Jhaeros ran.
Not in fear—but in strategy.
The four nobles pursued him relentlessly, their movements practiced, efficient. They weren't just some amateurs hoping to prove themselves. No, these were trained combatants, raised on discipline and tactics.
And that made things tricky.
Velka ran beside him, her paws barely making a sound on the forest floor. The dire-wolf's ears flicked back, sensing the enemies' movement before Jhaeros even had to look.
They were flanking him.
"Tch."
Jhaeros swerved to the side, dodging a burst of lightning that crackled through the air where he had just been.
A laugh followed.
"You're quick, Ilvaar. Let's see how long that lasts."
The Noble Hunters
Jhaeros recognized their crests.
House Darroth. House Velnis. House Eshgard.
Three powerful noble houses—each one with a rivalry against Ilvaars.
The fourth, he didn't recognize, but judging by their movements, they were equally dangerous.
They weren't just targeting him for sport.
This was personal.
Another attack.
This time, a gust of wind magic exploded from behind him, sending leaves and dirt into the air.
Jhaeros rolled forward, using the momentum to leap into a tree. His claws extended slightly, gripping the bark as he vaulted higher.
Velka was already ahead, weaving through the underbrush.
The moment he landed, an arrow whizzed past his ear.
Damn.
They were coordinated.
But so was he.
Jhaeros twisted mid-air, using his tail to redirect his momentum, landing behind one of his pursuers.
Before the man could react, Jhaeros' dagger flashed.
A clean, precise slash— not deep enough to kill, but more than enough to send the noble stumbling.
The man gasped, clutching his arm.
"One down," Jhaeros murmured.
Three to go.
But they had planned for this.
A barrier flared to life around him, encasing him in a dome of swirling energy.
A trap.
The nobles grinned, stepping forward.
"You really thought you could escape?" One of them sneered.
Jhaeros exhaled slowly.
Velka was outside the barrier, growling. Her instincts told her to lunge, to rip them apart—but she knew better.
Jhaeros met her eyes.
Wait.
She understood.
The nobles didn't.
One of them, the one holding the barrier spell, stepped forward.
"Your kind always think you can outwit us," he taunted.
Jhaeros tilted his head. "Can you hold that spell for much longer?"
The noble scoffed. "You're not getting out of there, Ilvaar."
Jhaeros smirked. "I wasn't talking about me."
The noble frowned.
Then, he heard it.
A low, rumbling growl.
The ground shook.
Something big was coming.
And Jhaeros knew exactly what it was.
Because he had led them straight into its den.
The Real Hunter Arrives
The trees split apart as a massive shadow emerged.
A Steelhide Basilisk.
Easily four meters tall, its armored body glistened under the fading sunlight, its massive fangs dripping venom.
Jhaeros grinned.
Perfect timing.
The nobles froze.
"What—"
The Basilisk roared.
And in that instant, Jhaeros moved.
He lunged at the noble holding the barrier, dagger flashing—forcing the man to drop the spell as he instinctively tried to defend himself.
Jhaeros didn't even finish the strike.
He didn't need to.
The moment the barrier collapsed, Velka pounced.
Teeth sank into the nearest noble's leg, dragging him to the ground with a scream.
The others had bigger problems.
The Basilisk charged.
Jhaeros wasted no time.
He vanished into the trees, Velka sprinting beside him.
Behind them, the nobles' shouts turned to panicked screams as the Basilisk crashed into them.
Jhaeros didn't look back.
This was their problem now.
Minutes later, he was far from the battle zone, perched on a high tree branch.
Velka sat beside him, licking some stray blood from her paw.
Jhaeros exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"That was annoying."
Velka huffed in agreement.
He reached into his pack, pulling out the Ravine Deer horn he had collected earlier.
He studied it for a moment, his ears twitching as he listened for any signs of pursuit.
Nothing.
Finally, he allowed himself a small chuckle.
"Idiots."
The nobles had hunted him.
But in the end—they were the ones who got caught.
And with that, Jhaeros leaned back against the tree, watching the battlefield from above.
The second round wasn't over yet.
And he wasn't done playing the game.