The knowledge of the Survivor's Toll didn't just change Lucas's perspective; it rewrote his entire strategy. He was no longer a man on the run, seeking to survive for 30 days. He was a man with a 30-day contract, and the Ashen Fields had just become his place of business. The bounty hunters were not a threat to be avoided; they were a resource to be farmed.
He laid out his new philosophy with cold, simple logic. He had three objectives in this wasteland: survive, gather the [Ashwood Coals] for Baelin, and eliminate any bounty hunters foolish enough to enter his new domain. Every hunter defeated was one less threat and a direct contribution to his eventual payday.
To this end, he sought out a new ally. The [Searing Heat] of the fields, while a deterrent to others, was a natural habitat for fire-aligned spirits. It didn't take him long to find one: a [Minor Flame Spirit], a dancing wisp of heat and light. He offered it a [Shadow Cat Fang]—a trophy from a swift, predatory creature—and the spirit, respecting the symbol of a fellow hunter, accepted the pact.
With both Earth and Fire spirits now attuned, Kael's versatility grew. Lucas resumed his primary mission, seeking the ancient, petrified trees. The [Bounty Puck] he'd looted served as a perfect early-warning system, glowing with a faint, tell-tale warmth long before players came into visual range.
Half a day later, it pulsed. Three hunters this time. He didn't hide. He prepared.
He found a narrow canyon where the air shimmered with an even more intense heat, a natural bottleneck. He began methodically harvesting a large Ashwood tree, making himself an obvious, seemingly cornered target. He also took note of a nearby cave, from which a low, ominous hiss periodically echoed—the lair of a territorial [Ash Wraith].
The bounty hunters, a balanced party of a Knight, a Ranger, and a Cleric, approached with professional caution. They saw Lucas, seemingly trapped at the end of the canyon, and took their positions.
"Nowhere to run, Tamer," the Knight declared, his voice echoing off the canyon walls. "Your bounty is ours."
Lucas stopped his work and turned to face them, his expression not of fear, but of mild annoyance, like a man interrupted during a tedious chore.
"You're the third party to tell me that today," Lucas said calmly. "So far, the results have been disappointing."
The Knight, enraged by his arrogance, signaled the attack. The Ranger fired a pinning shot while the Knight charged. But their target wasn't Lucas.
Lucas had already cast [Imbue Essence: Fire] on Kael, who now glowed with a faint, fiery aura, granting him near-immunity to the environmental heat. While the hunters focused on Lucas, he sent Kael on a wide, flanking path, unseen.
Then, Lucas did something that made no sense to them. He ignored their advance, picked up a loose rock, and threw it deep into the dark cave behind him.
A furious, ethereal shriek erupted from the darkness. A towering [Ash Wraith], its form a swirling vortex of hot ash and embers, burst from the lair, enraged at the intrusion. It didn't attack Lucas; it attacked the closest, largest group of intruders in its territory: the bounty hunters.
They were now caught in a chaotic three-way battle. The [Searing Heat] debuff was ticking away at their health. The powerful Ash Wraith was a frontline threat they couldn't ignore. And from their flank, a fire-resistant wolf, empowered by [Designate Target], slammed into their most valuable member: the Cleric.
Their formation shattered. The Knight had to choose between peeling the wolf off his healer or tanking the Wraith. The Ranger had to split his fire between Kael and the monster. Lucas didn't even engage. He simply stood back, a calm general watching his plan unfold, as the hostile environment and its inhabitants did the heavy lifting.
The Cleric fell first, unable to heal himself while being savaged by Kael. Without their healer, the other two were quickly overwhelmed. The Ash Wraith crushed the Knight, and Kael intercepted the Ranger as he tried to flee.
Lucas stood over the dissolving bodies, collecting his payment: three more [Bounty Pucks]. The value of his Survivor's Toll was steadily climbing. But this time, he did something different. He took the Ranger's puck, and using a novice crafting skill, bound a single piece of [Ashwood Coal] to it with a strand of sinew. He then discarded the item.
His [System Insight] had confirmed his theory. Discarding the puck would return it to the bounty issuer's anonymous collection box at the Shadow Market.
It was a message. A calling card.
He looked out over the desolate, shimmering landscape of the Ashen Fields. He hadn't just defeated his hunters. He had sent a clear, chilling warning to Rive and every other bounty hunter on the server.
This place was not his prison. It was his fortress. And the bounty wasn't a death sentence; it was an open invitation to a hunt where he was the only true predator.