chapter 22

Kade's smile widened as his elite team from the SCA Guild landed and assembled before him. Each member stood in the newly designed black and white uniform, the SCA logo proudly displayed on their backs. Their arrival added an undeniable force to the already formidable group of S-Rank hunters.

"Awaiting your orders, sir!" they chorused, bowing in unison.

Kade's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and cunning. He glanced at Jinwoo, noting the suspicion still lingering in his eyes, and then turned his attention back to his guild members.

"Listen up," Kade began, his voice commanding and filled with a sinister undertone. "Our mission is to eliminate every ant on this island. Leave no stone unturned, and leave nothing alive. The queen must fall, but everything else must be eradicated as well. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" his guild members responded, their voices resonating with determination.

Kade's elite team moved out swiftly, spreading across the island with lethal precision. They engaged the swarming ants, their movements a deadly ballet of violence and efficiency. Meanwhile, the other S-Rank hunters followed suit, coordinating their efforts to maximize the destruction of the ant horde.

As Kade's guild members launched into action, the other S-Rank hunters couldn't help but watch in astonishment. Cha Hae-In paused mid-swing, her eyes widening as she witnessed the sheer power and coordination of Kade's team. Baek Yoon-Ho, in his transformed beast-like state, growled in surprise, while Choi Jong-In's flames flickered with intensity as he took in the scene.

"Are they really this strong?" Cha Hae-In muttered, her voice filled with disbelief.

Baek Yoon-Ho nodded, his eyes following the movements of one of Kade's elite members who was dispatching ants with ease. "It's like they're...not human, what did Kade do to them?"

Jinwoo observed silently, his suspicion deepening as he watched Kade's guild members annihilate the ants with brutal efficiency. Their strength and coordination were beyond what he had anticipated, and one that concerned him is that…their coordination and demeanour is eerily similar to his shadow soldiers.

Kade watched for a moment, satisfaction etched on his face as his orders were executed flawlessly. He then turned his attention to the cave, where he could sense the powerful aura emanating from deep within. This was what truly excited him—the prospect of consuming something far beyond an ordinary S-Rank.

"Jinwoo," Kade called, his voice carrying a mix of challenge and anticipation. "I'll handle the strongest one inside the cave. Cover the entrance and make sure none of the lesser ants escape."

Jinwoo stayed silent with his unreadable expression. Kade just smiled at him, knowing full well Jinwoo is being cautious 

With that, Kade entered the cave, the darkness swallowing him as he descended deeper into the hive. 

Kade's anticipation grew as he descended deeper into the dark, winding passages of the cave. The aura of power emanating from within intensified, pulling him closer to the heart of the hive. He could sense a formidable presence ahead, and the thought of consuming such power filled him with excitement.

As he reached the central chamber, the sight before him was both eerie and amusing. The massive carcass of the queen ant lay sprawled across the ground, its once-mighty form now lifeless.

Standing over it was a colossal ant, even more terrifying than the queen itself. Its exoskeleton shimmered with a deadly black and red hue, and its eyes glowed with a malevolent intelligence. The beast had consumed the queen, absorbing its strength and making it the new apex predator of the hive.

Kade's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "You've taken the queen's power. Now, I'll take yours," he murmured.

The monstrous ant turned its gaze toward Kade, its mandibles clicking menacingly. Without warning, it charged, its massive form moving with surprising speed. Kade didn't flinch. He stood his ground, muscles coiling with latent power, ready to engage.

As the ant's mandibles snapped toward him, Kade dodged to the side with lightning speed. He delivered a powerful punch to the creature's head, his fist connecting with a sickening crunch. The ant reeled back, its eyes flashing with rage and confusion.

Kade moved in quickly, exploiting the opening. He ducked under a wild swipe from the ant's clawed limb and drove his knee into its thorax, the impact sending a shockwave through the creature's body. The ant screeched, its massive form shuddering from the blow.

"Is this all you've got?" Kade taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.

The ant responded with a furious flurry of attacks, its limbs a blur of deadly motion. Kade weaved through them effortlessly as if his reflexes were honed to perfection.

He countered with a series of rapid strikes, each one precise and devastating. His fists and feet were like a gun, striking the ant's joints and weak points with unerring accuracy.

With a final, powerful uppercut, Kade shattered a segment of the ant's exoskeleton, exposing its vulnerable core.

The creature staggered, its strength waning under Kade's relentless assault. Dark tendrils erupted from Kade's body, snaking toward the ant and wrapping around it tightly.

The ant let out a final, agonized screech as the tendrils pierced its exoskeleton and began to consume its body from the inside. The creature's body convulsed, its energy being drained by Kade's insatiable hunger. The black tendrils glowed with a sinister light as they absorbed the ant's body.

The sensation was intoxicating, a surge of strength and vitality that coursed through his veins. Kade closed his eyes, savoring the moment, feeling his power grow exponentially. When he opened his eyes again, they glowed with a new intensity, a reflection of the power he had just acquired.

From the shadows of the cave entrance, Jinwoo watched silently. He had followed Kade, curious and wary of the other hunter's intentions. What he saw confirmed his suspicions, Kade was not what he appears to be.

What Jinwoo missed was the fact that, Kade was watching him the whole time even while fighting, his focus was barely on the ant .