Chapter 150 - Zen, A.K.A Shadow Fang

The moment they reached inside, both of them felt the presence of hundred men coming towards them. Steve pulled out his blade, and Jasmine pulled out her GlassPad.

"Isn't that the direction Lucas was guarding?', she thought as she looked at the direction from which she sensed the enemies coming. Right when she was about to ask what was going on, a voice sounded in her ears.

"I have sent a group of men your way. They are partners for now until the war is over. Use them as you see fit. The group will be headed by a man named Bruce", came Lucas's voice. 

Jasmine smiled and looked at Steve. He was beginning to plan on how to use them to his advantage, as he needed to this down the enemies as much as he could before they made it into the tunnel.

He saw the men appear, and the way they moved reminded him of his days as an Adventurer. He still was, but he couldn't move as freely as he did back in the days.

He was tasked with many things to watch over ever since he became an S Rank Adventurer. Climbing up to SSS Rank was hard for him, and it was even harder for his brother to move up the ranks as he had to keep watch over the portals all day.

One look at Bruce and he knew Bruce followed the path of Bushido. He then looked at the others, and he saw the strength they exuded.

"Bruce reporting for duty, SIR!", he said as he did a salute to Steve. Bruce could sense the Mana fluctuations within Steve, and he knew he was no match for him.

Steve nodded his head and began to split them up into four groups. Three groups consisted of thirty people each, and the final group consisted of ten. Bruce was amongst the group of ten.

"Each group is to venture into these tunnels and reach the outside. After reaching, you are to defend the tunnels. If anyone runs past you, do not worry. That is why we are staying back here."

"If any one of you feels that the threat is too much to handle, relay the message and retreat back here to this point. Your lives are much more important, as every person that contributes to this war is essential."

"UNDERSTOOD?", he asked in a raised voice. The three groups saluted him, and everyone replied in chorus.

"YES SIR!"

"LOUDER!"

"YES SIR!!!"

"LOUDERRR!!!"

"YESSS SIRRRR!!!!"

"Disperse!", he commanded and the next second, every group dispersed and left from the place towards their designated areas, and Steve was hoping that nothing bad happens right now.

"Stay safe everyone", he prayed silently. He felt a hand on his shoulder squeeze, and it was Jasmine reassuring him that there was nothing he could do to stop this war now.

(Deep in the forest, Before the Heart Palace)

Zen was following the direction that Lucas had shown him, and the people he had brought were good in stealth attacks. They were moving swiftly through the woods, jumping from tree to tree silently when they heard footsteps heading in the same direction as them from below.

Zen observed the situation and saw that they were the same as him, coming out from The Zoo. His sense of smell picked up their scents and he held his hand up, commanding everyone to stop.

"Squad Zen reporting. We have spotted enemies heading towards the path that we are heading. What is the course of action?', asked Zen.

Zen was waiting for a few minutes, as he was now under Lucas's command and could not do anything that would jeopardize them. 

"Finish them off, every single one of them. If there are any humans amongst them, send them back here", he commanded. Zen acknowledged the command, and he slowed down his advance towards the Palace.

A smile was spread across his face right after he heard the command. He was wondering if his decision was the right one, and right now it seemed to him like the right one indeed. 

"Boys, remember. Kill without hesitation. GO!!", commanded Zen, and shadows zipped past him. Everyone was walking stealthily in the woods, and with their speed and technique, the Beastmen that were advancing began to fall.

One of the men turned and saw the men that were supposed to be behind him were not there. Instead, in their place was an eerie emptiness that he felt unsettling.

"Everyone, half of the people that were among us are...", and he stopped. The men that were running towards the Palace now stopped and turned around, only to see the man hanging upside down from a tree.

All the others that were killed were left in the same way, and everyone became wary of their surroundings. No matter what they tried, they were unable to sense anybody around them.

The leader among them stepped in front, and he placed his hands on the ground. After a few minutes, he stood up and frowned.

"We have a lot more enemies. Much more than we can handle. And it seems like they are good at Stealth. Stay vigilant everyone", he commanded and everyone huddled together in a close-knit circle.

Zen was watching this from above, and he smiled. He was waiting for such an opportunity, as picking them out seemed to be a tedious task for him.

He then motioned for his men to appear, and they came out of the shadows. Zen walked in front of them with his hands spread wide.

"I welcome you, people, to my humble abode. As you can see, you are trespassing our property. Step back, and you shall live. Fight, and you shall join your comrades", said Zen.

He was doing something for fun, and he liked to intimidate his opponents to determine their strength. Right after Zen had finished his sentence, the people who were hiding deeper emerged out from the shadows.

The leader of the group was now scared, but he began to weigh his pros and cons. 

"People who use stealth are generally quick and agile. But what they lack is strength and that is our strong suite. I have to make them face us head-on, and we can overpower them", he thought. 

He walked in front of his people and looked Zen in the eye. He was challenging Zen's authority by trying to look intimidating.

"Who said the Forest is yours? Do you own it? This is public property", he said as he looked at Zen. He clicked his tongue as a reply.

"Don't tell me I never gave you a chance to escape", he said as he grabbed his neck. His vice-like grip made it hard for him to breathe, and he was struggling to escape from his grip. 

No matter how much he tried, he was unable to escape. Zen let him go, and held him by the collar, making him watch his henchmen.

"Now, let's do this again. Do you agree to leave?", he asked. The leader was determined and turned his head back at him.

"In your dreams", he replied. Zen threw him to the ground and held his face towards his subordinates. One of the men went straight for his neck and killed him.

The leader shuddered as he looked back at Zen. The more he looked at him, the more he thought that the person was a demon than a human.

"You're a demon", he muttered as he saw the look in Zen's eye. Everyone was depending on their leader to make the call, while some of them were burning with hate for revenge.

"EVERYONE! ATTACK!", said the leader and closed his eyes. He was sure that he would be killed instantly and was waiting for his death. 

But what came in return was a laugh. And it was none other than Zen's. He turned his head and looked at the leader with disappointment.

"A good leader must know when to advance and when to retreat. Unfortunately for you, you do not have the makings of a leader", he said and gave a low whistle. Right after that, blurred movements were all he saw.

"Who are you?", asked the leader as he looked at Zen in dread. Zen smiled at him and gave him the reply he wanted.

"My name is Zen. But you may better know me as Shadow Fang", he said. The leader, who wanted to kill him as soon as he was released, shivered the moment he heard the name.

"It can't be... you're Shadow Fang? The number three among the Top Ranks of The Zoos?", he asked. Zen just nodded his head in reply. 

The man understood who he had gone up against.. He was an insignificant nobody in front of Zen's strength, and his ignorance was the reason he had lost.