Chapter 113 113: Hunted



"Now that I think about it, it does make sense." Liam's attracted the attention of his brothers. "He started the inheritance war because he was confident in his abilities, but what could've given him that confidence?" 

The triplets exchanged thoughtful looks.

The answer was right in front of them.

Liam continued, "His confidence stemmed from the fact that his power level was unparalleled in the Soul Manifestation Realm! It's definitely him that we are seeing on the map."

"If he is indeed the strongest contestant in the inheritance war in terms of power level, are we sure we want to hunt him down?" Kian expressed his skepticism, his apprehension clearly visible on his face.

Although they were accustomed to fighting opponents stronger than themselves, they had never faced someone like Evan before. His very existence defied common sense and made them question their ability to take him on. Before him, there had never been anyone with 13 soul pockets, and there might not be anyone like him after him. 

Kian acknowledged that Evan was a unique cultivator.

Liam had the same worries as him.

"We've faced tough opponents before and come out on top. Besides, His Highness Evan's all alone. With the three of us working together, we can take him down easily." Enzo, ever the optimist, grinned, his confidence unwavering despite the facts laid down before him. 

The youngest triplet didn't seem to mind the situation, so why were they being so pathetic?

Liam and Kian decided to shrug off their worries.

"Let's do it, then."

"Time to show everyone what the triplets of the House of Blizzard are capable of."

The triplets set out in search of Evan. 

Maneuvering their way through the murky swamps using the radar, they deftly avoided the monsters and swiftly closed in on Evan.

Minutes later, they caught sight of Evan's silhouette in the distance. 

"He seems to be unaware of our presence. Now's the best time to attack him. Enzo, do it."

Liam immediately motioned for Enzo to catch Evan off guard.

Enzo, the brawniest of the triplets, summoned a javelin from his spatial ring, clutching it tightly in his palm as his muscles bulged in preparation for the throw. The ground beneath his feet cracked, and spiderweb-like fissures spread outwards as he launched the javelin towards Evan with all his might.

Whoosh!

The javelin sliced through the air with incredible speed, seemingly akin to a speeding rocket hurtling through space, homing in on its target with deadly precision. Kian used the special effect of his magic-ranked staff to boost the javelin's velocity to an even greater degree. Its already impressive speed doubled, transforming into a formidable attack that could take down even a Peak Soul Fusion Realm Cultivator.

On this particular night, the putrid swamp was an unexpected haven of tranquility, with the full moon hanging like a gleaming silver platter high above. The reflection of its light on the murky water illuminated the swamp. The air was thick with a foul odor, yet the quietness of the surroundings was almost soothing. There wasn't even the usual chirping of insects to break the silence.

Thus, Evan heard a sound that cut through the stillness of the night like a sharp knife. It was the unmistakable sound of a javelin hurtling through the air towards him.

His neck whipped towards the source of the noise, and he caught sight of the projectile shooting towards him from the corner of his eye.

The suddenness of the attack sent a shiver down his spine, causing chills to course through his body.

He reacted instinctively, responding to the situation at hand ten times faster than what was humanly possible. His foot stomped down on the branch of the tree he was about to land on. The branch shattered into pieces as the recoil sent him hurtling downwards with explosive speed—a splash shot upwards in all directions as he plunged into the murky water.

A split second later, the javelin that was meant to impale him impaled the tree next to him, and every inch of it, including all its leaves, was frozen solid. 

Evan swallowed hard, realizing that if that had hit him, he would have been frozen solid as well.

'Fortunately, my high stats aren't just for show.' 

In addition to his exceptional level of physical fitness, the 90+ points in his constitution greatly enhanced his cognitive abilities, neural processing speed, motor skills, attention span, and reaction speed. His abilities in these areas were nine times superior to those of the average well-trained citizen of the empire. It was because of these advantages that he was able to save himself from the brink of death just in time.

Evan's throat tightened as he took in the sight before him. It would've been his fate if he was even a fraction of a second slower. 

'Whoever tried to assassinate me must be skilled in the art of ice-type soul energy manipulation and must not have an ordinary identity.'

He scurried to the nearest tree, the effect of his magic-ranked boots nullifying the sound of his movements. He knew he couldn't afford to make noise, or he would risk giving away his location to his attacker/s.

"Where did the attack come from?" 

Taking cover behind the tree, he swiftly surveyed his surroundings. 

In the distance, he caught sight of three figures emerging from the dense foliage.

They wore fur coats with the emblem of the Blizzard Household stitched onto their sleeves.

They seemed to be moving toward him.

It was as if they could determine where he was!

"Your Highness, don't bother hiding. Our radar can detect your position," Liam stated confidently.

Liam's words were not just empty threats.

As if to prove them true, Enzo withdrew a javelin from his spatial ring and hurled it forward with all his might. The sight of the javelin made Evan's eyes narrow. He reacted quickly, using the Quickstep skill to flash to his right, narrowly avoiding the malevolent glinting tip of the javelin that had pierced through the tree behind which he was hiding just a moment ago!