Bear School Astartes

After stabbing the knife in, Lann immediately knew from the feel that his intention to end the fight instantly had failed.

The silver blade plunged into the Old Hunter’s neck root and clavicle; the sharp blade slid through flesh and bone without the slightest hindrance, piercing the scapula and emerging from the rear shoulder.

Yet, it wasn’t able to inflict greater damage on the Old Hunter.

Because as soon as the knife went in, Gremman’s disrupted physical movement was almost already adjusted.

When Lann sensed it was wrong from the feel, he immediately wanted to press down the blade, pulling the hilt down through the entry!

To rip open the Old Hunter’s upper body’s chest cavity.

However, Gremman’s left hand acted almost simultaneously with Lann’s intent, grasping the blade back of Aron Dite.

He didn’t want to directly counter Lann’s strength in this unfavorable posture; he simply aimed to secure a fleeting moment.

”Swoosh~”

The knife surface grinding against the severed bone edge generated a sound that made one’s teeth ache.

The Old Hunter, thin and tall figure, already removed from Aron Dite’s blade.

Gremman ”pulled” himself off the knife.

Throughout, apart from a brief instant of astonishment when his stance was initially broken, the Old Hunter remained as cold as the scythe blade in his hand.

Gremman, extracting himself from the knife blade, showed no sign of retreating.

Yan Nan Hunters have always thrived on a fast-paced offensive and defensive combat style.

Only the blood flowing from their enemies could soothe the painful minds of the Hunters.

The induction of [Blood Healing] made Hunters almost more eager and impulsive in spilling their enemy’s blood than the vampires in Lann’s impression.

As Gremman stepped back, the giant scythe he had previously dropped to the ground in an uncontrolled state, turned sharply with a ”clang”!

The scythe retracted inward!

Pulling it back, it seemed as if the scythe blade was poised to slice into Lann’s lower back, dragging him along.

And during this process, once his body was free from the enemy’s blade, there were no signs of impairment due to the broken clavicle and scapula.

Even the old but immaculate suit hunting attire he was wearing bore no trace of a knife cut.

The transition between attack and defense, the shift in advantageous position, all occurred in an instant!

But it was at this moment, observing his attack had no effect, Lann chuckled lightly.

”How much more support can He give you?”

Now fully in hunting mode, Gremman was frugal with his words; even his previous dream-like old murmurs were significantly less.

His elderly lips under the shadow of his hat brim moved calmly.

”For you...”

”It’s enough.”

”Clang!”

The sharp retracting power of the scythe tore through the air, creating an explosive noise!

The white flowers strewn across the ground were swept away by the gust from the scythe, petals cascading under the moonlight.

However... no blood splattered, no blade pierced flesh.

Only the sound of a dull yet decisive ”boom” was heard!

A chunk of soil and rocks amidst the sea of flowers exploded as if stuffed with a bomb due to the reaction force from a stomp!

”Is that so?” Wearing heavy armor yet able to leap lightly with explosive muscle power, Lann glanced down at Gremman mid-air.

He smiled, extending an invitation.

”We can try and see.”

Somewhere unseen, the Aron Dite that had already been drawn now rested back in the sheath at his waist.

While his right hand was already pressed against the hilt.

[Water Sword·Cross Slash]!

Two ”swish swish” sounds!

Lann’s airborne body blocked the vast moon, and within the shadow, two bright silver lights flashed past the Demon Hunter’s waist!

Like a whip capable of extending, this silver light crackled down from the five meters high leap of Lann’s waist to the ground!

”Boom!”

This time it truly exploded without a doubt!

The Qi Flow Blade driven by special techniques extended from the actual blade.

After two swift and fierce ”whips” struck the ground of the flower sea, the power exploded!

Dirt and petals were sent flying and scattering.

A massive, fearsome cross-shaped blade scar starkly emerged on the pristine flower sea!

This mighty, violent force was terrifying enough to hunt a large beast from Yan’an, let alone kill.

Yet, after this sword which could sever the head of a clergy beast in a single strike passed, Lann’s expression showed no sign of relaxation.

For after all... the Yan Nan’s [First Hunter] was far stronger than any beast!

Within the giant dust cloud stirred by [Cross Slash], a not particularly conspicuous black shadow was there; the wind force generated by its rapid movement instantly stretched the expanding and dispersing dust into a long strip!

”Do you think you are light, fast enough?”

The deep and aged voice calmly sounded next to Lann’s ear just after he executed the [Cross Slash] without yet landing.

The billowing coat appeared suddenly before Lann’s eyes.

The coat was still fluttering before his eyes, indicating that the elderly man wearing it had already moved past his front and was now at his side.

Lann’s pupils suddenly contracted, and his eyeballs instinctively shifted to the lower part of his front.

And the curved scythe edge, reflecting the moonlight with a chilling gleam, was already hooked onto his waist.

Under the massive moon, the old hunter, with incredible speed, leapt towards Lann after evading the [Cross Slash] that shattered the rocky ground beneath the flower sea.

And he was faster! Lighter than the Demon Hunter!

The silhouettes of both in midair appeared dark under the bright, enormous moon.

Lann was caught by the scythe edge, losing balance in the air, as if next moment he would be torn into two by the scythe dragged by Gremman!

As to speed, none in Yan’an could boast more confidently than Gremman, who created and perfected the whole combat style for the hunters!

The [Acceleration Technique] Lann used most often to increase his speed, was also created by this tall and thin old man before him.

Lann was not stubbornly old-fashioned, thinking inheritors must be inferior to creators.

Setting aside others, he believed his swordsmanship would definitely compel that old fellow, Yixin Iwami, to use all his might and face him with unprecedented determination for a duel to the death.

But when it came to the [Acceleration Technique]... honestly, Lann perceived a marked disparity before Gremman.

This old guy was frighteningly fast!

He jumped from before Lann and hooked the scythe to his waist before Lann suddenly reacted.

Currently, Lann combines [Light Body Skill], learned from the [Lonely Shadow Ninja Technique Manual] to lighten his weight, with running and jumping techniques, and the hard acceleration from [Acceleration Technique].

This allows him, a warrior in heavy armor, to display agility beyond ordinary humans.

But in front of Gremman, he simply used [Acceleration Technique] to forcibly break through all of Lann’s present mobility techniques!

Not sure whether it’s some form of advanced [Acceleration Technique], Gremman’s body now seemed to Lann’s previous feeling!

Emitting an azure, seemingly silently burning illusory flame!

In this state, Lann suspects Ludwig, using only the Church Workshop’s fine weapons and not his [Holy Moonlight Sword], might not last a minute before this old man’s speed!

His explosive speed is too fast!

Gremman knows well how fast he is.

And this is still his speed post losing a leg.

So, now he only laments in his heart.

Regretting not having put some ’appropriate’ blood on the scythe blade in advance.

Otherwise, after cutting into this foreigner’s body in this moment, the sweet blood would blend with the wound, fulfilling his task.

But... it doesn’t matter.

Underneath the brim of the tall hat, the old man’s eyes were calm and indifferent.

Slice him in half, give him blood in the end, the result wouldn’t differ.

For unknown reasons, under the increasingly bright moonlight, Gremman thus pondered.

But then...

”Huh?!”

The Yan Nan Hunter template coldly emerged again during this brief moment of battle, showing surprise and shock!

The sharp metallic scraping sound was piercingly sharp, making one’s scalp tingle!

And this time, it was Gremman who was surprised by the feeling from his hand!

The [Funeral Blade] in hand, the scythe handle lacked the usual neat and quick, unhesitant severing feeling, slicing through flesh and bone, and the liberating sensation as blood splattered.

On the contrary... he now really seemed to hook something hard and heavy with an ordinary hook!

’Can the armor really block...my blade?!’

The old hunter thought with a bit of daze.

The [Funeral Blade] marked the beginning and pinnacle of transformable weapon development by Yan Nan hunters.

This scythe’s edge was made from a special meteor drifting in from the cosmos.

The young hunters haven’t seen this weapon, but seasoned hunters know it is likened to a ’requiem’ among hunters.

A testament to [First Hunter] Gremman’s hunting being always quick and beyond imagination.

The prey dying in his hands can rest in peace, spared from nightmare torments.

The sharpness and power of this weapon are evident.

In Yan’an’s long years, Gremman truly never expected... armor to withstand [Funeral Blade]’s edge, merely... merely blocking it?!

Typically, normal hunters’ or monsters’ defenses before [Funeral Blade] are like paper, any standout defense at most like folded paper.

So now, as [Funeral Blade]’s edge is dragged and cut, yet [Smaug]’s abdominal armor plates take it in stride, Gremman is astonished.

Yet his excellent skills and experience still saved his life.

At the first realization of something amiss, the usually lamenting old hunter reflexively lowered his head.

And then... ”Swish!”

A bright blade light streaked above his tall hat, merely brushing off some woolen fibers from the hat.