Chapter 228: Rely

Ned pondered things as he fought the Kruthiks.

Did Roy give Ned a shield that won't last against the beast's attacks? Was it deliberate? Or maybe a misjudged of skills? But no, Roy hasn't yet to see Ned's fighting performance.

So it was deliberate, Ned thought. The claws struck the shield and it broke to pieces. The shield was made of wood with iron frames. At a quick glance, the shield looked sturdy and could withstand the Kruthik's attacks. But as time passed, the shield wasn't strong enough to last dozens of attacks.

Ned hissed as he threw the broken shield to his side.

During this moment, a blazing fire circled Ned's position. Then erupted to make a wall of fire between him and the beasts.

"As a Hunter. You must learn to possess a skill that makes you good enough to handle enemies regardless of the situation and weapons."

Roy's voice echoed in the cavern. At the entrance, behind Ned, he stood there with a triumph face.

So that was it? To test me? Ned thought as he took the time to rest.

"How was the invasion?" Ned asked. "From the looks of your face, it seemed that you repelled them."

"Not yet. But sooner it will be done. Kruthiks are devious and will kill anything on their path. Plus they are always hungry. So, defeating them wasn't that hard as they thought only of one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Kill everything that is not related to them."

"Was this from Otik or Moloatiss's exploration?"

"None," Roy said. "As a Hunter that is what you're going to learn too. To find out the purpose of your battle. Doing so, the enemy might respect you."

The fire around Ned was fading, and just as the last of the wall of fire vanished, a claw made its way toward Ned.

His routines, training, and experience let him quickly evades the claw. Slicing the claw along the way.

The Kruthik let out a defeated screech as it stumbles away from Ned trying to ease the pain from its sliced claw.

Ned was surrounded, and Roy hasn't moved an inch to help him.

With this, Ned dashed forward, using the stance he learned from Cas'a. He moved like water like a flowing stream. He evaded and attacked, not a scratch. Doing this, he killed half of them and stopped as he tried to regain his energy and breathe.

"Not bad," Roy said.

One of the Kruthik might felt irritated with Roy that it attacked him instead of Ned.

Roy smiled, maybe a grin, Ned could not see under the shadows and under his burned face as to what exactly. But before the beast could reach him, the ground exploded and the beast turned to pulverize.

"Wow." Ned let out a long breath. It worked like a landmine, he thought.

"Focus kid," Roy said backing out from the scene. "Pretty sure you can handle six."

"I am focus, and yes, I can handle them.

Ned raised the sword to parry the claw, only for it to snap in two as the sword was, once again, a dud given by Roy.

Ned's reaction time was fast to evade the claw but wasn't fast enough to evade the second spike from behind.

Ned's cheek was grazed by the tip of the spike, a small cut that soon changes to a green liquid leaking his face.

Since when did that beast sneak behind me? Ned thought. But realizes that Kruthiks could dig tunnels with their spiky limbs.

As the toxin flowed to his bloodstream, Ned's mind was chimed by a notification.

[Detecting foreign elements.]

[Foreign element detected.]

[Don't worry, Ned.]

ICE chimed in after the notifications while Ned knelt on one feeling the toxin taking its effect. But, with a shook of his head, the dizziness, and lightheadedness was gone and was followed by ICE's voice.

[You are immune to poison and toxic substances.]

"Ah," Ned hummed. "The perk of being a clone."

"Kid!" Roy cried from afar, this time he seemed to be worried at Ned.

Ned raised a hand to stop Roy from coming toward him.

"I am fine," he said.

As the toxin was neutralized in his bloodstream, Ned stood to finish the remaining six.

His display in combat-red was filled with digits.

Ned used a Boost to momentarily increase his speed with the help of Overclocking his body.

From his spot to the place of the sliced spiky limb of the Kruthik was almost ten meters.

Ned eyed the six Kruthik, including the one that he sliced, and with the aid of his display, Ned vanished from his spot.

All Roy could hear was a whistle like a sword being slashed midair but hit nothing but air.

Swoosh, the air around Ned whistled. Ten meters, in less than a second. Ned appeared behind the six remaining Kruthik. He then reached for the sliced Kruthik limb with the idea to use it as a weapon against them. The spike was almost a meter and a half long. And Ned could feel the weight was heavier from the sword but still doable. Although, he needed to hold the spike in both of his hands.

Ned canceled Overclock the moment he picked up the sliced Kruthik spike. He bent to shift his weight on both his legs and prepared.

"H-how did you?"

Astonished by Ned's speed, Roy couldn't help but gasp with his mouth in a wide perfect O shape.

Before the Kruthiks could turn to look for their target, Ned dashed forward with the spike impaling the nearest beast.

The spike went through the beasts with ease. Their hardened shells were as soft as cotton against their limbs.

Ned stabbed, and impaled, and pierced the remaining five Kruthik.

The last one let out a cry and twitched before dying. Ned then harvested their Core and cut two more of their limbs to be given to Otik for his request.

Ned must be accustomed to the inhabitants of the Hive if he wanted to survive and continue with his goals. For now, he must rely on them, especially Roy.

I wonder if what were the Hallowguard team doing now? Ned thought. He then stabbed the chest of the last Kruthik with their spike and pulled the Core.