Hunt In Reverse

As evening painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, the sun's golden rays filtered through the dense forest canopy, casting a mosaic of light and shadow on the forest floor.

A contingent of bloodsteeds, led by a magnificent crimson stallion, galloped towards the top of Crown Mountain, their hooves pounding the earth in a rhythmic symphony of power and grace.

I, riding at the rear, observed the armored figure of General Grant ahead, a thoughtful expression etched on my face. I hadn't intended to surrender the vampire core, but its effortless acquisition surprised me.

After all, the H.A.R.M. general had played some role in slaying the Leviasaur... Well, alright, a very significant role. He practically bisected the poor creature with a single stroke of his halberd!

Recalling the battle, I felt a bit unease. While I was still in the First Realm, I had faced Wave Realm opponents – the Maple Rex and the sea vampire – both injured, and emerged victorious, albeit with a few souvenirs in the form of scars. My success had stemmed from my mastery of various Wave Realm techniques and my ability to expend lifespan for a continuous supply of energy.

However, against a Crystal Realm vampire, those techniques proved less effective.

The old Leviasaur, with most of its life already cleaved away by the general's halberd and riddled with old injuries, had still withstood nearly an hour of my relentless Bloody Quintet. It was like trying to chop down a redwood with a butter knife.

Only by combining the powers of the Nightshade Assassin and Shadow Touch, channeling every ounce of my strength and cunning, did I finally manage to subdue the creature.

This victory had used up nearly everything I knew. It was a desperate, all-out struggle, and I emerged battered and exhausted.

Facing a healthy Crystal Realm vampire would be a different story altogether. Never mind beating it, escaping with my life would be a miracle.

Fortunately, the rewards of this mission were substantial.

The peak Wave Realm vampire core, the Crystal Realm vampire core, and their long lifespans, plus the eight hundred years I had accumulated previously... it amounted to over three thousand years of absorbed lifespan.

Not a bad haul for a few days' work!

Would it be enough to help me reach the Crystal Realm? I wondered. I wasn't sure.

"Brother Kane, you've got guts!" Chandra exclaimed, guiding his horse closer. His voice was filled with admiration. He chose "Brother Kane" over "Captain Kane," as the latter felt awkward now that I was about to be promoted.

Noticing my contemplative expression, he lowered his voice, leaning in conspiratorially. "It's a good thing General Grant had a breakthrough. If he had been trapped by that sword formation and you had returned alone to chase the Leviasaur, you could have been killed! You're young, with a bright future ahead of you. Why risk your life for mere merit?"

He chuckled wryly. "But I have to admit, your gamble paid off. From a two-star captain to a personal attendant of the General... I've toiled for decades, and you've achieved more in a few days than I have in my entire career."

Judging by my age, he figured that I couldn't have been with H.A.R.M. for more than ten years. A personal attendant of a general held a prestigious position within the organization, second only to the Vampire Hunters, the twelve generals, and the admiral. Within Cascadia, even the most influential factions would treat me with respect, if only for General Grant's sake.

Chandra was impressed, but not envious. Slaying a Crystal Realm Leviasaur was no small feat, even a wounded one.

The wounds on my shoulders and the sight of the decapitated vampire spoke volumes about the intensity of the battle.

It must have been a glorious fight, Chandra mused, his heart filled with aspiration. "That old Leviasaur must have been awestruck by your strength, Brother Kane. You showed those Pacific vampires the true power of a H.A.R.M. prodigy!"

I nodded, appreciating his enthusiasm, but my mind was already on other matters. "What's the benefit of being a personal attendant?" I asked, getting straight to the point. I hadn't forgotten why I joined H.A.R.M. in the first place.

"Benefit?" Chandra leaned back, spreading his hand with a dramatic flourish. "Let me put it this way," he continued, lowering his voice, "in any family or school, even a young prodigy like you, at the peak of Wave Realm, would need to serve them for decades to earn their trust and gain access to a Crystallization technique. Unless, of course, you're a direct descendant or bound by a blood oath."

My mind drifted back to my conversation with Butcher Garcia about the Kongo Shintai Securities. Even their mid-level body tempering technique required decades of chanting and preaching. Talk about tedious!

"But," Chandra interjected, "even at the peak of Wave Realm, our lifespan is only three hundred years. Why waste so much time on..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

"Brother Kane, you're an outsider. To them, the Crystallization technique is their foundation, their legacy. As long as they possess it, they remain powerful. But if you were to take that technique to H.A.R.M...." He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "You know how they treat even the lowliest agents, barring them from their circles. They despise the government."

"Of course, there are faster methods," he continued, his voice regaining its enthusiasm. "Just like Crown Mountain with its ancestral sword, other families possess similar relics. Pledge your loyalty with a blood oath, become their guardian, and with your strength, they'll reward you handsomely."

"But you're already an attendant," Chandra said, his eyes twinkling. "In ten years... no, five..." He paused, noticing my furrowed brow, and quickly corrected himself. "With some luck, some significant achievements... maybe even three years. H.A.R.M. possesses numerous Crystallization techniques, even high-grade ones. You'll have your pick, far better than anything those factions offer."

My eyes lit up. "Is there a way to make it even faster?" I asked, leaning forward.

Chandra's face tightened. He glanced around, ensuring no one was within earshot, then leaned closer to me, his voice a conspiratorial whisper. "Brother, you saved my life, so I'll be frank. Don't let anyone else hear you say that, or you'll never get another chance."

"You won't even wait three years?" he chided gently. "Who would vouch for you? Who would trust that you'll remain loyal to Cascadia after reaching the Crystal Realm? You could easily abandon us, join a faction, or even side with the vampires."

My gaze fell to the ground, a sense of unease settled over me.

I suddenly realized that although I had never deliberately shown it, my eagerness was evident to others.

Most people believed that mastering a single martial arts technique took decades of dedicated practice, and progress in Realms was even slower, often reliant on elixirs to enhance one's progress.

My own eagerness, in their eyes, seemed to want to snatch whatever I could from H.A.R.M. and run. This made me seem less like a loyal warrior and more like a thief trying to steal their techniques.

I would need to be more careful in the future, to temper my enthusiasm with a bit of patience and decorum.

"I understand your impatience," Chandra said, his voice softening. "You talented youngsters are all eager to reach the peak. Max Vierkant was like that, Rose Hightower, Alex Bai too. But now, one is practicing boxing in the commander's residence, one has become a Vampire Hunter, and the other is treating patients in a medical clinic."

He sighed, then chuckled. "First, you work, then you eat. That's the rule of H.A.R.M. Yet, there is good news. Judging by General Grant's attitude, you have the best chance of accessing the Crown Pool. Those other three probably won't be able to compete with you."

"Crown Pool?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.

Chandra realized that I hadn't been present for the events at the plaza. "Oh right, you weren't there!" he exclaimed. "Let me fill you in... General Grant, with his Redeemed Spirit, first eliminated the Shaheen ancestor, then the Headmaster. He shattered their ancestral sword, and now the Crown Pool is under his control. It can't create new swords, but it has a few uses left. Just one refinement is worth decades of grueling cultivation!"

"Under whose control?" I asked, turning towards Chandra, my eyes narrowing.

I sensed something unspoken in the colonel's words. "What about the School of Crown Mountain?"

With General Grant out of earshot, Chandra leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "That wily old general," he said, shaking his head. "He knew about the Headmaster's weakness, so he intentionally besieged the mountain without attacking, keeping all the disciples trapped. He let them experience the power of the ancestral sword, sowing discord among them, before destroying it with his Redeemed Spirit. The remaining disciples will be investigated, and those deemed loyal will be absorbed into H.A.R.M."

He let out a low whistle. "Imagine that, two Crystal Realm officers joining our ranks overnight!" He paused, then added with a mischievous grin, "And speaking of Crystal Realm techniques... didn't the general just give you a demonstration? If you can exploit the weaknesses of those schools and families, and if you have the strength, you could replicate what he did at Crown Mountain. Imagine the martial arts manuals you could acquire! Copying a few on the way back to headquarters wouldn't be a crime, would it?"

As Chandra spoke, his jovial tone took on a cautious edge. He noticed a strange glint in my eyes, a spark of ambition that made him uneasy. Perhaps he had said a bit too much.