Chapter 1307 - 1275: Iaido Slash
Somewhere along the way, the skies had begun to shed sporadic drops of rain.
These droplets descended upon the already damp fishing village, and on a set of armor with a grim and old-fashioned appearance.
It was the first time Lann unveiled his full form, hidden beneath his hooded cloak, in this chaotic land driven mad by blood!
Maria, who had interacted with the Demon Hunter longer than anyone, found herself nearly dazed at that moment.
She had a vague notion that Lann wore a set of defensive gear that differed significantly from the modern Yan Nan Hunters.
It was the typical armor style seen before the emergence of gunpowder weapons, prior to the hunters’ swift combat style taking shape.
But she had never imagined the armor to be so... wild and fierce!
The main material for [Smaug] was sourced from the scales and hide of the Lonely Mountain Evil Dragon, mixed with the thick dark skin of the Fog Nest Master Terror Dragon.
The lingering malice of the evil dragon, the tyrannical aura belonging to the essence of beasts... made the first impression of this armor akin to a terrifying object forged from the bones of death!
Cold, harsh.
It exuded an aura of silent stillness, unlike the trench coats and tricorn hats commonly worn by Yan Nan Hunters.
Yet, regardless of how unique Maria perceived the beauty of the armor, it paled in comparison to the shock of the person wearing it.
Lann’s form was fully revealed under the armor’s embrace.
His finely shaped figure seemed discordant with the grotesque world before him.
Filled with natural and intricate beauty.
Currently, Lann’s expression and aura infused this beauty with a chillingly cruel authority.
Even murderous intent could be so beautiful.
In the wake of the situation’s irreversible downward spiral, Lann and Maria, who initially stood together, simultaneously and wordlessly turned half a position.
Their formerly side-by-side stance shifted to one facing the other.
The space between them vacated...
"Ssss!!!"
A terrifying and grim shadow suddenly shot across the ground between them!
Like a ravenous python constricting its prey!
The shadow moved straight from the murky water-covered muddy ground upwards.
The sound emitted could almost be described as ’tearing’!
A shallow pool of water splashed upwards with the shadow’s destructive speed, reaching at least a person’s height!
The furrow left by the shadow even unearthed dry sand from the deeply entrenched soil!
As the sand was brought forth, it was immediately drenched by the rain, yet the terrifying shadow continued to extend.
Their simultaneous movement took just a fraction of a moment.
The lithe, fierce shadow brushed past a small fishing village’s house, about sixteen or seventeen meters behind them.
Reinforced by barnacles and various sea life, the house’s supporting pillars seemed to be suddenly gnawed at by the shadow.
A crisp ’ka-la’ sound, and they broke cleanly.
The house then teetered and slowly collapsed towards the ground.
In an exceedingly slight yet efficient motion to evade, swiftly spiral-shaped winds wrapped around Maria’s slender legs.
With a light ’swish,’ the {Acceleration Technique}, more graceful than Lann’s, made her vanish like smoke and abruptly reappear three meters to the side.
In the process of retracting, the incredibly destructive and far-reaching shadow skimmed past Maria’s former position.
Then, amid the dissatisfied and craving panting of the Old Hunter, the house gradually crumbled in the splashing water and muddy terrain.
Amid the clanking noise, the shadow retracted into the Old Hunter’s hand.
This Transformable Weapon’s full form finally unveiled itself before Lann.
That initially broad and hefty-looking chopper in the Old Hunter’s hand, each segment’s joint could indeed break apart!
The large blade pieces were connected by sturdy cords, and when activated like a mechanism, it swung out as a wide-ranged, heavy, bladed whip!
Lann recognized that this design concept should be akin to the {Threaded Cane} he acquired long ago.
In the ’future’ Yan’an, the Threaded Cane had evolved into a lightweight, intricate weapon, while this ’prototype’ disclosed a savage and insatiable bloodthirst.
During hunts, such a weapon would leave its user with a miserable appearance, as though drenched in blood.
Yet perhaps this ’miserable state’ was precisely what the Old Hunters desired.
"Roar!"
All three Old Hunters present had fully succumbed to bestial transformation, and it wasn’t just the one wielding the {Beast Cutter} that attacked!
"Boom!"
The grotesque throat of the Old Hunter seemed deprived of speech, capable only of emitting bestial growls; mercury bullets burst forth from the Hunter’s Trumpet Gun, expanding into a wide spray.
Just after evading the chain blade, Maria’s expression under her tricorn hat hardened, using a second {Acceleration Technique} in quick succession to escape the blast of the scattershot.
And the third old Hunter, he was bared teeth with a twisted grin, drooling like those beast-transformation disease patients he usually hunted.
Completely unable to suppress his impulse, holding a large folding knife like a crescent moon, he went straight for the last Fishman’s head, rushing towards the giant Fishman that went mad because of this.
The battle with the Yan Nan Hunters would uncontrollably be forced to the same level by their fast and decisive fighting style.
After all, if you can’t keep up with these Hunters, the only option is simply to die.
Fortunately, Lann keeps up completely! Even...
Stronger!
"Swoosh!"
Just like Maria, under the instantaneously boosted mobility, the Demon Hunter suddenly turned into blue smoke, reappearing in front of the old Hunter!
In the high-speed fighting style, the old Hunter opposite holds the [Beast Cutting Blade], still sparking from the mechanical friction after the weapon transformation.
Under the wide-brimmed hat, the eyes that have dissolved like mercury show no panic or fear.
The already beast-transformed old Hunter no longer has these emotions.
It only wants blood!
Lann is ready to give it ’blood’!
"Roar!"
The old Hunter let out an indistinct but gut-wrenching roar from the transformed throat.
Facing the Demon Hunter who charged forward during the weapon transformation gap, the old Hunter’s long hunting career made his body instinctively complete the response.
The Hunter’s Firearm in his left hand lifted the muzzle upwards from the waist.
Just like the quick-draw style of Western cowboys, relying only on feel rather than aiming to fire.
The target was Lann’s head!
And as he mostly dealt with beasts with strong Life Force and bizarre features, his temporary reaction in an instant was not just limited to that.
When the gun was positioned, the Beast Cutting Blade in his right hand had also fully transformed, returning to the form of a heavy chopper.
At this distance, just suitable.
He gripped the chopper that had retracted back, securing the interface, ready to slash upwards from below.
The twisted and enhanced muscles and bones due to beast-transformation disease, transformable weapons that can combat beasts, abundant experience, skillful technique...
If this slash is executed, the serrated steel spikes on the blade could scrape off dozens of pounds of flesh and blood from a person in one go!
However, it faces Lann.
The Demon Hunter’s amber vertical pupils calmly watched his opponent.
In the dim lighting conditions, those slightly glowing vertical pupils didn’t divert the slightest glance towards the old Hunter’s already moving hands.
"Bang!"*2
The firing sound of the Hunter’s Firearm almost overlapped with another sound!
Apart from the muzzle flame raised from the waist by the old Hunter, a glow suddenly exploded from the side of Lann’s head.
[Quen Rune]!
The Magic Seal released close to the body was triggered by external impact, the Chaos Magic Power exploding outwards, deflecting the mercury bullet directly, scattering it.
The golden Chaos Magic Shield appearing on the Demon Hunter’s body also dimmed noticeably.
However, in this moment of confrontation, Lann was entirely unaffected.
And the already beast-transformed old Hunter’s series of moves were merely instinctive reactions.
It now lacks a mind, unable to handle anything beyond instinctive reactions.
Thus, after the left hand shot missed, the right hand’s Beast Cutting Blade still maintained its intention unchanged, slashing towards Lann’s side ribs.
But Lann himself slightly ducked down.
He pressed his left hand on the waist sheathe of Aron Dite, while his right hand gripped the hilt.
The sword wasn’t drawn, as if waiting for his opponent to attack first.
And indeed it was so.
Because when the old Hunter’s black serrated blade chopped over! At a delicate angle and timing!
A clear silver light arrived first in the somber rainy night.
"Clang!"
Compared to the normal clashing of sword blades, this sound seemed uniquely muffled.
Because this time, the original intent of the blade collision wasn’t ’contending’!
Lann maintained an Iaido stance, but the blade he slashed out aimed not at the enemy’s body.
——It was his weapon!
[Combat Skills·Iaido Slash]!