CHAPTER 181: CHAPTER 181: THE FIRST BATTLE

"Whoosh!"

A white strand of spider silk flew from afar, tightly wrapping around the hooked claw trying to strike.

"There’s someone else, move quickly."

Seeing the white spider silk, the bird-headed explorer swiftly shouted to everyone around.

The others also knew that enemies were still hidden in the surroundings and quickly drew their weapons.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh"

"Be careful, this attack is invisible."

Several in their group, easily identified as mages and support professionals by their attire, were hit by attacks from unknown sources, one healer hit directly in the head, died instantly.

The others, although not in danger of life, still suffered serious injuries.

The two teams of explorers quickly organized among themselves.

"Raise shields, heal."

Under the bird-headed explorer’s command, two mages, along with a shield-bearing warrior, instantly placed a thin blue shield around everyone.

The surviving healer quickly began treating the injured.

One explorer, clearly of assassin type, disappeared into the air, seemingly already seeking Kane.

At that moment, Kane was perched on a tree branch, holding a massive sniper-type launcher, aiming at the explorers outside.

Several transparent bullets were fired again.

This time Kane only targeted one person.

The shield of the explorer treating teammates was shattered by the initial bullets, followed by another bullet hitting the heart, causing him to clutch his wound and fall to the ground.

However, this strike also made the bird-headed explorer discover Kane’s location, quickly shouting toward Kane’s position: "There, quick, let’s go."

Having said that, everyone rapidly charged toward Kane’s location.

More bullets were shot, this time aimed at one of the mages providing shields for teammates.

A warrior explorer, wielding a shield, noticed this attack and transformed into a blur, quickly arriving beside the mage, blocking the attack with his shield.

However, his shield was shattered by the critical strike of these bullets, and he was also blown away by the impact, but not injured. After a few rolls, he quickly got back up.

Despite such attacks, these people didn’t stop advancing toward Kane because they knew they couldn’t evade this long-range damage.

The only way was to swiftly find Kane’s location, stop his ranged attacks, and force him into close combat to cancel this crisis.

According to usual thinking, the stronger the ranged attack, the weaker the close combat skill.

More bullets came, the warrior explorer already without a shield, was directly shot through the skull, falling to the ground.

"Ahhh! Don’t let me catch you, or I’ll eat you bite by bite."

The consecutive deaths of teammates filled the bird-headed explorer’s chest with rage; these were companions who had been through life and death with him.

Though from different races, they shared the same dream, working hard for the same cause.

And the teammates behind him showed no sign of fear, only faces full of anger.

"A bunch of gutter rats, performing some camaraderie in front of me; it’s truly laughable."

Kane’s voice came from the nearby forest, driving the explorers’ fury nearly out of control.

Perhaps influenced by Longbei, Kane now enjoyed hitting where it hurt and exposing weaknesses when insulting others, being as venomous as possible.

More bullets came. The mage had placed two shields on himself, but still fell in this attack.

Against Kane’s attacks with formidable piercing power, they were completely helpless; due to the extreme speed of the attack, there was no chance to dodge.

For those with keen perception, as soon as they sensed the bullets, the attack had already landed on them or their teammates.

But of course, Kane had already promoted to a silver-level explorer.

The enhancement from sublimation brought all-around improvement: constitution, magic power, intensity of magic power, as well as wisdom, even the unknowable soul.

Plus the expansion in scope of the origin skills and deeper understanding and control of the origin skills.

Just the weapon Kane held now, in the past, there was no chance he could hold it in this way.

Because the sheer length of this weapon exceeded three meters: a meter-long gun body, plus a meter-long barrel.

Every shot consumed a significant amount of magic power, which he could afford at bronze level but dared not squander as he did now.

A short journey was as thrilling as a mountain of knives and sea of flames, comrades beside him continuously blocked Kane’s attacks and then fell powerlessly.

Sacrificing the lives of companions, finally the remaining explorers struggled to reach Kane.

Out of ten people, now only four could see Kane’s true face.

One was an assassin-type explorer who had hidden early on, now waiting behind Kane to strike, although Kane had long noticed him but chose to ignore him.

The other three included two who were leaders of their respective explorer teams, the bird-headed explorer and another four-eyed vertical-pupil explorer.

The last surviving explorer, wielding a long blade over two meters, had rectangular pupils and red-skinned as a subhuman.

They were able to survive not because Kane didn’t want to kill them, but because they managed to dodge the bullets he fired at them, making them the strongest among the group.

As for those who didn’t manage to dodge, their bodies now lay along the path.

The three men stared at Kane with bloodshot eyes, filled with rage coursing through their entire bodies, daring not to calm down.

Afraid that calming down would leave them without the courage to avenge their comrades.

"Since you’re not running, then die already!" the bird-headed Explorer shrieked at Kane.

After hearing his words, Kane smiled and discarded his gun: "Then guess why I’m not running?"

None of the three had the mood to listen to him. The bird-headed Explorer spread his wings and charged at Kane with his claws raised.

The other red-skinned Explorer wielding a Long Blade also drew his sword and forcefully slashed at Kane’s position.

A blue-green blade beam sliced toward Kane.

The Explorer with four vertical pupils stared at Kane, releasing a gray energy from his eyes.

Kane was immobilized by this energy.

The bird-headed Explorer, seeing Kane not dodging his attack, smirked broadly.

"How interesting."

As the words fell, a transparent Iron Fist suddenly appeared beside the bird-headed Explorer, punching toward him.

To avoid the sudden attack, he had to flap his wings to adjust his flight.

Then, a transparent Steel Wall blocked the incoming blade beam and stopped the attack.

Meanwhile, several transparent Long Spears coalesced in the air and shot toward the four-eyed Explorer staring at Kane.

He too noticed the spears flying at him, forcing him to roll to the side to evade the attacks.

With his movements, Kane regained his mobility.

Kane then produced a transparent Rhombus Crystal Stone filled with rolling Black Mist.

The stone transformed into a transparent Long Spear, and Kane, grabbing it, spun around and stabbed fiercely behind him, a flash of gold slicing through the air.

The previously hidden Assassin-type Explorer was pierced through the chest, helplessly grasping the spear embedded in his body.

The Black Mist inside the transparent spear exploded within him, the pained expression froze, his head drooping, and sanguine blood trickled down the transparent spear’s silhouette.

Kane withdrew the spear and forcefully leapt.

His form shot like a bolt of lightning, rushing toward the four-eyed Explorer who just rolled up.

Seeing Kane assault his comrade, the other two rapidly moved to assist.

However, several more transparent spikes appeared inexplicably before them, thwarting their attempt and forcing them to defend.

The four-eyed Explorer, realizing he couldn’t escape, swung his Steel Whip at Kane in desperation.

Kane’s hand enveloped in a layer of transparent Steel Armor, caught the whip and pulled forcefully, dragging the opponent stumbling toward him.

The strength of Kane left the four-eyed Explorer incredulous, his eyes widened.

A golden flash shot through, as a crystal-clear spear penetrated his body.

"Although I’m a Hunter, I have confidence in my close combat skills."

Finally, the red-skinned Explorer with a Long Blade, was overwhelmed and screamed, fleeing toward the forest.

Yet Kane wasn’t in the habit of sparing enemies, and a strand of Spider Silk shot out, binding and swiftly dragging the Explorer back toward Kane.

The red-skinned Explorer struggled endlessly, unable to wield his Long Blade due to his hands being bound by the Spider Silk, resulting in the sword dropping helplessly to the ground.

Turning to face Kane who approached ever closer, the Explorer’s expression turned as if he were seeing the Death God.

Such a description wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

"Spare me, please, for the sake of Mist, spare my life, I beg of you, please..."

Faced with the Explorer pleading for his life, Kane showed no mercy, the spear driving directly into his head.

Blue blood dripped from the tip of the spear at the back of his head, falling to the ground.

Kane withdrew the spear: "Sorry, I’m not in the habit of sparing my enemies, so rest in peace."

Finally, only the frenziedly yelling bird-headed Explorer remained.

Fatigued from dealing with the transparent spikes ceaselessly striking him, his wings were riddled with bloody holes, scars covered his body, surrounded by scattered feathers.

As Kane advanced toward him, waving his hand, the spikes already embedded in the bird man’s body dissipated, and blood gushed furiously from the wounds.

The bird-headed Explorer fell to his knees, powerless.

He raised his head to gaze at Kane before him, his voice weak and hoarse, questioning: "Who are you? You don’t seem to be one from the council, why are you here to stop us."

"Me? I’m merely a passing Explorer."

Hearing his answer, fury erupted anew, but the spear had already penetrated his skull.

Such a creature shall die carrying his doubts.