One-Eyed Monster

Joela's forehead throbbed with pain.

Dastan's scimitar had descended with formidable force. Even with his Diamond Armor momentarily swapped into place, Joela still couldn't withstand the shockwave from the overwhelming power. The title of the 'Glorious Seven Riders' was truly not an empty boast.

Each stroke of Dastan's sword was lethal, showing no regard for the camaraderie they once shared.

Moreover, that mysterious Hunter, just a moment ago, had confirmed Joela's suspicions with his actions. The Sol Family, an ancient lineage of Hunters, stood before him now, using their ancient and peculiar combat techniques to trap the Golden Three Seats of the Alchemy Workshop.

"Senior Joela! I can't hold on much longer!" Hector yelled. His opponent's sudden burst of strength was making him falter. Hector is still too young, Joela thought. He needs more tempering. On a real battlefield, this level of retreat would directly affect the outcome.

If even the Golden Seats of the Alchemy Workshop were in this state, the Empire's other combat forces were undoubtedly in no better condition.

Therefore, Joela believed Chief Kuyi Tulan's plan had no issues. However, a small, unforeseen accident had occurred in the initial stages, leading to the current situation.

Every revolution demands sacrifices. My apologies, Dastan, but I cannot abandon the entire plan for personal sentiment, Joela thought to himself. At that moment, countless past memories flooded his mind, and his emotions became a little difficult to control.

The past was unbearable to look back on, but the road still stretched ahead; the path forward could not be halted.

Furthermore, the formidable adversary he now faced allowed no room for distraction.

The Sol Family, a force active in the Wensi Empire, was renowned. Their family emblem once commanded respect in every corner of the continent.

Information about the Sol Family was constantly being gathered across the continent, not because they were famous for gifting Queen Wensi rare treasures, but because of their unique hunting skill. This special skill, Taming, seemed ordinary, but it was actually something most Hunters dreamed of. Whatever Strange Beast they encountered could potentially become a pet of the Sol Family, as everyone in their lineage was proficient in this skill.

Various Crows and dark forces that gathered intelligence frequently sold information regarding the Sol Family at high prices, but this information circulated only within a very small sphere.

This specialized information was provided only to high-ranking officials of the Empire and powerful organizations.

After all, minor factions would hardly encounter such strange-sounding matters.

Take Baharo, for instance. He was unaware of the rumors and history of the Sol Family. After all, once a glorious family declined, the world would forget their image very quickly.

Baharo was truly having his eyes opened. The sight of the Three Golden Seats from the Alchemy Workshop being helpless against a stutterer was an incredibly rare spectacle. He would certainly have something to talk about when drinking in the tavern later...

Therefore, Baharo stared wide-eyed, not wanting to miss any detail. Regardless of whether this could eventually serve as material for boasting, this battle alone could benefit him greatly.

"Arise!" Joela grabbed a piece of rubble from the ground and, with a RATTLE, exchanged it for a hard diamond shield. "Hector, catch the shield!"

Hector, who was struggling to hold his ground against the Sharkmon, reached out and caught the large shield. To avoid being bitten, Hector had pushed his Soft Body Technique to its limits.

However, the Sharkmon, after a full meal, was a different beast entirely. Its transformation speed and attack speed were astonishingly fast, leaving one thunderstruck. Moreover, the creature had temporarily broken free from Stan Sol's control and was now attacking freely.

So this is the legendary Taming technique of the Sol Family? Two peculiar pets fighting for him... truly formidable, Joela couldn't help but exclaim inwardly while fending off Dastan's attacks.

"Your opponent is me, Joela! This is not the time for such sentimentality!" Dastan—the 'Great Rabbit'—retorted, charging with his blade yet again. His jumping power was astonishing; his already formidable strength, amplified by a mid-air leap, made this strike potent enough to make Joela suffer. Disregarding the sheer force, the cutting aura from the blade's surface, the very wind of the blade, was enough to slice an ordinary person's flesh open.

Joela had raised his Stone of Defense to its highest level; Dastan's strength was not to be underestimated. Moreover, Stan Sol, nearby, had not yet made a move and was biding his time.

Brad's Berserk level had risen again. His eyes shone with a purple light, and his body continuously emitted purple steam. But unfortunately, his opponent was a walking flame. No matter how powerful his Frenzied Fist was, it had no effect when hitting the opponent; on the contrary, he himself risked being burned.

That sphere of fire was indeed a tough opponent. Even Brad, who ranked high in actual combat within the Alchemy Workshop, couldn't devise a good strategy to suppress this flame.

"My... rage... cannot... be... extinguished!" Stan Sol outstretched his arms, orange steam emitting from his body. His entire being was condensing Spirit Power...

"Young Master!" Dastan's eyes moistened, and he gripped the steel blade in his hand even tighter.

"Young Master?" Joela shuddered upon hearing the words. Is he joking? The one fighting us now is actually the Young Family Leader of the Sol Family! No wonder his strength is so exceptional!

"Dastan... you... suffered... a lot." Stan Sol managed to force out a relatively smooth sentence. For him, encountering a kinsman was truly unexpected, especially after the tragedy his family had endured; seeing a kinsman felt exceptionally heartening.

"Young Master, I've brought shame to our family, being reduced to this pitiable state where I am neither human nor ghost!" Dastan didn't stop spinning his scimitar. Even when facing a mainstay of the Alchemy Workshop, he was utterly fearless. At this moment, he wasn't fighting solely for his personal mission but also for the pride of their ancient Hunter lineage.

"We... deal... with... these... bastards... first!" Suddenly, Stan Sol flicked his hand, as if flinging a sharp weapon into the air.

SWOOSH— Joela felt an intense blade-wind rushing towards him. He instinctively dodged, but a bloody gash instantly appeared on his face.

"Spirit Arrow!" Baharo, observing from the sidelines, exclaimed. He had faced Stan Sol's attack before and knew firsthand how difficult it was to dodge such an assault. He also noticed that Stan Sol's technique seemed to have leveled up this time. It was no longer the usual method of releasing Spirit Power arrows by drawing a bow; instead, he launched them with a mere raise of his hand. It seemed as if Spirit Power had materialized a hand-crossbow, or perhaps directly a flying knife...

Before Joela could even wipe the blood from his face, he had to defend against Dastan's terrifying dual blades again. Beside him, both Hector and Brad were struggling desperately against Stan Sol's pets, failing to gain any advantage...

Chief Tulan! It seems I've failed your trust! Joela thought, desperately dodging Stan Sol's Spirit Arrows. He sighed inwardly, his confidence in the future already gone.