Chronicles of The God Slayer of Shadows-Chapter 34 - Thirty Four

The market buzzed with hushed whispers. Adrian's eyes swept the crowd — bounty hunters, mercenaries, rogue mages — all desperate enough to sell their mothers for a scrap of god relic.

Now they smelled fresh blood. Fenrik muttered under his breath. "Don't look at anyone too long. Predators can smell fear." Nyxaris stayed glued to Adrian's side, fur bristling, aura tightened to near invisibility. They ducked into an alley, cloaked by the stench of rotting spices and old magic. Galvir slammed a hidden door open, leading them into a cramped, dust-choked tavern.

...

Inside, relic hunters lounged at broken tables, sipping foul-smelling brews and playing cursed dice games. Galvir's contact — a hooded dwarf with half his face replaced by glowing runes — waved them over.

"You brought trouble, Gally," the dwarf rasped. Galvir grunted. "When do I not?" The dwarf slid a battered scroll across the table. "Job came down from higher than you wanna know. Order of Light. They want the Shadowmarked bad. Word is they're sending their Pale Seekers." Adrian frowned. "Who?"

Fenrik growled lowly. "Death squads. Hunters trained to kill anything heretical. Even gods." Adrian tightened his fists. He wasn't ready for a full Order assault. Not yet. But he would be.

Before they could slip out, the first bounty hunter found them.

A hulking reptilian humanoid, his scales dyed gold, and two blacksteel axes spinning in his hands. "Shadowmarked!" he roared, the whole tavern turning to watch. "Fifty thousand sovereigns for your head!" No negotiation. No mercy." The reptilian lunged.

Adrian reacted on instinct. His Umbral Construct skill flared, summoning a temporary black blade into his hand. Basic, fragile — but enough. He deflected the first axe, dancing backward. Fenrik smashed into the reptilian from the side, claws flashing.

Nyxaris darted low, hamstringing the brute. Galvir hurled a bottle that exploded into searing fumes. The fight was brutal, fast, dirty — and over within minutes. The reptilian gurgled as he collapsed, blood pooling around his broken form. The tavern held its breath.

Then chaos exploded. Dozens of bounty hunters surged forward, blades and spells flashing. Adrian and his allies sprinted for the back door, dodging fireballs and poisoned darts. It was open season and he was the prize.

In the chaos, Adrian tapped deeper into his power. "Nyxaris!" he shouted mentally. The shadow beast howled, merging its form briefly with Adrian's shadow.

> Weapon skill Activated: Unity's Glory

A new construct formed — dark wisps spilling from a darkened blade, identical to the original blade, filled with sinister energy.

After the temple incident, adrien had requested Fenrik to help him learn how to fight properly. He had grasped how to wield his weapons for Fenrik and Galvir and his power from Nyarixis, surprisingly. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

The Scythes tore through the bounty hunters like paper. Each strike siphoned energy, feeding Adrian's depleted stamina. But the cost was brutal — the strain on his body grew with every second the copy weapon stayed active. Fenrik and Galvir carved a path toward the outer wall.

"Move, pup!" Fenrik bellowed, ramming a mage aside. Adrian nodded, panting, sweat pouring down his back. He couldn't stay here. He wasn't strong enough yet. But soon... he would return. And the hunters would become the hunted.