Hunt In Reverse

Upon entering the Wave Realm, the human body becomes a vessel of potent energy, as rich and fragrant as a precious medicinal herb. Only at the peak of this realm can one fully control this power, restraining its brilliance and returning to a state of natural equilibrium.

But at this moment, restraint was not an option. My eyes flashed, and I lunged forward, reaching the edge of the dense forest in a single bound. My internal organs thrummed with power, my blood, infused with golden light, surging through my veins. The potent aura I had suppressed erupted, radiating outwards like a shockwave. My true strength, the peak of the Wave Realm, was unleashed.

The clash of steel echoed through the night.

Awakened by the commotion, agents scrambled from their tents, weapons drawn. They looked up to see the sky ablaze with blades of light.

"Get out of my way, if you want to live!" the swordsman roared, his voice a thunderous bellow. A whirlwind of sword energy enveloped him, sharp tendrils reaching out like the claws of a predator.

"Crown Mountain is rebelling!" Miles shouted, his voice raw with urgency. He hoped his desperate cry would reach the other agents stationed beyond the forest.

In that heart-stopping moment, Miles frantically searched for the other Wave Realm agent, fear gripping him, yet a sliver of hope remaining.

Colonel Banerjee had assigned two Wave Realm experts to this location; surely they wouldn't be completely overwhelmed.

Even though the Crown Mountain swordsman had chosen this vulnerable point to attack, with the two of them working together, they surely could hold out until reinforcements arrived.

His gaze fell upon Mendy Snow, her sword drawn. But instead of facing the enemy, her blade was pointed at Captain Kane.

The sight stunned the agents, their hearts plummeting. They were seasoned veterans; this scene needed no further explanation.

With a collective roar of fury, they charged towards Mendy, their weapons raised.

A deafening boom echoed through the valley. The swordsman's attack, a concentrated vortex of energy, engulfed his blade.

As he thrust it forward, the energy erupted, unleashing a violent gust that tore through the forest, sending dust and debris swirling. The agents shielded their eyes, their vision obscured by the blinding chaos.

A thunderous voice reverberated through the trees.

"Mendy, what are you waiting for?!"

Mendy's grip tightened on her sword, her resolve solidifying.

Her eyes, bloodshot and filled with a desperate determination, locked onto me. "Get out of my way!" she snarled. "We're colleagues! Don't force my hand!"

Her lover's voice, once her revered instructor, crackled with panic. He was a seasoned expert, rarely displaying such vulnerability, especially not against an agent who was just starting out.

She had come as a backup, intending only to scare me away.

Harming her fellow agents was a last resort. But my stubborn refusal to yield, my audacity in facing her instructor, had forced her hand.

Any further hesitation, and escape would be impossible.

With a surge of adrenaline, she lunged forward, her long sword glowing with a pale imitation of the swordsman's power. Dust and smoke swirled around her, obscuring her vision as she charged into the chaos.

With a fluid motion, I drew my black ceremonial sword, its sleek blade rising to meet the incoming green steel. Before it had fully cleared the scabbard, it intercepted the swordsman's attack with pinpoint accuracy.

I met the man's gaze, my expression unwavering as I continued to draw my sword. With a subtle twist of my wrist, I channeled an immense force into the blade. The green sword, caught under the pressure, bent into an unnatural arc, its steel screaming in protest.

Beads of sweat erupted on the swordsman's forehead, his cold indifference replaced by a look of disbelief. The violent tremors that ran through his weapon threatened to rip it from his grasp.

Such terrifying power... it was as if he faced not a H.A.R.M. captain, but a vampire in disguise.

The finely crafted sword, forged from the strongest silver alloy, fractured under the strain. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface, and with a final, agonizing groan, it shattered. Shards of metal embedded themselves in the swordsman's flesh.

My black blade, now free, sliced upwards in a merciless arc, tearing through skin and muscle, leaving a deep gash from his right waist to his left shoulder.

Before he could cry out, I seized him by the collar and hurled him backwards.

"Frank!" Mendy Snow, her sword raised in attack, watched in horror as her lover hurtled towards her.

Panic seized her, and she stumbled, desperately trying to regain her balance.

But it was too late. The swordsman crashed into her with the force of a battering ram. She instinctively reached out to catch him, but the impact sent shockwaves through her body.

Her delicate frame was flung away like a ragdoll, her internal organs twisting and compressing, threatening to rupture.

Mendy Snow, her instructor still clutched in her arms, crashed through a thicket of trees before finally slamming into the earth. She coughed, blood splattering the leaves, her body wracked with pain.

The force of the impact had nearly shattered her bones.

Against such overwhelming power, her years of dedicated training seemed insignificant.

She was a mantis attempting to halt a freight train.

Fear clouded her vision as she struggled to breathe, her hand weakly reaching for the fallen sword.

But before her fingers could grasp the hilt, a boot slammed down on her wrist.

She cried out, her eyes widening in alarm as she looked up.

I stood above her, my gaze cold and unwavering, the tip of my black blade pressed against her throat.

Mendy's hand hovered mere inches from her sword, tantalizingly close, yet despair filled her eyes.

She knew, with chilling certainty, that any attempt to resist would be met with swift and lethal force.

How could a mere two-star captain possess such power? Why couldn't she even summon the will to fight back?

The Crown Mountain instructor, clinging to life, weakly placed his hand on her arm, his fingers conveying a silent plea.

He grinned, his teeth stained crimson, and with a tragic smile, he said, "Thank you, Captain, for sparing our lives."

I glanced at him, then casually backhanded him across the face with the flat of my blade.

Such farce.

Despite his ferocious attack, he had left an opening, a chance for me to escape unharmed. Any Wave Realmer, even under duress, could have easily evaded the blow.

The price of escape was their freedom. I couldn't allow that. Killing them, however, wasn't necessary. Their fate was not my concern, just as they hadn't considered the consequences I would face if they escaped.

I sheathed my sword and kicked Mendy's weapon away. "Restrain them," I ordered, "and take them to Colonel Banerjee."

Several agents stared at the ravaged forest, where towering trees lay shattered and broken. They couldn't comprehend what had just transpired. One moment, sword energy had exploded outwards; the next, both Wave Realm experts lay defeated.

The agents exchanged awed glances, their mouths dry.

Colonel Banerjee's words now held more weight. Whether or not a powerful Kane family existed in Cascadia, capable of bringing the Washingtons to their knees, one thing was clear: I was not to be underestimated.

Miles Wagner shuddered, remembering how I had humbly asked for his guidance just days ago.

They rummaged through the tents, retrieving lengths of specialized hemp rope. Despite the seeming futility—the captives were barely conscious and at the risk of strangulation—they diligently bound them together.