316 Chapter 316 (1/2)
The leader stopped, rubbed fresh blood between his fingers and claimed confidently: «The tiger was here only five minutes ago. The animal is badly injured and losing strength. We're almost there. Get ready to meet the beast!»
«Yes, sir!» – The hunters said in unison.
If he only had the superior (3) grade of the wind element, he would have carried the tiger on his back, isolating the smell from the outside world with a vacuum barrier, but alas.
An attempt to throw the best hunters of the empire off the trail with the water element was doomed to failure. The supreme beast's blood had a strong smell. Besides, the wet trail would convey the idea about the tiger's helper. Why else hadn't the beast used this method before?
Using pungent stuff like Demonic mushrooms would have the same result. Where should the tiger get them? Why hadn't the beast used them before? It was no brainer, either. Kyon would hate to lose the identity of Dick Baker. He had a recommendation letter to the imperial investigator under that name, after all.
He had enough ingredients in the ring to create an odorless powder that would confuse the hunters, but he had no time to do it. Every minute counted. Besides, he had only one working hand! Kyon deeply regretted not spending a few days studying at least the most basic healing techniques from the Grand legacy.
And suddenly, it hit Kyon. He ordered the beast at once: «Run to the North!»
At some point, the group of hunters turned north.
«Mr. Murat, why did the tiger change the direction so suddenly?» – A promising young hunter named Rizat asked the leader.
Murat thought for a while and then cried out: «The river Stream! The tiger wants to cross the river and throw us off the trail!»
The group of hunters rushed forward even faster than before.
Meanwhile, Kyon approached a cliff over the river and ordered the tiger: «Jump down, swim with the current until that rock. And don't shake off the water!»
Kyon clenched his teeth. In two minutes, the hunters would run to the cliff and see them! He was running out of time. He had to hurry.
The tiger opened its fanged muzzle in amazement, watching the man's actions. He dried up himself, the beast, and the rock under them with the heat element; created ridiculous stone shoes with long shovel-shaped soles that left no trace; and finally, threw the tiger on his back and ran in the forest, holding the beast like a bag of rotten potatoes!
«Rr-oo-o-o-ar!» – The tiger roared indignantly.
Kyon created an acoustic barrier and hid behind a huge tree. Royal phasers had sharp senses as hell. Smell, hearing, vision... With only cursory scanning, they could feel living beings within half a kilometer around them. He should have spent a couple of days learning at least the elementary barrier of concealment!
Kyon had to use Synergy to calm down his heart jumping out of the chest. The decisive moment, and... The hunters went further along the river bank. The disaster had passed. It was another close call. Which one for today? Kyon had chosen the leeward side to leave the river for a reason or else...
The Hunters had been searching for the tiger for about an hour, all to no avail.
The leader destroyed a thick ancient tree near him with a careless blow and shouted angrily: «Shit! The fucking cat was no bright spark! This beast is a hothouse flower that grew up in the center of the forest. How could it possibly outwit us? I smell a rat!»
If the tiger had drowned, the hunters would have found the body by scanning. If it was out of the water, the bloodhounds would have taken the trail. They couldn't understand how the beast had managed to slip away.
Rizat squinted suspiciously: «Unless someone is helping the beast…»
Kyon carried the tiger on his shoulders, scattering newly made powder that would throw the dogs off the scent. From now on, the hunters wouldn't find them in this huge forest.
«Are you kidding me?» – Lovr cried out suddenly.
The tournament participants were approaching him from both sides. Two of them had miraculously found him in this wilderness. It would be alright, but the complete absence of ammunition made Kyon absolutely defenseless. He could rely only on his recently acquired trophy.
Kyon carelessly threw the tiger off his neck, but contrary to his expectations, the beast landed on the back, not on the paws.
«No… Not now!»
The whiskered beast gave the master a plaintive look and tried to get up, but then it fell on the side and lost consciousness. Its energy, as well as life, was running like sand through the claws. If the wound wasn't treated soon, the tiger would die of blood loss.
Kyon felt a bit sorry for the supreme beast, but he felt even more sorry for himself. If the tiger died, it would mean that he had risked his life and resources (the artillery shells) for nothing. He couldn't let him die! Kyon grabbed the striped cat and dashed off. The two participants ran into each other. As expected, they started a fight for the keys.
He hadn't run too far away as another opponent appeared, the third prince himself.
«Damn it! Fucking timing! Is it coincidence or what?» – Kyon grumbled and rushed in the opposite direction from the prince. It wasn't too hard to get rid of him. Kyon didn't have any spare time to waste.
Five minutes later, Kyon cursed again: «Fucking shit!» – His zombie birds had spotted Artie Grand. According to the rules, the tournament bracelet should not indicate the participant from the same school and must vibrate within a kilometer range, but nothing of the kind was observed.
At the most inopportune moment, Artie used the tracking function in the tournament bracelet and changed his direction, scanning the area to detect any possible opponent.