Hunters

Between the Endless Wasteland and the Scorched Wasteland lay a dense forest. To reach the Scorched Wasteland, one had to traverse this forest. Alex was well accustomed to this route, and he marched through the woods with his plant army in tow. Above, his three Wood Drakes soared through the sky, serving as scouts. Through their mental link, Alex could quickly receive updates from the Wood Drakes, allowing him to respond swiftly to any anomalies without panic.

The Wood Drakes had made exploration and reconnaissance significantly easier for Alex, and their efficiency was unmatched. As he moved through the forest, stopping occasionally, he easily detected the hidden monsters lurking nearby and dealt with them effortlessly. In just an hour, he had successfully crossed the forest and emerged onto a barren, scorched plain.

Meanwhile, behind a rocky hill in the distance, three figures lay in wait, their eyes locked on Alex.

"Boss! Someone's coming!" one of them whispered.

The trio had been lying in ambush since early morning, targeting lords who passed by to plunder their resources. In just a few hours, they had already claimed numerous lives, earning themselves a reputation as ruthless predators. The leader, a burly man with a scarred face, was a fifth-tier lord with ten massive fifth-tier Twin-Headed Panthers at his command. His two underlings each commanded five fifth-tier Lady Spiders and five Skeleton Rangers, totaling twenty fifth-tier units. Such strength was rare among lords, and they lay hidden behind the boulders, waiting for Alex to draw closer.

What they didn't notice, however, were the three shadows circling high above, already having locked onto their position.

"Lord Hunters, huh?" Alex murmured to himself, a faint smirk playing on his lips. He didn't reveal their presence immediately but instead pretended to be unaware, slowly advancing toward the rocky hill.

"He's coming! Looks like a plant-based lord!" one of the underlings whispered.

"Plant-based?" The scarred leader frowned, as if recalling something, but then his expression turned cold. "Doesn't matter if he's plant-based or not. He's only got a handful of units. Just kill him."

To the leader, Alex's forces appeared to number only a dozen or so. Even if they were all fifth-tier, they were outnumbered. This should be an easy kill, or so he thought.

But was that really the case? Of course not.

Long before Alex had detected the ambush, he had hidden the smaller units like River and the Wood Sprites on the Treant Chieftain, making them nearly invisible. Combined with the three Wood Drakes flying above, Alex's forces totaled twenty-five—five more than the hunters'. Unaware of this, the trio continued to observe Alex through the gaps in the rocks.

When Alex was within thirty meters, the leader's expression turned vicious. "Now! Surround him!"

At his command, the three split into two groups, flanking Alex from both sides. The five Lady Spiders swiftly shot out venomous webs, aiming straight for Alex.

"Finally showing your hand, huh?" Alex sneered, flipping backward to dodge the webs.

At the same time, the leader's ten Twin-Headed Panthers lunged at Alex from the side, moving like blurs. Their strategy was clear: take out the lord first. For most, this sudden assault would have been overwhelming, leaving them paralyzed and at the hunters' mercy. But Alex was prepared.

Without needing orders, thick vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the charging Twin-Headed Panthers and hurling them aside. A few of the faster ones managed to evade the vines but were intercepted by the massive Treant Chieftain, which took the brunt of their attacks. The Treant Chieftain's body was torn open in several places, nearly fatal wounds. Fortunately, River and the Wood Sprites quickly cast healing spells, barely managing to mend the damage.

"He blocked it?!" The scarred leader stared in shock. He hadn't expected Alex to react so quickly, let alone counter their ambush. His Twin-Headed Panthers were known for their speed—most units couldn't keep up, much less block them entirely.

Meanwhile, the underlings' attacks followed in quick succession. Venomous webs rained down from the Lady Spiders, while arrows from the Skeleton Rangers whistled through the air, cutting off Alex's escape routes. Their coordination was seamless, clearly the result of countless ambushes.

Alex's expression grew colder. Drawing a bone dagger from his waist, he deflected one of the arrows, while another Treant Chieftain intercepted the rest, its body taking the hits and being forced back a few steps. Thanks to its Flora's Protection skill, inherited from the Essence of Flora, it avoided fatal injuries.

Above, the webs were sliced apart by leaves controlled by River and the Wood Sprites, falling to the ground in harmless fragments. In moments, Alex had neutralized their combined assault.

"All together! Finish him!" Frustrated by their failed attempts, the trio ordered their units to swarm Alex in a final, desperate push.

"You think I'm an easy target?" Alex snorted, no longer holding back.

Vines shot out from the Pink Enchantress, lashing toward the enemy units. At the same time, River and the Wood Sprites summoned thorny vines to ensnare the leading Twin-Headed Panthers, while two Explosive Mushrooms hopped forward, hurling a barrage of red mushrooms.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The deafening explosions sent the Twin-Headed Panthers flying, the shockwave forcing the rest to retreat. On the other side, the Lady Spiders and Skeleton Rangers were locked in a fierce struggle with the vines. But then, spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the units. The vines seized the opportunity, piercing through their heads with ease.

In moments, more than half of the hunters' forces lay dead.

"Impossible!" the scarred leader roared, his eyes wide with disbelief. His underlings were equally horrified, stumbling backward in panic.

But before they could react, a sharp whistling sound filled the air. They looked up just in time to see three shadows diving toward them at blinding speed.

"Swoosh!"

The Wood Drakes' wings sliced through their necks, clean and precise. The trio froze, their bodies stiffening as blood began to seep from their wounds. They tried to clutch their throats, but darkness claimed them, and they collapsed to the ground. Their remaining units let out final cries before falling lifeless.

[Successfully killed fifth-tier lords. Total rewards: 2,485 Mana, 1,476 Wood, 1,580 Stone, 225 Iron Ore, 3 fifth-tier Territory Essences.]