Guy's Capture

The loud explosion was exceptionally clear in the desert night, startling creatures within a radius of tens of kilometers.

Because it was a directional blast, a crater resembling a river valley appeared at the center of the explosion.

On the sand dune, an old man, his clothes torn and his body charred, was breathing heavily, his chest heaving violently.

His muscular physique was bulging to its limit, his body shimmering with a faint glow of battle aura. His long, gray hair was disheveled and charred. His right arm hung limply at his sides, blood dripping from it into the sand, indicating it was severed.

Rocky stared into the darkness; his target had vanished without a trace.

The Martial Grandmaster's eyes turned extremely gloomy, and he muttered to himself in a somber tone, "What a cunning brat! It's been so many years since I've suffered such an injury."

Unable to hold back, he spat out another mouthful of scarlet blood onto the ground.

He quickly sat cross-legged and began to meditate and regulate his breathing.

Not long after, a man in black robes rushed out of the darkness.

He looked at Grandmaster Rocky, who was sitting on the sand dune meditating, and exclaimed in surprise, "Master, are you injured?"

This person is naturally Uhm.

He originally thought that with his teacher personally taking action, the mysterious person who had humiliated him before would surely be captured.

Unexpectedly, before he even got back to the camp, he heard a deafening explosion.

He rushed over immediately, only to find that the injured person was actually his own teacher!

They initially thought their teacher had been ambushed by a top-tier expert, but upon looking around, they found no enemies. The crater was filled with charred, crystallized yellow sand, and the air reeked of burnt gunpowder.

Clearly, these are traces left by a gunpowder explosion.

Uhm's gaze became very serious, and he looked puzzled.

I can't fathom how many explosives could have detonated to leave such an enormous crater. I also can't understand how someone of my teacher's Transcendent level could be injured by such a "low-level" method as explosives.

Uhm then noticed Grandmaster Rocky's arm hanging limply at his sides. Not daring to ask directly, he inquired with concern, "Master, are you alright?"

Rocky shook his head, not intending to go into detail about his injuries.

He then turned cold and said, "Uhm, if you encounter that guy again, you must be careful. If you can kill him immediately, don't give him any chance."

"Yes, teacher."

Uhm listened, vaguely guessed what was going on, and nodded.

Before long, a gentle night breeze began to blow.

Several figures, like ghosts, also shrouded in black robes, appeared at the edge of the explosion crater.

They looked at the injured Rocky and then at their surroundings, equally puzzled.

The leader, a man in black robes, frowned and asked, "Grandmaster Rocky, what happened? Has Bazel and the others appeared?"

"No."

Rocky shook his head, his expression slightly complicated, and said, "It's a long story. I was injured in the explosion."

Although it was somewhat embarrassing to admit that he had underestimated his opponent and was outmaneuvered, in front of these powerful individuals of the same level, even if he didn't say it, they would be able to guess what he had done.

After hearing the whole story of how he was injured, the men in black robes were even more astonished.

"What? You were actually injured by a bomb? How is it possible that something like that could still threaten someone of your rank?"

But whether you believe it or not, the facts are right in front of everyone.

Coming to their senses, the group began to analyze the information in Rocky's words.

"Now that you mention it, that kid is indeed very strange. His battle qi and physical resilience are ridiculously strong, probably even beyond the Fourth Tier Transcendent. He doesn't seem like an ordinary person; he's more like a 'barbarian' with that exaggerated physique."

"I think so too. Such a fighting genius has appeared out of nowhere; at least, the fighting communities of the two great empires and City of Radiance have never heard of him before."

"That guy's martial arts style still shows strong signs of imitation. I suspect he might be a secret disciple of Qiang Hu from the 'Tiger Martial Arts School'."

"Qiang Hu's disciple? That's strange; we haven't received any information about him at all."

"."

The bigwigs were talking and began to speculate about the identity of the "man in the Crow Mask," but no one could come up with a result that would convince everyone.

Normally, Uhm, a junior, wouldn't have a say in a conversation of this level.

He carefully recalled all the details of the night, but suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, connecting all the clues together.

A prodigy who has mastered the six styles of martial arts, and is skilled in [Cannon Fist] and [Sky God Strike].

The fact that he could shatter the right arm of his senior brother Nord, who was wearing the renowned gauntlet [Gale Silver Scale Armguards], with a single punch clearly indicates that his protective gear was also extraordinary.

Suddenly, he realized why the boxing gloves looked so familiar.

Although some colors and structures have been changed, upon closer inspection, it's still quite clear that those are probably the same pair of [Karnap's Sacred Gauntlets] that his sister gambled out back then!

Uhm's eyes lit up at this thought, and he interjected, "Teacher, seniors! I think I might know who that person was!"

He suddenly remembered that he must have met that guy before.

That's the person who killed his sister Fia at the "Plague Hunting Base"!

Rocky noticed the sudden change in his disciple's expression and frowned slightly, seemingly bothered by the boy's impetuousness.

However, he also asked curiously, "Oh? You know who that person is?"

Uhm's expression turned grim as he slowly recounted, "Back in the 'Plague Base,' there was such a person by [White Wolf] Bazel's side."

He recounted his suspicions and everything that had happened, adding at the end, "But back then, that guy was just a First Tier [Awakened]. So, I didn't immediately suspect it was him. But now it seems..."

Upon hearing this, even the eyes of a top-tier Transcendent being nearby flashed with disbelief.

"What?"

Rocky was utterly incredulous and asked, "You mean that in less than a year, that guy advanced two major ranks in succession? And when he was at the First Tier of Transcendent, he had already mastered at least a few Profound Martial Technique such as [Divine Speed], [Storm Slash], and [Sky God Strike]?"

Although Uhm was unwilling to admit that someone had better fighting talent than him, it was a fact.

He nodded and said, "Yes, teacher. I witnessed it with my own eyes."

If anyone else had said this, Rocky would never have believed such a "contrary to common sense" statement.

The term "profound" is used because Profound Martial Technique are difficult to learn; how could a First Tier Transcendent possibly know them?

What's more, there's the [Sky God Strike], which is said to be the most difficult of the "Six Styles"? For that kind of martial art, anyone below the Third Tier can't even dream of getting close to mastering it!

But the one who said these words was his most prized disciple, so they couldn't be false.

Although Rocky hadn't considered the man in the Crow Mask to be an ordinary fighter after the previous chase, he was still quite surprised to hear this news.

At this moment, a man in black robes suddenly spoke up, "Now that you mention it, I think I remember too."

The entire Plague Base was wiped out, with only a handful of survivors.

Besides Uhm, there was only one other person present.

That was the man in black robes who spoke, the current King of City of Radiance, Kipling Winster.

He naturally had a deep impression of the Plague Base.

After all, the destruction of the "Plague Base" was directly related to him.

However, it's best not to talk too much about selling the base to escape.

He downplayed the issue, saying, "Bazel did appear at the 'Plague Base' at the time. I don't remember the kid you're talking about. But now that you mention it, I roughly know who put this powerful bomb down."

Afterwards, Kipling specifically sent people to the Plague Base and was relieved to find that not a single person had survived. After all, it concerned the reputation of their City of Radiance.

At that time, almost all the "Barbarian" masters came out, and he was certain that even the "Ten Great Legends" would die.

But to everyone's surprise, Bazel survived and even got involved with the "barbarians"!

Although Kipling suspected that Bazel might have been controlled by the "savages" using witchcraft, none of that mattered anymore; they were enemies now anyway.

But unexpectedly, in addition to Bazel, the other "mysterious mechanic" who was originally thought to be dead also appeared.

After hearing Kipling's account of the bomb maker, a man in black robes exclaimed in surprise, "Besides the Oma Royal Academy of Sciences, there's actually a fourth 'Grand Mechanical Master'?"

"Yes."

Kipling also felt that things were getting more and more complicated, and said with a complicated expression, "Moreover, according to the intelligence I have, the level of that mysterious mechanic who suddenly appeared may be higher than that of the Oma Royal Academy of Sciences. At that time, he was with Bazel. This bomb with bizarre power, the only thing I can think of is that mysterious mechanic."

Upon hearing this, Uhm remembered it too.

Back when the Beast Tide attacked the city, a mysterious "Grand Mechanical Master" emerged who was able to wreak havoc on all sides!

He still vividly remembers the futuristic mecha. He originally thought that the mechanic was dead, but now it seems that they are all still alive!

Thinking it over, he felt he should tell everyone he knew, and said, "Teacher, esteemed seniors, I also witnessed that mysterious mechanic's battle firsthand. His Six-Armed Mech killed a fifth-tier [Golden Savage Bull] in a single exchange; it was incredibly powerful."

Upon hearing this, the group of men in black robes fell silent.

A mechanic whose skills rival those of the 'Ten Great Legends'?

When did the Mechanic become this powerful?

Mechs? When did those clumsy lumps of iron become capable of killing a top-tier magical beast like the Golden Savage Bull in a single encounter?

Everyone present was a top-tier Transcendent, possessing unparalleled combat power capable of disregarding any mechanical equipment.

But they asked themselves, no one could be so calm in that kind of Beast Tide, and no one could kill that kind of top-level magical beast in a single encounter.

Strange things kept happening one after another.

First, a fighting prodigy appeared out of nowhere, and now a mysterious mechanic who can crush OMA Technology has emerged.

Everyone felt a little dizzy.

But one thing they were certain of was that these people were all enemies!

At this moment, a man in black robes sighed, "It seems our troubles are getting worse. A top-tier mechanic might cause me more trouble than the 'barbarian' and that simple-minded Bazel. Just like these 'bombs'... if there were a larger quantity, they might even destroy the Mechanical City!"

"Yes."

"."

Everyone echoed this sentiment.

Although these bombs are powerful, once prepared, they pose little threat to top-tier experts.

But for the Mechanical City and low-level Transcendent, this thing is a deadly weapon.

I originally thought that the barbarians posed no threat except for a few high-end fighters, but now it seems that things are developing in an unpredictable direction.

Technology is something that allows even lower-level Transcendent to potentially threaten High-tier Extraordinary.

The one whose face turned the worst when thinking about this problem was King Kiplin.

Even without a direct assault, the daily bombing raids alone would keep the "Radiant Kingdom" on edge all day.

With so many refugees now, if the enemy were to use this tactic, it would be a disaster.

However, those are things to consider later.

Clearly, there is another big problem at hand.

"Right now, we think we might be in big trouble. Since that kid has such a close relationship with Bazel, his presence here might mean that the barbarian Great Shaman and Bazel are nearby!"

"Yes! That kid acted so decisively, leaving no room for negotiation. He must have guessed Grandmaster Rocky and Uhm's identities from the start, knowing that surrender would mean certain death. The crucial point is that he escaped, which forces us to consider that Bazel and the others have already received the news. So, the important question is, if that's really the case, how should we respond?"

"Then should we surround and kill them here?"

"I don't think it's a good choice. Someone like Bazel, who excels at ambushing werewolves, is impossible to stop in the wilderness. The only way to deal with that kind of being is with traps. Otherwise, did you see how the Oma Royal Family made such a huge fuss to hunt him down at Storm Lake and kill him?"

"Bazel is already so troublesome, and there's also a Mysterious Woman and an even more troublesome barbarian Great Shaman. It's definitely not a good choice to confront Tam head-on in the wasteland."

"I think we must stop exploring the ruins now. Let the rest be left to the people below. Anyway, if we do find any 'Divine Power Crystal' or something, they'll eventually end up in our hands anyway. If we rashly enter the Underground Palace to explore, we might easily be ambushed."

"Yes, I agree."

"."

On the other hand...

Rein didn't dare look back the whole way, running wildly into the darkness, changing his clothes, spraying himself with an anti-tracking and odor-eliminating agent, marking the area to disperse the odor, and using divination to interfere.

As the Lord of Black Dragon City, he certainly has a good supply of high-level items, if nothing else.

Through this series of actions, he eliminated almost any possibility of being tracked.

They ran for dozens of kilometers before finally stopping.

Then I changed my clothes, found a direction, and went there.

A few hours later, they stopped near the ruins of an ancient city.

He didn't approach the ancient city, but instead stayed far away, observing it carefully with binoculars for a while, but he didn't find any signs left by the agreement.

"It seems Catherine and the others didn't come. Could they have been captured, or perhaps killed?"

Rein looked on with a furrowed brow.

This ruin was the meeting place they agreed to meet when they broke through. Judging by the time, if Catherine and the others had broken through, they would have arrived here first.

But it's not there now.

This means that an unexpected situation has occurred.

However, Rein didn't think too much about it; he had done what he was supposed to do.

After all, no one expected that a simple night raid by the enemy would reveal that a top-tier Transcendent was hiding in the hunting team.

Putting down his binoculars, he thought back to the life-or-death chase and felt a lingering fear. He muttered to himself, "I didn't expect Rocky Lefar to be hiding in the group too."

However, since they survived, even in the worst of times, they saw a bright side.

For Rein, the enemy has surfaced from the shadows, and many problems have become less threatening.

His mind raced, and he thought, "Uhm isn't stupid, he should be able to guess that I'm the one who killed his sister at the 'Plague Base.' And if those guys connect the dots, they'll definitely know about my relationship with Bazel. Tsk tsk. Those old guys are probably discussing countermeasures, wary of a counter-attack. Now that they've been caught in this mess by the bombs, if it were me, I definitely wouldn't dare to act rashly again."

Originally, the enemy was in the dark while we were in the light, but now the roles of the two sides have suddenly been reversed.

The other side surfaced, and the hunter became the prey.

Sneaking around to explore the ruins was no longer an option; they naturally had to worry about being ambushed by experts from Rein's side.

In the wasteland, no one can hold back beings like Bazel and the Great Shaman Mafat.

Rein could foresee that no matter how many experts came from City of Radiance, the more cunning and shrewd they were, the more cautious they would be.

"Judging from this, those guys probably won't stay in the ruins any longer. Instead, they should stay far away and put all their eggs in one basket at the auction two months from now."

Rein's eyes flickered, and suddenly they were the same.

Thinking about it, there was no need to run away anymore.

It's actually safer near the ruins.

His old face was indeed remembered, and he had even been on the black market's wanted list. But now, with this disguised face, he was safe. He could change his clothes and instantly become a completely new "stranger," free to go anywhere in the world.

"Tsk tsk. Looks like I'll have to go to the ruins again."

With that in mind, Rein decided to wander around the ruins again after dawn.

One possibility is that if Catherine and the others are still alive, they might be able to find a chance to save them.

Secondly, he had no intention of giving up on the ruins.

Thirdly, after being surrounded and chased, he was still feeling resentful and wanted to give those guys a surprise.

Rein meditated near the dunes all night, but still didn't see Catherine and the others.

As soon as it was light, he changed into ordinary hunter's clothes and set off alone in the direction of the ruins.

Rein still wanted to use the same trick as before, to find a Scavenger Gang to infiltrate first and get an identity that wouldn't arouse suspicion.

So he wasn't in a hurry to travel and instead searched for a suitable Scavenger Gang along the way.

It's quite a coincidence.

At noon, he suddenly heard the rumbling of motorcycles.

Upon climbing the sand dune and taking a look, he was surprised to see a large hunting party of tens of thousands of people through his binoculars.

Judging from the direction they were heading, they seemed to be heading towards the densely populated area of pyramids in the northwest.

Through his binoculars, he carefully discerned the attire of the hunting party members.

There are many people, and various small groups, making it the perfect place to blend in.

"It looks like a ragtag Scavenger Gang. That's strange. Why would so many small Scavenger Gang gather together to hunt?"

Seeing this, Rein also had some doubts.

With ancient city ruins everywhere, small Scavenger Gang should be making their own fortunes, so why are they all traveling in groups? Is it some kind of coordinated mission?

However, when Rein turned around, he saw that the leading motorcycle riders were all wearing the same uniform, with the "Moon and Scepter" flag prominently displayed.

He recognized it at a glance. "The royal banner of the 'Rosas Family'?"

The Rosas Family, one of the Five Great Families of City of Radiance, is now one of the five royal families of Glory Kingdom.

The pomp and circumstance of the aristocratic class in this world are very particular, with a great many flags, guards, officials of etiquette, and attendants. Anyone who understands aristocratic etiquette can recognize it at a glance.

The procession in front of us implies a lavish travel entourage, at least that of a "prince" or "princess."

What surprised Rein even more was that he actually saw a familiar face in the team!

"Guy?"

Rein's eyes widened as he stared at the disheveled middle-aged man locked in an iron cage. Wasn't that Guy Verlias, the "Sword of Justice," whom he had parted ways with not long ago?

"How did this guy get caught? Could it be that his SSS-level wanted status has been exposed?"

Looking at Guy, now a prisoner, Rein's expression turned puzzled. He thought to himself, "This shouldn't be happening. That guy is clearly a master, how could he have been captured?"

And what about his adopted daughter, that little girl Nareta from the "Curse Tribe"?

Who would dare to touch them?

After thinking for a moment, Rein walked down the sand dune.

I can't write much more. I'll update again when I'm feeling better.