As Elomot’s lecherous eyes swept over the group, Anorah’s eyes darkened instantly.

Compared to the man they’d met days ago, Elomot looked more like a dog that had just found its treats. A grin stretched across his face, and a large bulge pressed visibly against his crotch.

Anorah didn’t need to be told what his intentions were. She could already feel it. The others were no different, each wearing darkened, cautious expressions.

Anorah’s gaze turned glacial, killing intent leaking from her in relentless waves.

"...What is this?"

Yet Elomot’s smile only deepened as he chuckled softly.

"What does it look like?" Elomot chuckled, licking his lips slowly. "I’ve been waiting for you all for so damn long. You have no idea. Ever since I saw you days ago, I’ve wanted a taste."

Utter disgust twisted across Anorah’s face. Yet it was another who stepped forward.

"You disgusting ugly fool." Aurora stepped forward with a sneer. "You seriously have no idea who you’re messing with, do you? Once Atticus gets ba—"

"Atticus?" Elomot burst into laughter, shaking his head.

Irritation flickered in his eyes at being called ugly— every single part of his body was nothing short of divine—yet he still looked amused.

There was simply something about feisty prey that turned him on.

"You’re still hung up on that guy? Poor thing’s probably dead already. Tell them, Konos."

The Hunter Association Chairman nodded calmly. "His Hunter Sigil went offline minutes ago. He’s dead."

"See?" Elomot spread his arms with a grin. "Your little hero walked right into my trap. An ambush. All so I could finally get my hands on all of... you." His smile softened unpleasantly. "So if you girls know what’s good for you then—"

"Pfft!"

Elomot frowned as Aurora suddenly burst into laughter. Irritation flickered through his eyes as he tilted his head.

"...What’s so funny?"

"You!" Aurora pointed at him while laughing harder. "Man, I knew you were ugly, but stupid too? Damn, life really beat your ass twice!"

Elomot’s eyes turned cold. He raised a hand, stopping Kass, whose blade was already halfway out of its sheath as he glared murderously at Aurora.

When Elomot spoke again, his voice was icy.

"...What are you talking about?"

"You seriously think some little ambush is enough to kill Atticus?" Aurora wiped at the tears in her eyes. "Are you actually braindead? I thought powerful people were supposed to get smarter, not dumber. Hm... maybe your family line just got unlucky."

Elomot’s eyes only grew colder.

"...He was ambushed by five Level Threes," he said coldly. "You really think he survives that?"

"Hah!" Aurora grinned confidently. "Even if every single bastard in this cuck-sucking world jumped him together, you still wouldn’t be able to take him down!"

Elomot’s eyes darkened instantly. The confidence Aurora radiated in Atticus bordered on insanity. Yet his expression twisted as his gaze swept across the others.

The horror and hopelessness he expected to see wasn’t there.

Instead, they stared back at him with cold eyes.

It made no sense.

Still, given the situation, the next move was obvious.

"Tch." Elomot clicked his tongue irritably. "What a pain."

He had wanted to avoid fighting them directly to avoid damaging the goods. But seeing the defiance in their eyes, it seemed unavoidable now.

Elomot raised a hand.

Across the empty streets, numerous figures draped in white emerged silently, their gazes fixed coldly on the group.

"Well, if you girls refuse to behave, we’ll just have to do this the hard way." Elomot smiled coldly. "I don’t mind my toys being a little broken."

A flicker of darkness passed through Anorah’s eyes.

Now she finally understood why Atticus had insisted the women remain together. He had anticipated something like this happening.

Yet, he hadn’t warned them directly.

Anorah suppressed the irritation threatening to surface and focused instead.

The pressure radiating from the men made it obvious they were powerful. From what she had learned of the world’s power structure so far, most of them were around Level Two each.

Their missions until now had only involved hunting Reverents, and none of them had progressed much yet.

They were clearly outmatched.

’I’ll have to use it.’

Solvath’s fragment... there was no choice. Aside from that, Anorah focused on some of the others whose strength would be invaluable.

Ozerra. Thora. Freya. Lyra... those with either True Wills or Solvath’s fragments. Meaning, they could fight above their rank.

’We just have to hold on.’

If Atticus had anticipated this, then he definitely had a plan. They just had to hold on... until he arrived.

A thought flashed through Anorah’s mind.

Her Will churned, building rapidly before erupting outward like a storm. A crushing pressure descended across the area.

The others mirrored her instantly, releasing their Wills and drawing their weapons.

A slow smile spread across Elomot’s face.

"Alright then." He nodded lightly. "Attack."

The men took a single step. Then...

BOOM!

A violent shockwave tore through the entire city.

Every eye snapped toward the distant dome surrounding the city. A crimson streak of light had just pierced through it, crashing into the clearing with cataclysmic force.

An immense dustwave exploded outward, obscuring everything from sight.

Within the haze, Elomot’s eyes constricted violently.

"What...?"

That feeling...

That savage, corrosive aura... it was definitely Primal Will.

However, the mere fact that something wielding Primal Will had pierced through the barrier was what made it truly insane.

The barrier was forged entirely from the Crown Will of the truest true blood. It had specifically been created to combat Primal Will, and since its creation eons ago, nothing had ever broken through it.

As the haze slowly began to clear, every gaze sharpened instantly.

Within the massive crater stood a tall figure cloaked in a storm of crimson energy.

Elomot’s eyes widened violently.

"This is..."

"...This... this should be impossible."

Even the Association Chairman stared on with trembling eyes.

White hair blazed amidst the crimson energy. Wide-open eyes radiated monstrous intensity. And a bloodlust so overwhelming it felt capable of drowning the entire world.

Atticus Ravenstein.