Chapter 348: Hunter Exam: Theatre of War, IV

The warrior's body expanded along with the fur growing on his arms and his back. His fur was a shade of dark brown and ash.

His leather strapping expanded as his body getting bigger.

And after a quick moment, the war-sword he held was now like a toothpick after he swung it to the approaching Kruka-toa, sweeping them off their feet and some were thrown.

The beasts fared as well. After the advancing warriors were taken down, the shooter behind immediately followed quick shots that grazed the candidate's shoulder.

His mouth opened in a growl then pounced at the Kruka-toa shooters.

Ned watches as the fight unfolds from above the tree.

The candidate was good in a fight. For a Were, he was quite efficient in distributing his speed and strength as he got no problem switching his pace depending on the enemy. He goes fast whenever he saw the archers were about to shoot him and save his strength when he knew that his enemy was weaker than him.

But there was one problem that the warrior didn't realize yet, the Kruka-toas were playing him as though they were testing.

It was also worth noting that the magical beasts were not killing the candidates for some reason.

As the warrior fought the group of beasts, Ned eyed the four Claiming Orbs hanging his waist.

Ned readied himself, if he got the chance he would snatch the Orbs and disappear from their visions.

But as he was about to jump off the tree, Ned saw one of the Kruka-toa, their leader with orange-spotted skin, hiding a bunch of Storing Claims under his crafted armor of shells.

As soon as the leader made his move, the Were candidate lost immediately. He was trumped over by the leader with a single swing of his stone club. The Were candidate did nothing but gave up. Blood flowing down his cheeks.

Then the leader stood over the lying Were and held his skinny arm. The magical beasts muttered something too vague for Ned to understand. Their language was different from the Hive, but bits of words were spoken the same. Like: crystal, human, die and fight.

The Were's team were gagged and bound to a stick after their weapons were taken. They were then tied to a rope in a line after their leader, the Were, gave the orbs he collected and his team.

From above, Ned followed them by swinging the Zephyr chains from trees to trees, moving silently as he could be. Traveling from jungles, then swamps.

After an hour, after crossing another swamp, they reached the Kruka-toa encampment just in time for the sun to completely vanish on the horizon.

Burned bricks were the base of their shelter and were then covered with wooden planks, some were makeshift of stones and light materials. There were almost a dozen of these huts that were spread out unevenly away from the center. In the center was a firepit burning relentlessly as the crowd of Kruka-toas cheering a massive figure in the middle.

Ned examined the rest of the encampment but was impeded by the darkness that was looming behind it. Ned captured running water on his right.

A waterfall perhaps, Ned thought while bent over the tree. Under him was the captured group with fourteen Kruka-toa securing their captives. Their leader in front, holding the orbs he accumulated. Ned counted fifteen: 6 from the captured group, 4 from the Were leader, and 5 from the orange Kruka-toa. This same leader held the Were's war-sword together with his stone club like he was holding a feather.

He must be in the later stages of Grade C, perhaps, soon to evolve to B, Ned thought.

Ned determined the location of the orbs first. They were put in one of the shelters, a little further to the center, and closer to the forest behind it. But were guarded by a couple of those frogs.

As soon as the captive arrived at the center, the cheers and woos of the beasts grew even louder. The leader then bent on one knee before the massive beast that was blocked by the fires from the firepit.

While the magical beasts gathered in the center, Ned pussyfooted to the encampment. Again, hit and run. Grab the orbs and leave, perhaps he might help the candidates escape. But it would be the orbs first.

Ned leaned on one of the shack, dried grasses brushing his back. A coldness swept the air after a breeze came from the forest.

Ned let the Krisalix rests on its scabbard, he's got no use of it at the moment since he came for espionage, not scrimmage.

Slowly, Ned was making his way to the center. Shelter after shelter, and beasts after beasts he avoided.

Ned was near the center when he saw a glimpse of the captive. There wasn't only one group that was caught.

Ned decided to backtrack a shelter and rounded it then proceed to stop at the shelter where he could have a good view of the captives.

There, farther the center, were iron cages of three, each having their own captives. The candidates that Ned followed were in the third cage. There were two candidates in the first cage, they were bloodied, and almost naked. They lie on the ground, alive. The second cage fared almost as the first. There were three of them, all the same: half-naked, and bloodied. But alive.

A loud thumping of the ground Ned heard after the cheering stopped. In the middle, was the beast—

"Oh, no," Ned muttered. He was half peeking along the edge of the shelter all the while activating his skill Detect. Making sure that if anyone entered 15 meters around him he would have the time to hide.

Why would there be a minotaur here? Ned thought asking himself of the possibilities of a minotaur being in the exam. And he was fighting a candidate.

One thing Ned learn about minotaurs from Master Will was that: they were very solitary. Anyone that wasn't their kind was simply bitten to death.

But the one in the center of the encampment was a minotaur of about 15 feet high, auburn fur, horns twisted to the front, and nose steaming of air. He swung his massive double-edged ax to the human before him.

Ned frowned, wasn't sure if the minotaur was bad with aim or toying, but the ax hit nothing but the ground between the legs of the human.

There's one thing Ned understood about the minotaurs, and mostly all of them aside from Savage minotaurs was that: they were very loyal once they put their allegiance to someone.

But to the Kruka-toas? Ned was tinkering with his thoughts as to why a minotaur would bow down to Kruka-toas? Or perhaps the minotaur took over the Kruka-toas?

No. No, Ned thought. Minotaurs rather die, than lead other beasts. They were simply not born to lead.

Ned halted any thoughts he has about the encampment's current situation and rounded back at the last shelter he was on.

For now... The orbs, Ned thought. Lucky for him, the beasts were not killing the candidates. So, Ned decided to grab the orbs.

A couple of Kruka-toa guards passed beside the shelter that Ned was currently leaning. He moved slowly to the side to avoid detection. Once the guards passed, Ned proceeded to the other shelter. And next to this shelter was where the orbs were hidden.

Ned takes no chances to be detected as he approached the shelter behind. Under his display, a dozen Kruka-toa we're too far from him to be spotted. Added with the darkness, and a speck of light from the torches, Ned was secure.

The pair of guard's lifeforce was visible under his display. Ned has to time his attacks. In a one, quick, precise, and a controlled flick of his wrists, Ned latched the pair of magical chains behind the back of the Kruka-toas and pulled them immediately before they fall to the ground. He then controlled the chains under his wrists and shorten the length as he hauled the pair inside the shelter.

Once inside, Ned put down the beasts to the side and closed the wooden door, apparently, there were no locks installed.

"A granary," Ned said, amazed by the display of food lined in a wooden cabinet. The shelter was enough for a pair to move without bumping with each other. Grasses and mushrooms of different kinds were put in a wooden bowl. Some were left dried and hanging that Ned had to tilt his head to move to the next divide. On the other side was a wooden create placed on a wooden table. Ned peeked and saw a bunch of Storing Claims.

Seeing the orbs filled with swirling mana, Ned smirked and said, "Bingo."

Just as he was about to grab the orbs, Ned saw a flash of light at the corner of his eyes down to his neck that stayed afloat.

Ned then felt a soft tag behind his neck.

"Pretty agile for a human," the voice said behind Ned while a dagger was adjacent to his neck.