Chapter 77: Rising Tide
Immediately, Klaus realized his mistake. Naturally, if someone suddenly found a towering Hollow appearing out of nowhere — especially at such close range — they would panic.
The Blackmane Stalker was an Awakened Ghoul, far superior in strength to the Chitinous Scavenger, which was merely a Shrouded Fiend. Not only did it possess immense muscle mass, granting it incredible strength and speed, but it was also unnervingly stealthy. Logically, a creature of its size shouldn’t be able to move undetected. Then again, Hollows were beings that couldn’t be explained with logic or reason. Simply put, the beast could stalk right behind you, and unless you turned your head at the right moment, you’d never know it was there. By the time they usually did, when the creature had already settled into its killing comfort, it would be far too late for resistance.
Thinking back, it was suspicious how Briar had managed to defeat the monstrosity in a one-on-one battle before taming it with her demon blood. He didn’t know the exact method she used, but she must have barely survived, with her victory being nothing short of a miracle.
’Shit! Not good!’
Realizing the two Striders were seconds away from launching an attack, Klaus sprang forward, positioning himself between them and the creature.
"You guys, calm down! Everything’s fine! That thing has already been tamed by Morgan, so there’s no need for violence. Lower your weapons!"
Still unconvinced, Adrian demanded anxiously,
"Are you seriously saying that thing is tamed?"
Klaus nodded.
"Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Look."
To prove his point, he stepped closer and placed a hand on the Stalker. The massive creature remained motionless, utterly unfazed by his touch, as if it hadn’t even noticed him at all.