The confrontation was inevitable. Commander Salazar was not just Vigan's most powerful hunter; he was a political creature whose entire authority was built on his Rank A, Echelon 3 status and his unchallenged dominance over the Red Gate. Being paralyzed and missing his scheduled Chimera clear—a clear publicly attributed to the mysterious Dax Jackal—was a direct assault on his identity.
Twenty-four hours after my clear, I was walking out of the Hunter Library, reviewing classified maps, when the tension in the main hall evaporated, replaced by a sudden, terrifying drop in temperature.
Commander Salazar entered the Guild. He was a massive, imposing figure clad in polished, rune-etched plate armor, radiating the cold, focused power of a true Rank A hunter. His eyes, usually sharp, were now burning with cold, focused rage.
He ignored the Guild Master, who was cowering in his office, and walked directly toward me, the clank-clank of his armor echoing in the silence.
"You," Salazar's voice was a low growl, radiating pure elemental fire energy. "You are the rat who cleared my Chimera and injected me with poison."
I met his gaze, my expression completely passive. I had planned this moment. "I am Dax Jackal. And the Volcanic Chimera was available. I simply utilized the Guild's designated 48-hour clear time to maintain efficiency."
"Don't insult me, boy!" Salazar roared, his hand instantly activating his artifact—a massive, gleaming silver sword. "You stole the essence, and you sabotaged a Rank A hunter. That is an act of war!"
He did not wait for a response. He launched his signature attack: a focused, high-speed Solar Blade—pure concentrated light and fire energy designed to shear through bone and steel.
---
I didn't panic. This was the ultimate Skill Check. Salazar's speed was terrifying, but my Specter Sight gave me the vital edge. The energy signature of the Solar Blade flashed across my vision a fraction of a second before the physical strike arrived.
I activated my defensive matrix instantly.
Energy Null: As the Solar Blade neared, I deployed the Energy Null field. The blade flickered, its blinding intensity momentarily dissolving, confirming a small but vital percentage of the energy was dispersed.
Polaris Ursus Defense: The weakened blade impacted my left forearm, where I deployed a Polaris Ursus shield. The ice armor hissed, a massive cloud of steam exploded outward, and the shield was violently shattered, but my flesh remained intact.
Salazar was shocked. No Rank C hunter should have survived that, let alone counteracted it with such precise defensive measures.
"Impossible!" he bellowed.
"Your defense is predictable," I countered, simultaneously dropping my shattered Polaris Ursus ice shell and activating my offense.
I didn't use the Lich Soulfire for a large, visible blast; that would reveal my Epic status too quickly. Instead, I channeled the power into the Gorgon Essence, creating a sudden, multi-directional kinetic shockwave at the exact frequency needed to vibrate his armor.
The shockwave slammed into Salazar's massive, armored body. The plates rattled violently. He wasn't physically moved, but the sudden, sharp, vibrating pressure in his joints and nervous system caused a fraction of a second of crippling disorientation.
That single second was enough. I used Shadow Step, bypassing his armor and appearing directly behind his massive back.
Before he could turn, I delivered a final, humiliating strike: not a killing blow, but a precise, focused kinetic strike against the back of his neck, powered by the Crimson Lich Essence. The strike was designed for paralysis and system shock, replicating the effect of the poison I had used.
Salazar's armor crumpled. He collapsed to the floor with a deafening CRASH, twitching momentarily before becoming utterly motionless.
The Guild Hall was silent. Every single hunter, every clerk, and the Guild Master peering through his office peephole, had witnessed the impossible: Dax Jackal, the Rank C rogue, had neutralized the city's top hunter, Commander Salazar, in under ten seconds.
I stood over Salazar's body, the scarlet energy of my Epic Gauntlet now openly visible, pulsating with cold triumph.
"This is not war," I announced, my voice cutting through the silence. "This is a change in management."