Chapter 64: Effortless Hunt
SNIFF!
The wolf smelled the air, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its predatory instincts flared. Before it could let out an angry howl to alert the pack or trigger its devastating sensory-blocking skill, a dagger struck its head hard.
[Magical Attack Damage: -705,000.]
[Instant Kill.]
{Devil Curse Throwing Daggers - Activated.}
{Ten seconds Cooldown.}
"Why does this feel so easy?" Asher murmured. The brutal, life-threatening grind that dictated the lives of ordinary Awakened was entirely absent for him now. He had bypassed the struggle and stepped directly onto the throne of apex predators.
[Congratulations, You killed Ice Wolf [Normal Boss], SS-Rank.]
[Gained One SS-Rank Evolution Stone.]
[Gained Three Equipment.]
[Gained Three skill Books.]
[Gained Five Wolf Fur, and five wolf Teeth.]
’One SS-RANK evolution stone, not bad, good progress.’ He took all the loot, and walked away, his mind already calculating the next optimal route through the mutated hellscape.
__
[Back In The Real World.]
[Luna’s estate.]
"Elder Sister, Father is asking for your presence in Crownfall."
Luna took a sip of her wine, staring at her younger brother’s phantom form, the second child of the Starfire Empire. The ethereal projection shimmered slightly in the lavishly decorated room.
"Why? What’s so urgent?" She asked, staring at him. Her tone was sharp, devoid of any familial warmth. In the Starfire family, power dictated respect, and as the strongest, she had little patience for interruptions to her leisure.
"We got news from the ancient families, to be precise, the whole top Noble families got this news, you are needed back for this."
Luna raised an eyebrow: "There are Nine more siblings at home, my absence won’t make any difference."
"Elder sister! Although six of us already reached SSS-RANK, you are still the strongest amongst us. We will need your help to complete this task." Marcus pleaded, his phantom projection flickering with his underlying anxiety.
"What’s the task?" Luna asked, gently placing her glass on the table, her curiosity finally piqued.
"We are hunting for a descendant of the previous first Awakened."
"Huh? It has been 200 years, is there truly a living descendant?! What nonsense task is this, and you want me to come back for this?!" She snapped at him, her gaze cold. The idea of chasing ghosts from an era long buried seemed entirely beneath her.
The first Awakened was close to a god, some even said his strength was beyond SSS-RANK. He gave his life to save humanity, and he doesn’t have any descendants; there wasn’t even any record of him seeing a woman. He was a mythological figure, an absolute anomaly of power. And now, they are searching for one person in five countries, having a total population of billions.
This was a blind and foolish chase, a frantic scramble by the Ancient Families chasing a phantom lineage.
"They said the name of this family is the Aetheldawn family." Her brother added, his words silencing her thoughts.
If there was a family with that name, then they could easily locate this descendant.
"Okay, have you checked the noble families’ security section?"
"We did, but the defense placed on that name is Class-SSS, Same with the other Ancient Families, not only that, no matter what we use, we can’t break through its defenses." He explained. The digital and magical wards guarding the Aetheldawn name were an impenetrable fortress, proving that the lineage was not only real, but terrifyingly well-protected.
Luna relaxed on her couch, staring at him: "If we can’t break through the defense, then we use the normal way, besides, why are you so worked up? We aren’t the only ones given the task." She said, her mind immediately transitioning from shock to strategy. Let the other families waste their resources breaking the front door; she would find a side entrance.
"I know, but the reward is a Mythic-Tier weapon."
"Mythic-Tier?!" Luna exclaimed in shock, sitting upright. Her calm facade instantly shattered.
"Yes, Elder sister, our family is strong, but we don’t have anything in that rank... If we can have one, our Reputation and power would greatly increase." He explained, the ambition practically radiating from his phantom form. A Mythic-Tier artifact was enough to crown the Starfire family as the undisputed rulers of a city.
"I now understand why Father needs me there, but I can’t do anything in Crownfall... So you should take over things." Luna’s mind spun a web of political maneuvering. She saw the bigger picture, recognizing the perfect opportunity to shift the internal power dynamics of their ruthless family.
"Huh?" He was stunned, entirely unprepared for her immediate delegation.
"Marcus, you are the second child, the eldest son, you will be the next patriarch, so start growing your faction in the family, I will support you. Besides, your physique is also the best in the family... This is your opportunity to shine." She stood up, taking on the role of the grand architect behind the throne.
"Take control of the search in Crownfall, I will deal with Silverspire... Send the other Chosen Stars to other cities to lead the search. Make sure they all report to you first if they find anything. They might be stubborn, but if they know I am the one giving this command, they’ll obey. Do you understand my goal behind this?" She stared straight at him, her eyes locking onto his with terrifying intensity. She was handing him the keys to the family empire, provided he played his part perfectly.
Marcus exhaled, moving his hand through his black hair, then nodded his head, the weight of her political play settling on his shoulders:
"Understood, Sister!! And I thank you for your trust."
"It’s nothing... Oh, our youngest brother is still in Silverspire, he is now a B-Rank awakened." She added, a small smirk forming on her face as she shifted her focus from empire-building to family discipline.
"B-Rank?! How is he that fast?"
"Of course, it’s because of our blood... Anyway, he is one of the reasons I am staying back, because he said he isn’t our brother... But someone else."
"I don’t understand." Marcus frowned, unable to comprehend why the notoriously weak outcast of the family would dare sever ties.
"Right? That’s why I want to stay back... The way he said those words, he meant it, and he even went to the extent of attacking me." She picked up the wine glass on the table, her grip tightening slightly around the fragile crystal.
"Huh?! The Asher I know will never have the guts to do that!" Marcus yelled in surprise, recalling the timid, defeated boy they had all freely bullied for years.
"Because he is the first to get married, he thinks he is now above his siblings... A small lesson from me will put him in his place." She took a sip of her wine, savoring the bitter notes, completely blind to the fact that her ’baby brother’ had just massacred an SS-Rank boss with a flick of his wrist.
Marcus swallowed; whenever Luna wanted to teach any of her siblings a lesson, it always ended up with broken limbs or ribs, which would place you in a hospital for three to six months, and that’s with Healers’ help. This is why they were all scared of her. She was a tyrant who ruled through exquisite, calculated violence.
’Oh well, you brought it on yourself, Asher.’ He thought, and gave a small bow to Luna, offering a silent prayer for the brother he believed was about to be utterly broken.
"I will take my leave now, Sister."
"Alright, greet Dad and Mom for me, and tell him about Asher, but he shouldn’t worry, I will set my baby brother right again."
"It will be done."
Marcus said, and his phantom body shattered into particles, flying away across the country, returning his consciousness to Crownfall.
"Your Physique is truly helpful." Luna muttered under her breath, standing alone in her lavish estate, entirely unaware that the Aetheldawn heir the entire world was desperately hunting was the very brother she intended to cripple.