Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Chapter 376 Who Is The Real Hunter [1]

While the battlefield rumbled with clashes and roars of beasts, Doome's booming laughter filled the skies as he fought the werebeast king. But amidst the chaos, the two remaining werebeast kings watched with growing frustration, their frowns deepening. The arrogance of these humans, treating them as if they didn't exist, was infuriating.

Adrian, as if sensing their thoughts, turned toward them with a calm, almost mischievous smile. "Don't worry," he said, his voice carrying effortlessly over the noise of battle. "I didn't forget about you."

The two kings blinked, surprise flickering in their eyes as they watched him glance to his side. To their astonishment, a man and woman floated beside Adrian as if they had been there all along, effortlessly blending into the chaos of the battle until now.

"Aunty Tessa, Uncle Lenny," Adrian said, nodding respectfully to the pair. "The smaller one is yours."

The couple exchanged amused glances before chuckling in unison. "Although we can't defeat her," Lenny said, his deep voice carrying a hint of playfulness, "she can't defeat us either."

"Not today," Tessa added with a wink, her aura of calm confidence matching her husband's.

Without another word, the two of them shot forward, heading directly for the third strongest werebeast king, a massive werebear who had been wreaking havoc on the ground troops. The werebear roared in defiance, its heavy footsteps shaking the earth as it prepared to meet them head-on.

This left only the largest and most powerful of the werebeast kings standing alone. The werelion king, towering and brimming with raw, primal strength, narrowed its golden eyes as it stared at Adrian. From the very start, this boy had been an irritation—a thorn in its side that refused to be plucked.

But unlike the others, the werelion king didn't attack recklessly. No, there was something unsettling about this human's confidence, something too calm, too assured. If this cockroach believed he could leave the battlefield untouched, there had to be a reason. Read latest chapters at empire

The werelion king's nostrils flared as it sniffed the air, and slowly, its expression darkened. An aura—no, a presence—seemed to swirl around it, silent yet menacing, watching it as if it were prey.

The werelion king's fur bristled in irritation.

'Prey?'

It had never been the prey. It was the apex predator, the hunter. With a low, menacing growl, it snapped its gaze around the battlefield, baring its sharp fangs.

"Come out, you rat," it snarled, its voice deep and gravelly. "Stop hiding and face me!"

Adrian couldn't help but chuckle, genuinely amused by the werelion king's keen perception. "You really are sharp," he murmured, impressed. Then, with a knowing look, he nodded once more. "I'll leave it to you, Teacher."

With that, Adrian turned his back to the werelion king, signaling his Rylath to take flight. As they soared into the sky, a sudden tension rippled through the battlefield.

The werelion king's eyes gleamed with sudden fury. 'You dare turn your back on me?' In a flash, it raised its massive hand, summoning a beam of dark red energy that crackled with malice and power. It shot forward, aiming directly at Adrian's retreating figure.

But before the beam could hit its mark, a figure emerged from the shadows—fast, almost invisible until the last moment. The crackling energy was stopped cold by an unseen force. The beam dissipated in midair as if it had struck an impenetrable barrier.

A man now floated between Adrian and the werelion king, his expression calm, his presence commanding. He appeared to be in his late twenties, yet his aura exuded a wisdom and stillness that belied his youth. His eyes were sharp, his body relaxed, yet every movement radiated the unmistakable power of a seasoned warrior.

The battlefield fell silent for a moment, and then, from the city walls and soldiers below, came shouts of recognition.

"It's him!"

"The Weapon Sage!"

"Instructor Darius!"

The werelion king's eyes narrowed dangerously, its lips curling back into a snarl. "So you were the one lurking in the shadows," it growled, though it hesitated now, recognizing the threat before it.

Darius said nothing, his gaze focused entirely on the werelion king. His silence was more unnerving than words, his stillness more dangerous than the most violent of storms.

Adrian, now watching from a distance, grinned at the sight. "Good luck, Teacher," he muttered to himself before directing his Rylath away from the battlefield. He still had other things to do.

"Gr..."

The werelion king, for the first time in its life, felt a twinge of uncertainty as it faced the Weapon Sage.

But it wouldn't back down.

Not now.

Not ever.

He was a hunter.

So was his enemy.

With a roar that shook the skies, the king lunged forward, ready to clash with one of the deadliest humans alive.

The result of the battle would reveal who the true hunter among them was.

_____ ___ _

The battlefield grew still as the clash between Darius, the Weapon Sage, and the towering werelion king loomed, both adversaries gauging each other's strengths.

The werelion king stood tall, his now golden fur gleaming under the sun, every muscle tense, ready to strike. His massive form was already a sight to behold, but with a menacing snarl, he began to grow even larger, towering over everything around him.

His body stretched and expanded until he was nearly twice his original size, his claws digging into the earth with a thunderous crack. His roar was deafening, shaking the battlefield to its core. The ground beneath him trembled as his muscles rippled with sheer brute strength, his golden eyes narrowing dangerously at the small, calm figure floating before him.

"You think you can stand against me, human?" the werelion king growled, his voice deep and resonating with power. "I am the apex predator! I am—"

Before the werelion king could finish his sentence, Darius moved. It was so quick, so subtle, that it appeared as though he hadn't moved at all. But the sharp hiss of steel cutting through the air told otherwise. The gleaming blade of Darius' sword shimmered in the light, shifting in form, becoming a sleek spear in the blink of an eye.

With one swift motion, Darius hurled the spear at the werelion king.

The massive beast barely had time to react, raising his arm just in time to block the strike. The spear connected with a resounding clang, and though the weapon was deflected, the sheer force behind the blow caused the werelion king to skid back, digging deep trenches into the ground with his feet.

Darius remained calm, his expression unchanged. The spear in his hand morphed once more, transforming into a whip of shimmering steel, its length crackling with energy.

With a flick of his wrist, the whip lashed out, slicing through the air toward the werelion king. The beast snarled, attempting to catch the whip in his massive claws, but Darius was faster. The whip coiled around the werelion king's wrist, tightening with a force that caused the great beast to stagger.

"Fast," the werelion king growled, trying to wrench the whip off. His muscles bulged, veins popping as he attempted to overpower Darius, but the Weapon Sage remained as still as a stone.

"You rely too much on your size," Darius said calmly, his voice barely audible over the din of the battlefield. "Strength without precision is just wasted energy."

With that, the whip suddenly shifted again, transforming into a chain that glowed with a faint light. Darius yanked it hard, pulling the werelion king off balance and forcing him to stumble forward.

The momentary lapse in balance was all Darius needed.