The Last Game of Hide-and-Seek

Preface: That wandering hunter had not left; he had merely begun another game of hide-and-seek with you. This time, it would take longer to find him. Perhaps we could find the day of reunion in the Dreamscape.

"Come on, one last game of hide-and-seek. Everyone has to have fun!"

Little Lucia slowly backed away. Before long, her figure was swallowed by the purple Corruptive Breath, followed by the Wandering Hunter stepping out. Its pace was neither hurried nor slow, as though it were waiting for the game to begin.

On the other side, Mato and Yidhari had already prepared for battle. One held his blade horizontally before him, while Yidhari raised her warhammer. Lucia stood behind them, shielding Wise in front of her.

Though Wise had trained on Yunkui Mountain for a long time and could perhaps handle ordinary Ethereals, he should honestly stay out of the way against a Level-four Ethereal like the Wandering Hunter.

The Humanoid Ethereal, the Wandering Hunter, stood nearly three meters tall. Its right arm was covered in a scarlet Ether Crystal carapace, jutting out like sharp bone spurs, while its left arm was pale white and threaded through with veins of Corruptive Breath.

Lucia's breathing caught as she looked at the Wandering Hunter—she knew that this was her father.

The two sides faced each other for a moment. Then, a clanging sound suddenly rang out, like some sort of mournful cry.

The battle began.

The Wandering Hunter first looked toward Lucia. Its enormous body swept past Yidhari and Mato, its bone-spiked right arm lifting high before slamming straight down at Lucia.

"Watch out!"

Mato slid forward from the side and stepped in front of Lucia, swinging the greatsword in his hand and bracing it across his body.

Dang!

A flash of golden light seemed