Netori Harem: New life as a hunter and gatherer

Luke stood across from the man, who merely watched him in quiet silence. Was he assessing him? Perhaps. There was no way to tell.

The arena had once again come alive with roars and cheers, the crowd seemingly even more excited after witnessing what Luke had done to Chorum.

The man, Hel, a strange name, truth be told, tilted his head slightly before speaking. "You possess quite the skill for erasing your presence. Not once, but twice, you managed to do it without me noticing you at all."

Luke nodded. "I would have been disappointed if you had."

His confidence was not misplaced. When merged together, his skills, Ghost Steps and Shadow Walk, transformed him into something akin to a complete phantom, making his presence nearly impossible to detect even for those with exceptionally keen senses. Against ordinary opponents, there was little reason for him to doubt its effectiveness.

"Why do you wish to fight the strongest?" Hel asked, raising his brows. "To assert your dominance?"

He paused, then added, "Truth be told, this battle would amount to nothing regardless of the result."

Luke hummed thoughtfully. "True. That’s why I’ll make sure to extract as much value from it as I can."

A faint smile touched Hel’s lips as he reached behind himself and pulled something free.

It was a small sword, roughly the length of an arm. Its handle was so compact that the wielder could conceal it entirely within his hand.

Luke’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the weapon.

Hel began walking toward Luke. "Let’s see if the hassle of coming all the way here amounted to anything."

He suddenly sprinted forward.

Luke immediately jumped back, anticipating the slash aimed at his face. However, the attack did not come as expected. The blade suddenly fragmented, the steel splitting apart mid-swing before one of the fragments struck Luke in the shoulder.

Squelch.

Luke glanced toward his left shoulder and hummed in surprise.

"I wouldn’t be that relaxed about it," Hel remarked.

He tried to pull the blade fragment free, only for Luke to seize it and yank it out of his bleeding shoulder himself.

The Blessing of the Moon had already nullified the poison coursing through the wound, while its power continued to mend the damaged flesh.

The crowd roared even louder, while Ilya’s expression tightened with tension.

That attack had been unexpected, and more importantly, vicious.

Luke, however, was hardly concerned. He tilted his head and said, "I don’t usually prefer to drag out a battle, so if you have any skills you wish to show me, now would be the time."

Hel grinned. "I like that attitude. Keep it. I’ll relish the moment I wipe that shit-eating smirk off your face."

He lunged forward again. There was barely any distance between them before he sent the fragmented blade shooting toward Luke once more.

This time, Luke dodged without so much as blinking.

His Domain beneath the moon allowed him to sense any danger within a certain radius. He did not even need to consciously react anymore, simply allowing his instincts to take over as he stepped back and avoided the attack with ease.

Hel clicked his tongue and pulled his sword back.

Luke summoned his dagger in response, the blazing red blade immediately drawing the attention of everyone nearby, including his opponent.

"Since you’re already done..."

Luke vanished from his spot.

Ghost Walk erased his presence in an instant, and before Hel could react, Luke appeared directly beside him.

Tng!

Luke’s blade met steel, the clash ringing through the arena as Hel narrowly parried the attack. He immediately twisted his wrist and attempted to drive his sword forward.

"Yeah, no."

Luke intercepted the strike with his forearm, catching Hel’s wrist before the blade could reach him. In the same motion, he released his dagger, caught it lower on the hilt, and thrust it forward with a sudden burst of force.

"Woah!"

Hel jumped backward, narrowly avoiding the burning blade. The dagger’s heat still brushed against his cloak, leaving the fabric scorched.

"That was close."

Luke grinned and raised his dagger.

Hel answered in kind, tightening his grip around his sword before turning it into a reverse grip.

"Raaaaaaahhh!"

The crowd went wild as the two young men charged at each other once again.

The collision was incredible.

CLANG!

Steel rang through the arena as Luke’s dagger crashed against Hel’s sword. Neither gave ground. Their blades locked for barely a heartbeat before both twisted their wrists and broke the bind at the same time.

Hel’s reverse grip flashed upward.

Luke caught the strike with the edge of his dagger.

CLANG!

A second strike followed immediately, then a third.

Luke’s dagger snapped across Hel’s sword, turning the blow aside, but Hel was already rotating his wrist, bringing the blade around in a tight arc. Luke lowered his shoulder and let the steel pass above him before driving his dagger straight toward Hel’s ribs.

Hel’s sword dropped instantly.

TING!

The point of Luke’s dagger was knocked aside by mere inches.

"Fast," Hel muttered.

Luke grinned. "You’re not slow either."

Hel stepped in.

Their blades met again.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

There was no hesitation between them. No probing attacks or wasted movements. Every strike carried intent, and every defense flowed directly into another attack.

Hel’s sword carved downward.

Luke caught it.

Hel reversed the angle and struck across.

Luke’s dagger rose to meet it.

The impact forced both blades apart, and Luke immediately thrust forward. Hel turned his wrist, caught the dagger on the flat of his sword, and dragged it away while stepping inside Luke’s reach.

His elbow came forward.

Luke met it with his forearm.

THUD!

Neither man moved back.

Luke twisted his wrist and brought the dagger up toward Hel’s throat.

Hel’s sword flashed between them.

CLANG!

The dagger was deflected.

Luke immediately followed with a horizontal slash.

Hel ducked beneath it and drove his sword upward.

Luke tilted his head just enough for the blade to pass beside his cheek before bringing his dagger down.

TING!

Hel caught it.

For an instant, the two weapons were crossed between them.

Then both pushed.

Their blades slid apart with a harsh metallic shriek.

Hel attacked first.

A downward cut.

A horizontal slash.

A thrust.

Luke met every attack head-on.

His dagger moved in short, precise motions, each deflection flowing naturally into a counter. Hel’s sword was longer, giving him greater reach, but Luke refused to let that advantage create distance between them.

The crowd had stopped cheering.

They were simply watching.

Even Regath’s expression had changed.

"What..." Kalish muttered.

Ilya’s eyes remained fixed on the arena. "That...appears to be a well balanced combat."

She was right.They were fighting on the equal footing.

Hel suddenly stepped forward with a powerful slash.

Luke intercepted it.

CLANG!

Before the sound had even faded, Luke twisted his dagger around Hel’s blade and attempted to drag it away.

Hel released pressure, rotated his wrist, and freed the sword.

Luke’s eyes widened slightly.

Hel grinned.

"Got you."

His sword shot forward.

Luke’s dagger snapped upward.

TING!

The point passed harmlessly beside his neck.

Luke immediately drove his dagger toward Hel’s chest.

Hel turned his body.

The red blade skimmed past his cloak without touching him.

"Not bad," Hel said.

Luke’s grin widened.

They surged forward again.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Blade met blade again and again, their weapons moving so quickly that the crowd could barely follow them.

Meanwhile, Luke continued glancing around the arena, careful enough that no one seemed to notice.

Hel, however, caught on.

His sword shot forward.

A feint.

Luke reacted instinctively, raising his dagger to parry, only for Hel to abruptly change his movement. His elbow slammed into Luke’s arm, knocking it aside, and before Luke could recover, Hel thrust his sword upward, stopping the blade mere inches from his throat.

Hel glared at him. "What’s with the distraction? Are you looking for an opportunity to escape?"

Luke tilted his head and met the man’s eyes.

"I’ve already gotten a hold of your technique and moved past it."

Hel frowned.

Then Luke suddenly jumped back.

He sprang off the ground, rising high into the air.

His dagger vanished from his hand.

A warning bell screamed inside Hel’s mind.

He barely had enough time to cross his arms before Luke brought his palms together.

THWAP!

For one brief moment, silence swallowed the arena.

Then came the explosion.

DOOOOOOOM!

A tremendous blast erupted from Luke’s position, engulfing Hel and the warriors standing behind him. The men at the front were struck by the sheer force of the explosion, their bones and veins rupturing instantly as their bodies were hurled backward.

Those farther away were thrown even farther, some crashing violently into trees while others tumbled across the ground, their bodies dragged through the dirt by the lingering force of the blast.

Their paths were different.

Their destination was the same.

Death.

Within seconds, more than thirty men lay dead.

Regath stared at the devastation, his eyes widened in disbelief.

Kalish was beyond shocked. His mouth opened, yet no words came.

Then it happened.

The very thing Kalish had feared most.

"Kill them all!!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!