novelraw Chapter 66: The Beginning of a Legend
Chapter 66: The Beginning of a Legend
In the storm.
On the dimly lit ship, Chen Qi stood amidst the torrential rain clad in hunter's attire, resembling a death god reaping lives in the downpour.
Black Rabbit slowly stepped forward, mustering his courage with determined eyes, adopting the stance of a professional boxer:
"There's a whole tier difference between us,
You're the challenger here!"
The next instant.
He charged through the storm at full speed, throwing a devastating punch.
This strike not only channeled his qi energy but also combined with the power of his implanted armor, launching like a sledgehammer straight toward Chen Qi's chest.
Clang!
Chen Qi activated Hunter's Eye.Enhanced by the dynamic vision of Hunter's Eye, he clearly tracked the punch's trajectory and blocked it with his black blade ignited by ghostfire.
The flames from the Ghostfire Oil enchantment could even damage steel.
Coupled with the dark energy, despite Black Rabbit's formidable Body Forging Technique, he couldn't withstand this dual assault.
In an instant, the dark energy and ghostfire set his iron fist ablaze, sending blood splattering!
As the gang leader, Black Rabbit had abundant combat experience. Through years of effort, he'd long overcome the weaknesses of his Black Rabbit-type miniature armor.
His speed and reflexes far surpassed ordinary first-tier superhumans!
Without hesitation, he retracted his fist and kicked off violently with both legs, appearing at Chen Qi's flank.
Thick columns of black steam erupted from Black Rabbit's body.
The armor's overload mode!
The newly crafted Black Rabbit-type armor from the workshop enabled him to execute moves beyond his limits.
The tradeoff being severe bodily damage after the attack.
However, before Black Rabbit could complete his strike, swarms of Black Sludge crawled onto his body, wrapping around him layer by layer.
His movements slowed—
Chen Qi exhaled deeply, gripping his black blade with both hands as he channeled qi energy into the weapon.
Diagonal slash!
The flaming blade carved a crimson trench from the opponent's abdomen up through the chest and neck, ending at the face!
Thud! Thud!
The bloodied Black Rabbit tumbled several times across the deck.
Before he could unleash his punch amidst the Black Sludge's assault, Chen Qi's blade had already sent him crashing onto the deck.
Cough! Cough!
Black Rabbit lay on the ground, letting raindrops patter against his face.
He coughed twice:
"I've lost."
He made no attempt to rise, having realized from that single exchange that Chen Qi was no ordinary first-tier superhuman.
"This was an unwinnable fight. The moment we entered these waters, we'd already lost, hadn't we?"
Surrendering so readily... Chen Qi lifted his black blade, looking down at Black Rabbit by his feet.
"Correct."
A second-tier superhuman already possessed formidable physical prowess. Combined with steam armor, their true capabilities far exceeded this showing.
In an arena without external interference, they could have exchanged at least ten moves.
As Black Rabbit said, from the moment the Black Rabbit entered these waters, survival had become impossible.
He wasn't the type to struggle pointlessly when death was certain.
In these final moments, Black Rabbit had no desire to fight, only to reminisce.
If he must die, he might as well die comfortably.
Reconciliation was impossible now.
Black Rabbit let the heavy rain wash over him:
"So this is the sea... At least I'm not dying in some city gutter."
Bleeding profusely, he lay coughing up mouthfuls of blood.
The Black Sludge slowly crept over him, corroding his flesh.
"Boss!"
The gang members turned toward Chen Qi. Black Rabbit Gang members summoned their courage, aiming guns at Chen Qi for a sneak attack.
Yet before they could fire,
The Coastal Apex Predator emerged from the dining hall, obediently lowering its head beside Chen Qi and opening its massive jaws.
Having sampled all the food from Black Rabbit's dining hall, the creature still found Supernatural Bait most delicious!
Chen Qi reached out to pet the Blackship Sea Dragon, then produced a fishing rod to conjure Supernatural Bait.
"Good job, little sea dragon."
The Coastal Apex Predator snapped up the bait with a whoosh.
Amidst the raging storm, the gang members silently lowered their guns.
An unbelievable scene... Black Rabbit strained to lift his head:
"Never thought I'd encounter another upper-world monster before dying, aside from that childhood incident."
As a child, Black Rabbit had glimpsed a powerful soul merchant. That encounter drove him to abandon all land possessions for the sea, desperate to witness such power again.
Yet he never imagined that a mere chef he thought he could crush would evoke that same childhood terror.
Gasping his last breaths, Black Rabbit turned his head:
"Might I ask... which family stands behind you? Which hunter organization are you affiliated with?"
"Hunter organization?"
Chen Qi blinked.
An unexpected question.
He was quite familiar with New Sun's game lore.
According to the setting, before the New Sun rose, humanity barely survived in darkness.
That era was called the Lightless Epoch.
In that sunless world, humans faced endless monsters daily. Only by hunting could they survive - those hunters became the era's namesake.
Eventually, history birthed thirteen great hunter organizations demarcated by thirteen aspects, ruling the lightless world.
New Sun's legends tell how these organizations' strongest crossed endless paths to reach the dimensional rift in the sky, obtaining the flame of day to ignite the new sun.
Outwardly, as the New Sun rose and six kingdoms formed, these thirteen organizations faded from common knowledge.
Yet even after millennia, they remain immensely influential.
For instance, Beiguo, governing [Shell] and [Hammer], houses two major organizations: Merchant Consortium and Workshop.
City foundations, trade regulations, heavy industry corporations, city-destroying mechs, even Beiguo's official superhuman promotions - all bear these organizations' fingerprints.
These two organizations are deeply intertwined with Beiguo's royalty.
This isn't secret knowledge, but common understanding among high-tier superhumans.
The thirteen great hunter organizations are this world's acknowledged upper class.
And indeed, many paths lead to this class.
From childhood inspiration tests, military enlistment exams around age eighteen, university finals, to corporate promotions and international wars.
Numerous paths, each brutally difficult - every step eliminates half the aspirants.
A promotion path paved with corpses.
Black Rabbit was no exception.
That childhood glimpse of supernatural power left him with unbearable resentment - he refused to live like others under superhuman rule.
This drove him to become a gang leader, abandon land possessions, and join the Blackfin Crew.
To him, Chen Qi's first-tier power meant either aristocratic lineage or hunter organization training.
Chen Qi shook his head.
Contrary to Black Rabbit's assumptions, he belonged to no great family or organization.
Still, the dying man had used honorifics... Chen Qi decided to answer:
"I'm no aristocrat nor organization trainee, just a young cook.
If forced to say... I'm an inheritor of the Deep Sea Hunters."
Deep Sea Hunters' inheritor? Black Rabbit observed his familiarity with the Coastal Apex Predator.
Did this being truly relate to the Deep Sea Hunters from childhood tales?
He shook his head, quietly awaiting death in the storm.
Boom!
Chen Qi spun aside, dodging gunfire.
His Hunter's Eye detected movement beyond just dynamic vision.
Behind him, Black Rabbit Gang members aimed a gatling gun!
Beside them, another produced a radio-like device.
"Wireless equipment? Communication device?"
Chen Qi speculated.
The gang member clutching the radio stared terrified at Chen Qi while activating the device.
"You damned monster! Stop now unless you want the navy's wrath!"