Rhode indifferently reached out to Huang Dongshi's corpse.
"Stand up."
"Roar—!!!"
A mournful roar echoed in the cave.
A dark humanoid shadow slowly crawled out from beneath Huang Dongshi's corpse, finally kneeling before Rhode.
Noin and Leyana both widened their beautiful eyes; they immediately guessed that this was Rhode's new ability!
And Liu Chenhao and his girlfriend were so scared they almost cried out, cold sweat streaming down their faces, quickly clamping their hands over their mouths!
W-what kind of ability is this?! Can even the dead... be controlled?!
Rhode didn't even bother to name this new Shadow Soldier.
"Go, kill your former companions."
The Shadow Soldier let out a roar, and amidst the incredulous, terrified, and even slightly hopeful cries of its former companions, it personally tore out their hearts, one by one.
Finally, it knelt before Rhode again, offering up those still warm, beating hearts with both hands.
Rhode, in disgust, kicked the hearts away, letting them roll on the ground.
The Shadow Soldier trembled in fear, constantly prostrating itself.
It knew that in its former life, it had angered its master. It could only pray for his forgiveness from the bottom of its heart.
After being transformed into a Shadow Soldier, if their essence was not extracted and recombined, they would retain all memories from their former life, but their will would only consist of absolute loyalty to Rhode.
After casually extracting the shadows of those guys, Rhode turned to Noin and Leyana, a gentle smile on his face.
"You two remember to come home early. If anything happens, just call Gao Jianli and Che Huiyi. I'm going out for a bit."
The two women looked at each other, then both gave Rhode a gentle, watery smile.
"Be careful."
"Come back early, we'll wait for you to eat together~"
Rhode nodded, his figure "483" twisted, and along with the new Shadow Soldier, he vanished from the spot.
Enwei emerged from the shadows, respectfully watched Rhode leave, then silently re-infiltrated the two women's shadows.
After Rhode left, Liu Chenhao and his girlfriend finally let out a long breath.
Their legs gave out, and they collapsed onto the ground, leaning against each other, their clothes already soaked with sweat.
"T-two big sisters... just who is that big brother...?"
Leyana turned her head, a hint of pride on her face.
"His name is Rhode. He's our boyfriend, you know~"
Unexpectedly, Liu Chenhao didn't show surprise or envy; instead, he had a look of course, muttering.
"Big Brother Rhode... being so strong, it's only natural..."
Then, he asked curiously:
"What did Big Brother Rhode go to do? Isn't he coming with us?"
Noin narrowed her eyes, revealing a somewhat dangerous smile.
"He, you see, he dislikes hidden threats the most. Before that guy died, didn't he say he had a brother?~"
Liu Chenhao's eyes suddenly widened!
"Are you saying... Big Brother Rhode went to M Country to kill Huang Dongshu?!"
Just because of a threat blurting out, he would travel thousands of miles on the spot to eliminate the other party?!
Noin deliberately put on a threatening look. Having witnessed too much evil, her first time playing a villain was quite convincing.
"Yes, Rhode is a very meticulous person; he wouldn't wait until the other party actually acted before retaliating."
"And you, who have seen his abilities, if you leak the secret..."
Liu Chenhao was instantly terrified, swearing repeatedly:
"We absolutely won't! We absolutely won't reveal anything that happened today!"
Leyana looked at the sincere expression in his eyes and recalled his previous stance, then nodded.
"Remember what you said. Otherwise, no matter where you are, we will always find you."
The two women weren't interested in the magic crystals on the ground; they only picked a few pretty ones as souvenirs, leaving the rest for Liu Chenhao to carry.
After the group exited the portal, facing the shocked expressions of the Association staff when they saw the reduced number of people, Noin immediately contacted Gao Jianli's secretary and Che Huiyi to explain the situation.
Liu Chenhao also called his relatives to pick him up.
After doing all this, Noin noticed Liu Chenhao's expression was a bit subtle.
"Don't overthink it. As long as you don't talk, we won't do anything to you."
Liu Chenhao shook his head.
"I believe Brother Rhode and you all are not bad people."
Noin's mouth twitched slightly.
(He always thinks about killing entire families... Is that still not a bad person...)
After an unknown wait, two cars stopped in front of them almost simultaneously.
Two tall, beautiful women simultaneously exited the cars, instantly drawing the attention of everyone present.
Che Huiyi, tall and elegant, brushed away a strand of wind-blown golden hair from her ear.
The other woman who got out of the car was dressed in fashionable and expensive attire, striding with long, straight legs, exuding a powerful aura.
The two exchanged glances, both a little surprised.
"Oh? Hunter Che Huiyi?"
"You are... Hunter Liu Suxian?"
The woman called Liu Suxian showed a somewhat troubled expression, but then immediately smiled brightly.
"I'm not a Hunter anymore. I plan to pursue a career as an artist, but my dad at home has always forbidden it. Right now, I'm pretty much unemployed."
Che Huiyi knew a bit about her.
Debuting as an A-Rank Hunter, her family elders were directors of a famous pharmaceutical company. She was a well-educated, well-behaved chaebol's daughter with no bad habits.
Che Huiyi's heart suddenly stirred.
Excellent qualifications, outstanding looks, and special talents...
Isn't this Liu Suxian a perfect match for Rhode's standards?!
"I'm helping someone set up a company, but we lack reliable management talent. Would you... consider it?"
Liu Suxian's beautiful eyes widened.
"Eh?"
-
Washington D.C., late night.
Atop a skyscraper that overlooked the entire sleepless city.
Rhode's figure appeared out of thin air, as if merging with the night.
With his hands in his pockets, he gazed indifferently at the bustling scene below.
Behind him, six pitch-black Shadow Soldiers knelt silently on one knee.
Rhode did not turn around, his cold voice devoid of emotion.
"You are not qualified to be my soldier. I will send both you and your brother on your way together."
Even when his ultimate fate was declared, the leading Shadow Soldier (Huang Dongshi) felt no anger, only the sorrow of being unable to serve his monarch.
Rhode spoke calmly.
"Now, find him."
The moment his words fell.
The leading shadow shared all the possible locations of his brother, Huang Dongshu, from his memory with his companions.
Whoosh—!
The six black figures instantly merged into the shadows on the ground, like ghosts, speeding off in six different directions across the city.
Rhode narrowed his eyes slightly.
The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan granted him ultimate vision beyond physical limits.
He could clearly see the license plates of every car on every road below the building, and even penetrate the glass of distant buildings to discern everything happening within them.
At the same time, countless sounds, through the hearing of the Shadow Soldiers, flooded into his mind like a tide.
"Hey, Smith! How have you been lately?"
"Customer, our store's policy for returns requested simply because you don't like it is, in principle..."
"Why didn't you come to the party yesterday? You bastard!"
Countless chattering, car horns, the clamor of televisions, the hissing of stray cats, the sound of water from bathrooms...
The city's cacophony seemed to converge here, attempting to drown his consciousness.
But Rhode's expression remained as calm as water from beginning to end.
Until, a shadow brought definite news.
"Found him."
Rhode's lips curved slightly.
[Scavenger Guild Headquarters]
Huang Dongshu, the S-Rank Hunter who was usually arrogant and unchallenged in the Guild.
Now, in front of that man, he appeared incredibly reserved, like a primary school student meeting a teacher for the first time.
Thomas Andre.
An M-country National Power-Rank Hunter, one of the men standing at the pinnacle of the world.
He possessed god-like power, an unfathomable and bizarre personality, and... an extremely strong, pathological possessiveness over "his things."
As long as he stood before this person, Huang Dongshu unconsciously reined in all his brutishness and temper.
"You wanted to see me?"
Inside the office, Thomas's burly, bear-like physique nearly filled the entire sofa.
He had wild golden long hair, a pair of blood-red eyes, and a chilling deterrence in his smile.
A thick golden goatee, strong arms covered in black tattoos, and... those feet, larger than sandbags, casually resting on the desk.
"Mr. Huang, I heard you're still in contact with your H-country brother?"
"...Yes."
He casually toyed with a Zippo lighter, a contemptuous smile on his face.
"Your brother, relying on your reputation, has 'coincidentally' caused the deaths of quite a few low-level Hunters in H-country. The families of those victims have already filed several complaints with H-country's Hunter Management Bureau."
Thomas's tone was flat, yet carried an undeniable pressure.
Huang Dongshu scoffed at the words.
"Those low-level consumables, if they die, they die. My brother, he..."
"Hmm?"
Thomas extended an index finger and gently shook it.
His lips under his sunglasses curved into a cruel line, and he said with a smile.
"I don't recall giving you the right to speak, Mr. Huang?"
You just listen.
This was a clear warning.
Huang Dongshu, well aware of the vast difference between himself and the man before him, immediately shut his mouth obediently.
Thomas spoke again, his voice full of warning.
"I don't care what mess your brother has stirred up. But, his words and actions absolutely cannot affect the development of my Guild... Do you understand?"
Huang Dongshu's face stiffened, he remained silent for a long time, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Can I request a month's leave to return to H-country to resolve these issues?"
Thomas's captivating blood-red eyes seemed to see through Huang Dongshu's inner thoughts.
"...Handle it cleanly."
Huang Dongshu's lips curled into a ferocious smile.
"I understand."
Ultimately, Thomas didn't care about the so-called victims. He only cared that his "kingdom" not be affected.
Huang Dongshu bowed his head respectfully, then turned to leave.
But the moment he pulled open the door, he found a smiling, unfamiliar Asian young man quietly blocking his path.
"Huang Dongshu?"
Huang Dongshu frowned slightly, his inner irritation and brutishness instantly ignited.
Too lazy to utter another word, he raised his leg and delivered a powerful, heavy roundhouse kick, viciously sweeping towards the other's knee!
"I'm really annoyed right now! Whoever you are, get lost!"
However, facing a kick strong enough to break steel rebar, Rhode suddenly smiled.
"Looks like I found the right person."
Crack—!!!
Rhode casually lifted his foot, intercepting Huang Dongshu's attack with an incredibly swift, preemptive movement, and then—stomped down hard!
"Ah ah ah ah ah—!!!"
The crisp sound of bone shattering, accompanied by a piercing scream, echoed throughout the entire floor!
Huang Dongshu's eyes instantly widened. His right leg bent upwards at a grotesque angle, the intense pain making his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Rhode in disbelief.
"Damn it! I'm going to kill you!!!"
Huang Dongshu was utterly enraged!
He let out a beast-like roar, stomping his other leg on the ground.
That iron fist, enveloped in brilliant light, streaked across the night sky like a meteor, tearing through the air with a whistle, aimed directly at Rhode's face, and slammed forward with all its might!
This was an S-Rank Hunter's full-power strike! The momentum was earth-shattering!
However—
Slap!!!
Rhode merely, casually, lightly swung his right hand.
After a dull, soft sound, like swatting a fly.
Huang Dongshu's unstoppable fist, along with his entire arm, was instantly twisted and deformed, dangling limply!
"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!"
Another cry of agony!
His brain, which had lost all reason due to rage, was finally forcibly pulled back to reality by fear in the face of an absolute power disparity.
This... who exactly is this guy?!
Why... why do I, an S-Rank Hunter, have no power to fight back against him?
It's like an infant facing a strong adult man! This is impossible!
"Die!!!"
Boom!!!
The office door was kicked open by a massive force!
Thomas Andre's enormous body, like a beast unleashed from its cage, charged out with towering rage!
His facial features were savagely contorted, and a suffocatingly ferocious aura emanated from his entire being!
He suddenly extended his massive hand, fingers spread like iron claws, and lunged directly for Rhode's head.
Extreme, brutal grip strength—this was one of his most powerful techniques.
No matter how top-tier the Hunter, crushing a skull was effortless for him!
In his opinion, the moment an opponent entered his attack range, victory was already decided!
You dare to touch my property?
No matter who it is, they are unforgivable!
However, his hand had not yet reached within a meter of Rhode—
The magical energy concentration in the air suddenly surged exponentially!
Thomas's pupils contracted sharply, and a deadly sense of crisis, originating from the depths of his soul, instantly transformed all his offensive thoughts into defense!
He roared, crossing his arms and holding them tightly in front of him!
The next second.
Boom—!!!
A destructive black pillar of pure magical energy erupted!
The extreme explosion blew the entire top floor of the Scavenger Guild, including the ceiling and floor, completely into the sky!
The pure magical energy blast sent Thomas's massive body flying like a cannonball!
Rhode, however, remained still, not moving an inch.
His expression was calm, his long, slender left index finger still lazily raised, pointing precisely at the spot where Thomas had been blasted away.
Wisps of black smoke slowly dissipated from his fingertip.
He lightly uttered two words.
"Noisy."
Bang bang bang bang—
The surviving Hunters struggled with all their might to crawl out of the collapsed ruins.
Just then, they saw a huge black shadow smash through several walls.
Like a foreign object launched at high speed, it slammed to the ground, rolled several times, and finally stopped in front of them.
Only then did they realize what it was.
Everyone was astonished, their eyes nearly popping out!
"Thomas—!!!"
"L-leader! Are you alright?!"
They were so terrified, they couldn't believe what they were seeing!.