Hunters: The Prequel - Chapter 303

Without regard for his safety, Frowning Tiger dashed forward with full speed. His target? The beast that killed his friend.

“Wait!” Domineering Tiger tried to dissuade his colleague from making a foolish decision. But Frowning Tiger ignored him and continued his charge.

“Damn it!” Domineering Tiger swore, his composure tossed outside the window. He hesitated for a bit, before finally running after Frowning Tiger.

Behind the two Tigers who were leaving were Arthur and his father. Both had their eyes closed as they concentrated on regaining their strength. They calmed their breathing and tried to calm their rioting blood. Village Head Fan opened his eyes first. He had been using Caliburn way longer than Arthur had been using Durandal. Naturally he was able to deal with its rampaging energy faster. He opened his eyes just in time to see Rash Tiger’s death, and he felt his heart constrict in pain witnessing one of his trusted warriors, falling to the beast. He could understand Frowning Tiger’s frustrations, but he didn’t move. He was much older and more m.a.t.u.r.e than Frowning Tiger. Plus he had witnessed plenty of people he loved die before his very eyes. His past wife was no exception. So he was better off than Frowning Tiger in terms of handling his pain. He would have liked to chase after his son’s teacher and stop him from sending himself to his death, but he couldn’t leave. Arthur hadn’t opened his eyes yet and was still susceptible to the beast’s surprise attacks. He sighed as he relented and stood next to his son. He had to protect his son.

Why did they attack in groups? Why didn’t they fight together? The answer was simple – Endurance.

Their opponent wasn’t just any normal beast. They were facing a Pseudo Legendary Class Magical Beast. It had far more stamina than any of them. Their bodies wouldn’t be able to last if they fought together and disregarded this massive factor. If they were confident in breaching its defenses, they would have had no qualms about fighting together. But they weren’t. And in fact since the beast’s resurrection, none of them had been able to destroy its scales. So they used the more risky broken up group attack technique. But because of that, Rash Tiger had been killed.

“Ahhhh!!!”

A hysterical cry was produced from Frowning Tiger’s throat. The man who had never lost his composure before was like a hungry beast that had lost its sense of reasoning. He got to the Resurrection Cat quickly, and lifted his swords to strike it.

*Bang*

*Bang*

Like a stone thrown at a wall, Frowning Tiger’s strikes did nothing to faze the beast. It watched him coldly, allowing him to vent his frustrations. It seemed to mock him, seemingly unperturbed by his constant attacks. To him he was nothing more than an ant; an ant it could step on anytime.

Finally, the beast got tired of Frowning Tiger’s maddened strikes and sent him flying with a paw attack.

*Bang*

Domineering Tiger arrived only in time to catch Frowning Tiger’s battered body.

“Cough Cough,” Frowning Tiger coughed out copious amount of blood. His c.h.e.s.t was caved in, and several ribs were broken. From his labored breaths and the fact that he was wheezing, one didn’t need a healer to tell him/her that the Tiger had at least punctured a lung. Frowning Tiger could feel blood pouring into his lungs. The thing that had sustained him for years was now trying to drown him. Since blood was heavier than water, it was even harder to breath.

“Don’t say anything,” Domineering Tiger noticed that Frowning Tiger had something to say, but the man wasn’t in the right condition to be doing anything other than trying to breath. Domineering Tiger’s expression was grave as he observed Frowning Tiger’s injuries.

“How is he?” Unbound Mongoose appeared by their side and asked. Beastly Tiger also appeared beside them. His eyes were red, and his face full of sorrow. Rash Tiger had died. Although they always fought, that was the dynamic of their relationship. They were still friends. Take out Domineering Tiger, and the person Beastly Tiger was closest to was Rash Tiger. But his friend was dead. And before he could even process that, Frowning Tiger had gone and gotten himself gravely injured. And it didn’t look like he would make it. The arrogant cat looked at the three men with disdainful eyes, not bothering to come after them.

“Not good,” Domineering Tiger shook his head. The attack had barely any power in it and shouldn’t have been enough to cause such grave injuries. But in his rage, Frowning Tiger’s reasoning was gone, so he didn’t defend against the attack at all. Instead of blocking with his swords when the paw descended, he tried to smack it away. And obviously against an opponent that was so much stronger than you, it was nothing but a very bad idea.

“Master!”

It was unknown when Arthur opened his eyes. And even how he arrived here without anyone’s notice was extraordinary. But his pitiful expression and his tearful eyes were so far away from the imposing impression he had given to everyone when he first made his entrance on the battlefield.

Frowning Tiger wanted to say something. But all that came out was some more blood. He could do nothing but smile wryly and raise his hand to cup his student’s cheek. Then he shook his head as if discouraging Arthur from something he wanted to do.

“I won’t be careless. I promise. I promise I won’t be careless”

Although none of them seemed to understand what Frowning Tiger meant, Arthur did. His master was afraid that Arthur would make the same mistake and so was urging him to be thoughtful, and not to be brash and careless.

“Where is Rash Tiger,” Arthur realised that his master’s friend wasn’t here, and thoughtlessly asked whilst cleaning his tears.

Domineering Tiger shook his head in reply to the boy’s question, and the others tried to avoid his line of sight. Village Head Fan sighed sadly when his son turned to him for an answer, and also shook his head.

“He’s dead. Your master went crazy when he saw that and went after the Resurrection Cat.” Unbound Mongoose finally decided to answer.

“I see,” Arthur smiled sadly as more tears fell from his eyes. It finally made sense as to why his master had gotten hurt so badly.

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“Even he has fallen,” Samoa gritted his teeth as tears threatened to fall from his eyes. They said one should never meet their heroes, for more often than not one would be disappointed with what one found. But that wasn’t the case with Frowning Tiger. The man was everything Samoa imagined he would be: suave, calm, powerful yet not boastful. He was a good man. Although he hadn’t spent long with him, he admired the man. But it seemed he would die today. He saw the beast kill Joe’s uncle – Rash Tiger. Since Joe was a member of an elder’s family, he was forced to stay within the Central Demarcation line for his safety. Although the boy protested, he was forced to obey and leave the frontlines. If he was here, he would have undoubtedly be broken by what just happened. Samoa saw how the beast swatted Frowning Tiger away like the Tiger was some sort of fly. He knew for a fact that receiving such a blow head on was never good. Even if Frowning Tiger was alive, he didn’t have long.

“Can he be saved?” he turned to the healer who stood next to him and asked.

“He would be dead before he is brought here. In his condition, moving him would kill him.” The healer sighed when he saw Samoa’s pleading expression. Oh how many times had he been given that look? People asking for help knowing full well that there was nothing that could be done. It was a look of hope intermingled with dread and desperation.

“How would they even survive,” Samoa mumbled hopelessly. Two Tigers had been killed in quick succession, and so easily too. How would the others fare any better?

“For he remains. He is never gone.” Suddenly, Blistering Cheetah who was on the ground mumbled these words.

“What did he say,” Samoa wondered. The healer checked Blistering Cheetah’s pulse and vitals and responded, “I don’t know. Probably some unconscious banter.”

Samoa nodded his head, not giving the issue any more thought.