“The Skull-Splitter is actually a pretty good choice, but unfortunately there are just too many people competing for it. With so many people fighting over a single Skull-Splitter, and so many barons among them, it’s just too hard to be the one who lands the final blow.” Edward White gave up on the idea of fighting those people for the Skull-Splitter and decided to go hunt ordinary Head-Splitters instead, using the opportunity to practice his Pain Blade Technique.

His only weapon was a pure white knight’s two-handed sword, but this greatsword originally belonged to Baron Marlow. To avoid trouble, Edward White found a mask made of white iron and wore it on his face. That way, even if someone recognized the pure white knight’s two-handed greatsword, they wouldn’t know who had obtained it, and naturally wouldn’t be able to come looking for trouble.

Everyone was searching for Skull-Splitters, and most people would avoid Head-Splitters when they encountered them. Only those barons would directly strike down any Head-Splitters they came across, so it was relatively easy for Edward White to find a Head-Splitter wandering in the jungle.

Because he had always been hunting Dagger Demons, Edward White’s understanding of Head-Splitters was limited to what he’d heard. Now, as he examined one closely, he realized that Head-Splitters looked quite different from humans.

Chapter 4: The Undying Altar

Its dark green skin was full of wrinkles, its ears drooped like a pig’s, and two fangs jutted out from the corners of its mouth. Its red eyes looked extremely fierce.

It stood nearly two meters tall. Its upper body was similar to a human’s, but its hands had only four fingers each. Both hands gripped a dark green, long-handled, double-bladed giant axe. The axe blades were crescent-shaped, one side large and the other small, glinting with a terrifying cold light. From the bloodstains on it, it was clear that this axe had just tasted fresh blood not long ago.

The Head-Splitter’s lower body, however, had bull-like legs, which made a dull thudding sound as it walked, exuding great strength and power.

As soon as Edward White approached, the Head-Splitter noticed him. Relying on its height advantage, the Head-Splitter raised its giant axe and brought it down from above.

Years of hunting Dagger Demons had given Edward White enough calmness, observation, and patience. He waited until the giant axe was about to strike before gracefully sidestepping, dragging his pure white two-handed greatsword in a reverse grip, and gliding past the Head-Splitter like a butterfly.

Blood blossomed like a flower at the Head-Splitter’s waist. The Head-Splitter roared in anger, spun around, and brought its axe down on Edward White again.

Edward White once more slid aside to dodge the giant axe’s attack, elegantly dragging his greatsword in a beautiful arc, leaving another bloody mark on the Head-Splitter’s body.

“The pain points on the Undead are indeed different from those on humans.” Although both attacks had wounded the Head-Splitter, they hadn’t triggered the special effect of the Pain Blade Technique.

Edward White patiently struck the Head-Splitter again and again, testing every spot marked on the pain point diagram. He turned the Head-Splitter into a bloody mess, but it still didn’t die and return to the altar—it could still fight.

Of the more than a thousand pain points effective on humans, only eleven were effective on Head-Splitters.

“Look at that guy—is he crazy? He’s hacked that Head-Splitter into such a state. He could have killed it with a single blow, but instead he’s torturing it, cutting it over and over. That’s just cruel.” A young girl, accompanied by several people, passed by the place where Edward White was fighting. Seeing the Head-Splitter hacked into a bloody figure, she said in shock.

“Miss, that’s how the lower classes are—there are all kinds of perverts among them. That’s why, as a natural-born noble, you should stay away from them.” The man with a thin mustache beside her was extremely respectful to the girl, but when he mentioned Edward White, his tone was full of contempt.

“Whether someone is cruel or not has nothing to do with whether they’re lower class. To us, they’re lower class; to the dukes and marquises, we’re lower class too. Does that mean we’re perverts as well?” the girl said calmly.

“This…” The mustached man was left speechless.

“Miss, should we stop him?” another man asked from the side.

“Just kill that Head-Splitter. Don’t bully him,” the girl nodded.

The man responded, bowed respectfully, and then quickly strode toward Edward White. When he reached the Head-Splitter, he suddenly summoned a rapier and stabbed it fiercely through the heart, piercing its body completely. The Head-Splitter immediately dissolved into countless points of light and returned to the Undead’s altar.

Edward White frowned slightly at the man. He still needed to test the Head-Splitter’s pain points, but the man had killed it without a word, forcing him to find another Head-Splitter to experiment on.

“Lowly commoner, you are not allowed to torture Head-Splitters like this again. Even the Undead deserve their dignity. You may kill them, but you must not be so brutal.” The man revealed a mark on his forehead—he was a baron.

Edward White silently bowed, then turned and left. That’s just how the First Step of Light is: no matter how reasonable you are, if the other person’s rank is higher than yours, even if what they say is nonsense, you have to obey, or your life could be in danger. This is simply not a world where reason matters.

“Stop!” The baron was extremely dissatisfied with Edward White’s attitude. He called out, intending to teach him a lesson, or even execute him on the spot.