Chapter 62

62 Killing a Level 4 Wave Warrior

The battle between Dimitri and the Metal Hyena destroyed the trees around them. One was a Level 4 Essence Wave Warrior, while the other was a Level 5 Wave Beast.

Each of their full-power attacks could compare with the destructive power of an Old World tank, so it was easy to imagine the collateral damage they generated.

Although the flora and earth of Aether were much more resilient than those of the Old World, this was just a Tier 1 Danger Zone.

Dimitri had the upper hand thanks to his spells, skills, and Wave Artifacts but the Metal Hyena was still a challenging enemy. While impressive in terms of cloaking power, his abilities had no outstanding offensive power.

That, plus the Metal Hyena’s robust defenses, prevented Dimitri from performing deadly blows, transforming this into a battle of attrition.

Dimitri’s battle style focused on using shadows to hide his presence and confuse the enemy, firing barrages of Shadow Blades, and generating Shadow Whips that would hinder the enemy’s movements.

The Metal Hyena had immense strength, so the Shadow Whips could barely hinder its movements for a few moments, but it was enough for Dimitri to put distance between them whenever the battle seemed to turn into a melee encounter.

Dimitri had just fired a large Shadow Blade that left a deep cut on the Metal Hyena’s shoulder when the hair of this one rose as if they were thousands of metal needles.

Dimitri knew the name of the Wave Beast, so it was logical that he would also know the racial ability of the Metal Hyena.

.....

The Wave Beast could charge his Life Wave into its fur, increasing its hardness and sharpness before shooting them with immense power and speed.

Dimitri had just fired a potent attack and would not be able to dodge those metal needles. He could only raise his arms before directing most of his Essence Wave into the frontal portion of his body to protect himself.

On their own, each of those metal needles had little power, but together they could pose a deadly threat for even a Level 4 Essence Wave Warrior.

If it wasn’t for Dimitri’s armor and him using Wave Focus to enhance his defenses, the damage those attacks caused could have proven deadly, forcing him to run away.

The Metal Hyena used all its power in that attack, as its instincts warned it that the battle would soon turn deadly if it did not turn the tables soon.

Although the Metal Hyena felt a dangerous aura coming from Dimitri when it first saw this one, its bestial nature got the best of it when it noticed someone charging into its territory. Now it reached the point where its life was on the line.

A small smile appeared on Dimitri’s face when he saw the barrage of metal needles about to turn off. There was not much Life Wave in the Metal Hyena, and he prepared to fire a killing strike next.

Sadly for the Essence Wave Cultivator, just as the barrage of metal needles was about to finish, someone charged to his back.

Dimitri’s eyes widened with pain as Cain’s entire body clashed on his back. Due to him using most of his Essence Wave to protect the front, the attack almost shattered his spine and thrust him forward toward the Wave Beast.

Things only worsened for Dimitri since the Metal Hyena saw the opportunity and lunged toward him with its maws open.

Dimitri could only move his head, avoiding the Metal Hyena from shattering his skull, but the maws still closed down on his right shoulder, crippling his arm.

“AHHH!” Dimitri screamed in pain as the Metal Hyena’s teeth pierced his armor and began to destroy the muscles and bones. In desperation, he started firing Shadow Blades from his left hand.

The dagger was on Dimitri’s right hand, so he could not use it, and without the Wave Artifact amplification, the Shadow Blades lost a significant portion of their power. Still, they began to worsen the Metal Hyena’s wounds.

There was still a chance Dimitri could survive if he could endure until the Metal Hyena succumbed to its injuries. Sadly for the Essence Wave Warrior, that last glimmer of hope vanished once Cain landed a blow on the back of his head.

Dimitri’s mind stopped working for a second due to the massive brain trauma, generating instability in his Wave Cloak.

Without the enhanced defenses granted by the Wave Cloak, Dimitri’s body could not resist the power behind the Metal Hyena’s maws.

Cain saw how the Metal Hyena’s maws shattered Dimitri’s body, generating a fatal wound. After making sure the Level 4 Essence Wave Cultivator did not send any message through the A.I. Chip, he ran away from the battlefield.

He and the Metal Hyena had fought together against the Level 4 Essence Wave Warrior, but there was no doubt in Cain’s mind that the creature would turn on him once he finished with its current prey.

—

Nira was still inside the cave, and her face was full of utter terror and desperation. She could not move her body due to Cain destroying her spine.

The only reason she could hold a sliver of sanity despite all that happened was the belief that her brother would come to save her.

Footsteps echoed inside the cave, making Nira turn her head toward the entrance. She expected to see her brother, but the only thing visible in that darkness were two eyes that glowed with red light.

“You... impossible...” Nira could not see his face, but she knew to whom those eyes belonged.

Cain walked toward Nira before kneeling to her side. Wounds covered his body, and his face was pale due to the loss of blood, but despite all that, he showed a terrifying calmness.

If Cain had shown rage or madness, Nira would not have been so scared. But the calmness in those red eyes terrified her to a primal level.

It was like the fear a rabbit would feel in a wolf’s presence. One was prey and the other predator. They were just different types of life forms.

“I can...”

Nira could not even beg for her life before Cain slapped the top of her head and killed her.