Chapter 145
As this netizen said, everyone is now facing the problem of personnel allocation.
The reason why it is difficult to allocate resources is not because balancing combat power is difficult; in fact, it is the simplest part.
What really makes this difficult is that... the hunters from Country H find it hard to believe that the two hunters from Country R who were used to exchange for Castorice and Che Huiyi wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics at a crucial moment.
After all, Country R has a history of underhanded tactics against Country H, even if this plan didn't succeed.
Goto Ryuji's face darkened. He hadn't expected to be tripped up by such an abstract reason, especially since the origin of this abstract reason was DFN's inhumane initial plan.
He really wanted to say that neither DFN nor he himself had any intention of playing tricks, but saying such a thing now would be an admission that he had had that thought before.
Left with no other option, he could only turn his gaze to Castorice.
"What are the thoughts of the Castorice Hunter on this?"
Chapter Forty-Eight: The Plague Monarch
When faced with Goto Ryuji's question, Castorice didn't answer immediately, but instead observed the reactions of the others.
Seeing that the hunters from Country H had no objections, he then said, "You need not worry too much. Hunter Cheng is very strong, and the Swarm in the Sky Manipulation cannot withstand him for long."
Upon hearing this, everyone subconsciously looked up at the Sky Manipulation and realized that the Swarm, which had previously resembled a dark cloud, had been punched through by Cheng Xiaoyu in such a short time. At his current speed, he could probably finish the job in just over half an hour.
But no one thought he could maintain his current energy level, since people get tired, so extending the expected time to about an hour was fine.
After all, people don't need him to kill all the insects in the Sky Manipulation; they just need to deal with most of them.
"The Swarm inside the nest won't be as large as outside. Senior Che and I happen to have methods that can attack over a wide area. Once the direct combat begins, ordinary tanks won't have much room to play their role due to the significant difference in strength. Therefore, tank-type and True Magic- type hunters can stay outside the nest."
There was nothing wrong with what she said. In fact, Choi Jung-in and Goto Ryuji understood this as well. However, it was Castorice to say it because she was a third party who was not directly involved in either side's decision. At the same time, she was the strongest person present. Neither side could make a big deal out of the decision she made, either due to their strength or their positions.
"Then let's do it this way."
Goto Ryuji nodded, and after rebalancing the fighting forces, the group began their operation according to the original plan.
The peripheral team, represented by Choi Jung-in, split into several groups and released magic in all directions to attract the insects, while the decapitation squad, represented by Long Erwei, headed straight for the Queen Ant's nest.
With the bait squad drawn in, the decapitation squad didn't encounter many insects along the way. The few insects that were not very sensitive or moved slowly were easily dealt with by Tawada Kanae. With the strength of S-Class elite, these insects were nothing more than cannon fodder to her, one hit and they were gone.
The insect hive, or rather the portal, is located in an underground cave. There used to be a path on the surface leading to the underground cave, but it collapsed due to previous attempts, making it impossible to enter now.
However... it's not possible in a conventional sense; there's no conventional way here.
"K isn't here right now, can I leave the task of clearing the way to you, Castorice Hunter?"
Upon reaching the top of the underground cave, Goto Ryuji gave the order to activate the sound waves to prevent the Queen Ant's plea for help from being heard by the Swarm outside.
Then he looked at Castorice and said, "Just go straight down from here."
Although Castorice had mentioned that Che Huiyi also possessed wide-area destructive capabilities, he remembered clearly that Che Huiyi was a warrior-type, and even if a warrior-type possessed wide-area destructive capabilities, it was impossible for her to be more proficient than Castorice, a True Magic- type.
Castorice smiled and nodded, then flipped her scythe, slicing a purple spatial rift in front of everyone.
'Is this the special portal?'
The hunters from Country R had already conducted a comprehensive investigation of the Castorice. Was this action... meant to summon that giant dragon?
Dragons are extremely rare ultimate Demon Beast in this world. Any Demon Beast associated with dragons is weak. The most famous dragon Demon Beast in the world is undoubtedly Kamish, which descended in the U.S.. It was the strongest Demon Beast that was killed by a combined attack of National Power Level Hunter.
With Kamish present, Castorice and Cheng Xiaoyu, who can summon dragons, are naturally highly regarded.
While Cheng Xiaoyu's dragon appears to be merely a means of transportation, Castorice's Dead Dragon is clearly not.
As everyone pondered, the head of the Dead Dragon emerged from the crack, purple flames swirling in its mouth, enveloped in an intense aura of death and destruction. Even this unreleased dragon breath caused Goto Ryuji pressure.
Not only him, but also someone in his underground lair, coldly contemplating how to punish the Plague Monarch who had set foot on his territory, was already sweating profusely.
Inside the almost pitch-black cave nest, Swarm gathered. On a throne woven from spider silk sat a tall, long-legged, beautiful woman with long, naturally curly black hair. At this moment, the woman's brows were furrowed, and several thoughts flashed through her mind.
What is that aura? Who on earth has come to this island?
Wait, could it be that Kuhan and Jianya aren't hiding for some reason, but rather that there's a true master here? But what kind of master would have this kind of aura?
The answer to the question in his mind came in an instant. Yes, this magic power with its strong aura of death must belong to the Shadow Monarch. Although it is different from the Shadow Monarch, who else but the Shadow Monarch would have this level of death aura?
Thinking about this, she calmed down. Since it was the Shadow Monarch, there were problems, but they shouldn't be too big.
After all, it wasn't me who had a grudge against him, but Fang. Although it seems that Frostbite has also run into trouble, killing two monarchs in a row is enough. The Plague Monarch doesn't think the Shadow Monarch will continue to kill, since they are backed by the Destruction Monarch. The Shadow Monarch has already betrayed the Dominator, and now that he has vented his anger, he can't go against the monarchs anymore.
Offending both sides to the bitter end will bring no benefit.
If you kill Cold and Fang, you can't kill me, okay?
Unlike her, the Ant King, who was just born and had been favored and strengthened by the Plague Monarch before his birth, and named Bell, was now somewhat unable to move.
It had never felt such terrifying magic before. What kind of enemy was this?
Compared to the other two, the Queen Ant was now letting out a piercing wail, which, if translated, was a plea for the Plague Monarch and Bell to protect her, and a signal to all the Swarm to protect themselves.
"So noisy."
The Plague Monarch clicked her tongue in disgust, but before she could speak again, a dragon's breath, carrying the aura of death and intense heat, pierced through the cave where she was from above. As sunlight streamed in, several figures jumped down as well.
Seeing the invaders arrive on her territory, the Plague Monarch's mood worsened. If she didn't not know what the Shadow Monarch was up to, she would have wiped out these humans immediately.
But after carefully examining the group of people in front of him, the Plague Monarch's heart sank, and cold sweat began to pour from his forehead again.
She could sense that the girl in the crowd with the scythe and long white-purple hair was the source of the death aura, and she could also sense the immense, but definitely much stronger, magical power emanating from her.
These should all be traits of the Shadow Monarch, but... this girl, while not human, is clearly not the Shadow Monarch either.
So what's going on now? Is my safety still guaranteed?
Thinking of the still-unheard Kuhan and Jianya, a slightly embarrassed smile appeared on the Plague Monarch's strikingly beautiful and aggressive face.
We need to call in reinforcements immediately!
Chapter 49 Goto Ryuji's gratitude.
The two sides did not immediately engage in battle. The kings possessed True Magic to transmit messages, and after sending distress signals to other kings, although it was unknown how many people would be willing to come, it at least provided some psychological comfort.
But this psychological comfort didn't last long, because as soon as she managed to shift her gaze away from Castorice, she saw Che Huiyi, whose magic was equally unfathomable.
Plague Monarch:...
Wait... where did you two come from? I don't remember having you two in any previous reincarnations.
He had just called for reinforcements and felt a little more confident, but that confidence was immediately dashed.
Not only the Plague Monarch was numb at the scene, but all the hunters except for Castorice and Che Huiyi, even Goto Ryuji, were breathing heavily. Only the A-Class follower, who was too weak to sense the magic at the scene, showed no change in expression.
He and the audience were still reeling from Castorice's attack, unaware of the danger lurking nearby.
Looking at the black-haired woman sitting on the throne, Goto Ryuji felt as if all the organs in his body had stopped working. The sense of powerlessness, like prey facing hunter, prey facing predator, or a lower creature facing a higher creature, made his body resort to its primal instinct—playing dead.
If he hadn't managed to suppress his instincts with reason, he would have been lying on the ground.
"Monster...!"
While the other S-Class could sense that something was wrong with the situation, like the A-Class hunters, they lacked the clear perception that Goto Ryuji possessed due to their lower strength.
All I can say is that among the hunters present, the stronger they are, the more they realize how weak they truly are.
Castorice's feelings at this moment were actually quite complicated.
She needs recognition, and recognition is directly related to the number of people who know her. So she actually needs exposure. It's just that she was born late, and the Amber in her Remembrance was already used to the time view of the Long-Life Species. So she has never had much initiative. After all, recognition will come sooner or later.
This time, she didn't intend to compete with Goto for the national power-level status, since in Castorice's view, it was something she would have sooner or later.
Unfortunately, even if she had no intention of trying, Goto Ryuji wouldn't have had the chance this time.
Under the gaze of all the hunters and spectators, Castorice walked to the front of everyone. "Everyone, victory is just around the corner. The humanoid ant and the Demon Beast with the appearance of a human will be held back by me and the car hunter, Queen Ant be eliminated by DFN."
As for the little bugs... whoever catches them can deal with them.
There's no need to worry about A-Class tracking; with so many S-Class hunters here, the bugs won't just ignore it and go looking for trouble.
If you really cause him trouble, he can run away even if he can't beat you.
The other Country R hunters were taken aback. Among the three, the Queen Ant seemed to be the weakest, right? Shouldn't Chairman Goto and Castorice hold off the other two, and Che Huiyi join them in eliminating the Queen Ant?
But Goto nodded, sweating profusely. He was eager for quick success, but he wasn't a fool. He couldn't handle the humanoid ant and the humanoid Demon Beast. Only this Queen Ant was one he believed he could fight to a standstill. He had enough time to kill her.
The Plague Monarch naturally understood human language. Upon hearing Castorice's words, he gritted his teeth and, without hesitation, stretched out a hand. With her movement, six green portals opened in front of her, then sprayed out toxins powerful enough to instantly dissolve people.
Che Huiyi immediately stepped forward, stomping her foot hard on the ground. A huge golden throne rose up in front of everyone, parting the gushing poison to both sides.
At the same time, she also pulled the Orosk from the throne.
Knowing that the most powerful female monarch was the opponent that Castorice had chosen for her, Che Huiyi channeled her magic into the sword. Then, she unleashed a golden sword strike that instantly severed the throne, cutting the poison in half with the blow.
Danger signals kept ringing, but the Plague Monarch had no interest in taking direct hits. The moment he realized his poison was ineffective, he took to the air and flew to the side.
The golden sword, imbued with immense magical power, swept through the spiderweb-formed throne with unstoppable force, its residual power spreading outwards and leaving a slash across the ground that divided the two battlefields.
Where did these humans come from?
The Plague Monarch was completely baffled by the source of this power. It was neither Radiant Shards nor a king. What was it? What was so special about this human?
This sword strike left more than just a mark; the surging, sharp magic left behind a lingering gale where it passed. Not only could the poison not penetrate it, but even if she were to touch it now, it would be extremely difficult.
The weak are even worse off; the moment they touch the gale, the point of contact will be severed by the gale.
The Plague Monarch's face grew increasingly grim as he glanced at Bell standing beside him and the Queen Ant on the other side.
She wanted to run away, not because she was unwilling to risk her life, nor because she lacked the self-respect and pride of a monarch, but because she was not brain-dead. Only a brain-dead person would do something like a pointless suicide.
"I'll leave the Queen Ant situation to you all."
Castorice still wore a serene smile, as if this place was not a demon's lair, but an E-Class teleportation portal.
"Leave it to us."
Goto Ryuji was somewhat dejected, yet also deeply impressed by Castorice's unwavering character, one that never became arrogant despite her immense power. Even now, she was upholding DFN and their self-respect because of the existence of the live stream.
No, even without this live broadcast, Goto Ryuji believed that Castorice would have given the same reaction and explanation.
Contrary to her abilities, this girl possesses a gentle personality far beyond that of ordinary people.
It wasn't appropriate to express gratitude now, Goto Ryuji said nothing more. He gestured to the others and then led the hunters of the Swordsman Guild toward the Queen Ant.
Che Huiyi had already found her opponent. After nodding to Castorice, she drew her sword and charged towards the Plague Monarch without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Castorice also turned her gaze to Bell, whose body was trembling.
To be honest, she wasn't very interested in this opponent. Not only that, but it seemed that there was nothing in the world that could threaten her, so no matter who she faced, the outcome of the battle would be the same.
However, at this moment she remembered Cheng Xiaoyu.
Cheng Xiaoyu still needs Bell, since he's currently in a hurry to find a strong person to level up, and given his decent perception, he's probably already realized that this island is different from before.
With only one Queen Ant, Cheng Xiaoyu really wouldn't need to compete with DFN for monsters, but given the current situation...
Just as Castorice was pondering whether to treat her employee of the year to something nice, she sensed a new magical fluctuation here.
Then, a red portal opened, and out of it emerged a man with bizarre golden hair, wearing a white coat with a red inner collar, and a T-shaped pattern on his chest that shimmered with red light and had upturned wings.
He appears to be... a monarch as well.
Chapter Fifty: Cheng Xiaoyu: I am the Underworld Administrator.
King Kong Monarch was so disgusted he was about to vomit. Even though they were both kings, their relationship was not friendly. The reason they stood on the same side was not because they were united, nor because Destruction Monarch, as the strongest, had unified them, but because they had a common enemy— the Radiant Shards.
If the Radiant Shards didn't exist, they would definitely fight each other.
Of all the kings, the two he disliked the most were the Frost Monarch and the Plague Monarch.
The reason for disliking the Frost Monarch is simple: his strength is not significantly different from others, and it's not certain who can beat whom, yet he always acts superior and strategizes. In reality, he still has to bow down when he sees the Destruction Monarch.
Those who lack real ability but love to show off will naturally be looked down upon by the King Kong Monarch.
So why was the Plague Monarch there?
Simply put, the insects were disgusting and completely out of character for him.
Disgusted, King Kong Monarch shook the dust off his coat before turning his gaze to Castorice.
But if a new list of the most hated characters were to be created now, the Plague Monarch would firmly hold the top spot, because his life was likely to be lost because of this fool. He knew the Plague Monarch had encountered a powerful enemy, but he hadn't expected it to be this powerful.
The problem is that he still has to come, because aside from the Fang Monarch and the Frost Monarch have disappeared without a trace, the Hundred Flames Monarch who is enslaved by the Shadow Monarch, and the Taizu Monarch whose whereabouts are unknown, the only remaining kings he can obtain, plus the Plague Monarch, are himself, the Plague King, and the Illusionary Realm.
Of the nine great monarchs, only three of them were still able to function. Upon learning this news, the Destruction Monarch, who had not yet entered Earth, was naturally anxious.