Chapter 29 - The Seven Holy Hunters
The Dragon's Heart Cavern trembled.
Dust rained from the ceiling as seven figures entered through the ancient gateway.
Each wore gleaming white-and-gold armour engraved with the six-winged emblem of the Divine Temple.
Their faces were hidden behind golden masks.
Yet each radiated an overwhelming aura.
The Book of Infinite Beasts opened instantly.
Golden pages turned one after another.
---
Enemy Analysis
Holy Hunter I – Seraph
- Contract Beast: Solar Griffin
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter II – Vesper
- Contract Beast: Abyss Serpent
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter III – Magnus
- Contract Beast: Titan Bear
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter IV – Selene
- Contract Beast: Moon Phoenix
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter V – Kael
- Contract Beast: Thunder Roc
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter VI – Orion
- Contract Beast: Crystal Hydra
- Rank: Mythic
Holy Hunter VII – Azrael
- Contract Beast: Heavenly Chimera
- Rank: Divine (Incomplete)
Recommendation: Avoid direct combat.
---
Kai took a slow breath.
"Seven Mythic Beast Tamers..."
The Crimson Flame Fox lowered its body.
"This is worse than the Bone Dragon."
---
The hunter wearing the dragon-shaped golden mask stepped forward.
His voice echoed through the cavern.
"Kai Dragonbane."
"You have exceeded every prediction."
"But your journey ends here."
Kai raised his spear.
"You seem very certain."
The masked hunter smiled beneath his helmet.
"I have hunted Beast Sovereigns before."
Those words sent a chill through the cavern.
---
Inside the crystal, the Eclipse Dragon slowly opened its eyes.
"Liar."
The single word echoed like thunder.
The hunter's smile disappeared.
The dragon continued.
"You hunted children."
"Never Sovereigns."
Silence filled the chamber.
Even the other Holy Hunters looked away.
---
Kai frowned.
"Children?"
The Eclipse Dragon's voice softened.
"Every Beast Sovereign reborn was discovered before reaching adulthood."
"The Temple feared what they might become."
"So they erased them from history."
Kai's grip tightened around his spear.
"So I'm not the first..."
"No."
"You are the ninth."
"The previous eight never reached my prison."
---
Azrael raised his hand.
"Enough."
"Holy Hunters."
"Execute the Sovereign."
Six powerful beasts emerged from golden summoning circles.
The Heavenly Chimera appeared last.
It possessed the head of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the tail of a serpent.
The cavern shook under its presence.
---
Kai activated Beast Resonance.
The Crimson Flame Fox burst into crimson flames.
"We can't defeat them."
"Then we don't."
The fox smiled.
"We only need time."
Kai understood immediately.
"To break the seal."
---
The Book glowed.
Emergency Mission
Objective: Release the Eclipse Dragon.
Time Remaining: 10 Minutes
Failure Condition:
Capture or Death
---
Kai rushed toward the crystal.
At once, Magnus's Titan Bear blocked his path.
A paw the size of a wagon crashed down.
BOOM!
Kai used Spirit Step, narrowly escaping.
The shockwave split the stone floor.
Before the bear could strike again, the Crimson Flame Fox unleashed a spinning arc of crimson fire.
The flames didn't harm the Titan Bear...
But they blinded it for a heartbeat.
That single heartbeat was enough.
Kai reached the crystal.
Ancient crimson chains wrapped tightly around its surface.
Each chain was covered in glowing runes.
The Book revealed their origin.
Seal of the First Betrayal
Created by the founders of the Divine Temple.
Only a Beast Sovereign may break it.
---
Kai placed his hand against the crystal.
Nothing happened.
The Eclipse Dragon looked at him calmly.
"Not with strength."
"With trust."
Kai closed his eyes.
He remembered the Mirror Guardian.
The Bone Dragon.
Aurelius.
The Crimson Flame Fox.
Every beast that had chosen to believe in him.
Golden light flowed from the Book of Infinite Beasts into his palm.
One crimson chain shattered.
CRACK!
The entire cavern shook.
Azrael's eyes widened.
"He broke the first seal!"
"Stop him!"
The Seven Holy Hunters charged together.
The Crimson Flame Fox stood alone before them.
Its flames burned brighter than ever before.
It smiled at Kai.
"I'll buy you every second I can."
Kai nodded, his voice steady.
"And I won't waste a single one."
Behind him, another chain on the Eclipse Dragon's prison began to glow.
The true battle for the future of the Beast Sovereigns had begun.