Absolute Craft-Chapter 98: Taming The Rebellious Hounds (3)

Chapter 98: Taming The Rebellious Hounds (3)

Completely unaware of Anonymous House’s scheme, the Rebellious Hounds inched ever closer to their prey. Their smirking, bloodthirsty figures stood out on the horizon, thanks to the grassland’s flat terrain that served as their playground. Meanwhile, Anonymous House’s parties simply raised their guard, seemingly prepared to fight to the bitter end.

As many as twenty-five hounds were itching to take revenge on Anonymous House. Among them, clearly leading the pack, was a young man in his early twenties—BloodFang. He was second only to Alex Red Moon, and to many members of The Hounds, he was the true leader who upheld Supreme Blade’s renown.

He was a firm believer in raw strength and wielded the sword at a level many envied. BloodFang never let anyone tarnish his or his people’s reputation, fighting until the last breath in a style reminiscent of the figure The Hounds idolized.

Leading from the front with tanks at his flanks, BloodFang eyed his prey. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but the cosmetics he’d added to his avatar—such as earrings and black lips—gave him a roguish, intimidating aura that some found appealing.

While his avatar projected a dark, foreboding vibe, his armor provided a stark contrast. If Blake, Joel, or Kyria were to see BloodFang, they would immediately recognize the white armor—seemingly carved from snow—as part of the Winter Gear.

"Their fate’s sealed, so go easy on them," he drawled, giving his people the go-ahead to fight Anonymous House’s parties.

He might have sounded considerate of their numerical advantage, but his tone suggested otherwise, and everyone knew he intended his people to overwhelm and bully their foes.

The Rebellious Hounds’ collars fell away as they pounced on the unsuspecting enemies. Meanwhile, BloodFang observed the spectacle from the rear, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles.

’Anonymous House has done me such a favor,’ BloodFang mused as he watched his people clash with Anonymous House for the first time. ’I need more allies in my faction to replace the guild leader. I’ll overpower them and bring more people under my banner.’

He hadn’t traveled to the mainland for any other reason. He wanted more players to trust him over Alex Red Moon. The quickest way to achieve that was to help newcomers in the tutorial zones and earn their admiration.

BloodFang also mimicked Supreme Blade more than anyone, casually discarding those he deemed unworthy. Recently, he’d been doing that less, which gave people the false impression that they had potential.

But the truth was simpler: BloodFang didn’t want to lose his numbers. More than anything, he never actually cared about Supreme Blade. Pretending to be his fan was just an easy way to draw people in.

Moreover, relying on brute force was so straightforward and convenient that BloodFang felt no remorse exploiting Supreme Blade’s fame or his followers’ gullibility.

’Really, Anonymous House just fell into my lap,’ he thought.

That very moment, something exploded on the grassland, unleashing a massive cloud of dust into the sky.

-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Successive blasts rocked the grassland, scattering thick clouds of dirt. Several hounds took the full force of these explosions, dying on the spot.

No one could explain this bizarre turn of events. No one even knew what was happening or how their friends had been killed.

Confusion locked everyone in place, and fear warned them not to move. They believed things would become clear once the dust settled, but the hounds weren’t prepared for phase two—a counterattack.

Through the dusty veil, various weapons and skills pierced the air, each finding its mark among the hounds. In particular, the White Knight brandishing a long spear and the White Demoness with a bow stood out, conjuring ice attacks that swept across the battlefield and inflicted heavy damage.

Beatrix’s Ice Arrows brought forth additional cold mist, homing in on their targets with eerie precision. Meanwhile, Joel’s sweeping attacks scattered that icy element in every direction, maintaining a biting haze for Beatrix to exploit. Each slash and thrust created ample room—a spear’s specialty—and Joel made the most of it with his new epic weapon.

Wolfang also made his presence felt, his swordsmanship carving through The Rebellious Hounds. He deftly wove around allies who stumbled, buying them time to regain their footing.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, directly behind BloodFang, the White Demon emerged from the swirling dust with a small dragon perched atop his head. He bowed his head slightly and locked eyes with the man in Winter Gear.

Sensing the stare, BloodFang thought, ’He’s looking down on me!’

Blake, meanwhile, thought, ’He has nice armor.’

They stared each other down.

Just then, Sol hopped off Blake’s helmet and landed between them. He looked up, provoking BloodFang to fight him. He swung his little tail back and forth, even spitting flames to taunt his foe.

BloodFang, however, gave Sol no regard.

That disregard provoked the little golden apple—The Sun Elemental. Sol’s small body glowed with heat, taking on a red hue. His white-blue armor followed suit. He then soared upward and barreled straight at BloodFang.

Sneering at the thought of a mere pet challenging him, BloodFang thrust his sword toward Sol. But before the blade could connect, Sol dipped beneath it, spat flames from below, and then used their fiery wake to surge forward. At last, he bashed BloodFang with a headbutt, knocking him off his feet!

[-105 HP!]

<You have been inflicted with a mild burn>

<You’ll lose 50 HP every 3 seconds for 15 seconds>

BloodFang’s eye twitched.

He had just been one-upped by a pet. This had never happened before. Worse, a healer and his fan stood within earshot, keeping an eye on him and his battle. The healer would mend him whenever needed, which was great, but the fact that the man had witnessed his undignified, miserable state vexed BloodFang.

It wounded his pride and undermined his position.

And that was something Supreme Blade would never let slide!

"You think a mere pet can defeat me?!" BloodFang roared.