

Kael landed.

The monster stared at him.

It hadn't moved.

Kael understood.

It was testing the terrain.

Testing his reaction.

Kael smiled.

“Not stupid.”

The Colossus charged.

Kael fired AR-04.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Three physical rounds struck its chest.

The bullets cracked the outer plating.

But the Colossus didn't slow.

It swung.

Kael ducked.

The fist passed above his head.

The air pressure alone pushed him sideways.

The second fist followed.

Kael jumped.

The third came from below.

Kael activated Metal Control.

A metal platform formed beneath his feet.

He pushed off.

The attack missed.

The Colossus hit the platform.

CLANG!

The metal bent.

Kael landed behind it.

Katana.

SLASH!

The blade struck the back.

A shallow mark appeared.

The Colossus turned.

Kael moved.

The monster punched.

Kael dodged.

Another.

Dodge.

Another.

Dodge.

The attacks were simple—

but their speed was not.

Kael was forced backward.

The Colossus suddenly stopped.

Its back plates brightened.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

“Impact Storage.”

The System confirmed it.

[Impact energy accumulating.]

Kael immediately stopped attacking physically.

The Colossus smiled.

It had been waiting for him to keep hitting it.

Kael backed away.

“You absorb physical force.”

The monster roared.

Then launched both fists simultaneously.

BOOM!

The shockwave destroyed the stone in front of it.

Kael barely escaped.

The Colossus charged again.

Kael turned toward the western passage.

The monster followed.

Exactly as Kael wanted.

Kael reached the first metal stake.

He stepped over it.

The Colossus didn't notice.

Kael reached the second.

Then the third.

The passage narrowed.

The Colossus had to lower its shoulders.

Kael suddenly stopped.

The Colossus swung.

Kael ducked.

Its fist struck the wall.

Kael activated the metal formation.

WHUM!

The mithril wires tightened around the creature's arms.

The Colossus roared.

It pulled.

The wires stretched.

Kael gritted his teeth.

“They won't hold.”

He knew that.

They only needed to hold for one second.

Kael fired AR-04.

BANG!

A physical round struck one shoulder.

The Colossus absorbed the impact.

The plates brightened.

Kael smiled.

“Exactly.”

He fired again.

This time—

Mana Disruption.

BANG!

The round struck the same shoulder.

The stored energy remained.

But its mana flow was disrupted.

The armor flickered.

Kael rushed forward.

Katana.

He didn't attack the armor.

He struck the ground.

CLANG!

A metal spike erupted beneath the monster.

The Colossus lost balance.

Kael kicked one leg.

The creature dropped to one knee.

Kael followed with another metal spike.

Then another.

Not to injure it.

To pin its feet.

The Colossus roared.

It broke the first.

Second.

Third.

Kael retreated.

The wires snapped.

The Colossus came free.

Kael had learned enough.

It was too strong to contain.

Too durable to wear down normally.

He needed another weakness.

Then—

a second roar came from outside.

Kael's expression changed.

The second Lord had arrived.

The Second Lord

A gust of wind tore through the canyon.

The remaining trees bent.

Dust filled the entrance.

Something descended from the night sky.

Kael looked upward.

A gigantic bird landed on a rock.

Its body was covered in dark blue feathers.

Two long horns curved backward from its head.

Its wings stretched nearly twenty meters.

Lightning moved through the feathers.

Its eyes glowed silver.

The System activated.

[Stormhorn Roc]

Level: 46

Grade: Lord

Potential: Overlord

Traits:

Storm Dominion

Lightning Feather

Aerial Sovereignty

Wind Compression

Thunder Dive

High-Speed Regeneration

Territory Authority

Kael stared.

“Perfect.”

The two monsters looked at each other.

Then at Kael.

He immediately understood.

They weren't allies.

Not exactly.

They were competitors who had temporarily agreed on one thing.

Kael was dangerous enough to remove from the territory.

The Roc took off.

The Colossus attacked.

Kael moved.

The Colossus punched.

Kael dodged.

At the same moment—

the Roc fired a compressed wind blade.

Kael jumped.

The attack passed beneath him.

The Colossus caught the opening.

Its fist came upward.

Kael blocked with Metal Control.

BOOM!

He was launched into the air.

The Roc was waiting.

A lightning-charged wing swept toward him.

Kael crossed his arms.

Metal formed around his body.

CRACK!

The impact sent him spinning.

He barely landed.

Both monsters attacked again.

Kael's eyes sharpened.

“They're coordinating.”

The Colossus controlled the ground.

The Roc controlled the air.

One forced him into movement.

The other predicted where he would go.

Kael immediately abandoned the southern opening.

He sprinted toward the eastern slope.

The Colossus followed.

The Roc circled overhead.

Kael reached the unstable slope.

He slammed his palm down.

Metal Control.

The stakes beneath the rocks activated.

BOOM!

The entire slope collapsed.

The Colossus was hit by falling stone.

Not enough to injure it.

Enough to slow it.

Kael jumped.

The Roc descended.

Kael fired upward.

BANG!

A Mana-Disruption round struck its wing.

The lightning flickered.

The Roc recoiled.

Kael landed.

The Colossus emerged from the rubble.

It charged.

Kael moved left.

The Roc predicted it.

Lightning came from above.

Kael changed direction.

The Colossus predicted that.

Its fist arrived.

Kael barely blocked.

BOOM!

He was thrown backward.

He rolled.

The Roc landed.

The Colossus attacked.

Kael was caught between them.

He raised both hands.

Metal Control activated.

Two thick metal barriers formed.

The Colossus smashed one.

The Roc destroyed the second.

Kael escaped through the opening.

His breathing became heavy.

“These two are too coordinated.”

He needed to break their cooperation.

But how?

Kael studied them.

The Colossus didn't attack the Roc.

The Roc avoided the Colossus's shockwaves.

They knew each other's attack ranges.

Their abilities were complementary.

Ground.

Air.

Close.

Long range.

Kael suddenly realized something.

They didn't trust each other.

They were simply avoiding interference.

That was the weakness.

Kael smiled.

“I don't need to defeat both.”

He looked toward the Colossus.

Then the Roc.

“I just need to make you fight each other.”

Breaking the Formation

Kael sprinted toward the Colossus.

The monster raised its fist.

Kael accelerated.

At the last moment—

he slid beneath the punch.

The Roc attacked from above.

Kael jumped sideways.

The lightning missed him.

It struck the ground beside the Colossus.

BOOM!

The Colossus turned toward the Roc.

The bird immediately moved away.

Kael smiled.

“Again.”

He attacked the Colossus.

Not to damage it.

To force it toward the Roc.

Katana.

CLANG!

He struck the armored shoulder.

The Colossus swung.

Kael stepped away.

The punch was aimed toward him—

but the Roc was behind him.

The Roc took off.

The fist narrowly missed.

Kael rushed toward the bird.

The Roc fired a compressed wind blade.

Kael jumped over it.

The attack struck the Colossus instead.

The creature roared.

The Roc immediately flew higher.

Kael turned.

The Colossus was angry.

It charged the Roc.

The Roc took flight.

Kael smiled.

“That's it.”

The Colossus jumped.

The Roc dodged.

Its lightning feathers released downward.

The Colossus was hit.

It roared.

Then punched upward.

The shockwave struck the Roc's wing.

The bird fell.

For several seconds—

they forgot Kael.

They attacked each other.

Kael stood back.

He watched.

The Colossus was stronger on the ground.

The Roc dominated the air.

Neither could finish the other.

Kael didn't interfere.

He let them fight.

The battle lasted several minutes.

Stone shattered.

Lightning filled the sky.

Wind tore through the canyon.

The Colossus accumulated impact energy from falling rocks and wind pressure.

The Roc's feathers became brighter as lightning gathered.

Both were strengthening.

Kael's expression changed.

“That isn't good.”

If they continued—

both might reach a more dangerous state.

He couldn't allow that.

Kael had to strike before either monster adapted.

He took PR-02.

One high-grade Mana-Breaker round remained.

Only one.

He aimed at the Roc's wing.

The bird was descending.

The Colossus prepared a shockwave.

Kael waited.

Then—

the Colossus punched.

BOOM!

The Roc dodged upward.

Kael fired.

BANG!

The Mana-Breaker struck the wing.

The lightning disappeared.

The Roc lost altitude.

It crashed.

The Colossus turned.

Kael smiled.

“Now.”

The Colossus charged the fallen Roc.

Kael ran alongside it.

The bird spread its wings.

Wind exploded outward.

The Colossus staggered.

Kael used the opportunity.

He jumped onto the Colossus's back.

Its armor was much thicker there.

But Kael wasn't attacking it.

He was placing metal fragments.

One.

Two.

Three.

The Colossus realized.

It roared.

Kael jumped away.

The monster punched toward him.

Kael dodged.

The Roc took off again.

Kael activated the fragments.

WHUM!

They released a burst of Metal Disruption.

The Colossus's Impact Storage flickered.

Kael had prepared them specifically for it.

The stored kinetic energy became unstable.

The monster staggered.

Kael fired AR-04.

BANG!

The shot struck its shoulder.

Instead of being absorbed—

the stored impact discharged unevenly.

A shockwave erupted from the Colossus itself.

It stumbled.

Kael immediately turned toward the Roc.

The bird was preparing Thunder Dive.

Kael waited.

It descended.

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

At the last second, Kael stepped sideways.

The Roc's attack missed.

The creature smashed into the Colossus.

BOOOOOOM!

Both monsters were thrown apart.

Kael rushed toward the Colossus.

The monster rose first.

It roared.

Kael raised his katana.

The Colossus punched.

Kael didn't block.

He stepped inside the strike.

His katana slid beneath the arm.

SLASH!

A crack appeared in the armpit armor.

The Colossus swung with the other fist.

Kael ducked.

He struck the same point.

SLASH!

The crack widened.

The monster tried another shockwave.

Kael jumped backward.

Then fired AR-04.

BANG!

Mana Disruption.

The shockwave weakened.

Kael stepped forward again.

SLASH!

Third strike.

The armor broke.

The Colossus roared.

Kael saw the opening.

He drove a metal spike into the exposed section.

CLANG!

The Colossus staggered.

Its Impact Storage activated.

Kael immediately severed the stored energy flow with Metal Control.

The monster froze.

For one second—

it couldn't use its strength.

Kael struck.

SLASH!

The Colossus collapsed.

The System appeared.

[Ironback Colossus defeated.]

[Territory Lord defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Territory Core obtained.]

Kael didn't celebrate.

The Roc was still alive.

And it was furious.

Storm Above

The Stormhorn Roc screamed.

Lightning exploded across the canyon.

Kael looked upward.

The creature's wings expanded.

Its feathers became brilliant with energy.

[Thunder Dive preparing.]

[Warning.]

[Energy concentration: Extreme.]

Kael immediately understood.

The Colossus had been the shield.

The Roc was the executioner.

It had been waiting for the right moment.

And now—

Kael was alone.

He looked at the surrounding terrain.

The canyon was damaged.

The metal stakes were mostly destroyed.

PR-02 had no high-grade rounds left.

AR-04 was overheating.

GL-02 was almost useless.

His katana remained.

That was all he had.

The Roc rose higher.

Kael watched.

“Come down.”

The bird disappeared into the clouds.

Kael couldn't see it.

His danger sense activated.

He moved.

A lightning strike hit where he had stood.

BOOM!

He moved again.

Another.

Then another.

The Roc wasn't diving yet.

It was forcing him to move.

Wind compressed around him.

Kael's movements became slower.

The creature was controlling the entire battlefield.

Kael ran toward the eastern slope.

Wind blades followed.

He blocked one.

The second struck his metal armor.

The third forced him to the ground.

Kael rolled.

The Roc descended.

Thunder Dive.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

This was the same attack he'd seen earlier.

But now—

no Colossus.

No second target.

The full attack was aimed at him.

Kael looked at the canyon floor.

Then at the damaged eastern slope.

Then at the remaining metal stakes.

Three.

His eyes sharpened.

A plan.

Dangerous.

But possible.

He ran.

The Roc followed.

Kael reached the slope.

He slammed his palm down.

The three remaining stakes activated.

Metal Control spread into the cracked rock.

The unstable slope shifted.

The Roc descended.

Faster.

Kael waited.

Five hundred meters.

Three hundred.

Two hundred.

The storm compressed around the bird.

One hundred.

Fifty.

Kael jumped toward the cliff wall.

The Roc followed.

At twenty meters—

Kael activated the final formation.

The entire eastern slope collapsed.

BOOOOOOM!

Thousands of tons of stone dropped.

The Roc's attack struck the falling rocks.

Lightning exploded.

The canyon became white.

Kael was thrown through the air.

The Roc emerged from the dust.

Its wing was damaged.

But it was still flying.

Kael landed.

He was exhausted.

The Roc circled.

Kael looked at its wing.

The Mana-Breaker round had weakened it.

It was compensating with wind.

That meant one thing.

Its strongest attack required both wings.

Kael smiled.

“One wing.”

He knew what to do.

He picked up a metal fragment.

The Roc dove.

Kael waited.

At the final instant—

he threw the fragment.

Metal Control guided it.

The fragment struck the damaged wing.

Not hard.

Just enough to disrupt the mana flow.

The Roc lost control.

Kael sprinted.

The bird crashed toward him.

Kael raised the katana.

It wasn't enough to stop the impact.

So he redirected it.

Metal Control formed a curved barrier.

The Roc hit.

The barrier bent.

Kael used the momentum.

He stepped sideways.

The bird crashed into the canyon floor.

Kael landed beside it.

The Roc opened its wings.

Kael attacked.

SLASH!

The damaged wing.

Again.

SLASH!

Again.

The bird screamed.

Lightning exploded outward.

Kael was thrown back.

He landed on one knee.

The Roc tried to stand.

Its left wing refused to move properly.

Kael rushed.

The bird attacked with its beak.

Kael stepped aside.

Wing.

He blocked.

Talons.

He jumped.

Wind blast.

He rolled.

The fight became close-range.

Kael couldn't rely on the rifle anymore.

The Roc couldn't rely on its flight.

Both were forced into the same battlefield.

The bird was still faster.

Kael adjusted.

He stopped trying to outrun it.

He began reading the rhythm of its movements.

Beak.

Left claw.

Right claw.

Wing strike.

Wind burst.

The pattern repeated.

Kael waited.

Beak.

Dodge.

Left claw.

Parry.

Right claw.

Step back.

Wing strike.

Duck.

Wind burst.

Jump.

Again.

Beak.

Dodge.

Left claw.

Parry.

Right claw.

Step back.

Wing.

Kael moved inside.

His katana struck the base of the damaged wing.

SLASH!

The Roc staggered.

Kael followed.

SLASH!

The wing collapsed.

The Roc roared.

Kael stepped back.

The bird was still conscious.

Still dangerous.

Its remaining wing glowed.

A final attack.

Kael raised his katana.

The Roc launched forward.

Kael didn't retreat.

He moved directly into the attack.

One step.

Two.

At the last moment—

he turned.

The Roc passed him.

Kael's katana followed.

SLASH!

The blade struck the base of the remaining wing.

The creature collapsed.

The System appeared.

[Stormhorn Roc defeated.]

[Territory Lord defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Territory Core obtained.]

Kael waited.

Then—

[Level Up.]

[Level 39 reached.]

He stood there, breathing heavily.

The two Level 46 Lords were dead.

But the fight had nearly destroyed him.

Kael sat down against a broken stone.

He looked at his hands.

Then his weapons.

His remaining ammunition.

The wreckage around him.

Two Lord cores.

Two territory cores.

A Void Crystal fragment.

Several rare materials.

And the knowledge earned from three very different enemies.

He opened his status.

Five points.

This time, he considered carefully.

The two battles had shown him that he needed to survive longer exchanges.

He needed more durability without sacrificing his mobility.

He allocated:

+1 Strength

+1 Agility

+2 Vitality

+1 Intelligence

[Attributes Updated]

Strength: 38

Agility: 47

Vitality: 44

Intelligence: 42

Mana: 43

Kael closed the window.

Then—

the System appeared again.

[Level 39 achieved.]

[Bloodline threshold approaching.]

[Level 40 required.]

[Sealed Darven inheritance available at Level 40.]

Kael stared.

The archive.

The inheritance his father had left specifically for the Darven who reached the fourth threshold.

It was finally within reach.

One more level.

But before Kael could even stand—

a new notification appeared.

[Territory synchronization detected.]

Kael's expression changed.

The four Territory Cores he had collected were reacting.

The Blackwater.

The Ashen Wilds.

The Drowned Forest.

The canyon.

Their energy was connecting.

A map appeared before him.

The territories formed a rough circle.

And at the center—

a massive unexplored region.

The System identified it.

[Central Hunting Region.]

[Recommended Minimum Level: 40.]

[Known Threat: Level 48 Territory Lord.]

[Secondary Threats: Multiple Lord-class organisms.]

[Special Condition: Ancient hunting ground.]

Kael stared at the map.

Then at the Level 48 signature.

Still there.

Still waiting.

He slowly stood.

His body hurt.

His weapons were damaged.

But his eyes were calm.

“One more level.”

He looked toward the central region.

“Then I'll enter.”

Far away—

the Level 48 creature opened its eyes.

It had felt the death of the other Territory Lords.

And now—

it was moving.

Kael smiled.

The next hunt would decide whether he was ready for Level 40.

And beyond Level 40—

the real road to Level 50 would begin.