Chapter 298: The Return
Inside the residence of the Jackal Chief, the massive Jackal Beastman sat upon his crude stone throne while staring at the kneeling warrior before him with a grim and murderous expression.
The two conversed in their guttural native tongue while tension thickened inside the chamber like suffocating smoke.
Their voices rose and fell violently, echoing against the cracked walls like the growls of starving beasts preparing for war.
Suddenly, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the room.
The reporting Jackal Beastman instantly halted his speech. His bloody eyes widened with fear while his body stiffened uncontrollably.
The thick armrest of the throne had shattered into fragments beneath the crushing grip of the Jackal Chief.
Stone debris scattered across the floor while veins bulged violently beneath the thick fur covering his muscular arms.
For a brief moment, silence swallowed the chamber whole.
The atmosphere became unbearably heavy.
Breathing itself became difficult.
The reporting Jackal Beastman trembled violently beneath the terrifying pressure radiating from the throne. Even his instincts screamed at him to flee immediately.
Bang!
Without warning, the wooden door exploded inward violently. Splinters flew through the air while heavy footsteps echoed across the chamber floor.
A human figure strode inside fearlessly.
"I heard you finally have information about our target," the Slave Trade Guild Captain said impatiently while staring directly at the throne.
The moment those words entered the room, the atmosphere became even colder.
The Jackal Chief slowly lifted his massive head. His bloodshot eyes burned with violent fury while murderous intent flooded the chamber like a raging tide.
"Human," he growled heavily. "How dare you barge into my chamber without my permission?"
His deep voice thundered throughout the residence like a beast roaring inside a cavern.
A terrifying aura erupted from his body instantly.
The pressure slammed against everything nearby like an invisible hammer. Dust rose from the floor while cracks spread along the walls.
The flames inside the chamber lanterns flickered wildly beneath the overwhelming force.
The Jackal Chief slowly rose from his throne.
His towering figure radiated monstrous oppression.
For hours, frustration had been accumulating inside his heart. His carefully arranged plans had failed repeatedly because of a single human necromancer.
His men had vanished.
His authority had been challenged.
Even the atmosphere inside the town had begun collapsing because of the growing tension.
Now, the Guild Captain had barged into his residence like an arrogant fool.
Crack! Crack!
The Jackal Chief clenched his fists tightly. Bones cracked loudly beneath the pressure while his claws scraped against each other. His chest rose and fell heavily like a volcano preparing to erupt.
The reporting Jackal Beastman nearly collapsed from fear while witnessing his chief in such a terrifying state.
Although the Jackal Beastmen despised humans deeply, there still existed individuals they feared more than death itself.
Their chief stood above all of them.
Every single Jackal Beastman feared him from the depths of their souls. That fear was primal and instinctive. It could not be resisted.
Just like wolves feared their alpha, they feared the monstrous ruler standing before them.
The pressure radiating from him alone could force weaker Beastmen to kneel unwillingly.
Now, that terrifying aura was flooding the entire chamber without restraint.
The reporting Jackal Beastman gasped painfully for air while blood vessels bulged around his eyes. His breathing became increasingly erratic while his knees trembled violently.
He wanted to beg for mercy but fear sealed his throat shut.
The Jackal Chief completely ignored him.
His murderous gaze remained locked upon the human standing before him.
Meanwhile, the Slave Trade Guild Captain narrowed his eyes carefully while studying the furious Beastman. He immediately realized the situation had become far more dangerous than expected.
Even so, he refused to retreat.
The two of them were both Level 30 existences.
He did not fear the Jackal Chief.
Not for once.
However, the orders from the Inner Region continued echoing inside his mind like a death sentence.
Failure meant death.
The guild would never forgive incompetence.
Taking a deep breath, the captain slowly raised both hands.
"I am not here to fight you," he said firmly while suppressing his irritation. "Both our lives are already hanging by a thread."
The Jackal Chief remained silent while staring coldly at him.
"If we fail to locate the target immediately, both you and I will die," the captain continued grimly. "You understand exactly what I mean."
The atmosphere remained tense.
Neither side lowered their guard.
The Guild Captain continued speaking carefully.
"This is not the time to display dominance before your subordinates," he said slowly. "The Inner Region has already sent people to investigate the mission personally."
The moment those words entered the room, the expression of the Jackal Chief shifted slightly.
His movements paused immediately.
A dangerous glint flickered inside his blood red eyes.
The Guild Captain noticed the reaction instantly and continued pressing forward.
"You know exactly what happens when the Inner Region becomes dissatisfied," he said heavily. "None of us will survive their punishment."
Silence followed immediately afterward.
The Jackal Chief stared at the captain for several long seconds without speaking. His piercing gaze resembled sharp blades pressing against exposed flesh.
Finally, the Guild Captain spoke again.
"So tell me," he said grimly. "What happened to the men you sent?"
"If you require assistance, then we cooperate immediately."
The tension inside the room gradually weakened slightly.
The Jackal Chief released a heavy grunt before slowly returning to his throne. His massive body slammed heavily against the seat.
Thud!
A deep sigh escaped from his throat while exhaustion flashed briefly across his face.
"The squad I sent after him," he muttered darkly, "have all been slaughtered."
Each word carried terrifying weight.
The reporting Beastman lowered his head immediately while cold sweat drenched his body.
The Guild Captain widened his eyes slightly.
"What?"
His expression finally changed completely.
He had rushed toward the residence expecting useful information regarding the necromancer. Instead, he was hearing about the complete annihilation of elite Jackal Beastman guards.
The captain understood exactly how dangerous those guards were.
Against ordinary awakeners, they were absolute nightmares. Most humans would be torn apart before they could even react properly.
Yet those same warriors had been butchered.
The Guild Captain inhaled deeply while suppressing the growing unease inside his chest.
"How did they die?" he asked immediately. "Where did it happen?"
"Perhaps we can still analyze the situation and create a proper plan."
The Jackal Chief slowly lifted his head again. Rage and confusion mixed together inside his eyes.
"My me reported only one thing before returning," he growled heavily. "They never saw the creature attacking them."
The Guild Captain frowned deeply.
"What do you mean?"
The Jackal Chief leaned slightly forward while speaking slowly.
"They heard only a sharp whistling sound," he said grimly. "Then they saw a bloody red flash before heads began falling from their shoulders."
The reporting Jackal Beastman trembled while remembering the horrifying slaughter.
"Those creatures moved too quickly," he whispered fearfully. "We could not even follow them with our eyes."
The Guild Captain felt chills spreading down his spine.
A bloody red flash.
Invisible assassins.
Instant death.
The more he listened, the more unsettled he became.
The Jackal Chief narrowed his eyes dangerously.
’I have personally explored those ruins before,’ he thought slowly. ’No such creatures existed there previously.’
Confusion clouded his expression briefly.
Could that necromancer somehow control such monsters?
Impossible.
Necromancers were troublesome, but not terrifying enough to annihilate his elite guards effortlessly.
Yet the evidence stood before him clearly.
The Guild Captain swallowed heavily before asking another question.
"Did any of your guards survive long enough to identify the attacker?"
The Jackal Chief slowly shook his head.
"No," he answered coldly. "Most died instantly."
The chamber fell silent once more.
The atmosphere became increasingly oppressive.
Both leaders finally understood the same terrifying truth.
Their target was far more dangerous than expected.
Unknown to either of them, outside the massive gates of Jackal Town, a silver haired young man slowly approached beneath the crimson desert sky.