Facing an Ancient God for a Year - Chapter 1303: 1301: The Pawn's Collision

Chapter 1303: Chapter 1301: The Pawn’s Collision

The overly ornate design is impractical as a sword, even more so as a throwing knife.

Coupled with Fu Qian’s completely unskilled throwing motion, this sudden strike was not only sluggish but also leisurely spun in midair.

Clang!

Yet in the next moment, a crisp clashing sound rang out a second time.

The spinning sword that had disappeared into the dense fog returned at an even faster speed, as if it had collided with some swiftly moving target.

Without saying another word, Fu Qian’s movements synchronized perfectly with the rapier’s trajectory, crossing several steps in an instant to rush toward where it landed.

“Something’s there!”

Only then did Reginald shout in alarm, his body glowing faintly with light.

But someone acted faster.

Simon, with his broad sword in hand, already unleashed a burst of metallic fire, stepping forward without hesitation.

This is the difference between field operatives and administrative staff!

Fu Qian couldn’t help but sigh internally as he observed.

Compared to the hunter they encountered earlier, Brother Simon’s methods were evidently different.

The most noticeable distinction lay in the weapon he wielded: the Lead Flame covering his blade wasn’t merely a molten mass.

Apart from the faint brilliance along the edges of the blade, the Lead Flame intricately climbed and twisted along the dark sword, forming intricate, eerie patterns.

It was reminiscent of the phenomenon that occurred on members of The Sect when invoking their decrees.

Just moments ago, Fu Qian had thought Simon’s weapon was more practical than ornamental, but now, even its visual splendor far exceeded expectations.

One could easily imagine that if this blade struck, the act would require a level of skill far superior to ordinary techniques.

Clash!

Reality proved that imagination still required testing to confirm.

With an even louder crash, Simon’s stepping horizontal slash traced the exact fate of the throwing knife—it was sent rebounding back the way it came.

The target Simon had swung toward was the empty roadway above. The scene made it seem as though the speeding target had already rushed right before the trio.

Yet, there was no sign of anything.

No charging monsters could be seen, not even disturbances in the swirling fog appeared to betray anything unusual.

The overly fierce impact seemed to have occurred in some incomprehensible manner.

But one thing was certain: the effects were immediately apparent.

After Simon’s futile attempt to block, he—clearly unconcerned with appearances—rolled on the ground with practiced combat reflexes honed by experience.

Although slightly scruffy, his roll showed he had clearly avoided any potential sharp edge.

However, not everyone possessed such instincts. In the next moment, the burst of metallic fire exploded violently as Reginald’s newly formed Lead Flame Serpent disintegrated on impact.

Along with it, a barrier encasing his body shattered.

The protection released with all her might by Amila showed no visible signs of resistance. It crumbled instantly like an eggshell.

Thḭṡ ƈh𝕒p𝕥ɛr 𝚤𝑠 p◎𝘴𝑡ҽɗ bʏ Ḱɪƚ𝓮ṅℴ𝐯𝓮ḷ

The next moment, the cries of pain from the two administrative staff merged into a single sound as they were both thrown through the air.

The overwhelming speed and force delivered a stark sense of helplessness, as if they’d been struck by a speeding truck.

The relatively frail Amila almost mirrored the rapier’s path, tumbling all the way to Fu Qian’s feet. At a glance, blood welled around her nose and mouth.

“It seems like a pure brute force collision.”

Fu Qian briefly remarked, turning to look backward as if something was barreling through unimpeded.

“Very well, have you noticed anything else?”

By now, Hunter Simon had already risen. He appeared entirely indifferent to the well-being of his colleagues, striding forward with his broad sword still glowing with embers.

“There’s more. It’s possible that this sword was originally jammed into the ground like that.”

After a moment of thought, Fu Qian pointed ahead.

The rapier that had been sent flying now stood embedded in the ground at an oblique angle, eerily resembling its original discovery. Fu Qian didn’t rush to pull it free.

“…What is that thing?”

Amila, now struggling to sit up and still terrified, voiced her question. Though her injuries were internal, being an elite of The Sect meant she couldn’t be so easily felled.

“Based on how you two were flung, it’s like some sizeable vehicle crashed into you—of course, moving at high speed,” Fu Qian observed, taking in Reginald as he too tried to stand.

“That’s exactly what concerns me. How did you know it was coming?”

Lord Reginald, evidently hit harder, spoke with a muffled tone.

His question drew sharp looks from the others.

“Not only protected by the fog, it’s completely invisible. How could you sense it approaching?”

“Indeed, the fog is chaotic, and its existence is highly peculiar,” Fu Qian acknowledged, extending a hand to brush the dense mist as if choosing to answer directly.

“But the truth is, I’ve already told you the answer, haven’t I?”

“Under the guidance of moonlight, I will never lose my way.”

Looking skyward, Fu Qian’s expression turned devout, almost entranced.

“I just knew it was there. I knew it was getting closer.”

These were, in fact, his earlier words. However…

Fu Qian’s answer left the three others temporarily speechless.

“You wish for me to sense it, but not like this?”

Undeterred by their silence, Fu Qian pressed on.

“I could feel it—when I threw the weapon earlier, there was a certain excitement from you all, as though the moment you’d been waiting for had arrived.”

“Yet now, after hearing my explanation, that excitement seems to have vanished.”

“To me, it’s clear: this journey isn’t just about the destination. The path itself holds significance in your plans.”

As he spoke, Fu Qian finally drew the rapier from the ground once more, inspecting it carefully.

The craftsmanship was indeed remarkable, with no signs of breaking even now.

“Frankly, you’ve piqued my curiosity. What exactly were you expecting to hear? You don’t seem entirely clueless about what we just encountered, do you?”

As Fu Qian’s methodical reasoning unfolded, the glances of both Amila and Reginald flickered repeatedly. By the end, their gazes had independently locked onto Hunter Simon.

“They’re called Abandoned Entities.”

After a brief pause, Simon spoke in his perpetually emotionless tone.

“Elusive, bizarre, they are evidently tied to the fog in extraordinary ways. What I need to ascertain is your connection to them.”

“Got it. You suspect I’m one of them, so you threw me into the fog to test my response?”

Fu Qian nodded, instantly understanding the implication.

“Exactly. Your abnormal behavior supports our doubts, and your explanations lack evidence,” Simon stated coldly, leaving no pretense of goodwill.

“Do you have any way to prove yourself, to reduce the justification for being eliminated?”

“Ah, the beauty of honest communication,” Fu Qian replied with a laugh, seemingly unfazed by the grim suggestion.

“Proof can be provided right now. For instance, have you considered this—since you call it a vehicle, wouldn’t it naturally traverse the road back and forth?”