CHAPTER 149: THE HUNTER’S FIRST STEP TOWARD DOMINANCE

In the world of Kingdom Forge, every class had its strengths, but Hunters often felt utterly lost.

From the very beginning, they were handicapped. Hunters started with one fewer inventory slot than everyone else, permanently reserved for their quiver. Until level 10, they couldn’t even summon a pet, forced to fight alone in the wilderness, making the early grind painfully slow.

Things improved a little once they gained their first companion, but even then, solo leveling was a struggle. A lone Hunter wandering the open wilds was like a juicy steak tossed onto a battlefield, practically announcing to every roaming player: "Free honor here!"

Though they fought at range, Hunters had to juggle more than their own weapon’s damage and attack speed. They also had to constantly manage their combat pet, which accounted for a significant portion of their overall strength. Beast Mastery Hunters could function as support damage dealers in a party, but without their pets they were weak. Marksmanship Hunters, for all their higher raw damage, were fragile, and once an enemy closed the gap, they were as good as finished.

To make matters worse, Hunters had a minimum firing range. If an enemy pressed too close, they couldn’t shoot at all. Their melee reach was even shorter, leaving them in a humiliating dead zone where they could neither fire nor strike. Many Hunters could only stand there in frustration, trying to squeeze out as much damage as possible before their pets took over the fight, knowing full well that defeat was almost guaranteed.

It was no surprise that the forums overflowed with bitter complaints. Entire threads were devoted to Hunters cursing the developers for saddling them with such a fragile, frustrating class. One player even admitted that if not for the fact Hunters—along with Warlocks—were the only classes with permanent pets, he would have abandoned his character long ago.

Ryan often saw these posts, and even within his own guild the Hunters grumbled endlessly. Yet whenever they complained to him directly, he only smiled and told them, in his calm way, that Hunters were far stronger than they realized.

He never explained exactly why, but in his heart he knew the truth: in the right hands, on open ground, a moderately skilled Hunter could even bring down his own formidable Paladin.

Years later, people would look back on that era and call Hunters the "Kings of the Wilderness." Videos would circulate of level 72 Hunters kiting level 79 Warriors to death, even Warriors from the most powerful guilds. In those days, if a Hunter appeared in certain contested zones, even top players thought twice before provoking them. Unless they had reliable ways to pin the Hunter down, they simply walked the other way.

The only real counter to a Hunter in the wilderness was another Hunter. That was the resigned truth everyone eventually accepted.

But that time had not yet come. For now, Hunters were still easy prey, their reign of dominance a future legend. It wouldn’t begin until level 30, when they finally learned Aspect of the Cheetah and discovered the joy of kiting, their movement boosted by thirty percent. Only then would their reputation start to change.

When Ryan returned to Cleansing Grove to turn in his quests, some guild members were already waiting for him. They had abandoned their push deeper into the Forest of Decay and instead busied themselves gathering supplies. Burdened with items and materials, they were ready to accompany Ryan to the Nyman Revivalists, trading the haul for reputation and rewards.

"Guild Leader!" one of the Hunters called out, frustration plain in his voice. "Didn’t you say we’d get strong at level 30? How come I still can’t beat AJ, and he’s only level 29?"

Smoking Gun scowled the moment Ryan walked over. He still remembered how Ryan had told him Hunters would finally come into their own at level 30. He had believed it back then. Yet here he was, standing at level 30 with new skills and fresh equipment, and he still couldn’t defeat AJ—a Warrior who was only level 29. The duel had ended miserably, with AJ still sitting on half his health while Smoking Gun knelt in defeat.

"Did you learn all your skills?" Ryan asked lightly, his tone carrying a knowing smile. He already understood what the problem was. The essence of kiting could be glimpsed the moment a Hunter unlocked Aspect of the Cheetah at level 30. The quick-witted ones often stumbled into its rhythm on their very first day.

"I did, and it’s useless!" Smoking Gun snapped back. His voice was sharp with frustration. "Aspect of the Cheetah, my ass. At first, I was thrilled when I saw the thirty percent movement speed boost. Then AJ hit me once and I got stunned, slowing me by fifty percent for three seconds—and every single hit refreshed the damn stun. So just when I thought I was creating distance, he hit me again from range, kept me locked down, and caught up to finish me off. What good is that supposed to do me?"

Ryan stifled a laugh. In his eyes, Smoking Gun had actually begun to grasp the basics of kiting without realizing it. He simply hadn’t learned how to weave everything together yet.

"It’s not as bad as you think," Ryan said. "You just need to understand how to use it properly. I’ll give you the trick, and then you can try fighting other Warriors again."

He leaned in, explained a few points in his calm, matter-of-fact way, then straightened up with a small chuckle. Without lingering, he turned and began leading the others toward the Nyman Revivalists’ camp.

"Haha! Quests finished, and I just hit level 30 too! Wait for me, guys!"

The excited shout rang through the guild chat. Ryan glanced at the name and couldn’t help but grin—it was AJ.

"Alright, we’ll wait. Perfect timing for a duel," Ryan replied with a laugh.

Smoking Gun’s eyes lit up, his earlier frustration melting into raw anticipation. The rest of the guild perked up too. If Ryan had just given him a secret, then watching him put it to use against AJ promised to be entertaining.

"Duel?" AJ’s voice came back, puzzled. He had no idea he was about to walk straight into the spotlight.

"My duel with you," Smoking Gun said, his grin wide. "I just learned something new, and it’s perfect for Warriors like you."

"You?" AJ scoffed. "Don’t make me laugh. I just got Intercept at level 30. I can close the distance instantly now. You couldn’t beat me at 29—what chance do you have against me now? No matter what you learned, you’re still no match."

He sounded supremely confident, but Smoking Gun only smirked wider.

"Then come on," he said. "I’ll show you exactly how I’m going to wipe the floor with you."

Before the duel, Smoking Gun found a level 31 Marsh Tiger nearby. With quick, precise movements, he tested out Ryan’s advice. The beast went down without effort, his movements smoother than any of the guild had seen from him before.

The others exchanged looks, their excitement mounting. The duel with AJ had suddenly gone from a one-sided joke to a must-see event.

"Oh, AJ," Ryan thought, watching the Warrior’s name flicker in guild chat. "You’re about to lose."