Chapter 138: The Hunter and the Leopard

The afternoon sun hung above Zenith’s western industrial district, casting long shadows between abandoned factories and enormous freight warehouses.

For the past several days, Adesewa’s counteroffensive had forced the assassination organization to abandon multiple safehouses, replace compromised communication channels, and relocate personnel who had previously operated without interference.

Their enemies were beginning to feel the pressure.

Adesewa knew that much from the increasing desperation of their responses.

Earlier that morning, Marcus had uncovered another property connected to the network of companies supplying the assassins. Unlike the previous locations, however, this one appeared to remain operational despite the arrests and financial investigations.

The property was an old manufacturing complex occupying several blocks near Zenith’s western freight lines.

Adesewa stood on a rooftop overlooking the compound, examining the surrounding streets.

"Something doesn’t feel right," Cassian remarked through her communication device. "The security arrangements are almost nonexistent. Either they’ve abandoned the place, or they’re expecting visitors."

Adesewa watched a delivery vehicle enter the compound through its southern gate.

"They’re expecting us," she answered calmly. "The question is what they’ve prepared."

"Then we should approach together," Cassian suggested. "Marcus and Bastian can cover the eastern exit while Safiya watches the northern streets."

Adesewa considered the proposal.

Their enemies had repeatedly demonstrated access to information that should have remained confidential. If the compound was deliberately exposed, the attackers might already know how the Raid Team usually divided its responsibilities.

"Maintain your positions," Adesewa instructed. "Don’t enter the compound unless I call for assistance. If anything happens, prioritize preventing their people from reaching the populated districts."

Cassian hesitated. "Captain, you’re not planning to enter alone, are you?"

Adesewa smiled faintly. "Someone has to find out what they’re hiding."

---

Inside the manufacturing complex, Corvin stood before a wall of surveillance monitors.

Several screens displayed the surrounding streets, while another showed Adesewa standing on the rooftop.

"She’s separated from the others," an operative reported. "The remaining survivors are positioned around the perimeter, exactly as anticipated."

Corvin studied the images. For three days, he’d examined every available report concerning Adesewa’s recent operations.

She favored direct assaults against identified enemy positions, frequently advancing ahead of her companions to prevent valuable targets from escaping.

That habit presented an opportunity. The manufacturing complex had been prepared with concealed explosives, reinforced barriers, and multiple teams of Awakeners positioned throughout the surrounding buildings.

Their objective wasn’t simply to overwhelm her.

It was to isolate her, restrict her movements, and force her into a prolonged battle where numerical superiority could compensate for the difference in strength.

"Activate the perimeter barriers once she enters," Corvin ordered. "Keep the others outside. I don’t want her companions interfering."

The operative nodded. "And if she attempts to retreat?"

Corvin flexed his right hand. His fingers lengthened, transforming into enormous black claws. Thick scales spread across his knuckles before gradually disappearing beneath his skin.

"She won’t have that opportunity," he replied.

Corvin was a 4-Star Awakener possessing a B-Rank Divine Rune that allowed him to transform individual parts of his body into those of powerful beasts.

Claws, armored scales, reinforced limbs, predatory senses. He had spent years mastering different combinations, turning his body into a weapon capable of adapting to numerous opponents.

Against ordinary Awakeners, his transformations were devastating.

Against a 5-Star veteran, he intended to rely on preparation.

"She’s approaching," the operative announced.

Corvin turned toward the monitors.

"Begin."

---

Adesewa entered the compound through its northern entrance.

The moment she crossed the courtyard, enormous reinforced barriers erupted from concealed mechanisms beneath the pavement, sealing the surrounding exits.

A series of explosions followed. The warehouse behind her collapsed, sending a mountain of concrete and twisted steel across the entrance.

Adesewa stopped walking. She glanced toward the destruction, then toward the armed figures emerging from the surrounding buildings.

Twenty Awakeners.

Several carried heavy weapons, while others possessed Divine Runes already glowing across their bodies.

A man standing atop an elevated loading platform raised his hand.

"Adesewa! You’re surrounded!" he shouted. "Surrender, and perhaps we’ll allow you to leave alive!"

Adesewa looked at him.

"Twenty against one?" she asked, sounding almost disappointed. "You people really haven’t learned anything."

The man scowled.

"Kill her!"

A barrage of attacks descended upon the courtyard.

Flames, compressed Mana, and enormous blades of energy tore through the air, converging upon Adesewa from multiple directions.

She moved. The ground exploded beneath her feet as she accelerated, crossing the courtyard before the attacks reached their intended target.

Her fist struck the nearest assassin. His body flew through the wall of a warehouse, demolishing several reinforced pillars before disappearing beneath the collapsing roof.

Adesewa seized another attacker by the shoulder and hurled him into three approaching Awakeners.

Their bodies smashed through a concrete barrier. An enormous explosion erupted behind her as the remaining attacks struck the courtyard.

The shockwave shattered windows across the surrounding buildings.

Adesewa landed atop a broken freight container, completely unharmed.

"Come on," she remarked, looking toward the remaining assassins. "Surely you can do better."

A tremendous roar answered her. The central warehouse doors exploded outward.

Corvin emerged through the debris. His right arm had transformed into a massive scaled limb, ending in five enormous claws. Thick black armor covered his shoulder, while his left forearm bore overlapping plates resembling those of a powerful reptilian beast.

His legs had also changed. Muscles expanded beneath his trousers, and his feet developed predatory claws that dug into the concrete.

Adesewa examined him with mild interest.

"So you’re the one in charge."

Corvin smiled coldly. "And you’re the woman who’s been destroying my operations."

Adesewa tilted her head. "Then you should have chosen better employees."

Corvin’s smile vanished.

BANG!

The courtyard shattered beneath Corvin’s first step.

His transformed legs propelled him forward with explosive speed, carrying him across dozens of meters in an instant.

His enormous claws descended toward Adesewa’s head. She raised her arm and their limbs collided. A thunderous shockwave erupted, tearing apart the pavement and overturning several freight containers.

Corvin immediately followed with a second strike. His left arm transformed further, scales thickening as his fist expanded into an enormous armored weapon.

Adesewa twisted aside. The punch struck the ground, opening a crater several meters wide.

She counterattacked with a kick toward his ribs.

Corvin crossed his armored forearms. The impact sent him sliding backward, his claws carving deep trenches through the concrete.

He gritted his teeth. Even with his reinforced scales, the force had nearly broken his guard.

"Not bad," Adesewa remarked.

Corvin snarled. His shoulders expanded, and sharp protrusions emerged along his spine. His jaw widened slightly, revealing rows of predatory teeth.

He launched himself forward again. This time, his attacks came from several directions in rapid succession. Claws slashed through the air, producing violent shockwaves that sliced apart nearby containers.

Adesewa avoided the first three strikes before catching his wrist and twisted it.

Corvin roared as the bones beneath his scales strained against the pressure. He immediately transformed his free arm into an enormous claw and struck toward her face.

Adesewa released him and stepped backward.

The attack missed by inches. Corvin retreated several meters, breathing heavily.

He’d expected her strength. What he hadn’t anticipated was her speed of judgment.

Every attack he attempted was met with an immediate response, as though she could predict his movements before he completed them.

And she still hadn’t activated her Divine Rune.

"Second formation!" Corvin roared.

The remaining assassins repositioned themselves around the courtyard.

Several activated their Divine Runes simultaneously, producing enormous chains of condensed Mana that shot toward Adesewa from different directions.

The chains wrapped around her arms and legs.

Corvin grinned.

"Now!"

Explosives detonated beneath her position.

A colossal explosion consumed the courtyard, sending a pillar of fire and debris hundreds of meters into the sky.

The surrounding warehouses trembled. Several collapsed entirely. Outside the compound, Cassian watched the explosion rise above the rooftops.

"Captain!" he shouted into his communicator.

No response came.

Marcus immediately prepared to advance, but Cassian raised his hand.

"Wait," he ordered, narrowing his eyes.

Something was moving inside the smoke.

---

Corvin stared toward the burning crater.

For a moment, he believed the operation had succeeded.

Then a woman’s voice emerged from the flames.

"Was that supposed to kill me?"

His expression froze.

Adesewa stepped through the smoke, brushing fragments of broken Mana chains from her shoulders.

Dark-gold markings spread across her neck and hands.

At their center appeared the image of a twin-headed leopard standing upon a circular pattern of intersecting roads.

One head faced forward. The other looked backward. Hundreds of smaller markings resembling footprints traveled in opposite directions along her arms.

Corvin immediately retreated.He understood the danger of allowing her to approach. His transformed legs propelled him backward across the courtyard, putting nearly fifty meters between them.

Adesewa took one step and the distance vanished. Corvin’s eyes widened. Her fist struck his abdomen.

BANG!

The impact launched him through the outer wall of the central warehouse, sending him crashing across its interior. He smashed through several support columns before finally striking the opposite wall.

The entire building began collapsing. Corvin barely escaped before thousands of tons of concrete descended behind him.

He landed in the street outside, coughing blood.

"What the hell was that?" he muttered.

He’d seen her move. She hadn’t teleported. Yet the distance he’d created had somehow become meaningless.

Adesewa emerged from the collapsing warehouse.

"Running already?" she asked.

Corvin snarled and launched himself backward again. This time, he crossed more than a hundred meters, leaping onto the roof of a neighboring building.

Adesewa followed one step after the other.

The distance separating them contracted with terrifying speed.

Corvin barely raised his armored arms before her kick struck him. The rooftop exploded. His body crashed through six floors, smashing concrete and steel before striking the ground beneath the building.

The structure collapsed around him.

Corvin dragged himself from the wreckage, his transformed scales cracked and blood pouring from his mouth.

His breathing had become ragged. The difference between them was overwhelming.

His Divine Rune granted him tremendous physical strength and defensive capabilities, but none of it mattered if he couldn’t establish enough distance to recover.

Every attempt to retreat merely invited another devastating attack and Adesewa seemed perfectly comfortable allowing him to run.

Corvin looked toward the woman approaching through the dust.

Her expression remained calm. She hadn’t even begun fighting seriously.

For the first time since preparing the operation, Corvin understood the magnitude of his mistake. He hadn’t trapped Adesewa inside the manufacturing complex.

He’d trapped himself with her. And the woman walking toward him wasn’t merely a powerful Awakener.

She was a hunter who had already decided that he was her prey.