Solitary Sword Sovereign Part 2

Duke's Hunt

Duke had come a long way since his week of intense training and levelling. His archery skills, enhanced by the rare combination of mage archery and yang cultivation, had proven to be formidable weapons. His two titles, "King Slayer" and "Ogre's Nightmare," had played a significant role in his battles, granting him immunity to low-level status effects from any users and the ability to weaken and frighten ogres with his gaze. He was essentially immune to low-level spiritual debuffs and weakening skills.

The first spell Duke unleashed from the Sun Chasing Legacy was Solar Burst Arrow. Drawing upon the pure yang energy within him, he infused his arrows with intense solar power. When they struck their targets, a blinding burst of light erupted, engulfing the enemy in a scorching blaze that left them incinerated. As Duke ran through the foliage of trees, a handful of users were turned into ashes, headed straight into the afterlife.

Moments later, another pursuer lunged at Duke, but the latter invoked the divine guidance of Hou Yi through the spell Divine Precision Shot. With this spell, Duke's arrow became an instrument of celestial forces. It followed an unerring trajectory, defying obstacles and distance, ensuring that it struck its intended target with unparalleled accuracy.

At times, Duke would swiftly conjure a Yang Veil Shield, manifesting a shimmering golden barrier of pure yang energy. The shield enveloped him, deflecting the incoming attacks from his foes. It provided temporary invulnerability against both physical and magical assaults, giving Duke a momentary respite as he focused on his archery skills.

'So this is divine energy; it's so potent!'

As the battle raged on, Duke unleashed the power of his Phoenix Arrows. Infusing his arrows with the fiery essence of the phoenix, he launched them into the air. Trails of scorching flames trailed behind the arrows as they descended upon his enemies. Upon impact, the arrows erupted in a conflagration of flames, engulfing the pursuers and leaving them to suffer from searing burns.

With his enemies momentarily staggered, Duke called upon the heavens, invoking the spell Celestial Rain of Arrows. From above, a torrential downpour of arrows cascaded upon the battlefield. Each arrow, imbued with pure yang energy, struck with tremendous force, obliterating the remaining pursuers and leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

Amid the chaos and destruction, Duke experimented and understood the power of the legacy he had received.

'The Sun Chasing legacy is overpowered, but it has great demands on one's ability to multitask and one's control over power.'

Duke was tired, but the bow still had residual energy he could tap into, a gift from Hou Yi. This energy was finite, but it allowed Duke to cast several spells that would have normally drained him easily. Casting Celestial Rain of Arrows and a handful of Phoenix Arrows would have been enough to empty him on an ordinary day. Thus, against the fasted pursuers, he emerged as the victor. His enemies lay defeated, their bodies turned to ash by his arrows and devastating spells. Breathing heavily, he glanced at the aftermath of the battle, reflecting on the events that had brought him to this point. Another group of pursuers was closing in fast, and he did not have much time to rest.

Frequent use of these abilities had attracted the attention of his attackers. They had become even more determined to take his inheritance and use it for their own purposes.

But Duke was not one to let others steal what was rightfully his. He fought fiercely, dispatching his foes with his arrows and spells. Despite the danger, he remained calm and focused throughout the battle, his mind sharp and his senses keen.

Duke knew he was outnumbered, and their persistence was starting to annoy him. As he ran for his life, he devised a plan to take down the remaining pursuers.

He came to a halt as he reached a clearing in the forest. The pursuers caught up to him, all of them armed with different weapons ranging from swords and shields to axes and spears.

One of the pursuers, a fierce-looking man with scars on his face, taunted Duke, "Hand over the inheritance, kid, and we'll let you live."

Duke smirked and retorted, "You'll have to catch me first."

The pursuers charged at Duke, determined to take him down. Duke gripped his bow tightly and started firing arrows while dodging their attacks. His movements were swift and fluid as he cast spells to boost his agility and defence.

His first kill within this second group was a swordsman charging at him. Duke fired a Phoenix Arrow reinforced with mana, which pierced straight through the swordsman's chest. The man fell to the ground, as his body turned into a pile of ash.

Another pursuer, a burly giant with a massive axe, swung his weapon at Duke. Duke sidestepped the attack and aimed his bow at the giant's head. The arrow flew straight and fast, piercing the man's skull.

As the remaining pursuers circled around Duke, shouting obscenities at him, Duke remained calm and focused. He knew that they would soon fall into his trap.

One of the pursuers, a tall and lanky archer, boasted, "We have you cornered now, kid. You're not going anywhere."

Duke smirked and replied, "Oh really? I guess you missed the part where I set a trap for you."

The pursuers stopped in their tracks, confused. Suddenly, Duke whistled, and an army of dozens of warriors and mages appeared from the forest. The cultivators charged at the pursuers, catching them off guard.

Duke took advantage of the chaos and continued firing his arrows at his dazed opponents. One by one, the pursuers fell to the ground, their bodies turning into piles of ash until only a few dozen remained.

As Duke caught his breath, he smirked at the remnants of his attackers, happy that they had underestimated his strength and resourcefulness. He knew his tribulation was far from over, and he would have to continue to harness his unique abilities to face the challenges that lay ahead. The soldiers from Tsimikas were rather weak, so they could not help Duke much when it came to dealing damage, and they had trouble dealing with some of the more skilled pursuers.

'This is enough.'

With a whistle, the cultivators dispersed, stunning the remaining pursuers. The remaining cultivators were powerhouses that he would never be able to beat under normal circumstances. Since the situation was still unfavourable for him, he needed to bring them to an environment favourable for him.

'I need to bring them to the battlefield and regroup with the others. Letty and Alice need me for Soul Chain Share.'

Duke's figure blurred as he sped in a specific direction.

'I'm going to take advantage of the chaos and snipe them down. One by one.'

As Duke ran, his lips curled into a devious smile.

'Just because you chase doesn't make you the hunter.'

...

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