Just as Rick and Lav craned their necks to watch the bustle, a commotion erupted from the back of the crowd. Amidst countless curses, a horned insect cart laden with dozens of sand lizard corpses shouldered through the throng, shoving to the front of the line.
"Cutting in line—so rude." Lav, raised with good manners, muttered disapproval. But her irritation stemmed not just from the cart's audacity, but from the sexy girl standing on the horned insect, cracking her whip and shouting.
Fiery red hair, blazing crimson eyes, and a form-fitting leather outfit—this girl commanded everyone's attention the moment she appeared. Even the disciplined caravan workers paused, their eyes glued to her.
It's a truth universally acknowledged: two equally beautiful women rarely take to each other. Lav was clearly in such a state. Seeing those who'd praised her beauty now gawking like fools at the haughty woman, Lav fumed, tugging Rick: "Let's go. This isn't worth watching."
"Huh? What did you say?" Rick snapped back to reality, staring at Lav blankly.
Lav couldn't believe even Rick was ogling the savage woman. Anger surged. "Is she pretty?" she ground out through clenched teeth.
"Very pretty. I've never seen anyone like her in Kester." Honest Rick blurted his thoughts, unaware his brainless reply lit Lav's fuse.
Crack! Crack! The girl wasn't just whipping the horned insect now—she was lashing at the crowd blocking her way. This gave Lav the perfect excuse to confront her.
Storming forward, Lav pointed at the girl: "Everyone's waiting in line! You cut in and now you're hitting people?"
The girl paused mid-whip, surprised by the noble young lady blocking her cart, whose beauty rivaled her own. Since teaming up with the strange old man she'd found by the road last month, Anna had become the most famous lizard hunter for hundreds of miles. Whipping aside awestruck crowds had become routine—besides, they crowded around her.
Raised on the frontier, Anna saw nothing wrong. Might made right here. As the top lizard hunter, enjoying trading privileges wasn't a big deal. Leaning forward on the horned insect, she revealed sensual curves made jaws drop. Staring into Lav's azure eyes, Anna teased: "Noble miss, ever heard the saying 'a good dog stays out of the way'?"
"Eh?" Lav, born noble, had never been insulted so crudely. When she finally regained her wits, her face turned livid. "You're unreasonable and you swear at people?"
"Did I swear? Or are you admitting you're the kind that barks?"
Speechless, Lav dragged Rick over. "She's bullying me!"
"Can't argue so you bring out your boyfriend?" Anna sneered at Rick. In the northwest, used to burly men, she saw no threat in this lad. Her words subtly painted herself as the wronged party.
Men lose IQs around pretty women. Anna's words stirred the crowd. Though Lav matched Anna in beauty, Anna's sexy attire and bold personality won over the rugged northwest men. Several burly fellows rolled up their sleeves, ready to teach this rude outsider a lesson.
"Hey, let's not cause trouble, okay?" Rick whispered to Lav.
"So you'll just watch me get bullied?" Lav glared defiantly at Anna.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Rick didn't want conflict with these tough villagers—plus, men rarely want to fight beautiful women.
"Decided yet, pretty boy?" Anna found Rick's dilemma cute. Leaping off the horned insect, she stood before him, staring into his eyes.
"Pretty eyes... Wait, no— I'm on Lav's side... But... She really is pretty, great figure too..." Rick's mind wandered, forgetting all about standing up for Lav.
"If you're just gonna stand there, don't waste my time. I have business."
Rick's silence disappointed Anna. She whipped the horned insect, ignoring Lav's hopping anger, shouldered past Rick, and drove to the caravan's trading post.
"You didn't help me!" Lav pinched Rick hard after Anna left.
"Ow!~~~" Rick hopped in pain, eyeing Anna's back. "I don't want trouble. This is Moncton's turf. He set us up last time—who knows what'd happen if we meet him here."
"Oh right!" Lav remembered. She didn't want to be caught sneaking out. "Hmph, I'll let her off this time. Let's go."
She tugged Rick, but he didn't move, eyes still fixed on Anna. "What are you staring at?!" Lav's jealousy flared, ruining her mood.
"The old man on the cart looks familiar." Rick rubbed his chin. He shouldn't know anyone in Benning Town.
Following Rick's gaze, Lav finally spotted the slovenly old man behind the pile of sand lizard corpses, hugging a wine bottle and drinking himself into a stupor.
"You know him?" Lav's mood improved significantly upon realizing Rick wasn't ogling Anna.
Just then, the drunkard on the cart seemed to sense Rick's stare. He lifted his head slightly, and the eyes beneath his tattered cap were so sharp they sent a chill down the spine.
Their gazes collided mid-air. In an instant, Rick recognized the man, and vice versa.
"Rant? What... what is he doing here!" Rick gaped in astonishment.
"Uncle, help carry these..." Anna had just negotiated a price with the guild and turned to ask her strange uncle for help, only to see Rant leap off the cart.
As Rant sprang into the air, the massive recoil shattered the cart, flinging sand lizard corpses everywhere.
"Lav, get back!" The moment Rant leaped, Rick shoved Lav aside, his body instantly transforming into battle mode.
BOOM!
A deafening blast scattered the crowd, and a cloud of smoke engulfed the street's center. Everyone stood stunned, gaping at the dissipating smoke.
Moments later, the smoke cleared, revealing a horrifying scene. The two combatants stood frozen like stone statues, and beneath their feet, the hard stone pavement cracked outward in a circular depression, with nearby bricks reduced to powder by the impact.
"Captain Rant, long time no see." Rick donned his green exoskeleton, hands transformed into ferocious sickles, straining to withstand the immense pressure.
"I'd given up hunting you, but fate brings us together here!" Rant cast off his disheveled appearance, clad in black half-plate armor, wielding a near-three-meter trident.
"It's just an insect egg I took. Is this relentless pursuit necessary?" Rick suddenly released his grip, spinning to slash at Rant's neck.
"Shut up, you thieving scum! I've sacrificed everything to catch you—my team, my hunting grounds..." Rant parried with his trident, closing in rapidly.
Rant's trident moved like lightning, the tip locked onto Rick's throat. Rick tried repeatedly to bat the trident aside, but Rant's strength was overwhelming. Even with all his might, Rick couldn't deflect it.
Moreover, the armor on Rant's body far exceeded Rick's expectations. Despite landing several blows with his speed, Rick's sickles, which could cut through metal, couldn't even leave a mark on the armor.
"How is this possible?" Rick backflipped to dodge a thrust, leaping to a rooftop to put distance between them. Crouching on the weathered wooden roof, Rick squinted at Rant.
No longer a rookie, Rick had survived countless battles, but even facing Kashin or Balzac, he'd never felt such intense pressure. "We're both at Insect General First Stage, but why do I feel powerless? What insect is in him?" Rick eyed the trident in Rant's hand.
"Thanks to you, months of solo travel broke through my years-long bottleneck. Now, your blood will pay tribute to my fallen comrades." Rant took a deep breath, roaring.
Click.
A massive piece of armor appeared in his hand. Holding the half-man-high shield, Rant poised his trident, taking a perfect offensive-defensive stance.
Rick sensed Rant's killing intent surge, his face paling. The ground trembled as Rant charged like a rampaging bull toward the wooden house where Rick stood.
The dilapidated house couldn't withstand Rant's inhuman strength, its planks shattering like paper. Rick lost his balance on the roof, and as he tried to jump, a trident pierced the roof toward his vitals.
He dodged barely in time, the tip grazing his chest and tearing a gash in his armor. Before he could recover, the trident whipped around, shredding his armor and splintered wood.
Stumbling to the ground, Rick felt a gust of wind—looking up, he saw a massive black shape hurtling toward him. His head exploded with pain as if hit by a train, his brain sloshing like a stormy sea.
Rant had slammed him with his shield, sending him flying into a the wooden house, collapsing it.
"Hmph, brat, no escape this time." Rant pushed aside the rubble, grabbing Rick by the hair and dragging him out.
The battle lasted mere minutes, but their storm of attacks left the street in ruins, resembling an earthquake zone. Most onlookers, including Lav, remained in shock. Seeing Rick dragged out bloody, Lav snapped back to reality—only to feel the trident's blade at her snow-white neck.
"Girl, find a new man. This one's not for you."
Lav bit her lip hard. She looked up at the weathered man, then at Rick, who lay gasping under his foot. Summoning unexpected courage, she stepped toward the trident's edge, standing defiantly: "If you want to kill Rick, kill me first!"
"Oh? You want to die with him?" Rant's eyes flashed with surprise. He slowly raised his trident, staring into Lav's eyes. "I hope you don't regret this."
"Hey, strange uncle!" Anna's urgent cry sounded from behind.
Rant turned slowly. Seeing him look back, Anna hesitated, stopping in her tracks. "You promised to be my partner, right? If you kill someone, you'll be hanged."
"Is that so... They'll have to catch me first..." Rant's eyes suddenly sharpened as he spun, thrusting his trident. The weapon moved like lightning, its speed almost unimaginable.
"Huh?" A puzzled voice sounded as a shadow approaching Rant's back leaped to dodge. Rant stepped forward to pursue, but found his trident uncontrollable—fine spider silks had coiled around the tip.
"Sky Wolf Spider!" Rant sneered, whipping his trident to shred the tough spider silk, which fluttered to the ground.
"Illusion-Rank Rhinoceros Beetle? Who are you?" The familiar cold tone carried a first hint of gravity.
"Rant Sheffield. And you? Tell me your name." Rant raised his head proudly, staring at the grim man on the rooftop.
"So you're from the Spirit Spear Sheffield family—no wonder you have a Rhinoceros Beetle." Shust removed his hat, his cold gaze burning with fanaticism. "Consider yourself honored to be on my hit list. Remember, I am Nirvana Shust."
"The headhunter who prowls the shadows? Hmph... I should indeed feel honored." Rant twirled his trident, resting it on his shield in a perfect offensive-defensive stance.
Both top masters unleashed killing intent so intense it dropped the air temperature several degrees. Sensing this, the crowd began to retreat, even the most nosy sneaking to the back.
"Look! It's Captain Moncton's guards!" a cry rose from the rear.
Suddenly, the clatter of armor drowned out the crowd as guards on burly ground wolf insects charged in a circle, surrounded Rant and the others.
"Disperse! Kill anyone obstructing the guards!" Moncton rode the largest ground wolf insect, shouldering aside those too slow to dodge.
Moncton's sudden arrival complicated the situation. Shust and Rant couldn't focus on each other, turning their attention to the iron-willed guards.
"Someone explain this." Moncton was pleased with his men's efficiency, riding to the center.
"Personal grudge." Rant spoke first.
"Personal grudge?" Moncton sneered at Rant, then laughed. "A famous Spirit Spear from Kester settles personal scores on my turf? Don't you think you've overstepped?"
"And you!" Moncton whipped his lash at Shust on the rooftop. "You damned fugitive! Why haven't Kashin and Balzac killed you yet?"
"I'm doing them a favor by not killing them." Shust shrugged arrogantly, ignoring the guards.
"You're bold—think I can't touch you, swine!" Moncton looked down, spotting Rick bloody on the ground. "Eh? Another little fugitive—how'd you end up like this?"
"Cough Just a miscalculation..." Rick had recovered from the daze, though his head still spun.
"Heh... What a welcome back." Moncton waved to Anna, who was sneaking into the crowd. "Come here!"
Anna had known trouble arrived with Moncton and tried to slip away, but he'd already noticed. Reluctantly approaching, she forced a smile: "What can I do for you, sir? I have nothing to do with this."
"Heh, you sly brat." Moncton patted her cheek. "Heard you're the top lizard hunter now. Wondered how you got so good—turned out you found such a strong lackey."
"..."
"Alright, all involved come with me. As an intermediary, I'll settle this grudge." Moncton summoned a caravan member. "Arrange a tent and bring wine."
"As you command." The member hurried off. Rick, Rant, and Shust followed Moncton, despite the tension—here, he was the law.
After Moncton led them away, Lav emerged from the crowd, her face ash-smeared. She patted her chest in relief and dashed back to the inn.