Chapter 105: The Operation

“Hahaha! After waiting so many days, at last a big ship has arrived!” A deep, resonant voice echoed across the dock.

One by one, figures leapt down from the ship abandoned on the pier.

“Haha! After all this time, this is the largest ship we’ve seen. Now there’s something worth our trouble!” a lion-headed man holding an axe stepped forward.

Hues recognized the axe in his hand—it was the same one used to kill the crew member earlier. This confirmed he was the one who had acted, and judging by his demeanor, he was the leader of this band of beastmen.

As the lion-man finished speaking, more beastmen and half-beastmen emerged from the shadows. Hues quickly assessed the group: led by the lion-man, there were over fifty in total, a mix of beastmen and half-beastmen bearing both human and animal traits, making them look somewhat incongruous.

“Were you the ones behind what happened on the dock?” Veli’s voice trembled as he confronted the sudden appearance of the beastmen.

“Of course. You humans have been trading us like merchandise; killing you is only natural,” the lion-man Simon said casually, his gaze mocking as he looked at Veli.

“We were about to leave, but someone tipped us off that a shipment of great importance was arriving. We had no choice but to wait. Hey, kid, I suppose you’re the one they’re after!” Simon didn’t kill them immediately but ordered his men to surround the ship.

The crew members who had boarded earlier were already taken down by these beastmen bandits and gathered in one place.

Veli turned pale upon hearing Simon’s words. He realized he had been set up, most likely by his two older brothers. Clenching his fists, then loosening them, despair settled over him. What use was knowing this if survival was uncertain?

“Don’t you fear that such slaughter might ignite war between the empires?” Veli’s voice weakened as he faced the nearly three-meter-tall lion-man. Desperately, he invoked the empire’s name, hoping the beastmen would show mercy—for what use was cargo if their lives were lost?

“Empires? Ha!” Simon scoffed, unimpressed. If he feared them, he wouldn’t have come here.

“After we finish with you, we’re heading to the Meteor Rock Mountains—our stronghold. Do you think your human empire would wage war against us beastmen for a few of you?” Simon had already decided this before embarking on his plundering mission.

Simon’s words crushed Veli and the rest aboard the ship. They could think of no way out, no hope of survival.

“You’re going to the Meteor Rock Mountains?” Hues, who had been silent, suddenly looked up at Simon.

Veli, beside him, grew anxious. He didn’t know Hues’s true strength. Though Hues practiced sorcery, facing so many enemies risked provoking them and hastening their demise.

“Are you talking to me that way?” Simon narrowed his eyes, surprised. He had assumed Hues was frozen with fear, but this young man seemed different.

“I’m asking you a question!” Hues stared unwaveringly at the towering Simon.

Hues had his chip scan the beastmen, revealing their physical attributes far surpassed those of ordinary humans, especially their constitution, with many boasting a rating of three.

This was the beastmen’s innate advantage—their constitutions were naturally superior to humans'.

“Interesting,” Simon murmured, eyeing the slender figure of Hues, uncertain.

Yet, he wasn’t afraid. Leading so many of his kin, surely they could handle one scrawny kid.

“Shall we test the waters?” Simon glanced at his axe, then at Hues, curious about the young man’s confidence.

“If you intend to kill me with that axe, save yourself the trouble!” Hues said flatly, reading Simon’s intent immediately.

“How will you know if you don’t try?” Simon chuckled and flung his axe forward.

The moment Simon struck, Veli darted aside.

“Is this all you’ve got?” Hues calmly caught the axe.

“Just as I thought!” Simon wasn’t surprised; he had anticipated this the moment Hues spoke.

“Haha, how about this—I’ll let you and your companion leave. This has nothing to do with you. What do you say?” Simon was not afraid; with so many comrades, he still felt assured.

But half his men were already casualties. The rest were the only fighters left. They’d lost many to imperial soldiers earlier. Simon wasn’t sure of Hues’s strength and didn’t want more needless losses.

“Hues,” Veli whispered, tempted by Simon’s offer. As long as he survived, he’d do anything. The others were beyond his concern; he could always pay more compensation later.

“Let your people go. You, come with me to the Meteor Rock Mountains,” Hues ignored Veli’s plea and pointed firmly at Simon.

“What do you think you are, disrespecting me like that?” Simon laughed, angered but amused.

“Is this enough to convince you?” Hues smiled and suddenly radiated a faint golden aura, activating his Guiding Guard.

Electric sparks danced across Hues’s hands, crackling into Simon’s ears.

“You’re a sorcerer? No, just an apprentice!” Simon was startled. He hadn’t expected any sorcerers willing to come to the Arcly Continent.

“I’m an apprentice, but that’s more than enough,” Hues smiled confidently.

He was certain he could defeat these beastmen. Their attacks rarely broke through Guiding Guard’s defense, and during that brief window, Hues could accomplish much.

“Enough talk with the leader! We don’t fear a full sorcerer, but an apprentice? We can handle him easily!” a nearby serpent-man hissed, noticing Simon’s hesitation.

“Exactly! Just an apprentice; a few spells won’t save him from us!” others chimed in.

Hues noted their knowledge of sorcery—it was clear they understood its dangers. But they had never met someone like him.

“Charge!” the serpent-man shouted, leading the beastmen forward.

Simon neither accepted nor rejected the attack; he wanted to see Hues’s strength firsthand.

Hues remained calm, ready to test the power of his explosive alchemical vials.

From afar, Simon watched as Hues lowered his hand and pulled a vial from his chest, tossing it forward, a sudden unease creeping into his heart.

“Boom!” A deafening explosion rocked the dock. Veli stood dumbfounded, witnessing the scene.

“This explosive vial is easier to use than sorcery, and its power is enough!” Hues admired as several beastmen nearby were charred black.

“It’s similar to a flaming spear,” Hues observed, glancing at the fallen and the scorched earth.

The surrounding beastmen instinctively stepped back, feeling the searing heat from the blast.

“You…” Simon was speechless, his massive lion head betraying his thoughts.

“We can negotiate!” Simon realized where Hues’s confidence stemmed from.

Now cautious, Simon dared not act rashly—who knew how many more explosive vials Hues possessed?

“Are you ready to negotiate?” Hues asked, knowing his objective was achieved.