WHOOSH!!!

Rey moved through the third boundary layer like shadow given purpose, his disguised mystical signature allowing him to navigate terrain that would have been suicide for normal Searchers.

The corrupted city stretched endlessly in all directions—twisted architecture defying physical laws, streets forming impossible geometries, and everywhere the oppressive weight of plague corruption that made reality itself seem sick.

But Rey had discovered something valuable during his hours of careful advancement.

The Hollow Creatures weren’t just ignoring him.

They were vulnerable.

His disguise placed him within their detection blind spot—they registered his presence as fellow corrupted entity rather than threat or prey.

This meant he could approach them without triggering defensive responses, position himself optimally, and strike before they recognized the danger.

It was perfect hunting opportunity.

Rey identified his first target with cold precision—a Tier 6 Hollow Creature shambling through what had once been residential district, its emaciated form showing evidence of advanced plague transformation.

He approached casually, maintaining his disguised mystical signature while positioning himself approximately three meters behind the creature. It didn’t react, didn’t turn, simply continued its aimless wandering through corrupted streets.

Rey struck without warning or hesitation.

"Chaos Art, Entropy Technique, Sequence #5: Accelerated Decay!"

The technique activated silently, corruption energy flowing from his palm directly into the Hollow Creature’s back. The anti-life coherence sustaining it destabilized immediately as Chaos Art operated on principles specifically designed to destroy such entities.

The creature collapsed without sound, its form dissolving into ambient corruption that dispersed harmlessly.

Rey absorbed the residual Ether released by its destruction—not much, perhaps two percent of his depleted reserves, but valuable nonetheless.

Multiple kills would gradually restore his combat capabilities while simultaneously providing experience against threats operating at scales he rarely encountered.

He continued hunting with systematic efficiency.

A group of five Tier 7 Hollow Creatures clustered near collapsed fountain—eliminated through Sequence #6 technique that destroyed all simultaneously.

Three Tier 6 variants guarding what appeared to be former noble estate—dispatched individually through careful positioning and precise strikes.

A massive Tier 5 specimen nearly four meters tall—required Sequence #2 techniques and his Divine-grade armor’s offensive enhancement, but fell eventually.

Each kill restored small portion of his Ether reserves while simultaneously refining his understanding of how Hollow Creatures operated.

Their anti-life coherence possessed fascinating properties—similar to what his own Hollow Technique produced but subtly different in ways that suggested the plague’s corruption followed rules he didn’t fully understand.

’If I could analyze the plague’s fundamental principles,’ Rey calculated while extracting Ether from his latest kill, ’perhaps reverse-engineer how it transforms living tissue into anti-life coherence, I might be able to enhance my own Hollow Technique beyond what the Prince of Darkness taught me.’

The strategic possibilities were extraordinary. But investigation would have to wait—his immediate priority remained advancement and survival.

Rey moved deeper into the third boundary layer, his hunting efficiency improving with each engagement as he refined optimal approaches and techniques.

Hours passed in productive violence.

His Ether reserves gradually climbed from critical depletion toward functional levels—not full capacity, but sufficient for extended combat if necessary.

His understanding of Hollow Creature weaknesses expanded through practical experimentation. And his position advanced steadily toward the fourth boundary layer where corruption intensified beyond what normal Angels could safely navigate.

Then his enhanced perception detected new threat approaching—not Hollow Creatures, but living mystical signatures moving with coordinated purpose.

’A Searcher team,’ Rey recognized immediately. ’Approximately twelve members based on signature count. Gold-rank classification with single Platinum-rank leader. They’re hunting Hollow Creatures systematically.’

He immediately shifted his approach, moving to avoid their detection while maintaining his disguise.

Contact with other Searchers while appearing as Hollow Creature would create complications he didn’t need.

But the team’s detection specialist was better than anticipated.

"Contact!" a woman’s voice called out. "Hollow Creature, unknown tier classification! Single target, approximately forty meters northeast!"

Rey cursed internally while accelerating away from their position.

His disguise fooled Hollow Creatures’ primitive detection methods perfectly, but trained Searchers using sophisticated techniques could identify mystical signatures with precision that penetrated surface-level deception.

"Pursuit formation!" the Platinum-rank leader commanded. "Standard engagement protocols—contain, damage, eliminate!"

The team launched themselves after Rey with speed that demonstrated professional coordination.

These weren’t desperate survivors fleeing overwhelming odds—these were competent hunters executing practiced tactics against what they believed was isolated prey.

Rey ran, calculating odds with cold precision.

’I could reveal my identity, explain the disguise, attempt diplomatic resolution. But that would raise questions about how I survived Pride’s assault, why I’m operating independently so deep in the dungeon, what capabilities allowed me to maintain Hollow Creature disguise for extended period.’

There were too many complications.

Too much scrutiny.

It was beter to avoid them entirely and—

"Spirit Art, Tempest Technique, Sequence #5: Storm Aegis!"

Wind erupted around the pursuing team, accelerating their movement while simultaneously creating barrier that prevented Rey’s escape.

The tactical coordination was excellent—they’d identified him as fleeing target and immediately deployed techniques to prevent his withdrawal.

’Damn it,’ Rey calculated while his path options narrowed. ’They’re cornering me deliberately. Standard anti-Hollow Creature protocols—prevent escape, force confrontation, eliminate threat through coordinated assault.’

He could probably outrun them if he revealed his full capabilities, but that would compromise his disguise and invite exactly the scrutiny he was trying to avoid.

Which left one option.

Kill them.

The decision formed with cold inevitability.

These Searchers had made themselves obstacles to his advancement. Eliminating obstacles was strategically optimal solution regardless of moral complications.

Rey stopped running and turned to face his pursuers, his mystical signature still disguised as Tier 6 Hollow Creature.

The team spread into combat formation with practiced efficiency—ranged attackers positioning for optimal firing angles, close combat specialists preparing to engage if he attempted melee assault, support practitioners ready to heal injuries or purify plague exposure.

"Do not hesitate!" the Platinum-rank leader called out. "Use everything in your power to destroy that thing!"

Rey almost laughed at the absurdity of their misunderstanding.

But their mistake was his opportunity.

"Chaos Art, Entropy Technique, Sequence #3: Final Decay!"

The technique erupted from Rey’s position with force that exceeded what Tier 6 Hollow Creature should possess. Corruption energy washed across the battlefield in wave that targeted the nearest four Searchers simultaneously.