Becoming Legend - Chapter 324

“Am I too late?” Ned said with his voice muffled under the Kurashinpi mask.

The answer was NO after one of the massive cages shook that was then followed by a roar. As the shaking continues, the moldy green tarp that was covering it fluttered and fell.

Gogmurch was ramming his shoulder against the iron cages. The old goblin-general was half-naked with only a loincloth covering his groin. His hands—rather a hand—was holding the iron bars with his leg trying to support the force he was exerting. But no matter how he struggles and exerts his force, the bar would not bulge even just for an inch.

Around the defensive formation of the Hunters were the invaders in different grotesque-looking masks clad in crimson and black to black cloak extending from being a hood down to their ankles: they wore the deep blood cloaks to hide their skin.

Judging from their placements, the invaders were in a group of two: the frontliners being the attacker wielding swords and daggers. While the other group was placed above, if not hidden behind the trees and concealed bushes. These were mages and archers conjuring spells and shooting arrows.

One of the invader’s movements in a crimson red cloak with dots of black was too familiar to Ned. Although the mask dyed in black affixed with sharpened teeth were new to him—he knew. He knew who was behind the mask.

“Thirteen,” Ned muttered as he watched Thirteen’s movements.

Thirteen was half-way to slaughter the Hunters as he approached one of the massive cages covered in a tarp.

Gogmurch on the other hand was placed third in the line of the massive cages. He struggled to try to get out of the cage.

Thirteen, now littered with blood, swiftly and nimbly evades the spells conjured his way, while also cutting the living in his path.

“What are you doing?” Ned muttered eyeing the bulky Hunter with a massive ax.

All the fighting and he stood doing nothing.

But not for long as he gestured with his right hand and muttered his spell.

The bulky-ax-wielding hunter conjured a pair of serpentine head-like water spells behind his back. It was also at this moment that the hunters, in civilian clothing, scrambled around trying to leave the path where the spell was unleashed.

Be it the smallest of the lot, from pebbles to a piece of equipment on the ground, or a massive boulder dyed with the blood of the hunters and Ghostblood alike, everything on its path was devoured in an endless whirlpool of water. The spell would be a manifestation of a storm if thunder was present. But it was more than enough for the invaders to take action.

The mages above and under the trees conjured a spell that erected a crystal in a yellow barrier that blocked the water spell.

Thirteen stood before the barrier with blood he wiping off his face, waiting for it to be finished, and to continue with his slaughter.

As he waited, the barrier before him cracked and a massive jade-like ax adorned with crystal teeth gushed out together with a burst of water.

Thirteen, surprised by the bulky Hunter’s action, was too late to evade the ax and was hit on his forearm, throwing him at the same time.

Ned couldn’t hear how the bones in Thirteen’s arm cracked. But he knew, the bulky-hunter got Thirteen good.

Thirteen splashed into the water as the barrier broke at the same time.

The Hunters, in civilian clothing, roared of victory after the bulky hunter charged toward the stunned Ghostbloods.

“This is bad.” Ned hissed seeing how the Hunter was winning—alone.

Ned had to make sure that Gogmurch must be set free. But it seemed that the one doing the freeing was overwhelmed by the bulky-hunter’s strength.

He was Gold Rank Hunter judging from the aura that was leaking off his every movement. The feeling of a massive gap was too obvious that even Ned could feel the coldness and anger he was exerting.

Slowly, the flood from the spell was thinning. And as soon as it dried, Thirteen was nowhere to be found. Not a trace of blood.

But with Ned’s keen senses, he caught a figure appearing above a tree, beside one of the Ghostblood mage holding what appears to be a wooden staff tangled with metallic chains.

The Ghostblood mage soon conjured a spell. Tracing bright light made the bulky hunter roar in annoyance.

It was the first time that Ned saw a Healer—a proper one to say the least. It was also the first time that Ned saw Light magic. Even at a distance of hundreds of feet, Ned could feel good intent and pure mana leaking from the Ghostblood healer.

Ned shook his head and said under the mask, “Not now.”

Ned stood and gripped the hilt of the broken Butterfly. It was also at this moment that Thirteen appeared before the bulky-hunter.

Thirteen fought valiantly with a dagger on his right and a sword on his left.

“This is it.” Ned prepared to enter the fray. He focused, and with his remaining energy, he armed himself with the Fourth Form of the Vanishing Stance: which gave the broken Butterfly an extended tip. Energy materialized in a form of greenish light that slithers around the broken Butterfly.

With the battle ongoing between both sides, Ned took this opportunity to set Gogmurch free of his captivity.

The battlefield was a swamp of both mud and blood. Near the wagon where the cages were placed were the hunters and Ghostbloods minions fought. The hunters faired as well as they were countering the spells the Ghostbloods were aimed at them with spells of Tiers 1 or 2.

Ned slid downhill. Along with it was his plan: make his way to the battlefield, to the cages, undetected, if possible, since both sides were currently distracted, and release Gogmurch.

Just do it! Ned thought gritting his teeth. Rushing bumps under his legs as he was halfway down his sliding.

As soon as he reached the bottom, Ned rolled and evaded a rush of spell hovering above his head. He stood and dashed only to evade another spell from the Ghostblood. Uncaring about the Ghostblood mage, Ned continued. A sword was swinging his way and Ned raised the broken Butterfly to block. It was just a block, but the sword snapped to half as soon as it touches the edge of the broken Butterfly in Fourth Form.

And there he thought he was undetected. No time to fight back, he thought.

Ned disregarded the other cages, or the spells coming his way, or Thirteen and the bulky hunter fighting for their lives. Ned went ahead Gogmurch’s cage.

“Y-you…” Gogmurch said, heavy with his breathing.

“I am,” Ned replied and as soon as he does, Gogmurch’s already big eyes widened. White hair visible behind his back. His left arm, or what remains of it, was long healed. Remains of the explosion Ned caused were still visible on his left shoulder with spider-web-like lines cracked under his moss-green skin.

Ned forced to tag open the lock suspended under the iron bars. But to no avail, it won’t even move an inch.

[Ned.]

“Shit! I know.” Ned hissed and looked over his shoulder. Both sides were either busy fighting with each other or they simply let Ned do his job. “It’s Array protected.”