Chapter 70: Pursuit of Blood and Reunification
The air was razor-sharp, biting against the skin like unseen daggers. Huey's wooden dragon soared through the frozen skies of Antarctica, gliding above the temple nestled between jagged ice formations. Below, the temple stood like an ancient relic untouched by time, its walls bearing the weight of history, secrets, and silent echoes of battles long past.
From forty feet above the ground, Draven moved.
A subtle bend of his knees.
A tilt of his head.
And then—BOOM!
Draven leaped off the dragon's back, flipping mid-air in a perfect rotation, his coat whipping violently against the howling winds. He fell like a black comet, his All-Creation Eyes glimmering with focus. Gravity bent to his will, slowing his descent at the final moment before his boots slammed against the stone staircase leading to the temple's entrance. CRACK! A light tremor crawled through the steps beneath his weight, sending small chunks of ice scattering.
With each step forward, torches along the temple walls flared to life, casting flickering shadows against the ancient stone. A glow illuminated the once-dark path, as if welcoming the inevitable bloodshed.
And there he was.
Shiki.
Seated in the center of the temple, cross-legged, his back perfectly straight like a monk lost in deep meditation. The firelight reflected against his conical kasa hat, his long robe draped like a forgotten relic of time. His presence was a paradox—calm yet suffocating, distant yet all-encompassing.
Draven's blood boiled instantly. His Shen aura crackled, flickering like a dying flame on the edge of exploding into an inferno. His breath was ragged, his chest heaving with raw hatred.
"Shiki, you bastard!"
A chuckle.
Shiki didn't move. Didn't flinch. His voice was calm, detached.
"So, you've finally come, brother."
Draven's fists clenched, veins bulging beneath his skin. He wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb.
"You knew I would. I've been hunting you all this time."
Shiki exhaled slowly. His eyes remained closed.
"I've heard the rumors about you. But now that you stand here before me, I am forced to believe them."
Draven's voice was venomous. "You think this is a joke? I came here to kill you."
Shiki's eyes snapped open. A ghost of a smile curled on his lips. For the first time, he looked at Draven.
"Kill me?"
His words hung in the air, their weight pressing against the temple walls. Then, a smirk.
"Very well," Shiki said, adjusting his kasa hat slightly. "I will answer all your questions you have , but only if you can catch me."
WHOOSH!
Shiki vanished.
In less than a heartbeat, he had propelled himself through the temple doors, across the snow, and onto the rooftops of the ice structures outside.
Draven's anger erupted into full-blown rage.
"You coward!"
With a snarl, he exploded forward, his feet cracking the stone beneath him as he gave chase. His black coat flared behind him, his breath forming misty trails against the freezing wind. But Shiki was fast. Too fast.
From above, Huey watched the two blur through the temple grounds, their shadows stretching long across the ice under the cold moonlight.
Huey smiled.
With a flick of his wrist, the wooden dragon dissolved into nothingness, its remnants scattering into the wind. His boots pressed against the temple steps as he sat down, cross-legged, resting his chin against his knuckles.
"Now, let's see how this plays out."
He had no intention of letting anyone interfere.
Meanwhile, in the World Hunter Association Meeting…
A heavy silence filled the room. The leaders of the world's strongest Hunter Associations sat around the round table, their faces grim.
Zichen, the elderly Chinese Hunter President, leaned forward, resting his weight on his cane. His voice, though aged, carried the wisdom of centuries.
"If things come to the worst, we must consider one solution," he said slowly, "A complete reformation. The way things were before."
Mujin's brow furrowed. "Before?"
Zichen nodded.
"Before the world was divided. Before we separated into factions."
A hush fell over the table.
Andrei Korsakov, the Russian President, exhaled, his fingers drumming against the table.
"You mean the Old Century… The First Men?"
Zichen closed his eyes, nodding.
"Yes. Before the Great Divide, there was no Seoul Hunter Association. No American, Russian, Egyptian, or Chinese factions. We were one. We spoke different tongues, but we stood together."
Mujin's fingers tightened.
He had read the history. He knew that unity among Hunters had once been absolute. Until internal conflicts, betrayals, and bloodshed tore them apart.
Anzeyt, the Egyptian Hunter President, stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"You believe we should reunite?"
Zichen's eyes darkened.
"If Mujin is correct—if the Ten are truly bringing back Arcade—we may have no other choice."
A shiver ran through the room at the mere mention of Arcade's name.
Cecelia, the American Hunter President, finally spoke.
"That's a drastic move. But… if Arcade really is coming back, then we'll need more than just an alliance. We'll need a miracle."
Mujin looked at them all. Then, he spoke.
"I'm ready for whatever needs to be done to protect the world."
One by one, the other leaders nodded.
For the first time in centuries, the world's strongest Hunters had one common cause.
Meanwhile, on the Ice Plains of Antarctica…
Draven moved like a bullet, his boots crushing through layers of ice as he pursued Shiki.
WHOOSH!
Shiki zigzagged across the rooftops, leaping from structure to structure with god-like agility.
Draven's breath came in short, seething exhales. His white arm pulsed, the energy within it begging to be released.
Up ahead, Shiki glanced over his shoulder, smirking.
"Too slow, little brother."
Draven's eyes flashed.
He clenched his white fist. The moment he caught him— he would kill him.
Meanwhile Kenzy and Gansu were far behind them but they followed suit towards Draven.