"Get them!" the Rank-A leader ordered, laughing arrogantly.
But they had no idea what kind of monsters they were facing.
Elara closed her eyes and tapped into the special power Zero had given her. [Demi-Human Bloodline Awakened: Shadow Panther].
Her body instantly transformed. Black, furry panther ears popped out of her head, and a long, sleek panther tail extended from her back. Her fingernails grew into long, razor-sharp black claws, and her eyes turned into the fierce, glowing slits of a wild predator.
With terrifying, feral speed, Elara dashed forward on all fours. She was faster than a shadow. She leaped directly onto the chest of a Rank-B hunter.
SLASH! RIIIIP!
"AAAGHHHH!" the hunter screamed in pure, mind-shattering agony. Elara's sharp claws easily ripped right through his steel chest plate, tearing his flesh to ribbons. Blood sprayed everywhere. With a brutal kick from her powerful panther legs, she crushed his ribs, sending his broken body flying into a tree. His spatial ring and healing potions fell from his belt, scattering onto the grass.
Meanwhile, Seraphina did not use a sword. She floated slightly above the ground, her SS-Rank Mage potential fully awakened.
[Mage Skill Activated: Hellfire Rain]
Seraphina raised her beautiful hands, and five massive, boiling red magic circles appeared in the sky above the hunters.
"Burn to ashes!" Seraphina commanded mercilessly.
Massive pillars of crimson fire crashed down on the hunters. The fire was so incredibly hot that it instantly melted their armor into liquid metal, burning it directly into their skin.
"MY EYES! MY SKIN IS MELTING!
AAAAAH!" two Rank-B hunters shrieked in absolute torment. They rolled on the dirt, crying and screaming as the magical fire slowly roasted them alive.
The Rank-A leader was completely terrified. He swung his heavy battle-axe frantically, sending a sharp wave of wind magic toward Seraphina. The blade of wind grazed Seraphina's waist, cutting a deep, bleeding gash into her side.
Seraphina hissed in pain as blood soaked her dress, but she did not even blink. She pointed her finger directly at the leader.
[Mage Skill: Crimson Lightning]
A thick bolt of red lightning shot from her fingertips, completely blasting the leader's right arm off. His heavy axe and severed arm flew into the bushes.
"GAAAAAH!"
The Rank-A leader fell to his knees, clutching his bleeding shoulder.
In just two minutes, the entire hunter group was completely destroyed. The survivors were heavily crippled, bleeding out, and crying in pure agony on the forest floor. The ground was covered with their dropped weapons, gold coins, and broken armor.
The arrogance of the hunters was completely gone.
The Rank-A leader and the last surviving Rank-B hunter crawled backward in the dirt, leaving a trail of blood. They looked up at the two beautiful women with absolute terror.
The hunters had been lustful, abusive, and arrogant.
Now, they were crying like pathetic cowards, their faces covered in snot, tears, and blood.
"Please! Please forgive us!" the Rank-A leader begged, crying loudly as he pressed his forehead into the dirt. "We were wrong! We had dirty thoughts! We are so sorry!"
"Have mercy!" the Rank-B hunter sobbed in intense pain. "We swear we will never do this again! We will never look at another woman! Please, just spare our lives!"
Seraphina and Elara walked up to them slowly. They looked down at the begging men with completely dead, merciless eyes.
"You begged for mercy?" Elara hissed, her panther claws dripping with dark blood. "Did you ever show mercy to the demi-human children you kidnapped and sold?"
"Your apologies mean nothing," Seraphina said coldly, magical fire glowing brightly in her hands. "You dirtied us with your eyes. The only forgiveness you get is death"
Ignoring their pathetic, screaming pleas for mercy, Elara slashed her claws across the Rank-B hunter's throat, silencing him forever. At the exact same second, Seraphina blasted the Rank-A leader's head with a massive fireball, instantly turning him to ash.
The forest went completely silent again. The women stood victorious among the burning bodies, having violently proven that they belonged to Lord Zero alone.
Zero walked into the massive dining hall of the Valmont Estate. In the center of the room was a long, incredibly luxurious Grand Mahogany Banquet Table. It was large enough to easily seat fifty nobles.
The table was completely covered in a mountain of luxury food. There were plates of roasted magical beasts, bowls of glowing, expensive fruits, freshly baked golden bread, and crystal jugs of sweet nectar.
Zero took a seat near the head of the table. He looked at the massive feast in front of him.
'This is way too much food for just one morning,' Zero thought to himself, his stomach rumbling.
But actually eating the food was about to become the hardest battle he had fought all day.
Because sitting directly on his right side was Lilia, dressed in her stunning purple gown. And sitting directly on his left side was Kaelith, the giant Centaur-kin, her massive horse body comfortably resting on thick rugs brought in just for her.
Behind them stood a row of estate maids, holding extra plates and wine.
The maids were absolutely terrified. Their hands were shaking so badly that the silver trays rattled. They were staring at two shocking things.
First, they were completely shocked by Kaelith. They had never seen a mythical Equus giganteus in real life! The giant centaur was incredibly beautiful but also massively intimidating, taking up half the dining room all by herself.
Second, and most importantly, the maids were staring at Zero's bare face. Since he was not wearing his terrifying iron mask, his deeply ruined, jagged scars and burned skin were completely exposed. To the maids, his face looked like a nightmare. They were terrified of him.
However, Zero completely ignored their fearful looks. He did not care at all if normal people found him ugly or scary. He just wanted to eat his breakfast.
Zero reached out his hand to pick up a piece of warm bread, but suddenly, two hands blocked his plate.
"Say 'Ahh', Lord Zero," Lilia smiled sweetly. She was holding a silver fork with a perfectly cooked, expensive piece of roasted meat on it, pushing it right toward his mouth.
"Wait!" Kaelith interrupted immediately. She leaned her massive body over the table, holding a glowing, juicy magical fruit in her fingers, pushing it right next to Lilia's fork. "Meat is too heavy for the morning! Lord Zero, eat this sweet fruit first! It is much healthier! Say 'Ahh'!"
Lilia's sweet smile instantly twitched. Her eyes narrowed into a fierce, competitive glare.
"Kaelith," Lilia said, her voice dripping with fake politeness. "He is a warrior. Warriors need pure protein and high-class meat. I am the Matriarch of this estate, and I ordered my best chefs to cook this specifically for him. Therefore, I will feed him with my own hands"
Kaelith did not back down at all. She puffed her cheeks out into an angry, jealous pout, her amber eyes glaring right back at the Alchemist.
"I am his companion, so it is my absolute duty to feed my Lord!" Kaelith argued loudly, her fluffy horse tail swishing angrily behind her. "And my hands are closer to his mouth than yours!"
"Your hands are huge!" Lilia shot back, aggressively pushing her silver fork closer to Zero's lips. "You will drop the juice on his expensive silk clothes! Let me do it!"
"I am very gentle!" Kaelith shouted defensively, pushing her fruit right against Lilia's fork. "Lord Zero, please open your mouth! I will feed you!"
Standing near the wall, Brielle Ironheart slapped her hand over her own face in pure embarrassment. She let out a loud, tired groan 'The greatest Alchemist in the Kingdom and a mythical giant beast fighting like little children over who gets to put food in a man's mouth. I cannot watch this.'
The terrified maids were now completely confused. Their jaws hung open in absolute disbelief.
'What is going on?!' the maids screamed in their minds.'That man's face is completely ruined and terrifying! But the beautiful Matriarch and this stunning giant demi-human are literally fighting to the death just to feed him like a baby! Just who is this man?!'
Right in the middle of the battlefield, Zero sat completely still.
The piece of roasted meat and the glowing fruit were aggressively squished together right in front of his nose.
Zero's glowing red eyes darkened with extreme annoyance. He had fought armies and survived deadly monster forests, but this was getting out of hand.
"Both of you, stop" Zero commanded, his deep voice carrying a hint of heavy pressure.he commanded softly, lowering their hands. "I have two working hands. I can feed myself"
Hearing his rejection, both women instantly stopped fighting. They looked down at their laps. Lilia's elegant shoulders slumped in deep disappointment, and Kaelith's fluffy horse ears drooped sadly against her head. They both looked incredibly heartbroken, like two kicked puppies who just wanted to please their master.
Zero glanced at their sad faces. He was a ruthless warrior, but seeing them look so downcast over something so simple made him sigh again behind his scarred face.
"Fine," Zero mumbled, leaning back in his chair. "But one at a time. I will take turns eating from both of you"
Instantly, the sadness completely vanished! Their faces lit up with massive, radiant smiles of pure joy. Their eyes sparkled brightly.
"I will go first!" Lilia declared happily, successfully feeding him the roasted meat.
"My turn now, Lord Zero!" Kaelith cheered, immediately following up by popping the sweet magical fruit into his mouth.
They began taking turns, peacefully and happily feeding him like he was the absolute king of the world.
While Zero was being spoon-fed by two breathtaking women, the servants standing near the walls were having a complete mental breakdown.
A few male footmen and guards standing by the door were gripping their silver trays so tightly that their knuckles turned white. Their faces were completely green with intense, burning jealousy. They stared at Zero's deeply scarred, ruined face, and then looked at the two gorgeous women serving him.
'This is completely unfair!' one male servant screamed in his mind, biting his lip. 'Look at his face! It is completely ruined and terrifying! Yet, he has the stunning Matriarch of our estate and an incredibly rare, beautiful giant Centaur-kin literally begging to feed him with their own hands! We handsome men can't even get the Matriarch to look at us once! What kind of lucky spell is this guy using?!'
Another male guard whispered angrily to his friend, "I would give my entire life just to have that giant Centaur or Lady Lilia smile at me like that... and he just sits there looking annoyed!"