Shadow Weaver: Sole Heir Of The Night-Chapter 169: Hunt

"Hmm, I never knew the old man was a member of the Hunters Alliance."

Enzo said it quietly, the words slipping out with a faint, bitter curve to his lips. His eyes rested on the tree line ahead, a vast forest stretching for miles, dark canopies layered like waves frozen in place.

The air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, thick enough to cling to the lungs. Somewhere deep within, something stirred, unseen but very much aware.

Right now, Enzo stood shoulder to shoulder with Titus, Zeke, and Leon, the four of them forming an uneven line. There was no conversation between them, only the shared silence of men watching a boundary they would soon cross.

A short distance away, Liana stood apart with her brothers, their formation tighter, more guarded. Her posture was rigid, arms crossed, gaze fixed on the forest without a hint of warmth.

The divide was obvious. Not just in distance, but in intent.

The count watched them all, hands clasped behind his back, his expression unreadable. After the incidents of the past few days, he had reached his limit.

He was tired of whispered resentments, tired of veiled hostility at the dinner table, tired of grudges that refused to die quietly. Whatever poison lingered between his children, he wanted it buried.

Of course, the way he chose to do that was another matter entirely.

"Hunting is the oldest sport we humans engage in," the count began, pacing slowly before them. His boots pressed into the soil with deliberate weight.

"But it is not merely a sport, is it?" His eyes flicked from face to face, sharp and assessing.

"It is how we survive. How we thrive," he continued, voice steady. "The hunt for knowledge. The hunt for power. The hunt for beasts."

Each word carried purpose.

"It feeds our hunger for more, and in doing so, it forges bonds. Communities are built upon shared pursuits, shared dangers."

The forest seemed to lean closer as he stopped.

"Today," the count said, turning fully toward them, "you will take part in humanity’s most sacred ritual."

A pause followed, heavy and deliberate.

"You will hunt a flock of Tyrant Beasts."

The atmosphere settled almost immediately, thick and uneasy, as the two groups turned to face one another.

No one spoke at first. The forest loomed behind them, vast and patient, its shadow stretching forward like it was listening in on their silence.

"No echoes above sanctified levels, of course. No external help, no sneak attacks," the old man said calmly. "This is meant to be a family bonding event."

His gaze lingered on each of them in turn, sharp and heavy.

"The winning side will gain my favour," he continued. "You may ask of me whatever you wish."

Coming from a divine count, those words carried dangerous weight.

Jake was not merely wealthy. He was obscenely rich, far beyond the ministers of Snowfall City. His vaults held artifacts, rare contracts, forbidden knowledge, and favors that could reshape entire bloodlines.

One request could change a life.

"Let’s get the hunting started," Liana said with a mocking edge, glancing at the other group through the corner of her eye.

Her stance was proud, almost challenging, as if she needed this more than she let on.

Zeke immediately met her look with a glare, his expression darkening. The tension between them crackled, sharp and personal.

Enzo didn’t react. Neither did Titus or Leon. Their attention was already drifting toward the forest, toward what waited inside.

"The beast flock you will be hunting are known as the Terra Turtle Guardians," Minister Fin announced, stepping forward.

Across the Ice Kingdom, efforts to clear corrupted beasts were still ongoing. The land was simply too vast, the threats too many.

Only those with real strength could make a difference.

"They are highly defense oriented," the count added. "Do not let that fool you."

"They are capable runners," he continued, "and excel at hiding underground."

The Terra Turtles were infamous for that alone. When threatened, they did not stand their ground. They fled, tearing through soil and stone alike.

Forests collapsed in their wake. Hills sank. Entire landscapes were ruined simply because someone startled them.

If alerted as a flock, they could reduce this forest to rubble in under thirty minutes.

"There is one key point I want to make clear before you begin," Minister Fin said, his expression turning serious as files were sent to their devices.

"Do not be greedy."

The beasts reacted violently to mass hunts. The more that fell at once, the more unstable the remaining flock became.

Limiting casualties was the safest approach, unless the beasts posed an immediate danger to the area and everyone within it.

In this hunt, restraint would be just as important as power.

After some minor preparations, Enzo and the rest moved forward, stepping beneath the cover of the forest. The light dimmed almost immediately, filtered through thick canopies as the scent of moss and damp bark settled around them.

Behind them, Liana and her brothers followed at a measured pace, close enough to track, far enough to keep their distance. Neither side spoke. The separation felt deliberate.

A few hundred meters in, Enzo slowed his steps.

"You guys can handle looking for the beasts, right? I’ve got some other things to take care of," he said casually, as if the forest itself was not listening.

Zeke answered without hesitation. "Yeah. Do what you need to do."

He did not even glance back at Titus or Leon, cutting off any chance for discussion.

"Thank you," Enzo replied with a small smile.

Before anyone could add another word, his shadow stretched unnaturally, swallowing his figure in a silent ripple. In the next instant, he was gone, leaving behind nothing but disturbed leaves and fading darkness.

....

Several hundred meters away from their original path, Enzo emerged from the shadows and took a quick look around. His eyes moved fast, scanning trunks, roots, and the subtle signs of movement that most would miss.

This part of the forest felt older. Quieter. Alive in a way that pressed against the skin.

One of the abilities he had gained during his second voyage allowed him to shapeshift, not just into humans, but into beasts as well. Taking a human form was relatively simple. All it required was a taste of the target’s DNA. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Beasts were different.

For them, the process was far more demanding. He needed to kill the target first, then use his shadow to fully engulf it. Flesh, essence, and soul had to be consumed together.

Only then could he claim the form.

"Hey, little fella," Enzo murmured, crouching as he plucked a small bug from the ground.

The insect did not struggle.

"Do you know who the strongest beast within a one kilometer radius is?" he asked softly.

To his surprise, the bug answered almost immediately.

"That would be Moon Bear," it said. "A tyrant class beast. He creates illusions that cause sleep. There are others, but he’s scary."

There was no fear in its voice. Only certainty.

Enzo felt a faint sense of familiarity settle in his chest.

Spirit of the Forest.

That was his avatar from the second voyage. Within woodland terrain, it granted him the aura of the forest itself. With Call of the Wild, he could communicate with beasts that were not excessively corrupted or overly evolved.

Here, among roots and leaves, the forest recognized him as one of its own.

""Moon Bear, point it out to me," Enzo said, interest sharpening instantly.

If he truly wanted to help Raven, he needed every advantage he could gather. Tricks, forms, instincts. Anything that could tilt fate even slightly in his favor.

There was no other path.

Even if it meant losing parts of himself along the way.

The bug shifted, antennae twitching as if listening to something far away. "They’ve split," it replied. "Most followed the main trail. One lags behind."

Enzo smiled faintly.

"Good," he whispered. "You guys stick with the main group. I’ll check on the straggler."

The forest seemed to accept that decision without protest.

....

Several hundred meters away, Liana slowed to a stop.

Her nose twitched as she inhaled deeply, sorting scents with instinctive ease. Footsteps. Sweat. Metal. And something else, faint but familiar.

"They diverged," she muttered quietly. "You follow the main group. I’ll see what’s going on with the straggler."

Her brothers hesitated for only a moment before obeying.

Liana moved alone.

Her werewolf lineage made tracking effortless, especially in terrain like this. Forests were her domain. Every broken twig, every disturbed patch of soil spoke to her.

She was a predator here.

But that was not her only advantage.

Hidden beneath her surface lay two ancient lineages she had not revealed during her fight with Zeke. Powers she kept sealed, restrained, waiting.

Lineages that turned rank sixty eight into a cruel joke.

And as she followed the trail deeper into the trees, her lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.