《Realm Wars》 DISCLAIMER DISCLAIMER This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, ces, and events are either the product of the author''s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemnce to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. All pictures and multimedia used are not the author''s work and doesn''t im any legal rights. SEPTVERDEN SEPTVERDEN (This will be updated as the story progress) ---- M A P (Pic) ---- C A L E N D A R *year 950 1 Moon (Spring) - 90 days 2 Moons (Summer) - 90 days 3 Moons (Fall) - 90 days 4 Moons (Winter) - 90 days ---- R E A L M S Heaven Realm (Pic) - Angels Nether / Demon Realm (Pic) - Demons - Undead Currency - Souls (Golden - angel) (ck - demon) (Translucent - Sprites) (Green - Elves) (Grey - Beasts) (White - humans) Spirit Realm (Pic) - Fairies - Sprites - Gnomes - Throlls Elfen / Elven Realm (Pic) - Elves - Dwarves - Goblins - Orcs Beast Realm (Pic) - Beastfolks - Beasts Mortal Realm (Pic) - Humans Currency - Bronze, Silver (100 Bronze), Gold (1000 Silver), Gold Bar (1000 Gold) ---- D I M E N S I O N A L S P A C E S Oroborough Tavern (Pic) - Everything legal and illegal are sold here -- at the right price. - Lead by a barman whose appearance depends on who is talking to it. Faux Oriculum (Pic) - A tavern that deals in all sorts of witchcraft and sorcery - Lead by an enigmatic woman in ck and white Lizzaforth''s Tavern (Pic) - A tavern where all sorts of potions and items are made - Lead by an entric Legendary Alchemist ---- LEVEL of BEASTS (highest to lowest) Mythic Legendary God Ancient Rank-S Rank-A Rank-B Rank-C Rank-D ---- LEVEL of ITEMS (Highest to Lowest) Mythical God-tier Very Rare Rare Common CHARACTERS CHARACTERS (This will be updated as the story progress) ---- RYU (?) (Pic) - 17 years old - ck with violet hair - Golden/Amber Eyes - Half-beast, Half-human - Servant Seal on his forehead - Fights with bare hands and feet A F F I N I T Y (?) (couldn''t manipte mana) (immune to mana attacks but takes in healing spells) C L A S S (?) W E A P O N (bare hands and feet) ---- FERRIS (Pic) - age unknown - Scarlet eyes - Servant Seal between her breasts - Human form (burnt girl) (Pic) - Demon form (Straight ck hair. Multiple horns forming a crown. Multiple raven like wings.) (Pic) A F F I N I T Y Demon (Death, Demonic, Shadow) Human (Water) C L A S S (?) W E A P O N (?) ---- CECILY BYRON (Pic) - 19 years old - Wavy brown hair - Blue/Azure eyes - Granddaughter to the Legendary Draco Byron A F F I N I T Y (Fire) C L A S S (Mage Knight) W E A P O N (Rapier) ---- LUCIAN AZURE (Pic) - 20 years old - Orange / Golden hair - Blue/Azure eyes - Grandson to the Legendary Lionell Azura A F F I N I T Y (?) C L A S S (?) W E A P O N (Sword) ---- ROSA RUK (Pic) - 22 years old - ck hair - ck eyes - Granddaughter to the Legendary Marga Ruk A F F I N I T Y (Earth, Fire, Water and Wind) C L A S S (Elementalist) W E A P O N (Staff) ---- RAPHAEL (Pic) - ? years old - White hair - White eyes A F F I N I T Y (Light, Devine) C L A S S (Angel) W E A P O N (?) ---- KAI FOIR (Pic) - ? years old - Dirty yellow hair - Blue eyes A F F I N I T Y (Ice) C L A S S (Swordmaster) W E A P O N (Scimitar) ---- SERAPHINA SERPENTIN (Pic) - ? years old - tinum blonde hair - Blue eyes A F F I N I T Y (Water, nts) C L A S S (Mage) W E A P O N (Staff) Prologue 1 Prologue 1 A long, long time ago. In this world of power and magic, war is constant. The six realms in the world of Septverden have been shackled in perpetual conflict. They have engaged in ughter and battles among themselves for every reason possible, from territory, resources to meaningless semantics. In the era where the mortal realm is the weakest among the six realms, where human bones and ashes covered the entire Blue Earth Continent, Empires rise and fall as the never-ending cycle of war birthed boned deep hatred that even centuries can''t erase. Until the mortal realm no longer can take the oppression and give birth to a new generation of heroes. With power equal to that of the Heaven and Nether Realm. With strength and agility on par with the Beast realm. With magic and spells second only to that of the Elfen and Spirit realm. With these. The mortal realm stood shoulder to shoulder with the five realms and humans sore to never-seen heights. Together, they reimed theirnds and repelled the five realms back to their continent. And the world of Septverden finally known peace. Or so the tale goes. . . Requiem Requiem Oh'' world of Septverden Six Realms divide. Oh! Angels of Heaven Realm truly divine! But to the widows and the orphans, How divine can you be? You''re nothing but a thief. An ursed entity! Oh! Demons of the Nether Realm thy beauty unmatched. s, to the ves and the dead thy beauty is for naught, For you are cloak in eternity of our rage and resent. Promise this bad blood will be repaid in the end. Oh! Beasts of the Beast Realm how loyal and strong are you? To kill children and women their truly is nothing like you. Oh! Sprites of the Spirit Realm how majestic and pure! Remained as an innocent dead mother''s tale and the dreams of children''s suffering souls. Oh! Elves of the Elfen Realm how noble and elegant! Welding your bows, your arrows struck true. To the weak whose head you imed, as their blood bathe the earth, Did you stood noble and true? Oh! Brave! Brave! Humans of the Mortal Realm. You remained weak and scared under these realms. But s, brave heroes emerged from thisnd, Who freed us from our shackles and the invaders of ournds. A centuries worth of suffering is not enough, For they who have wronged us, will bathe in their own blood. Do not forget. Do not forgive. As hate, rage, resentment, and death is what we will give. -Human PLEASE READ! PLEASE READ! Hey Guys! Dropping to let you know that I draw Maps, Covers, Character Portraits, and Character Sheets. Samples here (PICS). Please don''t save or copy. Thank you Drop me a DM for Commissions at my links. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: MiuNovels Email: ---- Please support my next book. *Trinity the Last White Witch Its my entry to the Werewolf contest. Genre: 1st POV. StrongFL. ColdML. DarkFantasy. Magic. Werewolf. Vampire. Witch. Warlock. Mature. R18 Click that HEART button on my Profile so you won''t miss out when I start publishing it. XD Chapter 1: Prologue 2 Chapter 1: Prologue 2 Septverden Calendar Year 950 Asura Continent, Mortal Realm In the far south of Asura continent, formerly known as the Blue Earth continent, still within the Byron Kingdom, almost at the border of the forgottennds, there stood a town of entertainment and gambling. (Pic) A town where thewless and criminals nestled, where thievery, prostitution remained as number one profession, where the dead and drunk loitered the streets as killings, r*pe, and gambling remained rampant throughout the day a carriage pulled by magnificent war horses processioned the cobbled street. This carriage, albeit not fancy, remained eye-catching against the sharp contrast of the decrepit, dirty town. Everyone saw it agreed that whoever was on that carriage belonged to some noble family. There is something different on this day. The people thought as they eyed that carriage. Some felt to intercede and ambush the wagon for quick money, for it was such a rare sight for outsiders, especially someone rich, to stroll the town. But no one dared to move a muscle when they saw the knights with emblems imprinted on their heavy gold and white metal armors, walking in front and behind the carriage. Who didn''t know of that crest? That circle-shaped crest with a lion protruding from its silver te, ornamented with gold as the lion''s eyes glowed in a dazzling azure stone. (Pic) It was the crest of the royal family of the Kingdom of Byron! Everyone knew the power and influence held by the Byron royal family. They were not suicidal and knew if the situation was at a disadvantage. Especially at the sight of a bulky man leading the carriage, seated in a gigantic ck horse d inyers of silver metal tes with embossed gold strips outlining the edges. Azure color sheets with Byron''s crest intricately stitched on it were draped underneath its armors. The man''s body was cloaked in heavy gold and white Mythril tes with an enormous broadsword on his back. He had a craggy face, stern and intimidating. With his muscr physique and sharp eyesbined with his terrifying aura that shrouded him like poisonous fog, everyone scurried at least ten meters away from him. This intimidating man with boulders as muscles is known as Do, a great knight in the Kingdom of Byron, one of the many personal guards of the royal family. Do didn''t give anyone a second nce as his whole focus was towards the ruined Colosseum, sticking out in the town center. "M''Lady, we''re almost there." No one answered, not even a peep inside the carriage. Do didn''t mind. His eyes burned aze, observing the Colosseum. Though the outside of the carriage remained simple with only some carvings and a royal family crest, the inside was luxurious andfortable with top-grade quality fabrics and materials. Like it was made for a Princess. A young woman, about neen years old with long wavy, light brown hair, freely flowing across her waist, was sitting on the soft cushioned leather seat. Her wless face was nk, and her thickshes fluttered whenever her light blue eyes caught something that picked her attention. She was clothed in a body-hugging above the knee dress made entirely of arachnid silk, a material that was light, flexible, and at the same time, could resist physical attack. nking each side of her arms were materia armors that reduced magic damage to half. On her left and right middle finger were traveler''s rings that stored a hundred items each with no limit to weight and size. Traveler''s rings were made ofmon metals or stones that were imbued with spells to held items. The cheapest cost one gold coin equivalent to one thousand silver coins that stored twenty items, and the expensive one that stored a hundred items required ten gold coins, enough to buy a one-story house. This beautiful woman was garbed in the finest top-grade materials that put any nobles to shame. Her garments showed every woman''s asset, the cleavage of her full breasts, the slender shape of her legs and thighs on disy. She excluded an air of nobility and heroism with just the simple gesture of sitting, holding one hand on her chin, elbow resting against the window. Her eyes were dropping a little, looking bored at the scenery from the tiny crevice of the window curtain. She might as well be a Princess for just her looks alone. Her chivalrous countenance and eye catching figure were an added bonus. Heroic and beautiful pack in a single entity. Cecily Byron (Pic) Granddaughter to the legendary Drago Byron, one of the renowned five heroes that led humanity to freedom fifty years ago. "M''Lady, we''re almost at the Colosseum," said a scrawny old man dress in a ck magus robe. He smiled, showing his yellow stained teeth and wrinkles. His eyes squinted, looking amiable and kind while he rubbed his long white beard. "Are you excited to finally have your own contracted servant?" This older man, who looked calm and gentle, was a great mage well-known throughout the Asura continent and was also one of the few who joined in the battle fifty years ago. Mage Murok of the Kingdom of Ruk. The kingdom of Byron was known as birthing grounds for powerful knights, while the kingdom of Ruk was known for its prowess in the arts of magic and spells. Both kingdoms were under the Asura Empire, making the whole Asura continent and the entire mortal realm. Cecily nced at the old man then stared at the window again. "What is there to be excited about? I am confident in my strength. If it weren''t because of father and grandfather forcing me to have servants by my side, I wouldn''t travel for a month to get to this ce," Cecily said. She then shot the older man a hard sidelong nce. "I can only hope that all this travel is worth it." Murokughed, beard shaking. "Of course, of course. When did I ever let you down? You know that I, your teacher, only want the best for you in the entire Asura continent." Murok watched Cecily with a soft gaze. Even though she remained poise, calm, and indifferent with a natural aloof personality, he never minded it one bit. He treated Cecily as his granddaughter, considering that he didn''t have any family left due to the war that almost wiped out humanity fifty years ago. Cecily was an outstanding mage knight, even just at a young age, a bnced character in magic and physical attacks. Cecily didn''t react. Her pretty face remained unmoved. They traveled for a month in search of this. .. creature, that would be her servant. So, of course, her expectation of this soon-to-be servant of hers was high. Murok was a mage with top-notch skills in divination. He divined that a powerful being who''s tied to be Cecily''s servant was here, in this unknown town in the far south. It wasn''t really necessary for one to have a servant, but it became a custom ever since the humans droved the invaders from theirnds years ago. In these times where the six realms were at a standstill, where fear of war between the realms could break out at any moment, it was essential to have someone watch their back loyal servants that would take the killing blow for them. Cecily took a peek at the silent purpled skinned woman sitting beside her teacher. The woman was a beauty. More beautiful than any ordinary mortal. But. .. she was no mortal she''s a demon. The servants were those alien races that invaded the mortalnds. Those who were captured, chained, toured, and enved. In every realm, killing, capturing, enving, and torturing different races were legal. In fact, it was encouraged. The demoness had dark obsidian dted eyes, purple porcin glossy skin, a voluptuous physique that could seduce any man, and a single horn. A small horn pointed out from her forehead, signifying her rank and power. Agatha, Murok''s servant. For demons, the longer, the more prominent, and the more they have horns, the more powerful they were and the higher their rank. Same with the barbaric beastfolks. Agatha only wore minimal clothing and armor, showing more skin than necessary. It was part of their allure and weapon seduction. Not that they needed armors in the first ce. Demons'' skin could regenerate like an immortal same with the angels. It would take a tremendous devastating injury to kill them, like disintegrating them in one blow, leaving no body parts behind, or directly attacking their soul. Only the angels and demons were gifted with regeneration in the entire realm, but it was not entirely infinite. As long as they had mana, these races'' limbs could regenerate without conjuring healing spells. However, if they ran out of mana, like every other race, they would disappear into dusts. On the other hand, the beast realm, a race loved by nature, could use mana to heal wounds directly and repair broken limbs without the help of magic. In contrast, the Spirit, Elfen, and Mortal realms rely on magical incantations to heal and regenerate themselves. If they were not a mage and weren''t a magic practitioner, then forget about broken limbs they might not even heal a scar. But what wasmon for these races, once they used their entire supply of mana they would be left for the dead. Thus, it was imperative that every toon or group should have at least one to two mages during adventuring. Cecily eyed the demoness''s seal at the center of Agatha''s cleavage, a master-servant seal. There were two ways to make one a servant, by using a master-servant scroll which cost one gold bar equivalent to one thousand gold coins that could buy an entire vige or, with the help of a mage, to conjure the binding spell. And that was why Murok came, to help Cecily bind the servant to her. Cecily retracted her eyes as they met with dted dark obsidian ones. She frowned when Agatha curved her lips in a mocking smile, but then the woman jolted and grunted as the white seal on her cleavage glowed in faint azure light. "Keep your eyes to yourself," Murok hissed at the demoness. Gone was the amiable man as an ugly scornful expression reced his kind look. "Y-yes. .. mas. .. ter. .. ," Agatha mumbled in pain, still being tortured by the seal. When the master-servant seal was established, the master had total control over the servant, not just with the servant''s life but also the servant''s soul. Though the servant could choose not to heed the master''s directmand, no servant was willing to go through the painful punishment made by the master for disobedience. Thus, most of the servants followed the master''s orders without question, and when the master dies, the servant dies as well. Hence, the servants didn''t have any choice but to protect their master with their life. However, the same couldn''t be said about the master. Once the servant dies, the master-servant seal would be broken, but nothing would happen to the master. The master could also kill or inflict pain upon the servant. It was not just any ordinary pain; it was a pain worse than death as the pain was inflicted directly on the soul like the soul was forcefully being ripped apart. Cecily didn''t have any ounce of sympathy towards Agatha''s suffering as she withdrew her eyes and looked at the scenery once more. Cecily and all the other humans were not to me for thisck of sympathy. Their cold and ruthless attitude towards these foreign races, towards these creatures who killed half the human poption during the wars. Their rage and fury were warranted given the four centuries worth of suffering and very they received from the other realms. Their hatred and impulse for revenge were so intense that no amount of time could diminish. Even though Cecily was not born during those difficult times, but just the stories she heard from the elders, from her teachers, from her peers, from her family, were enough to make her fume in indignation. "We''re here." Cecily took an intake of air as the door of the carriage opened. The pungent smell of decay, sweat, and death mixed in the air that she couldn''t help but breathe through her mouth. Cecily, Murok, Do, Agatha, and some guards all went into a secret door of the Colosseum. Even from the outside, Cecily heard the cheering and angry curses from the crowds. As they were nearing the light at the end of the narrow hallway, the nauseating smell of blood intensified tenfold as the loud noises made the whole ce trembled. The re of the morning was the first to greet them at the end of the hallway. Then the view of the inside of the Colosseum where thousands of rowdy spectators boomed in a wild frenzy from the adrenaline battle below. While Murok and Do scanned the unruly crowds and the surroundings for any danger, Cecily held a gasp when her azure poles met with golden ones. A halfbreed?! Chapter 2: Ryu 1 Chapter 2: Ryu 1 Drip Drip The dripping sounds of water from the cracked rubble celling resonated inside the narrow, dirty cells. Molds were sticking in the crevices of the rotting stone walls. Liquids falling from the splits and holes of the ceiling came from the cells above that one could only hope as water and not urine or any unidentified substance while all sorts of murky little creatures ran to and about. The pungent smell of sweat, blood, piss, and other odors that were unthinkable filled the air and made one suffocate and tear up. But to the creatures locked and chained in these chambers, they already grew ustomed to it. The amodation was the least of their worries for any moment they would be called upon to do battle in the Colosseum above battle to the death. With these prisoners'' death tolling to hundreds each month, one had to wonder how the cells remained full. But reality was, there were unlimited new prisoners each month. Prisoners came from all over the realms that the humans hunted and captured to be enved and put to battle for their amusement. In one of these crampy, dirty rooms, a boy about seventeen years old was towering to almost six feet in height with arms chained against the wall, a ck metal cor around his neck. This metal cor was worn by prisoners and ves, causing paralysis to any wearer who dared to escape. The boy was barely dressed in his loose pants and bare upper chest. His skin was littered with dried blood and dirt without tasting the pleasant feeling of the so-called bathe. His ck hair styled with shades of violet was shorter on the back with few hairs falling on his forehead while his sculpted face was the only one that was kept clean. Why was it kept clean? Because the boy was handsome and with his lean muscles and masculine physique, he was a feast for the eyes. Not just this boy, all the prisoners that have beautiful faces were kept clean for the patrons, young and old alike. Everyone loved a good show between beautiful creatures. Even it was a battle to the death. Something was stimting, with handsome males and attractive females covered in blood. Not even the guards could resist their urges upon facing these mystifying beauties. Raping the prisoners was amon thing. Some patrons even paid a high price to have sex with the detainees, didn''t care if the prisoners came from the realms they loathed the most. And for this boy, Ryu, he was a sought-after prize. But luckily for him, the Owner of the Colosseum took a fancy to him. It was an obsession. Everyone knew that the Owner was not somebody to mess with, including the one thing that the Owner fancied the most Ryu. For the Owner, he was not after Ryu for sex. In truth, he was only obsessed with Ryu duringbat. Of course, no one knew that, so they stood clear from the boy nevertheless. The Owner''s obsession even gone far stretched into one of downright perversion just from watching Ryu inbat. From the way, Ryu fought each opponent. From his golden eyes that shone and slit when he was tearing his foe''s limbs. From the way he moved, flexing his muscles when he was butchering his opponent''s body. Bathe in blood. Bathe in deadly killing intent. So wild and untamed. It became the Owner''s lustful perverted secret. Each time Ryu did battle, the Owner would watch, not leaving his eyes for a second as he gripped and rubbed his cock hard. His ecstasy and pleasure exploded whenever Ryu ughtered someone in a gruesome manner. Ryu, however, was indifferent to all of this. His only thought was to kill. He was left in the orphanage when he was still a baby. After the humans discovered what he was, he was immediately auctioned and was bought by the Owner when he was but seven years old. Since then, he lived for battles. After ten years of fighting for his life, Ryu had grown ustomed to battle and savagery. His mentality was like that of a deranged beast. He didn''t know kindness. He didn''t knowpassion. He didn''t know sadness. He didn''t know love. The only thing he knew was to kill. Kill until the skin was torn from the bones. Kill until the blood ran dry from the body. Kill until the bones were crushed to dust. Kill until no flesh remained. He was feral. He was deadly. The deadliest in the entire prison. "Ryu, you''re up." Ryu''s eyebrows twitched and he opened his eyes. The guards gulped while their limbs trembled. After all these years, they still felt fear towards this young boy who was barely a man. The guards'' fear was warranted as Ryu was indeed someone they should be warry about. One wrong move, depending on the boy''s mood, they could quickly lose their life, and the cor wouldn''t be of any use after their head rolled on the ground. It happened before. One guard who was full of himself kicked Ryu on the stomach, and that guard disappeared in the annals that day. Not even the bones remained. The two guards approached the young boy in careful steps and their shaking hands unshackled the chains. Ryu never once escaped nor attempted the idea, but they still need to be warry. Ryu remained quiet with a nk face as his eyes were half-opened. To him, this was just another ordinary day. Kill, eat and go to sleep. "Let''s go. . ." Ryu sauntered on the familiar pathway and into the stairs towards the Colosseum while the guards were walking behind him, watching his every move. When his feet touched the dirt, the metal gate closed behind him. Ryu took his time and walked towards the center where his opponent awaits. Ryu didn''t mind the mind-blowing, ear-shattering cheers of the crowds as he sized his enemy. Long blonde hair that swayed with the wind. Grey, bloodshot eyes. Long elongated nose. Chopped pale lips. Skin that was creamy smooth, and snow-white, more white and pearly than any ordinary humans. And. .. longrge pointy ears. An Elf. Or what Ryu had heard and known. It was not the first that he would battle a she-elf. Ryu''s eyes stayed focus on his opponent while the bystanders eyed the she-elf as if she was a piece of delicious meat. Even the she-elf''s disheveled hair, the scars and purple bruises that still look new loitering all over her body she was indeed a beauty to behold. Typical of the Elfen race. The elegant air surrounding the she-elf didn''t diminish. That meant that she was newly captured. Not yet broken but she would be. Another evidence that would testify to her baptism in the Colosseum was the tantalizing blue blood dripping between her thighs. The onlookers felt the surging heat inside their bodies. Some rubbed their cock as they whistled and howled degrading words while eying the she-elf''s appearance. Her plump breasts and pinkish nipples stood erect. Her delicate blonde curly hair, resting on her pelvic camouged her swollen, bloody sex beneath the sheer dress. With only a thin fabric draping her, she might as well be naked. This was, of course, also part of the entertainment. This added to the whole appeal another source of enjoyment of seeing a hazy naked body beneath the thin cloth. Even Ryu had loose, dirty pants with his loincloth visible under the scorching morning light. His upper body glistened in sweat, dripping down to the tant thick dark curls on his pelvis down to the area that was hidden by the loincloth, tantalizing every female to licked their lips and rubbed their thighs to ease their aching sex. Ryu didn''t give any thought to it, even though the aroma of lust permitted every corner of the Colosseum. To him, there was nothing differentiating men and women. All of them were made of the same flesh and bones. Tore it apart, and there''s nothing beautiful left. Ryu walked barefooted and stopped just ten meters away from his opponent. His golden eyes glowed as his pupils turned to slit while his muscles flex, tense, ready to rip his opponent in half. At first nce, Ryu could be considered human. All his features screamed human. Nothing would give it out. .. except when he was in battle mode. Golden eyes glowed in menace as his pupils turned to slit. ws inched as it crawled out from his fingers and toes, canines elongated and pointy as he snarled, a low growl rumbling in his throat. A halfbreed. Human and beast. Halfbreeds were not entirely rare. There were thousands of them. The fate of these creatures was far worse than any race in Septverden. No realms would ever taint their lineage and sheltered an abomination. They were outcast, scorned, enved, and tortured, banished in the forgottennds a fate worse than death. RIIIINNNGGG!! Chapter 3: Ryu 2 Chapter 3: Ryu 2 RIIIINNNGGG!! The bell rang and the battle starts. In a split second, Ryu was in front of his opponent, ws extending, canines barged and he shed his enemy in full force. The air rippled at the speed, and the clouds of dust flew in every direction as a result. However, the she-elf was quick. She managed to retreat in a blur, w marks on the ground, missing its target. Elves were famed for their speed, but the beastfolks? They were known for it. The she-elf was still standing tall at the ready, though nowid her breasts bare for everyone to see. Fresh blood smudged her creamy skin as gruesome w marks tainted her bouncy white flesh. Two wounds on the upper chest and one below, the pinkish tips unmarked, and the crowd roared in lust. Ryu licked the blood on his ws. A soft rumble vibrated in his chest. He was excited at the taste and smell of blood. The scent of his opponent''s fear. All his senses heightened. He wanted to toy with her before killing her. Wanting to enjoy every moment of it. The she-elf''s face paled. If not for the ck cor that hindered the flow of mana, she could have healed herself seconds ago. Besides the electrifying and paralyzing effect, the ck cor was more famed at impeding the flow of mana, rendering its captives unable to use magic nor spells. In a master-servant seal, the servant could fight in full force. But the scroll was expensive, as well as, hiring a mage to do it. As for the cors, they were cheap though they hindered their captives'' abilities. The empire distributed it freely to enved other races. As a result, ck cors weremonly used for ves and prisoners, while a master-servant scroll was used for servants. Elves were proficient in both magic and physical attacks a bnce character. But without mana to use magic nor any weapons to defend themselves, they were sitting ducks for the wolves to feast on. As for the beast race, they were champions regarding raw strength, physical attacks, and defense. In the entire six realms, the beastfolks were uncontested in this area, with their skin as tough as the hardest orihalcon the most powerful and forgeable ore in the entire realms, also the rarest. Even if Ryu was a half-breed, his strength was undeniable. But they were not without ws. Though the beastfolks could bend mana to use as a forcebining it with their physical attacks, concerning magic and spells, their mastery was limited to none with the weakest magic resistance in all races. The she-elf''s face contorted in ugly desperation. She finally realized her predicament. Without magic or any weapon, how could she defeat a beast with just her strength and bare hands? This was a battle that she could not win! "I concede defeat!" The she-elf looked at whoever was in charge, yet the mocking audience only reciprocated her gaze. .. . .. . AHAHAHAHA!! The people erupted in aughing fit. Some thrown insults and curses. The she-elf''s face contorted in a scowl. She didn''t understand that this was a battle to the death as she was only brought here yesterday night. She stared at theughing people with piercing eyes thick with hatred and disgust. But being distracted during a fight was never wise. Ryu sprinted in the she-elf''s direction. His fangs glistened under the zing light. Swish! It happened so fast that the onlookers only saw were after blurs and clouds of dust. As for the she-elf, she didn''t even know what happened. She turned in Ryu''s direction, who was now twenty meters from her. He looked feral and deadly. His lips trickled in blood and he spat something from his mouth. The she-elf frowned, didn''t register what it was, not until it flopped on the ground, rolling before it stopped. The elf''s eyes bulged, and her face twisted in denial. Her neck inched to her right, every crackle of her joints warned her to look away. Gushing blue blood like a waterfall poured at the open flesh. There were torn skins like shredded meat while bones stuck out her right hand was gone! ARGH! At the ear-piercing scream came the reverberating sounds of cheers. The she-elf hadn''t recovered along with the ecstatic crowds when Ryu sprinted once more, kicking dust in his wake as he barged his teeth and ripped the she-elf''s left arm. AAARRGH! Another scream and the she-elf kneeled on the ground. A biting cold stabbed her knee and a paralyzing fear ate her limbs as she turned and looked at the beast in front of her. "M-mercy. . ." Elves were prideful creatures, but faced with this kind of enemy and predicament, the she-elf could only plead when Ryu gripped her neck and pushed her to the ground. Her eyes stretched wide and her pupils constricted at the suddenck of air as her legs trashed to escape. But without arms, she couldn''t do much. Her eyes turned the darkest blue, tiny veins popped at the pressure while blood dripped from her nose and saliva leaked from her mouth. Ryu was kneeling on one leg and tilted his head as he pinned the trashing she-elf, looking at her like she was a prey he was about to devour after being caught. YEEAAHHHH! The Colosseum erupted in another uproar when Ryu plunged his hand on the she-elf''s stomach, and thetter gurgled her blood, suffocating her lungs, drowning her throat. Ryu tortured his opponent with a curved on his lips. The more gruesome his kill, the more food he would get. The audience roared their approval at the she-elf''s trashing and shaking, bathing in her blood. Ryu stretched his fingers inside the elf''s stomach, searching for something. And when he felt that familiar slimy piece of meat, he pulled it out, and the she-elf jerked and spat out blood whichnded on his face. Ryu''s tongue slipped from his mouth and tasted the thick blue liquid at the corner of his lips while his slit eyes remained lock on the she-elf''s stomach. His hand pulled out her intestines while his other hand held her neck in ce. Ryu frowned when the she-elf no longer resisted like she was dead. But he knew, he knew that she was alive. He heard the beating of her heart and the faint gasping of her mouth. Ryupared the she-elf to the others he killed before. This prey didn''t make him happy one bit as it already stopped resisting with just the tiny bit of torture. So weak. Ryu lost his interest and he released his hold on the she-elf''s neck. The elf thought that she was granted mercy. Her bloodshot eyes brimmed with tears, quivering at her foe. Just before she thought he spared her life, Ryu mmed both ws on her ribcage. She lurched and spat another mouthful of blood. The she-elf couldn''t gasp for air anymore, much less scream from the pain. Tears were pouring from her eyes while her ruthless foe opened her ribcage, exposing her heart and other organs to view in the open. The she-elf thought nothing but dying than to experience this kind of torture and humiliation. The onlookers were wild in a frenzy exhration while the new ones dragged in the Colosseum for the first time vomited as they were shocked at the disy of savagery. Ryu''s w sliced the she-elf''s beating heart inched by inched, enjoying the tiny organ thumping in full speed, spewing blood, being amazed by it every time. Before he got bored, he squeezed the little piece of meat, pulverizing it beneath his fingers. The sliminess, blood thickness, and coarse texture on his palm made his lips curled upward in a menacing smirk. He always enjoyed squashing that organ the best. Ryu stood, looking at the sickening body of the she-elf. .. well, what was left of it anyway. The elegant beauty could no longer be recognized. After all, once opened and disemboweled they all look the same. Just rotten flesh, blood, and bones. Unsatisfied with his kill today, Ryu hammered his feet on the she-elf''s head with a bone-chilling crunching sound. Blood sttered everywhere. Carcasses crushed to dust as brain matters loitered the dirt and an eyeball flew towards the audience''s direction, which sent the spectators into a wild frenzy of cheers. Hmp! Ryu snarled before turning. He was about to take his first step back to his cell when his nose caught a distinct smell. A never-before scent amidst the pungent smells he had gotten used to. He could not describe the smell as it was new to him. He had never smell anything like it in his life. The fragrance intensified and his body tightened. His nostrils red, inhaling a mouthful of that enticing aroma. His ears perked as his fine hairs stood while an invisible force pulled him towards it. His eyes dted and his pupils narrowed, searching the crowds for that smell. . . Until his golden orbs met azure ones. Chapter 4: Becoming a Servant 1 Chapter 4: Bing a Servant 1 "M''Lady, Ryu is a money-making machine in my Colosseum. To suddenly ask me to give him to you is a little. .. unreasonable." Said a man in his thirties with white skin and hair. He was in an all-white robe and trouser, radiating elegance, appearing magnanimous as he unfolded his fan, covering his thin red lips. His eyes were squinting, curving upward as if smiling while he knitted his thick red-blotted brows a little. (Pic) "Insolent!" Do roared. His hand shot to the hilt of his sword, and the people with scrawny appearances behind the white-haired man brandished their weapons. The air tensed, cold sweat erupted as muscles flexed, ready to do battle at a moment''s notice. Cecily raised her hand to stop Do, who was standing behind her. She was sitting on a couch while her teacher, Murok, was seated on another sofa beside hers inside the Owner''s office. In front of them was the Owner, and behind the man were his bodyguards standing at the ready. Cecily raised her eyes towards the kind-appearing young man. Though the Owner appeared weak, Cecily knew that he was a sly fox. No one knew the Owner''s real name. It wasn''t a big deal to have no names or family names since many generations of youngsters were war orphans without knowing their families or names. Instead of giving a name for himself, the man self-proimed to be just called the Owner. The reason why was because he owned many establishments in all parts of the mortal realm. Mostly underground and ck markets. Though the Owner appeared weak, everyone knew that he was a skilled assassin who could fight with trained soldiers and skilled mercenaries. And at such a young age, the Owner established many connections, and these connections involved dangerous beings in the entire realm. Rumors had it that he had rtions with other races. As a result, no one dared to mess with him. Cecily knew of this. Her father warned her not to be rude and not to offend him. Cecily remained poker-faced as she said, "Name your price." The fan in the Owner''s hand folded with a whack as he tapped it on his palm. The Owner''s curved eyes stared at the beauty. He knew who Drago Byron was in the entire mortal realm. One of the five legendary heroes who led humanity to freedom fifty years ago. He was not that insane to picked on that man''s granddaughter just for a half-breed that raked him a huge amount of gold and pleasure. It was not like he couldn''t attain ecstasy without Ryu''s help. Ashamed though, I really like that toy. Though the Owner would give up Ryu, he was not someone who took the losing edge of the negotiation. This wager, he made sure that he would get something more from it. "I don''t need your money. I have plenty of those." The Owner smiled and leaned on his chair as he snapped open his folded fan andzily fanned himself. Cecily restrained a frown. She was about to say something when the Owner stopped her with the following words. "I am willing to give Ryu at no cost. But in turn. .. the Byron family will owe me one." Money, he had plenty of those, but a single favor from the royal family, especially from that man, was priceless. Cecily knew of this too. That was why she was hesitating. It was not her ce to put her family in debt with this person. Do snorted and sneered. "How impudent. Just ept the money if you know what''s good for you. You''re not in the position where you can negotiate with our young Lady." The Owner softlyughed, not minding the intimidating Do. "If I don''t know any better, I''ll assume that the young princess that came from the mighty kingdom of Byron, granddaughter of the great legendary Byron himself, is resorting to such measures as threatening. But of course, who am I to say my piece as I am just an ordinary merchant in the mortal realm." Cecily''s stoic face cracked a little. The one thing that she detested the most was using her name to intimidate others. They were raised at a young age to be prideful and fair to fellow humans. Even her grandfather detested using his status to threatened others, much less her that was born from a lowly concubine. The family of Byron was known for their strength and fairness, a pride and title that were nurtured and cherished and I won''t be the first one to taint it. Cecily inhaled in silence and calmed her beating heart as she met the Owner''s gaze. Frankly, if it were another race, she would cut him into pieces and ground his flesh to paste to feed the beasts. But this was her race. Humans developed a sense of kinship and camaraderie to their fellow brethren who suffered alongside them during the war. After the war, most humans grew even more protective of their own against other realms. "I am not qualified to agree to your condition on behalf of my family," Cecily started and added in a serious face and voice, "but I am at least qualified to decide for myself. If you''re alright with me, I will owe you a debt in turn." .. . .. . "M''Lady!" Do''s protest was trapped inside his mouth when Cecily raised a hand. "Do we have a deal?" Cecily asked. The Owner watched the young maiden. Her unwavering gaze unnerved him, but he took delight in it, nevertheless. He broke into a smile and raised a finger. Not long after, the door bared open and came in two guards together with a handsome young man in only his trousers, barefooted and cored. "You have yourself a deal, M''Lady. From henceforth. .. Ryu is yours." The Owner threw the key to Ryu''s cor on the table, but Cecily didn''t reach for it as her gaze was captivated by those amber eyes, unable to pull away. When Ryu stepped foot in the office, he already knew who the people were present from their smell. And the one who stood out from the rest was that enticing smell which made his heartbeat like a gong and one that made his stomach fluttered like his innards were twisting most delightfully. Ryu''s eyes remained locked onto that person sitting on the couch, staring straight at him. For the first time in his life, he was ovee with a new emotion besides killing, a new type of emotion that he thought he would never experience. He didn''t know what it was. Only. .. he felt that it was nice like he was floating and his mind was in euphoria. Before he realized what he had done, Ryu pounced on Cecily that left everyone startled. With a loud thud, the two fell from the chair and straight to the floor. Cecily was so shocked that she was at a loss on what to do, especially when those mesmerizing golden orbs zed just inches from her. Ryu''s arms remained on Cecily''s shoulders and his body pressed against her soft frame while his legs trapped her between his thighs. Ryu bent down and sniffed the tantalizing smell from her neck. His nose brushed so gently, which sent shivers and goosebumps running all over Cecily''s skin. Before Cecily could push Ryu off her, thetter''s tongue slipped from his mouth and tasted the silkiness of her neck up to the softness of her cheek. His gums itched, and his canines extended. He brought his body down, pressing their frames together while his firm butt rocked back and forth. Ryu didn''t know what he was doing. His body was running in pure instinct. In pure will to procreate. It was an unshakable force, so strong to ignore, urging him to im this girl beneath him. "INSOLENT!" Do kicked Ryu away from Cecily, which sent the boy flying towards the wall. CRASH! A crevice was formed from the impact, but Ryu''s body was not hurt the slightest. He didn''t even have a single scratch as he got up in fours, ready to pounce, and ripped the throat of the man who disturbed the incredible pleasure he just felt. He snarled and barged his ws, but before Ryu could even move the slightest, an electrifying shock jolted his entire body, rendering him helpless on the ground. Light spurs of electricity sparkled all over him, and he was paralyzed in ce, unable to move even an inch. He snarled slit golden eyes narrowed while his muscles tensed to the maximum. Never in his life was he ovee with so much rage than the sight of Cecily being held by another man. "Quick! Everyone! Ready your weapons! Protect the princess!" Do hollered and stepped in front of Cecily with the guards while the mercenaries on the Owner''s side circled thetter in a protective stance. At sight, Ryu thought that Cecily was forcefully taken from him. His head snapped, sharp teeth burst from his gums while his ws pierced the floor. Muscles and bones cracked as Ryu got up using all his strength even though he felt like thousands of pounds of force were being rammed over him in session. He couldn''t feel his limbs as daggers of voltage stabbed his bones, and he grunted in pain. He gritted his teeth and clutched his cor, wanting to break it in half. Crack! Crack! "I-Impossible. .. T-the cor couldn''t contain him!" "T-the cor''s about to break!" In history, no one was recorded to ever break a cor except for those high-rank races. But Ryu was just a halfbreed. His strength couldn''t evenpare against pure breeds. Everyone was at a loss on how could a halfbreed be able to move from the cor''s might. But soon, their questions were reced by panic and fear at every crack of the cor. Everyone knew that the moment the cor break, no one could stop Ryu, a bloodthirsty beast, from a killing spree. Even more, so that this was the first time that the Colosseum guards saw the boy in such an angry state, bloodlust cloaked his entire being enough to suffocate everyone inside the room. Amidst the panicking and terrified guards and soldiers, Murok stroke his beard, enjoying the show. "Now, this is interesting. Very interesting indeed." Cecily snapped at her teacher. "What is?! In case you haven''t noticed, teacher. The servant you regarded so highly is about to go berserk. Not to mention that he is a pervert!" Cecily stared daggers at Ryu, couldn''t wait to slice his head from his neck. "A disgusting beast! How dare he do something like that to me. I will personally chop his tongue off!" Murokughed and looked at Cecily with one eye open. "My dear, don''t tell me that you still haven''t noticed." Cecily''s forehead crumpled. Murok smirked and observed the struggling halfbreed from the cors influence, his slit golden eyes not a second leaving Cecily. "You''re his mate." Chapter 5: Becoming a Servant 2 Chapter 5: Bing a Servant 2 In the narrowed muddy path on the way home, the Byron carriage and the guards at the back were quiet, while Do remained vignt at his surroundings. It was almost noon, and soon darkness would follow. They have to pick up the pace if they wanted to take shelter in the nearby forest before night wouldpletely swallow the light. Inside the carriage, Cecily remained indifferent as she watched the scenery outside the window. She appeared bored, but in truth, she was so pissed, disgusted, and repulsed. If it weren''t for the fact that all her troubles and traveling would go to waste and the assurance from her teacher''s divination that her servant was strong, she would kill the halfbreed the moment he stuck his disgusting tongue at her. At the side, Murok observed Ryu with a hint of a smile on his face. Thinking about the event that happened before, Ryu''s cor did snap, and he attacked the nearest guy that his wsnded on. Needless to say, that unfortunate guy died on the spot when Ryu ripped his head in one swipe of his ws. It was aplete mess back there. But luckily, Cecily stepped in and stopped the whole thing before it could get any more serious. At just her voice, at just hearing her word to stop, Ryu stopped like he couldn''t disobey her not that he wanted to. Murok chuckled when Ryu fidgeted in his seat. Ryu was restless. On the one hand, his beast-self wanted to pounce on Cecily seated in front of him. But on the other hand, his human side wanted to observe his surroundings. It was the first time he had seen the outside world, and he had a belly full of curiosity and eagerness to explore. There was tingling in his stomach that tickled his nerves and stimted his mind to wonder about the outside wonders. In the end, he contented to watch his environment while taking a peek at Cecily from time to time. He still remembered thest time he pounced on her, and that didn''t make her happy one bit. Ryu didn''t know why he was so sensitive towards a woman he just met, but the one thing he did know I''m willing to do anything for her. "What is it?" Cecily asked in a bored tone, not sparing anyone a look. Murok stroke his beard andughed. "It''s just so funny, don''t you think? Being you as his mate. Who would have thought?" Cecily sighed heavier than thest as she held her temper and finally spared an eye at the restless Ryu. Ryu was now fully dressed in simple leather clothes and trousers. Afterpleting the master-servant seal, Cecily ordered for Ryu to be properly bathed and clothed, for she could not stand his smell and appearance. At the memory, Cecily''s mood somewhat elevated. She remembered that Ryu wouldn''t heed anyone''smand nor leave her side, which somehow brightened her mood. She had to be the one to order him to take a bath and changed his clothes with the help of the soldiers. Though as a servant, loyalty and obedience were to be expected, so she wasn''t much moved at the sight of such devotion. Nheless, she couldn''t help but clicked her tongue in anger and resentment. She thought that her servant would be an angel based on how her teacher praised it for being strong or at least a half-angel or just even a demon with a single horn. In the world of Septverden, the angels of the Heaven realm remained as the number one uncontested race while demons held the second strongest for the reason that these two races were immortals and could regenerate their limbs. It would take powerful blows and massive attacks to kill them. Whereas, if it was other races, once their head was cut off or their heart no longer beating, it meant certain death. Regeneration would seem insignificant if they knew healing spells. But if they were a practitioner in the arts ofbat and didn''t know any spells, their body would automatically regenerate as long as they absorbed mana without even the need to conjure incantations. What''s more, it took an extremely skilled magus and a hefty amount of mana to heal a dismembered and broken body. And more so, angels and demons have an infinite lifespan, unlike other races, which had limited years, while humans were known for their short lifespan of just a century at most. But she, Cecily, would never have thought that a messily beast was to be her servant and a halfbreed at that, the lowest of the low in the entire realms. Though the beast''s strengths were second to none regarding magic and spells, they were the weakest. "What so funny about it?! If anything, I should have his tongue remove for touching me! Are you sure that he is the one?" Cecily asked, repressing her anger with no sess. She couldn''t get over the feeling of being vited. It took everything for her not to kill the creature sitting opposite her. Instead of answering, Murok pulled a piece of paper littered with strange symbols drawn inside a pentagram. Those symbols glowed white as he looked at Ryu. "There can be no mistake. .. he is the one." The paper in Murok''s hand burst into mes and turned to dust. "Well, I too am surprised that it''s a halfbreed and a half-beast at that. And that you turned out to be his mate. It has its advantages. For one, even without the master-servant seal, he will be loyal and devoted to you." The beastfolks have a unique trait to them. Being close to nature, they were blessed with loyalty and devotion to their race, especially their other half that nature gifted to them their mate. It was indeed rare for a beast to have a mate that was outside of its race. But then again, Ryu was a halfbreed, so anything was possible. Nothing was constant after all. Even the oppressed humans rose to power and stood against angels and demons known as the strongest in the six realms. Murok observed Ryu and then sighed. "Ashamed though, he was lock up for so many years and seemed to know nothing of this world. It will take a great deal to groom him from scratch. I don''t even know if he can speak." Cecily frowned. "No need. Too much hassle. A servant is just good for killing enemies and following orders. He doesn''t need his brain to do it." Cecily''s attention then flicked back to the window, ending the discussion with her silence. Murok didn''t say anything more as he gathered mana. Conjuring the binding spell took a lot of mana and energy, so he was exhausted after performing the master-servant seal. He needed to gather mana to replenish his strength. Meanwhile, Agatha, Murok''s demoness servant, eyed the halfbreed beside her. Her dted dark eyes narrowed, prying if the boy held some power that the older man Murok speak of. .. . .. . None. Agatha''s longshes fluttered, and she no longer paid any attention to Ryu. As for Ryu, he didn''t care about anyone except for Cecily. He didn''t even pay as much as a nce at the demoness beside him. The carriage ran at a steady pace and when it was almost nighttime, all the soldiers set up tents and prepared the food for the evening. Cecily was busy talking with Murok and Do that she didn''t notice Ryu was messing. By the time she noticed, it was almost dark. With just the torched and burning fire and light crystals as their source of luminance, a silhouette of a young man was approaching the group of soldiers who were merrily drinking and eating. When the soldiers nced at that figure, all of them sucked the frigid cold air. Ryu was bathed in red, but hecked the wounds for that amount of blood. His leather clothes were soaked crimson, and thick dripping liquid shadowed half his face. In his hand was something. The others thought it was a wild animal, but when Ryu threw it on the ground, they were rendered speechless. The sack he carried tumbled on the dirt, and limbs burst forth, ripped like it was pulled by ravaging horses. Innards and organs sttered on the ground while a head rolled towards the soldiers with its eyes popping from its sockets and its tongue sticking out from its mouth. A human! SLAP! Before anyone could recover from the grotesque scene, Cecily''s palmnded hard against Ryu''s cheek. His ears rung while his eyes stared in disbelief at Cecily. "YOU BASTARD!" Cecily roared and punched Ryu on his face. Ryu staggered from the force, but Cecily didn''t stop as she punched and kicked Ryu with all her might until he crunched on the ground, curling his body in pain. Cecily didn''t hold anything back and beat him. She was kicking him in the stomach and head while Ryu spat out blood. His face was bruised and battered to the point unrecognizable. Fortunately, Ryu''s skin, bones, and muscles were strong that simple punches and kicks, though painful, wouldn''t causesting damage and, at most, would leave superficial wounds. But precisely because of this that Cecily continued to kick him, determined to inflict as much pain as possible. The anger she felt only intensified when she noticed that she was not doing too much damage. The fury and hatred she felt at the sight of one of their own being killed by an alien race in such a gruesome manner consumed her with so much rage that she forgot that she could inflict soul scourge, pain much more tormenting than physical ones could give. Though no one knew who Ryu killed, that was not important to Cecily. All she cared about was that Ryu killed a human and nothing else. After some time passed, Cecily''s anger disseminated, but she was still not satisfied. "From now on, don''t ever eat until I say so! You will sleep outside, and you will walk behind the carriage until we reach the kingdom!" Cecily gave Ryu onesting re and sauntered back to her tent. Not in the mood to eat anymore. Hmp! Do sneered and got back to his tent while Murok shook his head as he, too, went back to his shelter. All the soldiers looked at each other and then looked at Ryu''s battered body without an ounce of sympathy. If something else, they all sneered and cursed. Some spat near him, and some threw scraps over him. Ryu coughed and spat another blood. He wiped the blood from his lips while his eyes remained on the tent where Cecily just entered. If it were another, his attacker''s head would have flown seconds ago. But Ryu didn''t dare to even think of hurting Cecily. He didn''t understand why he couldn''t bear to even think ofying a finger on her at all. Another thing that he didn''t understand was why Cecily attacked him andmanded that he would not be fed. His life revolved around fighting and killing. If he could not kill his opponents, he would not get food. This thought was stuck in Ryu''s head, that he had to kill to get food. But this was Cecily''s men. He understood that much. Everything that Cecily regarded as her own, he would noty a finger on. He didn''t want to upset her. But luckily, on the way, he caught a scent, an unknown scent that neither came from Cecily''s people. It came from meters away, and the humans didn''t notice. Ryu smelt it even from hundreds of meters, and he knew that the man was up to no good. Else, why would this man keep following their carriage at a distance? When the carriage stopped and the soldiers set up the tents and food, Ryu hunted the man and killed him on the spot, making sure that he ripped his limbs in the most gruesome way so he could get more food. But in the end. . . Instead of food, he was beaten and denied the only pleasure he knew before being released from his chains. To him, eating was the highest form of pleasure until Cecily came into his life. Ryu got up and slumped against a tree, contemting what he had done wrong to make Cecily angry at him again. Could it be because I killed that man? Killed a human? Chapter 6: Ambush 1 Chapter 6: Ambush 1 Early in the morning, the soldiers all gathered and prepared for the long travel back home. They camp out most of the night in the forest or the nearby towns and viges in these travels. With this routine, four days have passed. Inside the carriage, Murok tried to sway Cecily about her decision once again. Unlike Cecily, Murok was an experienced adventurer. Living most of his life in the war, he knew that no matter how small the decision, it could still significantly impact an oue for this escapade. Though the mortal realm remained at peace for fifty years, there were still skirmishes and bandits, and other dangers lurking outside the kingdom walls. Thus, one shouldn''t becent and be always warry, especially when adventuring outside. Everyone should always be in top shape to do battle at any time. "You sure you won''t give him food nor water?" Murok asked as he eyed Cecily. Cecily remained stoic with her eyes closed. "He will not die because of starvation. Mana will continue to nourished his body. Even he will not eat for the rest of the travels, he will still live." Everyone would think that Cecily was sleeping, but in truth, she was punishing Ryu for four days, and that punishment was soul scourge. Cecily lost count on how many times she had performed the said punishment, but she still couldn''t grasp itpletely. She had to concentrate, being sure to inflict pain without actually destroying Ryu''s soul. Since she was not used to the method yet, she asionally stopped when she thought his soul was about to break. Murok sighed and didn''t respond anymore. He knew how stubborn Cecily could be. He focused on gathering mana once more. He didn''t know why his mana was so low to the point that his body was barely holding on. Never that this happened to him. Not even when he bound his demon servant, Agatha, a mighty one-horned demon. After binding Agatha, he recovered all his mana in just a day. But ever since that day he bound Ryu to Cecily, he didn''t know why almost all of his mana was used just to bind a lowly halfbreed. And even up to now, he couldn''t recover his mana to half. It was like his mana was continuously drained. Though Ryu was indeed strong. But against Agatha, Ryu was nothing. This left Murok at a loss on what possibly could cause this. He promised to research on this once he returned to the Kingdom of Ruk. Outside the carriage, Ryu was in considerable pain ever since four days ago. It felt like something inside him, his bones, his muscles, his flesh was being ripped apart. Beads of sweat soaked his body just to kept his howls silent while all his strength was sapped from him just to keep his body moving. He stumbled and fell on the ground numerous times from the unbearable pain, and just after he thought that he would pass out, the pain disappeared to only reappear once more. Ryu didn''t flinch from the tortures and wounds he received during his days of captivity. However, at this very moment, he wished that he could just faint so he wouldn''t have to experience this kind of torment. Even though Ryu was not chained in the carriage, Cecily was confident that he wouldn''t be able to go far even if he ran away. Their soul was linked, and they could feel each other''s presence at a certain distance. But running and escaping didn''t even cross Ryu''s mind. He didn''t even know about this master-servant seal and that he became a servant. All he knew, Cecily was the person who freed him and was the only person who made him experience a new kind of emotion. He was obediently following the carriage like his life depended on it. Literally, his life was depending on it. Ryu didn''t know that Cecily was performing a soul scourge to punish him. One wrong move and his soul might break, and he would die on the spot without even knowing how and why he died. And just when Ryu was about to fall and curl on the ground once more the pain stopped. *pant *pant By now, Ryu was drenched in sweat and his vision blurred while his body was exhausted. He was so thirsty and hungry. His mouth was dry, quenching it with his saliva as bile welled in his throat. It was unusual that a beast would be this exhausted. Though the soul scourge was the epitome of pain, the body of beasts could be healed and nourished by mana even without food for days. Cecily just assumed that all beastmen, regardless if halfbreed or not, could manipte mana and used it to nourished their body. An ability that was unique only to the best kind. It was not a wonder that Cecily assumed this. Even the great mage Murok and great knight Do thought this. But the mistake was taking Ryu inplete disregard. If they only had taken a second nced and observed Ryu, they would notice that he couldn''t manipte mana at all! To beastmen, manipting mana was second nature. Even the young knew how to do it with just instincts alone. It was natural as breathing to them. Eventually, as the sun rose high in the sky that no trees could shade its heat and re, their path was barged by a group of men fifty meters away, holding weapons as big as their frame while their faces hidden under a ck cloak. There were three men in front that seemed to be the leaders, and they emitted massive auras enough to destroy a city. Behind the three were men garbed in ck cloaks, emanating an aura not as dominating as the first three. Following behind them was a wagon full of ves of different races, hands chained to the other as their neck was ornamented with a ck cor. Do''s eyes squinted, his broadsword at the ready. It was not unusual to stumble on bandits and rogues along the way. Still, it was very umon for bandits to barged their way, knowing that the carriage belonged to the powerful royal family of the kingdom of Byron. "Nyahahaha! Sweet pickled me sour! Told ya'' me'' scout is not wrong. It really is the royal family''s crest," said one of the leaders with an ear-piercing voice. Another licked his lips. His tongue was purple while his dark, dted eyes glint in menace. "Offering one of the royal families to my lord, what a lucky day it is." Thest one amongst the three leaders remained quiet. His silver eyes were prying Do in the front, calcting the bulky man''s strength as his bow appeared on his hand. Upon seeing this, Do roared in a fury, "How dare you raise your weapons against the royal family of Byron! Do you not fear death?!" "Kyakyakyakyak! Ya'' hear that?! Death he said!" The man with an irritating voiceughed out loud, holding his stomach as he doubled backward inughter. "Garet, stop messing around. Let''s get this done with. Let''s take whoever is in there and kill everyone else," thest of the three leaders said. Garet stoppedughing and protested, "Eoi, it''s a shame that we have to kill all except fer'' the royal brat. How ''bout we enved the rest, huh? We''ll earn extra cash." "Garet is right, Eoi. We should drain everyst man of their life. My Gawtar is edging for blood," the man with dted pupils added as he summoned his weapon. A double edge sword with unconcealed sharpness. It had an eye at the center of the hilt that moved unceasingly. "Asad, you too?! What aplete waste of resources if you asked me." Garet huramp and frantically raised his hands. "Enough! Our Lord''s instruction is clear. If we can offer anyone from the royal family, then we''ll be handsomely rewarded. If you want to kill the rest or whatever you want, I won''t stop you," Eoi said. The three continued their bickering, not minding the royal soldiers as if they were specs of dirt. Do was so angry veins popped on his face. "Insolent! Soldiers to me! We will teach these bandits the true might of the royal guard of the kingdom of Byron!" The soldiers went behind Do''s horse while some remained on guard near the carriage. Ryu, however, watched the two leaders draped in ck cloaks. He was on edge. His fingers were flexing as his toes wed the dirt. Due to his hunger and torment, his senses went numb. He was so focused on the pain he felt a moment ago that he missed the smell of the bandits. But now that the pain and torment stopped, his senses somewhat returned. Although faint, he could now smell the men''s scent even from fifty meters away. He felt unease since some of these men were not human. Chapter 7: Ambush 2 Chapter 7: Ambush 2 I''ll kill you until no bones remain!" Do spat, saliva scattered from his mouth. He kicked his horse and charged towards the group of rogues together with his soldiers, his broadsword in hand. "Garet, go for the carriage. Asad and I will take the big oaf," Eoi instructed while mana was gathering on his hand and formed into arrows. "Kyakyakyakyak! You don''t have to tell me twice!" Garet sprinted towards the carriage at top speed while all the men in ck garbs charged at the same time towards the royal guards. "Like I would let you! Scum!" Do barked, and with the flipped off his hand, the broadsword that weighed hundreds of pounds felt like air as he swung it towards Garet''s direction. Earths and rocks erupted together with the force as they flew towards Garet''s path. [Devastator] Garet cast a barrier around him, but upon contact with that force together with the high-speed flying rocks and earth, he still flew meters away from the impact as his barrier exploded from Do''s sword skill. He came crushing on the dirt, and he trashed on the ground before he struck his ax against the earth to stop his momentum. Garet smirked and licked the blood that flew freely from the cut on his head, eyes full of madness. His hood fell from his head, revealing a human face with rainbow-colored hair that stuck out like metal spikes. His skin was ornate with metal piercings. Though Garet came out unscathed except for the small cut in his forehead, he couldn''t say the same for the rest of the men cloaked in ck that were hit with high speed flying rocks which made multiple holes on their body. While the others who were not so lucky that got hit straight on with the force from Do''s sword were now just broken bones and corpses. "Heh. He''s strong." Garet snorted while eying the dead bodies from their side of the group. The battle hadn''t evensted for a minute, but half of their men were already dead. "He wouldn''t be a royal guard if he weren''t," Asad said while he watched the approaching soldiers in rapt attention. His gaze narrowed at Do, who was now twenty meters from them. "A worthy opponent for Gawtar!" "Die vermin''s!" Do bellowed as he was nearing the group of bandits. His broadsword raised while his other arm held his horse''s rein. Just as Do was about to strike, a glint shed across his eyes, and before he knew it, his horse tumbled to the ground with a loud crash! All his horse''s limbs were cut clean that it took seconds for the blood to burst out. Do was unfazed and jumped at the right moment. His weapon raised as he used all his might to smash it down towards Asad while Eoi took a step back, avoiding the blow. BOOM! The impact caused an extensive crevice to form on the earth to where Asad was standing as dust flew everywhere, enveloping the area in a dirty blur. Do''s eyebrows twitched when the dust settled, and the view became clear. "Heh! Not bad old man," Asad snorted, his sword raised as his two hands supported his de against Do''s gigantic broadsword. Do overpowered Asad in both heights and built, but he didn''t understand how could the puny little man resisted his attack head-on. And s, all questions were answered when Asad''s hood flew off from his face. A demon! Asad was not human but a demon! And with a small horn on the forehead signifying that he was not just any ordinary demon, but a Rank-B demon, same as Agatha! "Y-you! How dare a demon encroached thesends!" "And why would I not dare? Not like you weaklings can do anything about it." Asad flung his sword, and Do stumbled back. His strength was on par with Do even greater. Asad swung his sword in session. His hand was so fast that all saw were blurs. His sword snake around Do''s defense, and blood spewed everywhere. Do tried hard to defend with his word, his speed and Asad''s were equal, but Asad''s sword seemed to bend. Every strike, Do managed to evade. But Asad''s sword crawled its way towards him. Like no matter how hard he blocked, Asad''s de would still cut his flesh. At the same time, Do was thinking about something. Like the reason why this group suddenly attacked in broad daylight, not to mention attacking the royal family. They could either have a lot of brawns or have little brains. "How did you manage to break your way? The barriers should keep you all out. Unless you''re those monsters that were trapped here after the war?" Do questioned, hoping it was thetter as he stroked his sword to defend, but it was hopeless as Gawtar still sliced his flesh. Though not deep, it was enough to drenched Do in his blood. "Ahahaha. You mean those puny barriers that you humans are so proud of? Hmp! Do you think some messily arrays are a match to our Lord? Keep on dreaming, mortals!" Asad never cared about the secret of breaching the barriers. To him, these people were already dead. Telling or not wouldn''t make any difference. They''re all going to die! Asad swung his sword, which caused Do to stumble back. Asad took the opportunity and kicked Do in the stomach, and the older man flew meters away. Do struck his de on the ground to regain his momentum. His one knee knelled on the dirt while he clutched his stomach. After a second, he spat a mouthful of blood. His lower ribs were shattered! But he didn''t mind as his thoughts were upied. I must inform the King that the barriers are breached! At this moment, hundreds of arrows rained from the sky, their target the royal soldiers. [Arrow Rain] Upon seeing this, Do bellowed in frantic. He wanted to save his soldier, but he was flung meters away from them. He could only give out a warning. "Everyone! Cast shield. NOW!" It was toote as thousands of arrows dropped on the ground like meteors, killing enemies and foes alike. Some made it in time and managed to cast shields, while some tried to deflect the projectiles using their weapons. But deflecting thousands of arrows was near impossible. A significant number still made its marks against the soldiers'' skin, piercing even the bones. Do fumed in rage at the sight of his fallen soldiers. His bloodshot eyes darted towards Eoi, who was at the very back, hundreds of meters away from the fighting, bow in hand. "Bastard! I''ll kill you!" "Eyes on your opponent." Asad appeared in front of Do. Do barely managed to raise his word when Asad''s de struck him. This time, the blow was so heavy that it caused Do''s body to bend to the side. Even if Do''s sword absorbed half of the force, the blow still sent him flying a few meters away. Do''s bone in his left arm was crushed from the impact, and he came tumbling down on the dirt with a loud bang! Blood was spurting from his mouth as he struck his sword on the rocks to break his momentum once more. By this time, Do was drenched in both blood and cold sweat. He realized that the demon in front of him was not his match. Even the best armors couldn''t stop the blows from that demon''s sword. Asad smirked and licked the blood from his de. "Gawtar is a special kind of weapon with a soul imbued to it. The more it is fed with blood, the more powerful its blows." Do stood to his feet and red at Asad. He might be no match to him, but it didn''t mean that he would just fall without a fight. Do was about to charge again when he saw a blurry ck closing in the carriage at the corner of his eyes. Apprehension dawned on him that the whole reason why he was being flung away by the demon was so he could be kept away from the carriage. But Do''s realization was already toote. "Not Good! Everyone, protect the carriage!" The soldiers who were near the carriage scurried together and barged Garet''s way. Garet, with his speed and strength he could not easily defeat those soldiers. Just as the royal soldiers raised their weapons to strike, multiple arrows hit their bodies. "Damn you!" Do roared towards the direction of Eoi, who was releasing arrows after arrows. But he couldn''t do anything as he was too far away. He could only watch in helplessness as Garet zoomed in the carriage unstoppable. "Kyakyakyakyak! I got you now!" Garet raised his ax and flung it towards the carriage. But at this moment, a blurry shadow pounced on him, and he flew meters back. Garet spat out a mouthful of blood as he crushed on the ground. He kneeled against the dirt while his hand clutched his stomach. A significant number of his ribs were shattered. "The fuck?!" Garet howled at the man standing ten meters in front of him. Ryu tilted his head to the side as he sized his opponent. His eyes were glowing amber while his ws were protruding from his fingers. Though he didn''t understand why they were attacked, he did know that these men dressed in ck shouldn''t reach the wagon. Ryu could have killed Garet in that one strike. His real aim was Garet''s heart, wing it out from the man''s body before crushing it to bits. However, the image from four days ago when Cecily was so mad at him kept reying in his mind. The reason why Beastmen fought with unparalleled strength was that they didn''t hold anything back. They let their inner beast took over. But if they suddenly suppressed their inner instincts, their power would gradually half. Arrows zoomed from all sides once more, but Ryu didn''t even try to avoid them as they disappeared upon contact on his skin like burning stones that fell on ice-cold water. It didn''t even leave a scar, just a sizzling sound before it dispersed into particles. This left Eoi at a loss. A halfbreed? Chapter 8: Battle in the Open Path 1 Chapter 8: Battle in the Open Path 1 Eoi''s silver eyes narrowed. He didn''t understand why his arrows didn''t work against a halfbreed. His arrows made of concentrated mana always pierced their mark no matter what race it was. What is he? Do released a sigh of relief. Now that Ryu somehow managed to stop Garet, Do regained his calm and assisted the situation. He finally noticed that the human Garet and the demon, Asad, were colluding with one another. Though it was rare, different races forming groups were not exactly unheard of. Ever since the war stopped, some races were trapped in foreignnds due to barriers and arrays ced at the boundary of each realm. These races were left with no choice and could only plead asylum and loyalty to the ruling realm. That, or they hid themselves to avoid being ves and servants while soldiers and mercenaries hunted them day in and out. These races were rampant in the mortal realm since the former Blue Earth Continent had the unfortunate luck of being selected the most as the battleground for centuries of wars in the past. But Asad confessed that the barriers were no match against their Lord. It meant that this group breached the barriers and came from another realm. Do released a mouthful of air before he cast a simple spell to heal his wounds and bones. [Earth Aid] Great knights, knights, and other practitioners in physicalbat could perform simple, uplicated spells such as healing incantations to heal themselves. Though they were not experts in castingplicated high-level spells, they''d ironed in their heads since young to learn simple healing magic to aid them in a dire situation. "Hehehehe. So what if you can cast a healing spell. Let''s see if you have enough mana to waste." Asad smirked and raised one hand at Do tauntingly. "Come." Instead of charging like he used to, Do remained rooted to his spot. He was knowledgeable about the amount of mana he had left more than anyone else, and that was precisely why he would give it all in this battle. He could not afford to die. He must report to his King the vital information he had acquired. And more importantly I must not let any harm befall the Princess. When they were drained of all mana, their body would crumple and dry and would shatter like broken ss before disappearing into particles. Thus, they must be careful in using their mana. Though it could be replenished over time, the rate of absorption differed from person to person. Even Murok, a mage whose rate of absorption was much faster than anybatants, still took him a day to replenished all his mana after he had nearly used it up. Do remained standing on his spot, but then, he began to move. He lifted his broadsword in the air, pointing it at the sky. The ground rattled as an endless wave of earth flew in every direction, with Do as the focal point. Asad watched without a care, but he knew the seriousness of the situation. He didn''t let his guard down one bit. And true to his hunch, Do''s body appeared in every direction, along with his broadsword. [Earth Shaker] RUMBLE! One hazy broadsword after another pierced through the air, thrusting towards Asad. Combined with almost a thousand, they formed a genuine-earth dragon coiling with the gigantic rocks shaped like spikes, hurdling together, heading towards Asad. At the same time, behind Asad, Do bizarrely appeared out of nowhere with unimaginable speed as he thrust his broadsword forward. One skill in the front, one attack in the back. Asad had nowhere to run. "Hmp!" Asad moved. [Demonic Sword] Asad''s sword, Gawtar, transformed into countless ck serpents that emitted a foggy dark light like smoke, colliding and striking against various rocks and piles of earth form all around him. Each time his sword hit a spear-like rock, there was a thunderous boom. The astonishing, mighty gigantic rocks shaped like spikes, hurdling together towards him, have been surrounded and wrapped by giant ck foggy serpents. As the serpents constricted, those enormous rocky spikes exploded. BOOM! Do paid it no mind that his Earth Shaker was repelled. He concentrated on the enemy and shed towards Asad from behind. "DIE!!" CLANG! Just as Do''s de was nearing Asad, Gawtar curved backward, blocking the enormous sword. As the two swords bounced from the impact, Asad immediately flew back as well, moving farther away from Do. Crackle Crackle Do''s broadsword gatheredyers afteryers of earthen light as he attracted piles of earth towards him, wrapping his already armored body with rocks. [Erath Guard] Asad clicked his tongue as his dted obsidian eyes narrowed. "Tsk. So he has enough mana to waste. Heh, but let see how far you''llst." But right at this moment, a loud, piercing sound came rushing past Asad''s side. Rippling the winds as it came. SCREECH! It was so fast that even space itself rippled, heading towards Do''s direction. Do unleashed Devastator once again. At the single swipe of his broadsword, the earth erupted as it coiled around on his sword''s force. BOOM! BOOM! Countless thunderous sounds echoed as the piercing arrow wrapped in dark light shot through theyers of earth with a terrifying colliding force. But even still, theyers of earth weren''t enough to stop the arrow as it went directly into Do''s earth guard, shattering it before drilling his armor, and passed through his body. [Shooting Star] Do''s right upper chest had a terrifying hole on, sized and shape of a fist. Through its hole was the scenery dripped in blood. Even the muscles and bones were cleanly drilled out. "W-wha. .. ?" Do kneeled on the dirt while he struck his sword on the ground for support. With blurry eyes, he steadied his gaze at the man behind Asad. "Eoi, don''t ruin my fun," Asad hissed, not looking at Eoi behind him. Eoi removed his hood and revealedrge pointy ck ears and long braided blonde hair. A dark elf! "Enough with your games. This is taking so long. Remember, it is not only him that we need to kill." Eoi eyed the wagon. "While the people on that carriage still hadn''t joined in, this is the perfect opportunity to kill him in one swift." Asad frowned but didn''t argue. "Party Pooper," he mumbled and began to gather dark lights around him. Time to get serious. . . Asad''s shadowy light covered his body, and he looked death himself. "I''ll support you from the back. This time. .. kill him." Eoi retreated fifty meters behind Asad and gathered mana to form an arrow. "Gughk!" Do spat out another blood. With a trembling body, he managed to stood to his feet with much effort. He knew that they were in a severe predicament especially him. A demon and a dark elf were hardly tough about. Do scanned his surroundings. All the soldiers from both sides were utterly wiped out, leaving only him, Ryu, Garet, Asad, and Eoi, as well as the three people in the carriage and the wagon full of ves on the enemies'' side. Do frowned when he saw that Ryu still hadn''t killed Garet, a messily human. Against this kind of opponent, Ryu should have killed him minutes ago. Do was precisely correct, Ryu could kill Garet in a heartbeat, but because Ryu was holding his strength and still contemting what to do, he could only repel Garet away from the carriage. By now, Garet''s entire body was full of w marks and scars, and he had a hard time fighting Ryu. Ryu was not exactly unscathed either. His body was dripping with blood caused by Garet''s ax. Not to mention that his body was weak from hunger and torment from the soul scourge. Ryu could barely repel Garet, but he refused to kill the man without Cecily''s consent, afraid to make her angry again. Meanwhile, inside the carriage. Cecily, Murok, and Agatha were waiting for Do and the others to return. Though it took a long time to describe what was happening outside, but in truth, barely fifteen minutes has gone by since the battle started. Murok felt that something was not right. "This took longer than expected. I will go outside and take a look." "Let Do handled those rogues. It''s not the first time that we''ve encountered ruffians that don''t know what''s good for them," said Cecily, closing her eyes. Her head leaned against the headrest while her hands rested on herp. Cecily was confident that Do could handle the enemies since it was not the first time an ambush happened. While Murok still hadn''t recovered half of his mana and was focused on concentrating on gathering it back faster, thus he pursed his lips and didn''t say more. Cecily was correct. Do could indeed handle the people outside if it were any ordinary ruffians. But what she didn''t know, the ruffians had a demon and a dark elf in their group. Cecily was indeed a talented Mage knight, but shecked experience regarding the outside world, especially experience in actualbat. She was confident that the barriers could repel other races from invading the mortal realm and that those alien races trapped in the human realm wouldn''t dare to attack out in the open. Least they wanted to alert the soldiers and mercenaries for their heads. Agatha''s eyebrows twitched. This little girl is too nave. Agatha mused to herself as her lips twitched in a smirk. No matter. .. I don''t care what happens to the others, as long as this shitty old man is alive. .. Then. . . Chapter 9: Battle in the Open Path 2 Chapter 9: Battle in the Open Path 2 Do was well aware of the current situation. As much as his pride didn''t want to, it was not the time for silly matters because life and death hang in the bnce. He tried to rush to the carriage and warn the others. But s, he was hundreds of meters away, and even he shouted with all his might, everyone could hear only the thunderous boom of the shing battles. Not to mention that Do couldn''t afford to be distracted as he was upied with the enemies in front. Do saw a blur and Asad shed his way through the air towards him. The sword in Asad''s hand was cloaked in smoky dark light while the center eye on the hilt rolled in all directions, eager for more blood as it pierced towards Do with tremendous boundless power. CLANG! The tip of the sword shed against the end of another de. As they did, both men''s forces hurled out through their weapons. BOOM! A loud explosive sound sted forth as the power released from the sh of the two burst forth in all directions. The ground shook and cracked as dust and rubles flew everywhere from the explosion. SCREECH! At this time, Eoi released his arrow imbued in dark light. It pierced in the air with an ear-shattering sound, rippling the wind as it passed through, targeting Do. Do retreated at high speed. He flung his broadsword to defend against that arrow. As it was just meters away, the single arrow became hundreds and all scattered in Do''s direction. [Barrage] At sight, it was already toote to defend. CRASH! Do crashed on the ground like a battered sandbag. Tiny holes littered his entire body, soaked in blood. It was a good thing that Do''s reflexes were good, and he managed to avoid his major organs just in time for the arrows to struck him. But even so, this amount of blood loss could kill him. While Do was kneeling on the ground, Asad''s blurry image appeared out of nowhere. "You''re mine!" Do gritted his teeth. His bloodshot eyes glint, unyielding to his fate. Mdy, I''m sorry. . . BOOM! Asad retreated to where Eoi was standing. His dark, dted obsidian eyes red at the area where dust and pebbles circled like a whirlwind. "Tsk!" Asad wiped the blood dripping from his lips as he eyed the blurry silhouette. When the dust and wind settled, it revealed a form of a person. "Vile creatures! How dare you attack the royal family. Cecily stood in front of Do as her hair fluttered along with the wind. "This sin. .. !" She flipped her fingers, and a rapier formed in her hand. "Will be paid with your blood!" "M''Lady. . ." Do raised his head and stared at Cecily. In Do''s eyes, the light shining on Cecily made her appeared heroic, filling his heart with hope and warmth. Do blinked the moist in his eyes. "Ohohoho. Do, you''re in a sorry shape." Murok stroked his beard and thumped his staff on the ground. A gust of gentle wind enveloped Do''s body. As it did so, Do''s bones and muscles regenerate at a fast rate, and in just a matter of seconds, his entire body was as good as new. [Healing Wind] "Thank you." Do lightly bowed at Murok and then deeply bowed at Cecily. "M''Lady, I''m sorry. Having M''Lady came out and personally fought these unworthy creatures is Do''s greatest shame." "Enough of that. Can you still fight?" Cecily scanned her surroundings. All her soldier''s corpses and broken bodies were loitering the soil. She bit her lower lip in indignation. "Yes. Thanks to master Murok, I can fight once again. .. But my mana is almost running out," Do answered as he stood up. Cecily chewed her lips, eying the bloody corpses of her soldiers. She couldn''t help but me herself. If I had gone out to help early on, none of this would have happened. She breathed a mouthful of air to calm her ravaging anger and then instructed, "Alright, you and Agatha will deal with this demon while I deal with that elf, and teacher will provide support in the back." "Yes!" "Ohohoho! Well then, it''s time for round two." Murok raised his staff in the air, and twirling green lights emerged from its tip, enveloping Cecily''s frame. Cecily''s speed doubled, and she sprinted towards Eoi, transforming into mirages as she did so. "Like I will just let you!" Asad roared, wanting to intercede, but a blurry ball of purple light shed towards him at a fast speed. CLANG! "Shit!" Asad snapped at the demoness in front of him while he blocked with his sword. Agatha''s dual sword flung Asad''s de, and he stumbled back. Taken the opportunity, Agatha twirled andnded a kick on Asad''s stomach. Asad recoiled from the impact and was about to retaliate, but another sword came crushing from his left. Asad barely had the time to defend as the broadsword struck his left arm, slicing it in half as he retreated. "Fuck!" Asad''s dted eyes turned bloodshot as his left arm was gone. He eyed the two people surrounding him. "This had just turned troublesome," Asad mumbled as Agatha flexed her des while Do swung his broadsword. At this moment, Asad''s left arm was regenerating at a fast rate. Asad knew that taking two powerful foes was suicide. He had to kill one at a time. Asad knew that Agatha was a servant based on Agatha''s seal at the center of her cleavage. Killing the master will kill the servant. Asad didn''t know who the master was, but he bet his instinct and targeted the weakest of the group. Asad transformed into three separate mirages as he charged to where Murok was. But as he did so, Agatha, too, transformed in three separate mirages and intercepted all of Asad''s illusions. Asad and Agatha were at a deadlock as they were even in power and speed. At the same time, Do alternated with Agatha as the vanguard, ready to attack if opportunity strikes, while Murok remained at the back, his spells ready for support. With Murok''s mana level right now, there was nothing he could do but be on the passive side as he hadn''t recovered half of his mana yet. Conjuring high-level offensive spells would drain his mana, leaving it almost empty. Thus, he reserved it for emergency cases only. Else he wanted to die from mana depletion. Meanwhile, at Cecily''s side, Eoi retreated at high speed. His bow was not exactly for closebat. Though his closebat skills weren''t bad butpared to a mage knight who specializes more in close-range attacks, he was at a disadvantage. Eoi continued to barrage Cecily with arrows as he retreated while Cecily deflected every one of them, charging at full speed towards her opponent. When Cecily appeared in battle, Ryu ran in her direction, not a care about his opponent anymore. Garet swung his ax towards Ryu when thetter showed his back. Ryu jump, avoiding the ax as he somersaulted in the air andnded on his feet. Garet snorted as he pulled the handle of his ax. The ax''s de that struck on the ground hurled towards Garet''s direction, attaching itself on the handle like a ma. "Kyakyakyakyak! You ain''t going anywhere, my pet!" Garet sized Ryu as his viper-like tongue licked his lips. "Always wanted to devour a beast. Wonder how you''ll taste like." As he said so, Garet rubbed his throbbing cock and positioned it beneath his pants. Ryu tilted his head to the side, wondering what the man meant while he had the urge of wanting to kill him in the most gruesome way. Chapter 10: Battle in the Open Path 3 Chapter 10: Battle in the Open Path 3 Cecily''s body blurred, leaving afterimages behind as she charged towards Eoi. Eoi smirked. "You want topete in speed? Hmp! Don''t make meugh!" Eoi no longer ran as it was pointless. Given Cecily''s speed with the help of the Light Step spell, their agility was about even. The previously calm and reserve Eoi was now wild and unrestrained as he transformed into nine marriages, all wielding a bow as he shot an arrow towards her. The nine arrows flew in different directions. Cecily readied herself to deflect the nine arrows. But as it was growing closer, it seemed as though arrows filled the entire space. An infinite number of arrows, giving Cecily nowhere to run nor defend! [Barrage] Cecily huramp. Using her momentum, she swirled her body like a whirlwind. In the blink of an eye, Cecily''s entire body turned into a spinning windstorm while the countless shes of her sword glint under the noon light. [Torrential Swing] The countless arrows were all blocked by the shes of Cecily''s sword. Eoi was stunned. "So you do have a bit of skill in you, O'' princess of Byron." "DIE!" Cecily bellowed. She mmed towards Eoi, sword pointing at the sky as though what she was wielding was not a thin stick rapier but a Warhammer. That stick of a sword transformed into thousands of des. [Sword Rain] Eoi raised his bow to defend and cast a spell that enveloped his entire body of strange dark lights. Cecily''s sword strike was light and graceful, but when they collided against Eoi''s bow. Eoi felt as though a thousand-pound weight was being hammered on him repeatedly. BAM! BAM! Under the repeated assault, Eoi was forced down to the ground, and the earth around him cracked as clouds of dust and rocks swirled everywhere. The dark shadowy lights covering Eoi''s body trembled, and it broke from the might before it burst and shattered. If this keeps up, I''ll be mincemeat for sure. Eoi mused to himself, then his silver eyes narrowed, turning into a dot as his muscles grew while his veins bulged. Cecily sensed that something was not right. She flipped her sword and retreated backward,nding on both feet. She eyed the dark elf cautiously. Eoi''s muscles and bones cracked and reformed. Veins were crawling underneath his skin, distorting his face. "Lo and behold! For this sight will be thest you''ll see." Cecily''s eyes rounded when Eoi''s transformation halted, and her view was filled by a creature that she had never seen before. Monster! No one could recognize the dark elf''s elegance and allure anymore. Eyes, silver and dted. Muscles were bulging. Veins crawling in all parts of its body whilerge protruding rock-like skin was on his shoulders and limbs, forming an armor. If it was not for the erged ears, the man could not be recognized as an elf. Dark elves were famed because they could conjure dark magic to aid them during a fight, transforming them into something of pure strength and speed in a limited time. "Hmm. .. not good." Murok cast a spell. [Heavenly wind] Cecily''s entire body was enveloped in sharp wind, raising her defense and offense. Still, cold sweat appeared from Cecily''s forehead, dripping down towards her cheek. She was in a dangerous predicament. Cecily and Eoi were on the ground, staring at each other. On the other side of the field, the ax in Garet''s hand, carrying a massive tectonic force, would appear and disappear at random. In Ryu''s eyes, all he saw were countless des shing towards him. If not for the beastmen high sharp sense, Ryu wouldn''t be able to dodge it all. But thanks to the rippling sounds that the de made whenever it reappeared, Ryu could somehow pinpoint where the attack would appear next. Ryu was conflicted. He wanted to kill Garet and hurry towards Cecily. Then again, he was afraid that Cecily would be mad at him for killing the human. All Ryu''s life was revolved around killing without holding back, so he didn''t know how much strength he would use to render Garet immobile without actually killing him. He was afraid that if he used too much force, the guy would just drop dead. However, Ryu was suffering from blood loss from all the cuts he received from Garet''s ax. Combined with the hunger and torment he received a while ago, his body was nearing its limit and was beginning to slow down. Murok could have spared a nce in his direction and deducted that Ryu couldn''t use mana to nourish his body and heal his wounds. But Murok was busy with his fight and didn''t bother to spare a second nce at him. He''d rather conserved his mana than waste it on someone insignificant. Unlike all other races that needed to absorbed mana to use spells, Beastmen could see the flow of mana and could manipte it to nourish themselves. Thus, as long as there was mana, they could continuously heal their wounds without conjuring any spells. It was unfortunate that the Beastmen were weak in mental fortitude to castplicated incantations. If not, they would indeed be invincible. Garet took advantage of Ryu''s body slowing down. He flung his ax at Ryu. "I got ya'' now!" It was toote for Ryu to dodge the de as it was just inches away from him. CLASH! Garetughed. "Kyakyakyakyak! How''s that?!" But hisughter halted in mid-air when he saw that Ryu wasn''t harmed the slightest. Except for Ryu''s left arm that had a cut due to blocking the ax with his hand, nothing else was broken. "Tsk! He is ridiculously resilient. Even with that blow, I just manage a cut without even slicing his arm?" Garet stuck out his tongue, spit dripping from it. Tapping the ground with the point of his foot, Ryu leaped backward before he tapped his foot again and charged at high speed towards Garet. At this time, with his body at its limit and with Cecily joining in the fray that could endanger her life, Ryu was cornered. And a cornered beast didn''t think of anything else but to go wild in a frenzy. He doesn''t need his limbs to stay alive. Ryu''s face grew solemn. Then he moved at a rapid speed. A wild gust of wind filled the air as Ryu''s body reached a terrifying swiftness. WOOSH! Ryu shed towards Garet. It was so fast that the very space rippled around him. Garet managed to block. Still, some of the force from Ryu''s ws sliced his flesh, draining his clothes red. Ryu let out a deep growl. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of his opponent, his afterimage lingering at hisst spot. "Not good!" Garet wanted to block. However, at the sight of Ryu''s monstrous aura, he was stupefied instead. Ryu stabbed his ws four times in different spots, wing a chunk of Garet''s flesh while the man lost his bearing and tumbled on the ground. "Guk. . ." Garet could only gape at the beast that was approaching him, staring down at him as he raised his ws. Garet choked, "Shit." BOOM! Chapter 11: Battle in the Open Path 4 Chapter 11: Battle in the Open Path 4 BOOM! At just this moment, a terrifying suffocating dark air enveloped the wind. Ryu nced towards Cecily''s direction and saw that the dark elf turned two times his original built. Ryu didn''t waste any more time with Garet and sprinted in Cecily''s direction. On the other side. Do and Agatha were still at it, battling against Asad while Murok supported from the back. Do coughed blood twice before he swung his broadsword. His body was almost at its limit! This demon is powerful. Even with ourbined strength, we still haven''t defeated it. In truth, Asad was already giving his all. Facing a mighty great knight and a demon with the same rank, not to mention a mage at the support, he could barely hang in the thread of life and death. But even with the odds against him, he still wasn''t willing to go back to his Lord empty-handed. At least, I should offer one of their heads to my Lord aspensation. Agatha speeds up to her maximum. Though it was her fellow race that she was up against, Agatha didn''t feel anything. Demons were vile and sinister creatures, to begin with. Something likeraderies andpassions was foreign to them, even towards their race. The only thing that could move them was strength and fear. The dual swords danced in Agatha''s hand. Though it gave the impression that it moved pretty slow, yet in a spec of a second, it arrived in front of Asad. Facing this strike, Asad felt the murderous aura emanating from it. "Not good!" ng! ng! Asad''s sword, Gawtar, transformed into thousands of dark lights. All this dark lights converged against Agatha''s swords. Agatha''s attacks were all canceled out by Asad''s sword, but that didn''t deter her the slightest as she swung her dual sword again. This time, dark lights in all directions came charging towards Asad. Though those lights looked soft, it was very sharp, and one hit from her sword strike would cut his limbs clean. [Nightmare Waltz] BANG! Asad managed to block with his word once more. However, they were countless of them, so at least some managed tond on his body, cutting his left arm and legs, leaving only half of him as he flew back from the impact. His severed limbs were minced into paste from Agatha''s countless sword strikes. "Shit! That was close," Asad mused. In truth, it was Gawtar who saved him just now. With those numerous swords in every direction that could even block the light, Asad couldn''t defend against all of it, and Gawtar took the initiative to block most of it for him. As Asad flew backward, his limbs regenerated at a terrifyingly fast rate, but his mana was also consumed at a frightening speed. While Asad''s body was in the air, another blurry white and gold silhouette appeared out of nowhere from his side. Do! "Die! You vermins!" Do raised his broadsword in the air and was ready to pulverize Asad''s body. His eyes glimmered in exasperation as his mouth curved upwards in victory. Asad couldn''t defend at this distance, and given that his body was still suspended in the air while his left hand and legs were regenerating, he could only watch as Do brought down his sword in slow motion. But instead of fear, Asad''s lips quirked upwards. On Cecily''s and Eoi''s battle. ng! ng! Cecily managed to deflect the arrows that Eoi released towards her. The other arrows that she couldn''t deflect, she would avoid. Though it appeared easy, every arrow against her sword was like a thunderous lightning bolt rained down at her. Powerful! With Eoi''s new appearance, enhancing his strength and speed, he was now a level ahead of Cecily. As she continued to chase Eoi around for closebat, the dark elf, however, continued to retreat, shooting his arrows as he retreated. It was a hunt, and Cecily felt irritated. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t shorten the distance between her and the dark elf, even with the help of the Light Step spell. Just as Cecily blocked another row of arrows with her sword, at the corner of her eyes, a shadow was sprinting towards Do''s direction. Cecily''s eyes rounded in horror and panic. She used half her mana in one go to cast a powerful spell in her arsenal. Her sword glowed in red as mes coiled around it. A mighty roar was heard with one stroke before raging mes burst out the zing mes wrapped around the sword strike forming a phoenix. Whenever the phoenix passed, the earth scorched ck while Eoi''s arrows disintegrated from its heat. [Roaring Phoenix] Eoi conjured a defensive spell. In a matter of seconds, three pentagrams of the same height as him appeared in front of his body. The center being more significant than the rest. All three pentagrams emitted a dark glow as it revolved around and around. When the phoenix cloaked in mes crashed against the pentagrams, a terrifying sound exploded from the collision. BOOOOMMMM!! The earth gave way forming arge crevice to where Eoi was standing. The pentagrams cracked and shattered while the phoenix used up all its force in breaking the pentagrams before it disappeared in the air. At that moment, when Cecily unleashed the Roaring Phoenix, she didn''t mind the dark elf anymore and charged to where Do was, shouting frantically. "Stop! Kill him!" Ryu, who was hasting to where Cecily was, halted when he heard her voice. His head turned to where the young woman was running, and his slit irises constricted into slits. Do charged Asad who was in midair and was about tond the killing blow. But just at this moment, another variable came into y. Garet, who was still alive, had brazenly appeared out of nowhere and flung his ax towards Do''s direction. "NOOO!!" At the sound of Cecily''s agonizing scream, Ryu felt that his soul was bursting, and before he could react, he sprinted towards Garet with all his speed. But even with all of Ryu''s incredible speed, he still didn''t make it in time to stop Garet''s ax. At the exact moment that Garet swung his ax, Ryu tackled him to the side, and both of them rolled on the ground, crashing some more before Garet retreated at high speed. Garet''s ax twirled in the air, producing screeching sounds as its sharp edge glint under the sky. Do was focused on Asad, but at the sound of Cecily''s cry, he nced to his left. All Do saw were shes of light before everything stopped. It happened so fast that neither side had a chance to react. THUD! The ragging ax struck the ground, blood dripping from its sharp des. Together with the loud thud, Do''s body kneeled on the ground. After a few seconds, his head fell from his neck as it rolled on the dirt, spewing blood everywhere. His eyes were open, bulging, didn''t know what just happened. While the clean sliced from his neck was still fresh, his flesh spasmed before his body slumped on the dirt. Do was dead. At the deafening silence, Garet''s maniacal voice rung sharp. "Kyakyakyakyak! I did it! I did it! How''s that ya'' royal pile of shit?!" Garetughed crazily. But soon, he felt that something was stinging and hurting in his lower regions. His round eyes slipped downwards. AAARGHH!! Chapter 12: Battle in the Open Path 5 Chapter 12: Battle in the Open Path 5 AAARGHH!!! "My penis! My cock! It''s gone! It''s gone!" Garet howled in a frenzy when he noticed that his groin was hallowed and a ridiculous amount of blood was gushing between his thighs. His penis was roughly pulled from his body as gruesome tearing skins were dangling from his pelvis. "My penis! My penis!" Garet was in a rage as his trembling hand grabbed the empty space on his crotch, but only pain and burning sting reciprocated his touch. ARGH! Garet didn''t finish screaming when Ryu appeared before him. Before Garet could react, Ryu smacked his palm against Garet''s opened mouth. The force was enough to break Garet''s jaw and shattered his teeth. Garet wanted to howl in pain but found that his mouth was full only to realized it was his penis! Garet''s pupils narrowed into dots, eyes bulging from its sockets. He wanted to spat it out, but Ryunded another punch right under his jaw, and his teeth ground his cock and bit his tongue from the impact. The force was enough to send Garet off his feet, and Ryu twisted his body andnded a kick on Garet''s side. CRACK! The ear-wrenching shattering of bones reverberated as Garet''s spine broke. His body bent to the side at an awkward angle. But still, Ryu was not satisfied. It was either Cecily''s roaring scream to kill Garet or her agonizing howls of pain from the sudden loss of Do that Ryu seemed to be in a wild need of blood. Ryu felt overwhelming emotions all at once. Cecily''s pain was bing his pain. It was probably due to the linking of their souls that he could feel the woman''s agony clouding his mind as he turnedpletely wild and crazed. Ryu appeared in front of Garet''s body in mid-air and gripped Garet''s neck. Garet was barely holding to his life at this moment, barely managing a snort with great difficulty as his severed tongue and penis was still inside his mouth, drowning in blood. Garet wanted to spat and coughed it out, yet his jaw was locked, dislocated. He couldn''t move it even if he wanted to. Right at this moment, when everyone was looking at this savagery, Ryu raised his fingers, ws straight as he sliced downwards. It was so fast and clean that only after seconds did the blood spilled. With one hand holding Garet''s neck at the steady, Ryu''s other hand peeled Garet''s skin from his muscles. Even if Garet wanted to scream from the pain, his mouth was locked. He could only rumble in his throat while tears welled from his eyes and poured on his cheek. All the onlookers present couldn''t help but shiver. Even the demon, Asad, who was used to torture and savagery, couldn''t help the breakout of hives from his skin. After a moment''s more, Garet was on the brink of death, bathed in his blood under the afternoon light. His skin was peeled down to his waist, exposing raw tendrils of muscles and bones. Just as death was to take Garet''s life, Ryu stabbed his ws on his chest, wing his raw flesh for his heart. Before his life was extinguished, Ryu squashed his heart, inflicting more pain before the saving grace of death finally took him. Ryu threw Garet''s body on the ground like a lump of rotten meat. .. . .. . The silence continued. It was Eoi who recovered first, and he went to Asad''s side. By now, Asad''s limbs have fully regenerated, but his mana was almost emptied. "Let''s go. Let''s retreat while they''re still distracted," Eoi whispered. His body was returning to its original form. His mana, too, was almost depleted. Asad frowned and red at Cecily and the others. "Retreat?! What''re you talking about?! We just killed one of their strongest. A little bit more and!" "And we''ll run out of mana while they still have four on their side. We have underestimated them. This situation is at our disadvantage. We have to retreat. Now!" Eoi gritted his teeth. They were on their way back to their Lord to deliver fresh ves. It was pure luck that they found out that the royal family of Byron was traveling far from the outskirt of the kingdom. It was such an excellent opportunity, but who would have thought that even the two of them couldn''t beat a bunch of mortals. "We''ve rushed in here without a proper n, thinking that it will be enough for just us to defeat a royal guard, mage, and a demon." Eoi slightly shook his head. "Who would have thought that the spoiled princess could be this strong, not to mention that we lost that disgusting man." Even though they werepanions, it didn''t mean that they were close friends. The n was to have Garet reached the carriage and kidnapped the Princess using a space crystal. This crystal could take two people to a specific ce with just a single thought. It could take Garet and the Princess of Byron directly to their Lord. However, things had gotten a lotplicated. The space crystal was gifted by their Lord, which was already considered that their standing in the demon realm was high. They entrusted it to Garet since he was the best candidate to kidnapped the Princess, knowing he was the weakest of the three of them. While the strongest, Asad and Eoi, would hold the royal guard, the demon, and the mage. This crystal could warp two people in any ce in just a snap of a finger. By any ce, it meant that practically anywhere in Septverden! Disregarding barriers and arrays put up by different realms! But these space crystals were rare to non-existent and could only transport two beings. Thus, only a few high-ranking races had this. They''re not bought in any market and were only made by an alchemist. What''s more, they were very difficult to make as the ingredients were scarce, and some would take centuries to procure. Not to mention theplex of steps to follow to create one. Materials vary from realm to realm. To be transported to a specific realm, it must have a vital ingredient unique to that realm. Like the most challenging and most crucial ingredient for making a space crystal that could teleport to Heaven''s realm were angels'' wings. For Demon and Beast Realm, it was their horns that were equivalent to their strength. Breaking these horns would reduce their powers. For the Spirit realm, it''s the sprites wings. For the Elven realm, it was their ears, and for the Mortal Realm, it was their blood and flesh. After that, there were also a bunch of ingredients and strict steps to follow. Only a master Alchemist could make such aplicated and rare item. To top it all, the sess rate was only four percent which depended on the Alchemist''s luck. But now that their n had failed. . . Asad closed his eyes and sighed. He faced Eoi. Then his dted eyes took a peek at the wagon. "What about the ves?" "They''re just baggage. Leave them." Asad released another sigh as he ran his fingers through his hair. "M''Lord isn''t going to be happy about this." Eoi frowned. "Still, would you rather die in here or redeem yourself in the future? As long as we live, we have plenty of chances." Eoi''s silvery eyes sized Ryu. Something about this halfbreed was bothering him, but then he shook his head and retreated at fast speed. Asad huramp before he fled in a blur. Agatha watched as the two men went away. She was about to chase after them when Murok stopped her. "Leave them. We have more pressing matters." Agatha didn''t say anything. She watched as the older man and Cecily converged in the direction of the fallen corpse of Do. Even though she didn''t show it, Agatha rejoiced at the oue. It didn''t mean that she was a servant of a human she would developpassion towards them. Quite the opposite. Ever since she was forced as a servant, her loathing and anger towards humans intensified. She couldn''t wait for the humans to be eradicated in the face of Septverden. But since her soul was linked with Murok, she couldn''t openly disobey him nor say anything since any slight disobedience on her part, Murok would know. "N-no. .. Do. . ." Cecily''s eyes welled in tears. Even though Do was just a royal guard, Do stuck to her since she was young. Cecily didn''t have many friends, and she was not exactly close to her siblings either. And since she was born from a concubine, her status in the royal family was not that high. But still, Do stuck to her when others scurried favors to her brother and sister. He was the very first friend she had. shes of memory came rushing in as Cecily remembered every one of them. Her younger years when Do was just a regr soldier, following her all around in the city. The time when Do was promoted to a rank of a personal guard and apanied Cecily to train. He was always there whenever she was in trouble, be it inside the city, inside her home, or during her travels, he would always stick to her side. And now. .. Do even apanied her to the faraway south for a month, protecting and defending her all the way. Cecily''s tears came falling one after the other. There were denial and unwillingness inside her, but then it turned to hate and anger. "YOU!" Cecily roared and gripped her sword on the side. She stood to her feet, and in a matter of second, crossed the distance between her and Ryu. Without any rhyme nor reason, Cecily swung her sword towards Ryu in a fury. Ryu was utterly at a loss. He thought that Cecily would be happy for killing Garet the way she instructed. But the sight of her, shrouded in thick rage, Ryu couldn''t manage even to move the slightest. He was paralyzed in ce, stunned and confused. Before everyone could react, blood burst from Ryu''s chest. Chapter 13: In Dire Situation 1 Chapter 13: In Dire Situation 1 Ryu felt pain, not from the pain he just received, but from the pain from Cecily''s suffering. Due to the overwhelming emotions that were new to him, his body finally gave way, and he slumped on the ground. "This is all your fault!" Cecily kicked Ryu hard on the stomach, causing the man to vomit another mouthful of blood mixed with his saliva. He flew from the impact before he crushed on the ground, rolling before stopping. Cecily was not satisfied. Her anger and hatred for her loss urged her for more blood. "You bastard! It''s because of you! You useless beast!" Cecily zoomed towards Ryu and looked down at him. She raised her sword, the tip glinting at Ryu''s battered body. Ryu''s amber eyes narrowed, and he curled for impact. STAB! Cecily''s sword stabbed Ryu''s flesh. Its sharp des pierced his tough skin and bones as blood spurted in every thrust. Ryu gritted his teeth, didn''t utter a word nor groan in pain. If he could offer his life to ease Cecily''s suffering, then. .. it will be worth it. Cecily was life itself. His light in the never-ending darkness. For her, he would dly offer his life with a smile. "You monster! It''s because you''re useless that this happened! It''s because of you! It''s all your fault!" STAB! "Useless!" STAB! "Just die already!" STAB! Cecily stabbed in a frenzy without stopping. Even with Ryu''s blood sttered on her face, she didn''t stop to wipe it off. Murok couldn''t help but sighed and shook his head. He knew Cecily''s personality quite well. Cecily might be quiet, indifferent, and aloof, but when she''s angry, all hell will break. "This is all your fault! This is all your fault! Because of you! Because of you. .. D-Do. .. Do died! It should have been you!" Cecily screamed. Her azure eyes glimmered in a terrifying light. She watched Ryu curled in a pool of blood as numerous stabbing wounds loitered all over his body. His clothes were torn, as well as some of his skin. But even so. .. Ryu was still breathing. Cecily fumed in rage. She imbued a spell on her sword. This time, determined to end Ryu in onest stab. She was so consumed in outrage that she forgot that if she wanted to kill the halfbreed, she could have done so by directly shattering his soul through a soul scourge. Cecily raised her sword for the final strike, but then a blurry ck appeared out of nowhere, rendering everyone stunned. "Who are you?!" Cecily hissed when an unfamiliar red scarlet eye locked against her. "Don''t hurt him!" The voice was clearly of a child. There stood between Cecily and Ryu was a girl dress in a dirty white thin robe that was bigger than her size. Her muddy arms extended on each side, protecting Ryu with her tiny frame. Cecily red at the girl. Because of her sudden appearance, Cecily momentarily lost a bit of her anger while she sized the girl. One word. Ugly. Even from a distance, Cecily knew that the girl was a halfbreed. Just based on the colors of its eyes and the mud-like color of her skin. However, that was not the reason that caught everyone''s attention. It was the ugly scars loitering all over the girl''s body. Some were already healed, while some were still fresh. Most even have the nasty aftermath of stitches. The girl''s head and right face were haphazardly bandaged, leaving only one eye, while her left cheek had a gruesome scar that stretched from the cover of her bandage down to her nose and rested to the side of her jaw. If the scars weren''t enough to scare the delights out of everyone, then the burned scabs were sure to terrify their soul out from their body. On the right face of the girl, slightly hidden by the bandages, there were dried lines of murky flesh that seemed to have been burned as well as some parts of her head that the bandages didn''t cover. Patches of burn wounds scattered randomly across her head, leaving only tiny strands of her hair left while white kes and dried skins stuck on her hair and dressings. (Pic) Ugly and disgusting! Cecily repeated in her head. If it weren''t that she was angry at the moment, she would have vomited her inside at the sight of the girl. She had a rotting smell emanating from her and the smell of burning flesh. Though the girl''s burned scars were healed, yet the scent of burning flesh seemed to be deeply rooted in her. Where did this girle from? Cecily eyed the carriage on the enemy''s side. It was now opened, and behind it was numerous ves hiding, trembling in fear as they watched Cecily''s group. So, she''s one of the ves. That exined the ck cor on her neck. "Out of my way!" Cecily barked, with a flicked of her hand, her rapier''s position changed, and the de was now directed towards the girl. The little girl just red at Cecily. Her scarlet red eyes glowed in menace. This only fueled Cecily''s anger. "If you wanted to die, then so be it!" Cecily could care less about halfbreeds. To her, they were the same as the foreign races regardless if they were women, children, or the elderly. Cecily gripped the hilt of her sword and pierced it towards the girl when another blurry, dark light appeared out of nowhere. "M''Lady!" Agatha kneeled on the ground, making sure that her eyes focused only on the dirt. Cecily''s eyebrow twitched. She didn''t know why Agatha suddenly appeared between her and the child and was kneeling on the ground at that. But Cecily knew that no matter how much she hated other races, she could not kill her master''s servant. And even if she wanted to, she doubted that she could kill the demoness in a fair fight. "Agatha, what is the meaning of this?" Cecily asked, yet she didn''t loosen her grip on her weapon. "M''Lady, I beg you to reconsider killing this child." Everyone was stunned yet again. Demons were known to be vile creatures, disregarding any other beings as meat to kill. Yet Agatha not only kneeled on the ground, but she also begged. Now, this was a very rare sight even Murok stroke his beard in surprise. "What do you mean?" Cecily eyed curiously at the demoness. Agatha didn''t answer right away. She took a peek behind her where the little girl was standing, protecting Ryu with her little body. To Agatha, it was bizarre even for her to act this way. However, one sure way to subdue demons were strength and fear from their race, and it could only mean that. . . "This little girl is a halfbreed. Though I presume the other side is human. However, the other half. .. is a demon." Cecily raised her eyebrow. It was not rare to encounter halfbreed demons. There were plenty of those across the entire realm. Since among the whole race, demons were the most promiscuous. "And what of it?" Cecily frowned. Agatha breathed some air before she answered, "She is strong and when she reaches maturity, horns will spurt from her head." Gasp! Cecily and Murok gasped at the same time. Their eyes locked on a specific target, observing the skinny little girl. "Her? A higher rank demon? But she''s a halfbreed!" Cecily argued,pletely forgotten about her grief as this was a very rare find indeed. "I''m not clear to it as to why a halfbreed is of a higher rank. .. but I know that she''s strong and will develop horns in the future. It will be a waste if you kill her." Agatha''s eyes remained stuck on the ground, and she spoke no more. ".. ." ".. ." The group was silent for a moment while Ryu gradually regained consciousness. His half-opened eyes shook at the back of the little girl standing in front of him. She was so thin and weak that just a small blow of the wind could topple her. Yet Ryu didn''t know why he felt safe in her presence. p! Everyone turned to Murok. "Alright, that''s enough." Murok sped his hands and eyed Agatha with no light in his eyes. "You do know the consequences if you lied." Agatha only bowed lower, and Murok walked towards Cecily. He ced his bony hand on top of Cecily''s shoulder, urging her to stop. "Our priority right now is to get to the nearest town and recover our strength. Then n what we should do from now on." Murok eyed the falling corpses that scattered on the soil before he sighed. "I know you know that in our current predicament, every manpower is important." Cecily didn''t speak. She eyed her fallen people, then she watched the girl, and finally, her pupils narrowed when her sightnded on Ryu''s battered body on the ground. HMP! With the flipped of her hand, Cecily''s sword disappeared into her travel ring. She turned back and faced Murok, still in a zing furry. "What is the meaning of this, teacher?! You said that guy would be powerful, but why the hell he couldn''t heal his wounds?! And I don''t ever remember seeing him use his mana to attack! Does that mean that this guy doesn''t know how to use mana?" Cecily questioned one after the other. Murok watched Cecily before he sighed. Judging from his student''s temper, it was better to at least satisfy her with answers rather than to do itter. Murok shook his head as he too observed Ryu while frowning. "I don''t understand it either. As far as I know, beastmen can naturally control mana and use it to nourish their body like it is second nature to them. Could it be that he was locked up for so long with the cor on his neck that was why he doesn''t know how to use it?" Murok answered Cecily''s question with another question that made the woman stomped her feet in anger. "This is not the time for your discoveries, teacher! How do you n onpensating me for this blunder?! He''s just a stupid idiot, beast! I want him dead!" Chapter 14: In Dire Situation 2 Chapter 14: In Dire Situation 2 Judging from how Ryu still hadn''t healed his wounds, they could already guess that he couldn''t use mana at all. Murok bitterly smiled at himself. He didn''t understand how his divination could be wrong. It had never been wrong in the past. Could it be that I''m already old and my skills are deteriorating with me? Murok sighed. With the flipped off his hand, an ivory-colored scroll appeared that glowed in faint azure light. "Now, now, don''t be angry. You can kill him once we return to the kingdom. But right now, he still has some use. In the meantime, since my mana still hasn''t recovered, I''ll give you this scroll so you can bind that girl to you to make up for my blunder." Cecily was stunned at hearing this. She knew how valuable a master-servant scroll was even for a mage like Murok. Only high-ranking nobles could afford this expensive scroll. Even she, a Princess, didn''t have one in her items. She had to request her father to purchase one, which she would never do in her lifetime. The sudden thought that she would gain a powerful higher rank demon as a servant, Cecily''s unhappiness somewhat reduced considering that Agatha didn''t lie about the little girl''s strength, that is. "Are you sure that she''s powerful and that she will grow horns to be a higher ss demon in the future?" Cecily asked again, facing Agatha. Angels and demons were very hard to defeat and capture. Thus, there were very few out there that had higher-ranking demons as ves, one being Murok. Thus, it was a known fact that capturing a demon''s child that didn''t have horns yet was the easiest method to acquire a higher-ranking demon ve. But how to know whether the demon''s child would turn to be a powerful rank or not, only the demons knew. On the other hand, there were no known records that one had acquired an angel as a servant not in the Mortal realm at least. "Yes. There is no mistake." Agatha was very sure of this. Though she didn''t want the child to end up being a servant, it was better than dead! And maybe in the future, this child could be my ticket out from the clutches of this old man. Agatha smirked in secret. For demons being immortal, they have lived for more than a century and knew more about the other races than humans who have a short lifespan. There was knowledge in the world that only they knew. "Alright. From now on, this girl will be my servant." "Then what about those ves?" Murok nced at the group of hurdling men and women in the back of the enemies toppled wagon. Cecily swept her gaze to all of those ves. When she made sure that none of them were human and mostly halfbreeds, she flipped her hair and ordered. "Kill them all." To her, this group of weak ves was just baggage rather than being helpful. With just relying on the ck cor, these ves could kill them behind their back. It was better to kill them than have their backs stabbed out of nowhere, not knowing how they died. Murok sighed. Suppose he had at least another master-servant scroll or that his mana in full, he might be able to pick some servants out of the ves. Though they were inferior in strength and power, they still have their uses. Traversing thesends for at least more than half a month with just their little numbers was dangerous. At least with added servants, their chances of survival would increase. But s, the reality was that no one in their group had a master-servant scroll. Thest one was already in Cecily''s hand, and he could barely replenish his mana. Rather than bringing them along with just a messily cor in their neck without a tight hold of their soul, it was better to kill them all. Murok nodded in Agatha''s direction. Agatha, who was kneeling on the ground, was now nowhere to be seen. She appeared in front of the ves who screamed in fear at the sudden arrival of the demoness. Agatha began a killing spree with a vicious glint in her eyes and a smile on her lips. ---- Southern town (Pic) A town in the far south where the view was covered with old decaying wooden houses, muddy grounds, and old smelly humans and piss. It was nighttime when Cecily''s group reached Southern town. After reserving rooms in the inn and eating their food, everyone rested in their respective quarters. Cecily still didn''t allow Ryu to take dinner and sleep in the inn with them. Nobody even healed his wounds! Though Murok kept reminding Cecily that they needed Ryu for the days ahead, Cecily remained stubborn and deaf from the old man''s plea until Murok gave up after countless persuasions. After all, Murok, too, didn''t have any hope for Ryu if the halfbreed couldn''t use mana. To Murok, Ryu was as good as dead. His only use now was to take bullets for them in case something happens. While each and everyone had their room, Ryu was kicked to the side of the inn, sleeping on the hard cold dirt together with the trash and the little creatures roaming about. To Cecily, Ryu was already dead. Instead, she focused on grooming the little girl called Ferris, the ugly little girl who was now her servant. Ferris even had her room, and Cecily even bought new clothes for her. Cecily and Murok even tried to heal Ferris''s scars and restore her appearance to no sess, which added up to Murok''s list of questions to ponder once he got back to the kingdom. All masters acted this way. Though they loathed the other races with a passion, they still wanted to groom their servant to be more powerful and useful to them. This includes buying them armors, weapons, and other things that could boost their fighting prowess. It was just that, the moment Ryu licked Cecily on her face, it already sealed his fate. Then and there, Cecily only felt repulsed and disgusted towards him. Hence, every time she saw him, her blood boiled, and a murderous thought surged fort inside her brain. Do''s death was thest straw. No matter what, she couldn''t, wouldn''t forgive him. ---- In the dead of night in Murok''s room, where only the burning candle and fire stones illuminated the whole room, Murok was sitting in a chair, a feather in his hand. He seemed to be writing something while Cecily was watching the distance sky from the opened window. "I believe it was I they were after. But what I don''t understand is why attack in the open where everybody can see? Even though they are trapped here, if they wanted to kidnap me in exchange for them to get back to their realms, it still doesn''t make sense to attack in broad daylight, out in the open field no less. It was like. .. it was like they were not afraid. .. ,"Cecily mumbled. Remembering the events a while ago. Those groups were odd. It was not the first time that royals or high nobles were attacked and kidnaped by foreign races that were trapped in the mortal realm after the end of the war. But usually, those attacking and kidnapping were secretly done in the night, less they wanted to alert all the guards, bounty hunters, and mercenaries. But those group acted so brazenly out in the open without any fear and targeting a royal Princess from the Byron kingdom, no less. "This event is indeed strange. And unfortunately, we don''t have the time nor resources to investigate this matter. We can only hope that those groups won''t attempt to kidnap you again while we headed home." Murok stood from his seat, a tiny parchment in his hand, rolled and tied by a ribbon. As he was nearing the window, Murok mumbled some incantations, and not for long, a gust of wind sparkled inside the room. It twirled in the ceiling before it formed in a shape of a bird. Murok handed the tiny parchment to the bird. "We can only hope to live through this travel until help arrives. Once we get back to the kingdom, I''ll discuss this matter between the three rulers." The three rulers that Murok mentioned were the King of Byron, the ruling Queen of Ruk, and the Asura emperor. The bird shook its feathers before it epted the letter. It spread its wings and flew out of the window. Now that they were in this kind of situation where those groups could attack at any moment, traversing back to the kingdom would be more troublesome. Thus, Murok decided to ask for help which didn''t make Cecily happy one bit. But what could she do? Those men that attack them were strong, and Murok still hadn''t recovered half of his mana! While Agatha might be strong, yet if those groups brought out another high-ranking demon, it would be all over. Cecily decided to swallow her pride and clenched her teeth in frustration. She bit her lips when a sob pushed through her throat when she thought about Do. She would not shed a tear now. Not yet, at least. The soonest she returned to the kingdom, she would hold a funeral for Do with Ryu''s head as an offering to appease his soul and her anger. Chapter 15: Ferris 1 Chapter 15: Ferris 1 In the dead of night were not even the snoring sound was heard, Ryu was twisting and turning, unable to fall asleep. Who would fell asleep in this situation? Ryu''s body was batted ck and blue, that almost all of his blood run dry from his body. His wounds, without treatment, were infected as he burned aze. All he felt was cold. Not only that, he was left to starve for full ten days. His lips were chapped and dry, that with just from tiny movements, blood ooze from the cracked skin. His saliva was thick as he swallowed it to ease his hunger. But the most agonizing thing that kept Ryu on the verge of death was the soul scourge. It was already a miracle that Ryu was still alive, but he was barely breathing. Often, Ryu thought that he would end his own life than experience this kind of torment. He was exhausted both physically and mentally. He could not even gather the strength to groan from the pain. But just the image of Cecily in his mind. Ryu felt some of his strength return, and he managed to pull through, unable to end his life just for the sake of seeing her again. Even all he would be reciprocated were res and torture. Pant Pant Finally, the soul''s scourge stopped, which signified that Cecily was asleep. The soul scourge woulde into force only if the master concentrated on harming or killing the servant, but if the mind were not at it, it would not take effect. Just as Ryu somewhat breathed a sigh of relief, he heard footstepsing his way. A familiar scent that stings wafted his nose and his eyes flung open. Though the smell was indeed disgusting and reminded Ryu of his days in the cell, there was something to it too that he couldn''t quite describe. It was faint and rooted very deep that no human could smell. It was the smell of the sky. Ryu thought. He could only think about this since the smell reminded him of the vast clouds and horizon. A feeling of freedom. "You alright?" Ferris stood and titled her head to the side as she poked Ryu with a stick. Ferris was bathed and clothed in a beautiful white robe, but her muddy skin and scars didn''t hide her ugliness beneath the beautiful garbs. But to Ryu, who didn''t care nor distinguished between men and women, all faces were the same except for the beautiful face of Cecily. Ryu didn''t answer. If it weren''t because Ferris was Cecily''s person and he couldn''t move a muscle, he would bite off her hand that was poking him. "Hmm. .. couldn''t even utter a word, huh. You''re badly beaten." Ferris clicked her tongue. Then she held her face with two hands, appearing cute. But in the dead of night, she only appeared like a disfigured goblin. Her eyes glimmered red. "You know. .. I only allowed myself to be a servant of that girl because she is your mate." Ferris blubbered while Ryu eyed her, didn''t understand what the world she was saying. How could Ryu understand? He was like an ignorant newborn when it came to the world. Ferris chuckled, remembering the time that she firstid eyes on Ryu. Being a half-demon, something likepassion was never in her bones but the sight of Ryu''s pure eyes, so pure that it could probably paint the world white nothing else mattered. Ferris lived her life roaming town to town. In those dark days she knew the viciousness of humans and the other race. She''s a half demon but it didn''t mean that she enjoyed savagery all the time. Most often, she just wanted a ce to rest and lived life in slow and peace. But she realized she couldn''t have it in this realm. She let herself be captured so she could traverse into the demon realm and see if what she was looking for was there. And just as she lost hope, she felt peace andfort in the eyes of a halfbreed and her world suddenly took a turn. It may sound absurd, unbelievable even. But at that moment, Ferris no longer thought of anything but protecting Ryu from the tainted world. "Alright. Enough talking. Let''s get you all cleaned up." Ferris stoop to his feet, and Ryu eyed her cautiously without moving. One wrong move and he would rip her throat even if he used all his strength. But to Ryu''s surprised, his body began to feel light as his whole being was cloaked in sparkling ck dust. [Diamond dust] Ferris blinked, and at that single blinked, Ryu''s scars and wound all closed. Even the muscles that were torn were stitching back together. The bones sticking out were reformed and holes were reced by flesh, and Ryu was back on his feet, good as new. Ryu was startled. It was the first time that he felt something so wonderful. Not even food could make him feel that way. He roamed his eyes all over his body in surprise. Then he looked at the girl in front of him. ".. ." ".. ." The two of them blinked as they tilted their heads to the side. Ferris waited for Ryu to say something. Ryu waited for Ferris to do that again. A pair of eyes stared at each other. Red that glimmer and sparkled like blood while the other glowed in amber like gold. Ryu no longer harbored any thought on attacking the girl. He was like a loyal dog after someone gave him food. It was the first time that Ryu experienced such kindnessing from someone. All his life, all he ever knew was killing and being tortured. "Let''s go. There''s food in my room." Ferris nced at Ryu before she turned and walked towards the inn. Ferris took four steps before she turned and faced Ryu, who was still in the same spot without moving. "What''s wrong? Aren''t you hungry?" Ryu didn''t answer and remained unmoving, even though his stomach grumbled in protest. Ferris blinked, and then she pped her hands. "I know. You''re afraid that you''ll make Cecily mad at you for disobeying her, right? She did say that you''re not to eat." When having dinner at the inn, Ferries asked Cecily why Ryu wasn''t joining them. When Cecily answered that Ryu would not be fed until she said so, Ferris almost killed the spoiled woman then and there. But thinking that she was Ryu''s'' mate, she endured. Ferris knew that killing a beastman''s mate he would rampage in a killing spree without any regards for his life. Besides, Ferris was not confident of escaping the master-servant seal. She never tried it before. She was not willing to kill Cecily solely because it meant that she would be killing Ryu in the process. And even if she wanted to escape together with Ryu. She doubted Ryu was willing to leave Cecily''s side. Ferris could only stick around and endure. Ferris chuckled. "You sure are nave. She won''t be angry at you if she won''t know." Ryu''s brows knitted, but his human side was wavering at Ferris enticement. Ferris nod her head towards the inn, urging Ryu to follow her. "Come on." Then she turned but not without ncing and gave Ryu a mischievous grin. "I have roasted meats and all sorts of food that you could only imagine in your dreams." That got Ryu''s attention. All the food in prison was bread and water. If he killed in a gruesome manner, he was rewarded with roasted meat which happened to be his favorite food. Well,ing from Ryu''s list of food, that was the only one that was tasty. Ryu was still hesitant. But when Ferris took a turn and disappeared inside the inn, he ran after her. Chapter 16: Ferris 2 Chapter 16: Ferris 2 Inside Ferris''s room was the usual low quality wooden nks as floors, a wooden bed with a mattress, a side table, a dining table and chair, a cab, and amp that was the only source of illumination. There was a small door at the side leading to the bathroom. But Ryu didn''t notice any of that. His eyes were focused on the enormous food on the table his saliva dripping from his lips. There were mountains of food that Ryu hadn''t seen before. But the two things that were familiar to him were the loaf of bread and gigantic roasted meat. Ryu ran towards the table and chomped the first thing his hand grabbed. At the first taste of the juicy meat, his stomach rumbled in delight, his tongue dance in pleasure. All restraint left him as he gobbled everything, disregarding if he couldn''t breathe when food stuck in his throat. Cough Cough "Eat slowly. The foods not going anywhere." Ferris handed a bottle to Ryu, which the man chugged empty before he gnawed the food once more. Ferris took a seat and watched Ryu eat while holding her chin with both hands. Her head was tilting from side to side as her legs swung back and forth. Ryu didn''t bother to sit as he feasted the food in front of him. If he could, he would take them all in his stomach. "Tehehehe. Taste wonderful, right? I have the cook prepared it for you," Ferris chimed as she watched Ryu eating in relish. With this amount of food and fruits, of course, Ferris has to pay a considerable amount of silver, but to her, it was no big deal. Servants were not paid and didn''t have anything in value, so one might wonder where Ferris got the money. BURP! It didn''t even take half an hour for all the foods to wiped out on the table, even the bones. Ryu licked his lips as he rubbed his tummy, feeling extremely satisfied. But then, his stomach churned, innards twisting. At the sight of Ryu''s twisting face, Ferris chortled. "It''s because you haven''t eaten anything and then gobbled all that food. But don''t worry. Since I already know this will happen, I have the cure." Ryu''s eyes sparkled. He was going to experience that wonderful feeling again! Ferrisughed as she shook her head. She could read Ryu''s thoughts with just his eyes. Then a ck dust enclosed Ryu''s body, and the unbearable pain of his stomach eased considerably. Now, all Ryu felt was being bloated from overeating. He felt a little sleepy, but instead of going to sleep, Ryu nced left and right. He was curious about his surroundings. It was the first time he saw these kinds of things. Ryu went to the cab, sniffing it before sprinting to the next thing heid his eyes. He was sniffling and checking the room. "What''s the matter? Why are you so excited? It''s nothing really to fuss over. It''s just a simple bed." Ferris yawned and looked at Ryu with a smile on her face. Ryu blinked and looked at Ferris. He titled his head to the side, his face in confusion. Ferris''s drowsiness vanished, and she gaped at Ryu in disbelief. "Don''t tell me that you don''t know what a bed is?" Ryu looked at Ferris before he shook his head. "Heehh. . ." Ferris dragged her feet from her seat and walked closer towards Ryu, patting the bed. "That thing is called a bed. You lie in there and go to sleep. It''s quitefortable. You should try it." Instead of following what Ferris said, Ryu pointed to another piece of furniture. "That''s a side table but moremonly known as a bedside table. It is usually found beside the bed. It used to hold and store things for easy ess when you''re lying on the bed." Ryu continued to point one thing after another, and Ferris exined until Ru''s finger could no longer point at something. Ferris crossed her arms and puffed her chest, proud of herself. "Hm. Hm. Since you''re so ignorant. Then I, Ferris, will take the noble cause of teaching all sorts of things to you." Ferris mmed her chest with her fist. "I may look like this, but I''m knowledgeable. Some servants taught me to read and write, and every night I sneaked into the noble''s library and read all their books. Knowledge is power." p p Ryu pped his hands, amazed. But his expression was neither happy nor sad. It was the same poker-faced. "Don''t worry. Me as your teacher, you''ll be a genius in no time. Ahahahaha," Ferris bragged and her handsnded on her waist, legs apart. "Every night, I will teach you, and if you don''t understand anything, just ask me." Ferris looked at Ryu, but the boy just tilted his head to the side without as much as a squeak. Ferris tapped her chin. "I forgot to ask this due to the excitement and all, but. .. can you speak?" ".. ." ".. ." Ryu was about to answer, but Ferris raised her hand. "That doesn''t matter. If you want me to exin something, then point your hand at it. Are we clear??" Ryu nodded for a split moment of silence, and Ferris''s smile stretched wide. At least he could understand this world''snguage. Ferris mused to herself, and then she walked towards the bed and tapped it for Ryu to climbed. "Come on. Let''s go to sleep." Ryu didn''t move. He observed Ferris with rapt attention. He remembered that she said it was used for sleeping. All I have to do isy on it. Ryu walked to the bed and sat on it first. The first contact of his butt against the mattress sent a new feeling to him that he jumped to his feet. He felt like he was drowning! He looked at the bed then poked it before he sat again. His lower half was enveloped with a warm soft feeling and he was overflowed with satisfaction and a sense offort. Then heid the rest of his body on the mattress and rolled to the side. Ryu''s fingers and toes curled against the heavenly feel of the bed. Ferris shook her head a little, a hint of a smile on her face. Sheid on the bed beside Ryu and closed her eyes. ".. ." ".. ." After a moment, Ryu shot to his feet, and with a soft thud, he hopped on the floor and slumped onto his side. Though his body felt in heaven as his bones melted on the bed, he felt ufortable at the strange sensation that he couldn''t sleep. As he guessed, the hard floor was still thefiest for him. Ferris grabbed the nket and scrambled to her feet. She slept on the hard cold ground most of the time so she found the soft mattress bumpy. She covered Ryu with her nket as well as her body as sheid beside him, snuggling closer until she felt the warmth of Ryu''s back. She closed her eyes. "Night Ryu. . ." Ryu didn''t answer. He observed the little girl sleeping beside him. He didn''t know how to react to his current situation. It was a first that he slept on a wooden ground with a nket and beside the warmth of someone. Ryu''s eye gradually closed as he sumbed to sleep, thinking along the way. It''s not bad. Chapter 17: Ferris 3 Chapter 17: Ferris 3 "Y-you did what?!" Cecily bellowed, trying hard to minimize her voice. It was early in the morning, and she didn''t want to wake her neighbors. Ferris came knocking on her door in the earliest speak of light only to report about Ryu. This made Cecily''s mood worsened. Ferris didn''t cower nor blinked. If it were another, Cecily would have punished her with hundred beatings for disturbing her sleep. "I said, I healed Ryu''s wounds, and I''m nning to bathe him and buy him new clothes." Ferris didn''t want to hide it. She was not nning to since it would be found out no matter what she did. Best toe clean. SLAP! The resounding smacked resounded in the empty hallway. Ferris''s head went to the side at the impact. She then looked at Cecily with unyielding eyes. "You will do no such thing!" Cecily said. She felt that familiar anger surging in her veins. How dare a servant act as she pleased. "How dare you heal him without my consent!" Ferris didn''t wipe the blood that trickled from her lips as she answered without batting an eyelid. "Princess might be confident in traversing thisnds with just this people, but I don''t want to die just yet. I healed Ryu''s wounds because he is an added manpower. As for bathing and changing his clothes, we are to traverse in forests; it''s best that no stench of blood remained on him as this will attract beasts." Ferris looked at Cecily in indignant as her lips ever so rose in a mocking smirk. "I''m sure princess is well aware of this too." Cecily''s angry vein popped out. "Y-you! How dare you---!" "Enough." Both women''s attention flicked to where Murok. "Cecily, the girl''s reasoning is logical. I know that you have grievances with Ryu, but this is not the time to kill him. I told you, didn''t I? We should wait until we safely arrived in the kingdom before you do anything to him." The solemnness in Murok''s eyes made Cecily''s rage simmered down. She frowned and huramp before she flipped he hair. "Do what you want." Ferris curtsied like the humans always did in front of nobles. "Well then, princess, may this lowly servant request money to buy Ryu''s clothes?" Cecily flipped her hand and threw a bag of coins into Ferris. "Many thanks," Ferris said. She turned her heels and ran outside, skipping steps as she did. .. . .. . "Hmmm. .. This is rare. A demon who is quite fond of a beast. Is this because they''re both halfbreeds?" Murok mumbled as he stroked his beard. Cecily looked at the hallway until Ferris disappeared. "How pointless." Murok peeked at Cecily and sighed. He couldn''t help but me himself somehow. Cecily was indeed hardworking and responsible, but both the kingdom and he spoiled her. Though Cecily didn''t ck towards her training, her opinions, right or wrong, were followed without a second thought. They had indulged her, and now, this was the result. She grew overconfident. Too confident that she couldn''t see the bigger picture. "These impact things," said Murok, voice serious. "If that child is so fond of that half beast. You might want to reconsider killing him, least you wanted that child to rebel against you." Cecily frowned but didn''t say anything. Behind her wall of silence, though, Cecily was fuming with anger. How dare these lowborn vile creatures. HMP! I''m the master, and they are just servants. Whatever I do and say is thew. Demon or angel, if you rebel, I''ll kill you. Chapter 18: Exploration 1 Chapter 18: Exploration 1 "Hey! Stop that!" Ferris tried to block with her hands when Ryu shook his head for the hundredth time. They were in the bathroom with only his trousers on. Ryu was sitting on the small wooden stool while Ferris was standing behind him, washing his hair. "Look what you did. I''m soaking wet." Ferris puffed her cheeks and red at him. Ryu nced over at her. Then he resumed and cupped bubbles and blew them in the air. The feeling of her clothes sticking to her skin irritated Ferris to no end. She decided to go naked instead. At the noises of clothes being removed and at the sudden stop of the wonderful feeling of her hands on his hair, Ryu looked over at Ferris. Ryu saw naked women, and it became his everyday life in the colosseum. He never once gave it thought since they were all just bones and flesh once emboweled. But when Ferris disrobed, revealing ugly scars and muddy skin, his attention was piqued. His irises turned to slit, for her appearance was changing before him. From her rough, muddy skin, it became glossy white that he even saw his reflection on her thigh. The scars and stitched dissolving like there wasn''t any. The burned skin and bandages all disappeared while her hair spurted out in cascading waves, the darkest night, and settled straight on her waist. Her scrawny limbs were filled out in proportion as her height increased. Her breasts bounced, plump and round and incredibly soft. Her hips erge and made way for her round perky butt. In all of Ryu''s life, he never saw someone as beautiful as the woman in front of him. Ryu blinked, a low growl rumbled in his chest as his eyes turned to slit, unrecognition warped his face in menace as his muscles tensed. Ferris didn''t move. She stood just inches in front of Ryu as he leaned and sniffed her. Ryu leaned forward until Ferris felt his breath. He sniffed her thigh, to his waist, and back. Ferris sucked a breath, and her hand shot to her mouth to resist a moan when Ryu''s nose grazed her belly, down to her abdomen, to the ck curls on her pelvis, and finally rested to her sex. Ryu''s nostrils red. As he thought, the muddy, stinging, burnt scent was gone. He pressed his nose against Ferris''s clit, and she flinched at the sensation. Goosebumps railed her skin. The smell was strong here. Ryu thought and closed his eyes, savoring her scent. The scent of clear sky and horizon. Ryu straightened his back and looked at Ferris with his head tilting to the side. Ferris was a hot sticky mess when Ryu was done sniffing her. Her face was flushed, and her breathing blurred her beautiful face. But upon the sight of Ryu, who wasn''t the least affected at all, she coughed and regained her bearing. "Surprise? This is my actual appearance," she said with a crooked smile, hiding the shattering of her pride behind a cheerful voice. Ryu tilted his head to the other side with a question mark popping over his head. Ferris folded her arms under her enormous breasts and her plump flesh melted atop her arms. Pinkish tips stood erect. "With an appearance like this. What do you think my life will be?" Ferris grabbed a bottle of liquid with different scented herbs. "It''s better to hide under an ugly mask rather than being hunted by all sorts of beings'' day in and out." Ferris poured the liquid onto Ryu''s hair and massaged his head. Ryu''s eyes shut closed, savoring the warm, pleasant feeling of her hands. "I had to use a spell to change my appearance. Though it consumed my mana to keep it up, it''s worth it since it saved me countless times." It was not an ordinary spell that could easily break since it was an actual body she used a dead burnt body of a child that perfectly housed her soul. After finishing rinsing his hair, Ryu shook his head to get the water off him. Ferris chuckled and pulled Ryu to his feet. Even with Ferris''s original height, she still couldn''t contend with Ryu''s six-foot height, so she had to strain her neck to look over at him. "You are the only person I told my secret. Promise me that you won''t ever tell anyone. Or else, I won''t feed you anymore." Ryu blinked as he looked down at her scarlet eyes. He didn''t care about appearance. But with Ferris beauty, a beauty that could cause a cmity. . . Ryu thought about the women in the colosseum, and his mood plummeted. He didn''t want Ferris to undergo that experience, and he nodded. The only appearance that mattered to him was Cecily''s anyways. He then cupped some bubbles and blew it end of the topic. Ferris didn''t know whether tough or cry. Well, I somehow expected it. Though she expected it, Ferris felt disappointed. She was a woman, what''s more, a demon whose allure could entice event the rigid Angels. And a man not reacting to her was disheartening, to say the least. Ferris blinked when something poked her sex. She looked down, and her lips curved in a smirk. That''s more like it. Ryu was indeed not interested in her, but the same couldn''t be said about the little Ryu down there. It must be his human side whose reacting. Beastfolks were extremely loyal and devoted to their mate. They wouldn''t even feel a tingle if it was not their other half. But Ryu was not purely a beast. He was also human. So the urge and other physical attributed unique to the beastmen were not fully applied to him. "Alright, time to wash your body. Remove your trousers and leave nothing behind," Ferris instructed, gaze never leaving Ryu''s bulge with her mischievous eyes. Ryu removed his trousers together with his loincloth. His cock bent down and jutted upward to his stomach when he pulled his clothes off and kicked them to the side. It was not the first time that Ferris saw a naked man, but it was the first time Ferris saw a cock with a vividly plump tip and ample girt. Ferris''s inner demons wanted toe out and devour the boy. Her core spurted juices, and she was forced to rub her thigh. Ryu''s nostrils red, inhaling that sweet scent filling the room. It was different from the usual sky and horizon. It was mixed with something sweet like the fruits he had eaten yesterday night. The thought made his mouth salivate with hunger as his cock throbbed in anticipation. Ryu didn''t know what he was feeling, so he just tilted his head to the side, looking at Ferris, who was feasting on his body. Oddly, Ryu felt a sense of pride, and his chest rumbled in approval. Chapter 19: Exploration 2 Chapter 19: Exploration 2 Ferris controlled her inner demons and wiped her drool away. She grabbed for a cloth. "Alright, I''ll wash you now, so try not to move around too much." Ryu nodded, and Ferris washed his neck first. She worked her way in each limb and muscle, from his firm chest down to his hard pecs and the sexy line of his pelvis. Ferris kneeled, and her face was leveled on Ryu''s hard pulsating cock. Ferris wanted to stick her tongue and taste the thick liquiding from its tip. She groaned and bit her lips as she rubbed Ryu''s legs with the cloth. A low rumble of delight emanated from Ryu''s chest. He closed his eyes, feeling rxed. The sensation of the coarse clothes against his skin and the pressure from Ferris''s hands was enough to make his muscles sag. Then a low growl resounded in his throat, and his eyes flung open. The rxing feeling turned into sudden pleasure. A pleasure like when he was consuming food. A pleasure that was ten times better than eating roasted meat. He looked down at the girl who was now gripping his cock. Ferris licked her lips, scarlet eyes zing and slit irises in diamonds as she met Ryu''s amber orbs. "Rx. Does no one ever touch you here?" Ferris''s asked, voice slurring and low. Ryu''s muscles tensed, and he gulped a mouthful of saliva. Demonic charms and seduction were indeed very hard to resist. Ryu shook his head. "Hmmm. . ." Ferris mumbled to herself. How could he retain his virginity with a face like that? But Ferris didn''t ask. That was not important. She was thankful that he was not vited in that kind of way. Ferris didn''t bother with the thought and grabbed a liquid bottle. She poured its contents on her palms and created a leather before she washed Ryu''s cock. Ryu snapped his head backward. A groan escaped his lips while his legs trembled as if all his limbs were melting. The pleasure was too much. His mind was floating in the hazy fog of euphoria. It felt like he was going to burst. Ferris didn''t mind Ryu''s reaction to her touch. She rubbed his balls first before leathering her way up to his shaft, rubbing him up and down before cupping his tip with her fingers, making sure that she didn''t get any bubbles in the slit. "Argh. . ." Ryu grabbed Ferris''s hair for support as he looked down at the vixen. He was weak all over, and his strength was none existent. He never liked the feeling of being weak nor being at the mercy of others. But right now, it was a good kind of feeling. Better even. The best experience in his entire existence! "Argh!" Ryu gripped Ferris''s hair as his head swung back once more, eyes closed in ecstasy. It felt like all his organs were quivering while his bones were melting, and at the same time, a never-experience pleasure rumbled in his chest. Ferris made sure to circle Ryu''s slit in a light touch of her lips as he released his hot essence inside her mouth. To demons, the essence was a source of mana. After using the seal of Sarcophagius for days, this was precisely what Ferris needed to recover her mana fast. The seal of Sarcophagius was an inherited spell that bound a dead body to house a soul. But to use it required continuous mana. At the sight of Ferris gulping his seeds, Ryu felt a twinge in his heart. A gentle rumble vibrated in his throat, saying that he was pleased. Ferris chuckled. Ensuring that Ryu was thoroughly satisfied, she sshed cold water on his still pulsating cock to calm it down. "Alright. Now turn around so I can wash your back." Ryu was now the one in a hot sticky mess. His breathing ragged as his face flushed. He was still in euphoria, and hot air from his mouth blurred his face, eyes sloppy and moist. A low growl reverberated in his chest. Ryu didn''t want the pleasure to end. His slit eyes urging Ferris to continue pleasuring him. "That''s enough service for one day. Now turn around so I can finish washing you." Ryu grunted and frowned. Still, he turned. Ferris smiled and scrubbed Ryu''s back. "Be sure to remember everything that I''m doing so you can wash yourself without my help anymore." Ryu nodded with a nk face. He was too dazed and vexed. He gripped his cock in his hand, examining it. It was not the first that he grabbed his penis. But the way Ferris''s hands felt against his skin was incredibly differentpared to when he was touching it. Does it differ if a woman touches it? Ryu thought, and the appearance of Cecily appeared in his mind. He grunted when his penis sprung back to life and throbbed more painful than before. Eventually, Ferris finished bathing Ryu, and it was her turn to wash herself. Ryu watched Ferris bathe in front of him. He was soaking in the wooden tub to relieve his tired muscles while she scrubbed her body. Ryu crossed his arms on the edge of the tub while he rested his head on top of his crossing hands, observing Ferris with rapt attention. In the past, he didn''t bat an eyelid even if women were naked. But now, he couldn''t help but be curious. Was it because he was facing life and death in the colosseum, so his feral instinct overpowered his curiosity? Ferris noticed Ryu''s heated gaze. Compared to the usual lust and malice that she felt all the time, Ryu''s eyes remained pure or rather. .. there was nothing in there but the will to explore. "What''s the matter? First time seeing a naked woman?" Ferris teased, and Ryu responded by shaking his head. "Then.. ." Ferris smirked a naughty smile. "Are you curious? Wanna'' touch me?" Ryu''s spine straightened. He sprung to life and nodded his head in eagerness. Ferrisughed and rinsed her body. She then extended a hand at Ryu. "Come here then. Explore me as you will." Ryu watched the bewitching woman in front of him for a moment. He then stood to his feet and held Ferris''s hand. Droplets of water trickled from his body and fell on the wooden floor. His body glistened under the rays of morning light that sipped through the window above. His eyes were sparkling like gold, while his hair stuck to his wless face. At every step he took, he radiated an air of supremacy that echoed in Ferris''s heart, and she almost bent her knee in worship. He really is. . . Breathtaking. Ferris blinked. Was that a charm spell? No. It couldn''t be. Ryu couldn''t manipte mana, and he didn''t know nor learn any magic spells. Then why. . . Why did she almost bend her knees and nearly drowned in his presence? Ferris snapped out from her thoughts when Ryu stopped just inches from her. He didn''t do anything but stared at her nakedness. Ferris huffed augh. She was knowledgeable of the races, at least far more knowledgeable than Ryu. Now that he found his other half, he would have more urges than before, and it would be more painful for him if it were not seated. And when the four moons became one as the air thick with mana, which happened once a year, Ryu would have the undeniable urge to procreate. And if this was denied to him, Ferris feared that Ryu would force Cecily. Though Ferris could help Ryu when that time came, she''d have to think of ways to chain him so he wouldn''t do anything he would regret. Considering Cecily''s temperament and how she treated Ryu, there was no way she would let him im her. Ferris breathed a sigh. I''ll cross the bridge when I get there. Ferris looked over at Ryu and couldn''t help but smile. She knew that he was hesitating to touch her. Even though he was curious and brass. . . He still had an amount of respect. Ferris decided that it was time to set boundaries. After experiencing that kind of pleasure for the first time, she knew that Ryu would seek it again. She didn''t want him to turn into like those sex-crazed, lust-driven humans or halfbreed. The next step was important. She had to exin and make him understand. Ferris squeezed Ryu''s hand. Ryu didn''t flinch nor pulled away. He was not thrilled with the idea of someone touching him. But it was okay if it was Ferris. Her touch always felt light. Like he was lulled into the sky. Maybe because she fed and bathed me. Maybe. . . "Ryu, I want you to listen very carefully." Ferris''s face was solemn as her voice was serious. "From now on, if you feel the urge to experience that pleasure again. .. youe to me, and no one. .. and I mean no one else, but me. Okay?" ".. ." ".. ." "Wh. . y. . ." Chapter 20: Exploration 3 Chapter 20: Exploration 3 "Wh. . y. . ." .. . .. . Ferris was shocked, speechless. Ryu just spoke! Ryu, too, was shocked at hearing his voice. It was rough, guttural, and more like a growl. But it was deep and crisp, and it felt like music in Ferris''s ears. Ferris shook her head to get back into the topic. She released his hand and held Ryu''s fingers. "In this realm, there is a distinct line between men and a woman. What we did. . ." Ferris shook her head. "What I did to you and us being here alone and naked, the people in this realm considered it as indecent. Though they are also engaging at it in secret. Ferris thought. But Ryu didn''t need to know that. Ryu frowned. He didn''t understand why a pleasurable feeling would be considered indecent. Humans are bizarre creatures. "To them, if you''re not married, you can''t do those kinds of things," said Ferris. "Ma. . rri. . age?" Ferris rolled her eyes. "Marriage is the union between two humans in love. Vowed to be forever in eternity under the grace of his Majesty, yadda, yadda, yadda. Or, if you are amoner under the grace of a Mayor or higher authority." Upon hearing this, Ryu''s eyes lit up. Cecily appeared inside his head. "You cannot force someone to do what I just did to you. If you want to experience that kind of pleasure again, juste to me. Am I clear?" Ryu frowned and tilted his head on the side, suggesting that Ferris contradict herself. If he could only experience that kind of pleasure to someone he would marry, then why was Ferris willing to do it? Does that mean he and Ferris would marry each other? At the thought, Ryu''s brows creased in one line. There was defiance in his eyes and unwillingness on his face. His beast side was angry, but his human side was just. .. meh. Upon seeing this, Ferris knew what was circling in Ryu''s head. "I''m special since I''m your one and only friend that will stick to you no matter what. In life or death. I will not separate from you." Ryu blinked. He still didn''t get it. But seeing Ferris''s serious face, he shut his lips tight. There would be no food if he defied her. "Ryu, what I''m about to show and teach you, burn it into your mind. This is just for teaching only, and in no way that you will do this to anyone but me. M''kay?" To hell with Cecily and the others. Cecily wouldn''t agree to be Ryu''s mate anyway, so she might as well take Ryu for herself. Ferris''s mood plummeted at the thought of Cecily. Once a beastman found its other half, even in death, he would follow her. As for the others. .. Ferris smirked, eyes turning to slit, zing scarlet. They''s be dead before they''did a hand on him. Ryu nodded. ".. K. . ." Ferrisughed. She would teach him the ways to pleasure her. Ryu needed to satisfy his urges, and she needed mana. It was perfect! Ferris guided Ryu''s hand to the plump of her breasts. Upon contact, Ryu''s eyes dted while his pupil turned to slit. It was soft. Soo soft. He never thought that a female''s body was this soft and. .. delicate. Well, they were already dead before he had the chance to really feel them. Ferris''s skin was so tender and smooth that it felt like juices woulde out when squeezed. This thought fueled Ryu''s curiosity. He squeezed Ferris''s breast, and she jolted in pain. Immersed in the sensation, Ryu didn''t notice the slight twinge in Ferris''s face. He was enveloped with the soft sensation of his fingers melting into her breast. When he released her breast, red finger marks formed on her plump skin. "Do. . es. .. it hu. . rt?" Ferris managed to squeeze out a smile. "If you do it like that, it will hurt. Remember, a female''s body is delicate and fragile. .. you have to handle it with care." Upon exining, Ferris guided Ryu''s hand towards her other breast. Instructing the right amount of fore and techniques to make it more pleasurable. Letting go of his hand, Ferris let Ryu explore to his heart''s content. From her breast down to her belly and his hand lingered in her tummy. Ryu''s eyes zed, scorching Ferris in its heat. He might not know it, but she knew that he wanted to mate. Ferris didn''t say anything and let Ryu continue to trail his fingers down to the curls on her pelvis. "Mm. . ." Ferris bit her lips when Ryu tug the thickness of her hairs before he traced them down to her sex. Ryu once again lingered on her core while his fingers rubbed for something. Ferris restrained augh. She knew what Ryu was looking for. She guided his fingers and cupped her sex. "Listen to me, Ryu, this big guy here. . ." Ferris lightly held Ryu''s cock in her palm as she guided his finger inside her sex, trying hard not to moan as she exined in great difficulty, "It goes inside here. .. and you will. . ." Ferris gasped when Ryu curled his finger inside her. "Agh. .. and released your seeds inside. .. Mmm. .. Sex as they say. Mating in the beastnguage." She opened her eyes and found slit pupils were looking at her intensely. Her body red, and she fought with everything she had to keep her fangs away from the pulse of his neck. She took an enormous amount of air and shut her inner demons. She let go of his cock before she would snap and do something irreversible. Ryu savored the slimy sensation inside Ferris. His finger explored and curled every wall until she was panting in inbreathes, face flush, eyes misty. For some reason, he found this sight pleasant, stirring his erection more. Slow and deliberate, Ryu withdrew his finger. Sweet juices dripped from her sex and dropped on the floor. Cloaked in thick slimy essence, he was fascinated by how it stuck in his fingers like slimes. His nostrils red, sniffing the enticing aroma. Couldn''t control himself, his tongue slipped out and took a taste. As I thought. .. It was bitter. .. but sweet with a hint of milk. Ryu sucked his finger clean. His eyes half opened, glowing in lust as he stared at her. Ferris gulped. When did he know how to seduce a woman? Ferris calmed herself and cupped Ryu''s cheeks. "Don''t ever have sex with someone you''re not in love with. ''Kay?" Ryu tiled his head. Love? The pleasure, the sensation he felt earlier, the smell, and the pleasant feeling of touching a female made Ryu hesitated. He was unwilling to stop experiencing it. Reading his thoughts, Ferris could only add, "I''m sure Cecily thought the same. If you love her, you''ll only have sex with her." Though that will never happen. I''ll make sure it never will. Upon hearing Cecily''s name, Ryu nodded. His lust and all the pleasure he felt dissolved like smoke. Cecily was important than anything else. Ferris''s scarlet eyes dimmed. Cecily was his weakness. It could also mean lots of problems in the future. She swallowed her resentment. There was nothing she could do. Cecily was his mate no matter what she did. That was an irrevocable fact. She could only stay by Ryu''s side and protect him. It was unnatural. Protecting and caring for someone she didn''t even know and just met. But she who lived in this world full of strife and darkness, that even babies and children were tainted with the horror of this world. .. Ryu was like her hope. A hope that there was something worth living. Ferris felt like a mother. How old was she again? She forgot. "But of course, I do not expect you to be a saint either. I know that you''ll feel pain every time your urgees. When that happens, you juste to me, and I''ll fix it for you!" Ryu frowned, and Ferris added, "Without having sex, of course. It''ll be a mutual rtionship!" Upon hearing it, Ryu''s face lit up. He would still feel that pleasure after all without making Cecily angry! His beast side didn''t want to do it, while his human side wanted to experience it again. His golden irises glimmered and rounded. A shy smile just waiting to be popped behind his innocent stoic face. He was too cute! Ferris chuckled and released Ryu''s cheeks. Gradually, she pressed her head against his chest. I will protect you. She promised. Rays of daylight slipped from the window high above the ceilings, shining particles of light on the two as the background dimmed. Ryu stood straight, head bent down as his eyes tried to capture Ferris''s hidden smile behind thefort of his chest. The sight was surreal, and one would think it is ephemeral as they wouldn''t believe that such a heartwarming scene could exist between races. Chapter 21: The Demon Realm’s Predicament Chapter 21: The Demon Realm¡¯s Predicament Nether Realm (Pic) In the underground meeting hall deep inside the Demon King''s Castle, creatures of different sizes and colors sat on the round table. The thick and long horns protruding from their head were a sight. Their appearance was shrouded in dark fogs, and their voices were whispers like ghosts in the graveyard. "The King hadn''te out of his room since then." "Is his injuries from the war still not healed?" "Watch your mouth! He''s our King! The strongest being in these entire realms. Such puny wounds are nothing to him." "Then why isn''t our King shown himself? It''s been fifty years." Among the battling of opinions, a calm voice halted all the arguments. "Patience, everyone, our King is just resting. When the war between realms is near, he will show himself before us. Without a doubt." .. . .. . Everyone was quiet for a moment before another added. "That''s right. Our King doesn''t need to be here each day just to oversee the realm. He has us to take care of it." Another round of agreeing and opinions and someone changed the topic. "Madox, have you found out what caused the disgusting humans, the mortal realm, to suddenly have strength and magic on par with us?" Everyone''s ear perked, and their lips shut tight for an answer. This was the question that theyno that the entire realm wanted answers. Fifty years ago, what brought the war to a stop was not because someone won. The sudden emergence of humans with equal power to other realms brought the century wars to an end. They were forced to retreat by the human''s explosive power and magic. Since then, Septverden was in a standstill. Constantly warry and gouging each other''s move for war might break out in a blink of an eye. But until that there were not sure of the current situation, no one wanted to act. .. not yet. The silence was disrupted when Madox said, "Regretfully, we have not discovered something significant." "It''s been fifty years, and yet you still couldn''t give us a proper exnation. What have you been doing all these years? Torture souls in yourb?" Angry voices rumbled on all sides while another tried to alleviate the situation. Madox titled his head to one side and mocked, "If the six hell of purgatory could get their hands to those five humans, then maybe we aren''t in this predicament in the first ce." "What did you say?" "Are you implying that we are weak?" Anger shot through the hazy darkness, and Madox only shrugged. "I''m only the head scientist. Capturing those five, who are the pinnacle of power in the mortal realm, isn''t my job." Bam! A sound of a fist on the table echoed, followed by a snarl. "Do you think it is that easy?!" Madox raised a brow. "If you think it''s hard, then at least bring me a descendant." .. . .. . The five mortals that led humanity to freedom. Those five heroes contend with each leader of each realm. Kidnaped just one of them? One of the heroes was almost equal to their King in power. It''s like asking to abduct their King in the darkness of night. Only a suicidal idiot would think of doing it. "That''s near to impossible. Not considering that those four rarely go out from the protection of their kingdom, but their strength is the real deal." .. . .. . "But the same couldn''t be said about their descendant." "What do you think we are doing these past years? If taking one of theirs is that easy, we have done it years ago." Sighs and curses filled the room, thick and menacing. A voice, so rasps, wed everyone''s ears. "As of now, there are two choicesid before us. One, wait for those remaining four to breathe theirst. One of them is already dead, and the others are old. .. It would only be a matter of time." The others nodded while some murmured to each other. "And the other option. .. Ally with the other realms to discover the secret of the mortals." Bam! "Preposterous!" "Not happening!" "Just thinking of those goody-goody angels, the elves'' dopy faces, and the sprites fluttering wings make me want to butcher everyst one of them!" "You must be joking, Lord Azzeroth. There is no way that we will ally ourselves with other races. Same as them. We''d rather murder each other than work together." Buzz Buzz Eventually, the monthly meeting of the elders in the Demon realm came to a closed in yet another unfruitful meeting. Inside the inner chamber of the Demon King''s pce, Lord Nazzareth rested his old bones against a chair. He was the second hand and the most loyal demon of the demon King. Though he appeared to be a skinny old man with a long white beard and brows. He didn''t have any horns, and at first nce, he could pass as a mortal. However, only a few elders knew how terrifying he was in his truest form. No one even gave a squeak of protest when Nazzareth handled the reins when the Demon King retired inside his room to recuperate. It was rumored that both Azzeroth and Nazzareth were made from the Demon King''s flesh. Nazareth rubbed his wrinkly eyes as he breathed for air before he stood and called, "You here?" Not long, a blurry shadow appeared. A demon with a short and lean appearance. His skin was bluish-green, and he was dressed head to toe that only his dted golden eyes peeked at his mask. (Pic) "You called, my lord?" the demon asked in a respectful tone as he went to one knee and bowed in greeting at the existence that he could only worship. Nazzareth watched the demon with a conflicted gaze, but then he resolved himself and said. "Come with me." The room tilted, and they found themselves in a dimly lit staircase leading to an underground chamber. Nazzareth stroke his beard, voice solemn. "The elders are restless by the day." "Patience isn''t our strong point, after all." Nazzareth huffed a dryugh. "I brought you here for two reasons," said Nazzareth after a while. "One, because you are my trusted servant. You are made from my flesh and blood and brought to life by a piece of my soul. I know you won''t ever betray me." Betray his Lord? The demon almost prostrates at the thought. Whatever his Lord asked, he would do it without questions. Even his Lord ask him the piece of his soul back, he would dly do it with a smile. They stopped in front of a thick door, ck and full of engraving of ancient spells. "We don''t have much time." Nazzareth ced his palm on the door, and hundreds of hundreds of pentagrams appeared. Like the gears of the clock, each pentagram done unlock, and the door opened with a rumbling sound. What stumbled inside was arge hall filled with waters, and the only light was the sparkling particles floating in the water that emitted a faint glow. "I alone know this ce. Not even Azziroth know this area existed," Nazzareth said and shot the man a look. "It''s our secret now." The demon''s brows rose. He felt whatever that secret was it was not good. His eyes narrowed at the particles swirling around and around like they were startled at their sudden appearance. Upon closer inspection, these lights were imbued with hundreds of spells, and with these thousands of tiny particles floating in all directions, even the entire demons'' army would be wiped out in an instant. Why is this ce so tightly guarded? Then his eyes rested at the piles of rocks floating at the center. Nazzareth raised his hand, and with the sharpness of his nails, he cut his wrist. Drop after drop of blood tainted the darkest sea, and the light particles'' glow faded with the rumbling sounds. RUMBLE! RUMBLE! The fading particles turned to fogs and formed branching pathways that led to the hazy unknown beyond another trick for those who attempted to invade the chamber. The demon thought. He bet that the only one who knew the right way was his Lord. "Come," Nazzareth said, and he flicked a nce at the murky waters on their sides. "Watch your step, and don''t fall into the water." "Is there something in the water?" the demon asked as he took his first step on the foggy pathway. Nazareth pinched his beard. "Abyssal Waters." The demon''s foot halted mid-way, and he retreated lightning fast. He looked at his Lord in disbelief before he shot a nce at the dangerous, very dangerous water. Abyssal Water?! It''s a water that was rare to non-existent in this world! If the water as much as grazed his limbs, he''d find his missing flesh in another dimension. The demon shuddered, thinking what would happen if his entire body fell in that harmless water. Abyssal water was rumored to be abundant in the realm of the all-knowing, an entity that even the Heaven and Demon Realm feared, the one and only Queen of all beasts. How did the demon King stole such waters and in such amount that filled an entire chamber? The demon''s questions were left unanswered when his Lord called for him. He sprinted towards his Lord with steady and careful steps. He felt like nothing couldpare to what he was feeling right now among the many battles and life and death situations he encountered. Being careful on his steps, droplets of sweat soaked his mask as they traversed the maze-like path. Ending their destination were piles of dark rock glistened under the faint light. Nazzareth went on his knees and ced his palms against the rocks, and another pentagram appeared. This one was enormous and epassed the entire area with its silver lights. It took at least an hour to break its locks, and Nazzareth was almost out of mana by that time. Just what kind of thing was hidden inside the rocks that his Lord, the greatest demon second only to their King, was almost out of mana to unlock? The demon thought. Before he could open his mouth to ask, the stone broke in half and revealed its secrets. The pressure was enormous enough to shudder their bones. The demon''s gasp was stuck in his throat as he went on his knees, trembling in fear. The Demon King! In all fours and with shaking limbs, he went closer. "W-what. .. I-is the Demon King. .. dead?" The Demon King''s eyes were shut. Pale purple skin behind a dark vest and cloak. His horns were hidden except the one from his forehead that was broken in half. It looked like he was sleeping, but his aura still engulfed them whole. Nazzareth sighed. "The King is not dead. .. He is. .. sleeping." "When will he wake up?" Nazzareth shook his head. "I don''t know. .. I have tried countless measures to wake him up, yet none seed. I''m afraid. .. even I don''t know when he will wake up. .. or. .. If he ever will. The war fifty years ago had almost drained him of his mana that even until now, he is sleeping." ".. ." ".. ." Nazzareth took in a breath. "The second reason why I brought you here is that. . ." Nazareth looked at the demon with a serious face and said, "I have a task for you which could very well determine the fate of the whole Nether Realm." The demon''s back straightened, and Nazzareth opened his mouth. What he ryed was deaf in ears and only appeared in the demon''s consciousness. Saying that his task might affect the entire Nether Realm wasn''t farfetched as the demons'' strength, their pir of support, their most powerful existence, was now reduced to this state. If words got out. .. the demon shuddered, not daring to further his thoughts. This mission, no matter what. . . He could not fail. Chapter 22: Prelude to Trouble Chapter 22: Prelude to Trouble "Are you sure it was here?" Asad asked as he surveyed the area where dead bodies loitered thend as blood painted the soil and grass. "Yes. It''s here beside Garet''s body." Eoi''s eyes narrowed as he surveyed the now decaying corpse of an unrecognizable man with only his bone and decaying flesh. Asad pursed his lips and frowned. "It''s not here anymore, though. Could they have taken it?" Asad sighed and cursed. "Without it, how can we teleport that girl straight to our lord?" Eoi surveyed the surrounding with a calm face. He was not one bit worried about it and said, "I think one of them has it." Asad looked at Eoi with a doubtful face. "Why aren''t you worried?" Eoi sighed and looked at Asad like he had no brains. "Think about it. Even they use it or identally triggered that space crystal, either way, they will end up in our lord''s hand." Eoi licked his lips. "Rather, I, for one, wanted them to activate it." Chapter 23: Next Stop Chapter 23: Next Stop Four days passed. In these four days, many things changed, but one thing remained the same, and that was Cecily''s hatred towards Ryu. Her hatred was warranted because one, Cecily became in debt to the Owner to im him. Two, he licked her akin to soiling her first kiss. Three, he killed a human in cold blood. Four, and the biggest of all, if not for him, Do wouldn''t have died. They were in this mess because they traveled for a month searching for him only toe out that he was useless. The single good thing that came out of this trip was that she bound a half-demon to her. If not for this, Ryu would have been dead by now. However, that was not keeping Cecily from killing him once they got back in the kingdom. Ryu still wasn''t allowed to eat or sleep in the tent with them though he was allowed to eat scraps and leftover food. But that didn''t matter to Ryu as Ferris kept gave him food and fruits in secret. She also provided him with a warm nket at night whenever they sleep under a tree. Not that he needed it in the first ce. Though Cecily asionally punished Ryu with soul scourge, Ryu didn''t groan in pain this time. He didn''t know that Cecily was punishing him. But Ferris knew. Ferris walked beside Ryu behind the carriage every day while Cecily and Murok sat inside the carriage, and Agatha was the one behind the reins since Do was dead. Whenever the soul scourge torment Ryu, Ferris held his hand, and the pain stopped. Like his soul was being rejuvenated instead of being torn to pieces. Of course, Ferris didn''t say anything and remained tight lip. If she told Cecily was punishing him, Ryu would dly take it even if his soul would shatter to bits. In these four days of travel. Ryu and Ferris had grown closer to one another to the point that Ryu fully trusted Ferris now. And thanks to Ferris teaching Ryu whenever no one was looking, Ryu had a basic knowledge about the world and other races. Though he was not fond of speaking, he could utter words without much difficultypared to thest time. And besides that, he could now read simple letters and write simple words. The only people who knew about this were Ryu and Ferris. Cecily, Murok, and Agatha didn''t know that Ferris was teaching Ryu and that she was giving him food. As for Ryu, he didn''t give it much thought. It wasn''t a big deal for him, so he didn''t mention it. And besides, no one wanted to take the initiative to strike a conversation with him except for Ferris, so naturally, he would not say anything in turn. Even with the insistence of Cecily that Ferris sat inside the carriage, Ferris disobediently walked beside Ryu during their travel until Cecily didn''t care anymore. For Ferris, she would take every chance to be together with Ryu, teaching and exining things to him while the others were busy with their world in the carriage. As of the moment, they were in their usual travel back to the kingdom of Byron, and Ryu and Ferris were walking hand in hand as Cecily didn''t have anything better to do than to torment Ryu. But thanks to Ferris, Ryu didn''t felt any more pain since four days ago. Urgh. . . Ferris cursed in her head. Ever since she disobeyed Cecily, she also suffered from the soul scourge. This bitch is. .. very petty. Ferris licked her lips. Ehehehe, do you think that would work on me? Like every time it happened, at the feeling of her soul being torn apart, it was gone before the pain starts to kick in. Though Ferris has to use mana every time to heal her soul and Ryu''s, not to mention, she has to keep her camouge up throughout the day; her mana was exhausted to half at the dead of the night. But thanks to Ryu''s essence, she recovered it in one fell swoop. Sometimes Ferris wondered why that was. She remembered that the maximum amount of mana that a demon could receive after consuming an essence wouldn''t even reach half. But with Ryu, she recovered it in full. Ferris didn''t give it much thought. If nothing, she should be thankful. Ferris knew that Ryu was not just any ordinary halfbreed. Since day one, she knew. She didn''t mention it since she was not sure of what kind of beast Ryu belonged to. The soul scourge stopped, which meant that Cecily was mentally exhausted. The soul scourge could only be done by utilizing extreme concertation to inflict pain or kill the servant, so of course, no one would be able to keep at it for a long time. It was mentally draining. Even for Cecily, she had to stop to rest her mind. Ferris smirked. "What''s that?" Ryu pointed to a creature about two hundred centimeters tall, hopping and sniffing the grass. They were on their way towards Southshore Port Town in the usual dirt path with tall trees and greeneries nking on each side. Ferris nced at the creature and answered, "That''s a wild hair. They''re extremely agile, but if you manage to capture one, its meat is one of the most delicious in this realm. It also fetches a high price!" Ferris didn''t finish her sentence when Ryu leaped and chased after the creature. It was not like it was the first time it happened. It happened numerous times before, so Ferris wasn''t worried. After a short while, Ryu was back to Ferris''s side, and he shed the wild hare at her, face serious. Ferris understood what Ryu wanted even without him saying anything. She chuckled and grabbed the hare. She flicked a knife from the scabbard on her thighs and skinned the hare. Using magic, she roasted the wild rabbit to perfection. Ryu watched all this in anticipation. He was not over with the amazing spells and magic by using and manipting mana. "Teach me." Ryu pestered Ferris to teach him how to do it, and Ferris exined in patience. "I already told you, you can''t." Ferris shook her head a little. Her zing eyes concentrated on the roasted meat before it settled on Ryu. "More like. .. you can''t right now. . ." Ferris didn''t exin anymore while Ryu didn''t pester her for more. Reflected in Ferris''s scarlet diamond eyes wereplicated symbols circling, revolving around and around enforced by pentagrams. Runes! On day one, Ferris saw Runes inside Ryu''s body. It was not just one pentagram of runes there were four. In her entire life, even with her inherited knowledge, she had never seen anything like it. She didn''t even know if she could break it. Those runes were the reason why Ryu couldn''t manipte mana. Rather it was not because he couldn''t. It was because his body was repelling mana. It wasplicated that she could barely make out anything. She deduced that it could take in good spells and repelled the negative ones since she saw how Eoi''s arrows made of concentrate mana didn''t work against him. But his body epted her [Diamond Dust] when she healed him. And with mana avoiding him, she doubted that Ryu could see those particles, much less manipte them. What a high-level set of runes. She couldn''t decipher the runes with the knowledge that she inherited from both her parent''s abilities avable only to angels and demons. There was only one being in the entire realm who could. "The supreme Queen of the beast realm," murmure Ferris. Ferris couldn''t help but praised whoever ced the spell inside Ryu but at the same time wondered why. She even wondered if it was the Queen of Beasts but that would be impossible. No one saw her and live the tale. She didn''t even know if she truly existed or just a myth made up by the beastmen. Enough, if I don''t know, then I don''t know. Ferris frowned and promised to research this and would do everything she could to break those runes. After all, if Ryu could manipte mana, his chance of survival would surge. So naturally, Ferris would make this her top priority. But to how exactly, she too was at a loss. She tried to break it forcefully, but she was only repelled, and it wasn''t pretty. Should I venture into the beast realm and seeked the Queen of beast? She''d be ripped to shreds before she could evene close. Ferris blinked and continued to roast the hare. Once done, she gave Ryu the whole hare. Ferris knew the nature of beastmen more than Ryu. Acknowledging their strength was essential to boost their confidence. But these days, Ryu was filled with contemptuous stares and punishment from Cecily and this impact Ryu''s overall mentality. Not to mention that the beastfolks love to kill and hunt. It was not a problem since Ryu lived his whole life inside the colosseum as this urge was sated, but now. He could no longer wantonly kill, and if his body didn''t taste those blood, those feeling of ripping flesh, he began to feel restless and inadequate. And one way to restore and heal the beast inside him was to acknowledge it as being above, and Ferris was doing precisely that. Do little tiny things like giving him the whole hare to eat first and have him go hunting for his food and kill beasts in the forest to satisfy his inner beast. Ryu chomped down half of the meat, and his eyes watered. It was so good! Ryu gnawed the meat nonstop in delight. When all the meat and bones were consumed, and only the leg was left, Ryu nce at the girl beside her. "Here." That''s only when Ferris grabbed the leg and ate. Her stomach rumbled in delight while her tongue salivated from the taste. No less from a noble''s food! "Where are you going?" Ferris stopped munching as she eyed Ryu, who was darting off towards the forest. "Hunting for more." I will gift it to Cecilyter. Then he was gone amidst the tall towering trees. Ferris shrugged her shoulders and chewed her food. While the atmosphere behind the carriage was light and festive, the same couldn''t be said inside the carriage. "It''s been five days since the attack happened. In a matter of hours, we will reach Southshore Port," Murok mumbled as he concentrated on absorbing mana. In these past few days, even with Murok''s concentrating all his attention on recovering his mana, he still just managed to recover half of it. Murok gave up on finding the cause of why his mana was being sucked and decided that he would just investigate the matter once they were inside the Kingdom''s safety. Cecily didn''t reply and just contented to watch the ever-changing scenery with her chin resting on her arm, elbow against the window frame. "If only we aren''t moving so slow, we could have reached it in just a matter of two days. .. ," Cecily mused. "We still have ten days before we reach the Kingdom, but judging from our speed and being cautious in our surroundings, we would get there in fifteen days. I don''t know if we should be thankful that our attackers didn''t attack us anymore or that we should be warry. It felt like our situation is a calm before a storm," Murok mumbled. Cecily frowned and sighed. But at this time a translucent green-colored bird appeared inside the carriage. Murok grabbed the letter from the bird''s beak before it dissolved like smoke. "What it says?" Murok opened the letter and read its content. A relief smile appeared on his face. "It said that help is on its way. Judging from their speed, if they''d get to us without dy, I say they''ll reach us in a matter of five days. But if they slow down, about ten days if we stay in Southshore." Murok stroke his beard, a little worried about the contents of the letter. "I say that we wait for them in Southshore. It would be much safer." "No need," Cecily rejected the idea. "The earlier we meet with reinforcement, the better. And besides, even if we stay there, how are you so sure that those vile creatures wouldn''t attack us? It''s better to double our speed and meet them halfway." Murok didn''t say anything and nodded. "Then we will do that. Once we rested in the town, we should move at top speed in the morning." Chapter 24: A Short Respite Chapter 24: A Short Respite Meanwhile, Ryu was happily chasing the bunny while being careful not to stray too far from the carriage. It happened one time when he lost himself in his hunt that he didn''t realize that he was far from the carriage. He grew weak while his soul felt like it was leaving his body. If it wasn''t for Ferris, who rash towards him and brought him near Cecily again, he was dead for sure. Only did he learn from Ferris that he had to stay at a certain distance from Cecily or else he would die. Once he felt the burning sensation from the servant symbol glowing silver on top of his head, he should return with haste. That was Ferris said. Ryu jumped and ran as fast as his limbs could carry him. When he did so, he was flying in the air. He enjoyed the air sshing against his face and the feeling that his body was floating mid-air. Ryu chaste the wild hare with a smile on his face. He jumped into a dense bush when the rabbit disappeared behind its thickves. His lips quirked in a grin and pounced the hare on the other side. But when hended in all fours, it wasn''t a harry, fluffy, delicious rabbit on his arms, but a beautiful woman with long wavy blonde hair and alluring pair of mesmerizing blue eyes. Ryu blinked while the woman was shocked, speechless at the sudden arrival of a stranger, pinning her beneath him. ".. ." ".. ." Neither one spoke as Ryu sniffed the woman while thetter was paralyzed in ce at the sudden appearance of a man. Ryu brought his nose near her neck and took a whiff. Ever since he discovered how a woman''s skin could be pleasantly smooth and soft beneath his rough hands, he felt petty to disembowel them. But make no mistake, the moment he deemed the woman a threat, he would cut her head and wed her heart. But she was docile and remained unmoved as of the moment like she knew what he was thinking. Ryu sniffed, and a new scent tickled his nose while the woman giggled at the ticklish feeling. For some reason, she remained calm, not minding what he was doing. If nothing else, she was also sniffing him. Was that normal? Ryu thought. After a while, Ryu was lost at the new scent. He didn''t know what it was. It was salty, fresh, and free with a mixture of flowers. What''s more, he was reminded of the birds in the sky. "Uhm. . ." she hummed when she felt Ryu wasn''t going to release her anytime soon. After sniffing to his heart''s content and felt the woman was no threat, he jumped off and chased the hare when it appeared in his line of sight, leaving the woman in wonder of what happened. ---- Eventually, as the group walked in the dense forest, Ryu felt that the air was changing as the breeze blew a different sensation. When they finally made out from the forest''s shades, a new world stumbled before his eyes, and his body trembled. Blue. Everything was blue. The sky, thend, everything! Ryu''s eyes shook, and his lips curved upwards in excitement. Ferris enjoyed watching his disy of innocence and said, "It''s called ocean or sea. Its salty, so don''t even think of drinking it h-hoi!" Before Ferris finfish exining, Ryu ran towards the blue waters without a care in the world. A resounding ssh echoed when he jumped in, and the waves swallowed him whole. Ferris watched dumbstruck before she nced at the carriage, which continued, not caring if they were left behind. Ferris shot a final look at the wagon before she went to Ryu''s side, floating in the water with closed eyes. "Don''t just jump in the water. Look at you. You''re drenching from head to toe. Your clothes are wet. Do you want to walk with just your loincloth on. .. h. .. h. .. ," Ferris nagged. Ryu let Ferris''s voice came into his ear and out the next. He drifted along with the waves, peace, and contentment on his face. After his life in the colosseum, slow but surely, he was smiling more often, learned more things, and spoke more words. Ryu breathed the salty air and was hit with the image of the woman a while ago. Her smell is like this. .. ocean. Ocean with flowers. Ryu shaded his gaze with the back of his palm. The clouds were moving slow, and all sorts of creatures flew in the distant sky. He remained like that until Ferris grabbed him on his clothe and dragged him on the shore. "Come on. The carriage is getting farther. You don''t want Cecily to be angry at you again, don''t you? Geez! Look, you made me wet! Now I have to. .. h. .. h. . ." Ferris nagged while dragging Ryu by his shirt while thetter looked at the sky with his droopy eyes and dopey face. ---- "Sticky. .. ," Ryu grumbled as he pulled his clothes from his body. He was irritated by the sticky feeling that he wanted to rip his shirt in half. "Heh, that''s what you get for swimming in the ocean," Ferris snorted as they walked towards Southshore Port. Ryu nced at Ferris and poked her bandaged head. "Make it go away." Ferris red at him,ining, "What do you think of me? Your personal spell caster. Honestly, you''re such a pain." She scolded, but her arm was moving as her mind chanted a spell. A crystal clear, spring water sshed on Ryu''s face. It''s cold enough to shatter his teeth. Ryu was caught off guard and choked. His mind froze before he felt refresh. When it was over, he was drench yet again, and water ran from his nose. Ferrisughed and pointed at Ryu. But she choked on herughter when Ryu squinted water on her face. He smirked and raised a brow at her in the form of a challenge. "Y-you. .. you dare!" Ferris growled and lounged at the Ryu, but he was quicker and faster as he jumped to the side andnded on all fours. If he had a tail, it''d be wagging left and right by now. Ferris was ready to pounce, but Ryu was quick on his feet and stormed away. "Come back here!" Ferris yelled and chaste after him. They only stopped fooling around when they reached the port town''s gate. Ryu watched as the people lined towards the gate at the entrance. It had two columns supporting an arch with letters carving all over its rock surface. Whenever someone entered, the letters glowed white. Ryu tagged Ferris''s shirt as his hand jabbed at the funny-looking gate. Ferris squeezed her clothes dry before she answered with a pouting face. "That''s called a dispelling gate. Like its name, once you entered, any spell cast on yourself will atomically cancel. It''s usually used tobat those camouge spells. They''re expensive, and only towns like this and big cities have those." Ryu cast Ferris a worried look as his hold on her shirt tightened. Ferris waved her hand in a dismissing manner. "Don''t worry about me. This is no ordinary spell that a lousy dispelling gate could dispel." True that she only transformed in a single appearance of a burnt girl, but as long as she had mana, the seal of Sarcuphagius was not something like a dispelling gate could break. Maybe it would work against other races and low-rank demons and angels. Rather, Ferris nced at Ryu. Her eyes reflected the interwoven runes inside his body. I am curious if this gate could break that. When Cecily''s carriage entered without problems, Ferris pulled Ryu by the arm and entered the gate. Ryu''s spine twinge straight, and his stride went stiff as the gate glowed white. "Cleared. Next!" Ryu breathed the air he held. Ferris clicked her tongue. Failed, huh. Well, I guess I expected that much. The interwoven runes didn''t even flinch. They continued to revolve inside Ryu''s body. Neither internal or external influence could change its course. Ferris snapped out from his thoughts when Ryu pulled her clothes. Ryu wondered in amazement. It was a first time that he saw buildings in grey bricks and tiled roofs. Though the houses were packed with each other creating narrow alleyways, it was organized and clean. There was even a small za in the center circled with wooden stalls with all sorts of food, fabrics, and things. Ryu pointed at the men and women who have cors on their necks. And all of them were from a different race. There were dwarves, elves, and a beast with a head of a lion and the body of a reptile. There were even servants, walking freely to and fro. "It''s not that unusual," said Ferris. "ves and servants could freely roam the street inside towns and cities to do errands for their master. As long as your cor or servant seal is visible, you can walk around here." Ryu nodded with a nk face as he watched the ves with their sunken faces, lowering their heads as they sauntered. As if by raising their heads, they would be killed. When he was still in the colosseum, he thought it was normal to have cors while others have not. But now that he was freed from that life and learned of the world, his views about many things changed. He thought being chained and forced to fight was the way of the world until he was brought out and saw with his own eyes, if not much, then certainly enough for him to realized that the world had more to offer. That no one deserves to be restricted of their freedom. That no one deserved to be a ve of any realm. Everyone should freely discover this world with no one to limit them. He thought that by being a resident of Septverden, it was everyone''s right. No one owned this world, everyone was just barrowing its soil. His chest rumbled, and his teeth itched in his gums. That cor and those people that kept him in the dark, kept him from discovering that the world had many more to offer beside killing and bloodshed. .. he wanted to rip them apart. Ferris held Ryu''s arm. "Don''t overthink about it. Some are lucky, while others are not. In this world. .. in this realm, if you are of a different race or if you are a little different from others, a ve or a servant will be your fate." Ferris''s eyes burned scarlet. "Such things as fairness and equality. .. doesn''t exist." Chapter 25: Oroborough Tavern Chapter 25: Oroborough Tavern Far south from the Kingdom of Byron, hooves and neighing horses echoed in the dense forest as animals and beasts made way for the ragging group of men in war horses and metal armors. A young man, d in azure armor with the metal mouth of a loin nking each side of his shoulders, led the impressive cavalry at the front. His orange hair turned golden under the sipping light from the dense canopies. His handsome countenance made his youthful face appeared younger and proud. He was the best among the beast from his generation for the reason that he inherited the Legacy of his father and grandfather. This Legacy was the techniques, skills, and spells passed down from generation to generation. He was Lucian Asura, grandson to the legendary Lionell Asura, the leader among the five heroes who led humanity to freedom fifty years ago. Lucian''s eyes never stray ahead as hemanded, "Let''s make haste. There''s no rest for us until we reach our destination!" A resounding ''YES'' vibrated in the trees and startled the creatures away. Lucian''s azure eyes remained focus which shook from time to time. Cecily, hang on. I''ll definitelye and save you. ---- It was a clear night where the two full moons were high in the sky. In a secluded, secret underground cave in an unidentifiednd, which only a few knew,id a tavern that mainly catered to illegal dealings. Asad and Eoi walked with heads high as they made their way towards the barman. Oroborough Tavern is led by an unknown race. Its appearance depended on who was talking to it. For Asad, the barman was an undead and for Eoi, the barman was a dark elf with long pointy rabbit-like ears. This unique Tavern didn''t exist in any realm. To have ess, you''re required a special pass. But everything you need, ssified and not, was sold here if the price was right. Different races walking in and out of this Tavern was not unusual. In fact, the majority of the customers were of an alien race. It was neutral ground, and anyone who caused amotion would have their once in a lifetime pass revoke permanently. "Do you have an avable merc that we can hire? Preferably, an A-ss or higher," Eoi said upon arrival as he flung a ck soul cage full of captured souls on the table. Asad eyed the cage. Souls were sought after in the demon realm, for they could absorb it to rank up into a higher ss demon. Asad grumbled, but he didn''t say anything more. Gold and other forms of money were useless in this ce. To acquire life, they must return of equal value. Asad red at the others when they flung their head in their direction. Upon seeing the demon''s gaze, the greed in their eyes vanished as they lowered their head and continued drinking and chatting. Asad let out a smug smirk before looking at the barman who was inspecting the souls. His bulky long pointy nose crunched as the edge of his lips rose, jagged yellow stained teeth on disy. He arranged the monocle on his warts-filled face before he asked in a piercing, slithery tone. "When do you need it?" "As soon as possible," Eoi replied. The barman scratched his warts with the sharpness of his nails. "Regretfully, all our mercs are on a mission." Asad and Eoi frowned. Asad growled in impatience, "When are they gonna be back?" To which the barman replied, "Hard to say. It could be tonight, tomorrow, or even when the three moons are up?" "Sixty days? We don''t have!" Asad''sint lodged in his throat when Eoi stopped him with a hand. "Is there no one avable?" asked Eoi. His gaze never leaving the barman''s cat-like orange eyes. ".. ." The barman''s lips quirked, and he grinned. "There is this. .. creature. . ." Asad and Eoi eyed the barman in curiosity. "If you want to take a look. I can bring you to it." Asad and Eoi looked at each other and said, "Lead the way." The barman''s face twisted in a horrendous grin. "Come with me." Asad and Eoi followed the barman as they made their way into the deeper parts of the Tavern, where a selected few had ess. The flicker of the torches light was the only source of illumination in the dark, murky passageway. Asad and Eoi felt a slight chill, and their guard rose when faint guttural sounds vibrated into the cave''s unknown depth. When they had reached the end, an enormous birdcage enforced with spells and pentagrams stumbled into their view. As the light illuminated the cage, their jaws drop, and a gasp escaped from their lips. For the life of them, they haven''t seen a creature of this kind. It was neither human, beast, nor anything else. It was over two-meter-tall and bulky, with tiny bumps like pus about to erupt protruding here and there. It had two face, a demon with tiny horns on its forehead which rested on another face of a monster with jaws as its torso. Tworge horns burst from where its shoulders were supposed to be. It has six arms in total, a pair of humans hands, a couple of sharp crab-like ws, and a pair of monstrous beasts ws. And all this weight was supported by a pair of massive beast-like legs. It looked like he was just randomly put together without caring for its appearance. The barman''s grin widened into a warped smile. "Lo and behold! A failed experiment from ourb. But don''t let that discourage you. This creature was born from the blood and flesh of different races. It goes without saying how powerful it is." Asad and Eoi were still processing what they saw while the creature eyed them with its four eyes. Its enormous jaws breathe foggy steam, and saliva dripped to its cage. Its drool was like acid as it sizzled upon contact with the metal. But with the spell reinforcement, the hole in the cage was as good as new. The barman skimmed the sharpness of his jawline. "If you don''t mind an unruly, savage monster apanying you, I might just lend him to you if you add another cage of souls." Silent descended, and the monster''s breathing fogged the area. After a moment, Asad shed his sharp teeth in a wide grin. "We''ll take it." Chapter 26: Hiring Mercenaries Chapter 26: Hiring Mercenaries An old man wiped his sweat as he looked at Cecily, sitting opposite him, sipping tea. The old man was skinny and short. His limbs were shaking, and he could barely walk without his cane. Like with a gust of wind, he would be blown apart. This old man was the Mayor of Southshore port town. Cecily and Murok were both sitting inside the mayor''s manor in a spacious yet modest room for receiving guests while their servants were outside, waiting for them. "P-princess, I''m afraid that what you''re asking is impossible." The Mayor wiped the sweat on his forehead with his hanky while his smile was skewed. Cecily''s beautiful face remained unmoved as she brought down her cup. "Mayor, I heard that this port town is doing quite well. I''m sure this town can afford to lend us some soldiers, right?" The Mayor grumbled in silence. Though indeed this port town was doing well, it was just a tiny town. And thanks to it being near the ocean, they could sustain their inhabitant through fishing and trade. But even so, the town was situated far south, almost at the boundary of the Nether realm. And because of this, not many ships docked and not many tourists came to trade. If not for their fishing and salt business, the town would have long disappeared from the map. "P-princess," the mayor cough before continuing, "It''s not that I don''t want to lend you any. It''s just that. .. what you''re asking of a hundred soldiers is a bit much. Indeed, this town has its source of ie, but because of it, it''s a target for thieves and bandits. Just protecting our citizens alone already exhausted our military." Cecily and Murok weren''t perturbed the slightest. Murokughed. "I''m sure you have your troubles. We totally understand." Then Murok''s demeanor changed to something aggressive. "But you do know that Cecily here is no ordinary girl. She''s the granddaughter of one of the five heroes, Drago Byron. And this town is still part of the Byron Kingdom. I''m sure you know what I''m trying to say, right?" The Mayor gulped and pretended to wipe the nonexistent sweat on his forehead. Cecily sipped her tea, hiding her feelings in her mask of indifference. She didn''t like that she was using her status to force people. But what could she do? Not just an ordinary race was targeting her but a powerful demon and an elf. These beings weren''t the least frightened that she belonged to the royal family, while others scurry away just from the sight of her family''s emblem. What''s more, Murok was still recovering his mana, and she felt like Ferris would murder her the moment she showed her back. "But of course, doing such a deed wouldnd you great merits. And once we reached the Kingdom, this town. .. you will be heavily rewarded," said Murok. I''m afraid by that time. .. there no longer be any left of this town to give rewards to. The Mayor mused to himself. The Mayor was really in a tight predicament. It was like he was walking with nowhere to go, forward or backward. The soldiers were barely enough to protect the town and its citizen. What''s more, if he reduced their numbers in half? What would happen then? A trip to the Byron Kingdom from here was fifteen days and ten days if they traveled without rest. Going back and forth was a full thirty days. In that span, he was afraid bandits and thieves would already run the ce down. However, he couldn''t exactly say no to the people in front of him. Their status was way beyond his reach. It was already considered merciful and polite to ask him first. In fact, he should be happy that they didn''t request for all the soldiers to apany them. But in the end. . . It would still be the Royal family who decide who live and die in this Kingdom. The Mayor sighed as he had no choice but to concede defeat. In the first ce, he didn''t have any right to say no. The Princess was already kind enough to at least ask him. "Yes, I''m sorry for my impudence." He bowed and plead, "but if I may boldly speak, can you spare at least half our soldiers to guard our walls?" The Mayor added in a hurry when Murok and Cecily''s brows furrowed a little. "I-I''m sure you heard of the mercenary guild, right? Though our town''s mercenary guild isn''t that big, they might have a few to spare." Since hiring a merc would cost him his limbs, the Mayor didn''t dare to hire one to protect his town. He would leave that option if he no longer had a choice. But it was different for the royal family. Money was the only thing that they didn''tck. "Hm. . ." Murok stroked his beard and nced at Cecily. "What do you think?" Cecily longshed fluttered, eyes on her teacup. .. . .. . The silence was brutal by the second, and the Mayor''s chair shook with his shaking limbs. The Mayor''s heart pounded hard, and before he would die dead on the floor from a heart attack, he opened his lips. Cecily stood to her feet, and the Mayor almost bit his tongue when he closed his mouth shut. Cecily looked at the Mayor with the coldness of her azure eyes. "We''ll take up your offer then." ---- At the dead of the night, inside an inn, in a quiet room that only the flickering of themp illuminated the ce, Cecily''s gazed was nowhere in particr as she looked outside her window. "How is it?" she asked after a moment. Murok appeared out of nowhere and sat on a chair. "We acquired fifty trained soldiers, seven ss-C mercs, and four ss-B. We''ve exhausted all our travel money on procuring the mercenaries, and I promised them that they would be paid double if they brought us to the Kingdom alive." Murok looked at Cecily and sighed. "I think it is enough to set out tomorrow." "Hmm. . ." Murok vanished in thin air, and the room returned to its usual calm. --- The moment Ferris closed the door of her room, she ran to the window. As expected, Ryu was already waiting for her. Ryu was still not permitted to eat, as well as not having a room of his own. Ryu looked over at Ferris. He appeared stoic and unfeeling, yet his dted eyes shone in loneness. Ferris sighed, remembering what happened a while ago. When they reached the inn, Ferris was about to whisper to Ryu toe to her room when he zoomed to Cecily first thing when she got out of the carriage. Ferris was almost toppled by the gust of wind from his speed. Ryu stopped in front of Cecily and offered the dead hares to her. The dead rabbit was still covered in blood, eyes bulging and tongue sticking from their mouths. "F-for. .. you. .. ," he stammered. ".. ." ".. ." Ferris pped her forehead and sighed. Cecily''s face turned dark, and her breathing turned fast. SLAP! She pped Ryu''s hand, and the poor innocent dead rabbits were flung in the air before their body crashed on the ground. Cecily gnashed her teeth. "Disgusting." Without taking another nce, Cecily and Murok went inside the inn. ".. ." ".. ." Ferris walked towards the rabbit and picked them before she stopped beside Ryu. She didn''t want to peek at his face, for she was afraid she would murder Cecily in cold blood. Even without looking, she felt the suffocating and heart-wrenching destioning from him. She even heard a whimper that made her reached for his callus hand. "Don''t overthink it. Give it some time. She''lle around." Or I could just kill her. Ferris mused and suppressed the thought. She grinned and made her voice jolly. "If she doesn''t want these delicious hares, it''s her loss. Come to my roomter and well eat this together. I''ll make you one of my special rabbit stew!" Ryu''s downcast eyes twinkled when he heard food. He smiled and nodded. .. . .. . Ferris snapped back in the present when Ryu jumped andnded on her balcony before he squeezed inside her window. Ferris shut the window, and Ryu zoomed on the table full of food. While Ryu was busy eating, Ferris removed her clothes and released her seal of Sarcuphagius. As she gradually returned to her original form, she flicked her fingers, and a silky ck robe draped on her skin. She didn''t disturb Ryu, who was busy eating while watching her transform. His cheeks were puffing, and meat dangled from his lips before he slurped them inside his mouth to gnaw. She didn''t mind him watching. There was no malice nor lust in his amber eyes, only curiosity and amazement like he also wanted to transform if he could. Not as a woman, Ferris hope. She flicked her wrist and came out utensils for cooking and ingredients as well as the wild hares. Traveler''s ring were convenient. Momentster, a delicious, tantalizing aroma filled the air that Ryu''s stomach grumbled as she hurried over to where Ferris was. When the stew was cook, Ferris served it on Ryu''s te, who was impatient base from the twitching of his brows and his tagging of her robe. "Careful, it''s hot," Ferris warned, yet her warning went to deaf ears as Ryu gulped the stew without minding the steamy hot meat against his mouth. The only thing that was registering in Ryu''s mind was a cacophony of vors that left him choked for more, licking his te clean before asking for another round. "Are you a pup?" Ferris chuckled as she poured another serving onto his te. Both of them were enjoying their food as the atmosphere turned harmonious. After dinner, they rested for a bit before Ferris dragged the sleepy Ryu for a bath and of course, for replenishing her mana with his essence. Chapter 27: Small Talk Chapter 27: Small Talk "Hi. The name''s Dorian. I''m a C-ss merc swordsman. You tow halfbreeds?" Ryu looked at Dorian. His spiky green hair, tanned skin, and toned muscles reminded him of a tree. He then nced at Ferris, who yawned without care. "Ryu," Ryu introduced himself, and his eyes steadied forward. They were outside the gate of Southshore Port Town, waiting for the other mercenaries as Cecily instructed. Wagons and horses were waiting at the corner as well as the fifty strong soldiers the mayor arranged. Dorian scratched his head and stood beside Ryu. "I know I''m human, but I don''t discriminate between races. The war they rant about happened way before I was born, so. . ." Dorian faced Ryu and extended a hand. "Let''s work together and deliver the princess safe and sound to the Kingdom." Ryu shifted his gaze between Dorian''s hand and Ferris''s face. Ferris closed her eyes while her hands shooed Ryu to do whatever he wanted. Ryu epted Dorian''s hand in a light shake before Dorian grinned and curled his arms at the back of his neck. "That''s more like it!" Dorian said. "Us young folks shouldn''t have grudges with each other just because of some war that happened who knows years ago." "How utterly dumb." Ryu and Dorian''s eyes flicked at the two neers. One was big as an oaf with closed nting eyes, and the other was a kid with big sharp eyes. Dorian leaned a little and whispered, "The big one is Pedro, a beast tamer, and the small one is Isaac, a healer. They''re brothers and both C-ss merc and. .. they both hate foreign race." "It''s only right," Isaac intruded and folded his arms. "Ever wonder why we became mercs in the first ce? Risking our lives every day? With no families nor names?" Dorian sighed. "Here we go again." Isaac red at Ryu and Ferris and jabbed a finger at them. "It''s because of them. They''re the reason that we are here in the first ce. So don''t expect that we''ll be joining hands and work together. If not for the Princess, I won''t even bothering here." Isaac spat on the ground before he and his brother left and stood to the other mercenaries. Ryu, Ferris, and Dorian were isted at the side. No one wanted to spare them a nce except for a few res and curses. Dorian shook his head. "Sorry about that. They aren''t bad people. .. they''re just. . ." He took in a mouthful of air and sighed through his mouth. "Hurt." Ryu tilted his head and looked over the horizon. He had no idea what happened. He was used to res and curses. The only thing that changed was Dorian talking to him without losing his head, and Isaac and Pedro walked away with their limbs intact. Ryu tagged Ferris''s shirt, and she waved a hand, and a scrumptious roasted boar appeared in thin air. Ryu gobbled it all while Ferris couldn''t help a chuckle. "Are you two siblings?" Dorian asked after a moment. Ferris''s brow twitched, and her eyes shot to Dorian. "Do we look like we''re siblings?" The hostilely in Ferris''s voice made Dorian raised his hand in a defensive stand. "N-no. .. Sorry." He then looked away and the smile on his face cracked. "It''s just. .. you two look awfully closed." Ferris snarled. "Is that problem?" "N-no," Dorian stuttered. "It''s just. .. weird." "Weird?" Ryu licked the boar oils in his hand and faced Dorian. Dorian nodded and shrugged. "It''s weird cause I heard that she''s half-demon. Demon''s don''t like each other, even their own. They only followed the strong and their supreme King. All the demons I''ve encountered are like that. Half or not." Dorian looked Ferris in the eyes and mumbled, "It''s strange cause she''s nothing like the demons I''ve encountered." Ferris red at Dorian, and thetter shrieked and faked augh. "But I guess her human side had won more than her demon side," he said, ending the topic. Ferris''s eyes gave him the chills. "There is always a first at everything," Dorian added, and his attention went towards a group of mercenaries heading their way. "Enough of my curiosity. Looks like the B-ss mercs finally made their entrance." Dorian whistled, and his eyes rounded when he saw who was leading the three mercs in the front. "That''s Vilja. I didn''t know she was already in town." "Vil. .. ja." The name rolled at the tip of Ryu''s tongue as he watched the only woman in the B-ss mercenary group. Her skin was dark, sparkling with the light as her long white hair tied in a high ponytail reminded him of a horse. Dorian winked at Ryu. "She''s a beauty, huh? But don''te close to her if you still want your crotch intact. She''s fierce and strong. In fact, with her skills and magic, she could be an A-ss." "She''s a mage knight, then," said Ferris. Dorian nodded. "But she''s more on the sword." "Mage. .. knight," Ryu mumbled. It was the same ss as Cecily. Humans developed sses in the mortal realm ording to their proficiency inbat and magic. For those have high martial skills, they were usually on the vanguard like swordsman and knights. Those who have high mana and magical attributes were usually mages at the backlines. Mage Knight was a bnce ss that either could be a vanguard on the front or support at the back. "I want to be a mage knight," Ryu said in seriousness. ".. ." Ferris palmed her head and sighed. "You can''t. You can''t even manipte mana, remember?" Dorian''s jaw dropped. "Howe? They said you''re a half-beast. It should be natural for you!" Ryu shook his head. "I don''t.. . know." Dorian opened his mouth, but Ferris sharp res shut him up. "Listen, everyone!" Murok''s voice stole everyone''s attention. "My name is Murok, and this is Cecily Byron, granddaughter to the legendary Drago Byron." Gossips and murmured buzzed, and all eyes revered Cecily, adoration apparent on their faces. One of the heroes'' granddaughters who saved humanity was right in front of them! Ferris rolled her eyes and flipped her none existent hair. Murok continued after the excitement died a little, "As you all know, a demon and a dark elf are targeting our Princess''s life, and our mission is to make it to Byron''s kingdom in one piece. For that, we must make haste and meet up with the Asura Army." "Damn those demons." "How dare they attack a royal family." "Those vermin don''t know what''s good for them." "But never mind that. The Asura Army? Really?" Murok raised his hand, and the crowd went silent. "We will travel by wagons and horses. I have designated leaders for this mission, and all of you have been given a number to which leader you''ll report. . ." Ryu didn''t listen. The clear sky drew his eyes. His nose red and swift of coolness numb his senses. It''s going to rain. Chapter 28: The Trip Back Home Chapter 28: The Trip Back Home Dorian opened his mouth and yawned his heart out. "Man, sitting in this wagon for just a day made mezy already." Ferris ignored Dorian while Ryu never strayed his eyes on Cecily''s carriage. They were arranged in a group. Ryu, Ferris, and Dorian were on the same wagon with some mercs while the soldiers took up horses in the front and back. Three wagons were carrying the mercenaries and only one carriage to where Cecily, Murk, and Agatha reside. "So tell me about this demon and dark elf that''s been hunting the Princess." Dorian prompt his head on his palm, elbow resting on his knees as he leaned at Ryu. "I heard they''re strong." Ryu didn''t answer. "Well,ing from a one horn demon, it''ll take like four C-ss mercenaries to defeat one of them. As for the dark elf, I bet Valij and the other merc can take care of him." Ryu didn''t speak, and Ferris just closed her eyes shut. Too bored to be bothered by Dorian''sme attempt of shing out information and too sleepy to care at the other mercenaries'' res. Dorian skimmed his jawline. "With just two enemies, having this many soldiers and mercenaries is overkill." He whistled and ced his arms behind his back. "But. .. if they''d call for reinforcement, then that''s a deferent story." Dorian palmed his knees and said in a whispering voice as he leaned to Ryu, "But more importantly, shouldn''t you two be sitting inside the carriage? Since your Princess servants and all." Ferris opened her eyes, and her red scarlet orbs zed in threat. "It seems to me that you want to sit inside that carriage. I won''t mind sending your head there if you want." "Ek!" Dorian ced a hand on his throat. "W-why are you always grumpy?" "Got a problem with that?" Ferris snapped. Dorian raised his hands in surrender. "No. It''s just that you shouldn''t be full of hate at such a young age." Ferris huramp. "Mind your own business." Ryu looked over the sky when flying creatures shrieked. It was starting to get dark. "I think we''ll be camping in the forest again," said Dorian, and he stood to his feet. "I''m going to catch some bore while it''s not yet dark." Ryu opened his mouth, but with a whoosh, Dorian was gone. Ferris opened his mouth, but after another gush of wind, Ryu jumped off the carriage and went hunting with Dorian. Ferris sighed. It became apetition. Well, as long as Ryu was happy. But. . . Looking over at theirpanions in the carriage, Ferris smiled at them. Her burnt skin stretched, and some dead kes flew from her head. The mercs looked away. Most covered their nose in disgust. She entertained herself with the humans'' agony. They either want to jump from the wagon or kill her, but they couldn''t do anything about it since she was Cecily''s servant. Watching their constipated faces was the only relief of her boredom. As the day turned to night, everyone camp near theke. Dorian was always sleeping on top of a tree, saying it wasfortable and the safest ce to be. The mercs created their groups andid their tent near Cecily''s while the soldiers scattered, protecting the Princess tent in a circle. Ryu and Ferris slept under a big tree like always. The scattered leaves their bedding and the roost their pillows. After a hefty dinner, Ryu stretched his muscles before he wed the barks to relieve the stress from his fingers. When he closed his eyes, sleep consumed him before Ferris even had the chance to say good night. The two moons were miles apart, and the hour ticked to its darkest night where all fell under the spell of sleep. .. . .. . Ryu''s eyes flung open when his nose twitched. He looked around and found Ferris snoring beside him with a droll on her lips. Slow and as quiet as he could, he got to his feet and obverse his surroundings. They were creatures making rickety sounds and the lull of the harmless monsters lurking in the deepke. Ryu inhaled the scent lingering in the air. It smells like. .. fruits. .. rotten fruits and milk. Ryu nced over at Cecily''s tent before he peeked at Ferris''s sleeping figure. Without making a sound, he sprinted into the forest. The smell was stinging his nose as he drew closer to the other side of the forest. It was like a pinkish haze lingering in the air as he followed its trails. Ryu skidded to a stop, and before him were dense trees and bushes, the smell was overpowering from the other side. Whatever was hidden behind the thick scrubs was surely. . . "What are you doing?" Ryu''s hand that was about to push the bushes to the side halted in mid-air. He didn''t have to turn to know that it was Ferris. Did she teleport? Ryu almost patted his head for remembering that term. There was a particr item that lets you teleport "Hmmm?!" Ferris appeared before Ryu, and he stumbled back when her ugly face zoomed to his. He almost inhaled some of her dried skin falling from her face when he gasped in surprise. Ferris puffed her cheeks and asked again, "Well?" Ryu grunted and pointed at the bushes. "There something. .. in there." Ferris raised a brow and turned to the bushes. Ryu''s heart pounded as Ferris''s hand weaved the shrubs to the side and what stumbled his view was an area of empty grass surrounded by dense foliage. "That. .. can''t be." Ryu inhaled a mouthful of air. "Its. .. gone," he mumbled. Ferris yawned and rubbed her eyes. She faced Ryu with fists against her waist. "It''s either you''re dreaming and sleepwalking or blind." Ferris waved her hand to the empty grass. "There''s nothing there." Ryu titled his head. "Don''t give me that." Ferris jabbed a finger at the campsite. "Go back and sleep." Ryu grumbled, but the threat in Ferris''s gaze made himpelled. He swallowed a growl of protest and, in all fours, raced back into the campsite. Seeing Ryu''s shadow disappeared in the darkness, Ferris released a sigh. She then flicked a hand, and the barrier she ced widened, epassing her in its range. "If you''re going to do this kind of thing, at least put a barrier to hide your scent. It stench." Ferries faced Agatha and the delirious soldiers in the once empty grass. There were more than twenty soldiers their soldiers,ying on the hard ground naked with eyes at the back of their head, saliva and semen all over their faces. Some were fucking each other, unaware that it was their fellow men they''re having sex. Agatha only needed their essence. She didn''t care how she''d do it. Agatha stood to her height. Breasts bounced as she walked. She tilted her hips to the side and smirked. "You want to protect his innocence. .. How cute." "Cute?" Agatha''s tongue slipped from her mouth, and licked the cum from the side of her cheeks. "How long till you can protect him from this tainted world, I wonder." "None of your business." Ferris swept the soldiers and said, "Does the old man know you''re having an orgy?" Agatha chuckled. "Who do you think ask me to put my pets in their head?" The pets she talked about were little creatures the demons used to control someone''s mind. It worked for low-level beings like their soldiers. "Do you really have to empty them dry to put your pets inside their head?" Agatha shot a look at the soldiers. "I say they''re happy to release all their pent-up frustration. Tomorrow they''ll be good as new." "Good as puppets." Agathaughed. "I don''t care. The old man certainly doesn''t care as long as they''ll protect the brat. Rather. . ." Agatha bent, breasts dangling and nipples erect as she looked Ferris in the eyes. "I''m more curious about you. You''re a demon, but you''re not acting like one." Agatha''s eyes dted. "I sensed your thirst for blood, but you also wanted to protect that boy. .. you''re full of contradictions." Ferris''s scarlet pupils turned to slit, and this put a smile on Agatha''s face. "Sometimes, I wonder. . ." Agatha straightened her back and swayed towards the soldiers, ".. . is your other half really human?" Chapter 29: Learning to Converse Chapter 29: Learning to Converse Dorian''s mouth stretched in a wide yawn as he prompted his hands between his chin. "Man. All this traveling is so boring." Ryu didn''t respond. He was never bored as he took in the sceneries. The green expanse of crops and the silent vigers nces as they passed the muddy dirt path. They were out from the forest, and they were now in an area surrounded by crops and trees and vast expanse of grasnds. Ryu enjoyed watching the vigers as they cut the tall crops with their sickles. The scene was healing to his eyes and soul. For some odd reason, he liked it the peace and tranquility. "Ryu, are you listening?" Ryu blinked and faced Dorian beside him. "I said, do you want to huntter?" Dorian asked again. Ryu nodded in a hurry but then realized that Ferris was sleeping against his shoulder. He took a peek at the girl before he said, "Yes." Dorian patted Ryu''s head. "At least I''m never bored with you. I have someone to hunt with. Unlike this folks. . ." Doran jutted his lips at Isaac and Pedro. "Our job is to watch over the Princess. Not to enjoy ourselves," Isaac grumbled and looked the other way,pletely ignoring Dorian. Dorian sighed. "See. He''s just a kid, but he is already this serious. I''m worried for his future." Isaac frowned but chose to shut his lips tight, or else he wouldn''t hear the end of it. Dorian could be infuriating if he wanted to. Ryu didn''t respond, but then he remembered that Ferris told him to participate in the conversation to develop his speech and social skills. Ryu groaned and forced the words out of his mouth. "You two are. .. close." It was his first attempt, and he''d say he''d done a pretty good job. But Ferris''s ever so silent snicker told him otherwise. Ryu shot the sleeping girl a re. He didn''t saw her have any proper conversation. He''d say she''s equally bad with social skills as him. Dorian ced his arms over his head. "Well. .. We''ve been in a couple of missions before. So I guess we''re pretty close." "No, we''re not," Isaac snapped, voice shrieking. It was the most childlike behavior Ryu had seen so far that Isaac made. Realizing he was out of character, Isaac coughed between his fist and pretended to look at the scenery. Dorian chuckled. "You''re still a kid no matter how hard you hide it." Isaac pouted. Dorian shook his head a little and gazed at the clear sky. "Ah. .. but these boring days I like the best. Actions and danger are good, and all, but I prefer to live a peaceful life." Ryu studied Dorian''s face. There was something on his expression as it became softer and softer while his eyes seemed to sparkle. "I''m thinking of buying and in the future," continued Dorian, "Just a small lot somewhere in a vige preferably. I''m saving for it." He grinned, and his hand reached for the sky. "A small house with my children ying around while my wife cooked delicious meals. Then after I tend the animals, plow the field, and chopped some woods, I''ll be home by six, and my wife and kids greeted me with a warm smile and big hug." There was forlorn in Dorian''s expression and longing to his voice that Ryu thought was. .. beautiful. .. He must have really wanted a family. Wanted to experience having one since they mostly grew up with no family. Ryu looked at his own hands and thought of Cecily, and a smile stretched the stiff edge of his lips. "What about you?" Dorian asked and faced Ryu. "What do you want in the future?" Ryu blinked. "Future?" "Yeah, future. I mean, you can''t be a servant forever." Dorian scratched his head, and sweat appeared on his face. "Well, yeah, you can be. I mean, most servants'' future is tied with their master. But there are masters out there that are benevolent and have their servants decide their future." And Dorian added in a whisper. "Though only a few. . ." Ryu''s eyes rounded, and he looked over the sky. "I want. .. Cecily and I to get married. .. and have kids in the forest. .. I''ll hunt. .. , and she''ll take care of our children." That was Ryu''s first lengthy speech, and he looked at Dorian with an eager face. Dorian was dumbstruck. Ferris choked and coughed before she pretended to sleep. "That''s.. . big." Dorian looked away and forced augh. "Well. .. certainly the princess is a good catch and. . ." Dorian didn''t know how to proceed and so he ended the topic with a thumbs-up. "Dream big while you''re at it!" Ryu nodded with a stoic expression, and Ferris wanted to cry for his future. Chapter 30: Mountain of the Dead 1 Chapter 30: Mountain of the Dead 1 After two days Dorian swung his word, and blood sttered on the ground. "These beasts don''t know what''s good for them." "They''re many on this path. They''re crazed and would attack whatever came their way, weak or strong." Isaac looked over the dead bodies of hounds loitering their trail. Pedro sniffed the pungent smell and tasted the frigid air. "It''s going to rain," said Isaac, looking at the ominous sky. "It always rained on these parts," a soldier said. "The crazed monsters, the foul smell, the rain. .. we are nearing the Mountain of the dead." The soldier''s face grew solemn while the mercenaries brandished their swords and moved along the forest in careful steps. The looming mountain over the dead trees and the hazy fog was worrying. Traversing the mountains of the dead, or Corpse mountain as the locals knew it, was the most arduous path into the Kingdom and the shortest route. Not many ventured this path unless they were pressed of time like them. Monsters and beast lurked at every corner, watching, waiting to attack. They were crazed from hunger and would attack anything while the thick hazy fog shrouded the entire mountain in perpetual darkness. A day of traveling in the darkness while suffering attacks from all sides, and to make matters worse, the mana in the mountain was thin, making recovery difficult. The soldiers shuddered while the mercenaries became alert as they neared the entrance to the hill. "Why are they afraid?" Ryu asked Ferris. "And why are we. .. slowing down?" Ferris yawned and flexed her muscles. "Well, Corpse mountain is infamous for being dangerous cause of the terrain, visibility, and monsters. Not only that, the mana''s thin there that means mana users will have a hard time using their spells and magic." Ferris shot Ryu a grin. "You don''t have to worry. You don''t use mana, so you''ll be fine." She then folded her arms and shrugged. "But not the same could be said for those who rely on their mana to fight." "Monsters and beasts are the least of our worries," Dorian butt in. "Ryu, do you know what''s horrifying about this mountain?" Ryu tilted his head, and Ferris rolled her eyes. "The ghouls and ghosts," Dorian said, eyes popping from their sockets. Ryu''s expression didn''t change, and Dorian''s shoulders slumped in dismay. "It''s called Mountain of the Dead ''cause piles and piles of corpses were buried here until it was this tall," exined Dorian. "Ghost and ghouls are part of the undead, so even you cut them in half, they''ll still crawl their guts out to eat you. Ghosts are even trickier since they don''t have a physical body that you can defeat." Dorian flung a hand. "The only way to defeat them is by using mana but with it thin here. Recovery will be hard. Especially a day''s worth of travel without sleep and continues fighting, it''s a matter of gamble on which would run out first. The undead or our mana." Dorian shook his head and sighed. "Makes you wonder if it''s worth risking your life for just five days of shortcut." Ryu frowned and looked at Cecily''s carriage. Ferris sensed Ryu''s agitation, and she held his hand. "Don''t worry. Dorian is just scaring you. The undead is easily defeated with fire and light or divine magic." Dorian shrugged. "Yeah. It''s good if we can use magic nonstop, but mana is thin in the mountains, remember?" Ferris restrained a grunt and shot Dorian the sharpest re. Why is he too friendly with them again? "Shouldn''t you be chummy with your own pals?" Ferris said, shooing Dorian away. "It''s fine. I don''t really fit in a group." Dorian then went ahead to the soldiers and handed out jerkies. "Why is he too friendly?" Ferris grumbled. Sensing the res in her back, Ferris peeked at Isaac and the other mercenaries. They looked away once she caught them ring at her. They were treating them as shields. Not that Ferris minded. As long as she protected Ryu and Cecily, she didn''t care about the rest. "Be alert, everyone! We are entering the mountains." What followed next was suffocating air and foggy darkness. Everyone lighted their torch, and their pace slowed than before. Butpared to circling the mountain in the usual course, they just saved themselves five days'' worth of travel in the fastest horse. But most soldiers wondered if it was worth the risk. They wanted to turn and run, but there was something in their head, a voice they couldn''t resist, whispering to continue. "It''s cold." Ryu sniffed the air. There was nothing but rot and dump. The pungent stench of decay overpowered the smell of monsters and beasts. "Coming from you, no wonder our soldiers are shaking." Ferris licked her lips and smirked. "Though they might be afraid more than they are cold." Ryu looked over at the carriage where Cecily was. Mercenaries and soldiers surrounded it, so Ryu didn''t have to worry about her. Besides that, Murok and Agatha were inside with her. But he decided to walked closer to her carriage just in case. "Keep your guard up and keep those lights burning at all times." Ryu''s ears perked at the sensations, and his eyes shot into the unknown. Rustle. . . Rustle. . . "W-what is that?" "Do you hear that?" They were crackles and whispers, and it certainly didn''te from them. The noise was faint, but as they went deeper into the mountain, it was all they heard hurried steps, rustling bushes, restrained growls, and sometimes. .. eerie cries. "Don''t stop," a mercenary said and urged everyone to keep going. "The moment you stop, it''s the end." "Keep moving, and don''t stray from the person in front of you." Ryu blinked. He didn''t know if it was his eyes, but all he saw were fog, and faint red lights flickering from the torches of hispanions. "Is this normal?" "This amount of fog is abnormal. Thest time I ventured here, it wasn''t this thick." "When exactly is thisst time?" "Something is not right." "The cries. .. it''s getting louder." Ryu''s ws extended, and her fine hairs stood on edge. No matter where he looked, there were thick fogs, and no matter how much he sniffed, there was nothing but foul stench. It was hard to pinpoint where the enemies were. Argh! Ragh! The next thing that happened was an onught of cries. "Help!" "Ran!" "Argh!" Ryu panicked, and he searched for Cecily''s carriage. But with all the haze blocking his vision, he couldn''t pinpoint where she was. He couldn''t even track where everybody was. Ryu ducked when the air ripple behind him. He looked over, and a white person almost transparent with disfigured limbs, and hallowed eyes hovered past him. "Ryu! Don''t let those specters touch you! They drain your life force!" Ferris''s voice resounded in Ryu''s ears, but he couldn''t point her location. Her voice was fading as the eerie cries overpowered everything. "Ferris!" Ryu bellowed, but no one answered his call. Ryu was about to get up when the ground vibrated. Something was approaching them. Fast! Growl! "Dead Wolves!" Chapter 31: Mountain of the Dead 2 Chapter 31: Mountain of the Dead 2 Argh! Nooo! Droplets of sweat appeared on Ryu''s face though the air was cold. He couldn''t rely on his sight nor his nose and ears, so he put everything on the vibration of his surroundings. Growl! A dead wolf leaped forward. Its bones barged from its torn skin, eyes red and jaws thick with saliva. Ryu jabbed a fist into its mouth, and the beast whimpered when he grabbed its spine and pulled it out. Another two came rushing forward, and Ryu was about to wiped them with his ws when specters rushed forward. With a tap of his toes, Ryu jumped to the side and rolled on the ground to avoid the iing sharp ws of the dead wolves. Four dead wolves came closer towards him, barring their sharp jaws and rotting flesh. He grabbed the first wolf, and using it as a weapon, Ryu swung it on the other three, and they were knocked meters away into the fog. Ryu barely caught his breath when he realized that the air was rippling all around him. Specters surrounded him, and they came down at full speed. He was about to evade when cries so loud made him immobile. He was paralyzed for seconds, and the specters zoomed on his body. Ryu''s eyes rounded when his bones shook to the core at the biting cold. He gasped when he felt his energy sapped from his body as the specters went in and out of him. "Grr!" Ryu gnashed his teeth, and he went on his knees. His strength was leaving him. Fast. He didn''t know how many specters passed through him, but it didn''t matter since they went back and forth, stealing a bit of his life force each time. Ryu''s eyes turned to slit. Veins popped on his skin. His heartbeat doubled, and blood rushed through his every vein. With all his strength, he broke through the force that weighed him down and roared. A loud snarl that overtook the cries resounded in the area, and the paralyzing effect broke. Ryu leaped from the ground, and he shot above until he reached a hazy form passed through the dense fog. It was different from the specter since it was whiter and thicker. Its eyes were hallowing, and its mouth stretched across its face, sharp jagged teeth protruding from its mouth. A Banshee. (Pic) It took notice of his approach, and Ryu quickly sliced it with his ws. Five ws marked its dense form before it reattached in a single figure. Its mouth widened in a mocking smile, and it flew behind the walls of the dark smog. Ryu snarled as he came shooting down on the ground. Hended on his feet and grabbed the nearest beast that came his way, ripping it into two. He couldn''t kill the undead without magic. Ryu could only avoid them as they came. If this kept up, he''d certainly die. ---- On the other side of the battlefield, Dorian and the other mercenaries were doing well. Isaac was a healer, and he was proficient with light magic. At least that kept the specters at bay while Dorian and the others wiped every beast that came their way. There were even some ghouls, which the others burned using fire magic. "This is strange. Specters, Ghouls and Banshees don''t work together, especially not together with these beasts." "Does it matter?" "This fog is also abnormal." "I''m worried about the Princess." "Valij, and the other B-ss mercs are with her. She''s the safest from all of us." "Rather, if we don''t do something about this situation, our mana will run out before we could wipe out this undead!" "Isaac!" Dorian called. "Can''t you do anything with your magic?!" Isaac snapped back, "Easy for you to say! Just keeping this spell is already hard enough!" Dorian wanted to say something but decided to keep his mouth shut. The only reason why they could see the enemies amidst the thick fog and keep the specters at bay was because of Isaac''s [Radiant] spell. It''s a spell that epasses a certain area with particles of light. Thanks to it, they could see the enemies before they could sneak close to them. But the drawback, it needed a continuous supply of mana to keep the light shining. With this dense fog and endless undead, who knew how long Isaac could hold on. Not to mention that mana was thin to none existent. "We have to rendezvous with the Princess!" Dorian said and sliced another ghoul in half. Its rotten flesh sttered on the ground, worms crawled out from its severed limbs, but its body continued to move towards Dorian. Before it coulde closer, it was burned by one of the fire mages in the group." "Everyone, protect the mages as we find the carriage!" Dorian instructed and moved closer to the group. Hopefully, they would find the others before they''d get separated for good. They were huddled together before, but with the dense fog and the banshees cries, most soldiers already ran far or to their doom. This was a mountain, and cliffs and ravines were prowling in every corner, waiting for their prey to fall to their death. Dorian and the others moved closer and operated as a unit. Each step they took, blood and guts scattered. They found their soldiers, but either they were corpses with their souls sucked out from their hallowed eyes or food for the undead beasts. "Damn." Dorian cursed and covered his nose. The stench was revolting, and some hurled the bile from their throats. "Keep moving! We have to find the Princess!" Dorian didn''t understand. They were just meters away from the carriage, but when the fogs sit in, it was like they were transported to another area in the mountain. Dorian skidded to a stop. It couldn''t be! But that exins the thick fog, the strange behavior of the undead. It could only be. . . "Isaac! Cast [Ray], now!" Dorian bellowed. Isaac''s face crunched. "What? Do you know how much mana that spell needed?" Dorian cursed. "Damn it! Just do it!" Isaac''s temper was bursting, but Dorian''s face was warped in a twisted way. The happy-go-lucky smile he always had was gone, and Isaac knew that they were in serious shit. "Damn. Who died and made him boss?" Isaac grumbled. With a lite thud of his staff, arge pentagram appeared, hovering above them, and they were warped in its faint white glow. [Rays] is a light magic spell that exposed hidden spells and magic in a certain amount of area. They were levels of the spell depending on how big the casted range. Isaac cast the biggest he could with his level, depleting his mana in half. "There''s nothing here!" Isaac shouted, wanting to pierce the end of his staff on Dorian''s face. Dorian was silent. He opened his mouth but stopped when they were suddenly enveloped in darkness. "What''s going on?!" "What''s happening?!" Dorian caught his breath, and his eyes widened. A trickle of sweat ran from his forehead to his nose and dropped onto the ground, where a colossal pentagram appeared. But unlike Isaac''s white one, this one was dark as night, and they were plenty of them scattered all around. "T-this is. . ." Isaac turned pale, and he held Pedro''s hand. Dorian shut his eyes closed. Things had be more troublesome. "The mountain of the dead. .. had be a domain." Chapter 32: Domain Chapter 32: Domain "Domain, huh." Ferris looked over the fog. Her diamond irises burned scarlet, and pentagram revolved around her pupils. Dark pentagrams were hovering everywhere she looked, and she knew that she was trapped in a domain. It was still part of the Mountain but in a different area. "Hm. . ." Ferris scratched the itch of her burnt head. Hundreds of specters charged towards her as well as dead wolves, but she didn''t have to lift a finger when dealing with these lesser beings. Before the ghosts coulde close, they were burned by the darkest fire that spared not even a tiny spec of soul. The beasts whimpered, and their cries scraped her ears when her shadows pierced them before they could even leap forward. The banshees hiding above were dealt with by her wisps which she summoned to hunt them down. The undead? "Heh. Don''t make meugh." Ferris whisked her hand, and all the pentagrams exploded. The heavy fog cleared, and she was baffled at the realization that she was in the same spot before Ryu disappeared. Before the thick fog kicked in. She hadn''t been teleported. Ferris''s tongue clicked. She had to find Ryu fast! He didn''t know how to use mana, and she bet he couldn''t see the pentagrams. He''d be stuck with all the undead, draining him his life. Ferris stretched her legs, and in a split second, she sprinted deeper into the Mountain, leaving after image in her wake. Every pentagram she saw she destroyed, and every undead that barged her way were burned to dust before they could even gasp theirst breath. Domain. Ferris thought. Thest time she checked, the Mountain of the dead didn''t have a high-rank undead. And even so, to be a dominion of a domain, one had to be a hundred years or more and had to be a part when the domain was formed. Could it be an evolve specter or ghoul? They were the only oldest beings that inhabited the mountains. Ferris clicked her tongue when a group of specters barged her way. "Out of my way!" Ferris bellowed and whisked her hands. A burst of mes engulfed the rows of specters, and wisps of darkest fire revolved around her and shot in all directions, seeking banshees to burn. As Ferris swept into the mountains, the fog cleared with beasts'' corpses trialing her path. Ferris frowned when she sensed movement. She skidded to a stop and brandished her knives in both hands. "These pentagrams are none ending." "How much more till we reach the carriage?" The pentagram broke one after another, and with it, the fog cleared, and the specters retreated in disarray. Beyond the disseminating haze, Dorian and the others appeared. Ferris rxed her stance, and Dorian''s eyes widened upon seeing her. "Ferris!" he said and ran to her. "Boy, I''m d to finally see someone on our side." Dorian looked around and asked, "Where''s Ryu?" Ferris restrained a scowl. "We got separated." Dorian sighed. "We all are." He took in a mouthful of air and let it out in one go. "We have to find the carriage soon, or we won''t get paid." "Is that all you can think about?" Isaac was bbergasted. "The Princess''s life is more important!" Dorian''s shoulders slumped. "Well, yah. So as gold. We''re risking our life here. I''d rather bepensated than getting thanks by a beautiful princess." "Without the princess, there is no Mortal realm," a mercenary said with an edge. Dorian faced the other mercenaries with a finger pointing upward. "Correction. It''s his grandfather, not her. We don''t owe her anything." "Insolent!" "What do you expect from a rogue?" Ferris sighed. "If you''re going to bicker, then get out of my way. I''m going to find Ryu." Isaac frowned. "Not your master? Not the Princess?" Ferris raised her shoulders in a half shrug. "She could die for all I care." That was a joke, but not too far off. Isaac sneered. "A demon through and through." "If your master dies, you''ll die." Ferris rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to retort but stopped when she felt an ominous presence. "Whoooo. .. daaaareesss. . ." Everyone looked over the ominous sky. Rain poked their eyes, but none dared to blink. "Is that. . ." Isaac jaws dropped in horror. Hovering above them was an entity cloaked in robes with only his bony fingers visible, holding a staff in one hand. A faint haze of green light enveloped its being. There were rays of greenish glow like tentacles radiated from what his face was supposed to be. Screaming souls sucked in those rays, and its hallowed eyes glowed in anomaly. (Pic) Its oppression was pounding against them, heavier and heavier. Their soul shook and almost got sucked with just its voice as it spoke like it was hissing and gurgling blood. "Whoooo. .. daaarreesss. .. enter my. .. domaaaiinn. .. ?" Dorian gulped. Sweat trickled from the side of his face. "A Wraith?" Chapter 33: Wraith 1 Chapter 33: Wraith 1 Ferris almost guffawed. The dominion finally showed itself! If she killed it, the fog would disappear, and Ryu would be able to sense them. "Yosh." Ferris cracked her knuckles. Eyes zed in focus. Her target, the wraith. But before she could take her leap, Dorian barged her way, screaming, "Are you crazy?! That''s a Rank-A monster! We couldn''t defeat it even if webine our strength!" "Huh?" Ferris scowled. "That''s our fast pass in finding the carriage." Dorian shook his head. "It''s not worth it if it caused our lives." Ferris smirked. "You''re awfully twisted. You seem friendly at first, but the truth is. .. you''re the most empathetic out of them." Dorian''s expression dropped. "I''m alive to this day because I know to pick my battles." "Dorian, you coward! You''re always like that!" Isaac spat. Ferris looked Dorian in the eyes. "Either way. You''ll never get out of here as long as it''s alive. It''s a dominion, remember? This is its domain." Dorian''s face twisted, and Ferris flexed a brow. He gritted his teeth before he blew some air. He wielded his sword and forced a smile. "You''re right. That''s unlike me to lose my cool. Sorry." The mercenaries all held their weapons and were ready to fight, but the wraith just looked at them without doing anything. "Why isn''t it moving?" "Is it a trick?" "Should we attack it first?" "It''s holding us, hostage," Ferris said. Everyone looked at her. "Hostage?" Ferris didn''t exin as she pulled her knives and leaped into the air. "Hey, wait!" The wraith''s head cracked in Ferris''s direction, and its hallowed eyes glowed green. It raised a finger, and beams of greenish light shot forth in all directions. Screaming souls rippled throughout the greenish beams, raising Ferris''s fine hairs as she avoided the greenish rays. One hit from that, and it would suck her soul. That meant instant death. Damn! Ferris cursed. Those green rays like tentacles couldn''t be deflected by physical attack. She could only avoid it. But with her tiny human form, it was asking too much. A beam of greenish light grazed her skin, sizzling her flesh, and before it would get infested, she cut it. As it healed, her momentum didn''t stop. She was getting closer, knives seeking the wraith''s head, and the beams of light that went past her change course and pursued her from the back. Fuck! Those things could be controlled?! Ferris aborted her ns and immediately cast a spell. [Shadow Rain] Volleys of dark shadows shot forth from her hands and collided with the rays of greenish light. BOOM! The impact sent Ferris flying against the branches of the dead trees. It softened her fall, and shended on the ground in all fours. "Grr. . ." Ferris''s eyes dted, and her fangs almost came out as she eyed the wraith. Fighting it with her human body was impossible. Her skin was torn from the force of the explosion, and there was a bone sticking out from her calves. How weak the human body is. If she was in her demon form. .. She eyed the dreaded faces of the mercenaries, and her blood boiled in excitement. Ferris shook her head and snapped out of the control of her inner demons. She healed her broken calves and torn skin. In seconds, she was up and wiping the blood from her mouth. "Don''t fight it on your own! We need to cooperate to bring it down," Dorian said and instructed the others, "All mages support as at the back while the rest of us attack it together." Ferris wanted tough and cry at the same time. "What kind of n is that?" Dorian didn''t spare Ferris a nce. His whole focus was on the wraith. "We don''t know what it''s capable of. If we attack it together, we might find an opening." "I think its main source of power is that tentacle-like greenish rays," said one of the merc. Isaac nced at the others. "Physical attack won''t work on it." "We have to try, at least." Dorian jumped forward, leading the charge, and the others followed suit. The mages cast a spell. Their mouth never ceased mumbling incantations. The wraith''s tentacle-like beam of rays moved in a whip-like manner. Agghhh. . . The souls it absorbed from all over the mountains produced screeching cries, and they shot forth towards Dorian and the others. Isaac and the two mages finished their chant, and protective crystalline armors wrapped the mercenaries'' bodies, decreasing damage from the undead while their armors and weapons were imbued with elemental affinities tobat its immunity with physical attacks. [Holly Blessing] [Reinforce Armor] [Reinforce Weapon] Ferris was omitted, but she didn''t need those useless armors. Flexing her daggers in both hands, she cast a spell, and the knives were wrapped in twisting dark light. [Demon''s Rot] Infused with demonic aura, the slightest touch of her daggers would disintegrate the wraith into ashes. It was the perfect spell for the undead. Dorian, Ferris, and a total of two mercenaries attacked the wraith simultaneously, and as they did, Pedro shot arrows after arrows towards the wraith. His arrows were made of his mana, so Pedro was confident that he could at least kill it with those. Barraged with attacks from all sides and sensing danger from Ferris''s dagger, the wraith roared, an eerie cry that almost shattered everyone''s soul. A loud and powerful pulse shot forth from its body, and all attack physical and magic were repelled. Ferris, Dorian, and the others were flung away by the force, and the arrows broke and shattered into particles before they disappeared. In mid-air, Ferris''s eyes rounded when the wraith''s tentacles swept towards them. The howling cries of thousands of souls ripped the air. It curved with no fixed pattern. It was impossible to escape! She bit her lip and cast a skill. [Shadow Double] Ferries created a doppelganger fifty meters away from the wraith, and just in time, the tentacle struck her, she changed position with her replica. The ray of greenish light passed through Ferris doppelganger''s body, and thetter dissolved into dark smog. At the same time, Dorian saw the approaching rays of greenish light so fast he didn''t have time to think when he depleted almost half his mana to use his skill. [Blink] Within a hundred meters away from the tentacles, Dorian appeared and caught his breath. The aftermath of the skill always left him dizzy. He controlled his breathing and looked at the others. Multiple tentacles directly hit the two swordsmen who didn''t dodge in time, and not even the protective spell on their body prevented their soul from being sucked out. Within seconds, the two mercs'' bodies aged, wrinkled skin fitted their bones, and not long, they were just dried skin and skeletons. Chapter 34: Wraith 2 Chapter 34: Wraith 2 "Roger! K!" the two mages howled in anger. Their bloodshot eyes filled with pain as they mumbled powerful spells to avenge their fallenrades. "Look out!" Dorian warned. To where Isaac, Pedro, and the two mages stood, green light burst from the ground, followed by the Wraith''s tentacles. Pedro summoned his beast, a winged griffin, and he swept Isaac on its back before the two escaped the beams of greenish light. The two mages who didn''t notice and were still mumbling incantation were struck by hundreds of tentacles, turning to dust within seconds. Isaac gritted his teeth and shot Pedro a horrified look. "Brother. . ." Pedro didn''t respond. He couldn''t speak even if he wanted to. He was focused on getting them out from death''s grasp. That Wraith was beyond any of them could defeat. At least. . . At least. .. Isaac had to live! Pedro was determined to escape. Isaac was just fourteen years old! He was a gifted light mage which was a rare element. His future was limitless. He must not die here! Isaac''s chin crumpled, and he turned back to Dorian''s minuscule form. And then to hisrades'' fallen corpses. He shut his eyes closed, and blood flowed from his chapped lips. He then looked ahead with determined eyes. I''m sorry, everyone. I promised I would avenge you. Flying above, they couldn''t see where they were going because of the fog. But they were confident that the Wraith couldn''t catch up to their speed. If they flew higher and faster, they''d escape the domain and the dominion''s influence. If they flew higher and faster. .. Isaac''s eyes shone with hope, and the sparkle in his eyes was overshadowed with hundreds and hundreds of greenish tentacles. "W-where. .. did ite from?" Isaac croaked. In front of them, a giant pentagram appeared, and it opened a dimension where the rays of tentacles passed through. "Isaac!" Dorian screamed in terror as the tentacles swallowed Isaac and Pedro. With a terrifying screech of thousands of souls, thest thing escaped from Isaac''s lips was anguish sobs as their souls sucked out and their body weathered to dust. "Nooo!!" Dorian almost went to his knees. His heart waspressing with dread. His breathing turnedbored in pants. Is this. .. is this. .. the end. .. ? "Fools." Dorian snapped at Ferris, who was standing not far from him. She wasposed even in the face of their inevitable death. The Wraith was too strong for B-ss mercs like them, and even if Ferris was a half-demon, she didn''t have horns, and she was still a kid. "Kuk." Dorian''s sweat-soaked his clothes, and his limbs shook from their impending doom. The biting ice of foreseeable death was looming closer. NO! I must not die here! I''ve ovee so many deaths to reach this far. Madness crossed Dorian''s eyes, and he appeared at Ferris''s back. Ferris looked at Dorian, but he held her arms behind her back, and she bent from the force. "Hoi. .. what do you think you''re doing?" Ferris said, slit eyes burning scarlet. "Sorry, Ferris." Dorian grinned. A warped grin that twisted his face. "While that thing is absorbing you, I''m going to escape." "Idiot. You can never escape a domain unless you defeat its dominion." "I have a few rounds of [Blink] left." Dorian huffed. "I''ll take my chances." Ferris was quiet for a moment beforeughter boomed in her throat. "See. I told you that we should have eliminated these humans from the start. Saves us so much time." "What are you talking about?" Dorian frowned, but when Ferris''s dted eyes shot him a look, the air left his lungs. "Deceitful human. You don''t know who you''re messing with." Dorian''s eyes widened when Ferris childlike voice turned into a woman, and the skin of her face shed like a snake. Her body grew that he was forced to let her go and jumped at a safe distance as she transformed into a demoness with multiple horns on her head and multiple raven-like wings on her back. Her beauty was a cmity, and her body was enough to put anyone under a spell. She was naked, and her enormous breasts bounced with any slight movement. Dorian would be aroused, but even his cock froze in fear. One, two, three, four. .. Dorian didn''t know how many horns. Long, big horns on her forehead, on the side, and so much more on the top of her head, forming a crown. Dorian moved a step back. His heart was bursting from the pressure the demoness was exerting. He felt like, with just a snap of her hand, he''d burst into pieces. The heavy smoldering aura emanating from her dampened and oppressed all else around them. A sudden silent assault threatened to overwhelm Dorian with its oppressive weight. "W-who. .. who are you," he gasped amidst the thinning of his breath. Ferris grinned, fangs on disy as she raised a hand. "You don''t have to know." Her fingers curled to her palms. Dorian felt like all air left him as her body was squeezed to the maximum. There was a faint shadow holding him. Clutching him. It was an incredible force, and he couldn''t do anything to escape. His eyes popped from their sockets, and blood oozed from his orifices. "N-no. . ." Dorian rasped, and he burst into pieces. His blood sttered on the ground, and his flesh and bones were pulverized beneath the force. Hmp! Ferris flipped her hair and shot the dominion a look. The Wraith visibly trembled, and the soul cries ceased. In the blink of an eye, the Wraith disappeared. Ferris sneered, "A wise choice. But don''t think your domain will protect you." Ferris sliced the air with a straight cut of her sharp nails, and a dimensional tear appeared. She then grabbed the opened dimension and ripped it apart just enough so she could enter. The Wraith backed away inside the protective space of nothingness. Ferris''s lips curved upward. "Found you." The Wraith attacked, greenish light rays shot through Ferris, but all it struck was her after image. Before the Wraith could move, Ferris was holding its neck, the souls in its tentacles shriek. "Lesser being. Know who your master is." The Wraith struggled, but the souls it absorbed were being absorbed into Ferris''s body. Its hallowed eyes glowed green until it faded. Ferris licked her lips when he finished absorbing all the souls while what remained of the Wraith was just its cloak, and a talisman fell from its empty robe. Ferris licked her blood-red lips and picked up the enchanted talisman on the ground. No wonder Corpse mountain became a domain. Someone evolved the specter into a Wraith. And since it just became a Wraith, Ferris could easily defeat it. A hundred-year-old Wraith was much trickier to defeat. Ferris burned the enchanted talisman. It was a very rare item that lets beasts and monsters evolved. And she only knew one store that sells them. "Oroborough tavern." Chapter 35: Reunion Chapter 35: Reunion On the other side of the mountain, Ryu was having a hard time with the undead. Since physical attacks didn''t work on them, Ryu didn''t have a choice but to avoid their attacks and ran for his life. He was sprinting in wherever his legs carried him. The only light that guided his way was his seal. It glowed silver and started to sting, that meant he was far from Cecily. Since he couldn''t defeat the undead, he didn''t want to waste time with them. Without pausing for breath nor took in an air of caution, Ryu zoomed forward. He avoided all the specters that zoomed towards him and ripped the undead wolves who barge his way. And when the banshees cry, he let out an equal roar to null their paralyzing effects. Ryu skidded to a stop when he sensed motion. His canines barge, and he leaped forward to attack whoever was on the other side of the fog. A blurred silhouette weaved through the hazy fog, and Ryu was ready to rip it in half. But when he was just inches, a sword pushed thru the mist and went for Ryu''s throat. Good thing that he was fast, and he managed to avoid the sharp end of the de with only a scrape on his cheek. He lost his bnce and came rolling on the ground before going on all fours and growled when the fog lifted and his attacker''s face was revealed. "You." Valij was surprised to see that she almost killed Ryu. She thought that it was a beast who leaped forward only to find it was the halfbreed. Ryu didn''t let his guard down. His fine hairs rose, and his ws bared, ready to attack Valij. Instead of attacking Ryu, Valij cast a spell, and all the dark pentagrams in their area exploded. When the fog cleared, Ryu''s senses somewhat returned. He sniffed the air and found that Valij wasn''t a hallucination created by the mists, and he stood to his feet. He whiffed another mouthful of air to see if he could smell Cecily''s scent. . . None. .. Only Valij. "What are you doing here? Aren''t you supposed to be by the Princess''s side?" asked Valij, annoyed in her voice. Ryu answered back, "You too." Valij scowl deepened. She didn''t ask anymore and ignored Ryu altogether as she moved forward. Her mood plummeted ever since she learned that Corpse mountain became a domain. To make matters worse, she was stuck with the halfbreed. She must find the dominion as soon as possible, or she''d never see the Princess and her group. Valij''s forehead creased, and she pointed her sword at Ryu, who was trailing her. "Why are you following me?" ".. ." Ryu didn''t get why Valij was asking that. Wasn''t the logical thing to do was work together to find Cecily? Ryu opened his mouth, but Valij beat him to it. "Make no mistake halfbreed. The only thing that stopping my de from slicing your throat is because you are the Princess''s servant." Valij dropped her weapon and turned to her heels. "You better not follow me. Servant or not, I won''t ask twice." Ryu suppressed a growl. He didn''t like the tone of her voice. He had to constantly remind him that she was one of Cecily''s people so he wouldn''t be tempted to rip her apart. He thought that, but his inner beast warned him to be careful around her. She''s strong, and Ryu sensed it from just her aura as she walked. Ryu sighed, and he looked left and right before he decided to take another path. But as he was about to take his step, he sensed something in Valij direction. Ryu didn''t think twice and charged in Valij way. "You!" Valij was so angry upon seeing Ryu charging at her. Did he want revenge? She raised her ymore to slice Ryu in half, but thetter doubled in speed. Valij didn''t have time to retaliate when Ryu jumped towards her and toppled her to the side just in time that a massive creature leaped in their direction. Ryu and Valij rolled on the ground before they stop. Ryu was hovering above Valij, but his eyes were never on her. Valij was the same. Her sight was captured by a strange beast looming not far from them. Its skin was ghostly pale. Its fur stood straight and perfectly white while its eyes shone crimson. It was at least three meters in height, and its jaws were enormous with jagged, sharp teeth slobbered in saliva. "That''s.. ." Valij gulped. "A Vamperic Wolf." Chapter 36: Vamperic Wolf 1 Chapter 36: Vamperic Wolf 1 "That''s.. . ," Valij gulped, "a Vamperic Wolf." Ryu got off from Valij and eyed the creature carefully while Valij was quick on her toes and stood to her feet, ymore in hand. Grrr. . . The Vamperic Wolf smashed its massive paws against the ground, pebble and dirt flying from the force as a crevice formed where it stood. Its tail whip side to side, and the air whistled at the force. Cold sweat forced a path from Valij forehead to her cheeks. "What''s it doing here?" Vamperic Wolves were usually active during the fourth moon, and it was unusual to find one in Corpse mountain. They prefer snow and cold climate because of their thick furs. Not the dump, and deadnd like Corpse mountain. Licking its snout, the hound snarled when Ryu took a stance to attack it. "Don''t rush to your death." At this point, Valij didn''t care about Ryu''s race. The important thing at the moment was to defeat the Vamperic Wolf. Even she had to cooperate with the half-breed. "Its ws and teeth are poisonous." Ryu grumbled. He already knew that. He smelled the poison from the hound perfectly fine. The Vamperic wolf howled, and countless pentagrams appeared before it. Spikes dripping in red liquid peeked from the pentagrams before it shot towards Ryu and Valij. "Don''t let it touch you!" Valij warned before she dodged. In addition, Valij used her ymore to block the spikes. Ryu leaped from here and there, and all the spikes hit was his after image. He dodged easily with his speed and still maintain a presence of mind to observed his surroundings. Wherever the spikes collided, a sizzling sound resounded followed by rot to all it touched. The poison of the Vamperic wolf was lethal, and they didn''t have a healer to cast [Purify] on them. Valij was maybe a mage knight, but her magic was limited to the offensive with little recovery magic. And she was afraid that her little knowledge of the healing spells wouldn''t do much against the Vamperic wolf''s poison. Valij was not as agile as Ryu as she held a gigantic de in hand. She used her sword to block than doge, and she imbued herself with a spell to boost her defense. While Ryu was careful with his every move. He couldn''t use mana, so being grazed by the hound meant death to him. He was beginning to realize how powerless he truly was without mana. Shrk! Boulders asrge as a person smashed into the Vamperic hound''s direction. [Stone Mash] Valij cast a spell. Her affinity was earth, so most of her spells used the earth element. Sensing danger, the Vamperic hound fled at high speed. Despite its size, it moved lightning fast, and the rock only left an aperture on the ground. "Tsk." Valij clicked her tongue. She cast another spell to double her defenses as she charged directly into the jaws of the Vamperic wolf. Swish! Swoosh! Multiple w-like des hacked into Valij. With Valij speed, it was impossible to dodge the iing ws. She activated her skill, [Aura de], and she struck with her ymore. Four force des shot from her sword and met the iing ws head-on. Boom! Boom! The Vamperic wolf w des were met against Valij aura force, and the explosion rattled the ground and flung the dirt. Deflecting the energy like ws, Valij closed the distance between her and the Vamperic wolf. With all her might, Valij swung her ymore against the hound. ng! "Shit!" Seeing that the Vamperic wolf didn''t even flinch nor avoided her weapon, it was confident of its defense. And true enough, not even the sharpness of her de and the force of her strength could damage its fur. The Vamperic hound wiped with its paws, and Valij avoided with her speed. "Aim for its stomach!" Ryu snarled. He sensed that the beast''s core was near its stomach. All they had to do was destroy it. Valij flung a look at Ryu but didn''t say anything. Maybe the beast in him could sense other beasts'' cores. But more importantly, thin furs lined the Vamperic wolf''s stomach. It was its weak spot. The Vamperic wolf was breed for killing. Its body was massive, and its paws were sturdy. One blow from those would mean mincemeat. Ryu and Valij scattered in its wake. None dared to face it head-on. The Vamperic wolf came to a halt and nced at them with its slit eyes. It was thinking. It was a Rank-B beast with intelligence like a human. Then it went leaping into Valij. "Why me?!" Valij spat. Was it because Ryu was part beast? The Vamperic wolf moved in swiftness, and its paws were able to attack at terrifying speed. "Damn it!" It was toote to dodge, and with her speed against the Vamperic wolf, she was at a disadvantage. She immediately cast a spell. [Earth Armor] Earthen light enveloped Valij''s whole body, and she raised her ymore to block the iing thousand-pound wolf. Wham! The rocks enveloping Valij shattered and broke, and the ground where she stood had a hole with deep cracks around it. More importantly, she managed to defend against it! This beast was a Rank-B for a long time, and it required another Rank-B nearing Rank-A merc to defeat it. Luckily for Valij, she was almost at the level of a Rank-A mercenary. Just a couple of skill and spell scrolls and upgrading her stats through raining, and she''ll pass the Rank-A test. The Vamperic wolf possessed extremely thick, durable fur and skin and tremendous power. Its speed and attack speed were also astonishing. Not to mention the poison from its fangs and ws. Valij didn''t know how to counter it since it was his first fight with a Vamperic wolf and that she didn''t expect it to appear in Corpse mountain. Could it be. . . Ryu appeared out of nowhere and swiped his ws, but the Vamperic wolf evaded and jumped to the side before it charged forward at Ryu and Valij, barring its massive paws at the two. Both retreated at high speed. Bam! The sound of the wolf''s paws against the ground produce vibration, and cracks erupted ten meters from the blow. Swish! From below Ryu and Valij, spikes coated with crimson venom erupted from the ground where they stood. "Shit!" Valij cursed in surprise and leaped into the air. But the spikes grew longer in size, and thest thing she saw was the sharp edge of a giant needle dripping with lethal poison before she was flung to the side. "Kuk!" Valij came crushing on the dirt and rocks. She groaned and looked over at Ryu, who stood at her side, blood dripping from his arm. Chapter 37: Vamperic Wolf 2 Chapter 37: Vamperic Wolf 2 Ryu had pushed her aside just in time but at the cost of a graze from his left arm. The spike was from the wolf''s furs coated with his poison. It was a physical attack. It was not a spell from mana, so Ryu was in a serious predicament. "Y-you. . ." Valij didn''t know what to say. She immediately got up and cast a healing spell. [Earth Heal] "I don''t know how long you''llst before the poison spread on your body. This is just a temporary spell to slow down the poison. We have to defeat it and met up with the others as soon as possible." The great mage Murok could definitely heal that poison. Valij thought, forgetting her animosity towards the halfbreed. Hooowlll! The Vamperic wolf snarled and licked his snout and saliva drenched its fangs. Ryu''s arm was beginning to numb, and he felt the poison cursed his veins. He''d deducted fifteen minutes at most before he''d be paralyzed to death. Ryu peeked at Valij. Why did he rescue her, again? He wondered. She was nothing but antagonistic to him, and if their position was reversed, he doubted she would do the same for him. But. . . He thought that he still needed Valij to defeat the wolf. And now that he had the poison, Ryu flung all caution to the side. "Il hold it down. You think of ways to pierced its stomach," said Ryu, and he sprinted into the Vamperic wolf. "W-whaWait!" Valij protest went to deaf ears as Ryu''s charged towards the beast with terrifying speed. His canine barge, Ryu toppled the Vamperic wolf and bit its neck. Rawr! The Vamperic wolf''s dted eyes drew to a slit, and with a crunch, it bit Ryu''s shoulder. It wanted to rip him apart but found that Ryu''s body was as sturdy as its own even more. Not minding the pain, Ryu shed the Vamperic wolf with his ws. Whip! Ryu was knocked flying by its tail and smashed onto the ground, creating a huge crevice on the dirt. Ryu wed and snarled at the hound, blood-soaked his body. Ryu was furious, and his inner beast kicked in. He charged towards the Vamperic wolf, which in turn, bared its wide jaws at him. Ryu dodged its bite, and he barraged the Vamperic wolf with his ws. Repeatedly, in the same spot while he soaked all its attack. Roar! The Vamperic wolf howled in furry as its skin was torn with the onught from Ryu''s ws. Its white fur dyed in red and it went berserk. With a whip of its tail, Ryu was knocked flying by the force, smashing hard against a tree, snapping it in half before he fell on the dirt. At the side, Valij watched all this happen with an open mouth. She was rendered speechless by the fight between two beasts. But Ryu was at a disadvantage. His body was reaching its limits, and its movement was drastically slower than before. The poison must have kicked in! With the bites and scratches all over his body, Valij deducted another fight like that, and Ryu would die from blood loss before the poison could im hisst breath. Ryu briefly looked at her. Valij didn''t know if that was a sign or not, but she cast a spell on her. Depleting almost her mana as she quadruples her strength. [Golem Strength] Ryu charged towards the jaws of the Vamperic wolf once more. Not minding that the wolf was twice his size. He wrestled it down with brute strength. Roar! Ryu let out a loud roar, and the wolf whimpered before it shook its head and snarled. But Ryu already pinned it down on the ground. With his arms wrapped around its neck and his legs tightly held its torso, it was trap. The Vamperic Wolf trashed on the dirt, and Ryu used all his strength to immobilize it. But with the massive power of the Vamperic wolf, he was afraid that he could only pin it down within seconds. "Now!" Ryu snarled. Using all the strength of her whole body and with the aid of [Golem Strength], she leaped forward and brought down her ymore on the wolf''s stomach. The Vamperic wolf''s thick skin resisted the de at first, but with Valij spell, it only took a mere fraction of a second before the tip of the de pierced the wolf''s hide and struck its mana core. Rooooaaarr! The Vamperic wolf cried an agonizing roar before its body glowed brighter and brighter and BOOM! It exploded and turned to particles. Both Valij and Ryu were knocked away from the explosion. Valij was sent meters away, snapping dead trees on her wake before she fell on the dirt. "Argh!" Valij spat a mouthful of blood and healed her broken ribs and limbs. She caught her breath before she searched for Ryu. Hundred meters from the massive crevice formed from the Vamperic wolf''s explosionid Ryu, battered and broken. Valij scrambled to her feet and zoomed to his side. "Hey! Hey!" She called, but Ryu didn''t respond. Blood covered his body, as well as bites and w marks. His arm was torn from his shoulder, and bones were sticking from his legs. "Oh, shit." Valij cursed under her breath, and what little mana she had, she cast a healing spell to reconstruct Ryu''s skin and bones. For a minute straight, Valij managed to stop Ryu''s bleeding. That was all she could do. The bite and w marks would have to wait until she could recover some of her mana. But the poison showed its effect on his skin. His veins were bulging red, and his color was turning violet. He needed a healer or a great mage! "Ryu!" Valij called his name for the first time and pped him left and right on his cheeks. "Don''t close your eyes. Wake up!" Valij was about to p him again when Ryu groaned. His eyelids fluttered. Valij sighed a relief. But then she paused. Why was she concerned with the halfbreed? Was it because he saved her life? Or was it because there was admiration blossomed when she saw how he fought the beast with his bare hands without even a tiny bit of fear on his face? Ryu was more courageous than most men she knew and work with. If it were somebody who she''s with facing the Vamperic wolf, she would have died from its poison for sure. Others would flee for their life. Its poison was lethal without a healer. The Antitoxins in her traveler''s ring were just to countermon poisons. Not the lethal poison of a Vamperic wolf. For that, she needed at least a Panacea or an Elixir. Rare items that could cured anything. But those items weren''t sold. Alchemists made them, and the ingredients were rare and scattered throughout the realms. Ryu could have run. In the first ce, the Vamperic wolf was after her. But he didn''t. He saved her life and risked his life in return so they could defeat it. Such courage was admirable. Was that the beastmen traits? Valij wondered. Ryu''s breathing turned ragged, and Valij wiped his hair away from his face and whispered a low, "Thank you." At this time, the fog cleared, and Ryu opened his eyes when his nose caught a familiar scent. Cecily! Chapter 38: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 1 Chapter 38: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 1 "Protect the Princess! Protect the Princess!" The mercenary and soldiers shouted, taking a protective stance in front of Cecily, Murok, and Agatha. "This is bad," Murok mumbled, eyeing Eoi and Asad. He took particr notice of the abominable monster beside them. "We''ve been had. This mountain somehow became a domain, and we''re separated from the rest." Sweat erupted on Cecily''s face. At least, they have three B-ss mercs on their side and a couple of soldiers. But that monster who they couldn''t identify worry her to no end. "What is that thing?" All were thinking as they eyed the monstrous beast with two faces and six hands. They never saw anything like it in their whole life. "Teacher, what is that?" Cecily rasped. She was having difficulty breathing from the monster''s oppressive form. Murok stroked his beard. "I don''t know. It seemed like a monster and beasts put together." "Proceed with caution!" "Protect the Princess at all cost!" "Teacher, you provide support from the back while we kill those vermins." Cecily called the mercenaries and soldiers, "Everyone, I will take on the dark elf, and Agatha will take care of the demon while Murok will provide support. The rest of you, kill that monstrous thing and rally with us as soon as you can!" The soldiers and mercenaries cried in agreement and brandished their weapons. "Be careful," Murok warned before he walked to the back. He flicked a hand, and a mana potion appeared in his hand. Mana potions were a rare item and weren''t bought in the market. He paid a high price to have an alchemist made it. He could only afford two due to the rarity and hard toe by ingredients. But this was no time to be stingy. Murok''s heart bleeds as he gulped the potion to thest drop. From fifty percent, his mana surge to seventy percent. It was already a huge leapt. His goal was to support Cecily. He didn''t care for the rest. Like before, he cast [Heavenly Wind] to boost Cecily''s offense and defense. At Cecily''s charge, everyone followed. Asad and Eoi shot to their feet and aimed for Cecily while the monster remained standing on its spot. Eoi stepped to the very back while shooting his arrows at the approaching Cecily and Agatha. Agatha appeared in front of Assad in a blink and kicked him off track while Cecily kept her eyes on Eoi. A hundred meters from them, the soldiers and mercenaries attacked the monster. Thud! Thud! Thud! Heavy footsteps were all they heard before a sickening crunching sound skidded them to a halt. "Agh!" The soldiers screamed when theirrades were nothing but torn skin and bones. In a straight line where the monster stops, blood and guts trailed its path. "I-its. .. too fast." The expression on the soldier and mercenaries'' faces changed. "Clemente, support us from the back!" Roger shouted. He was the vice leader of the four B-ss mercenaries. Since Valij was not here, he was the next inmand. Clemente was the healer of the group, and she did what Roger told her. Mumbling incantations within seconds, Roger and Clyde were imbued with white lights. [Light of Angelus] The spell boost Roger and Clyde''s stats to four times but only for five minutes. To contend with the monster''s speed and strength, they needed to fight with everything they''ve got. On the other side, Cecily''s stats were boosted by [Heavenly Wind], and another spell by Murok [Wind Defense] made Cecily immune to attacks for a period of time. But if she were repeatedly attacked, the barrier would whittle away and break. This was why Eoi constantly barraged her with his arrows while escaping Cecily''s sword. "Don''t chase him too far!" Murok warned. "I know!" Cecily grit her teeth. She was wasting too much time with Eoi. It was already thirty minutes. Her eyes then went to Asad. If Eoi wouldn''t fight her, then she might as well kill the demon first. Changing her course, Cecily kicked off from the ground and went in Asad''s direction. Asad was busy with Agatha, and with a powerful attack, Cecily pierced her rapier at Asad. Clung! Gawtar deflected Cecily''s rapier, but the force sent him flying. "Shit!" Asad cursed as he tumbled on the ground. "I can defeat him, princess," Agatha slurred. "Shut up. Let''s kill this demon as soon as possible." Eoinded beside Asad. "Quit ying around." Asad spat the blood from his mouth and stood to his feet. "Easy for you to say. Why don''t you transform now and be useful?" Before Eoi could open his mouth, Asad charged towards Cecily and Agatha. Eoi sighed. Even they managed to separate Cecily and the others. She still had Murok and Agatha with her. They couldn''t afford to fail now. They hade too far and sacrificed too much. They have to capture the Princess, dead or alive. "I can''t let this continue." Eoi''s veins bulged, and his skin warped and twisted before he grew taller and bulkier. Utilizing the power of the demon coursing in his blood, he cast a skill. [Arrow Javelin] A single arrow shot from Eoi''s bow and went past Asad and straight into Cecily''s skull. It was so fast that it was impossible to dodge. "Not Good!" Murok raised his staff, and a significant gust of wind formed in front of Cecily. [Tornado] But the arrow didn''t even flinch from the strong winds. It remained straight and true to its target. It shot passed from the winds repelling defenses, and Cecily raised her rapier to defend. Clung! The rapier blocked the arrow before it could reach her skull. Cecily thought that she was out from the rocks, but when cracks appeared on her rapier, horror reced the relief on her face. With Murok''s orders, Agatha appeared right beside her and snatched the arrow with her bare hands. "Argh!" Agatha''s fangs stretched from her gums. The winds and Cecily''s rapier reduced the arrow''s speed and power. With all of Agatha''s might, she crushed the arrow with her hands reinforced with her demonic aura. Boom! Both Cecily and Agatha have been knocked away. Agatha lost her arm while Cecily''s half body was burned. But within seconds, Cecily''s appearance was good as new as she somersaulted in mid-air andnded on her feet. Murok''s [Healing Wind] healed her before the pain sits in. Agatha''s hand was regenerating as she recovered her momentum mid-air andnded in all fours on the ground. She snarled at Asad and Eoi''s. Not far from Agatha and Cecily, dread and panicked flickered in Eoi''s eyes. "The dominion. . ." He looked at Asad. "It''s gone." "So soon?" Asad was shocked before his face turned solemn. "I also lost my beast," Eoi muttered in a grave voice. Since it was a pup, the Vamperic wolf was with him since he was young. The both of them climbed their way up in the hierarchy of power. Eoi''s fingers curled against his palms. He shouldn''t have summoned it. A hunter without its beast. .. Eoi closed his eyes tight for a moment. It was like a part of him died. ".. ." ".. ." Asad and Eoi looked at each other before Eoi nodded. Agatha frowned when Asad and Eoi circled them. Then out of nowhere, a pentagram epassing Cecily and her appeared. "W-what!" Before Cecily could finish her word, twelve arrows shot to the ground, beaming with dark light. "Lo and behold," Asad grinned, face twisting in menace, eyes shaking in madness. "My trump card." [Gravity Asunder] "Not good!" Agatha shouted, but it was toote. The pentagram glowed, and with it, a massive force ttened them on the ground that even for a demoness like her, it was impossible to move an inch. Cecily and Agatha crouched on the dirt. Veins pumped on their forehead as they tried with all their might to move their limbs from the gravities hold. "We don''t need you alive, Princess. We just need your corpse! Farewell!" After Eoi finished speaking, a massive arrow-like spear appeared in the sky. Thunder loomed over it, and it looked ominous as its massive sharp end pointed at Cecily and Agatha. "Received my wrath!" [Arrow of Judgment] The skill would instantly shatter the souls of those it pierced. It was the perfect skill if they wanted the Princess''s body intact. It was also Eoi''s most destructive skill. But the cost. .. he had to use all his mana a life for a life. "Heh." Eoi chuckled and cast Asad a look. "See you on the other side." The giant arrow crackled with dark energy, slowly shooting down towards Cecily and Agatha. And with his emptied mana, Eoi shattered into particles and became one with the surroundings. His soul was returning in the cosmos to undergo the cycle of reincarnation. Chapter 39: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 2 Chapter 39: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 2 Asad held Eoi''s particles in one hand before he crushed them on his palms. "See you on the other side." Both he and Eoi were already determined to deliver the Princess''s body into the Demon realm. Whatever it took. Beforehand, they contacted the others for help since their space crystal was missing. All they had to do was stall for time before the other demons arrived. Whatever light present was extinguished as [Arrow of Judgment] descended. With Asad''s gravity spell, both Cecily and Agatha couldn''t move. "Princess!" "Princess!" Outside the restrictive pentagram, Cecily heard the frantic calls of the soldiers and mercenaries. Is this the end? Cecily bit her lips. Am I going to die here? She could barely open her mouth from the tectonic force hammering against her, much less get up and escape. Agatha refused to die, but she was trap inside a pentagram that she could neither break with a spell or a skill. Agatha''s eyes shut at Murok''s hazy form. If the old man didn''t do something about this, they''d be dead. Shit! Theyid traps beforehand, and she fell straight to it. She had gonecent, staying by the old man''s side. Agatha smiled bitterly. She grew weak and dependent. Outside the influence of the pentagram, Murok sighed, but his face didn''t register panic nor fear. It was calm and at peace. "In the past, I solely dedicated myself to magic. I have no children nor grandchildren. I only have you, Cecily." Murok eyes shook as a small smile appeared on his face. He seemed to be remembering a distant memory. "I have lived a long life. A long life indeed." Murok rose to the air and saw Cecily and Agatha crunched on the ground and the massive closing arrow. "I have watched you grow. From a baby into a girl and finally into a fine young woman. I''m so proud of you." Murok drank hisst mana potion, and his staff glowed as his whole body was enveloped with the elemental wind. T-teacher. .. what are you doing? Cecily thought in a panic. Agatha''s dted pupils turned to slit. This old man! He couldn''t be! Murok smiled andughed. "I had reached the end of my path, and I have no regrets. Let this be the final demonstration of my power!" Teacher! Cecily screamed, but her mouth wouldn''t open. "Grk!" With all her strength, Cecily pushed herself from the ground. Her veins erupted, and the joints in her arms and legs snapped from her flesh. She had to stop Murok! She had to! You can''t leave me! Not you too! Seizing thest of his mana, Murok unleashed the most devastating spell in his arsenal. [Condensed Cmity Air] Enormous wind gathered at a single point. It didn''t produce any sound, but the air rippled, and a dimensional tear appeared around it. Colliding with the giant arrow, it produced blinding light before it swallowed the arrow and constricted into a single point. Then it disappeared into thin air and what followed was silence. "Cecily," Murok looked at Cecily with kind eyes and smiling lips, "live a good life." The gravity spell lifted when Asad was swallowed by the blinding light, and Cecily looked over at Murok. His white hair and long beard. His kind eyes and wrinkly face everything was disappearing as he turned into particles and was blown away by the winds. Cecily opened her mouth, but no words came out. Only her tears wouldn''t stop pouring. "Ah. .. ARGH!" Cecily howled, numbed in grief. Like she forgot that she was still in battle with broken joints and popped vessels. She looked over at where Murok was supposed to be with tear-stained eyes and a dazed face. "N-No!" Agatha''s seal was glowing faintly. She used her mana to stop the seal from breaking. But it could only buy her little time. "W-Wha. .. what happened?" The soldiers and mercenaries were disoriented before their eyes settled on Cecily. All of them sighed but not for long as Asad''s torn body appeared beside the monster. "Look out!" The soldiers and mercenaries became alert. But Asad just looked at them with his bloody face. Half his shoulder down to his leg was missing, and bones were sticking out from the holes on his skin. "Fuck!" Asad panted. "We should have gone for the old man," he rasped. The fog cleared, and not before long, the others would arrive. He then looked at the monster beside him. "No matter. This will be myst card." Asad grinned and rumbled vibrated from the monster''s throat. .. fogy breath clouded its face. Asad faced the soldiers and mercenaries. Half his skull was showing as his smile tore his skin. "Weak humans, I will feast on your souls!" Asad broke the chain from the monster''s torso, and it attacked Asad with its enormous jaw. Crunch! Everyone took a back. They were stunned as the monster gnawed on Asad''s body. Not leaving even the bones and blood. Everything was absorbed. ROAR! A loud roar erupted from both its mouth, and its body twisted from side to side. Not before long, Asad''s face appeared beside its first head. "What abomination!" Clyde didn''t finish his sentence when the monster bit off a chunk of his flesh. It was so fast that none reacted as the monster''s mped Clyde with its ws and its enormous jaws opened, revealing rows and rows of jagged teeth. "N-NO!" With one bite, Clyde was shredded meat. "W-Wha!" Another soldier didn''t finish his sentence when he suddenly found himself at the mercy of the monster looming over him. Before he could cry for help, half his body was gnawed, and his severed limbs fell on the ground. "ARGH!" "Runaway!" A ss-B merc was defeated just like that. What''s more an ordinary soldier like them? Its speed was too fast. Too fast for their eyes to follow! "Ran!" The monster just eyed the scattered soldiers and mercenaries with its three faces smiling. It then leaped and came crushing in the front of three soldiers. Its flesh jiggled, and the ground cracked as itnded. The three soldiers wet their pants in terror, and the only words came out from their shaking mouth were cries and sobs before the monsters grabbed them with its six hands. They rose on the air, and its enormous jaw chomped them in half. "R-Roger. .. w-what should we do?" Clemente asked, face white like the undead they battled a while ago. Roger''s eyes were wide in despair, and his limbs were shaking. He gulped and stuttered, "W-We have to. .. we have to protect the Princess." Clemente gazed at the Princess, crunched on the ground in a daze. Then she looked at the monster who was hunting them one by one. Her breathing turnedborious, and bileid acid on her throat before she puked. Clemente shook her head, face twisting in misery. "N-No. .. no. . ." She looked at all the blood and guts, and she clutched her hair and screamed. "NO! I don''t want to die!" Clyde was stronger than her. If that monster decided to went after her, she was definitely going to die a horrible death! "NO!" Clemente screamed and ran away. "Clemente!" Roger called, but the following words got stuck in his throat when the monsternded in front of him. Its gigantic mouth was smiling, blood dripping from its jaws. Its two big eyes were circling nonstop, searching for its next prey. "No. . ." Roger gritted his teeth. He was still a B-ss merc, and if he dies, he will die fighting. Roger swung his battle-ax imbued with a spell [Fire Force]. Fire zed under the de, and the temperature rose enough to melt ores in seconds. Rrrgh. .. the monster didn''t doge at all. Using its ws, he mped the axe, and the sturdy weapon smashed in pieces. "I-impossible," Roger muttered. That axe was made from an adamantine ore. It''s not orihalcon, but it was one of the sturdiest ore in the entire realm. "Urk!" Roger spat a mouthful of blood when the monster beast''s hands pierce his chest and rip him in half from within. Chapter 40: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 3 Chapter 40: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 3 The rolling waves of scream and ughter surrounded Cecily. But she just kneeled there like an idiot. Her tears wouldn''t stop flowing. "Ah. .. ah. . ." She forgot how to speak as she was ovee with anguish. Her mind was overflowing with the times she spent with Murok. The kind old man who taught her so much. Who became an existence to her that she couldn''t bear to be apart. Cecily shook her head. "No. .. no. . ." She refused to believe that Murok was dead. He had been with her since she was young! How could he leave her now? She never felt so alone and helpless as she did now. She was always confident because she had Murok''s support. He always had her back. She had her family, but they were more strangers to her than family. Do and Murok were the only families she ever knew. And now. .. the two of them left her. Cecily''s shoulders raked, and she wailed and sobbed to the sky. THuD! The sky disappeared, and the monster loomed over her. But Cecily couldn''t be bothered to feel anything. She was too exhausted. Maybe I should just. .. join them. The three faces of the monsters smiled in a perverted grin. Its beast hand and ws grabbed Cecily and raised her in the air. Its enormous jaws opened wide as if to swallow her. "Cecily!" Cecily didn''t respond until Ryu appeared beside the monsters and kicked it to the side. The kick seemed weak, but when it hit, the monster was sent flying hundreds of meters, and Cecily was flung away towards a cliff. "Cecily!" Without caring if she lived or die, Cecily''s eyes went to Ryu''s panic-stricken face. Agh. .. how pointless. She thought before Ryu grabbed and embraced her as they fell into the depth of the ravine. "Ryu!" At this moment, Ferris didn''t know what''s happening. The moment she came rushing to where he was, Ryu and Cecily were falling off a cliff. "No!" Ferris screamed, and her wings burst from her back, not minding that she was in her human form. But before she could rescue Ryu, the monster barged her path. Her wings change her course, but the monster was quick despite its massive body. It managed to mp her calves and tore her leg. Ferris flew away a hundred meters from the cliff andnded on the ground with her leg regenerating as fast as it could. "Damn it!" It looked like the monster wouldn''t let her escaped based on the saliva pooling in its mouth after it tasted her flesh. "Ferris!" Ferris shot Agatha a look. What remained of the beautiful demoness was only her upper body. Her waist down was gone, and she was disappearing into particles at an rmingly fast rate. "Help me!" Agatha hissed, eyes rounded in desperation. "I''m sure you and I can break this seal! Concentrate your mana on me!" "Fuck off!" Ferris yelled. Agatha was so angry that her fangs came out. "You owe me that much! I saved you!" Veins popped in Ferris''s head, and she looked at Agatha with dted crimson eyes. Her child-like voice turned deep, and her skin ripped apart, giving way to a demon goddess. "I don''t owe you anything. I could have just killed you all." Ferris''s slithery voice wrapped Agatha in terror as multiple horns forming a crown grew on Ferris''s head. "You just dyed the inevitable." Ferris swiped her nails in a straight cut, and Agatha''s head rolled on the ground. "Begone." Agatha''s eyes were wide in fright before she burst into dark particles of mana. Her soul shattered into oblivion as the seal broke. Ferris gazed at her surroundings as her shadows formed armors on her body. Upon her arrival, the monster''s attention was glued to her. Meanwhile, there were some soldiers and mercs left, eying her with hope in their eyes. They must have mistaken the servant seal between her breasts as an ally. Have they not saw what she did to Agatha? Maybe she had to kill one of them. "F-Ferris? You''re Ferris, right?" Ferris''s scarlet demon eyes flicked at Clemente''s puke-covered face. Clemente sighed in relief, but her tears didn''t stop flowing. She thought she was dead because she couldn''t outrun the monster. It was picking them one by one. But then Ferris arrived in full demon form and with multiple horns at that. Clemente almost peed in relief. As expected of the Princess''s servant. "Y-you should be careful. That monster is strong. I will support you in the ba" With a casual twist of her wrist, Ferris carved chunks of flesh from Clemente''s body. When she was finished, Clemente was nothing more than carved bs of meat as her corpse toppled on the ground. All the remaining soldiers and mercenaries gasps, their faces ghastly and they run for their lives. Like Ferris would allow them to escape after seeing her demon form. Her multiple raven-like wings swung from her back, and the force ripped and tore everything present within hundred meters. The screaming soldiers and mercenaries dropped dead on the ground. The cut was so clean and sharp that blood burst after seconds. Flesh and muscles still pumping from their dissected limbs. The monster avoided the attack, and Ferris caught a sh of cruel smile, which provoke unease before itunched at her with ruthless abandon. "Hmp!" Ferris sneered. "A monster that knows no fear." She cracked her knuckles. She recognized that terrible affliction of bloodlust that wracked her veins. "Perfect!" Ferris grinned and licked her fangs. A worthy opponent to release the pressure of her inner demons. Transforming into a ck blur, Ferris smashed directly into the monster and attacked it with the onught of punches and kicks. The air split, and the surrounding trees shattered at Ferris''s speed and force. Even though the monster''s defense was high, it was still sent mming on the ground by the blow. Her body turned into a blur, Ferris appeared in front of the monster as her swift, barraged of strikes unfolded her foe''s defense. The monster''s speed and its power couldn''t even contend with hers as itid t on the dirt. It was not like the monster couldn''t defend nor attack, but every time it did, Ferris canceled its attack with just her mere limbs. It was like she grew hundreds of arms and legs that the monster couldn''t even move. It was overwhelmed by Ferris''s brutal strikes. The power that struck its massive body was like a meteor descending rapidly, andrge cracks formed on the ground as their body sunk on the crevice they formed. The monster''s body trembled. If this kept up, its defense would break, and it would turn into a paste. A shriek so loud vibrated from the monster, and Ferris was knocked into the air by the vibration it made. She regained her momentum using her wings as she eyed the monster in caution. The monster''s body was twisting and warping. Its massive flesh rippled like it was about to burst. Ferris dted eyes drew a slit when the monster transformed into Asad with six eyes, six hands, and three longhorns on his head. "Finally," Asad said under his breathe. "That took longer to absorb than expected." Ferris observed the demon with three horns. It made no intention to conceal its frightening nature, and she found herself the focus of its baleful intent that sought her end. Asad''s six eyes circled around and around before it settled at Ferris, and Gawtar appeared in his hand. "Time for round two. Shall we?" Chapter 41: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 4 Chapter 41: Battle in the Mountain of the Dead 4 Wielding Gawtar, Asad charged forward. His speed was incredible than before, and as his body was flecking left and right. Soon, there were six of them. [Mirage] This was a trademark skill for every demon, and Ferris didn''t know if he was underestimating her. "Don''t make meugh." Ferris was about to summon her weapon when she was surprised by Asad''s sudden burst of speed followed by hissing sounds like reptiles, as multiple Gawtars aimed her center. Asad became one with his mirages and appeared in front of Ferris. "Die!" Asad struck his word like a fallen mountain. The blow would surely burst Ferris apart. But Ferris only grinned a smile that reached almost her eyes. Face warping maniacally, a sword appeared before her hand. Her weapon''s speed came as a surprise and struck Asad''s hand. The de was dull, and couldn''t even cut his skin. All he felt was vibration then popped, his arms exploded. Asad put distance between him and Ferris and was dumbfounded by the gaping wound on his arm. His whole arm was gone. Not even the bones remained. "What is that." Asad eyed Ferris''s weapon as his arms regenerated. It was a sword that almost reached her height. It had raven wings on top and an eye like a universe on the center of its hilt. It didn''t have a de. It was like it was made of flesh and metal dark corrosive pumping flesh. Ferris''s slimy tongue slipped from her lips and licked her sword. "You''re not the only one who possessed a demonic sword." [Demonic Sword, Paradox] Asad knew that it was not just an ordinary demonic sword. It avoided all defenses and attacked inside the body. Asad''s six-eye glint. He must have it! Though artifact weapons chose their master''s, the sword would acknowledge him as its rightful owner once he killed Ferris. Cold,pressing air shrouded the surroundings, and Ferris found herself freezing. The atmosphere they were in seemed to be locked from the outside world, and she found her movement constricted. [Ice Field] Asad gained the ice element when he absorbed the monster. Now he had demonic and ice affinity. Asad''s sword was moving slow, but it snaked its way toward Ferris with a devastating force. Then Gawtar suddenly split the air, increasing in speed tenfold, and it arrived at Ferris in a blink. Ferris''srge sword, Paradox, was like a bird soaring in the sky. Its speed contended with Gawtar and blocked its attack. Rumble! The air shuddered as the two swords struck each other. Gawtar was vibrating, and Asad feared that anymore and even Gawtar would break. "Tremble!" Ferris activated Paradox''s demonic aura, and the entirety of the sword was covered with dark hazy light. Whoosh! Asad was knocked meters away, and a terrifying aura enveloped him. It was like something was entering him, attacking his soul and mind. The time when he was but a child, tortured and enved, kept reying in his memory. The terror of being powerless even to speak up. He was transported in a time where all he ever knew was fear. "Grr!" Asad suppressed the fear he felt, and thanks to Gawtar and his new body, he could withstand Paradox''s demonic aura. But he could only utilize half his power. It was like Ferris''s sword reduced its opponent''s prowess by using fear. Asad never wanted anything but to acquire that weapon! The Princess will have to wait. He used the ultimate skill in his arsenal. Gawtar trembled and warped. It then split in six, and Asad''s six arms welded the six Gawtars. The mirage shadows of swords cause a rift in space. In the blink of an eye, thousands and thousands of swords were in front of Ferris. [Demon''s Carnage] Ferris didn''t have time to block. She didn''t have to. As the thousands of swords were but a hair in front of her, everything stopped. The trees froze, the sounds ceased, and all sumbed to stillness and silence. With a flick of her hand, the thousands of swords broke, and Gawtar spasmed before it shattered, and Asad was sent flying back, mming into multiple trees and rocks before hitting the ground. Asad crawled to his feet and stared at Ferris in disbelief. "Y-you. .. t-that. .. H-how?!" Ferris diamond dted eye burned crimson and her lips curved upward as she approached Asad. Asad lost all demeanor and confidence he had. Before the demoness that was approaching him, he sumbed to terror and fear as he stammered, "D-demon. .. [Demonic Realm]." Ferris''s smile widened with her sharp teeth and fangs on disy. Asad looked over at Ferris, kneeling and trembling. "B-but. .. h-how? W-who. .. who are you?" Ferris licked her lips and drew Paradox upward. "Your Queen." With the faintest touch of Paradox against Asad''s head, all his innards trembled, and he burst into nothing but flesh and blood. His soul flew from his body, a dark, dense soul that would surely level up a Rank-B demon into an A. Ferris took it away just in case she needed it. "Well then." Ferris turned towards the dead trees and dense foliage. Her breasts jiggled as she tilted her hips. "When are you going to show yourself?" Behind the tall trees, Valij was hiding, wishing, hoping in all hopes that no one would notice her. But despair came too quick. Before she could even flee, Ferris was beside her. "Eavesdropping is not a very good hobby. But I like it nheless." Valij went to her knees. She, a proud and arrogant mercenary, didn''t care about honor and shame anymore. All she could think was to stay alive. She saw what Ferris did to the others and to that monster. She couldn''t possibly hope of defeating her. Valij wanted to flee while Ferris was fighting the monster, but she was afraid to drew their attention, and her legs went numb at the thought. At the same time, her mana was near empty. She couldn''t possibly run so far. "I-I. .. I promised that I wouldn''t tell anyone what happened. I swear." Valij didn''t dare look Ferris in the eyes. Against this being, Valij was like a pebble she could crash in her palms. The gap in their strength was enormous. "Hmm.. ." Ferris tapped a finger on her lips. "Only dead men don''t tell secrets." Valij gulped. Cold sweat soaked her clothes, and her body was about to cave in from the oppressing fear she felt. "But I tell you what," Ferris chuckled. Her dted pupils narrowed into diamond irises, "I''ll give you a chance. I''ll count to three. If you manage to run a hundred meters away from me, then I''ll let you live." Ferris''s lips curved so wide it almost reached her crescent eyes. "You can manage that much, right?" Valij body trembled. She was afraid she would cut her tongue if she spoke. "One. . ." But when Ferris started to count, Valij concentrated all her strength into her legs, and she shot from the ground and dashed towards the opposite direction. She could do it! A hundred meters wasn''t far. She could cross it in the blink of an eye. Valij gaze never strayed in her path. Then the trees and the bushes turned upside down. Before she knew it, multiple des shredded her legs, and she copsed on the ground. Valij almost fainted from the searing pain, but terror soon overpowered her pain as Ferris loomed above her with a twisted, perverted smile. "Two. . ." "W-wait. . ." Tears poured from Valij eyes and snot dripped from her nose as she crawled with all her might. "N-no. .. " Before she could utter another word, Valij world turned upside down, and thest thing she saw was her shredded flesh and guts. "Hm. .. a pure white soul. Not bad." Ferris stored away Valij soul. Though the souls wouldn''t even dint her current level, it could still level up lower rank demons. It might have its useter. "Now. . ." Ferris wings raffled and shot open. "Time to look for my little pup." Turn back! "Guk!" Ferris grabbed her head when that annoying voice rang in her head. Turn back now! Someone is approaching! "Heh. Do you think I care at this point?" Unless you want to face the Asura, I suggest not killing his grandson. ".. ." Ferris clicked her tongue, and within a second, she was back in her little human form. Not before long, hooves and neighs rattled the mountain, and majestic war horses and impressive cavalry unit, all with the crest of the Asura Empire, surrounded Ferris. Chapter 42: Stay by your Side Chapter 42: Stay by your Side The rain was getting heavier, and the fog brought in cold breeze and darkness. Ryu managed to carry Cecily inside the protective shelter of a cave despite being so weak himself. Cecily passed out due to emotional trauma while Ryu was still suffering from the poison of the Vamperic wolf. It was a good thing that Cecily''s body was absorbing mana to heal her wounds, though only little at a time. Slow it may be, Ryu was still thankful. Ryu didn''t want to close his eyes, for he was afraid that something terrible might happen to Cecily, who was unconscious beside him. But his world was slowly bing a kaleidoscope of agony. It was almost beyond what he could endure. Ryu grunted and took a deep breath, and refocused his thoughts. But he was sharply aware of the hot, stirring pain that radiated from his wounds, blurring his thoughts. Her skin was turning violet, and his veins bulged as if it was going to tear his flesh. The blood that flowed within was no longer red but green. Pulses of pain numb everything around the bite and w marks, leaving Ryu unable to feel anything. That might be good. With shallow breathes and sweat soaking his skin, he struggled to stay conscious. The paralyzing effect reverberated throughout his body, and he fought to remain upright as he lost feeling in his limbs and before his vision was swallowed by darkness. .. . .. . Ryu''s body spasmed. It was burning hotter and hotter as the runes in the pentagrams that revolved like a clock inside his body glowed. Soon the pentagram spans faster and faster, and Ryu''s violet skin returned to its normal color. The bulging veins ceased to expand, and it reverted to its usual size as his greenish blood turned red. Then the pentagrams slowed before they went back to their usual speed like nothing happened. .. . .. . The rain was never ceasing, and the pitter-patter brought a temporary respite in the ears. Ryu groaned and opened his eyes. The moment he realized where they were, he scrambled to his feet and searched for Cecily. Panic overcame Ryu''s mind when he didn''t find Cecily at the usual spot where he ced her. And just when he was about to search her, he found her sitting not far from him. Her legs were pressed together, and her hands and knees hid her face. Ryu opened his mouth but closed it again. Even without speaking, he felt was Cecily was feeling. It was not vivid as before but based on her posture and the shaking of her shoulders. Even he knew that she was crying. Do was dead. Murok was Dead. She was all alone now. With slow and careful movement, Ryu went beside her but offered nofort. He just sat near her, hoping his warmth could protect her against the cold. "You should have left me for dead. .. ," Cecily croaked, a fake smile on her tears stained face. "It was all my fault. .. I''m too weak. . ." If she was only stronger to resist that gravity. No. .. in the first ce. .. if only she weren''t overconfident. She thought she was powerful enough to face any opponents as long as Do and Murok were by her side. But now that both of them were gone. .. Cecily felt that the world would swallow her whole. Who will protect her from now? Who will guide her? Love her? Spoil her? Not her family and definitely not her sister and brother. The family that she ever had left her and now. .. she didn''t know what to do. In just thirty days, she lost everything she held dear, and she felt like proving herself as the best in the Byron''s royal family became useless. .. an impossible dream. She was weak. .. too weak. "I. .. I will stay beside you," Ryu spoke softly. Slow and without an ounce of emotions on her face, Cecily looked Ryu in the eyes. "Heh. What can you do? A halfbreed that doesn''t even know how to manipte mana.?" "I. . ." Ryu shied away, aware of his weaknesses. "I-I''m strong and. .. agile. I''ll. .. I''ll protect you with my life. I''ll. .. take blows for you. .. I''ll shield you from everyone who wants to harm you. .. I''ll. .. I''ll always take your side. .. and stand by you." ".. ." Cecily brows furrowed, but her chin quivered. She wanted to scream and be angry. But in her weakest moment. .. It was exactly what she wanted to hear, what she needed. Cecily couldn''t suppress her tears, and she wept behind her arms and knees. Ryu didn''t speak, nor did he do something. He just stayed with her until Cecily could no longer shed a drop of tear. .. . .. . Rumble! Rumble! "We have to. .. meet with the others," Ryu said when Cecily stop crying. They were still not safe, and Ryu was worried that the cold would get to Cecily in her enfeebled condition. Not to mention that there was still that monster above that they have to defeat. Ryu wondered if Ferris already took care of it since it had gotten a lot quieter. Cecily didn''t respond, and Ryu wanted to shake her shoulder when his ears perked stomping sounds followed by faint gallops and neighs. "Cecily!" Chapter 43: Something’s changed Chapter 43: Something¡¯s changed "Cecily!" A rumble vibrated in Ryu''s chest as the voice was unfamiliar to him. But apparently, Cecily jutted out from the confines of her arms, and color went back to her face somehow. "Lucian?" Cecily murmured in disbelief. Ryu shot to his feet when torches illuminated the cave and what came next were soldiers in Azure armors, led by a young man with orange hair and an overconfident stride. Ryu was about to attack when Cecily flung into the man''s arms. "Lucian!" "Cecily!" Lucian hugged Cecily in a tight embrace and brushed her long wavy hair. "I''m d that you''re safe." "Lucian. .. Murok and Do. .. they. . ." Cecily didn''t want to be weak, especially not in front of the soldiers and her childhood friend, but right now. .. she was too emotional. "I''m sorry I came toote. .. ," Lucian whispered, "You''re safe now. You have nothing to worry about." Something ominous and dark was gripping Ryu from within, and if he didn''t separate Cecily from Lucky or whatever his name was, his inner beast would rip him to shreds. "Don''t." Before Ryu could tear Lucian away, a calm hand grabbed his, and like magic, the beast inside him went asleep. "Ferris." Ryu was never this d to finally met Ferris again that he scooped her up and rubbed his head against her burnt, stinking t chest. "You''re okay!" Ferris wanted to roll her eyes but decided to pat Ryu''s head instead. "Yeah. I''m d you''re okay too." Ryu put Ferris down, and with eager gaze, he looked at the men inside the cave. His nostrils erge, finding Dorian''s and Valij''s scent. "How about Dorian. .. and the others?" Ferris blinked. She was caught off guard at the sudden question. Since when did Ryu take a liking to them? "They. . ." Ferris looked away, "didn''t make it." ".. . What?" Ferris was more shocked to find that Ryu was shocked. Did he really like that two-faced human? Ryu didn''t know what he was feeling right now. It felt like he was going to puke. His head was spinning, and his heart was constricting so bad. "Dorian''s.. . dead?" What Dorian said kept reying in Ryu''s mind, and he felt a sudden hollow in his stomach. Ferris caught the slight change in Ryu''s expression. She didn''t know if it was a good thing that he didn''t realize Dorian''s true nature or not. But for now. .. it was better to stay quiet about it. "What about. .. Valij?" Ryu asked after some time when his emotion stabilized a little. "I saw you there. .. when we''re falling in the cliff. Valij. .. was there too." Ferris''s heart thumped in her throat, but her inner demon was rampaging in curiosity as to why Ryu was concerned with Valij. Ferris looked on the ground. "The monster''s too strong. .. She didn''t make it." Ryu wouldn''t understand if she told him that it was her inner demon. That she was having a hard time controlling it once she released its true form. ".. ." Ryu was sure that Ferris was lying to him. It was apparent from the way her fists were clenching and how her eyes wouldn''t meet his. "You could have. .. save her. .. You''re strong." Ryu knew that much. But what he didn''t realize was that his voice turned using. "Why would I do that?" Ferris snapped. Ryu bit his lip, and his chin crumpled. "Because. .. because it''s the right thing. They were. .. Cecily''s people." ".. ." Right thing? Ferris didn''t know when did Ryu think that saving someone was the right thing. Did he associate too much with Dorian and the others? No. something must have happened between him and Valij for him to be attached with her. Ferris innards shook, and her dted eyes captured Ryu''s amber ones. "What happen between you two?" Ryu was ovee with fear, but he shook his head and growled. "She saved me. .. I owe her." Ferris calmed a bit, and her dted eyes narrowed into a slit. "So what? I don''t owe her anything." Ferris folded her arms and looked to the other side. Ryu frowned but didn''t say anything more. He swallowed a snarl that came close to escaping his mouth and decided to ignore Ferris. Eventually, everyone got out of the cave, and Lucian asked, "Are they your servants?" Cecily shot Ryu and Ferris a tired look before she nodded. "Yes." That was the most lethargic response Ferris ever saw on Cecily. But just now. .. there was something in her eyes when he gazed at Ryu. Something was missing. .. The hate. .. the anger. .. it wasn''t there anymore. Was it brought about the death of Murok? Did her grief ovee her feelings of hate? Ferris looked over at Ryu and found that his attention never left Cecily when they went out of the cave. His expression was soft, like it was about to melt. Something. .. something changed. .. She could feel it. Chapter 44: It’s Gone! Chapter 44: It¡¯s Gone! The moment Ryu, Cecily, and Ferris were in the safety of the Kingdom of Byron, they were brought into the pce. It happened so fast as they traversed the Mountain of the Dead and the forests, and towns beyond without stopping and reached the Byron Kingdom in just three days. These three days flew like they never happened. Meanwhile, Lucian hurried into the Azura Empire because of an important summoned from the Emperor. It was already considered a miracle that Lucian personally came to Cecily''s rescue. He was an only child since the Azura Royal family could only produce one heir. So it was no wonder that he was well protected and groomed. Inside the Byron Pce, Cecily wasn''t even given a minute''s rest when she was summoned to the throne room to report what happened while Ryu and Ferris were left alone in a servant room. Since the time in the cave, Ryu and Ferris haven''t spoken to each other. Ryu was still bathed in blood. There were ws, and bites all over his skin, and Ferris was getting annoyed by his state. Ryu was sitting on a chair, face prompt with his hand and chin jutting out, looking annoyed as well. So stubborn! Ferris mmed her hands on the table. "At least go take a bath! You stink!" With a flick of her hand, Ryu was enveloped in ck dust, and all his wounds departed without a trace. But even so, he refused to look at Ferris and grumbled, "I don''t need your help. . ." An angry vein bulged in Ferris''s head, and she squirted a ball of water onto Ryu''s face. "How long are you going to mope about it?!" Ryu snarled eyes drew to slits. He jumped and wrestled Ferris on the ground. He pinned her beneath him and shook off the water from his face. "You''re asking for it!" Ryu was about to chomped Ferris in a yful bite when Ferris''s scarlet eyes rounded, and using her little strength, she reversed their position. "Ryu, it''s gone!" Ferris controlled her voice not to scream in shock. Ryu red at Ferris. If this was her attempt to say sorry then. .. "Your seal. .. it''s gone from your forehead." Ferris''s voice faded as she examined Ryu''s head. The seal was concealed with his fringe before, but now that his hair was wet and got stuck to the side, his forehead was wide open to view. "What happened?" Ryu didn''t believe Ferris at first, but at the seriousness of her voice, he asked, "Seal?" Ryu didn''t care about it since it was no use to him. But to Ferris. .. she grew excited. This meant that if Cecily died, Ryu would be spared! Ferris''s fangs stretched from her gums, and her eyes dted. She restrained the demon inside her and got up from straddling Ryu. She paced back and forth, thinking what might have caused the seal to disappear. Did it have something to do with the death of Murok? That''s possible since all spells that used mana didn''t work on Ryu except healing spells. Then could it be that Murok kept losing his mana because he kept activating it on Ryu without knowing it? That could be the reason. Anyway. .. Ferris turned to look at Ryu, who was still on the floor, examining his forehead. This had be troublesome. If Cecily knew that Murok''s constant mana depletion was Ryu'' fault. .. Ferris shook her head. More importantly, Ryu couldn''t enter and explore towns without the seal. Then. .. there was one thing left to do. "Oghf," Ryu grunted when Ferris hopped onto his stomach once more. "Hold still. I''m going to itch that seal back in your head," Ferris said. "Is that. .. " "It''s necessary," Ferris put the words for Ryu, "and don''t ever tell anyone that your seal disappeared. Got it?" Ryu frowned but with Ferris res, he nodded his head. At least, Ferris didn''t do anything to endanger his life so far. "This will sting a little." A burst of dark me erupted in Ferris''s hand, and with precise stroke, she itched the seal on Ryu''s'' forehead, Ryu''s eyelids twitched. It was a burning pain, but it wasn''t that painful. It was like being stitched with a fine needle sprinkled with spices. "There." Ferris wiped the invincible sweat on her head. "I''d say its looks like the original." Ryu skimmed his forehead with the pad of his fingers. There were bumps and carvings, but he didn''t mind. The important thing was. .. he had to get this out of his chest. Ryu grabbed Ferris and reversed their position again. "Why did. .. Dorian and Valij die?" he had to ask or else. .. he''d always have a grievance with Ferris. And he didn''t like that. He''d like for them to talk like before with no unnecessary emotional baggage. Ferris looked at Ryu''s eyes. He found desperation in those amber poles. His face was seeking answers as well. She sighed and said with a defeated tone, "She saw my demon form, so I had to kill her." Ryu was silent for a moment before he asked again. This time with an expression of a little boy who was lost. "Did. .. Dorian also saw your demon form?" Ferris shut her eyes close. Why was it so hard to lie to him? It was all the demoness''s fault. Instead of answering, Ferris leaned closer and dinted her forehead against Ryu''s. "It''s better if I showed you what happened." Before Ryu could react, he was transported in Ferris memories. It''s like shes of what happened in the Mountain of the Dead. Like a screen before his eyes as he saw how Dorian was about to sacrifice Ferris to escape and how Valij was killed just because she saw her demon form. When the shback was over, Ryu was sweating and panting while Ferris looked at him with a nk face. Ryu got up without a word and wiped his sweaty face with his tattered clothes. .. . .. . Silence descended. Hard and thick. When Ryu turned his back at her, Ferris''s eyes watered. "I. .. I probably would have done the same. .. ," Ryu said after a moment. Tears broke from Ferris''s eyes, and she hugged Ryu''s back with her tiny hands. "Does this mean you forgive me?" Ryu covered his mouth with his clothes and mumbled, "It''s not mine to forgive. .. but I understand why you. .. did it." It was like energy was bursting in Ferris''s veins, and she hugged Ryu even tighter. "Then that''s good enough!" Ryu was still upset about Valij, but between her and Ferris, he''d chose Ferris. He just wanted to know why Ferris killed her. And about Dorian. .. Ryu sighed. It was a pity. .. he was beginning to like him. "By the way. . ." Ferris pinched Ryu''s side, and Ryu burst outughing. "S-stop!" Ryu scrambled to get away from Ferris''s hold, but the little human girl had more strength than he expected. "What happened between you and that Valij girl, huh?" "N-nothing." "Lies! You wouldn''t be this upset if nothing happened." Ferris pinched the side of Ryu''s'' rib, and he jolted from the onught of tickles. "I. .. ahahaha! Told you! Ahahaha. She saved my life!" "Hmm." Ferris released Ryu, and thetter breathe a sigh of relief. But then, Ryu felt a tingle near his torso and found that Ferris bit him. Ryu blinked. He was about to brush her off when a euphoric feeling swept over him. It was the same feeling when she touched his cock. Ferris''s eye dted as she searched for Ryu''s memories. It was an inherited ability used to see the past through their blood. She had used it before on Ryu to know about the pentagrams and his origins but was repelled by the runes inside his body. But if it just happened a few days back, it was okay. Ferris''s eyes rounded, and she looked at Ryu in astonishment. "Those bite marks are from a Vamperic Wolf?!" Ryu was still in a dazed. Face flush and a drop of saliva hang on his lips. Ferris looked at the runes on the pentagram on Ryu''s body. Noting was different. She saw that he overcame the lethal poison all by himself when he was alone with Cecily. But that was impossible. If Ryu knew how to manipte mana, then she wouldn''t be shocked but. . . She couldn''t be sure, but. .. did Ryu developed immunity to the poison? Else why was he alive after those multiple bite marks from the Vamperic Wolf. She''d test her theory if she had the time. But for now,. .. Ferris shook Ryu''s shoulder. "Ryu, do you want toe with me? let''s get it out of here and have a life outside of the Kingdom!" They could do that now that Ryu was no longer Cecily''s servant! She could just break her seal. She hadn''t tried it, but with herbined force, she''s confident that she could break it. Ryu blinked. He looked at Ferris''s eager eyes. He knew she was serious. He didn''t understand why he couldn''t look much longer at the hope brimming in her eyes. "I. .. can''t leave Cecily." He promised to be by her side. ".. ." ".. ." Ferris bit her lip, and her chin crumpled. She then forced a smile and got up. "Fine!" Ferris controlled her shaking voice as she turned towards the bathroom. "Anyway, since we''re given this free day, we might as well explore this Kingdom!" "Ferris." Ferris stopped but didn''t look at Ryu. "I like Cecily. .. and I also like you. .. But if you wanted to go. .. I won''t stop you." A bitter smile crossed Ferris''s face. "I know." She then went into the bathroom with dted crimson eyes. But make no mistake. If Cecily still pushed your execution, as she said before, I''ll burn this Kingdom atop her corpse. Chapter 45: Kingdom of Byron Chapter 45: Kingdom of Byron (pic) "Affinity?" Ryu asked as he and Ferris went out of the pce to explore the town. Ferris nodded. "My demon''s affinity is demonic, death (rot), shadows while my human form''s affinity is water. Though I could summon my demon power in my human form, it''s limited since this little body couldn''t handle it." Ferris counted in one hand as she enumerated the elements, "The basics are fire, water, earth, and air. The rare ones are lighting, ice, light, and divine. Healers are most precious cause they''re the only ones who could use light and divine magic." "Ha. . ." Ryu looked left and right. "What about. .. me?" he asked, but his focus was on the people who passed. Thedies were wearing gowns and frilly dresses while the men were in vests andplete coats. (Pic) "I don''t know since you couldn''t manipte mana." Ryu pulled Ferris along until they reached the town proper, and Ryu''s eyes shone when he saw the tiled roofs and concrete walls forming gigantic buildings. The alleys and roads were wide, made out of cobble walks flunked by shops and buildings on each side. Ryu ran in the direction of a restaurant and stered his palms against its floor-to-ceiling ss. His nose red, and he inhaled all the aroma he could. "We can''t go in there without Cecily. For now, let''s go in the bazaar," said Ferris and dragged Ryu by his hand. "Oh! What''s that?!" Ryu pointed at the stalls lining the za. There were so many kiosks and merchant wagons. There were people haggling, chatting, arguing. Some were showing their items, and some were checking the stalls. "That''s a bazaar. You can find all sorts of things!" Instead of dragging Ryu, Ferris was swept once more at his curiosity. The first stop that Ryu check were the food stalls. He grabbed a lump of delicious meat impaled on a steak. Its aroma was abination of spices and herbs, and its juices were dripping on the twig. Ryu gobbled it all, and he gasped when the meat melted in his mouth. "It''s called a skewer. It''s abination of meat of wild beasts marinated in spices and herbs," Ferris said as she paid for Ryu''s food. The people in the Kingdom were used to servants like them roaming around. And since they were not allowed inside shops and buildings without their masters, they were usually congregated in the bazaar. Ryu slurped the tasty oils in his mouth as he watched Goblins carrying barrels towards an ale shop. There were even Dwarves that reached half his waist with square jaws full of beard who was forging nearby. Some Elves were selling items not far, and a girl with fairy wings was selling herbs and potions near from where they stood. An older woman with a hippo face with long ppy ears decorated with dangling earing was grinding dust from deferent stones. A youngd with a face of a lizard and a crocodile body was standing near a stall selling sprites in a jar. Gnome, Fairies, little Trolls, and Pixies trapped in a faked forest inside a bottle. There were different races, and something was tugging in Ryu''s heart. If only the world could be this way without those seals on their skin. Devoid of thoughts, Ryu skimmed his fake seal on his forehead. It was the only thing connecting those foreign races to him. "Come on. Let''s go in the weapon and armor stalls," Ferris said and led Ryu towards the shop with a dwarf forging at the back. A bulky man greeted them, full of muscles and beard. He looked like a dwarf with his big t nose and square face, but much taller. He was human for sure from the way he spoke and how he raised a brow at Ryu and Ferris. "You want something?" "Do you have gauntlets?" Ferris asked and looked at the weapons and armors on the stall. It couldn''t bepared with the quality in the shops, but Ferris just wanted to know if Ryu could held weapons. "Wait a minute." The man gave them a t look before he went into the stall. He then came back and brought with him two pairs of gauntlets. "This is the only avable we have." (Leather Gauntlet) (Heavy Gauntlet) Ferris inspected the gauntlets while Ryu was busily poking around the stall. "Leave him," Ferris said at the bulky man when he red at Ryu, "I''ll pay whatever he breaks." The man shut his mouth and grinned. "Does your master knew you''re here?" Did he imply that they stole the money? Ferris ignored the man and showed Ryu the heavy gauntlet. "Try this one." When Ryu wore the gauntlet, all he felt was. .. itchy. "I don''t like it." Ferris sighed. "I thought so. It doesn''t have special properties too." The man frowned. "It''s top quality adamantine ore. It''s sturdy and could break even boulder with a single punch." Ryu could already break boulder with his bare hands. "Never mind. Let''s go to the apothecary stalls next." Ferris returned the gauntlet and pulled Ryu away. "I guess the stall here only sells low-level weapons and armors," Ferris mumbled and bit her thumb. "Like I thought. If you want the best, you had to find the materials yourself and have a skilled cksmith do it." "I can fight. .. without it," Ryu said. "It''ll just. .. gets in the way." Ferris rolled her eyes. "You''re immune to all mana attacks, yes. And that makes you strong. But also, you can''t manipte mana, and that makes you weak. It would be best if you had a weapon imbued with elemental properties. If you''re facing another undead, what will happen to you then?" Ryu didn''t think of that and poked Ferris''s head. "There are.. . weapons like that?" Ferris nodded. "Yeah. Some weapons are imbued with elements that you could use. Even without mana, this weapon could burn your enemies like those imbued with fire. But sadly, rare weapons like that are either sold in shops at ten gold bars. Or you have to find the materials yourself and have a skilled cksmith forge it for you." "I. .. see." Ryu scratched his nose. There were still so many things that he didn''t know. He curled his fingers inside his palms. Maybe a weapon was not a bad idea. "Hi! Wee!" Ryu and Ferris''s next stop was the Apothecary led by a servant girl with fairy wings. She was half-human and half-sprite from the looks of it. "Please, chose whatever you fancy. We have all sorts of herbs and potions avable as well as spell and skill scrolls!" Ryu tilted his head. "Spell and Skill scrolls?" Chapter 46: Experiments Chapter 46: Experiments Ryu tilted his head. "Spell and Skill scrolls?" Ferris looked at the items as she exined, "There are multiple ways to acquire skills and spells in this world. One, a master teaches it to you. Two thru inherited knowledge, but only high-ranking beings have that ability. And three. . ." Ferris faced Ryu with a beige parchment scroll in her hands. "The popr method is thru scrolls, and it''s the easiest, but also the most expensive." "But, of course, you have to bepatible with the skill and spell, or it won''t work on you. Most scrolls contained basic attack and spell. For the high level ones you have to have high-level proficiency in magic, martial arts, and a good amount of mana or the scroll won''t even unfold before you. And usually, those are rare and aren''t sold in these stalls." Ferris skimmed his chin. "Maybe they''re avable in the shops?" Ferris then faced Ryu and warned, "But always remember that some spells and skills have the same effect, albeit they have different names. Like the skill [Blink] and [Quick Steps], which allows you to move in one location within a specific distance. And then there are also [Fireballs] and [Fire Arrows] but still have the same ability to cast low-level fire from your hands. So you better read the scrolls description carefully, or you just wait precious time and money." Ferris picked a bunch of items and then paid two hundred gold coins to the beaming half-fairy girl. Gold, she had lots of it, and where she acquired it was her little secret. "Thank you for your patronage!" Ferris led Ryu into a bench and shoved the two scrolls in his hand. "Since you can''t use mana, I bought you two skill scrolls which I think arepatible with your fighting style. Go on. Open it, and let''s see if it works." Pentagrams appeared in Ferris''s eager eye that made Ryu doubtful of her intention. But since he was also curious, he used a scroll. The scroll flew in the air and glowed in shining white light before it unfolded and burst. Its particles enveloped Ryu, then there was tremendous knowledge that was imprinted in his mind. Words and actions that stayed permanent and became one with him. [Beast Swipe] "Beast Swipe," Ferris said, beaming that the pentagrams inside Ryu''s body didn''t repel the skill. "Though it''s a basic attack, it''s handy to know more skills." Ryu wanted to try it out, but he was afraid that he''d be in trouble if people got hurt. Maybe he''d try itter when no one was around. "Go on. Try the next one," Ferris urged. Ryu opened thest scroll, and it glowed and burst like the other before it and its contents became one with him. [Roar] "[Roar], it''s pretty much like what you do when you''re angry and annoyed. Or if you want to break any low level constricting skills and spells. But this time, it also instill fear and a paralyzing effect for three seconds." Ferris exined. Then her face crumpled. "They''re both low-level basic attacks, though. As I thought, if we want rare items, we need to enter the noble''s shop." Ryu didn''t register what Ferris said as he was busy flexing his arms and vocal cords, mimicking the newly acquired skills in his mind. Ferris looked over her surroundings and spotted and nobledy reading a book not far from them. "Hm. .. She''ll have to do. As long as a human apany us, it shouldn''t be a problem." "I only hope that she''s alone," Ferris murmured under her breathe. Her shadows then crept towards the woman without anyone noticing, and it became one with the woman''s shadows. The woman''s eyes turned dull as she closed her book and looked at Ryu and Ferris''s way. "Perfect." Ferris smiled in glee. It was a good thing that the woman was just a low-level mage. She could control her mind without problem. [Shadow Puppet] wouldn''t work against high level beings and mercenaries that were ss-A and above. "Okay, first things first." Ferris pulled a pungent colored potion and shoved it on Ryu. "Drink this, please." Ryu drew back. He smelled poison on the bottle, and he shook his head upon the sight of different unknown matters submerge and floating inside the ss container. "Come on." Ferris drew closer. Her smile was unsettling. "It''s just going to be a little experiment. I promise it won''t hurt." Ryu grumbled. "I don''t. .. " "I''ll give you this." Ferris shed another item she had saved. "This is a (Pelka jerky)." It''s a rare item, and it''s the most delicious food for beasts. Hunters and mercenaries used it for hunting beasts or when they go hunting for pets. Pelka''s were small pink bores whose meat made the entire realms go into war. They were exaggerating, but many already shed blood to acquire their flesh. They were swift and brutal to find. That''s what made it rare. Apparently, its aroma and taste made beasts salivate, and based on Ryu''s pooling saliva. It was s effective. Without a second thought, Ryu grabbed the poison bottle and drank its content dry. He then snatched the Pelka jerky and feast on it. He didn''t even register the poison. His mind was focus on the meat. It was a whole new vor! It''s tender with just the right amount of chewiness that left his mouth salivating for more. It had this intoxicating effect that stimted his hunger. Its vor and its texture brought a sense of fulfillment that no one nor anything could give. Ryu sighed in blessed. Ferris grabbed her (Ryu''s Journal) and jutted everything that happened. Her earlier deduction was correct. Ryu had somehow be immune to poison. But the pentagrams remained the same. Ferris thought of giving Ryu lethal doses in the future just to make sure that he was immune to all kinds of poison. The poison bottle was just a regr poison. There were many more deadly poisons out there. She could just heal him if he ever was in danger. "Yosh." Ferris hid her journal and waved at the woman. The woman walked towards them with a smile on her face and her nk eyes turned crescent. "What''s your name?" Ferris asked. Not that she was nning to remember. "Emely Rodes, mydy." "Good. Emely, are you alone? Emily shook her head. "I''m with my husband, but he was meeting some of his friends. We''re from the neighboring town and are here for the auction tonight." Auction? Ferris thought to check it outter. Usually, these auctions have rare items. "Good. can you show us around the shops?" Emily smiled. A hallow smile that didn''t reach her eyes. "dly." Chapter 47: The Noble’s Shops Chapter 47: The Noble¡¯s Shops [Mr. Smithy Weapon and Armor Shop] It was the biggest and popr weapon shop in the mortal realm, upying two floors. Its main branch was located in the Empire, and If you have the right connections, you could ess its basement, where they kept their rarest items. "Wee," greeted an old man with a goatee. If he was hiding his displeasure upon seeing halfbreeds then he did a good job. There was nothing on his face except a professional smile. "How can I help you?" "I want to get everything that these servants wanted," Emily said with a smile. The old man nodded without question. It was not his ce to question. As long as the halfbreeds were apanied by a human and the dispelling gate didn''t react, he had nothing to worry about. "Of course, mydy," the man bowed slightly, and his focus flickered at Ryu and Ferris. "Could you show me the weapons you have for bare-handed fighters," Ferris said to the point. "Of course, just give me a moment." The old man left the counter and went into a backdoor. There were weapons and armors disyed on the shelves and hanging on the wall. But Ferris wasn''t interested in those lower-level weapons. Meanwhile, Ryu was busy taking in his surroundings. There were others in the store, and there were multiple counters that serve each customer. There was a pair that caught his attention. A little girl and a man that Ryu was sure was a beast based on its wolf-like ears and tail. But his face and body were human. "That''s a purebred Rank-A beast from the Beast Realm," Ferris said, "they were often mistaken as halfbreeds, but you can tell, right." The purebred looked at Ryu, its eyes turning to slits. "It''s strong," Ferris said. Ryu nodded. Something about that guy was stirring his inner beast. Like it was challenging him, and he didn''t like it. A low growl made way in his throat. "Don''t fight in here," Ferris warned and plopped another jerky towards Ryu. In an instant, Ryu turned docile, and he caught the jerky with his mouth and gnawed on it. If he had a tail, it would be waging about now. "Rank-A beast and higher can transform into human form. All races have human characteristics," exined Ferris. "The little girl must be its owner, or he could be a family servant," Ferris said and dismissed the two from her mind. The servant seal could be transferred from one descendant to another as long as they were the original master''s blood-rted rtives. Not for long, the old man returned with weapons in hand and showed it to Ferris. Ferris inspected the weapons. "ws, knuckles, bracers. . ." She then eyed the old man. "Is this all you have?" "Well, not many fought with their bare hands, so weapons in that category are hard toe by." Ferris sighed. It was just standard weapons without any elemental attribute. It was fancy-looking and made from different quality ores, but besides that, it was garbage. "How about your skill and spell scrolls?" asked Ferris. "All are sold out at the moment." "Egh. . ." Ferris''s expression fell. She should have expected this. Most of the mid and high-tier scrolls were like ice in this heat. Having lost hope with the shops, Ferris contended buying a traveler''s ring for Ryu before releasing Emily. It wouldn''t do them any good to prolong her control over her. She and Ryu then went back to the servant''s quarter in the pce. "It''s not like. .. I need a weapon now. .. I''m fast and strong. .. and. . ." Ryu was appeasing Ferris''s bad mood. But the little girl was ignoring his good intentions. He didn''t care, though. He was busy inspecting his new traveler''s ring. Since he didn''t have any item yet, he settled for a rock just to test it. His attention was upied by the appearing and disappearing rock in his hand for fifteen minutes straight. Ferris pulled a violet chalk in her traveler''s ring and drew a pentagram on the floor. When she finished, she wiped her non-existent sweat and faced Ryu in all smiles. "This should alert us in case someone approached this room," Ferris said, and her smile stretched to the maximum when Ryu just tilted his head at her. "Since this shitty Kingdom won''t offer us anything good. .. it''s time to use my trump card." Ryu''s head skewed to the side. Ferris''s chest jutted out, and her nose was longer than usual, but her expression was unpleasant. "If you want toe with me, you have to promise that you won''t tell anyone where we went and what happened. Okay?" Who would Ryu tell? Cecily appeared in his head, but he doubted that Cecily was interested in his affairs. He nodded. "Good. Now. . ." Ferris flicked her fingers, and a small crystal ball flew in her hand. There was hazy greyish smoke dancing inside the crystal that mesmerized anyone who saw it. Ferris clenched her fingers, and the crystal shattered to bits. The hazy smoke rose in the air and shrouded the room in perpetual darkness. Ryu watched all of this happen in amazement, and when the fog cleared, they were no longer inside their room but in someone else''s. A crow was eyeing them from the wooden rafters. Herbs, carcasses, and all sorts of nts hanged on the ceilings. There were items and fruits on the table and scattered potions on the wooden shelves with unidentified creatures floating in each jar. (Pic) A woman, monochrome, like she was nothing but ck and white, sat at the corner. In front of her was a crystal orb on top of a table. (Pic) She smiled a bemused smile that made Ryu shivered. And when she spoke, her voice was low, slow, and slurring. "Wee to Madam Faux''s Oriculum." Chapter 48: Madam Faux’s Oriculum Chapter 48: Madam Faux¡¯s Oriculum "It''s good to see you again, Ferris." "Yeah. It''s been years. Though I can''t say the same to you, Faux," Ferris grumbled. Faux chuckled. "Who''s the pup?" "This is Ryu. Ryu, this is Faux. She''s an oracle and a witch, so be careful." An oracle? Ryu mussed. Ferris told him about them. They could see a person''s past and future. But also a witch? A being that used hexes and concoct potions? Ryu looked at Faux, and thetter just smiled at him. for some odd reason, she made him ufortable. Like she would skin him alive. "I presume that you being here had to do with him?" Faux questioned. Not really interested in the answer. As long as she was paid, she didn''t care about trivial matters. Ferris nodded. "I brought him here ''cause I want you to look at his past for me." Faux''s fingers cradled her chin, nails painted in ck. "Sure. You know the drill." Ferris threw a rare golden four leaf clover in Faux''s way. It was just a clover bloomed gold in rare asions. It was useless for Ferris but Faux used it lots for her potions. Faux caught the item and inspected it before her smile widened. "Bring him here," she said. Ferris led Ryu to sit on the opposite chair as Faux, but thetter shook his head. "Don''t worry. . ." Faux licked her ck lips, "I don t bite." Ryu''s beast whimpered. He didn''t know why he felt danger towards the monochromaticdy. "Don''t worry. Faux is like that, but she wouldn''t harm her customers," Ferris assured. "Except if they''re being difficult," Faux added, and Ryu sat without a word. "Now, I want you to ce your hands on the orbs." Ryu followed what Faux instructed, and when she ced her hands on top of his, his spine twinge and every nerve in his body froze from the chilling cold of her skin. "Now. Rx." At the soothing of her voice, Ryu''s muscles sagged like she put a spell on him. His eyelids dropped, and the crystal glowed in haze. .. . .. . "Hm. . ." A tiny creased appeared on Faux''s forehead though her smile remained stered on her face. "What''s wrong?" Ferris asked, eager for answers. "What do you see?" "Hmm. .. interesting. . ." Faux looked at Ferris and smiled. "I see nothing." Ferris wanted to smack the silly grin from Faux''s lips. "What? Why?!" Faux gave an elegant half shrugged. "His past is locked that even I can''t ess it." Ferris mmed her fist on the table. "Can''t you do anything about it? You''re the infamous oracle in the entire realm. Even the angels came to you for help." Faux huffed augh. "Temper, my dear. It''s not good for the skin." "Faux!" "Rx." Faux waved a hand. "You know I can''t force open his past. It would deal a lot of damage to his memories." Ferris suppressed her inner demon when it threatened toe out. "But. .. ," Faux teased, enjoying every bit of Ferris''s agony. "I can ess his future if you want." ".. ." Ferris calmed herself and said, "Fine. Do that instead." She couldn''t say that she was disappointed since she somehow expected it. Those runes carved on the pentagrams in Ryu''s body were no joke. "Very well then." Faux eyes shone like marbles. Ryu was still in a dreamlike state as she said his future. "Thends are far, the sky is dark, and the ocean is wide. You are surrounded by nothing but the sea. Water everywhere and waves crashed everything." Faux opened her eyes and let go of Ryu''s hand. Ryu blinked and shook his head. What happened? Ryu wondered. "That''s it?" Ferris''s jaw dropped. "That''s it." Faux shrugged. "There''s nothing I can do. That''s all I saw." Ferris''s eyes dted and she snarled, "You can see in one cycle moon. That''s ny days into the future, and you''re saying that all you saw were waters?" Faux suppressed herugher. She always enjoyed teasing little Ferris. Her demon form, however, was not cute. "It just meant that the next ny days, you''d be traveling in water. I might take a couple of items against water elements if I were you," Faux said and put a finger on her lips. "That reminds me of the Mortal realms event. Maye you''ll participate in it?" Ferris sighed in exasperation, and Ryu still wondered what happened. Faux leaned closer at Ryu, and thetter back away, feeling ufortable with the way her dead eyes were staring at her. Her creepy smile was also terrifying. "So," Faux slurred, "anything else?" Ferris swallowed the series of disappointments and asked, "Do you have someone who can forge Ryu a weapon? Preferably a gauntlet with affinity in lighting?" "You''re preparing already. I like it." Faux opened her palms in Ferris''s way. "You''re in luck. I do know of someone. But you have to pay up first." Ferris gnashed her teeth. "What? Why? You''re not the one who''s going to make it." Faux closed one eye, lips puckering as she said in a coquettish voice, "Connecting you to this person is not cheap." Ferris was red in anger as she was about to burst while Ryu pretended that he was air. He didn''t want toe in between the fight of two crazy women. Another four leaf golden clover appeared on Ferris''s hand, but Faux stopped her, saying. "I need other ingredients this time, my dear." Ferris''s eyebrow twitched. "What do you need?" "Two Mermaids Tears in the Forgotten Lake. Four Moondrop Flowers in Merino Cemetery. Seven Banago Fruits of the Undying Tree and a Frozen Crystal Ore in Freezing Mountain. Bring me this, and I''ll introduce you to a master smithy." ".. ." Ferris gaped. "Are you nutz?! Those are like realms apart! How long do you think I''ll find those ingredients before my weapon is made?!" "We can always perform the Seal of Promise, and I''ll connect you to the smithy. Right here. Right now." The Seal of Promise was an official binding seal that you couldn''t escape. If you couldn''t fulfill the promise at the given agreed time. .. you''d either be a servant or your soul would shatter. Never to be reincarnated. "You. .. smelly drooling Orc." Ferris''s nose was exhaling smoke. Her innards were boiling. This was why she didn''t want toe here if she didn''t have a choice. Faux was a shrewd woman to the core. Faux giggled. "Most call me a poisonous, scheming witch. But I also don''t mind the Orc." Faux grinned when Ferris was about to explode in anger. "Tell you what. Since I''m feeling generous, I''ll give you a bonus. I''ll give you four Mermaid''s Water Breathing Potion and two Crystal Passes. One for the half breed." Ferris''s breath was rapid from inhaling and exhaling. She controlled herself and said with a grating tone. "These items are still rare." "Be d that these items are nonepoundable. They are basic ingredients. Though rare, they may be. Or else, you''ll need Lizzaforth''s help. And you know that old hag. Or better yet, see if that hag has the ingredients I need." "Lizzaforth is not in her tavern until the three moons are up! You know that lizard hates the heat." Faux shrugged. "You could always go to Oroborough. Maybe they have it there." "I hate that barman." "You hate everyone, Ferris." Faux eyed Ryu and licked her ck lips. "Well, maybe not everyone." Ferris grinded her teeth. Then she inhaled a mouthful of air. "How good is this smithy?" "He''s a master smithy in the Dwarven colony." Ferris held her gasp, and Ryu poked anything that his hand could touch. He was curious when they mentioned a dwarf, and he asked. "Is he. .. that good?" Both Ferris and Faux nodded. "Dwarves are master crafters of weapons and armors in the entire realms. But most of them retreated to their colony located inside the Elven Realm when the war ended fifty years ago. Finding a master smithy and a dwarf at that was impossible since they were protected inside the Elven barriers," exined Ferris. "So how are you. .. going to bring him here?" Ryu asked the obvious question at Faux. "Not bring." Faux winked, and Ryu shivered with goosebumps. "More like to introduce her to a master smithy which is already rare, considering that no one could enter realms with the barriers and all. It''s a good opportunity." Ryu''s brows were tightly knitted. "Then the weapon. . ." "I''ll personally deliver it to Ferris when it''s done," Faux said and added, "You don''t have to worry a thing, little pup." Ryu''s frown deepened. Ferris sighed in exhaustion. Faux, Lizzaforth, and Oroborough were both anomalies in this world. Even she didn''t know how they could travel between realms. And what''s more, they live in a space outside of Septverden''s map. Without a special pass, you couldn''t enter their shop. Ferris shed her palms with her nails and extended her bloody hand on Faux. "Let''s make that trade." ---- A/N Weekly Goals: #Top 50 PR or GR 5 - extra chapies Chapter 49: Rigulus, the Master Smithy Chapter 49: Rigulus, the Master Smithy "Yir Kav othok keovid? Tha''m busy," said a dwarf with goggles on top of his bald head. His nose upied half his hairy face and gold metal clips held his thick dirty gold braided beard. (Pic) Ryu frowned when he couldn''t understand the dwarf on the crystal orb. "Nice oz meet othok too, Rigulus." Faux''s eyelids fluttered, and she said, "If you don''t mind, I''d like to speak in Mortal tongue." "Yir?" Rigulus raised a brow. Then his gaze drew to Ferris and Ryu. He coughed and cleared his throat and said, "Wha'' do ye wants? I be busy." Ryu''s eyes sparkled when he finally understood the dwarf, and he tagged Ferris''s clothes and pointed the crystal ball. Ferris shrugged. "Everyone knew humannguage since they mostly waged war in Mortal soil. Most old human even knows how to speak the different tongue." Ryu wondered if there was a way that he would know all thenguage without studying it. Like a spell and skill scroll or an item or something. Faux chuckled and introduced, "This is Ferris, a half-demon, and this is Ryu, a half-beast. They want you to make a weapon for him." "Be that right?" Rigulus thick eyebrows almost covered his eyes when he frowned. "Wha'' kind o'' weapon?" His interest was piqued. Faux waved her hand at the crystal orb, urging Ferris to take the lead. "I''d like a weapon for him. He fights with his bare hands. Also, I want a lightning attribute imbued in the weapon." Rigulus kneaded the beard on his chin. "Garr. .. a pup who fights wit'' his fist. I like it. Come hered ''n show me yer hands." Ferris pushed Ryu in front of the crystal ball, and Ryu prompted his hands for Rigulus to see. "I see. .. I see. .. ye''ve got strong hands ''n the contour o'' yer bones suggest that yer can extend yer nails. The muscles in yer knuckles are a wee worn out. .. Shower me ores. . ." Rigulus thick bushy brows rose, showing his pair of brown eyes. "I say a gauntlet be perfect." "You''ll do it then?" Ferris said with suppressed eagerness. "Nyeh" Rigulus shrugged, "Depends if ye can get me the materials." "What do you need?" Ferris asked without a second longer. Rigulus hairy face went at rest, and his bushy brows covered his eyes. "I needs two Thundaga Ores, one Orihalcon Ore, four Mythril Ores, two Adamantite Ores, one Legion Steel, one Materia Silver, and a Queen Horns Mackarel." ".. ." ".. ." "Why so many?!" Ferris wanted to pluck Rigulus beard one by one if she could. Rigulus gave a half shrug. "I jus'' needs the Thundaga ''n Orihalcon ores. The rest be me payments." Ferris slowly closed her eyes, and Ryu stayed at least a meter from her. And when she shouted, Ryu and Faux covered their ears. "Ya'' stinkin'' ugly dwarf! Do you know how rare a Legion Steel is? It''spoundable! And what do you even need a Horn Mackarel? And a Queen at that?! They''re notmon in the Mortal Realm! In fact, it''s abundant in the Elven Realm! Why don''t you get it yourself?!" Rigulus poked his ear and flung the dirt from his finger. "No can do. Its chaos outside wit'' the elves invadin'' ournds. Those pale mongrels'' want us t'' submit t'' ''em ''cause we live in tharnd. But we be already here afore they even appeared." "Anyway, I''ve been eatin'' naught but beast meat. I wench those slimy creatures." Rigulus folded his hands. "That''s me final offer." "Grr. . ." Ferris gnashed her teeth. "Rigulus is a stubborn man. All dwarves are." Faux prompted her chin and smiled. "I''d say that it''s not a bad offer considering his position in the Dwarven colony. The weapon he''ll make is surely top-notch that no money could buy. Maybe it would even turn out to be an artifact." Ferris shot a shut-up re at Faux, and thetter zipped her lips, scrunching her eyes in a cutesy smile. Faux was just pulling her leg. For the weapon to be an artifact, either a soul was inhibiting it, or it had to withstand thousands of battles, umting auras nonstop. Grumbling and with a heavy heart, Ferris flung all the ores that Rigulus wanted on the table, which she umted for many years. "I''m missing Legion Steel and, of course, that stupid fish." Rigulus tiny eyes sparkled at the sight of so many raggedy ores. Then his thick brows hid his gaze. "That we''ll do. The rest we can negotiate through Seal o'' Promise. Faux can be me proxy." Ferris was about to cut her hand once more when Ryu stepped in front of her. "I''ll do it," he said. "Eh?" Ferris looked over at him. "You''ve already done so much for me. .. I want to. .. take some of your burden. . ." Ferris was dumbfounded for a moment. Then she blinked in rapid session, and her gaze dropped on the floor. Her heart was elerating for some reason. .. Faux leaned in and teased, "The pup is bing a man. Hmm. . .?" "Shut up." Ferris barked and coughed between her fist. "When can we have that weapon?" Rigulus counted, eyes and brows rose on the ceiling. "I''d say. .. within a week." Chapter 50: Shapeshifting Talisman Chapter 50: Shapeshifting Talisman "A summon tomorrow?" Ferris asked the maid who bared in their room after they took their dinner. The maid nodded, hiding her contempt behind a stoic face. "Yes. His Highness Drake Bryon, Princess Cecily''s father, would like to see you two tomorrow." "Hmm. . ." Ferris didn''t respond. She was busy fiddling with her thoughts, thinking how to enter the auction tonight. She couldn''t use high-level spells inside the Kingdom since she would be detected. The Kingdom has ced arrays to detect fluctuation in mana and magic. What''s more, there would be dispelling gate at every entrance of the auction house. Ferris bit her thumb while Ryu was still ying with his traveler''s ring. And the first items he had were two bottles of Mermaid Breathing Potions and a Crystal pass to Faux Oriculum." The maid''s eyelid twitched from being ignored, and without a word, she left with a disgruntled face and a loud bang of the door. The only way to safely enter the auction house was using an Appearance Changing Potion that not even a dispelling gate could detect. Ferris thought. But those potions were very rare to nonexistent, and there were only three shops where she could ess them. Ferris brought it up with Faux a moment ago, but the shrewd woman used all her potions. Brewing another like those would require seven days because of the potion''s scarce ingredients and cauldron time. Ferris sighed. "Where is Lizzaforth when you need that lizard," she grumbled. I guess I have no choice but see that stinky barman. Ferris mused to herself. She counted her passes left. She had four Crystal balls, two Lizard''s eyes, and two Oroborough Ale. These passes were hard toe by, and she didn''t know how those three handed them to the others. But they said that only a few in the entire realm have their passes. She''s one of the lucky ones. She got Faux pass when she sold a rare item on an older woman while she was gifted a Lizard eye when she freed a Greater Dinoboa identally. As for the Oroborough Ale, it just appeared behind her one time. All these passes were only given once. To continue patronage to these three shops, you need to either buy the pass or they gift them to you as a bonus for your purchase. Ferris popped the Oroborough Ale in her hand. The bottle was dark in color with engraved runes on its crystal ss. Its content was undiscernible, but the taste and smell were enough to send their soul to euphoria. Literally. "What''s that?" Ryu asked nostril erge to smell the sweet, enticing aroma of the Ale. "We''re going to somece I don''t like." In every pass, you could bring one person. But you couldn''t bring in the same person next to the same tavern. He either had to buy the pass if he wanted or try his luck to get a pass. Ferris drank half the content of the bottle before she handed the rest to Ryu. "Drink this. We''re going to Oroborough Tavern." Ryu knew of that name from Ferris and Faux''s exchange. "You don''t like. .. the barman." Ferris hupped, and a tipsy smile blossomed on her flush face. "Well. .. I don''t need to like ''em to do business with ''em." Ferris shoved the Ale on Ryu and forced its content onto his mouth. "Now dwink up!" Ryu''s eyes bulged when the soft thick taste of liquid slide into his throat burning his lungs and stomach before he slumped on the wooden floor with a silly smile on his face while liquid dripped from the side of his lip. "Heh." Ferris hupped. Her eyes rolled on her head, and she crashed on top of Ryu. Their souls left their bodies and were sucked in by the Ale bottle before it disappeared. .. . .. . Waking up, Ryu and Ferris found themselves in an isted space of nothing but fog and a lone solid wooden door just in front of their faces. Ryu took a whiff, but there was nothing. There was no smell nor sound, or vibration. Ferris opened the door, and she held Ryu''s hand and entered inside. It was currently empty, and only one being was beside a wooden bar counter, cleaning wine ss. Ferris''s eyelids twitched as she saw that familiar jokester of a demon. Dark purple skin. Long pointy nose. Sharp jagged teeth when it smiled that reach almost its monocle-covered eyes. However, Ryu only saw a beast with a reptile''s head and a human-like scaly body garbed in a bartending coat and vest. Its tail protruded from its back, tongue sliding from its lips as his sharp ws clean every crevice of the wine ss. "A beastman," Ryu mumbled. "No," Ferris countered. "Be careful. Don''t be deceived by its appearance. The barman''s appearance depended on who was looking at it." "Oh. . ." That''s. .. awesome. Ryu thought. Ferris walked towards the counter. The counter was tall for a kid her size that Ryu had to scoop her up and put her on the stool. "Ah. Ferris. d to see your alive. How''s the Demon Realm?" the barman said. Its voice was deep and light, but for Ryu, it was slithering with the barman''s tongue sticking out every second. "Didn''t make it. Still stuck in the Mortal Realm." Ferris drank the drink that the barman handed to her. "And this one is or your guest?" The barman gave Ryu a bottle containing juices of all sorts of fruits. "On the house." Ryu sniffed the bottle''s content. When he found lemon, berries, tangerines, and nothing lethal, he drank it in one gulp and licked his lips. It was refreshing and sweet! "Do you want more?" the barman asked. Ryu nodded like his head would fall off. The barman huffed augh and poured another Juice into Ryu''s bottle. Ferris tapped her hand on the table and said with a scowl, "Anyway, we''re pressed out of time, and we need any item that changes appearance for two hours. Do you have anything?" "Hmm. . ." The barman rubbed its pointy chin. "I do have an item with the same effect." "How much is it?" Ferris asked, and Ryu had to wonder why Ferris hated the ce and the barman. It was cozy enough, and the barman was kind enough to offer them free drinks. So far, Ryu liked Oroborough tavern and the barman. "I heard you defeated our failed experiment. We want its soul back that merges with the demon." ".. ." Ferris''s face darkened. "I thought so. They also have the pass and they bought that monster and Enchanted talisman from you." Comprehension dawned on Ryu and his head whipped in the barman''s direction. Did that mean that the monster in Corpse Mountain was purchased here? Then Dorian and the other''s death. . . A growl rumbled in Ryu''s throat, and Ferris ced a hand against his chest to stop him. The barman just grinned. "We provide our clients whatever they need to the best of our abilities. For the right price, of course. Whatever they do with it, it''s out of our hands." Ryu was wrong. This ce was a scam. Worse than the gutters. Ferris sighed. "Whatever. It''s not like I have any use of this soul." Ferris flicked her hand, and Asad''s soul appeared before them. The barmen inspected the soul, and his grin widened. "He still owes us for not upholding their contract." The barman ced the soul in a cage with another dark hazy soul, which Ferris deducted would be Eoi''s. "Do you also need another one for him?" the barman asked, eyes on Ryu. Here ites. Ferris thought and nodded. "It will cost him. . ." The barman''s sharp nails tapped each other. Ferris gulped. Ryu frowned. The barman grinned. ".. . his hair." ".. ." ".. . Huh?" The side of Ferris''s clothe slip from her shoulder. The barman arranged his monocles. "All we need is his hair. I''ll also give him an Oroborough Ale for free." Ferris couldn''t believe her ears. The stingy, scammer, capitalist, barman was just asking for Ryu''s hair in exchange for a rare item? Ferris was having none of it. "What''s the catch?" The barman chuckled. "We just want his hair. Nothing more." Ryu cut some of his fringes without a second thought and gave it to the barman. The barman carefully ced Ryu''s hair on a handkerchief and meticulously folded it, and hid it inside his breast pocket. "I''ll go and get you your items," the barman said in satisfaction as he tapped his breast pocket. "What are you going to do with his hair?" Ferris asked when the barman turned his back to enter a back door. The barman didn''t face Ferris as he said, "It''s no longer your business." And he disappeared behind the wooden door. Chapter 51: Auction 1 Chapter 51: Auction 1 Ryu felt like Ferris''s pace swept him. He was d to learn different things from her, but his mind could only take so much. And before he knew it, he was sitting inside the auction hall with the appearance of a fat woman with a mole on the side of her thick lips. "Stop that," Ferris said when Ryu was about to grope his breasts. "Its. .. ufortable," Ryu grumbled. It was huge and heavy, and it blocked his view. "Well, learn to deal with it. We''ll only be in this appearance for two hours'' tops." Ferris scratched her bald head underneath her feathery hat before she folded her arms. "At least you''re not, a midget old man with a bald head," Ferris muttered. Shapeshifting Talisma was random, and Ferris knew that the Barman purposely gave them the most ridiculous human form. They were a married couple in the neighboring town. And since they have identification papers, all came with the shapeshifting talisman, they quickly passed the entrance without a problem. There was a fee, though, and Ferris quickly solved that. Buzz Buzz Ryu hovered his eyes. The auction was like the colosseum but only fancy-looking with ceilings and golden chandeliers, cushioned seats and carpeted floors. There was a wooden stage in front, and a man was greeting all of them. They were also hanging balconies for the high ranking nobles shadowed by curtains. Ryu sighed. He wanted to rip his boobs as it got in the way of his view. They were seated in rows of chairs within elevated tforms, and he looked down on the stage. His enormous flesh blurred half the scene. A rumble threatened to escape his lips, and before his patience ran out, Ferris shoved a weird-looking ss at him. Its round spectacles were protruding from its metal frame like it could be adjusted with a spin. "Put it on before you cause amotion." Ryu put the sses on. "Oh." He was amazed when the stage became clear, like he was right in front of it. And the most fantastic thing, his breasts disappeared from his sight! "It''s a viewing sses. I thought it mighte in handy." Ferris yawned and prompted her hand on her hairy knuckles. "I hope this auction had something to offer from all this trouble." Ryu couldn''t agree more. He was worried about Cecily because he hadn''t seen her all day. But since she was inside the pce, she was at least safe. Besides, he would see her tomorrow. She must still be grieving. Ryu thought. His beast whimpered, but his human side was focus on the auction. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Our first action for today!" Ryu''s ears perked, and his spine straightened in excitement. He hadn''t been in an audience seat, and he didn''t know what to expect. Eyes shining, he feasted his gaze on a trolley pushed by a beautiful woman in a maid''s uniform. "For hunters out there or aspiring hunters, this is your chance to acquire a pet! Apanion! Hailing in thend of the beasts, I present to you. . ." The auctioneer raised the tension as he snatched the white sheet on the trolley, and it revealed a violet egg with wings on its side protected by a transparent ss. "An egg of a hunting griffon!" The crowd murmured, and the bidding started at two gold bars. Ryu poked Ferin''s bald head and asked, "If barriers protect the realms. .. how did they acquire it from the Beast realm?" "A good question. There can only be three reasons. One, the beastfolks smuggled their own, which is unlikely. Two, there are stuck foreign races in the Beast realm who are somehow able to smuggled beasts, or they probably use special items to teleport those beasts out from the Beast realm." Ryu soaked in the information for a moment and asked, "What''s the third reason?" Ferris''s lips widened at the side in a half-smirk. "The barriers are dwindling, and somehow other races could enter the Beast realm." Ryu thought it was possible. Maybe Asad and Eoi came into the Mortal realm because the barriers are weakening. "Isn''t that. .. dangerous?" Ferris nodded. "But I doubt is that situation. Because if it were, the Beast Realm would be swarming with other races. But even if the barrier breaks on their side, so what? No one can defeat the Queen of Beast." Ferris''s eyes dted, and her voice turned serious, "No one." Ryu blinked, and he didn''t say more. The Queen of Beast. The ruler of the beast realm. Said to be the most powerful entity in the entire realm. "And no one wanted to start a war at the moment unless a side held some kind of advantage over the others," Ferris added. "But anyway," Ferris grinned, "I''m more curious about you. Maybe you were once an egg and got smuggled from the beast realm? Don''t you want to return to the Beast realm and search your origins?" Ryu''s lips pressed in one line. "Even if I am. .. and even if I want to. .. my fate is worse there." Ryu heard that halfbreeds in Beast Realm were killed by their mothers and fathers before they could even be born. "Our next auction!" Ryu''s attention was stolen by the auctioneer''s voice and the next item on the table. He used his viewing spectacle to see clearer and found that it was a ring. The ring shed on the screen, and the auctioneer continued. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it''s almost nearing the end of two moons, and with it, the scavenger season begins! Crafted by an Elf, this Water-Resistant ring is one of a kind. This repelled twenty percent water damage! A perfect item to bring within your exploration to the seas!" Ryu frowned. "Scavenger season?" Ferris yawned and promoted a hand on the side of her fatty chin. "It''s the human''s ingenious idea to explore the seas. Usually, the ocean is a new whole world where you can find many new items, monsters, and such." Ferris''s eyes dragged on the people in the auctions hall. "Ever wonder where the nobles acquire their wealth? It''s usually through scavenging. The seas are neutral territory. What they find belongs to them. And every three moons, hundreds of ships sail the ocean." "Oh." Ryu was fascinated by the idea until Ferris added. "But ites with danger. There are many monsters and beasts in the seas. And you''re stuck in a boat surrounded by waters and monsters for how many days. It''s in torture. So nobles usually hire mercenaries for the job." Ferris was stuck in her thought. ording to Faux, Ryu''s future for the next ny days is nothing but water. So that meant that they might enter this scavenger thing. Chapter 52: Auction 2 Chapter 52: Auction 2 Ryu tagged Ferris''s clothes. "That girl. . ." He pointed at the girl with blonde hair and twin curly pigtails. It was the same girl they saw in the smithy shop a while ago. "What is she doing?" Ryu asked. "She''s betting." Ferris flexed the numbered card in her hand. "If you want to bet, just raised your card." "Ha. . ." Ryu wondered what the numbered card was. He raised his number, and the auctioneer immediately announced his number. "Four gold bars from number seven!" Ryu''s head snapped at Ferris. "What does it mean?" Ferris suppressed augh. "It means that you had to pay four gold bars at the end of the auction if you win and you''ll get the item." Ryu''s forehead creased. "I don''t have money." Ferris snickered behind her fatty hand. "Then you''re in big trouble." Ryu wanted to smack Ferris with the pointy corner of his number card when the girl with golden pigtails raised her number. "Five gold bars from number twenty-two!" Ferris slumped on her chair. "Welp. That was disappointing. That girl has just saved you." Ryu sighed in relief, and he red at Ferris. Sometimes, she was kind and giving. Sometimes, cruel and nasty. But often, she was mischievous and a prankster. Ryu even wondered if Ferris have split personalities. But he thought that if he wanted to traverse in the mortal realm and be with Cecily, he needed money. "How do I acquire money?" Ryu asked in all seriousness. Ferris opened one eye while shutting the other. "The legal or illegal way?" she then shed an evil grin. "The illegal way has more money. Faster too. Ryu thought for a moment and said, "Both." Ferris wanted to roll her eyes. But she somehow expected his answer. "The legal way is through hunting beast and monsters. Their mana core, furs, hide, and flesh is sought after. Or you could go hunting criminals for their bounty. Or scavenging for rare items." "Or. . ." Ferris licked her lips, but in her chubby old bald man form, she only looked perverted and disgusting. "You could away rob some rich nobles." And be a criminal? Ryu thought that the legal way was much safer, and he bet Cecily would approve that too. "Ten gold bars!" The girl with pigtail raised her number once more. "She must really want it," Ryu mumbled when he saw how the girl was fighting for the item with the others. Her face was flushing red with protruding lips and a ferocious fighting spirit as she jumped from her chair just to raised her number. She must have thought that her height wascking when she sat and was afraid that the auctioneer wouldn''t see her. "Well, she must belong to some noble family that would go scavenging in the next few days." Ferris arranged herself in her seat. Damn her little fatty legs for not reaching the floor. The hammer gone once and twice until the Water Resistant Ring was sold to the girl with golden pigtails. Ryu looked down at the girl with golden pigtails who was sitting a few rows below them. Then he caught a re from the beastman beside her. The Rank-A beastman that was her servant. Ryu didn''t back away from their contest of res. Now that he had a good look on the beastman''s face. His hair and skin were dark, but his slit eyes were silver. Did it notice that he was the same guy in the smithy shop? But Ferris said that the shapeshifting talisman could change their appearance and smell. Even their prints. "Stop challenging him. You''ll give away your cover," Ferris hissed, and Ryu made a silent grumble before he took his eyes off from the beastman. "Though this is rare," Ferris said and held her fatty cheek on her palm, elbow resting on the armrest. "That girl seemed to value that beastman on a personal level from the way she brought him wherever she went. She even talked to him with a smile on her face." Ryu thought that too. He never sensed hostility between the girl with the golden pigtails and the beastman. It was. .. a nice feeling for once. "Now for our next item!" "I hope it''s something rare. I''m getting sleepy from all these boring items," grumbled Ferris. Ryu wasn''t sleepy the slightest. He watched with eager eyes as the auctioneer presented a leather bag with multiple pockets. "Ladies and gentlemen. This is an adventurer''s bag made from the high-quality hide of an Horned OX! Its heat and water-resistant. It''s the best bag for traveling! Not only that, this bag contains all the essentials you need on your travels." The beautiful girl in maid costume removed the items in the bag one at a time as the auctioneer introduced the items. "You''ll receive five Antitoxins, five oil sk, five holy water, two bombs, two beast repents, one bedrock, and one nket! Starting price is at one Gold bar!" "Why do you need a bag. .. when you have traveler''s ring?" Ryu asked. "It''s not really about the bag but the items. Welp, that should havee in handy when we ventured into the mountain of the dead." Ferris yawned. Ryu didn''tment. He wanted to forget what happened in the mountain because all he remembered was Valij shredded body, Dorian''s betrayal and his dreams that would nevere true. Ryu took a peek at Ferris. Her demon form was terrifying, and she said that she couldn''t fully control it once unleashed. However, he understood. He was also having a hard time controlling his inner beast sometimes. The auction continued for an hour and a half straight until the auctioneer said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we are down to ourst item for today!" On the big screen, a potion appeared with a cork seal. Its transparent crystal ss shone with the lights, and its contents sparkled the purest green. "I present to you, the Greater Potion! While many of you assume this to bemon, you''re greatly mistaken! Most health potions in the market are Alchemist knockoffs that heal scarped and bruises but won''t do anything to broken bones and severed limbs!" "This Greater Potion is a masterpiece made by a renowned alchemist, Forge. It''s one of his newest creations! It had enough elixir to bring any idiot back from the brink at least five times! Whether broken bones, severed limbs, or from the deadliest poison!" The hall rumbled with murmurs and uproars. Every eye turned green with greed. It was a rare item indeed! "Starting price starts at five gold bars!" "Six!" "Seven!" "Eight!" The price skyrocketed in just under fifteen seconds, and it slowed at the staggering cost of fifteen gold bars. For most nobles in the Kingdom, fifteen gold bars were already enough to buy a fief that they could govern. But since the scavenging season would start, fifteen gold bar was within their tolerable price range. When the scavenger season ends, they''d have enough gold bars to spend like a King in the next scavenger season. But more importantly, they must have enough items to traverse the seas safely for ny days. A Greater Potion was an excellent addition to any team! Chapter 53: The Big faces in the Auction House Chapter 53: The Big faces in the Auction House "Sixteen gold bars." All quieted when a baritone voice overpowered the crowd''s murmurs. The nobles shot a look at the bulky man sitting near the stage. His face was chiseled, and his muscles were boulders, harden with battles. Beside her was a gentle beauty with long green hair and soft eyes of jade. "Isn''t that the leader of the mercenary group Earth Guard, Marcus?" "Really? I thought that he''s almost away." "I guess the rumors are true about him asking the hand of Jane ir of House ir. It''s said that they''ll enter the scavenger hunt for ir''s house. That''s the agreement for him to marry a noble''s daughter." "I guess Marcus''s status as a Rank-A merc isn''t enough." "It''s not umon. Usually, mercenaries within-group marry each other. It''s just becameplicated if the other is a noble." "Seventeen gold bars." All attention was drawn to a raspy voice of a woman with dark skin and white hair. Males marbled her lean muscles showing from her armor, and women were jealous of her ethereal beauty. "Seventeen gold bars to the leader of the mercenary group Griffin Wing''s, Morgan. Going once. . .!" "There''s a lot of mercenaries today, huh?" "It''s only natural since the scavenger hunt is almost upon us. Griffin wings were offered a huge sum from house Ludwig." The hammer was raised from the battering ram. "Going twice. . .!" "Twenty Gold bar." The hammer stopped midway at the gloomy voice of a man. All attention flickered at a lean youth with dark bags under his eyes, almost skin, and bones. He would be handsome with his white hair and youthful appearance, but the gloominess shrouded him repelled everyone away. "Twenty gold bars to the leader of Lethal Poison, Vein!" "Another mercenary group." "They''re hired by House Burton this year." "I heard they use any means to acquire rare items. Even killingpetitors." Everyone grunted when the hammer strike two. Marcus was grimacing, but fifteen gold bars was already his limit. They have Theodore in their group, so they''ll be fine even without a greater potion. "Sorry," Marcus said under his breath. Jane giggled. "It''s fine. We really don''t need that potion, and my little brother is already a healer." Marcus raffled his ck hair. "I wanted to give it to you just in case." On the other side, Marsha grunted, and her cheeks puffed. "Damn that pale twig." She then looked at Morgan. "Big Sis, let''s just ambush that jerk." Morgan threw a pointed look at Marsh, and thetter shut up. "Fighting against Lethal Poison for just twenty gold bar isn''t worth it. House Ludwig will provide us a healer, so a greater potion isn''t really a necessity. We can live without it." Marsha slumped on her seat and grumbled to herself. Though Morgan said those words, her heart was constricting. That greater potion could literally save their life in case they were separated from their healer. In the vast seas, anything could happen in ny days. Hundreds already died exploring its deep. Before the Four Moons are up and the ocean froze, they must acquire rare items or even artifacts. Then. .. Morgan''s eyes shone. The hammer was about to strike the wooden ram and. . . "Thirty gold bar." .. . .. . Utter silence descended before the hall erupted in uproars. All eyes went to a young man with side sweep greenish hair and a carefree smile. Their attention drew to the unique badge on his upper breast pocket. A metal that shone silver and blue carved in bird''s head and wings with a dazzling azure stone on its center. "That''s. . ." "Isn''t that. .. Cid? The leader of the third toon from the Human Protection Federation Unit?" "Even the HPFU are going to the scavenger hunt?" "Idiot. .. don''t you know? A lot of humans died in the previous hunt, that the HPFU has to intervene this year. They''re probably going to enter to make sure that everyone doesn''t kill each other." "Human Protection. . ." Ryu mumbled the words in his mouth and poked Ferris'' bald head. Ferris swat his hand away and arranged her gentleman feathery hat to cover her baldness. "They''re an organization led by one of the legendary five heroes. Their goal is to maintain order by punishing the humans who misused their powers. They alley with the Empire, but they don''t middle with each other''s internal affairs." Ryu looked over at the lopsided grin on Cid''s face. Then the grimacing expression of the others. I guess the greater potion will belong to HPFU then, Ryu thought. If he had money, he would acquire that greater Potion for Cecily. I think I have to start making money now. He couldn''t possibly live off of Ferris forever. He had to start taking control of his life and make decisions for himself. Ferris wanted to acquire the potion too, but since she didn''t expect that some big shots were present, acquiring the potion was more trouble than its worth. Ferris sighed, "What a waste of time." Chapter 54: The Byron Royal family Chapter 54: The Byron Royal family In the royal throne room,ughter and giggles filled the lustful air. The area was covered in hazy euphoria, and it smelled like aphrodisiac and perfumes. King Drake Byron was having his women indulge him in his throne. Women in skimpy clothes that they might as well be naked, serving him with grapes and berries and so much more. In his thirties, the King looked twice his age. Dry skin that stuck with his bones and sickly countenance. He was nothing like the only son of the legendry Draco Byron. Unmindful with his guest or whatever he thought of them, King Drake said to Ferris and Ryu, "I am aware of your circumstances. My daughter has already told me everything." Ferris frowned, and Ryu never left his eyes on Cecily who was at the corner with her head low. Cecily looked pale and out of sleep. Her eyes were puffy and red, and Ryu wanted nothing but to go to her. "Regrettably, my father is not here at the moment," Drake continued, and Ferris noted the hostilityced in his voice when he spoke about the legendary Draco Byron. "But I think its best least he wanted to suffer more disappointment from the servants my daughter acquired at the cost of a great knight and a great mage." Cecily''s face darkened, and Ryu wanted to rip the head of the King if he could while Ferris just wanted to sneeze. The rotten smell inside the throne room stuffed her nose with nothing but dirt. "He was summoned to the empire. Apparently, all the important people are," King Drake muttered thest sentence in contempt. He then waved a hand. "Anyway, since you''re my daughter''s servants, I expect that you''re prepared toy your life on the line to protect her." No one reacted. Ryu was still looking at Cecily with concern in his eyes. Ferris was itching to pull the booger from her nose. Cecily was nothing but a corpse on the side. The King waved his hand in dismissal. "That''s all. You''re dismissed for further notice." Everyone bowed and went out of the throne room. The moment they did, Ryu went to Cecily. He wanted to reach for her hand but stop himself. "Are you. .. okay?" Ryu asked, voice low and mourning. The only thing he regretted from losing the seal was that he could no longer felt what Cecily was feeling. Cecily raised a hand and sighed. She turned to the other side and said, "I''ll be taking a week off to prepare for Murok''s and Do funeral. You two stay in your chambers until I summoned you. Understand?" Cecily didn''t wait for Ryu and Ferris to respond as she sauntered into the opposite hallway. Ryu took a step to go after her, but Ferris held his hand. "Give her some time to mourn," Ferris said and pulled Ryu to the side of the hallway. Since they were given this so much free time, Ferris thought to train with Ryu. The materials and ingredients she owed were nowhere in the Mortal Realm, and since the three taverns were immortal, something like a hundred years was just a number to them. The dwarf Rigulus, however, just gave them until the end of three moons, saying that he could no longer wait for the fish. The Legion Steel waspoundable, so she had to wait for Lizzaforth''s tavern to be up while the fish. . . Maybe it''s avable in the nightmare sea? Ryu sighed. "Cecily. .. is she going to be okay?" Ferris rolled her eyes and smacked Ryu''s butt. He growled at her, fangs bared but didn''t do anything. Ferris wasn''t the least offended. She enjoyed annoying his beast. "She''ll be fine. We should concentrate on you first since you''re too weak." Ryu scowled deepened. "Weak?" He was undefeated from fights. How was he weak? Ferris''s eyes dted. "All you''ve fought were weaklings. You''re lucky that you have me. Or else your corpse would be an added addition to Corpse mountain five days ago." Ryu grumbled, and Ferris looked him in the eyes. "Remember this. .. there are a lot of other beings that are more powerful. .. even more powerful than you and me." ---- A/N I''ve been feeling under the weathertely. I won''t be updating as much this week, my head is killing me. I hope this won''t turn into a fever or else. .. I''ll be diagnosed with COVID T_T Please continue to vote and leavements. It''s your support that keeps me going and writing this story. Chapter 55: The summon Chapter 55: The summon Empire of Azura (Pic) Leaders and the most powerful mortals congregated around the metal table in therge meeting hall inside the Azura Pce. "I see that you''ve got punished again? Was it my granddaughter?" Drago asked,ughing. (Pic) Lucian suppressed the urge to rub his swollen cheeks. The moment he returned, it was not warm wees and hugs that greeted him but the iron fist of his sickly father. Lucian sighed. "I''m used to it." Since a child, Lucian was protected because he was the only heir of the Azura bloodline. The Azura line will end with him if he dies since their lineage could only produce one offspring. His father and grandfather could no longer produce children no matter what they do. It was like a curse in exchange for power. Dragoughed, his brown sprinkled with white beard shaking, and he smacked Lucian in the back that Lucian''s handsome face almost skidded against the metal table. Drago was big, enormous, so a p from him was like being p with a mountain. "Ahahahaha! I told you. For your father and grandfather to lose their hold on you is to secure your heir! I don''t mind if you want to marry my granddaughters." Lucian swallowed his groan. "As I said, Cecily and I are just childhood friends, and I don''t think that she and I love each other that way." Drago wiggled his bushy brow. "How about Catarina then? She''s also a beauty, that eldest granddaughter of mine." Lucian''s lips pressed in one line. Catarina, Cecily''s older sister, loves women. Everybody knows that. Drago was just in a state of denial. "Drag, stop ying cupid. It doesn''t suit you," said Marga Ruk. Her voice soft and soothing and her face. .. Her face was ageless, contending with the beauties in the realms even though she was already the same age as the other legendary heroes. (Pic) Both Drago and Marga were Lucian''s teachers, so he was close to them both and their grandchildren, Cecily and Rosa. They were the same age, so they''d get along well. Marga leaned and nudged Lucian''s shoulder. "Rosa is your childhood friend too. And the both of you are single." Lucian groaned. This again. "You, sneaky witch," Drago spat. "And you''re a daft ugly Orc," Marga countered. Lucian only sighed. The only one who could insult a legendary hero and live to tell the tale where their own. He then peeked at the bulky man at the side, Poppi. He was also one of the five heroes and the biggest, made of muscles and fats. He was a quiet fellow, and Lucian didn''t know what kind of person he was since he was mostly away probably doing HPFU stuff since he''s the leader. (Pic) There were others too. The vice leader of the HPFU, the captain of the royal guard. Some important researchers and schrs, and nobles. Drago and Marga continued their bickering. None dared to break them off, and everyone pretended that it was an everyday urrence. The two of them were the heroes who saved the mortal realm after all. If they wanted to paint the throne hall pink, no one would voice theirint. "I appreciate it if you two don''t pressure my grandson too much." At the rasp, resounding voice came the leader of the five heroes, Lionell Azura. Though old he might be, his aura and countenance was enough to fill the room with silent oppression. Lionell was in his sixties, but he looked like he was still in the time of his prime. Long white hair and well-defined cheekbones carving the handsome contours of his face. He sat on the center chair and greeted everyone. (Pic) "I see your father is still ill, ey?" Drago inquired Lucian in a low voice. Lucian didn''t respond. His father became ill ever since he came into this world. No healers, alchemists, angels nor any being could heal him, and no one knew why he was deteriorating. This few months, his father was mostly bedridden. Lionell''s face turned serious, and the hard contours of his face twitch. "I will get straight to the point why I called you here, the backbone of our mortal realm." He then turned to Marga and nodded. Marga went up from her chair and went into the gigantic board disying the Septverden map. "As you may all know, the foreign races ran rampant in our realms have increased throughout the moons. We''ve investigated and done our research and found that the gaps between barriers of each realm from borders to borders created distorting forces from the opposing arrays." (Pic) "In turn, this distorting forces umted over time and cause a rift in the barriers." Buzz Buzz "A rift?" "Does that mean that the other races could enter now?!" "What are we going to do?" "Isn''t that dangerous?" "Is that why Do and Murok died because a high-rank demon entered ournd?" "Silence." At Lionell''s voice, everyone mped their mouth shut. Even their breathing stopped. Marga chuckled. "Allow me to finish first. We''ve extracted thest memory of Do and Murok and found that those demons were just Rank-B at most. Else, Cecily would have been captured. However, they imed that their Lord could break the barriers. That is not true. The barriers still repelled high-level beings. The proof is no higher beings have been sighted and reported." The others breathed easy. "Currently, there is good news and bad news to this discovery. The bad news is. .. Like everyone deducted, other races could now enter the mortal realm, undetected." The other gasped, and Marga raised her hand before they would cause a riot. "But be at ease," Marga said, voice soft as feathers. Her tone seemed to beced in a spell since everyone''s heart calmed down. "Though this is indeed a rift, only low ranking beings could enter, and besides that, the rift is just temporary, and it closes after it repaired itself. Usually a day or two." Sighs of relief circted. Marga tapped her red-stained lips. "Unit another distortion urred in that area that is." "Is that means we are not entirely safe?" Marga nodded though her face was anything but serious. "True. As of now, we have our mages repair these rifts and have the guards stationed in borders to report any anomalies." "Can''t we do something about it? To repair it permanently?" another questioned. Marga shook her head. "As long as we ced the arrays near the barriers of the other realms, this fluctuation is unavoidable." "Can''t you do something about it?" Marga''s eyes constricted, and the others found themselves catching theirs breathes. "Marga. .. ," Lionell warned. Marga blinked, and a sweet smile appeared on her lips as the air went back into the room once more. "We are doing the best we can to find a solution." Marga smiled that didn''t reach her eyes. "Rest assured, we four will continue to protect humanity. If we die, there are still our predecessors." Everyone sighed, and Lucian saw that his grandfather''s face darkened. Lionell always hated the weak, and the humans had gonecent throughout the years of peace. But wasn''t it why they fought in the first ce? For peace? Lucian thought. The vice leader of HPFU, Issin, raised his hand. "If there is a barrier rift in our realm, does it also mean that the other realms are the same?" .. . .. . Marga''s smile stretched. Drago''s face tensed. Lionell was expressionless, and Lucian''s mouth was gaping. Does that mean. . . "Yes," Marga confirmed. "The good news is, Our Rank A and below mercs can now enter the other realms." "Rank A and below. . ." The others looked at Lucian. Ifpared to the mercenaries, then Lucian, Cecily, Rosa and the others could enter, undetected. Their magic and physical attack wereparable to Rank-A mercs. Lionell stood from his seat. "This is why you are all here. This will be the most important mission that I will discuss with you." Lionell looked everyone in the eyes before he said in all seriousness, "The Queen of Beast is dying." Everyone gasped, and their heart thudded hard against their chest. The Queen of Beast. .. the most powerful being in the entire realm. .. is dying?! For the first time in many moons, Lionell smiled. A smile that sent chills to everyone''s skin. "I want you to gather the best fighter and mages and storm the beast realm. It''s time for war!" End of ARC 1 ---- A/N So my runny nose and sore throat turned into a fever T_T I''ll be taking a rest first. ARC 2 will resume next week. Please wait for me to get better guys and continue to vote andment. Stay safe and happy reading :) Chapter 56: A New Journey Chapter 56: A New Journey "Make way! Make way!" "Get off the track, you bloody vermin!" "Potions every one! We have a nice set for all your scavenging needs!" Seashell Port Town was the biggest port town in all of the mortal realm. It was also where the scavenger hunt began. Flocked with adventures, mercenaries, and nobles, the port was bustling as ever as this was the first day of the scavenger hunt. (pic) Overwhelmed by the number of people, Ryu didn''t know where to focus. The chaotic scenery, the people haggling, shouting, or the many ships docked in the sea. It was a whole new world to him! "Stay close," Cecily warned and led Ryu and Ferris into an ordinary ship at the far side. There weren''t many people in that area, mainly because the ships docked in that port were privately owned. Once they boarded the ship, Lucian greeted them. This time, his hair was no longer orange but blue, and any resemnce to the original Lucian was lost. It was the effect of the Appearance Changing Potions. Their mission this time was top secret, and only a few knew of it. They needed to change their appearance so they wouldn''t attract any attention being the legendary heroes'' grandchildren and all. Except for Ryu and Ferris, Lucian and Cecily changed their looks. Now Ferris knew where those Appearance Changing Potions at Faux went. She did not doubt that the legendary heroes had ess to the three taverns. "How are you doing?" Lucian asked Cecily. Cecily brushed a hair to the side of her ears. "I''m holding on somewhat." She shed a sad smile before she shook her head and said with an optimistic tone thatcked enthusiasm. "But anyway, I still couldn''t believe that you''re to lead this mission. Your father and grandfather finally set you free?" Lucian chuckled. "Not quite. You know that this is a critical mission. I''m only allowed to lead this expedition because I have a Space Crystal and a lifesaving item, just in case. And besides, it''s not only our group who''ll venture into this mission. There are others as well." Ferris''s ears perked, and Ryu''s frowned deepened when Cecily and Lucian were so close to each other. "Well, at least I''m d that one of us is well protected," Cecily said bitterly with augh. Her father didn''t even send her off. She''ll be away for almost ny days, and he didn''t even as much as say anything to her. Well, at least, her grandfather, Drago Byron, gifted her with a new rapier. Lucian raffled Cecily''s hair like he''d done when they were young. "Don''t worry. If anything goes wrong, I''ll protect you." Ryu wanted to suppress his growl but failed miserably. Lucian didn''t even give him any attention as he continued to brush Cecily''s hair. "Pardon me." They were interrupted with a voice that was so cool to the ears. It was freezing and refreshing at the same time, like the finest Ale sliding in their throat. Beside Lucian appeared a man. An ethereal man with white eyes and hair. His skin was luminescent, and his demeanor was nothing but elegant. Everyone whoid eyes at him had their breaths taken away by his good looks and effortless charms. Cecily held a gasp. "Lucian. .. is this. . ." "Ah.. ." Lucian sheepishly rubbed his nose. "Everyone, this is my grandfather''s servant, Raphael. He is lent to me in our mission." Ferris didn''t even know how Raphael appeared without her knowing. He is definitely an. . . "Angel," Cecily murmured. No one had an angel servant. That was what they were made to believe. But here it was. .. face to face with them was an entity that they only heard in stories. And he was Lionell Azura''s servant. Raphael just spared Cecily the barest nce with a down curve mouth before he looked at Lucian. "The ship will be departing soon." "Ah. . ." Lucian then shot Cecily an apologetic smile. "Sorry. Raphael isn''t too friendly." Ferris frowned. No one would if they were stripped of their freedom and forced to be a servant. Ryu sniffed the air, but he found no scent from the Angel while his beastid quiet. It was a first that his beast was backing to the side. Cecily was in awe and didn''t even mind the rude behavior of Raphael. It was her first time seeing an Angel. Though Raphael hid his wings, just his divine countenance alone would give his race away. "Is it okay for him to walk alongside us?" Cecily asked Lucian. Raphael could easily attract attention even from miles away. "Raphael would be invincible most of the time. He''ll juste out if he sensed danger," Lucian said. Lionell meant business this time that even his angel servant was lent to Lucian. "But. .. will he be able to enter the beast realm with us?" Cecily asked. In truth, not all of them were sure if they could enter the beast realm because of the barriers that repelled high-ranking beings. That was why they formed many groups. "Raphael is a four-winged Angel. If we convert him into a mercenary, he''d be a Rank-A," Lucian said and added under his breath, "I think." Raphael''s stoic face didn''t move the slightest before he closed his eyes and disappeared in thin air. "I wish I had an angel servant too. Even if it''s just a two-winged one," Cecily mumbled. Ryu''s heart fell in the pit of his stomach. It hit him hard, and he looked at the ground. If only he could manipte mana. .. then maybe. . . "Too bad that you''re too weak even to own a two-horned demon." All eyes flickered to the neer. A woman with short ck hair and a confident sharp look on her beautiful face. Her dress hugged her every curve, and her hips swayed at her every move. Rosa Ruk (Pic) Ryu took a whiff and coughed. Too much perfume! Ferris was quiet since the Angel appeared and disappeared. There was so much going on with her head that she didn''t have time to make acquaintances. "Rosa," Lucian greeted, "I see that you haven''t taken the Appearance Changing potion." Rosa embraced Lucian, pressing her breasts against his chest before she kissed him on the cheek. "I miss you too, Lucian. Don''t worry. I assure you that no one saw me. I just wanted to greet you with my original face-first, seeing that it has been years since we lost saw each other." Rosa seductively licked her lips. "I thought that you might appreciate your childhood sweetheart''s face." Lucian cleared her throat and removed Rosa''s hands from his neck. "That''s childhood friends, and you''rete. . ." Rosa shrugged and faced Cecily and smirked. "I''m sorry about Do and Murok, but know that everything is your fault." Cecily''s face darkened, and Ryu wanted to bit away the smugness on Rosa''s face if it weren''t for Lucian, who barged between the two women. "Rosa, you know that what happened is no one''s fault." Rosa scoffed and folded her arms. "And, of course, you protect her. Since young, all of you have done nothing but cuddled her. And look what she be?" Rosa pointed at Cecily, sneering, "She became overconfident and arrogant. I''ve watched what happened before they died when my grandmother extracted theirst memory. And believe me. .. it''s Cecily''s fault no matter how you look at it." "Enough!" Lucian hissed, but Cecily stepped forward. "You''re right," Cecily said. Head high and voice low. There was determination in her eyes that Ryu and Ferris didn''t saw before. The death of Do and Murok had changed her. Her arrogant and overconfident demeanor was gone. Reced by a maturity that they haven''t seen before. "It was my fault," Cecily admitted. She then flicked a hand, and a rapier appeared. It shone gold with thunder sprawling at its de before it made a slicing sound. "Cecily!" Ryu was shocked when Cecily''s hair was cut short. Ferris was shocked that even with short hair, Cecily was still breathtaking. Though she changed her looks, her hair would still be short if her real appearance came back. Any bruises and feutures alter would reflect on the original appearance. "Cecily. .. what have you done? Why did you do that?" Lucian was stunned since Cecily valued her hair since she was a child. She didn''t allow anyone to cut it too short. Cecily held her hair, a bitter smile on her face. Her eyes shook like it would burst in tears. "I take responsibility for my past actions. And I swear that I won''t grow my hair long before all the demon race is annihted. That is my atonement for their death. I''ll make sure that every demons'' corpses will bow on their grave." ---- A/N I''m still having a fever, but I want to publish this chapter this week ''cause next week this book is going premium, starting with this chapter. I''m deeply grateful for all of you for supporting this book and I hope you continue to support it until its end. Chapter 57: The Mission Chapter 57: The Mission Lucian sighed and shook his head a little. "But still. .. cutting your hair. . ." Lucian didn''t know why he was the one disappointed the most. He then flung away those thoughts and said with a serious face and voice, "By the way. Where''s your servant Rosa?" "I''ve sent her on a little errand. She''ll be here." Lucian nodded. "Let''s go inside and discuss our mission first." At Lucian''s led, Rosa followed but not before throwing a smirk on Cecily''s way. Ferris stretched her hands and yawned while Ryu looked at Cecily, who was still holding her hair. "Short hair. .. looks good on you. .. ," Ryu said. Cecily was a little daze before she threw her hair on the river. She then faced Ryu and Ferris. "Let''s go." Inside their quarters in the ship, Rosa put arrays to prevent someone from hearing their discussion. Rosa was an Elementalist and grown with the legendary Marga Ruk. Her knowledge of spells and magic was far and wide. "Master, here is all you requested." All attention moved at a hazy golden appearance of a young girl twirling in the air. Her form was like liquid dancing in the air while she carried an enormous backpack on her back. It was a sprite in the lighting attribute. Sprites were weak in terms of physical attack, but their spells were destructive in terms of magical damage. Usually, they were taking in as servants by knights and fighters, but since Rosa could cast a spell as quickly as taking air, she didn''t need someone to block for her while she cast spells at the back. She specifically looked for a sprite in the lightning or ice attribute since Rosa''s elemental spells were constrained by basic elements like fire, water, wind, and earth. Rosa''s smile stretched as she stored the backpack in her traveler''s ring. "Fifi, you''rete. You should have been here ten minutes ago." Fifi eyes watered. "I''m sorry, master." She made a gesture of covering her head, but the beating never came. Rosa just sat at the corner and prompted her face on her palm while Fifi stayed a meter beside her. If it wasn''t for Lucian and the others, Rosa might have knocked Fifi''s head for beingte. Eventually, everyone settled after a brief introduction. Lucian then started, "Our mission, as I stated in the letter, is to secure rune stones. The Queen of Beast is dying. But I doubt that it''s dying within fifty years. It''s just meant that now, she is weak, and if we wanted to acquire her mana core before the other realms do, we have to move fast. But no physical or magical attack worked against her. That being said, the only way to defeat her is thru weapons made from rune stones." "But these rune stones can only be found in the beast realm," Rosa butt in, "And these stones are found in the deeper parts in the beast realm." Lucian nodded. "Our objective is to secure as many rune stones as possible. And we are not to, under any circumstances, engage the Queen of Beast or the beastfolks." Ferris''s eyelids were dropping though she was smirking beneath her sleepy faade. Engage the Queen of Beast? Unless they were in a suicide mission, nobody would dare think of that thought. If Lucian actually said they''d be on a mission to kill the Queen of Beast, she''d spit on his face and run away with Ryu. She''d knock Cecily if she had to. She would not about to die because some youth didn''t know why the Queen of Beast was the most powerful being in the entire realm. The Queen of Beast''s mana core was sought after in the entire realm. It was rumored that it could bring a dying world back to life. Whoever acquired it would have the advantage in war. "We will sneak our way into the beast realm. Mine this rune stones and get the hell out as soon as possible," Lucian continued as hey a map on the table. "First, we will pretend that we are a group of mercenaries participating in the scavenging hunt. Then we will stop at Imoana islet. There we will ride a boat going far to Gibombo Ind. From Gibombo, we will meet with our spies, who will guide us inside the Beast Realm. A hunter is also waiting for us that will lead us to a barrier fluctuation." (pic) Ryu frowned. It sounded simple, but he had a gut feeling that it would not be easy, as Lucian exined it. "And once we are inside?" Cecily questioned. Lucian''s face turned serious. "The hunter will apany us and guide us inside. Our spies said they didn''t know where the rune stones are allocated, but they had a hunch that it is near the Beast Queen''s cave. That''s why until now, they haven''t extracted it." "We are pressed of time. All in all, if we don''t expect any dys, we''ll reach the Beast Realm within thirty days, another thirty days to search for the Rune Stones." Lucina looked at the map, a bead of sweat dropped from his forehead. "We must find the rune stones before the four moons are up and the ocean freeze. If that happens, we are stuck in the beast realm for ny days," Lucian added. "And if we couldn''t find the rune stones?" Cecily asked. "There are other groups like us. If we happen not to find any rune stones before the four moons are up, then we can only wish that the others find it." Rosa skimmed her chin with the sharpness of her nails. "I think that the most important question is. .. what will happen if we get caught in the beast realm?" "We abort the mission as soon as we can before the beastfolks could alert the Queen of Beast," Lucian said without batting an eyelid. "But if we can push through until we find the rune stones, then that would be the best oue." Rosa rose to her feet. "Easy then," she said with a confident tone. "We just have to kill every beastfolks that wee across." Ryu frowned. He didn''t know why he didn''t like the tone of Rosa''s voice. Like she was underestimating the beastmen. Maybe he thought of himself as one of them. He was still part beast. "We''ll fight those we can fight, and we avoid those we can avoid. Dead bodies are never a good mark to leave our trail." All were surprised when Cecily spoke some words of wisdom. The death of a loved one really changed a person. Lucian nodded at Cecily''s words. "It''s best that we stay low unless we want to alert the Queen of Beast. A few killings are tolerable since they were also other races stuck in the Beast Realm and everyday fights and death weren''t umon. But continuous ughter is forbidden if we want this mission sessful." All were in agreement. For this group, Lucian took the lead. He brought his two trusted childhood friends, Cecily and Rosa, and their servants. Totaling, his group was made up of seven entities just enough to sneak into the beast realm without no one noticing. Chapter 58: The Nightmare Sea Chapter 58: The Nightmare Sea Mother''s Skull''s Ship was privately owned by Skull, a pirate who roamed the nightmare seas carrying mercenaries who would try their luck on the scavenger hunt. Mercenaries who couldn''t afford their ship or didn''t hire by nobles. Aboard, the cold wind glided smoothly across Ryu''s face, and he savored the salty breeze. The night sky was darker in the ocean, and the three moons glowed even brighter and bigger than before. This would be his first adventure outside of the Mortal Realm, and the sea was a whole new world to him. He was excited as well as concerned for their future. Before, he never did once think of his future. But now.. . everything was changing. .. He didn''t have a clear goal except to protect Cecily and be there for her. And it was the desire of his beast. His human side, however, yearend for something. He couldn''t quite put a finger to what exactly. Ferris yawned and rubbed her eyes. They were on the deck, overlooking the ocean. "You''re sleepytely," Ryu said, voiceced in concern. "Agh. . ." Ferris groaned and closed her eyes. Her human body was dead in the first ce. It would only take years before it would start deteriorating without its original soul. Before that time came, she needed another body that could handle her powers. She was lucky to have found this human body. But if she didn''t find one soon that waspatible with her. . . "Is everything alright?" Ferris waved a hand. "I''m fine." She then opened one eye. "Anyway, you can speak fluently now without stuttering." "I''m getting used to it." Ryu looked over the seas before his attention was caught by Fifi, who was walking to them, a tray of food in hand. "Want some?" Fifi''s liquid face didn''t know where to ce her smile. Ferris red at her, and Fifi backed away a little, shrieking. Ryu just took a whiff, and when he found that the food wasn''t poison, he grabbed a piece of meat and munched it all down. "There''s a bar downstairs where you can buy all sorts of food and drinks." Fifi stayed at least a meter from Ferris while exchanging conversations with Ryu. "Though they don''t take kindly to servants," she murmured under her breath. "What it''s like to be floating and made up of water?" Ryu asked after he gulped his food. It was the first that he saw a sprite up close, and he was curious. Fifi giggled an awkwardugh. "I''m not liquid per se. I''m made of concentrated elemental lightning." "Hmm. . ." Ryu poked Fifi''s arm. There was static before his finger made contact with his skin. "It''s like air." He didn''t felt anything except a sliver of electricity crawling through his veins. Fifi pulled away from Ryu and her eyes watered. "You shouldn''t touch a girl so easily." "What does the Spirit Realm look like?" Ryu questioned, brushing off Fifi''s protest. "I. . ." Fifi''s head lowered as her lips puckered. "I don''t know since I mostly lived my life in a jar until I was sold and made a servant in the Ruk''s household." "I see. . ." Ryu''s heart was twisting. It was the same for him. He didn''t know what the Beast Realm looked like nor his parents, and he unknowingly patted Fifi''s head. "Uhm. . ." Fifi''s cheeks were red, and Ferris pped Ryu''s hand and barged between the two of them. "Anyway, what do you want?" Ferris growled at Fifi. Fifi shrieked and flew a step back. "I-it''s just. .. we''re both servants, so I think. .. we should stick together." The way Fifi''s cheek puffed and her translucent golden skin glowed red was adorable that Ferris eyes turned to slit. They were both the same height and the same build like a little girl, but Ferris felt inferior for some reason. Ferris''s fangs itched, and before she yelled to get lost at Fifi, a shout resounded in the boat. "You useless piece of lump! Didn''t I tell you to bring me an Ale? What am I going to do with a juice?" Ryu''s eyes went to a man and a halfbreed boy. The boy was on the ground clutching her red cheek while his eyes were downcast. His fluffy ears were downcast, and his tail curled between his butt. "I''m sorry, master. But servants aren''t allowed to buy Ale," squeaked the boy. The big man with hairy hands kicked the boy to the ground. "Useless! You can''t fight, and you can''t even do a simple task! What good are you?!" Fifi curled to the side and her eyes dampened. Ferris just shook her head and sighed. "Can''t they take it somewhere private?" Ferris grumbled, and then her eyes widened when out of nowhere, Ryu appeared in front of the man and flung him to the side with a single p. Ferris took a second look at her side and doubled over at the scene just to make sure that her eyes weren''t ying tricks on her. But it really was Ryu! Ferris pped her head and rolled her eyes in the sky. "What the fuck?!" the man growled, and he looked over at Ryu towering above him. "What do you think you''re doing, you damn servant?!" The man got up and wiped the blood from his haggard face. He grinned and licked his lips. "Now you''ve done it! Don''t you know that hurting a human is punishable by death?!" Ryu''s stoic face wavered a little, and his muscles loosened. Did he just get himself in trouble? "Don''t kid yourself." Ryu and the man looked at the new arrival. Ryu thought it was Ferris, but it was the girl with golden pigtails with her pure beastman servant, much to his surprise. The girl ced her hands beside her waist and extended her chest. "Those rules may apply in the Mortal Realm, but we are now in the Nightmare Seas! I can kill you, and everyone here wouldn''t bat an eyelid." Chapter 59: A Fight for the First Time Chapter 59: A Fight for the First Time The man took a step back. The girl may look innocent and cute, but when her eyes nted and the edges of her lips rose in a smirk, she looked demonic. The girl''s face then loosened, and she beamed a cutesy smile. "I wouldn''t cause trouble if I were you. Unless, of course, if you''re confident that you could defeat me in a fight." Her expression then changed once more, and she gestured with her hand. "So if I were you, I would scram the fuck off." "Grr. . ." The man''s tipsy face turned red from anger as veins bulged on his forehead. He looked at the beastman beside the girl before turning to his heels and going to his servant. "Come on, you rant!" He dragged the boy by the cor and pushed him to move forward. Ryu was about to follow them when the boy looked over his shoulder and red at Ryu. Ryu skidded to a stop. He didn''t know why the boy looked at him with so much anger. Did he do something wrong? "You twig!" Ryu looked down at the girl, who was now looking over at him with a condescending face. "If you''re just going to help halfheartedly, then don''t be a hero. What you did just plunged that boy into a night full of suffering." Ryu tilted his head, confused. "But I. . ." "What? You expect that boy to thank you after you intervened? You dimwit. If you haven''t interfered, that boy could have just suffered a short beating. But since you barged in there like a wannabe hero and anger that drunkard. Who do you think he will transfer that anger to, huh?" Ryu''s face slowly registered what happened, and his eyes shook. He looked over at his hand, and his lips pressed in one line. Because of him. .. that boy will. .. is that why he red at him? The girl flipped her hair and huramp. "Hmp! Let''s go, Nash." The beastman spared a nce at Ryu before he followed the girl. "Welp. That''s surprising. I didn''t think we would see that girl and her beastman here. I thought for sure that she was a noble with her ship," Ferris said. "T-that was scary," Fifi said, shaking. Ferris nced over at Ryu when he didn''t respond. "What''s wrong?" Ferris asked when Ryu was emotionless as he just stared at his fist. He then looked at Ferris like he was lost. His eyes were rounded and shaking, and Ferris''s heart melted. "I. .. I thought I was saving him. .. but it turns out that I''m not capable of that. Because of me that boy. . ." Ryu never cared about anything but his life when he was in the colosseum. But now that he was out and experienced the outside world, he was starting to feel something for his fellow servants and ves. Seeing them in chains and beaten constantly reminded him of his times as a ve for the colosseum, and he didn''t like it one bit. He wished he could free them. Light passed through Ryu''s'' eyes, and he grabbed Ferris by the shoulders. "What should I do to free them?" Ferris was speechless. She couldn''t think straight when out of the blue, Ryu shook her shoulders, asking how to free ves and servants. When did he care about them? What made him want to free them? If he only knew what other races did. It was not just the humans. Everyone was the same. If he knew the horrors, would he think of freeing the ve and servants then? Did she shelter him too much? Did she make a mistake? Ferris pped Ryu''s hands and snapped, "That''s impossible. For you to truly free them, you have to eradicate the long years of hatred." Ferris didn''t know why, but she was angry for some reason. She didn''t teach him. .. didn''t shelter him so that he would do reckless things like bing a hero that would free ves and servants. Ferris''s eyes dted, and Fifi shrieked to the other side. "What made you think that you could save those lots when you yourself is so weak?! If you can''t eradicate their hate. .. if you can''t change their views. Don''t even think of saving anyone." Ryu couldn''t speak. Ferris was angry at him. But he couldn''t refute her since her words were true. "Ferris. .. ," Ryu said after Ferris somewhat calmed down. "I just thought that. .. without doing anything is so much worse. If I''m just going to stand and look, it reminded me of the time when I was in the colosseum." Ryu held Ferris''s hand and looked her in the eyes. "Cecily saved me. You saved me. I''m sure you yourself didn''t n on changing the world, but you changed my world. You saved me nevertheless when you could have just fled. You became a servant because of me. Without you intervened, I could have been dead. I just thought that. .. hoping that I could change other''s fate too. Just like you did mine." .. . .. . Because of her? Ferris wanted tough out loud. Because of her? Her world was spinning all of a sudden. Ferris didn''t know what to feel. She pulled her hand from Ryu''s grasp and held her head, and sighed. "I think I have sheltered you long enough," Ferris said with a bitter smile. "I think it''s time for you to see the world as it is and decide for yourself what you want to do." Ferris seriously looked Ryu in the eyes and said with a serious tone, "I will no longer intervene. Do what you like and face the consequences of your actions. Take responsibility for your decisions and decide for yourself what you want to do and not." Ferris knew that this time woulde. No matter what she''d do, Ryu had his mind. She couldn''t possibly force her will on him forever. It''s just. .. sad. .. A day woulde that he would no longer need her. But all boys grew up into a man, and it might be a good thing to distance herself from him so he wouldn''t be too dependent on her. When the timees when her mortal body deteriorate. . . "Ferris. . ." Ryu didn''t know what to feel at the moment. A mixture of sadness and happiness? To him, Ferris was like a mentor. A sister. A family. A friend. A lover. He didn''t know if he was ready to leave it all behind and take a step on his own. But he was happy nevertheless. Excited even. It was like he was given a reign over his life. Ryu patted Ferris''s head. His eyes dropped on her face, and a smile lighted his face. "When you need essence, I''m always here." ".. ." Fifi was crying from the heartwarming scene, but at Ryu''s following words, her jaw dropped. Ferris''s eyelid twitched, and the corner of her mouth trembled. Then an uppercut made asting impact on Ryu''s cheek. "You insensitive beast!" Chapter 60: First Night in the Nightmare Sea Chapter 60: First Night in the Nightmare Sea At the upper deck, Cecily watched Ryu and Ferris''s bickering. Without Do and Murok beside her, she felt restless. The security she felt when she was young was suddenly stripped from her, and she felt vulnerable. Their death was a constant reminder of how weak she was, and that exact weakness made her realized that she needed Ryu alive because he was the only one who would genuinely protect her when the time camebeing his mate and all. "Can''t sleep?" Cecily swallowed her groan and pulled her shawl closer to her. She faced Rosa, who was wearing her nightgown like the chilly breeze was nothing but hot air. Though her appearance changed, her voice and confidence didn''t change one bit. "You too?" Cecily questioned back. In the past, they were closed, but since Rosa developed feeling for Lucian, everything just becameplicated between the three of them. Cecily didn''t like Lucian like that, but Rosa thought otherwise. Though all girls getting close to Lucian was no exception to her wrath either. Rosa leaned on the wooden railings, her breasts folded against the hardwood. She wore nothing inside her nightgown, and Cecily could only hope that no pervert was around. Though Cecily doubted that anyone present in this ship could contest Rosa in terms of magical power. "I thought that you''re going to kill your servant because of Do''s death?" Rosa asked, amused. Cecily sighed. She didn''t like that Rosa knew what happened, all thanks to Marga Ruk, who extracted Murok and Do''sst memories. "I change my mind," Cecily said, "He is still useful in this mission." Rosa scoffed. "You mean a half breed that couldn''t manipte mana? Are you sure that he isn''t just baggage?" "I''ve seen him fight, and he is strong even without using mana." "Hm. . ." Rosa smirked. "You''re taking his side now? Is it because you couldn''t get over your dependency on Do and Murok, and now you needed someone to depend again?" Cecily frowned when Rosa hit a spot. Rosa giggled. "That''s why you are weak, Cecily. You really never truly grown. All your life, you were protected while thinking you''re strong." Rosa circled Cecily and stopped at her back. She leaned and whispered, "Make no mistake of using Lucian to protect you. You have that habit even if you don''t know it yourself." Before Cecily could respond, Rosa swayed out from the upper deck, leaving Cecily with fists shaking on her side. ---- Meanwhile, Kai was having the best time of his life on another part of the ship by vomiting his guts out into the ocean. Who knew that riding a ship was in torture? Hebed his blonde hair away as he hurled all he took in that day. He then slumped on the wooden floor and wiped the vomit from his lips. Agh. .. how many days was this going to take? It was just the beginning of his travel on a boat, and he was already going to die. In his hand, he produced a little ice with his magic, and with the coolness of the ice, he wiped his dark skin to make him feel better. It helped somewhat, but he didn''t know how long until he''d feel dizzy again. "What a wuss." At the side, a group of men wasughing at him. But Kai didn''t mind them. They were just brave because of their numbers, but even he was seasick, he could kill them with a snap of a ORGH! Kai jumped to his toes and vomited once more. ---- On the other hand, inside the bar of the ship, Cathy and Nash were having their dinner. The food on the ship wasn''t much, more on the meaty side and drinks. "That halfbreed is the one we saw at the smithy shop, right?" Cathy said as she munched her food. "Yes, mydy. And please don''t speak with your mouth full." Nash was cutting the meats using a fork and knife with impable ease and elegance. If not for his beastly features, everyone would assume that he was the noble''s child. Cathy wiped the sauce from the side of her lips with the back of her hands. Pointing the fork in the air, she grinned. "He''s adorable, though, even he''s an idiot. I wonder who his master is. I guess whoever he was, he didn''t teach him anything." Nash''s serious expression didn''t change. "It''s not umon to find servants and ves as clueless as newborns since their masters didn''t bother to teach them anything." "But anyway, this is not the time to be so carefree," Nash said. "You know how serious our predicament is, no? I assumed that your family had already gotten hold of what happened. And I bet that they already hire someone to chase us here." Cathy''s carefree grin fell from her face. "Let them. By that time, we would be in the deeper parts of the nightmare sea, and if we''re lucky, we already found what we''re looking for." Nash sighed. His silver eyes shone like milky twin moons. "Mydy. . ." Cathy raised her hand. "Stop. We''ve already discussed this. First things first, we must find that item and after that. .. we''ll n what will do from there." Nash shook his head and smiled that softened his features. "You were always reckless even when you were young." "It''s only because it''s you that we''re talking about." Cathy''s eyes went to Nash''s seal at the center of his forehead. She then captured his silver poles. "If I''m not reckless and didn''t take the initiative, how long will you be a servant to my family?" Nash''s eyes were half-closed as he stared at his food without appetite. "I''m notining." "Well, I am." Cathy mmed her fork on a piece of meat and chewed it all down. "Your seal is transferred to me, and I am your master now, so what I do with you, others don''t have anything to say against it." Nash let out a breath of chuckle. "Yes, mydy." ---- For fast updates, please vote with PS or Golden Ticket. Bonus chapter is every Sunday/Monday when Goals are achieved. GOALS / WEEK: 100 PS - 1 chapy 500 PS - 2 chapies 1000 PS - 3 chapies GOALS / MONTH: 50 GT - 1 chapy 100 GT - 2 chapies 500 GT - 3 chapies 1000 GT - 5 chapies *Consider donating for my Milk Addiction PayPal - Thank you, Miu Chapter 61: Ferris’s Predicament Chapter 61: Ferris¡¯s Predicament The morning was harsher in the sea, with nothing to shade the boat from the heat. But Ferris slept like a log. She deduced that her mortal body wouldn''tst till the four moons if this keeps up. Knock! Knock! Ferris grumbled. If it was Ryu again asking for her to explore the ship, she''d p him left and right. Opening the door, it was not Ryu who was on the other side, and Ferris''sint lodged in her throat at the beautiful face of Rosa Ruk. Rosa didn''t smile nor greet and just barged inside and sat on the chair. She folded her legs and arms and said, "Shut the door." All sleepiness disappeared from Ferris''s system as she closed the door. She had a hunched what this sudden visit was all about. Rosa leaned forward, eyes on Ferris. "Who are you?" ".. ." Ferris''s heart thudded hard against her chest. In her head, she was calcting her next move. Did Rosa knew who she was? If so. .. Her demon was about to burst forward when Rosa chuckled. "Let me rify that since you look like you are about to murder someone." Rosa exchanged one leg over the other. "That monster you faced in Corpse Mountain. I have a glimpse of it from Murok''sst memories. Lucian said that you''re the only survivor in that fight. I find it hard to believe." Ferris didn''t know if she should breathe easy because it was just the monster in Corpse Mountain. "And you''re implying that?" "No mercenaries under Rank-A could have defeated it. And yet. .. without Murok and Cecily, I wonder how did that monster lose its life." Ferris''s eyes dted. At least, someone in their group uses their head. "It''s thebined effort of all the soldiers and mercenaries," Ferris said like what she said to Lucian when he found her at Corpse Mountain. "And I''m a half-demon. Immortal, remember?" Rosa puffed augh, and she stood to her feet. "Since no one bothered to bring the corpses of the soldiers and mercenaries, we don''t have any proof of what happened that day." Right. There was still that skill that lets the casters extract thest memories of the dead. It was simr to Ferris''s skill of drinking blood to search for her victim''s memories. However, the execution might be different. Ferris reminded herself to be more extra careful in the future. She didn''t know if Rosa could also perform that spell for extracting memories, but she knew as hell that Marga Ruk could do it. Ferris raised a brow. "So you''re implying that I alone defeated it?" Rosa didn''t say anything. She took her time before she went beside the door. "I''m not implying. I know. I just don''t have proof." Rosa cast a spell like the one with Murok [Healing Wind] and a healing water spell [Purify]. But Ferris''s appearance remained the same. Her burns and scars were never disappearing. "Hm. .. How. .. peculiar." Rosa''s eyes twinkle darkly. Smile stretching in a grin, Rosa said, "I have my eyes on you halfbreed. Don''t mistake me like the ignorant Cecily and the nave Lucian. My upbringing. .. is much harsher than you think." Rosa then left with a warning. "If I find anything suspicious. .. anything at all. .. I won''t hesitate to disintegrate you." The door closed, and silence descended in the room. Ferris sighed, and her dted eyes didn''t go back to normal. ''That girl has guts.'' Ferris forced a breath that ruffled her non-existent fringe. She scratched the itch from her key head and groaned. "Thanks to you being careless, I have to face the consequences." ''No worries. You won''t be long in this world anyway.'' "And you think that would help in your current predicament, how exactly?" ''I''d be free once you''re out of the way.'' Ferris smirked andughed. "Like you will be." ---- On the deck, Ryu was enjoying the view as the ship sailed the seas. The waves it created hypnotized his eyes, and the dark bottomless ocean felt like it was calling him. "I won''t lean too close if I were you." Ryu looked at the man beside him. He was slumped on the floor like he was dead. His face was pale, and he seemed like he was wasting away. Kai managed a smile despite theck of sleep and dehydration. "The name''s Kai, by the way. And if you don''t want those nasty sea creatures jumped and eat you alive, don''t lean in tooOrgp!" Ryu jumped away when Kai threw up in the water again. Too weak to wipe the vomit from his lips, Kai sagged on the floor. "Kill me. .. just kill me now. . ." Ryu didn''t know what to do. Should he just leave and find another spot? Maybe he should. Ryu was about to leave when he noticed Fifi appeared out of nowhere and poked Kai on the cheek. "Are you alive?" she asked with a cutesy voice. Fifi then looked at Ryu and said, "He needs water." What that man needs is to get out from the boat. Ryu thought, but he did fetch some water as Fifi asked. "Thanks, man. .. and woman. .. ," Kai rasped and savored the first drop of water that quenched his parch throat. "Are you going to be okay?" Fifi asked as she hovered above Kai. Kai swallowed the acid back to his stomach when he was about to hurl once more. Heughed a little. Cold sweat covered his face. "I might die if this keeps up." Fifi and Ryu looked at each other. "What are you doing in the boat if you can''t ride one?" Ryu asked. "The scavenger hunt man. The scavenger hunt. I need those gold, or I''ll die of poorness. Though I might die nevertheless at this point," Kai murmured thest sentence at the side. Fifi zoomed over at Kai''s face. "Is this your first time riding a ship?" Kai looked to the other side. "Y-yeah. I never thought that it would be much harder than fighting beasts onnds." Ryu tilted his head. Kai was odd for a human. His voice didn''t hold the usual contempt most humans have towards them. He was conversing with them like they knew each other before. Chapter 62: Pirates Chapter 62: Pirates "I might help," Fifi said, and both Ryu and Kai looked at her. "If this just not making you sick, I think I can do it." The gloom and doom on Kai''s face disappeared, and his canines sparkled on disy as he grinned wide. "Really?" Fifi nodded and ced a finger on Kai''s forehead. There was a light glow on the tip of her finger, followed by electrical veins that flowed from her to Kai. Kai gasped, and Ryu watched all of this in rapt attention. After a short moment, Kai blinked when he could no longer feel that seasick motion. "Wha-!" he shed a toothy grin, eyes sparkling at Fifi. "I just numb your senses a little. The good news is, you won''t feel too much seasick, but the bad news is, your senses are reduced to half," Fifi exined, but Kai just hopped to his feet. Jumping on his toes, his face was ecstatic, and Kai grabbed Fifi''s hand. "Marry me!" Due to shock, Fifi let out an electric shock, and Kai yelped when electricity almost burned him to crisp. He let go of Fifi''s hand and backed away a little, blowing cold healing air to his injured limbs. "S-sorry. But you shouldn''t tease me like that!" Fifi was red all over, and bolts and bolts of electricity ran through her body. She then cleared her throat and said with one eye open, "It''s not permanent. Every four hours, it''ll weaken, so I have to numb your senses again." "That''s fine!" Kai said, and rolled his shoulders and flexed his knees. He was beaming with energy. "I owe you two for helping me out. Especially you, shorty. The name''s Kai, by the way." "Ryu." "S-shorty. . ." Fifi''s cheeks puffed, but then she sighed the air she held. "Fifi." "Fifi and Ryu." Kai was like a new person with his dark skin glowing. "If you need anything, don''t hesitate to ask me! I''m quite strong, you know." Ryu and Fifi nced at each other, and Ryu asked. "If you''re strong, then why are you poor?" "Geh." Kai looked away. "Well. .. I have a. . . gambling habit. .. that. . ." Kai murmured incoherent words before he coughed between his fist. "Anyway, I''ll treat you two to breakfast. Let''s go to the dining hall downstairs!" Kaiced a hand on Ryu''s shoulders and guided him towards the stairs when an explosion drew their attention forward. Boom! "What''s that!" Fifi hid behind Ryu and peeked from his shoulder. Kai and Ryu ran towards the edge of the deck like the others while Fifi followed closed behind them. "Woah!" Kai''s eyes rounded, and Ryu didn''t blink when they saw two pirate ships attacking a noble''s ship hundreds of meters in front of them. "What''s going on?" Ryu mumbled when the two ships bombarded another ship while swarms of people dressed in ragged outfits stormed the other boat. "Pirates!" "Pirates?" Ryu asked nobody. Kai nodded, face serious. "They''re numerous in these oceans. They target noble''s ships and kidnapped rich kids for ransom." "A-are we going to be okay?" Fifi asked, shaking. "Usually, Pirates target nobles. They rarelyid eyes on another pirate ship like this. Unless.. ." "Unless?" Fifi urged Kai to finish his sentence. Kai grinned. "Unless They have a personal grudged against the captain of this ship." Bam! Everyone''s attention flicked to the captain''s cabin when the Captain, Skull, trotted out. Her wavy ck hair was freely swaying against the winds, and her brown skin was nothing but smooth, with scars loitering all over her body. Her swords at each side glimmered like they were thirsty for blood, and her face portrayed nothing but confidence. She was apanied by two bulky men in raggedy clothing, face full of beard and menacing. "Listen up, ye lots!" Skull said, "As we traverse the Nightmare Sea, we''ll encounter pirates ''n even yer scallywag scavenger mateys ''n sea creatures ''n beasts. Thar will be skirmishes ''n fights, so I hope everybody be ready t'' defend themselves when that timees." Skull waves ofughter boomed, and she drank a barrel of beer in one gulp. She grinned, showing her yellow stained teeth and her voluptuous hips tilted to the side. "If ye''re in trouble, don''t expect me ''n me crew t'' save yer asses! If ye get thrown into the ocean, I won''t stop fer ye! If ye get scuttled, I''ll toss yer body in the sea! Rule number one in the ocean! Every scallywag fer hisself!" She then disappeared inside her cabin, leaving dumbfounded mercenaries on the deck. Kai whistled. "Definitely my type." Ryu wondered if every woman, human and not, were Kai''s type. He just wanted to marry Fifi a while ago, and now his attention was on the captain. "I-I think I better go and tell master." Fifi scrambled in panic before she flew lightning-fast inside the quarters. "Are we going to be attacked?" Ryu asked. This was a question that everybody on deck wanted answers to. Kai scratched his blonde hair. "Maybe, maybe not. But it seemed that captain Skull still wanted to pass near those three boats." Pass the boats? The area near those boats was like a sea of mes, and the screams of death scraped their ears even from hundred meters away. "We can''t go around it?" Ryu didn''t want to fight pointless battles if he didn''t have to. "We are still in the shallow parts of the Nightmare Sea. Some rocks and reefs could damage the ship if we strayed from the usual route. The pirates know this. That''s why they attack this early," Kai exined and added, "Besides, even if we go around it, they already spotted us. They could catch up to us if they wanted to." Kai then threw a grin at Ryu''s way coupled with a wink. "Let''s just hope that they''ll leave us alone." Ryu grumbled. What kind of way of thinking is that? Kai ced his hand at the back of his head and turned towards the stairs. "Anyway, I''m hungrier than think of anything right now." Ryu was shifting his head between the ship''s fight and Kai. Kai stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Youin'' or what?" Ryu shook his head and said, "I have to go to Cecily." Encase a battle breaks out, he''d be there to protect her. Kai shrugged. "Suit yourself." He then went downstairs while Ryu hurried to where Cecily and the others were. Chapter 63: Safe passage Chapter 63: Safe passage As everyone watched and observed what would happen next as they neared the boats at war, they held their breaths in unabated attention. The noble''s ship was tattered and engulfed in fire. Most aboard were either dead or captured alive. Two pirate ships flunk its sides, and the pirates outrun the mercenaries on the noble''s ship. It was no wonder the noble''s ship stood no chance. The pirates overwhelmed them with numbers. "Aye! If it isn''t Mother''s Skull ship!" Jack O'' Pirate, captain of Bloody Hangman pirate ships, hollered. Line of his crew watched as the Mother''s Skull stopped beside their ship. "Aye! We jus'' wants safe passage!" Skull announced on the captain''s deck. "Safe passage?" Jack O'' Pirateughed heartily. "You know the drill!" Ryu and the others watched with caution at the Pirates. Chaos erupted when Skull''s crew came out from wherever hell hole they were hiding and forced everyone to line on the deck. "What''s going on?" "What are you doing?" "What is this?" Lucian questioned when they were forced into rows and columns. Kai came out below deck with a bone sticking out from his mouth. His hands were raised as the crew pointed their weapon at him. "What did I miss?" Kai asked and lined with the others. Skull grinned and chugged another barrel of beer. "It''s safe passage! Its pirates'' code t'' offer one o'' me scallywags in exchange fer a safe passage in the sea whenever we came across a pirate ship." "What!" "I never heard of this!" "What safe passage bullshit?!" Mother''s skull ship erupted in chaos, and Lucian stepped forward from the rest. Skull''s crew immediately brandished their weapons. "Get back in line!" Lucian didn''t cower and said, "We have paid in full to be delivered into Imoana islet safely. What''s with this all of a sudden?" "''N ye will get thar safely at jus'' the expense o'' a single one o'' ye," Skull replied. "That''s not part of the deal!" "You can''t do this!" "Why aren''t we informed of this?!" "Quiet!" Skull shouted, and her face turned serious. "Stop thinkin'' like ''tis still the mortal realm." Skull drew her sword and mmed the pointy edge on the wooden floor. "''Tis the nightmare sea! ''N wha'' I say as the cap''n be the rule here! Either I kicked ye all out into the ocean or sacrificed one t'' save the rest o'' ye!" Rosa folded her arms. "See. This is exactly why we should have made a ship or rent one." "We don''t have time to make one, and renting one caused too much attention," Cecily replied. At the side, Cathy and Nash were on alert. This was no time to be ying pirates. But if they can''t avoid it, then they will fight with all they have. They won''t be pirate ves, that was for sure. The people on deck quieted. Skull nodded and faced Jack O'' Pirate. "Take your pick." Jack O'' Pirate stabbed his sword on the wooden floor andughed. "Don''t worry, me mates! Life in the sea ain''t bad! Ye''ll get used t'' it afore ye know it." Some cursed under their breathes while some desperately wished that they wouldn''t be pick. As Jack O'' Pirate roamed his eyes, everyone''s heart thudded hard against their chest. Ryu didn''t care who the pirates pick as long as it''s not Cecily and Ferris. Calcting their next move, Lucian and Cecily eyed each other while Rosa was checking her nails. Ferris yawned in boredom. They should just get it done quickly so she could go back to sleep. "Alright!" The edge of Jack O'' Pirate''s sword repeatedly poked against the floor. "I''ll pick the big matey o''er thar ''n that beauty in the ck robes." The rest sighed while Lucian and the others looked at Rosa, sweat-soaked their backs, for they knew what wasing next. Why did she change into someone with a pretty face again? Skull frowned. "Jus'' pick one, Jack." Jack O'' Pirate''s face twisted in a horrendous grin. "We ''ave two boats, Skull. We needs two. Ye know how it goes." Skull grumbled but didn''t say anymore as she nodded at her crew. But before the crew could move and Rosa could cast her spell, Lucian stepped forward again. "If it''s gold you''re after, I have plenty," Lucian said at Jack O'' Pirate. "I''ll buy her freedom." If Lucian could avoid a fight, that would be the best oue. They were just starting their travels, and they already encountered problems so early in their journey. Rosa pouted and frowned. She didn''t like that she was already treated like a ve. Jack O'' Pirate''s eyes shone. "Be she yer poppet, mate? Sadly, gold doesn''t interest me at this point. We ''ave plenty o'' it now." Jack O'' Pirate pointed at the captured noble''s. "As ye can see." Lucian didn''t give up. "Then what do you want?" "Shiver me timbers. .. a trade, ey?" Jack O'' Pirateughed and pointed at Cecily. "Fine then, I''ll take that one instead." Lucian gritted his teeth, and Ryu growled, eyes turning to slits. Rosa stepped forward and sneered, "Time is wasting. I say kill those filthy mongrels and drown them in the bottom of the ocean." "Ey? Ye wants t'' fight?" Jack O'' Pirate raised a brow, and his crew moved forward. The mercenaries in Skull''s ship all took a step back when they noticed that the pirates at Bloody Hangman were nothing lesser than Rank-B, and there were even some Rank-A with them. No wonder the noble''s ship was easily captured. "A bad idea, poppet," Jack O'' Pirate said, voice like a broken radio. "The only reason that ya'' all still alive be that Skull here be a former pirate. ''N we give special privileges t'' our scamp pirates." The pirates raised their weapons, and Jack O'' Pirate folded his arms. "So wha''s it goin'' t'' be? ughter. Or ye?" The area around Rosa heated, and her face darkened with a sinister smile. She licked her lips, and a scepter appeared before her hand. "ughter, of course!" Lucian closed his eyes shut for a fraction of a second before he sighed, and a long sword appeared in his hand. Cecily brandished her rapier, and Ryu took a fighting stance. Ferris didn''t have the energy to fight, but still, her two knives appeared before her. "Let''s get this done and over with." "Are you guys serious?" Kai mumbled when he saw Ryu and the others were going to fight the pirates. Kai then sighed into the sky. He owed Ryu and Fifi, and if they were killed, no one would heal his seasickness. He''d rather die than experience that for who knows how many days. Scimitars in both hands, Kai was going to fight with Ryu and the others. The rest back away. No one was going to help them. They''d rather not involve themselves in meaningless deaths. Skull sighed and massaged her head. There were also mercs like this who didn''t know better and chose to challenge the pirates who were the King of the seas. But before a battle was about to break, a loud ssh boomed in the distance. Chapter 64: Were-Shark Chapter 64: Were-Shark Before anyone''s side couldunch their attack, cries and screams resounded on Bloody Hangman''s ships. "Were-Shark!" "We''re under attack!" Ryu and the others didn''t have time to be surprised at the sudden attack when a massive fish with rows of jagged teeth and beastlike hands and feet dropped in front of them like rain. (Pic) Ragh! They look like wolves mixed with fish, and with them, they brought devastation on the ship. Jack O'' Pirate forgot all about Rosa and the others as he defended his ships while Skull ordered her crew to fight off the sudden enemies. The Were-sharks were lured by the sound of the boats and battles. They weren''t strong, but in groups, they caused massive destruction. "Damn this ugly thing! Always gettin'' in me way!" Jack O'' Pirate had never seen this much swarm of Were-sharks before, and they overwhelmed his crew. They haven''t even recovered from their losses from the raid of the noble''s ship a while ago, and now this. "Darn me'' luck!" Jack O'' Pirate looked over at Mother''s Skull ship and gritted his teeth. If they stayed a little more, his losses would double. "Start the engine! We''re gettin'' outta here!" The more they remained stagnant above water, the more the Were-sharks would swarm their ship, and who knows what else they would attract. "Men! Start the engine. Double speed ahead!" Skull shouted the same as she defended from a Were-shark attack at her front. But behind her loomed a threat, and before Skull could defend, she heard a snap and a Were-shark copse lifelessly behind her. Skull looked at Lucian, who just saved her before she sprinted into the wheels and navigated the ship. Her crew was defending her as the ship started to life. Lucian was busy fending off the swarms of Were-shark his way. They were massive creatures, and though they were weak, their attack power was enough to pummel a Rank-B mercenary to the ground. Lucian avoided all attacks that came his way with ease with his long sword while he killed every enemy. Cecily did the same while Rosa didn''t have to left a finger, as bolts and bolts of electricity from Fifi formed a barrier around her, and anyone who dared came close was turned to charcoal and roasted fish. Not far, Ryu swung his ws, and with a satisfying crunching sound, the Were-shark''s bones broke with his every swipe. The more blood in his hands, the more his beast side came out, ripping every enemy his way. Ragh! The overwhelming number of Were-Sharks was enough to rock the boat left and right, but when the ship started, their numbers somewhat ceased. And as the boat gained speed, the Were-shark couldn''t catch up and what remained on deck were the only ones left. Some Were-Shark left after tearing the sails and wood and stole some food and items while the others fend off the mercenaries so the other Were-shark could escape. After minutes of fighting, the Were-sharks left and what remained was the aftermath of the battle. "I think we''ll be eating fish for the following days." Kai sliced a piece of the Were-Shark''s skin, freezing it before eating. "Hm. .. not bad." Ryu was also skinning his kill. He stored the Were-sharks'' cores and flesh to sell if he had the chance. Though not much, it was a start, and Ryu was in a good mood as he did so. This was the start of his independence! Meanwhile, the crew was cleaning the ship, and there was a moment of peace. "Well, I guess I owe ye one, ey?" Skull faced Lucian, and thetter red at her. "Make no mistake," Lucian said through the gap of his gnashing teeth. If they were in the Mortal Realm, Skull would pay dearly at what she did. "I only save you because we still needed you in this journey. But if you do that again, you''ll regret it." Lucian turned to his boots but not before Skullid her piece. "I did wha'' I needed t'' do t'' save the rest o'' me passengers. Naught personal." Skull flipped her hair, and they went deferent ways. "The mortal realm''s rules don''t belong here,d. Best if ye remember it." Ferris looked over ahead. The air was cold, and there were clouds of darkness forming. It was going to rain, and rain in the middle of the ocean was never enjoyable. Ferris shrugged. "Guess I''ll sleep." Rosa watched as Ferris went downstairs. She was observing her fight with the Were-shark, but there was nothing much to see. Ferris fought with dual knives. She was nimble, and every cut was precise. There was no wasted movement. She would be a great assassin if Cecily nurtured her. Rosa smirked. "I wonder when you''ll going to show me some skills and magic, hmm. . ." Rosa''s attention was then piqued when Lucian went to Cecily to check up on her. She frowned before her face brightened with a smile. "Lucian!" Rosa said in a coy voice as she pushed Cecily away and flung herself in Lucian''s embrace. "Are you alright?" Like always, Lucian just brushed Rosa off and smiled. "Yeah. How about you?" Rosa was persistent and continued to stay close to Lucian. "I was so scared. These Were-sharks are so ugly." Rosa twirled a finger on Lucian''s chest, eyes brimming with tears. "They might give me nightmares tonight." Cecily rolled her eyes in the sky while Lucian''s smile never wavered. "I''m sure an Elementalist like you could cure it." "Ehg.. ." Rosa whined. As the three childhood friends congregated, Cathy and Nash were on the other side. "Geez. I shouldn''t have worn white today. Now it''s full of blood!" Cathyined as she held her dress. Nash was busy cutting the flesh of the Were-shark just in case they needed it in the future. "You have a whole house full of clothes in your traveler''s ring." Cathy pouted. "Yeah, but we''re stuck in this sea for who knows how long! How do you expect me to look my best if I ran out of clothes to wear?" "Don''t worry, mydy, I''ll make sure to do yourundry every day," said Nash with a bored tone and face. Cathy stomped her feet. "Nash, you don''t understand a woman''s heart at all! No wonder you''re still single!" "It''s because I haven''t found my mate, mydy." Cathy opened her mouth to retort, but the thunder and the gushing wind stole her attention. "W-wha. . ." Cathy''s face shifted from bright to gloom in seconds as she saw the looming storm. "This is bad." Chapter 65: A Storm is Coming Chapter 65: A Storm is Coming At the first drop of rain, every crew scattered to prepare for the storm. "Round-up the sails ''n secure the hold!" Skull was giving instructions as she navigated the wheels. "We got a stormin''!" Meanwhile, the mercenaries all hid in thefort of their quarters while Ryu and Kai stayed on deck. Ryu wanted to experience what a storm was like while Kai was sweating buckets. "What are you doing? Kai asked. "We should get inside before the storm hits." Ryu didn''t spare Kai a nce. His eyes were on the beaming thunder in the sky and the darkness above that soon followed. Rain-like waterfalls poured so fast and intense that all Ryu saw were blurs. The ship rocked back and forth as the waves grew louder and bigger by the seconds. "Orghp!" Kai held his mouth when he was about to puke. "This is bad. I need to find my darling Fifi!" Kai sprinted inside the quarters while Ryu remained on deck, mesmerized by what nature could do. It was so powerful that nobody would dare go against it. "Ahoy, wha'' ye doin'' thar?!" A crew shouted at Ryu. "Go back t'' yer cabin if ye don''t wants t'' fall into the ocean ''n swallowed by this waves!" Ryu took onest look at the heavy rain and the colossal waves before his beast groaned. Apparently, his beast didn''t like the big waves while his human self trembled before the giant waves. It felt like it was going to swallow the whole ship, and he became rmed. Just as Ryu was about to go to Cecily, shadows appeared beneath the lightning. ---- Cathy and Nash were staying warm and cozy in their quarters as the storm hits. Cathy was drinking her favorite lemon, raspberry tea while Nash was serving her all sorts of delicacies that they stored in their traveler''s ring. The rocking didn''t bother the two of them as Cathy bought an item that could make a room stay at normal position, whatever might happen outside. It was a Gravity Stone. It was a must have for those traveling by sea. "How long will our supplyst?" Cathy asked. "Don''t worry, myy. We''ve brought enough tost us an entire cycle of moon." "Hmm. . ." Cathy looked outside the window and wondered. "This storm is abnormal. Don''t you think?" "Storms like this are only natural if we''re traversing the Nightmare seas. Don''t worry. It will onlyst tonight." Cathy''s gloomy mood didn''t listen. "One night, but frequent?" Nash nodded. Cathy chuckled. "It''s a good thing that we''vee prepared, huh? Or else we''ll be hurling upside down by now. Toss here and there from the violent rocking of this ship. The Captain certainly doesn''t care what will happen to us, and she made it clear that we are on our own." Cathy inhaled her tea and sighed. "What lousy service. I''ll give them a negative rating!" .. . .. . "Nash?" Cathy called when Nash didn''t reply. He just kept his eyes on the door like someone was there. "What''s wrong?" Before Cathy had the time to react, the door burst open. ---- Cecily, Lucian, and Rosa were inside Lucian''s quarters to discuss what happened before, unmindful of the vigorous rocking of the ship. Because of Rosa''s spell, the space inside Lucian''s room was separated from the outside world. "This ship is not safe. Who knows when we''re going to encounter some pirates and be offered to ugly stinky bearded men like a piece of meat," Rosa said. "The nightmare sea isn''t safe," Cecily replied, "Even if we change ship now, it''s toote." "I say we highjack this ship," Rosa said with determination. "That''s the only way will be safe." Cecily sighed. "Even if we take control of this ship, the Nightmare sea is still dangerous. Not to mention that we should be alert at all times for mutiny." Rosa rolled her eyes. "Then what do you suggest? We wait for another pirate ship that will rob us of our freedom?" ".. ." ".. ." Both girls looked at Lucian, but he remained quiet. His head was low, eyelids dropping a little, appearing to be thinking of something. "Lucian?" Cecily and Rosa called. Lucian got up from his seat and said, "I''ll go talk to the Captain. If this problem can be solved with gold, then that''s the best oue." Rosa sighed, shoulders dropping. "Of course, you''ll always save humans if you can," muttered Rosa under her breath. Lucian ignored Rosa''sment. "I''ll talk to her after this storm pass." At the mention of the storm, Lucian and the others looked outside the window. There was nothing but a dark sea like they were submerged in the ocean. If not for the spell that Rosa cast, they''d be upside down from the sheer force of the rocking boat. "How long will this stormst?" Cecily muttered. "The whole night, I supposed," said Lucian. "Will this ship going to be okay?" Cecily didn''t know if this ship made of wood wouldst them the entire night of the storm. This was her first campaign in the sea, and she had no idea what to expect. Rosa folded her arms. "It should be. This ship sailed the Nightmare sea before you were even born, so the Captain and her crew knew what they''re doing." Cecily grumbled in silence. Why does Rosa always have something against her? She chose to ignore it for Lucian''s sake. They shouldn''t be quarreling now. They have to be united at all times, even if she had to endure Rosa''s mockery. "Are your servants going to be okay?" Rosa asked Cecily with a sweet pretentious smile. "Lucky for me, I can store Fifi in a jar in my traveler''s ring while Lucian''s angel servant can disappear and reaper at will." Rosa really loved to p on Cecily''s face how her servants were uselesspared to them. Cecily had a sore spot about her savants. They were a reminder that Murok and Do lost their life for her to acquire them. But it turned that one of them was useless while the other was rebellious. Cecily controlled her anger and said with a voice as calm as she could, "Ryu and Ferris can take care of themselves. They''re both strong and able." Cecily then tilted her head and asked with fake innocent, "Is your servant going to be okay? With her physical attack so low, she needed to recuperate her mana or else she won''t be able to cast any thunder." In short, useless in a battle. Rosa''s veins bulged from her forehead, but the skewed smile on her lips remained pretentiously sweet as ever. "Fifi will have her mana back in no time. And all know that you don''t need brute strength to kill, just a zap, and they''d be charcoal." There was static between Cecily and Rosa, and a single spark would ignite the mes and explode the room. Lucian sighed, but he didn''t stop the two. He didn''t n to interfere in their petty squabbling. Instead, he''d just make it worse if he came between them. Knock! Knock! Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily all looked at the door when an urgent knock broke the heavy atmosphere in the room. Rosa got up, but Lucian stopped her. "Who is it?" Lucan asked. Rosa just waved a hand. "It''s just a merc. I''ll see what he wants." Before Lucian and Cecily could ask further, Rosa opened the door, and the ghostly pale face Kai hung on to her. Rosa was shocked, and she took a step back before she pushed Kai''s vomit-covered face away from her. "P-please. .. I-is my darling Fifi here?" Kai begged, not letting Rosa''s waist go. "Get away, you disgusting curd!" Rosa pped Kai in the face and kicked him away from her. Kai was flung against the wooden wall and copsed on the floor with stars swirling around his head. Before Rosa decided to end him forying his dirty hands on her, cries and screams broke in the entire ship. ---- A/N Hey Guys! Please support and vote my entry for WPC * Generation of Heroes Genre: Action, Adventure, Epic Fantasy, Romance, War and Military, Friendship and Betrayal, Multiple Leads, Game Elements, RPG Elements Chapter 66: Lizzaforth’s Tavern Chapter 66: Lizzaforth¡¯s Tavern In another dimension, somewhere in a rift, all sorts of creatures flew and sang above the blue sky. The river glided freely along its path, and the gentle ripples it created were peaceful in the ears. In the middle of the lush forestid a house. A house built with the big barks of trees. Its wood became its shelter, and its leaves became its roof. There was a small waterfall beside the river, and two bridges connected the treehouse to the other side. (Pic) There were all sorts of nts and herbs surrounding it as well as exotic mushrooms and herbs, from Screaming Mandragons to shape-shifting Deadly Nightshade to Hawthorns holding portals to the deferent realms. At the entrance of every bridge, underneath the dense ferns stuck out lichen-covered wood. Barely visible letter carved and burned into its nk: Lizzaforth''s Tavern Ferris always found herself amazed every time she ventured into Lizzaforth''s domain. Since she had nothing to do, hole up in her quarters to pass the storm, she might as well visit Lizzaforth and asked about that Legion Steel. In the bushy nt and greeneries, Ferris spotted Lizzaforth''s tail sticking out. "Yes. Yes. Three moons are the best season to grow my herbs," a raspy voice of an old man said, "Fleshy leaves, tapering roots, is grey on the outside and white on the inside with a sweet taste and burning after taste. You''ve grown perfectly, my Deadly Nightshade." Lizzaforth picked the cherry-like fruit of the Deadly Nightshade and casually popped it inside his mouth. His long pointy nose turned red, and the tiny horns scattered on his scrawny bald head emitted smoke. (Pic) "Wee. Deadly." Lizzaforthughed, and Ferris wondered if you have to be mad to be a legendary alchemist? "Lizzaforth," Ferris bellowed just in case he didn''t hear her obvious footsteps. Lizzaforth''s big Elfen-like ears pointed up, and his long beard and brows shook at the sight of Ferris. "Ah. Ferris, it''s good to see you again. How''s the Demon Realm?" Ferris restrained a scowl. Why is everybody asking that? "I didn''t make it. Still stuck in the Mortal Realm. Currently stuck in the Nightmare Sea." "Ah. I see. I see." Lizzaforth pretended to be interested before he trotted to his next nt. He examined a thin stem of flowers with blooms of white, tiny petals like clouds. "Elders are sacred flowers that protect and bless a house. Hung over doorways, it stops curses and hexes. A perfect ingredient to make any blessed items." Ferris yawned but didn''t stop Lizzaforth. The older man was like that. She deduced that it would take at least half a day for him to finish his exnations. Lizzaforth was an entric, moody old man, but once you hit the right way of conversing with him, then you''d have his friendship and services. The trick was. .. never to interrupt when he was talking about his precious nts. Ferris might as well take a nap while Lizzaforth was talking. It''s not like he cared as long as he wasn''t interrupted. "Don''t you know that Parsley is called the devils oatmeal?" Lizzaforthughed. "Now you do." Ferris just snored. "I think I might be out of Knotgrass soon with all these orders of Love potion." Lizzaforth brushed his bushy dirty white beard. "I always wondered what love is. What do you think, Ferris?" The bubbles in Ferris''s nose popped, and she snorted into waking up. "Huh?" Lizzaforth raised a brow. "I said, have you ever been in love? What''s it like?" Ferris didn''t know what emotion to portray. Did the old man just ask about love? Did she hear it right? But the seriousness in Lizzaforth face told her that he was not joking and he needed answers. Fast. Love? It was a foreign word to Ferris. Not that she wanted to delve into that feeling.She was always alone and only thought of herself before Ryu. ".. ." Ryu. . .she didn''t know why she wanted to protect that halfbreed. Didn''t know why she was so fond of him. Was it love? Ferris shook her head and said with a stoic face, "Love is like what you feel towards your nts." ".. ." ".. ." Lizzaforth and Ferris looked at each other for a whole minute before Lizzaforthughed heartily. "Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! That''s it! You''re right! You''re absolutely right! Love is between my nts and me!" A grin so wide made into Lizzaforth''s mouth with a knowing expression on his face. "So you''ve finally been in love, ey? Good for you, Ferris." Ferris was unmoving for a second before she stepped back and shrieked. "W-what! Of course not!" She was red all over. "Ho! Ho! Ho! Don''t be embarrassed. Even if you''re a demon, you''ll still not immune to love! Even the Demon King is not immune to love. It''s a powerful universal thing!" "Grr.. ." Ferris had enough of the old man. She didn''t need him to fill her thoughts with unnecessary things. Thanks to him, she grew hot, her chest felt constricted, and the palpations of her heart hurt, and Ryu''s face was hammering in her head. She didn''t think of it before, but now that someone pointed it out she was bothered. At first, she was only fond of Ryu because he was too innocent. She wanted to protect that innocence. Buttely, as he grew, Ferris didn''t know what to do with him anymore, and she knew he would grow into a man. An older, mature-looking Ryu. Ferris imagined his beautiful face matured as his chiseled body hardened and filled out in excellent proportions. . . Saliva hung on her lips. She liked the thought more than she wanted to admit. Ferris shook her head, trashing those thoughts at the back of her mind. Composing herself, she said in a no-nonsense tone, "Enough games, Lizzaforth. Let''s get down to business as to why I''m here." Lizzaforth chuckled, and he went back to his gardening. "And what that might be? "I''m here for the Legion Steel." ---- A/N Please support and vote my entry for WPC * Generation of Heroes Sincerely, MiuNovels Chapter 67: Myrmen Chapter 67: Myrmen "Darn, these slimy creatures! Where on Septverden did they evene from?!" Cathy pummelled another Myrmen with her lightning spell, but there was no end to the Myrmen swarming at her door. Myrmen were another type of Mermaids with a liquid body and bluish skin. Primarily, males, their bodies were covered in hard reefs and shells. Since they couldn''t reproduce, they usually kidnapped humans and other beings to the bottom of the sea to convert them into one of them to keep their poption alive. (Pic) Nash ws and brute strength were enough to keep the Myrmen at bay while Cathy cast her spell at the back. "They usuallye from the water, mydy. They took advantage of the storm to climb on the boat." "I''m not really interested in the answer!" Cathy casted another lightning spell [Spark], and all the Myrmen hoarding at the door were burned to crisp. It was just a low level spell since Cathy was worried about destroying the ship and her room if she went overboard. Luckily, her affinity was lightening which all sea creatures and beasts were weak against. In the hallway, the mercenaries were fending off for themselves, but some were taken despite their desperate attempt to fight. The narrow spaces and the Myrmen''s number and agility added to their predicament. Lucian, Cecily, and Rosa were also fending off the Myrmen. They didn''t need to do much since Rosa and Fifi mostly took care of them with their spells. The room wasn''t ideal forbat anyway since Lucian and Cecily have limited space to maneuver. The Myrmen were like Were-sharks that overwhelmed everyone with their numbers. They weren''t strong, but they were persistent and annoying. Sensing that they were just being ughtered, the Myrmen backed away from Lucian''s group and turned the other way for the weaker mercenaries. But not before snatching the dizzy Kai on the floor. "H-help," Kai whizzed, too sick to even be bothered to fight. Luciana and the others looked at each other. Should they help? But they didn''t know who Kai was. "Err. . ." Fifi was about to ask everyone to help Kai but shut her mouth. She didn''t have the guts to ask Rosa. She was just a servant, and she was sure that all Rosa would do was knocked her in the head. In the end, Lucian, Cecily, and Rosa didn''t chase after Kai but helped cleaned the hallway of Myrmen. It was toote anyway. Those Myrmen were nimble as fish swimming in the ocean, even on drnds. Cecily also felt Ferris was not far, but she couldn''t felt Ryu. It was odd since the time in Corpse Mountain. She somewhat sensed that her connection with Ryu was lost. But the seal was still on his forehead. Not far from their quarters, Ferris woke up from the loudmotions outside. When she came too, piles and piles of Myrmen''s body loitered her room. She casted a [Shadow Double] in her room just in case if someone attacked in her sleep, her shadows would eliminate them. Ferris yawned and rubbed her eyes. She flexed her hands and got up from bed. She was just out for four hours, and this already happened? Could she get a night''s rest in this fucking sea without being attack every minute? They weren''t even traveling a week and all sorts of creatures'' already preyed on their boat. What''s more if they reached the middle of the Nightmare Sea? Ferris wasn''t enthusiast about their predicament. Not that her human form was going to drop asleep at any moment. ''You should just sleep and let me take control.'' "Unless you can shapeshift into me, I''ll hold on until I can." ''What useless struggle.'' "Say that to your other-self. She''s the one who revived me, not you. This is our contract. You''re just baggage." ''Hehehehe. And yet, I''m always the one saving our asses.'' Ferris rolled her eyes, but she was ovee with drowsiness that she couldn''t help but doubled over her bed once more. Ryu was fighting every Myrmen his way at the deck while maintaining momentum as the boat rocked back and forth. It was not hard for him since his bnce was impable. The ws on his hands and feet were enough to steady him on the wooden nks. Sensing that Ryu was a tricky opponent even with the storm and the rocking boat, the Myrmen all changed their targets to the suffering humans who couldn''t maintain their bnce. Amidst those humans, Ryu saw the one he pped a day ago. The bulky man and his servant halfbreed boy. The bulky man was unconscious while the boy was struggling from the Myrmen''s tight hold. Ryu snarled, and the wooden nk snapped at his strength when he jumped in the boy''s direction. With a decisive blow, Ryu ripped the Myrmen head with his jaws and snatched the boy from its grip. Ryunded on both feet, but the boy struggled from his hold. "Master!" the boy screamed at the bulky man who was dragged into the depth of the ocean lost into the storm and ravaging seas. "Nooo! Let me go!" "If you go after him, you''ll die," Ryu said and held the boy tight. The boy gnashed his teeth, and tears pooled in his eyes. "I''ll die anyway if he dies! At least. .. ," the boy croaked and sobbed. "At least if I were made into a Myrmen, my fate would change! Halfbreeds like us have no ce here!" Ryu was dumbstruck, and his hold loosened. The boy then took advantage of it and jumped away from Ryu''s hold. He ran to the edge of the boat and nced at Ryu with a smile that didn''t reach his eyes. "Thanks. .. for trying to save me." Ryu reached out his hand, but the boy leaped into the ocean. ".. ." The storm continued, never ceasing for anyone. Amidst the chaos and confusion, Ryu stood on the deck, eyes never leaving from where the boy jump. Was it okay to live at the cost of freedom? Ryu thought. Halfbreeds like us have no ce here! The boy''s voice rang in Ryu''s head and shook his heart like a gong. Maybe that child will have a better life once he is a Myrmen? Who knows, perhaps he''d have more freedom in the vast seas? Halfbreeds have no ce here. Yes, Ryu thought of it. But he still wanted to create his ce in Cecily''s heart even he knew it was futile. The only thing he would ever be. .. was a servant. Even in the Beast Realm or any realm, he was not weed. Ferris was right. .. he couldn''t change anything if he couldn''t change the entire world. Ryu sighed. He looked over at the gloomy sky and never-ending rain. The battle ended with the Myrmen retreating, dragging some of the mercenaries and crew into the giant waves. But it didn''t matter. The chaos in Ryu''s heart was starting, and not even the image of Cecily could stop it. Chapter 68: The Break of Dawn Chapter 68: The Break of Dawn Thanks to Rosa''s spell, Lucian and the others room were protected throughout the night. But not could be said about the other mercenaries who didn''t sleep a wink for fear of being attack again. At just the break of dawn, Lucian woke up and stretched. However, he didn''t have a good night''s sleep. He did take a nap, but not for long. He looked outside his window and found that the storm had passed, but the outside was still dark with stars nketing the sky. Not thinking of going back to sleep, Lucian washed his face and changed his clothes to training robes. He''d have a quick swing in the deck before the others woke up. Stretching as he went towards the main deck, he yawned but soon found his sleepiness disappeared at the sight of a beautiful woman sitting at the edge of the wooden railings. Her translucent skin was sparkling beneath her scarlet robe, reflecting the waters below. Her lips formed the perfect heart when she opened her mouth. And her hair, oh her hair was so long it cascaded to the wooden floor like pouring night with shining stars. She was mesmerizing in every way! But it was not the perfect features that Lucian dwelled. Not the darkest flickering eyes nor the perfect scarlet red lips. .. Something was drawing him to her. Lucian didn''t know if it was a charm spell because he found that he couldn''t avert his gaze on her. Was there a beauty like her on board before? Was she a mercenary? The desire to getting to know her overwhelmed Lucian''s mind that he didn''t know he was walking near her until he was but an arm''s length. "What do you want, boy?" Her voice was soft and pleasant to the ears, though it held nothing but coldness. Lucian blinked and said in stammers, "Y-you might fall." ".. ." ".. ." Lucian never wanted to hit himself so bad to the point of fainting from the force than now. He nevercked a situation where he conversed with women before. Why now of all times that it seemed it was his first time conversing with a woman? The beauty chuckled, and Lucian''s heart wanted to crawl towards her. "My face looks nice, but I''m not," she said and got off from the railing. "Be careful who you mess with." Was her warning before she swayed in the opposite direction? She walked in slow motions like time stopped just for her, and Lucian never saw a woman so alluring as her. "My name''s Lucian." There. He said it a first attempt to get to know her. She didn''t turn towards him, though. She didn''t even spare him a nce as she walked towards the stairs and disappeared below deck. Lucian was in a spell and before he realized what happened the woman was gone and her name was lost with her. Lucian wanted to chase after her even though they might still each other if she was one of the mercs on the ship. But he didn''t wish to dally because he had a feeling that he wouldn''t see her again. "Stop." Raphael appeared and blocked Lucian''s way. "She''s a demon," Raphael said, and Lucian only registered the seal between the ample cleavage of the woman. Why hadn''t he noticed before that she was a servant? The enormous breasts of the woman that almost slip from her robe were what hammered in Lucian''s head. That''s why. "Haven''t you realized it?" Raphael asked in a condescending voice. "It was obvious that I even felt it. You should have sensed it." Yes. Lucian sensed it. But his heart acted first than his brain. Lucian shook his head. "Sorry. It must be a charm spell that every demon-possessed." He could only make this an excuse so Raphael would drop the topic. The sharp edge of Raphael''s brows rose, and his white hair flopped over his white eyes when he raised his head a little. "It''s pathetic that you''ve been under a simple spell if that is the case." Lucian suppressed his annoyance and said instead, "It won''t happen again." Raphael only looked Lucian in the eyes before his body disappeared. "I hope so. You don''t want your grandfather to know that a demon''s ve captured your interest." Lucian swallowed his groan, and he took in his lips between his teeth. He already knew that. But still. .. that woman burned in his mind and startled his heart. ---- ''What are you doing?'' "The squirt''s asleep, so I took the time to get some fresh air," Ferris answered the voice in her head after she locked her door and made sure that no one eavesdropped in her room. ''That''s not what I''m asking. If I hadn''t stop you there, you might have done something to Leonell''s Azura''s grandson.'' Ferris flopped on the bed and yawned. "Since when did you care about his grandson?" Ferrisughed. "Rather. Have you seen his face? He looked like a love-struck fool!" Ferris licked her lips and cupped her breasts in her hands. "Though can''t me him since no one could resist this charm." She smiled then her expression fell off from her face. "Though that Angel is an exception." ''I don''t care what you do. But before you kill him, make sure that you can defeat that man, or else you''ll just get us in trouble.'' "Your nagging is what will get us in trouble," Ferris murmured and said, "Don''t you think I know that already?" ''Then act like it and don''t cause unnecessary attention.'' Ferris snorted. "Are you afraid of that angel?" .. . .. . ''You know it''s not him that I''m afraid of.'' Ferris bat an eyelid. "On a side note. Is Ryu my mate?" ''.. .'' ''Where did this came from?'' "I''m asking since it''s rare that you''re awake now," Ferris said and murmured, "I sometimes wonder how you can be awake at a perfect moment when I want to do something." ''.. .'' "Well? Is he or not?" ''*sigh. .. You probably know it already. His human side is your mate. You don''t feel intensely about it since you''re half." Instead of shock Ferrisughed, and said, "I thought so. I mean, it''s very unlike me to protect that boy!" She had an inkling that it was the case, but she never wanted to find out because it would justplicate things. "Funny how I have a mate when I think nothing but myself. And you. .. you''re nothing but righteous and obedient and such, but you don''t have your other half." ''.. . It''s the world saying that you need a leash. Besides, not all demons have a mate. It just happened that you have one. .. like your father have one. . .'' Ferris''s mood plummeted. "Our father." ''.. .'' They didn''t know who their father was. But at least they were one hundred percent sure that he was a demon based on their inherent knowledge. A high ranking Demon since only high ranking beings could transfer their knowledge, spells, and skills to their children at birth. Ferris turned to her back and draped an arm over her eyes. "I find it hrious that in the vast Septverden, I, Ryu, and Cecily met. To make it worse, our fate intertwined." .. . .. . "You asleep already? Or you chose to ignore me?" .. . .. . Ferris curled to her side. "Fucking Angel." Chapter 69: Passing the Time Chapter 69: Passing the Time When morning came, all went into the open deck to savour the warm air and clear sky after the never-ending stormst night. Ryu smelled the ocean breeze. It was unbelievable how calm the ocean was nowpared tost night that it almost tore the ship. All sorts of flying creatures roamed the clear sky, and some sea creatures were hopping from the water like they wanted to y with their ship. Ryu didn''t know what they were. They were different fishes, and some were tentacle like creatures he didn''t want to know. They were mesmerizing though, and he enjoyed watching them y in the water. Until an enormous jaws came out of nowhere and swallowed those tiny creatures. . . Ryu was startled for a moment, and he leaned low on the railing to see what happened. But he only spotted the blurred silhouette of a gigantic creature before it disappeared in the bottom of the ocean. The beast was massive, almost like the size of the boat. Ryu leaned a little closer, hoping to have a second glimpse, but instead of the massive creature, he spotted Kai hanging on dear life at the anchor of the boat. "H-help," Kai croaked. It was just one night, but he looked like all life was zapped from him. He was saved by his clothes hooked at the anchor, but he seemed like he would die at any moment. Ryu immediately crawled to Kai using his ws and feet against the wooden boat. Without an ounce of delicacy and not caring if he''s alive, Ryu flung Kai so high, and he smashed directly onto the deck, face first. Ryu then jumped onto the deck and checked if Kai was still breathing. Kai''s soul almost flew from his mouth, but it was pushed back by Ryu into his body with a hard p on his face. "You okay? Ryu asked. When Kai didn''t respond, Ryu pped him again. "You okay?" "Agh. . ." Ryu pped Kai once more when he didn''t respond. It continued again and again, and Kai''s face swelled with bruises and bumps. When Ryu raised his hand again, Kai gasped with all his strength, "I-I''m. .. okay." Ryu nodded to himself for a job well done. "C-can you. .. get Fifi. .. Please?" Kai croaked and passed out. But since he was afraid that Ryu might p him again, his eyes opened though his one foot was already in the grave. Fifi? Ryu hadn''t seen her since yesterday. Maybe she was with Rosa? He didn''t really like Rosa but. . . Ryu gazed at Kai. He just saved his life. Too bad if he died. Should I just toss him out of the sea? Ryu thought and entertained the idea. On the ground, Kai wanted to cry when he sensed Ryu''s thoughts. With the will of his mind, his finger snapped, and a jerky appeared in his hand. "I''ll give you. .. this," Kai gasped. Ryu sniffed the jerky. Was it worth it? Yes, if Kai added another one. "Make it five jerkies." Kai grumbled. It was his favorite Roasted bore jerky seasoned and spiced for months, smoked in a slow-burn fire for days, and then dried in herbs afterward. Damn it! He only had twenty left! "F-fine. .. ," Kai grumbled in tears. Anything to stop the seasickness! Ryu didn''t say anything more and sprinted to where Rosa was. Kai sighed, but his relief was short when he puked to the side. But since he didn''t eat nor sleep the whole night, all thanks to the Myrmen and the storm, he hurled nothing but air. Not even water. Agh. .. freaking Myrmen. Fucking storm. Cursed this Nightmare Sea! Kai thought that traversing the Nightmare Sea was easy. If he only knew that he couldn''t take a single day on a boat, he should have sought an Alchemist to forge him medicine for seasickness. He didn''t even bother to bring with him a Gravity Stone! Agh. .. he was too overconfident and arrogant. What now. .. his only hope was darling Fifi. *poke *poke Kai''s brows twitched, but he was too tired to open his eyes to know who was poking him. It was odd, though. This mortal stench of burnt smell and rotting flesh. "Did you get dragged by the Myrmenst night?" Kai turned to that childish voice and found obsidian dted eyes starring at him. ---- A whileter, on the open deck. Ever since Ferris dered that she would put distance between her and Ryu, she was hiding at the corner watching him. It was not her intention to hide. .. it was just. .. That damn Lizard! Ferris gritted her teeth. Because of him, she was bing conscious, and now thanks to the very recent information that Ryu''s human side was her mate. .. her feelings were all in jumbles! She didn''t care much before but now. .. because she was made aware, she couldn''t look Ryu in the eyes anymore! This was why she hated feelings! It just made thingsplicated! Ferris shook her head and took in a mouthful of air to cleanse her dirty mind. But every few seconds, she found herself staring at Ryu. Stealing peeks at his youthful face and every flexed of his muscles when he moved. Ahhh. .. how nice would it be if he matured fast. ".. ." Ferris realized what it was she was doing and screamed, "Nooo!" She pulled what little hair she had left and stomped her feet repeatedly on the floor. But her attention was stolen when Ryu jumped from the boat. "Ah!" She was about to go after him but realized that she promised to leave him be. "Curses!" Not before long, a human with dirty golden hair came flying and crashed on the wooden deck, face first. Ferris tilted her head. "Who?" She didn''t know Ryu made friends with a human. Didn''t he learn from Dorian? Ferris observed Ryu and Kai''s conversation at the side. Based on Kai''s ragged appearance and where he was a while ago, the Myrmen must have dragged him to the sea, or he was just unlucky and lost his bnce and fell on the boat and got stuck on the anchor. But one thing was for sure. .. he shouldn''t have survived the night. Ferris went to Kai when Ryu left and poked him. "Did you get dragged by the Myrmenst night?" Chapter 70: Bargain Chapter 70: Bargain Kai blinked. He didn''t know why his body was colder than before, but there was a biting numbness eating him all the way to his soul. Fear. Raw fear. Kai gulped. "Y-you are. . ." if he wasn''t mistaken, she saw the girl with Ryu''s group. She must be a ve from one of their group, just like Ryu. "Answer my question first." Kai didn''t know why he was intimidated by a ve girl. A halfbreed at that. It was just.. . something within him was trembling and tried as he might, he waspelled to answer at the sight of her dted eyes. "Y-yeah. . ." Kai gasped for air when he almost passed out from the biting cold. Why did it turn cold all of a sudden? His affinity was ice, but it felt like it was the first time he knew coldness. "Hmmm. . ." Ferris tilted her head, and her creping smile sent a shiver to Kai''s very bones, and his souls almost left him just to escape that biting fear. "Then how are you alive?" Ferris asked, smile creepy when her dted eyes squinted crescent. Why? Why? Kaimented. Why him? Wasn''t he tormented enough by the sea? Now this. .. a loli half-demon was torturing him on deck. "I. .. anchor saves me." Ferris''s smile widened. "That''s hard to believe considering that the storm should have washed youst night. Not to mention that no ordinary mortals could escape Myrmen''s clutch once they dragged you into the sea. Are you. . ." Ferris wet her lips and grinned. ".. . Hiding something?" Kai was crying now. Not on the outside, but his inside was full of silent tears. Ferris went to her knees when she sensed that Ryu wasing, and Kai breathed easy. "Listen, human," Ferris warned. "If you, by any means, hurt Ryu. . ." Bam! "Eeek!" Kai shrieked a pathetic scream when Ferris hammered her little feet on the floor near his head and the broken nks scattered in all directions, and some even grazed his face. "You''ll wish that you have been swallowed by the ocean and turned into a Myrmen instead." Ferris was gone before Kai could squeak another sound, and Ryu appeared at the corner with Fifi in tow. "What''s wrong with you?" Ryu asked when Kai was ghastly pale and almost dead like a corpse. "What happened with the floor?" Ryu asked when there was a gaping hole near Kai''s head. Kai was too exhausted and scared that he passed out there and then. ---- Meanwhile, Lucian was having a conversation with Skull in the captain''s office. "Ye''re offerin'' hundred golf bars fer ye ''n yer scallywag''s safe passages?" Skull asked. Lucian nodded. "I think it''s enough gold for you tost a lifetime." Skull leaned against her chair and folded her arms. "I assume that ye''re no ordinary mercs then?" "Is it important?" Skull chuckled. "No. I don''t care who ye be, but gold ain''t the only currency in this world, ye know." "You''re human, and you mostly spent your time in the mortal realm." "Why do ye reckon I became a pirate in the first ce? I wanted t'' sail into different realms through the Nightmare Sea." Skull gave a half shrugged. "If I wanted gold, I would ''ave jus'' asked one from the start. But this voyage in the Nightmare Sea be me adventure. Ye, the mercs, ''n the gold are jus'' extras." Lucian leaned, elbow resting on the table, and said with a harsh voice and face, "Don''t force me to resort to violence. You won''t like it." ".. ." Skull looked Lucian in the eyes for a moment before she burst outughing. "Ye mighty don''t wants t'' thread thar,d." Skull changed her position and leaned to Lucian, eyes glinting in malice and face twisting in a warped grin. "I warn ye, didn'' I? ''tis no longer the Mortal Realm. ''tis the nightmare sea ''n no rule, but mine be e code o'' conduct here." Lucian wasn''t the least bit frightened nor intimidated. "I can kill you and your crew right here. Right now." ".. ." Skull''s scar covered hands covered her face as she doubled over inughter. "Har har har! I like ye, sprog! Ye ''ave guts!" Though irritated, Lucian didn''t show it on his face. "Do you think I''m joking?" "Oh. Ye''re definitely nah." Skull grinned. "''N ye''re nah the only scallywag who said that t'' me. Most already became bone reefs in the bottom o'' the ocean." Lucian huffed aughed. "You really have no idea who you''re talking to?" "The thing be, I don''t care who ye be," Skull spat, and her face turned serious. "As I said, ''tis the Nightmare Sea. If ye scuttle me, wha'' will happen t'' ye? Ye ''n yer crew goin'' t'' swim back t'' the Mortal Realm?" "Well, find another captain." Skull''s shoulder trebled, holding herughter. "The thing be. .. ye can nah." She leaned to Lucian and whispered, enunciating each word, "Do ye know how we survived that stormst night or how we survived every deadly storm in the Nightmare sea? Every attack that came our way?" A creeping doubt knocked into Lucian''s heart. He wondered it too. He thought it was a unique Pirates skill until Skull continued. "It''s ''cause we gave part o'' our soul into our galleon. In short, this ship be a livin'' thing. Me mighty body!" At Skull''s word, her body turned hallow like that of a ghost, and Lucian did everything not to gasp. Skull floated in mid-air and smirk, "So ye see, if ye scuttle me, this ship will sink in the bottom o'' the ocean, draggin'' ye all wit'' me." Lucan bit his tongue not to groan. Now things have be moreplicated. But whatever doubt and anxiety he felt, he hid behind a smirk. "It''s fine. We could just fly off." Skull closed her eyes for a moment, and Lucian thought he won, but the slight smile on the edge of her lips told a different tale. "Maybe ye can, but wha'' about the rest o'' yer crew? Or the rest o'' the humans? Ye''re goin'' t'' sacrifice ''em too?" Lucian inwardly groaned. He and Rosa could fly, but Cecily and the other certainty couldn''t, and he certainly couldn''t sacrifice many humans at his expense. He could bluff, but it was toote since Skull already took his brief silence as affirmation. "The proof be that ye''re in the sea instead o'' in the sky. ''n unless ye can summon flying beast, big enough t'' carry yer party, then ye''re stuck here wit'' me." Lucian couldn''t hold his emotions, and it showed on his face in the form of a single sweat dripping from his forehead. It was checkmate. Gold and threat were his trump card against Skull, but that didn''t work. .. then. .. "Then perhaps a rare item would change your mind?" Lucian wager. The bead of sweat on Lucian''s face dropped on the floor as the second passed that Skull didn''t answer. A short silence and a creepy smile from Skull made Lucian clenched his fists. "Thar be. .. one item." ---- A/N For faster release, please vote with PS and GT Please support my entry for WPC Multiple Leads *Generation of Heroes (Action, Adventure, Drama, Comedy, EpicFantasy, Romance, RPGElements, GameElements, Beasts, Magic, Arcane) Chapter 71: The Forgotten Lore Chapter 71: The Forgotten Lore "You agreed to what?" Cecily might have misheard Lucian. But the way his down curved mouth remained stered on his lips said that she didn''t. "I agreed to get her the lost jewel of Tethy''s," Lucian replied, dragging each letter like he didn''t want to repeat himself. Rosa clutched her head. "Lucian, love. I know that you''re the leader of this group, but how can you not consult me first about this before you made the Seal of Promise with that ugly pirate?" Cecily didn''t have time to pick on what Rosa said as she was stuck in their current predicament. Lucian paced towards the window and sighed. "We don''t have any choice. It''s either that or being a pirate ve." Cecily folded her arms. "I''d rather take our chanced into the Nightmare Sea. We don''t even know what this lost Jewel is." "Well, with the number of pirates roaming the seas, I doubt we''ll get to Imoana islets with our group still intact." Lucian was bing annoyed as well. Rosa gave a half shrug. "It''s easy. We should kill every pirate and destroy every ship that gets in our way." Lucian shook his head. "Unless you want the whole pirates after us, I don''t think that''s a good idea." "And the only idea is to find this lost treasure? Whatever it is?" Cecily spat. Lucian faced the two discontented women. He didn''t know why he was annoyed at them all of a sudden. "It''s just going to be a one-day search. Skull already knew where it is." "Then why don''t she go?" Rosa asked. "Because she''s bound on this hip. She can''t go far." Lucian then contemted whether to say his following words but said it anyway, "And the mercenaries she hired didn''t return." ".. ." ".. ." "Does that mean that it''s dangerous?" Cecily exhaled in the ceiling. Lucian immediately pacified the two girls. "As I said, it''s just going to be a one-day search. If it''s dangerous, then well abort the mission." Rosa tilted her hips. "And what if we don''t find it within a day?" Lucian took in a mouthful of air and released it thru his nose. "Then the deal is off." ".. ." ".. ." Cecily couldn''t believe that Lucian agreed to such an underside deal. "Then we don''t have a choice but to find this jewel." Lucian went to Cecily''s side and squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. "I''m sorry. I just want to see if we can find this Jewel or not. If we can''t, then we''ll n our next move." At the determination in Lucian''s eyes, Cecily found her resistance crumbling bit by bit. Ever since young, Lucian was always like this. Always wanted to try things first. He never did give up on anything he set his mind into. "Fine," Cecily said under her breathe and added, "But do you know anything about this Jewel? It''s the first time that I heard of it." "Skull said that it''s located in Deadman''s Rock. At the center of the Ind of Bloody Lagoon, there we will find the Jewel. She also said that well know it''s the one when weid eyes on it," Lucian exined. Cecily didn''t know tough or cry. "That''s rather vague. Does anyone saw this Jewel or at least describe some feature of it?" Rosa chuckled at the side, and all eyes went to her as she swayed between Lucian and Cecily, and thetter staggered back a little when Rosa pushed her away from Lucian. "You really don''t know anything, huh?" Rosa said. Cecily frowned. Lucian didn''t know anything too, but why was she the only one made like an ignorant fool? Rosa walked towards the empty wall of the room, and not before long, a fire erupted, showing shadows as it sparks. "Long ago," Rosa began, "before the deferent races could set dominion over this, it said that the Gods controlled this world. It was a tale forgotten. A lore that was told in ancient books and burned history." Lucian and Cecily looked at each other, but Rosa just continued her tale. "There were seven Gods, and it said that all beings were in harmony under their rule and wisdom. Ultima, the God of eternal life. Chaos, the God of the lost souls. Iduna, the God where wisdom lies. Yamal, the God of illusions and trickery. Cronus, the God of time and space. Hauros, the God of strength and agility and finally. .. Tethyt. She was the youngest, and she was the only God that didn''t have a title." "It''s said the all the gods love Tethyt and gifted her so many jewels and items. And records said that Tethytbined all these Jewels and made the Jewel of Tethy''s. When these Gods disappeared, that''s when war broke out. With them out of the way, every race fought for dominion over this world." Rosa flicked her hand, and the fire vanished together with the shadows and silhouettes. Cecily gazed over at Lucian and said, "If that tale is true, then I don''t see anything special about this Jewel except maybe its value being a lost treasure." Rosa giggled, and Cecily didn''t like the mockery that came with herugh. "Tethyt is born from water. It said that though she didn''t have a title, she could heal any injury and. .. she made the Jewel of Tethy''s to bring the dead back to life." "The angels could do that." Lucian knew since Raphael told them. "True that the angels could revive the dead but only for a time. Once you''re dead, even the angels can''t revive your soul. But this Jewel can. It can also make you immortal." "Raphael, is it true?" Lucian called. Raphael appeared before them in all seriousness. "Yes. We can''t bring the soul back to life. Regarding the tale, we heard it, but the higher rank Angels were the only ones who kept records. Our generation only knew one God." Rosa raised a brow. "You mean, Metatreal? He''s still an angel. I guess he is the only elder left." Raphael red at Rosa, eyes white and intimidating. "Careful when you address our God, mortal. Your filthy mouth isn''t deserving to even say a single letter of his name." Rosa just smirked, and the air in the room turned tense. Lucian broke the invincible hostility between the two and said, "So in short Skull is after this jewel for immortality?" "How fetching," Rosa mocked, "The weak always wanted to crave something that is out of their reach. She had her wish fulfilled, going into different realms through the Nightmare Sea by binding her soul into her boat to escape the dangers in the ocean. But now, she wanted immortality so she could finally be free from the prison of her ship." Rosa puffed augh. "What''s next? Dominion over the world? Or space travel, perhaps?" "Whatever her reason, we have to find the jewel first," Cecily said, "but acquiring such precious jewel is another matter altogether." ".. ." ".. ." Now that they knew what the Jewel cold do, the danger became inevitable. No wonder the other mercenaries didn''t return. They either stole it because they knew what it could do, or they were dead. It was most likely thetter since no one knew of this forgotten lore. Not even Lucian. Rosa knew because she had ess to multiple tomes and relics as she studied magic. But still, no one could really say that it was true. Not even Raphael. "I guess there is only one way to find out." Lucian looked over the window as they neared a small gloomy ind. Deadman''s Rock. Chapter 72: Deadman’s Rock Chapter 72: Deadman¡¯s Rock Ryu looked over his shoulder. Mother Skull''s Ship was getting farther and farther away as they walked towards the jungle of Deadman''s Rock. Cecily exined to them a while ago what they were going to do in the little ind. She said that they needed to find a Jewel or something. "Man, I can''t believe that we''re stopping in here of all ces. This ind is haunted." Kai ced his arms over his head and yawned. If only his face wasn''t on the verge of sleeping, maybe then his words would sound believable. "Who invited him here?" Rosa shot Kai a re. She hadn''t forgotten what he did to her on the night of the storm. Kai looked the other way and pouted. "I''m here to repay my debt to Ryu and Fifi. This doesn''t concern you." The truth was, Kai just wanted to get out of the boat, even if it was just a day. Rosa sweetly smiled. "If you want to repay your debt to Fifi, then make sure to protect me." Kai shivered. "Lady, you might be beautiful, but I still prefer darling Fifi over you. You give me the creeps." Snap. A vein popped in Rosa''s head. With a sweep of her hand, volleys of fire shot in Kai''s way. Kai just grinned, and without doing anything, the fire that came his way all sizzled before they froze into popsicles and shattered on the ground. Rosa smirked. "You have a rare affinity there." Kai shrugged. "If fire is all you can do, then you''re no match to me,ssie." Rosa''s brow raised, but her smirked remained on her face. "Fire is not the only thing I can do." Rosa snapped her fingers, and gust of winds raffled Kai''s hair, and the ground shook to where he stood as droplets of water smacked him right on his face. "W-what!" Kai stared wide eyes at Rosa, unminding his drenched face and clothes. "Y-you''re! You''re an Elementalist!" Rosa giggled at the drenched Kai. She was about to toss him in the air and have fun with him when Lucian interfered. "Don''t waste your mana on him." Rosa pouted but did as Lucian said while Kai wiped his wet face as he grumbled to the side. Lucian made a quick nce at Kai. There was nothing suspicious about him except for his extreme seasickness. But still, he didn''t know him, and he didn''t trust strangers especially strangers traveling alone. He only tolerated him because of the added manpower. But the moment he showed signs of being suspicious, Lucian wouldn''t hesitate to put him down if necessary. Following Lucian, Cecily, and Rosa''s back were Ryu, Ferris, and Kai. "You okay?" Ryu asked when he caught Ferris taking a peek at him multiple times. Like she wanted to say something. Ferris faced away, face red. "Y-yeah." Now Ryu was concerned. Lately, Ferris wouldn''t look him in the eyes, and when he caught her staring, her face would instantly turn red. Is she sick? Ryu thought. He was about to ce a palm at Ferris''s forehead when she pped his hands away. "I''m fine," Ferris said, still not looking at Ryu. Ryu frowned and didn''t bother with her anymore. She was acting weirdtely, and when he asked what was wrong, she would brush him off. At the side, Kai couldn''t look anymore and sighed, "It''s so obvious. You''re so dense, Ryu. Gah!" Kai almost bit his tongue when Ferris red at him. He quickly looked over the sky and whistled, pretending he didn''t know her. "How far is Bloody Lagoon?" Cecily asked Lucian. She was worrying over the clock. They left early in the morning, but she didn''t want to spend the night in the forest on an unknown ind. "We''ve barely an hour inside the forest, and you''re already tired?" Rosa mocked. "I''m just asking. If you''re fine spending the night here, then, by all means, let''s move at a slow pace," Cecily countered. The two women looked each other in the eyes, and sparks flew between them. "Enough, you two," Lucian reprimanded, "Let''s stay focused. Who knows what danger lies ahead." Sniffing the air, Ryu smelled the salt sea, but as they went deeper into the forest, the smell was reced by damp moss and rotting woods. Ryu looked over the canopies when creatures made sounds and buzzes, but he couldn''t pinpoint them. They were everywhere. "It''s too quiet, don''t you think?" Kai asked, "It felt like some beast is lurking nearby and would pounce at any moment." "Oh? What''s this?" Kai asked. His attention could only hold for one second, and the next, he was poking a weird-looking nt growing on the wet portion of the swampy soil. The tiny nt had a needle-like spike forming on its red beehive-like bulb, and Kai was enjoying himself as he flicked it left and right. (Pic) "Ah." Kai was startled when its stem broke, and the bulb burst open, and the next thing happened, he was screaming. "Ouch! What the freaking little blob!" Kai was clutching his injured hand, and the rest looked his way. When they saw that his hand was burned, they resumed their journey, not caring if Kai lived or not. "Heartless," Kai murmured under his breath as he healed his hand. The acid on the little Stingbulb was ferocious. It almost corroded his arm if not for his ice that froze his limb. Kai sighed in relief when the ice thawed, and his hand was brand new again. "Stop messing around and be quiet," Lucian reprimanded. "If you want to follow us, then don''t make unnecessary trouble." Rosa bat an eyelid. "I say we just kill him and bury him somewhere." Kai squinted a re at Rosa and grumbled his discontent. "Quiet," Lucian hissed, and Kai zipped his mouth. Cecily narrowed her eyes. "What''s that?" Ahead of themid a murky swamp under dead trees and fog. And within its dirty waters, thereid a hairy beast with a long snake-like neck and skull-like head. Its body was littered with worms and insects, and its raw, jagged teeth protruded from its mouth. (Pic) "It''s an old Stinkeye." Chapter 73: Into the Swamp Chapter 73: Into the Swamp "It''s an old Stinkeye," Rosa said and added, "It''s usually doesn''t attack as long as we stay clear at least ten meters from it. Once you stray too close to it, it''ll cast sickness upon you." There was silence for a time, and all looked at Lucian since he was the group leader. "Should we look for another route?" Cecily asked, hoping with all hope that they would. She didn''t want to cross the swamp if she didn''t have to. Who knows what dangers and what creatures were lurking beneath its shallow waters? Suppose it was even shallow in the first ce. There might be some area where the level of water suddenly turned deep. Lucian looked at the map in his hands. Deadman''s Rock was just a tiny ind, but the creatures who only ate moss and other creatures survived in the ce. Lucian didn''t know nor care how Skull acquired the knowledge of the lost Jewel of Tethy''s and a map. But ording to it, the lost Jewel of Tethy''s was just past this swamp and the Bloody Lagoon. (Pic) It was just a journey that would take one day. One day was enough. If they had to stay in the night, they would, but if they could finish it while the rays were still up, then that''s the best oue. They couldn''t afford to dally longer. "We''ll cross it," Lucian said in a determined voice, and Cecily''s shoulders sagged. "Of course we will," Cecily murmured to the side. Lucian was the first to step foot on the murky waters. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he felt nothing out of the ordinary, he began to thread its shallow depths. Rosa beamed at Cecily when she passed her. She looked at Cecily from head to toe and smacked her lips. "Good luck with your boots." Rosa summoned her staff, and a gust of wind enveloped her whole body. She floated midair and went to Lucian''s side. Cecily shivered at the sight of the water, but she ignored the goosebumps erupting on her skin. "Should I carry you?" Ryu offered without any malice, but Cecily just shut him up with a scowl. Cecily then threaded into the swamp. She had to force herself not to think of the marsh as she gazed ahead. Ryu didn''t think anything of it and casually went behind Cecily while Ferris followed near Ryu. On the other hand, Kai observed the rtionship within the group, and a dopy smiled made its way on his face. It seemed like he would not be bored on this journey. Kai just cast a spell, and anything he walked on turned to ice. There was no way that he would wet his feet. He gets stomached if he walks with wet feet. Who knows if the water was even safe? The Stinkeye was watching them from the sides. It contended to eat the moss on the dead barks and decaying wood while its gaze never left Lucian''s group. "Follow my trail, and don''t stray from the person in front of you," Lucian said. "How far is this swamp going to be?" Cecily felt like they were walking for hours already. Rosa sweetly smiled. "More walking and lessining, and we should be on the other side in no time." Cecily ignored Rosa. She was too busy checking her boots if she stepped into something disgusting. He only sighed in relief when she saw mud. On the other hand, Ryu was enjoying the feeling of the wet dump mud on his bare feet. If he could, he would stay a little longer and enjoy the feeling. "Is he a kid?" Kai shook his head and went ahead. He peeked at Ferris when he went past her. But her re quickly averted his gaze forward. "What a grumpy little demon girl," Kai chirped between his breath, but Ferris still heard it. Ferris''s shadow then grabbed Kai''s foot from the water and pulled him. "Argh!" Kai slipped from his ice steps, and he fell straight on his butt. Half his body was wet, and his clothes were covered with mud. "No!" "Shush!" Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily all hushed him up, and Kai could only cry in silence. Kai shot Ferris a look, and thetter just challenged him with a smirk. "I''ll get you one of these days, you midget," Kai promised to himself. He then winced and checked his palm. Blood was oozing from his hand, and it mixed with the murky water. His hand must have graze some twig or rock when he stumbled. Kai immediately healed her hand and got up. "Damn it." Now he was wet all over! "Don''t dally and get a move on." Kai heard Lucian called, and he was shocked to know that the group was already meters ahead from him. He squeezed the water from his clothes in a weak attempt to dry them and didn''t bother with his wet feet anymore as he rash to the others. "Wait for me," Kai said in hush restraint as he hurried along. "Don''t be too loud. You might attract something." As the group continued, Kai''s blood remained stagnant on the swamp. A ripple appeared, and a small monstrosity peeked from the marsh. Its bulbous head was camouge green. Its eyes were squeaky and unsettled as its mouth upied half its face. (Pic) The taste of blood attracted it, and not before long, thousands like it appeared on the swamp. Ryu looked over his shoulder when he felt ripples, but all he saw were rocks covered in moss and clumps of seaweeds and driftwoods. It was foggy in a dump way, making visibility limited. The trees also hindered his sight. Ryu took a whiffed, and fishy rotten smell almost made him gag. Taking ast look behind him, Ryu strolled forward, and as he did so, cries and shrieks startled the silence. Everyone looked back and was rmed to see thousands and thousands of tiny creatures hopping towards them with mouths gaping and jagged sharp teeth barring. "Grindylows!" Chapter 74: A familiar Face Chapter 74: A familiar Face "Grindylows!" "S-shit!" Kai almost wet his pants from the sheer amount of ugly little monsters chasing after them. Those sharp teeth and ws could shred skin, and with thousands and thousands of them, he''d be nothing but bones within seconds. "Don''t stop! And move to the drnds fast!" Lucian shouted and took to the back to hold the Grindylows while the other ran to the safety of thends. Grindylows could only hold their breath out of water for ten minutes. They were persistent little creatures that were out for blood. They were weak but using their number, they could quickly overwhelm a party. [?] Lucian''s long sword struck forward, and the force from its strike cleaved everything in its path, including the Grindylows. But no matter how much he killed the little boogers, more and more took their ce and continued to chase after them. Rosa twirled midair and faced the Grindylows with her staff. "Burn to Ashes!" [Explosion] A beam of red light shot from Rosa''s staff, and upon contact at the Grindylows, it glowed bright and exploded. The explosion was so enormous that anything within a fifty-meter radius was burned scorch, taking with it the life of hundreds of Grindylows. Kai whistled. "What magic power." Rosa smirked, but her smirked was soon followed by a frown when the Grindylows appeared once more, never ceasing. Never-ending. [Ice Divider] Blocks of ice erupted from the swamp, forming a barrier between them and the Grindylows. "It won''tst! We have to run for it!" Kai shouted and dashed forward. Lucian and Rosa looked at each other before they, too, sprinted forward to the others. Fighting the Grindylows on their turf was a bad idea. Soon, the Grindylows were jumping over the block of ice and swarmed the swamped once more in pursuit of Lucian and the others. "So damn persists!" Rosa hissed and cast another explosion just to dy the Grindylows advance. Those tiny monsters were agile like they were swimming in water. While Lucian, Rsa, and Kai were dying the Grindylows, Cecily was leading the escape. "Were almost at thend!" Cecily hollered back. The drynds were in sight, but Ferris''s visions started to blur. Shit! She was getting sleepy again. Damn this body! Ferris''s head swayed back and forth, and she tumbled as she ran, and she almost fell on the swamp if not for Ryu, who held her and flung her on his shoulder like a sack of bag. Ferris was getting dizzy at the sudden contact of their skin, and she burst red and stammered. "L-let go!" "Shut up! And hold on tight." Ryu clutched Ferris''s butt, his ws digging on her flesh, and she couldn''t help but groan. "Y-you. . ." Ferris didn''t know what to say. Ryu already saw and touched everything there is to touch. But it felt like it was only her first time being held under his coarse hand. Damn that mate thing. And Damn that lizard. But for now, Ferris enjoyed the ride over Ryu''s shoulder. However, it was a bumpy ride since the boy barely had an ounce of delicacy in his bones. Ferris had to grab on tight to his clothes so she would not sway back and forth from his speed and all the leaping he was making. Eventually, the group made it to drnds. They slowed their pace and looked at the Grindylows, who ceased chasing after them. Some were still persistent and attempted to chase them on drnds, but before they could leap forward, Rosa burned them to crisp. Making sure that they had enough distance between the little creatures, that was when they slowed their pace and took in a breather. "Finally!" Kai slumped on the ground and almost kissed it if not for whatever unidentified things were on the dirt. "Don''t rest yet, be on alert," Lucian said and looked over at their surroundings before he flicked his hand, and the map appeared. ording to it, they just needed to follow the dense canopies leading into the bloodygoon. And from there. .. they''ll know if they have to abort the mission or not. There was still light, and Lucian breathed easy. He looked at the others and a headache hammered in his head. Rosa and Cecily were arguing as always. Ryu was looking and sniffing like a lost pup. Ferris was on the verge of dozing off while Kai wasining about his wet feet. Lucian rubbed his temples and looked into the canopy-covered sky. This was not exactly the party he had in mind. "Oh, yah?" Everybody snapped in the direction of the voice. In the densely covered trees, humans spread with weapons in tow. "I thought I saw a familiar face," said a man with dotted brows, and a fan covered his lips as he revealed himself from the shadows. "If it isn''t my darling pet." Lucian''s sweat dropped to the ground. How could he not sense them? Looking at the new arrivals, Lucian knew at a nce that they were strong, especially that man with dotted brows. The onlyfort Lucian had was knowing that they were mortals. But still. . . Everyone was silent and gauged the other side, but only Ryu and Cecily felt unease. They knew who that dotted brow man was. It was the Owner. "Now. Now. Drop your weapons," the Owner said and smiled. His already nted eyes turned crescent. "No need to be so hostile." What is he doing here?! Cecily screamed in her head. It was a good thing that she changed her appearance. But Ryu. . . Cecily gulped when the Owner''s eyes dropped at Ryu. "What are you doing here, my pet?" the Owner asked Ryu, and everyone eyed the halfbreed. "Where''s the Princess? Have you been lost? But that''s odd, you still had your seal, meaning. . ." the Owner chuckled, and Cecily felt her heart in her throat when the Owner skimmed his eyes over her. "The princess must not be far." Lucian frowned and asked. "Who are you?" The Owner bowed and apologized. "I''m sorry, where are my manners? I am a nobody in these realms, but they call me the Owner in the Mortal Realm." Chapter 75: Old Debt Chapter 75: Old Debt Lucian and Rosa looked at each other. Of course, they knew who the Owner was, only they didn''t get the chance to be acquainted with him, so they didn''t know his face. "If you don''t mind me asking," the Owner started, "but where is that halfbreed''s master?" Cecily restrained a gasp. If she knew that she would stumble with the Owner while on their mission, she should have changed Ryu''s appearance. But what were the odds of meeting him in this vast sea? It was close to zero. But here they were. . . Kai was observing the situation on the side and decided to close his lips. Cecily was Ryu''s master, and based on the Owner, he knew who Cecily was. It could either be that Ryu''s seal was transferred or that Cecily was hiding her appearance. If it was thetter, then there was a big chance that Kai stumbled on a secret, and he sweats buckets. Would Lucian and the others let him live after this? He wondered. On the other hand, Ferris was calm. The Owner was the one who bought Ryu and made him fight in the coliseum. She was nning on how to kill him in her head. While Ryu''s eyes turned to slit and a growl rumbled in his chest. He didn''t want to see the Owner. It made him remembered his past. It made him feel that he was still a ve from how the Owner was looking at him. Like he owned him. Lucian and Rosa exchanged signaled through subtle eye contact. "Why do you ask?" Lucian knew that the situation was terrible. Their mission could jeopardize just because they didn''t change Ryu''s appearance. And much worse, the one who knew was a notorious ck market dealer who dealt with different realms. But Lucian wanted to observe the situation first before he''d act. The Owner''s two bodyguards by his side were Rank-A, and the rest of his groups were Rank-B. But the real trouble would be the Owner himself. The Owner fan himself and looked over their surroundings. "Oh, nothing much. She just owed me a debt, and if she''s here, I wanted to collect what was owed to me." Cecily bit her tongue, and her rage picked, and she shouted, "Murok and Do are dead because of Ryu. You can take that halfbreed if you want!" .. . .. . Lucian ad Rosa sighed into the sky, and they looked at Cecily like she did a heinous crime. Cecily bit her lips when she realized what she had done. Kai cursed in silence because he was sure now that Lucian and the others would surely wouldn''t let him go. Ferris was still nning the murder in her head. Ryu was agitated to fight and rip the Owner''s head. The Owner justughed. "I see what''s going on here." The Owner raised his hands, and his amiable smile was back on his face. "I think I understand the situation somehow, and honestly, I don''t care about your circumstances. I just want the young miss to honor her debt." The Owner then snapped his fan in ce and looked at Cecily. "If it''s not a problem, I like to collect that now." Cecily didn''t know what to do. She looked at Lucian with an apologetic face, and Lucian took a step forward. "If you would give us a minute." The owner shrugged. "Take your time." Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily huddled together, and Rosa cast a barrier so that no one would eavesdrop on their conversation. "How can you be so careless?" Rosa spat. "I didn''t know that he''s going to be here!" Cecily countered. "I never expected that I would encounter him in the Nightmare Sea!" Rosa sneered. "You''re still nave as ever. Ryu is your servant. You take care of this problem." Ryu. It was him again. Cecily gritted her teeth. That halfbreed was bing a pain in her ass. "Enough. We are equally responsible because we didn''t care to change their appearance in the first ce," Lucian said and looked at Cecily. "First, exin to us what debt he was talking about." Cecily didn''t want to recall the past, but she had no other choice. Lucian was angry, and she couldn''t me him. She should have been more careful and change Ryu and Ferris'' appearance. Things like the Appearance Changing Potion ran out or rare or expensive was not an excuse. Ryu and Ferris were her servants, so she was responsible for them. "It was an open debt to acquire Ryu," Cecily said, voice exhausted as her face. Rosa''s face darkened. "You idiot. He''s'' a halfbreed who couldn''t manipte mana! He was never worth a single dime!" "I didn''t know he couldn''t manipte mana back then!" Cecily shouted back. "Enough both of you!" Lucian hissed, and the two quieted. Lucian took a deep breath and addressed Cecily. "What if we just give Ryu back to him?" Now that Lucian was suggesting it, Cecily became hesitant. Though she still hated him, Ryu was the only one who would genuinely protect her if the time came. Ryu owed her that much. Cecily shook her head. "I made a Seal of Promise." Rosa clicked her tongue and looked away. If she looked at Cecily''s face any longer, she might hit her. "Can we honor that debt at ater time?" Lucian murmured to himself. Rosa turned and snapped her harms in the sky. "Our only leverage is the debt to keep them quiet. What''d you think that sly two-face fox would do when we don''t honor that debt now?" He''d threaten us. Lucian and Cecily thought. Threaten to expose Cecily''s location in the other realms. Rather, maybe he had something to do with the ambush in the first ce? Cecily was angered at the thought that it might be the Owner who sold her location in the Mortal Realm. That was why they were ambush, leading to Murok and Do''s death. "What if we kill them?" Cecil was serious. Rosa looked at her with disbelief before she scoffed. "Of course. Let''s kill them like they''re just a bunch of low-level mercs." Cecily was speechless and looked at Lucian. "We have Raphael with us." Rosa folded her arms. "And you think that the Owner doesn''t have anything up his sleeves? And have you forgotten? The Owner held his reigns over you. If you don''t honor the debt, he could easily kill you." ".. ." Cecily couldn''t refute. They couldn''t take their chances in a fight anyway. One wrong move could mean that their mission would end. The mission takes priority, and the safest route would be. . . Lucian closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Then there''s only one thing to do." ---- For fast updates, please vote with PS or Golden Ticket. Bonus chapter is every Sunday/Monday when Goals are achieved. GOALS / WEEK: 100 PS - 1 chapy 500 PS - 2 chapies 1000 PS - 3 chapies GOALS / MONTH: 50 GT - 1 chapy 100 GT - 2 chapies 500 GT - 3 chapies 1000 GT - 5 chapies *Consider donating for my Milk Addiction PayPal - Thank you, Miu Chapter 76: The Debt Chapter 76: The Debt Outside the barrier, Ryu never ceased his res at the Owner while thetter was all smiles at him. Ferris was counting and gauging the people on the Owner''s side. The only problems were his two Rank-A bodyguards and the Owner himself. Ferris deducted that the male bodyguard was a great knight while the female was a mage based on their weapons. And the Owner. . . Ferris''s eyes dted when the Owner looked at her. He was a. . . "Where are you going?" Ferris asked when Kai tiptoed away from them. "Gah." Kai gulped, and he looked over his shoulder. His smile was skewed in an awkward angle. "J-just. .. going to pee?" Ferris raised an eyebrow, but Lucian and the others faced the Owner and his group before she could say anything. "We''ve agreed to pay her debt," Lucian said, "But on one condition." The edge of the Owner''s eyes twitched. "Though I think that you don''t have any right to impose conditions, let''s hear it nheless." Lucian swept everyone with his eyes and said, "We want all people present here to swear a Seal of Promise." "Oh, and what would we promise?" the Owner asked. Rosa stepped forward. "We want all of you to promise not to talk about us nor divulge any spec of information that you saw us in the Nightmare Sea, be it in any form ofmunication." The Owner looked to the side, thinking. Then he smiled. "Though I don''t care who you are or what you do, I will agree to it as long as she honors her debt now." Lucian and the others looked at each other before they nodded. "Alright." The Owner''s smile stretched as far as it could stretch, and his creepy eyes squinted. "Splendid!" "That includes you too," Lucian barked at Kai when thetter was going to escape. Kai scratched his head and weaklyughed. "R-right. T-then you won''t kill me, right? Right?" Lucian and the others ignored Kai, and thetter could only weep in silence. He should have stayed in the boat! After some time, the Seal of Promise was made. It was time to ask for the debt. "It''s simple, really." the Owner unfolded his fan and covered the sly smile on his mouth. "I just wanted her to help us retrieve an item, and since she already has wonderfulpanions with her, this will make things a lot easier." .. . .. . "What item?" Rosa asked. Lucian and the others had a bad feeling about this. The Owner folded his fan and beamed. "The Lost Jewel of Tethyt''s." .. . .. . Rosa beamed with sweat covered face. "Can we have a moment, please?" The Owner beamed back. "Hohoho. Take your time." Rosa pinched Cecily by the arm and dragged her to the side, with Lucian following behind them. Rosa ced a barrier once more and snapped at Cecily, "What now?" They already somehow expected it. The only treasure worthing in Deadman''s Rock was the Lost Jewel of Tethy''s. But having heard it from the Owner''s mouth was like being pped by the hard cold truth. "I have an idea." Lucian went out of the barrier and asked the Owner, "The lost Jewel of Tethys is a myth. What if we don''t find it?" "I presume that you''re after it too?" the Owner asked instead. It was toote to feign innocence, so Lucian nodded. "Yes, but for a client. We can afford not to give it to her in exchange for you to break the seal. What we''re concerned about is the time. We only have one day to find this jewel." The Owner pointed his fan at his chin. "Reasonable. No one knows if the jewel is true or not, and I can''t have you search for it forever." The Owner pped his fan against his palm. "How about this? If we find the jewel, then great. You give it to me, and I''ll break the seal. But if you couldn''t find it within the day, then. . ." The Owner sighed. "Regrettably, I guess I just have to ask for something else since we already made a Seal of Promise to honor the debt now in exchange for our sealed lips." Lucian nodded and went back inside the barrier to ry his conversation to the others. Lucian just wanted to ensure that the Owner wouldn''t hold them for long in Deadman''s Rock. Their priority was their primary mission. If not for Cecily and the Seal of Promise, they wouldn''t even care about the Owner. ---- Eventually, the group made their way into the Bloody Lagoon. The ind was small, but when traversing itsnds, it seemed so big. "Are we lost?" Kai asked no one in particr. They were walking in the jungle with no specific destination nor route. They only rely on an unreliable map. The light was beginning to dim, and Lucian was starting to worry. No one answered. The atmosphere was tense since their group was surrender by the Owner''s men. The Owner and his two Rank-A bodyguards, Athen and Athena, all led the front while the remaining Rank-B mercs were at their back, watching their every move. "How did I get myself into this mess?" Kai wept and ced his hand over his head. "You''re stuck with us now. One wrong move, and you''re dead," Rosa threatened. Kai just stuck his tongue at Rosa when she faced the other way. "I wish I just stayed in the darn boat," Kai continued to grumble. Ryu ignored Kai. His focus was on the Owner, who was talking to his bodyguards like they didn''t exist. Then the Owner looked over his shoulder and beamed at him. "Grr. . ." Ferris sighed. "You need to control your emotion, you dumbass," she said under her breathe. "How can you faced the world if you wore your emotions on your face?" "Are we going the right way?" Cecily asked Lucian. Lucian shook his head. "I don''t know. This map said that it''s just passed this swamp." "Maybe we took the wrong way?" Cecily looked over the dense canopies. The light was disappearing fast. They have to move more quickly. "Halt." Everyone skidded to a stop at the voice of the two Rank-A guards. In front of them were denser foliage and bushes. When Athen and Athena swiped the bushes away, it revealed agoon as green as the leaves. The air was cold and foggy, and the ripples created soothing sounds. It was very different from its name. Everyone gasped since they hadn''t expected that thegoon was such a breathtaking ce. "Is this it?" Chapter 77: Bloody Lagoon 1 Chapter 77: Bloody Lagoon 1 "Is this it?" Cecily asked. "Only one way to find out." Lucian nodded in the Owner''s direction. The Owner faced them and fanned his fan. "Ready the boats, will cross thisgoon and search for the Jewel." The Owner went to Lucian and squeezed his shoulder. "From here on out, we''ll take the back while our Rank-B mercs take the vanguard." The Owner then beamed at Cecily before he trotted into the backline with Athen and Athena. Lucian and Cecily looked at each other before they sighed. In the traveler''s ring of every merc contained wooden wharves and boats. Skull also gave Lucian''s group some boats that they would use in traversing the Bloody Lagoon. They even considered sailing the Nightmare Sea with it, but that would be a very foolish idea since one storm could destroy it. Skull knew this too. That was why she was confident to give them the boat. Not before long, they found themselves into the depth of the water. "It''s creepy that you can''t see what''s below," Kai said as he leaned on theke. His reflection was blurred, and the dense green color of thegoon hid what was beneath. "Don''t lean in too close, or you might fall," Lucian warned. Since the boat could only carry a max of five-person, Lucian''s group was divided into two. Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily stayed together while Ryu and the others remained on another boat. Ryu took in his surroundings. The drnds were getting father and father, and as they went deeper into the Bloody Lagoon, all he saw were nothing but green waters and asional bumps of rocks and driftwoods. The trees nking on each side of thegoon swayed, but there was no wind, and the creatures lurking beneath its shadows rattled a hymn that made the atmosphere all the more depressing. The fog wasn''t also helping in lifting the mood. "What''s that?" Kai pointed at a distance. Ryu''s eyes turned to slit while Ferry''s dted. Not far from them, near the mercenaries'' boat, a beautiful creature emerged. "What the!" The mercs didn''t finish their sentence when a group of beauties bubbled from the water. Their skin was porcin, and their face ethereal. Each one of them appeared different and uniquely beautiful to match the taste of those who perceived it. Not before long, this beautiful woman also appeared near Lucian and Ryu''s boat. Their eyes were pure and their voice soothing as they sang, and everyone found themselves lulled by the song. They couldn''t take their eyes off them. Some mercenaries couldn''t resist their allure and leaned closer to the edge of the boat. The women caressed their haggard faces and sent their exhaustions away with a gentle kiss. The mercenaries leaned closer and closer, and the creatures pulled them deeper and deeper. Enticing them with their beauty and voice. Ssh! Ssh! Some mercs fell in the water, but none reacted. Nobody cared. They were charmed by the maidens'' faces and pleasant voices. Lucian was enamored for the woman before him was the same woman in Skull''s ship he met days ago. She was beautiful, as he remembered, and equally alluring as he leaned closer to cup her face. However, Ryu was confused. Cecily was in the water, but she was in the boat not a moment ago. Then Ferris''s demon form appeared beside Cecily, calling for him to join them. Ryu leaned closer until he was just a breath away from Cecily and Ferris. His slit eyes melting, shaking as he watched them. When their mellowed voice spoke his name, he reached for their hand. His nose crunched when he smelled something rotten, and his beast was enraged when he realized it was not them. Grr! A loud vibrating snarl rumbled in Ryu''s chest and shot forth from his mouth in the form of a deafening roar. Roar! Everyone woke up from the dream, and the beautiful faces of the maidens in the waters turned into monsters that were more gruesome than their most demented nightmares. Their faces were the only thing human, but their neck down to their body was already rotting bones and torn flesh. (Pic) "Rusalka!" Agh! At the mercenaries'' screams, the Rusalkas'' snarled. Their faces tore wide open, and their jagged, sharp teeth chewed a chunk of flesh from the mercenaries'' skin before they pulled them into the water. Rosa pointed her staff, face red with anger. "Damnable creatures!" She was pissed that she was almost fooled by the handsome face of Lucian''s half-naked in the waters. "Die!" Rosa bellowed and cast a spell that burned the Rusalka. She also summoned Fifi, and every Rusalka that neared their boat was turned to powder by Fifi''s lightning. Lucian was quick to react, and using his hands, he sliced the head of the Rusalka, who almost dragged him into the waters. He was both annoyed and disappointed. He thought that he finally found the woman in the boat and could finally learn her name. While Cecily didn''t know what happened, she was just lulled by song into slumber, and when she came too with Ryu''s roar, everyone was fighting these creatures with pretty faces but rotting bodies. "W-what the-!" Cecily didn''t have time to ask what was happening as she ducked when a Rusalka jumped over their boat and almost dragged her into thegoon. Cecily summoned her weapon and killed every Rusalka that jumped over. When she looked around, it was chaos. Some mercenaries'' boats were wrecked, and almost half the mercs were dragged into the ocean. "Shit! Eat this! And this! And this!" Kai was hurling ice spiked to every Rusalka he saw while he cried in silent tears. He thought he was in euphoria only to be awakened into the hard cold ground or, in this case, waters. Kai tried not to gag at the face of such ugly creatures. To think that he almost kissed those monsters. .. Up! Kai covered his mouth and swallowed the bile back his throat. His eyes watered, and he shot thousands of tiny dense ice towards the Rusalka at high speed. [Bullet Ice] "Everyone!" the Owner''s voice rang out. His voice was calm and yful, like he was taking a tour at thegoon with the Rusalkas'' ugly bodies as attractions. "Don''t panic. They''re afraid of the burning light, so use fire." At the Owner''s voice, the mercenaries regained theirposure, and the mages in the group cast fire spells to drive the Rusalkas away. The Rusalkas hissed and shrieked, scraping everyone''s ears with their sharp voices before they swam back onto thegoon. Within minutes, silence had settled, but everyone was still wary. Flickering fires hovered above their boats as they were afraid that the Rusalkas woulde back at any time. .. . . . . "D-did they finally give up?" Kai wanted to slip a nce but was afraid that the Rusalkas would pop and drag him below. Ryu took the courage and leaned into the waters while Ferris''s eyes were bing blurry again. She enjoyed the naked Rusalka disguised as Ryu a moment ago, but her drowsiness just kept on overpowering everything else. Rosa huffed and sighed while Lucian was still embarrassed at what happened. How could he have lost his bearing like that? Just because of a woman? If not for Ryu''s roar, Lucian didn''t know what would happen to them. His roar could snap the effect of charms which was handy since no one knew when it took effect until it was toote. Especially it was the Rusalkas ace skill. They were known for it that not even a Rank-A could easily escape its charms. Lucian''s feelings towards Ryu improved even just a little. This time, they owed him their lives. Chapter 78: Bloody Lagoon 2 Chapter 78: Bloody Lagoon 2 The group had a momentary sense of peace when they continued rowing, and no sign of the Rusalkas appearing. "Ryu, don''t lean too much." Kai grabbed Ryu''s clothes, afraid that a Rusalka would drag Ryu if he showed even an inch of his face on the water. Ryu ignored him. His eyes were on theke. He couldn''t smell what was below, so he didn''t know what to expect. But one thing was for sure. .. the rotten slimy smell was intensifying by the second. A growl vibrated in his chest when he saw a shadow looming below their boats. It was huge, and whatever it was, it was following them. "What the matter?" Kai asked when he saw Ryu''s serious face. Not hearing anything, Ryu focused all his senses on that massive shadow, and his eyes turned to slit when theke rippled. "Watch out!" At Ryu''s shout came the thundering st of water, and what came after was a massive beast more than three meters from tip to tail. It stood in two enormous feet and its ws raised in the air as its wide mouth roared into the sky. Its sharp jagged teeth were coated with saliva, skin covered in scales, and its back was line with rocky spikes. (Pic) "A Dracodile!" "W-what now?" Kai cried. He actually closed his eyes, not wanting to see what they were about to face again. It wasn''t even an hour that the Rusalkas attacked them. Now, something came up again that was much more terrifying. No wonder thisgoon was named Bloodygoon. By the time light was extinguished, these waters would be drenched by their blood. "Argh! The temporary silence was shattered once more as the Dracodiles emerged from thegoons and attacked the nearby boats. Dracodile were Rank-B beasts due to their massive body and strength. But when fighting it in water, their ranks increased. "Now I know why they called it Bloody Lagoon," Rosa muttered and cast a spell. Since fire was weak against aquatic creatures and water spells didn''t work against them, she could only rely on her wind and earth affinity while Fifi protected her if the enemies got too close. "The terrain is already hard enough to fight! Now, this! Lucian shouted in his mind. He brandished his long sword and leaped into the air while Rosa supported him with a spell that let him hover in mid-air. [Gravity Wind] The same with Cecily. Even though Rosa didn''t want to, this was not the time to be petty. To defeat the Dracodile fast, they must work together. Casting the simple [Gravity Wind] spell didn''t cause much mana, but keeping it for long periods of time consumed mana. That was why any flying magic wouldn''t work in traversing the vast Nightmare Sea. Before they could even reach one-third of their destination, Rosa might already be exhausted dry of her mana. Perhaps it would work if there were multiple mages in the party. "Don''t fight it in open water." The Ownerughed while Athen and Athena left his side to hunt down the beasts. "Continue to row forward if you have the chance. These beasts are none ending." The Owner was right. Lucian and Cecily wanted to clear the Dracodile so their boats could pass forward. They didn''t want to waste time on these beasts if they didn''t have to. "Kai, freeze theke so Ryu and the others can fight!" Lucian instructed. "Damn it." Kai didn''t know how long he could freeze thegoon or at least a portion of it, but he did what Lucian asked. Ryu didn''t need the ice. With his agile body, he leaped from one Dracodile to the next, but the other mercenary could undoubtedly need the help. Kai froze some portion of theke that didn''t hinder the boat''s mobility. The mercs got off their boat and leaped from one ice to the next to confront the Dracodiles hindering their path. With Rosa''s spell and support, Lucian and Cecily each took one Dracodile for themselves. Lucian wanted to fight using his Azure skills, a unique skill that was only avable to their bloodline, to make things easier and faster. But he was afraid that the Owner would notice and find out who he was. Lucian could only rely on his sword and his strength to cut the enemies in his path. He was sure that the toughest hide of the Dracodile was no match against the sharpest of his sword. Roar! The Dracodile raised its massive ws, attempting to smash Lucian with one strike. Twice or even thrice his size, the Dracodile was intimidating, and the faint of heart would surely drop dead upon its menacing physique. But Lucian wasn''t the least bit intimidated as his swung ripped and tore the Dracodile''s scales. He assaulted the Dracodile with a flurry of powerful strikes, breaking its defenses and imparting a gory memento. Although the Dracodile fought back with desperate blows, Lucian just batted each one aside and decisively cut each limb of the giant croc. On Cecily''s side, with ssic and elegant motions, she trusted her rapier and pierced the Dracodile''s upper body. In one concentrated blow, she punctured the Dracodile''s defenses and body. Roar! The Dracodile was going berserk as it swiped its tail towards Cecily. One strike from its tail, and a human was mince paste. With a leap of her foot, Cecily avoided the attack. The Dracodile opened its mouth, and droplets of water gathered inside its jaws before it was released in the form of a massive water torrent and sted forth towards Cecily''s direction. [Water Breath] Without avoiding the attack, Cecily performed a skill. She aimed her rapier forward, and aser-like force shot from the tip of her rapier. [Point nk] The wind hissed and the air distorted at the speed that it even pierced the water torrent and broke it into particles without effort. Then it went straight into the Dracodile core''s and out to the next, leaving a hole in its path. Rosa rolled her eyes. "Show off." Not wanting to lose to Cecily, Rosa cast a spell. Harden patches of corrupted air hovered on the Dracodiles, and they each dropped like rain upon them. [Falling Sky] It didn''t do much damage on the Dracodiles, but it was enough to slow them for the mercenaries to finish them off. Gradually, the boat advance when the Dracodiles dropped dead on the ice. The Owner nodded at this development. With Cecily''s group joining them, traversing the Bloody Lagoon became much easier. The Owner pped his fan and hid behind it a sly smile. "Now for the harder part." Then the Owner caught a sight of Ryu fighting the Dracodiles at the side. "Oh, my pet has certainly grown." Ryu was fighting the Dracodile with just his strength and agility. And the Owner knew that with Ryu''s power alone, he could easily defeat a Rank-B beast. Only. . . The Owner''s eyes narrowed when his gazended on Ryu''s weapon. It was a gauntlet with ws at the front. Its metal body was enveloped with wild electricity. The Owner knew at first nce that an extremely skilled master smithy made the weapon in Ryu''s hands. Otherwise, it wouldn''t have an affinity and lightning at that, one of the mostplex elements to forge into a weapon. And with just one blow, it prated the Dracodile''s defenses. Chapter 79: Bloody Lagoon 3 Chapter 79: Bloody Lagoon 3 The Dracodile was no match for Ryu in terms of speed. But in terms of strength, the Dracodile only advanced in slight margin due to its massive body. But with the addition of [Rampaging Voltage], the name of the gauntlet that Rigulus made, he could now bore a hole on the Dracodile''s hide without much effort. It also didn''t hinder his mobility and muscle joints which he liked very much. The weapon also provided electric shock, which rendered his opponents paralyzed or stunned for a few seconds. Not only that, electricity coated his every blow, perfect for any aquatic enemies. It was the best weapon Ryu could have in the Nightmare Sea. Cecily noticed Ryu''s weapon too but dismissed it as Ferris buying him one. As long as he could fight and tear her enemies, she didn''t care what they did. Speaking of Ferris, Cecily briefly shot a look in Ferris''s direction. Without moving nor any indication that she would help, Ferris sat in the boat like she would pass out from drowsiness. Cecily frowned and performed a soul scourge on her. That would wake her up. And as Cecily expected, Ferris faced her direction with her eyes dted and her face smirking. Ferris jumped from the boat, and with her daggers in her hands, she shot into the air with a humming sound and gue a jagged wound on the Dracodiles skin. Annoyed, Cecily stopped the soul scourge and concentrated on the Dracodiles. There were some left, the persistent ones that wouldn''t go down. The Dracodiles were extremely territorial, and even though it was losing, it wouldn''t retreat. It would chase its enemies into the ends of Septverden if it had to. On the boat, Kai''s mana was almost depleted in half. It was good that the Dracodiles were nearly defeated, and their ships were advancing further away from them, so he stopped freezing the water. He was a Swordmaster, not a mage, so his mana reserved was limited, unlike Rosa. As the boat advance and the enemies'' numbers lessened, the group finally tumbled on a cave in the middle of theke, and everyone wondered if the Lost Jewel of Tethy''s was inside. Kai wanted to rx and leave the remaining Dracodiles pursuing them to the others, but it seemed like it was not the case when something huge appeared out of nowhere. "N-now what?!" Kaimented. The Owner''s smile was skewed. The first time that Athen and Athena saw droplets of sweat ran through his face. "Now. .. we faced the real boss of this ind. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you. .. the guardian of thisgoon. . ." Everyone couldn''t breathe, brought by the oppressive air of a giant beast towering above them like a mountain. Its slit eyes brought fear. Its multiple heads slithered like snakes, and its jaws were enough to swallow the Dracodile in one gulp. ".. . the Ancient Hydra!" (Pic) Lucian and the others didn''t have time to wonder why the Owner appeared to know the beast as if he was here before when the Ancient Hydra attacked. No one moved nor knew what happened. All they felt was a gust of wind, and half the boats were destroyed while mercenaries were all ground meat inside the Ancient Hydra''s stomach. "Not good!" Raphael shouted in Lucian''s mind. "It''s a Rank-S beast! That man tricked you!" Lucian gritted his teeth as he shot the Owner a look. The Owner knew what they would face. He was here before them. No wonder he wanted to collect the debt now. He needed their strength to defeat it. He wanted for them to defeat that monster! "Run! If you can''t use your Azure skills here, then you cannot hope to defeat it!" Raphael said. Lucian bit his lips. It was toote. The Ancient Hydra already saw them. "Lucian!" Rosa called amidst the chaos. For the first time ever in the Nightmare Sea, horror coated Rosa''s face. "It''s rank-S!" Rosa didn''t finish her sentence when the Ancient Hydra attacked once more. Despite its size, its agility was a whole new level that Lucian had a hard time following its movement, much less Rosa. "Rosa!" Lucian shouted when the Ancient Hydra rose with a mouth full of torn bodies. Kai was stunned as well and croaked Fifi''s name. Ryu was searching for Cecily amidst the pandemonium, and Ferris was still on the verge of sleep despite the level of danger they were in. "Rosa. . ." Lucian choked and sighed in relief when Cecily appeared beside him with Rosa in one hand. "Damn, it''s fast." Rosa cursed and pped Cecily''s hand from her waist. "I can''t even cast a spell at this rate." "You," the Owner called and looked at Lucian''s group. "You and the others hold it off, and my group will attack it from all sides while the mages stay at the back for support." Attack it? Lucian appeared in front of the Owner in the blink of an eye and grabbed his cor. "Are you out of your mind?! That''s a Rank-S beast! We should n our escape before it would devour us all!" Lucian shouted. The Owner beamed amidst the sweat on his face. "I have a n. As long as you dy it and keep it away from me for thirty minutes, I assure you that we could stop it." The Owner pped Lucian''s hand and fixed hispel while Athen and Athena and the mercenaries upied the Ancient Hydra. "And besides, it''s toote to retreat now." "You lead us here, knowing that monster is here, didn''t you?" Lucian hissed. "And you have yourself to me. You agreed to this, not knowing the full consequences. So don''t p your nativity on me, boy." Lucian bit his tongue. "If you and your group wanted to get out of here with your limbs intact, I suggest that we don''t waste time and do as I n." "If you cross us" "I won''t." The Owner''s face turned serious for the first time. "I desire this Jewel, and I''m not about to leave this ind empty-handed." Lucian looked at the Owner for a moment. He couldn''t trust him, but what could he do? Release Raphael? That would onlyplicate things more. And he didn''t even know if they could win against such a high-level beast, even with Raphael joining them. Lucian gnashed his teeth. "What''s your n?" Chapter 80: Ancient Hydra Chapter 80: Ancient Hydra "Arrays?" Rosa asked unamused. "He is nning to capture that thing?" "Not capture, restrict it until we find the jewel. The only way to defeat that thing is to cut all its head. But the Hydra can regrow its head as long as it has mana. We''ll be dead before we can even deplete that things supply of mana. So the best choice is to seal it even for just an hour or two," Lucian said while assisting the situation they were in. Restrict it? Was that even possible? Cecily and Rosa thought. Athen and Athena barely managed to hold it while the mercenaries were almost wiped out. Meanwhile, the Owner was hiding in the shadows to cast the arrays, and all they had to do was dy the beast and keep it away from the Owner for at least thirty minutes. "How do you supposed we dy that thing? Its hide is so tough that no spell nor skill could prate it. Not to mention that it''s immune to status effect because of its multiple heads." Cecily felt resigned. Because of her, they were in this situation. If not for the Owner, they would have already backed out from this mission and returned to Skull''s ship and reported that it was impossible to acquire the jewel without sacrificing hundreds or even thousands of Mercenaries. A rank-S beast was a whole new level altogether. It couldn''t bepared to a Rank-A. And to defeat it, at least ten or even twenty Rank-A mercs have to work together. As for the Hydra, it was already considered a Godly Beast that only the legendary heroes could defeat. "We don''t have a choice." Lucian swung his sword, eyes at the monster. "It''s either that or you die." Cecily shut her lips and her fists balled to her side. "Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait." Kai trotted to Lucian, crying. "You can''t possibly be serious! Let''s just run and leave the little missy here." Cecily shot a re at Kai, but thetter was more afraid, ten times more at the Hydra than Cecily. "You go if you want. No one is stopping you." Lucian stepped forward. "The more we dally, the more people die." With a leaped of his foot, he charged into the fray, and the others could only sigh into the sky. Not minding Kai anymore, Cecily joined Lucian to fight while Rosa cast her spells. This time, since they were dealing with a powerful foe, she would cast devastating spells that required time and mana. "Fifi! Go and support Lucian." She then briefly shot Kai a condescending look. "If you want to see Fifi again and travel the Nightmare Sea in one piece and in peace without being sick, I suggest you help out and keep that monster away from me." Rosa then nced at Ryu and Ferris, eyes lingering more on Ferris. "You two, don''t just stand there! Go protect your master!" Rosa didn''t have to tell him twice. Ryu was already leaping towards Cecily. Since they were still on thegoon, mobility was hard. It was precisely why the mercs were almost wiped out with a single attack because they had nowhere to dodge. Ryu leaped and jumped to get to the Ancient Hydra using the tiny rocks and driftwoods on water. But he was like a pebble against a boulder since he couldn''t even reach the Ancient Hydra''s head. Ferris, on the other hand, was lethargic. He couldn''t think straight and couldn''t fight properly because her body needed rest. As days progressed, the amount of time she needed to sleep grew, and she didn''t know how long till her human body wouldst. But for now, the important thing was to defeat the Ancient Hydra as soon as possible. Ferris knew that they were in a dangerous situation. She didn''t even know if she could defeat it with her demon form. But if things turn worse, she''ll flee with Ryu. She''d drag Cecily if that made him go. She didn''t care for the others. Kai shook his head when Ferris leaped into the air and sted forward into the jaws of battle. "For the love of!" Kai couldn''t cast freeze on the water since he was conserving mana. He needed it if he wanted the battle tost for thirty minutes. With their weapons and spells not affecting the godly beast, they needed all the mana they''ve got to keep it upied. Kai could only hope that the Owner''s ns went through or else. .. all of them would be goners. "What did I get myself into? I should have stayed in the darn boat." With scimitars in hands, Kai shot forward in a chaotic manner, making it impossible for the Ancient Hydra to evade and predict his path even with multiple heads. Kai''s aim was one of the Ancient Hydra''s eyes while Lucian and the others upied it. Since its head would just regrow, it was no use cutting it, and since its body was tough, he didn''t want to target it either. His best bet was to dy it by blinding it even for just seconds. Sneak attacks were his forte, after all. But it didn''t work against the Ancient Hydra when its slit eyes hovered at Kai. "Shit!" Before Kai could change his course, one of the Ancient Hydra''s heads opened its mouth, and two fangs glistened when a beam of light sted from its mouth. "Geh!" It was so hot before even making contact with his skin. Kai''s flesh was burn and melted like rubber under fire. "Not good." Kai attempted to cover his body with ice to protect it when the beam of light zeroed on him. "Idiot! Move!" Lucian appeared beside Kai and toppled him to the side just in time that the beam of light was released from the Hydra''s mouth. Still, both Lucian and Kai suffered burns from just being exposed to the rippling heat of the beam, while those who couldn''t escape its attack were nowhere to be foundnot even leaving the bones. One side of thegoon was burned, scorched almost half its water evaporated from the heat. Those who were in the waters melted from the boiling temperature like thegoon turned acid. The Hydra didn''t distinguish anyone be it humans or not. All the beasts and creatures in thegoon fled. Even the persistent Dracodiles ran away. Kai panted as they emerged from the water after they fell. He coated his and Lucian''s body in a thickyer of ice tobat the boiling heat, and Kai''s mana was almost emptied because of that. "Shit. How do you suppose we keep that thing upied without being killed?" Lucian wiped his wet face and looked over the Owner, but he couldn''t find him. It was the same thing as before. It was like he could mask his trail that not even he nor Raphael could detect where he was. What a dangerous skill. Lucian thought. For all he knew, the Owner already fled. Lucian shook his thoughts away. Only fifteen minutes more, and if the arrays didn''t appear, they''d make a run for it. Cecily, Ferris, Athen, and some mercs took the vanguard while Rosa and Athena were the only mages left. Lucian''s gaze was then captured by a figure so minuscule at the base of the cave. "What the?" Lucian couldn''t believe his eyes. "What is it?" Kai followed Lucian''s gaze, and his jaw dropped. "I-is that. .. Ryu?!" Chapter 81: Ancient Hydra 2 Chapter 81: Ancient Hydra 2 "What is he doing?" Lucian didn''t know what to feel at the moment. "Rather, how did he even manage to get into the cave without that monster attacking him?" Kai and Lucian were at a loss. The Serpent attacked everyone that attempted to move, but here came Ryu, who was leisurely strolling forward like he was invincible in the Hydra''s eyes. It was like the Serpent didn''t even notice him. "Is it a beast thing?" Kai wondered. Lucian didn''t know if this was good news or bad news. He could only hope that the Owner overlooked Ryu. "We don''t have time to worry about him. We are in a more dangerous situation." Lucian readied his guard, for the monster was about to unleash something from its mouth again. Rooaarr! The Ancient Hydra let out furious roars and terrifying pressures. Everyone''s legs grew soft, and they found it difficult to breathe like they were underwater. Their heart was squeezing tight but thumping hard like it would burst. [Dragon''s Fear] However, the Ancient Hydra wasn''t finished. A huge plume of vapor gathered from its four heads and shot forth towards Lucian and the others in the form of condensed boiling vapors of water. [Hydra Plume] Even from meters away, Lucian and the others felt the smoldering heat. One drop from that water and their flesh would melt. "N-not good!" Fifi watched at the side with helpless eyes. She shots bolts of electricity against the vapors, but her attacks were no match against the beast. It just absorbed her electricity. With every ounce of her strength, Rosa finished her spell just in time that the huge plume would hit them. Boulders and rocks broke from the earth and rumbled forward with a grinding roar. Stone ripped from everywhere around them to form a massive wall of spikes. [Earth''s Might] The huge plume hit against the massive wall of rocks and scattered in all directions, leaving devastation where it dropped. Lucian and the others lived another day, but their respite was short as the Ancient Hydra slithered its tongue, and all its four heads simultaneously attacked. Lucian was quick on his feet as he grabbed Rosa and avoided the attack. Kai also enhanced himself with his skill and tripled his speed to escape. Athen teleported near Athena and grabbed her before reappearing in an area safe from the Hydra''s clutches while Cecily emerged near the Ancient Hydra''s head. With the tip of her sword, she struck out her rapier, and a massive wave of force spanning tens of meters shed outward into the skull of the Ancient Hydra. ng! Ear shattering sounds vibrated in all corners like metal hit against metal. The Ancient Hydra span over, its slit eyes focused on Cecily, and before Cecily could react, one of the Hydra''s headshot her with concentrated boiling water. "Cecily!" Lucian shouted. It happened so fast that no one could move to save Cecily while thetter received the Hydra''s attack head-on. Cecily''s skin was torn, and her flesh was burn as she smashed into the ground. Her bones shattered, and with just one attack from the Hydra, she was on the verge of death. "Rosa!" Lucian didn''t have to remind twice. Rosa was already healing Cecily before she even hit the ground. It was also why Cecily was barely breathing because Rosa''s spell protected her fromplete annihtion. Kai was shaking, sweating buckets. "T-that. .. W-we are so doomed." Kai wanted to flee while the Ancient Hydra was upied, but his debt with Ryu and Fifi kept him grounded. "Quit yapping and help me here!" Lucian, Athen, and Ferris took over the vanguard while Cecily was being healed. Their support was Athena on the backlines, safe from the Hydra''s reach. Athen and Athena barely speak, but Lucian knew that they were strong. Else, they wouldn''t havested up to now. Lucian could only hope that their few numbers wouldn''t lessen more. "Raphael," Lucian called in his mind as he battled the Hydra. "Calling me to fight, are you sure?" Raphael answered. "Only if the situation requires it." And that situation was either they ran out of mana or that their life was in danger like what happened to Cecily. Raphael was silent for a moment and said, "As you wish." Lucian grit his teeth. He couldn''t afford to let that happen to Cecily or Rosa again. It was dangerous, and if not for Rosa, Cecily would have been mana particles by now with her soul floating in the air. Lucian shuddered at the thought. Cecily and Rosa were like sisters to him, and he couldn''t afford to make the same blunder again. He''d rather be exposed than let either one of them die. While everyone was keeping the Ancient Hydra upied, the Owner was hiding behind his Cloaked of Shadows. He was an assassin with a rare affinity to shadows. He could hide and mask his trail as long as there were shadows present. The truth was, the Owner and his group arrived yesterday in Deadman''s Rock. He thought by bringing just two Rank-A level mercenaries, and everything would be fine. After all, Rank-A mercs were strong. They could defeat Rank-A beasts in lockbat. He neither expected nor predicted that there would be a Rank-S beast lurking in a small, unheard ind such as Deadman''s Rock. For the life of him, Rank-S beats shouldn''t even exist nowadays. They were extremely rare, and the majority of them were in the beast Realm. But when they stopped after they crossed the swamp to take a rest, he went ahead and checked the Bloodygoon out of curiosity and to make sure that nothing monstrous would hinder their path. Using the shadow of the trees, rocks, and even the bushes, he went deeper into thegoon until he reached the cave. And when he attempted to went inside, multiple eyes reflected in the waters, and the Owner was flung back in the swamp. It was a Rank-S beast. He was sure of it. And it could detect its [Cloak of Shadows]. In his many years in the Mortal Realm, it was the first time that the Owner felt fear once again. The only thing that kept him from losing his mind was that the beast didn''t chase after him. It was like it was protecting that cave, which ironed his belief that the Lost Jewel of Tethyt''s was indeed inside that cave. He cursed his Mortal lineage. He needed that Jewel. With it, he would be an entity like the angels and demons. He would never age, and his youthful appearance would remain forever! Chapter 82: The Owner’s Desire Chapter 82: The Owner¡¯s Desire The Owner''s eyes glint at Lucian''s group. Numerous years pass and not once that he stopped searching for the Jewel. And the time that he could almost grasp it, taste the sweet nectar of eternal youth, a beast and another group hindered his way. The Owner was about to return to gather some troops, and that was when Lucian''s group appeared. The Owner was afraid that if he left, Lucian and the others would acquire the Jewel first, and that was when he formted a n. At first nce, the Owner was sure that Lucian''s group was strong. Ryu in their group was his luck at work, and he knew that the Princess was not far. She might be one of those women. She might have changed her appearance. And he was right. He used the debt to make Lucian and the orders do his bedding. He just needed Rank-A''s to hold the Rank-S beast, and he would use his trump card to seal the beast even if it was just for a few hours. Lucian and the other''s timing was impable! The Owner couldn''t help a smile twisting his face. Dark electricity scattered on the scrolls in his hand as he chanted a lost spell of the Gods. [Scrolls of Chronus] It was a set of scrolls that he acquired in years of trading in the ck market. It was four powerful scrolls that contained the lost spell from the ancient Gods who once ruled Septverden. It took time to chant, and one wrong word would cause a cmity but the price. .. he could stop his opponent''s time for four hours depending on his enemy''s strength. For the Ancient Hydra, he deducted that the scrolls could stop its time for two hours enough for them to search the cave for the lost Jewel. The scrolls glowed darker, and the sparks of electricity enveloping it grew intense as the Owner was nearing the end of the chant. Sensing the power of the scrolls, the Ancient Hydra''s four heads snapped in the direction of the dense trees. Rank-S beasts were intelligent creatures, and he already knew before that the Owner was hiding behind the shadow of those trees. But instead of attacking the Owner, the Ancient Hydra slithered his tongue and looked over the sky like he remembered something, and for a moment, its slit eyes turned rounder like that of a man. "Now! Attack it with all you''ve got!" Lucian shouted. He didn''t know what happened, but the Ancient Hydra stopped attacking and even had the audacity to look away like they were nothing more than insignificant humans. "You''ll pay for that!" Lucian roared and unleashed his skill. Massive force coiled on his sword. The space distorted around him, and he unleashed its might at the Hydra. [Distortion de] Cecily''s fingers crossed her de while phoenix wings sprouted from her back. Her body burned in mes, and all the fire crawled to her sword before it shot forth in an explosive st. [Phoenix Feathers] "I''ll show you the power of magic!" Rosa''s voice echoed, and with it came a gust of wind hurling towards her staff. The wind shot forth from her staff, and as it zoomed on the Hydra, it sucked in the surrounding air like a vacuum, bing bigger and bigger until it formed into a tornado. [Circle of Gale] "Damn, everyone is showing off." Kai grinned despite the overwhelming exhaustion he felt when his mana almost emptied when he unleashed his skill. Multiple blue pentagrams appeared, and swords peeked from its front. His scimitars revolved around Kai, all imbued in ice. The air sizzled, and the vapors around it condensed into droplets of crystals. With a whoosh, the scimitars shot forth like bullets into the Ancient Hydra''s direction while swords continuously poured out from the pentagrams and rained on the massive Hydra. [Swords of Retribution] Ferris was worried about Ryu, but she had to defeat this Hydra first if she wanted to go after him. "I have no time ying with you! Die!" The daggers in Ferris''s hands multiply into thousands, each holding a dark aura''s that cut the very spaces around them, and with a snapped of her hands, all these daggers zoomed towards the Ancient Hydra. [Cmity des] Athen and Athena stood together and held hands. Sparks of electricity rattled the ground around them. Pebbles and rock rose in the air as the electricity grew erratic. As they raised their hands, thunder came crashing down upon them with a loud bam! Charging an enormous amount of thunder in their body, they released its destructive might onto the Ancient Hydra. [God''s Thunder] A collection of skills and spells merged into one mighty blow, and it sted straight into the Ancient Hydra''s head. BOOOMMM!! A loud ear-shattering st quaked the earth, and the force toppled the tress and everything within hundreds of meters. More than half of the ind was gone in a single strike, reced by barrennds and dry burning soil. Ferris huffed and caught her breath. Her body was heavy, and her eyelids were heavier. Ryu. .. she looked over at the cave, but Ryu was nowhere to be found. She didn''t know what happened and tried as she might, she couldn''t get in. Something or someone was blocking the entrance. Damn it! Ferris''s knees gave way, and she almost lost consciousness if not for Kai, who appeared by her side and grabbed her arm. "Hey. You okay?! This is not the time to fall asleep. The Hydra is still alive!" Go away! Ferris wanted to say but was too weak to even move. She focused her gazed over the Ancient Hydra who lost two of its head. But within seconds, new flesh and bones crawled to its severed neck, and it only took a few blinks, and the Ancient Hydra''s head was good as new. But to their horror, the Ancient Hydra had no grown another pair instead of four, and the head was now six. "W-wha. .. what is this thing?" Lucian couldn''t believe his eyes. "How do we even defeat that?" Cecily murmured in despair and looked over at Lucian. Maybe Raphael could do something about it. "It''s no longer just an ordinary Hydra." Raphaelmunicated in Lucian''s mind. "I think it''s a beast from the times of the Gods. A Legendary Beast Hydra with multiple heads." "Can we defeat it if you join in?" Lucian asked. ".. . We could try." Raphael was not sure too. He was only a four-winged Angel. He never did once battle a legendary beast before. Raphael was about to appear when the Owner''s voice rang in everyone''s ears. "Stand back!" Lucian and the others all looked over at Owner when he appeared out of nowhere, and with him came along numerous gigantic pentagrams at his back. Everything was basked in the pentagrams'' warm golden light as the pentagrams revolved around like clocks. The Owner''s face warped in a grin that was made sinister by the shadows from the golden pentagrams. "Receive thy punishment from the Gods!" This is for hindering me and the eternity of youth! The Owner cast thest word of the spell, and all the giant golden pentagrams hovered above the Ancient Hydra. However, the Ancient Hydra''s six head just stared at the glowing pentagrams like it was mesmerized. And like it was at peace, it closed its eyes, and the Scrolls of Chronus froze its time. Chapter 83: Tethyt Chapter 83: Tethyt A while before. Ryu was leaping towards the Ancient Hydra. He didn''t know if he could scratch its scales, nor did he knew what to do against a powerful opponent. He let his instincts took over. But once he was near the Ancient Hydra, he realized how minuscule of existence he was. Compared to it, it could smash him to pieces if it so desired. Fortunately, the Ancient Hydra didn''t seem to notice him until he was near the cave. With his gauntlets in his hands, he was about to attack its massive body with all his strength when a voice called out to him. ''You''vee.'' Ryu blinked. The voice came inside the cave, and he forgot about the Hydra like he was under some kind of spell. ''Come inside.'' Ryu snarled and shook his head. He reminded himself that Cecily and the others were still fighting the Ancient Hydra, and he had to help them. But the voice kept vibrating in his mind like he couldn''t resist it. It waspelling him to heed its call. Something inside him wanted to follow that voice. With a leap of his foot, Ryu effortlessly hovered from one rock to the another until he was in the mouth of the cave while the Ancient Hydra just let him do as he pleased. Its attention was on the others like Ryu was invincible in its eyes. Inside, the cave was refreshing, contrary to Ryu''s expectations. It was like a constant cold breeze blew its interiors so it wouldn''t be damp and musky. It was wet through but refreshing nheless. ''We''ve been waiting for you.'' Waiting for him? Ryu was confused, but he didn''t have time to ask when beneath the shadow of the cave appeared a man with long bluish hair that waved into the rocky ground of the cave. Its white skin was paler than pearls, with his upper chest glistened like it was always wet. He was only wearing torn pants. Not even shoes nor anything to protect himself against the cold or heat. But Ryu felt like he couldn''t even dream of scratching him. Ryu took a fighting stance. "Who are you?" The man''s head moved up a little. His arrogance was apparent on his handsome face, but his cold facial features remained still. "You may call me, Yuu. I am the guardian of this cave. A loyal servant of Tethyt." Tethyt! Ryu''s eyes rounded before it turned to slit. It was not him. The voice that called him was a woman. Yuu eased his stance, but his serious face didn''t loosen. "We''ve been expecting you for thousands of years, oh holder of the fate of Septverden." Ryu was even more confused. His brows knitted. I didn''t know what the man was saying. He opened his mouth, but Yuu turned his back at him. "Come. My master is expecting you for a very long time." "Wait!" Ryu called, but Yuu already disappeared behind the shadows. Ryu hesitated. He looked outside the cave. The battle with the Ancient Hydra was ongoing, but it seemed like the cave was cut from the outside world. No noise nor rattles of the fight outside prated its walls. Cecily was in danger. Ryu reminded himself, but the urge to discover what inside grows stronger by the minute. It seemed like whoever was in there knew about him. "Don''t worry about them." Yuu''s voice rang in all corners of the cave. "As long as they don''t hit the Hydra''s head, they''ll live." What''s with the head? Rather, Ryu didn''t like the sound of that. He wanted to turn back and protect Cecily. He didn''t even know Yuu nor what dangery ahead. But that insatiable urge to know what''s inside and unravel what Yuu was talking about continued to grow until it overpowered everything else. Ryu followed Yuu deeper in the cave. Ryu swept his surroundings, but it was too dark to perceive anything. Even with his night vision, he couldn''t see a thing. He took a whiff, but there was no smell. He tried to reach for something, but it seemed that he was in hollowed space. When he came too, he found himself in the ocean. The violent ssh of the wind ruffled his hair, and the waves soaked his clothes. Ryu looked over his shoulder, and the cave was gone. He was now standing on a rock surrounded by nothing but the ocean. Dark clouds so dense covered the sky, the waters were so deep, and the waves were so huge that it felt like he would be swallowed by it. Ryu held his breath. Just what happened? ''So you''vee.'' The clouds parted, and with it came lights. Sparkling particle came down from the light, and it materialized into a creature so huge Ryu didn''t know possible. It was even bigger than the Ancient Hydra! Her face was human-like with mermaid''s ears and tentacle-like red hair. Half her body was human, but the rest were scales and fins, and mesmerizing blue dust sparkled all over her body like stars and gxies. She was. .. breathtaking in every sense of the word. (Pic) ''My name is Tethyt, one of the seven Gods that ruled Septverden a long, long time ago.'' Ryu''s fine hair stood on the edge, and he was startled when out of nowhere, Yuu appeared. ''It looks like you are in distress.'' Distress? Ryu was agitated! He was surrounded by creatures he didn''t know he could defeat. If ever he was attacked by them, then it could only be his fault for being lured inside the cave. ''Don''t panic. Allow me to take a form that is mostfortable to you.'' At Tethyt''s voice, she turned into water and appeared in front of Ryu in the form of a human that hovered in the air. Her air was glowing white as well as her skin, and she appeared more like an angel than anything else. (Pic) "Is this formfortable for you now?" Chapter 84: Tethyt’s Key Chapter 84: Tethyt¡¯s Key "Is this formfortable for you now?" Tethyt asked. Ryu took a step back. He was still on guard. "Who are you?" Tethyt''s lips tugged at the corner in a smile. "As I said. My name is Tethyt, one of the seven Gods that used to rule Septverden thousands of years ago." "God?" Ryu didn''t know of them. Ferris didn''t also bring that topic before, so he was unfamiliar with them. But one thing was for sure. .. the strength between them couldn''t bepared. Tethyt swept Ryu with her eyes as she circled him. "We''ve been waiting for you for years now, but it seemed that. .. you are still too early." In Tethyt''s eyes, pentagrams appeared, mirroring the pentagrams inside Ryu''s body. "You are not ready. "Tethyt blinked, and the pentagrams disappeared from her irises. "Nheless, faith had brought you to me, and I will take it as a sign." "You spoke like you know me." Tethyt smiled. "Much so. .. at least more than you know yourself." A surge of happiness overcame Ryu, and he eximed, "Then you must know my parents? Who am I?" ".. ." Tethyt nodded. "You are the keeper of hope of Septverden." ".. ." Ryu''s brows crossed in one line. "Don''t speak in riddles!" Tethyt raised a hand when Yuu was about toe forward. Tethyt sped her hands. "Unfortunately, it''s not mine to tell. All you have to know is that. .. you must continue your journey, and eventually all will be revealed to you." Ryu shook his head. "Why can''t I know now?" Tethytughed a little. "So stubborn. . ." Her eyes then dropped with a sad smile on her face. "Just like everyone else." ".. ." Ryu was frustrated. The answer was in front of him, but he couldn''t do anything to get it out from her. Threat wouldn''t work, and he definitely couldn''t force her to tell him. He was not strong enough tofight her. He''d be dead before he could lift a finger. At least, that''s what his instincts told him multiple times. "What must I do for you to tell me now?" Ryu persisted. "Patience, boy. In time you''ll know." Ryu sighed and swallowed the grumble in his throat. "Then why have you called me here?" ".. . "Tethyt captured Ryu''s eyes. "Though you''re a little early, this will eventually happen. I just want to expedite the events a little." Tethyt raised her hand, and on her palm, twirles of waters hovered before it formed a transparent key with intricate details. It was shiny like metal, beautiful like a crystal, blue like the water, and breakable like ss. "I want you to have this." Ryu just watched the key without an ounce of epting it. "What''s that for?" "You''ll know." Ryu''s face darkened. All this ''you''ll know'' and ''you''ll see'' was getting on his nerves. "I won''t ept it if you don''t tell me what it is for." Tethyt''s face broke in giggles. "The resemnce is so cunning. Did you see it, Yuu? He is so much like my brothers and sisters." There was a hint of a smile on Yuu''s face, though his eyes were sad as he watched Tethyt wiped the tears on her face. "Ah. .. I''m sorry. I tend to be emotional when I think of the past." Ryu took his eyes from Tethyt for a moment. One second she was smiling, then the next, she was crying. Is she okay in the head? Tethytughed like she read Ryu''s thoughts. She beamed. "Either way, you don''t have a choice in this matter." Before Ryu could react, the key flew in his direction and became one with his body. "Wha!" A refreshing ssh of water cleansed his body, and he felt his lungs growing to take in the minty air. His back itched, and he felt every carved of symbols on his skin. There was a faint glow of blue behind him, and he reached for his back. "What just happened?" Ryu asked and snapped at Tethyt. "What''d you do to me?" "Rx. It''s not to your disadvantage." Tethyt went to Yuu''s side and looked at Ryu onest time. "In you holds one of the keys to the heart of Septverden." "Huh?" Ryu was busy reaching for his back, but he didn''t felt anything with his hands. Not even bumps nor scars. "Goodbye, Ryu." At Tethyt''s goodbye, the space distorted around Ryu, and before he could utter a word, he was sucked in by a portal. "Remember. .. what you seek lies farther ahead into the Beast Realm." That was all Ryu heard before he disappeared. .. . .. . Tethyt looked over at Yuu and caressed his head. Yuu''s face crumpled, but he endured. Tethyt giggled. "After all this time, you still don''t like it if someone touches your head?" Yuu didn''t reply. If it were another touching his head, that creature would be gone by now. Yuu looked at Tethyt, and for the first time, his cold faade cracked, revealing emotions that he hid for thousands of years. "Only you can touch it." Tethyt was stunned for a moment before a sweet smile blossomed on her face. "You''ve been guarding this cave for thousands of years now. It must have felt like an eternity." Yuu cupped her hand and basked at her scent even though he knew he could never smell her again. "Eternity is irrelevant if it meant I''ll get to see you again. Even if it''s just a moment." Tethyt eyes shook and watered. "My darling Yuu. .. ever so loyal. . .ever so foolish. . ." she closed her eyes, and droplets of her tears turned to waves. "And I''m the same for asking you. .. once again. .. will you hear my plea?" Yuu closed his eyes. "I am your servant. Even in death, my soul will forever follow yourmand." Tethyt smiled that didn''t reach her eyes. "Even after all this time. .. we can''t still be together even in death. . ." With one final tear, Tethyt and Yuu turned into particles before the waves swallowed them. Tethyt was gone, and Yuu''s soul hovered above the ocean for a moment before it disappeared and entered Ryu''s unconscious body on the hard cold ground of the cave. At the same time, the Ancient Hydra, frozen by time, cracked and burst into mana particles and flew into the sky. Chapter 85: A piece of a Map Chapter 85: A piece of a Map Ryu groaned, and he opened his eyes. It was blurred for seconds before he regained his vision. He jumped on his feet and shifted his head left, and right but Tethyt and Yuu were gone like all that happened was just a dream. Ryu went still for a few minutes. Assisting his situation, making sure that he was not dreaming, and when nothing happened, he scratched his head. "Was it all a dream?" Ryu wondered. It definitely felt like it. He looked over his shoulder, hoping to see if there was something on his back. But unless he had a mirror with him, it was impossible to get a good view of his backside. Cecily! Cecily suddenly entered Ryu''s mind, and he almost hit himself that he forgot about the battle with the Ancient Hydra. Quickly, he gathered his bearing and was about to sprint to the exit when something caught his eyes. Not far from him, in the spacious room he was in with nothing but stoned walls and hard ground, at the center of the room hovered something like a piece of paper on top of a small pedestal. Ryu blinked and crept near the pedestal to get a better view. To his astonishment, a map was floating on a pedestal. Well, at least what was left of it. It was a piece of a map. It glowed in faint blue and was the only thing illuminating the whole ce. Ryu took it without thought and studied its contents. The map stopped glowing, and darkness soon followed, but since Ryu had night vision, he didn''t have a problem seeing in the dark. It was a piece of an old map that was torn on every side. In Ryu''s hands, it felt like it would crumble to dust at any moment, but it gave off a feeling that not even fire could burn it. "What''s this?" Ryu didn''t understand the weird drawings and symbols on the map since most of it was torn. "Ryu!" Startled, Ryu looked over his shoulder and was surprised when Ferris appeared out of nowhere and jumped on him. They fell on the ground with Ferris straddling his torso. Her dted eyes were burning crimson as she licked his face with her tongue. "I''m d you''re okay!" Ferris bellowed in glee. Ryu turned to stone for a moment before he looked Ferris in the eyes. Realizing what she had done, Ferris quickly rose to her feet, folded her arms, and pouted into the ceiling. "W-where have you gone off to at a time like this?!" Ryu blinked multiple times. His cheek was burning from where Ferris licked it. Rubbing the tingling sensation away, Ryu went to his feet, and his attention was stolen with the appearance of Cecily and the others. "Ryu! I thought the Hydra ate you! So this is where you are!" Fifi hovered at Ryu in all smiles. She wanted to embrace him but was afraid that she would shock him instead. Such is the life of a thunder spirit. Kai went over at Ryu and grabbed his shoulder. "I-I''m d that you''re at least okay." Ryu leaned back when Kai''s haggard face zoomed on him. What happened to him that he looked like all energy was drained from his face? Lucian and the others circled on Ryu, but it was Cecily who confronted him. "Where have you been, and what have you been doing?" Ryu couldn''t speak for a moment. The anger in Cecily''s eyes told him that he was in trouble. "I. . ." "Now.Now. I think it''s a happy asion that Ryu is alive." All eyes went to the Owner with his two bodyguards, and the atmosphere turned tense. The Owner''s groups stopped just meters from Lucian''s group and inquired with a smile as creepy as the squinting of his eyes. "Now tell us Ryu. .. what have you found in this cave?" ".. ." ".. ." Whoosh! A cold breeze came in between the two groups as no one dared to move an inch. Ryu looked at Cecily. "I don''t know what happened. When I came too, I found this." Ryu gave Cecily the map he was holding. Lucian and the others looked over the map and, like Ryu, found nothing special with it. Cecily wanted to smack Ryu for wondering on his own and for leaving his master. But her anger dispersed when he gave her the item and to no one else. Not even to Ferris. "Don''t joke with me!" Everyone held their gasp when the Owner''s voice rang sharp and clear. His face was now twisting in an ugly way. "Hand over the Jewel! I know you have it!" The Owner demanded with open palms. He had sacrificed so much to get this far. Even his precious Chronus Scrolls that he painstakingly acquired throughout the years. He was not about to go home empty-handed. Lucian stepped forward and faced the Owner. "There is no Jewel here, and Ryu wouldn''t lie to his master." Veins popped on the Owners warping face, showing his actual age. "Don''t joke with me. We have searched every crevice and corner of this cave, and this is the only room that the Jewel might be in." "If you want, we''ll search again," Lucian bargained, but the Owner just snapped his head into the ceiling. Then the Owner inhaled and exhaled before he faced Lucian''s group with a disturbing smile. "That won''t be necessary. We''re almost out of time, and the Hydra could move at any moment. Ryu was ahead of us for an hour. Surely he found something here." Ryu glowered and growled, but Kai stopped him with a squeeze of his shoulder. The Owner hid his hideous warping face over his fan. "How about this. .. ," he said, resisting the burst of his furry. With a snap of the Owner''s hand, a glowing parchment of paper appeared before everyone. Its page was full of words like they were carved out from the paper and on the end of the letters was Cecily''s name signed in blood. It was the Seal of Promise Cecily made with the Owner. "Give me all the items that halfbreed acquired in this cave and consider this Seal of Promise fulfilled." Chapter 86: The Seal of Promise Chapter 86: The Seal of Promise "Give me all the items that halfbreed acquired in this cave and considered this Seal of Promise fulfilled." .. . .. . Cecily and the others looked at each other and then focused their eyes on Ryu. "That is the only item I acquired," Ryu said without batting an eyelid. ".. ." The Owner snapped his fan. "Then you leave me no choice." The parchment of paper glowed brightly as the Owner said, "As the holder of this Seal, I demand that the debt be paid with all the items that Cecily''s servant, Ryu, acquired in this cave." The map in Cecily''s hand disappeared, and before anyone knew what was going on, the map emerged in the Owners palms, and with it, the Seal of Promise broke into tiny particles. ".. ." ".. ." Silence descended, thick and heavy, for it was already a minute and only the map appeared before the Owner. That meant that Ryu wasn''t lying. The cave didn''t contain the Lost Jewel of Tethyt. It only had an old useless piece of map that was not evenplete! Argh! The Owner gnashed his teeth, and his face was swallowed by despair as he went on his knees. "H-how. .. how could this be?" The Owner couldn''t afford this reality. All the sacrifices. All the money and items that he burned just to acquire the lost Jewel. .. everything. .. all of it amounts to nothing. Nothing! In his despair, the Owner didn''t notice Lucian''s group was sneaking nces at each other. And before the Owner, Athen and Athena could react, Lucian grabbed the piece of map, and Rosa cast a spell. [Fog] Water vapors surrounded the area, and visibility turned zero. "Run!" At Lucian''s voice, everyone sprinted towards the exit. In truth, Lucian nned this from the very beginning. If they did find the Jewel, they would pretend to hand the Jewel so the Owner would break the Seal. After the Seal was broken, Cecily was free, and they could just snatch back the Jewel and make a run for it. Their goal was to free Cecily from the Owner''s clutches. And since the Owner and the others already made a Seal of Promise not to disclose any information about them in any form, nothing stopped them from their ns. Though it was not the Jewel, it might be something that Skull could decipher, and they could have leverage over her. "Those sneaky. . ." The Owner smashed his fist against the rocks, and rubbles flew everywhere. "After them! Don''t let them get away!" the Owner shouted at Athen and Athena. The two nodded and disappeared, leaving after images in their wake. "You''ve crossed the wrong person, children." The Owner hid behind the shadows. The smile on his face was sinister as the glint in his eyes. "Everyone, into the woods! Hurry!" Lucian didn''t want to fight the Owner and his two bodyguards. The Ancient Hydra could move anytime soon, and he didn''t want to waste any more time on the ind. The soonest they resumed into the Nightmare Sea, the better. Lucian and Cecily led the escape while Rosa was hovering mid-air because it was much faster than running since she didn''t excel in physical stuff. Within minutes they reached the exit of the cave, and everyone held their breath, eyes on the monsters that were frozen by time. But to everyone''s surprised, the Ancient Hydra was gone! Lucian and the others didn''t have time to wonder why as this was not the time. They should be d that the Ancient Hydra disappeared. They could only wish that it continued to disappear. "Don''t stop!" They doubled their speed just in case the Ancient Hydra decided to surprise them with an ambush. "They''re gaining on us!" Kai howled when he sensed Athen and Athena behind them. Into the forest, they reached the swamp, and Rosa''s eyes twinkled when she saw a Stinkeye from the marches. "I have an idea!" Rosa flew midways and pummeled the Stinkeye on its Skull when they went past it. NGH! The Stinkeye raged, and it cast sickness on every person it saw, including Athen and Athena. Rosa immediately cast purify on Lucian and the others while Athen and Athena fell on the march because of the curse. "Nice!" Kai gave a thumbs-up at Rosa, but she just flipped her hair and ignored him. "Don''t celebrate yet!" Everyone was shocked when the Owner appeared just meters behind them. "Eek!" Kai cried when the Owner was almost next to him. The kind and amiable man was nowhere as the Owner''s wrinkles lined his twisting face. "Come here!" "Agh! Get away!" Kai screamed when the Owner reached his hands to grab him. Fortunately, Ryu snatched the scattered Stingbulbs on the ground and threw them onto the Owner''s face. Boom! Boom! "Gagh!" The Owner was totally unprepared at the sudden burst of acid, and Kai shivered when the Owner''s skin melted from the burn. He looked hideous! More so than the Rusalkas. Kai then doubled his speed and cast simple heal at his burnt skin when the Stingbulb exploded. "Thanks, man," Kai said in tears in Ryu''s direction. He''d rather be chased by Rusalkas than the Owner. He was ten times scarier when mad. It was like he became a lunatic. And Kai didn''t want to think what would happen to him if he got caught by the Owner. He''d rather be turned into a Myrmen than suffer unknown tortures. "I can see the ocean!" Cecily breathed a big breath. Finally! They''d finally leave this hell hole! The faster their hopes went up, the quicker it went down and shattered when they couldn''t find Mother Skull''s Ship. "That ugly double-crossing hag!" Rosa spat and kicked the sand. "N-now what?" Fifi''s body flickered here and there. Ryu looked over the horizon, searching for their boat while Ferris was giving her all not to fall asleep. "End of the line!" Everyone turned to face the Owner, who was just fifty meters behind them, with Athen and Athena running not far. "Shit." Kai cursed. Lucian stepped forward. His face serious. He didn''t want to start a pointless fight. He would avoid it if he could. But since they were pressed this far. . . Lucian drew his sword. "I suggest that you let us go if you don''t want your life to end here." Chapter 87: Death’s Grasp Chapter 87: Death¡¯s Grasp Lucian drew his sword. "I suggest that you let us go if you don''t want your life to end here." The Ownerughed. "And what made you think that you could defeat me, boy?" "There are seven of us and only three of you," Cecily said. The Owner loosened his stance and tapped his fan on his chin. "True. But numbers don''t decide anything. I have tons of items with me, and I''m very sure that I''ll be able to escape while either one or two of you will disappear in the face of Septverden." Rosa snorted. "He''s bluffing." But the sweat on Rosa''s face said otherwise. If the Owner could pull out an item like the Scrolls of Chronus that was capable of freezing a Rank-S beast, then he certainly had more. He was a ck-market dealer, and one thing that he didn''tck was resources. Cecily looked at Lucian, waiting for his signal. Fifi shifted her head left and right, didn''t know where to focus. Kai was biting his nails off. Ryu was waiting for Cecily''smand. Ferris just wanted to sleep. Could they just get this done and over with? Rather, what was the Owner so mad about? Oh, right. They stole a piece of map that nobody understood its contents. The Owner opened his palm. "Give me that map." Cecily''s lips crooked in a smile. "I thought that you didn''t want it." The Owner''s face crumpled. "That piece of map belongs to me. It might contain the information of The Lost Jewel of Tethyt." .. . .. . Lucian and the others thought of that as well. There was a chance that the map could lead to the true location of the Jewel. That was why they were nning to bargain it with Skull. They could forget about Skull since she abandoned them and bargain instead with the Owner. Lucian was sure that the Owner had his own ship. But their goals were not aligned. The Owner was after the Lost Jewel wherever it was, and they couldn''t afford to dally any longer. And who knows what the Owner would do if they were aboard his ship. At least Skull was transparent, and her desire to roam into the Nightmare Sea aligned somewhat with their main goal. Lucian swung his sword. "Sorry, but we need this map." They''ll just have to fly and search for Skull''s ship. It might not have gone too far since it wasn''t even a day that they explored Deadman''s Rock. "I own that map." Rosa shrugged. "And now you lost it, and we found it. So it belongs to us now." The Owner gnashed his teeth. "You stole it!" He then took in some air andughed. "Have it your way!" Athen and Athena rushed towards Ryu and the others, but at this moment, a loud bang rang not far from them. Athen and Athena disappeared when a canon zoomed their way. Itnded on the sand and created crevices on the ground. Boom! Boom! A series of explosions and the Owner''s group was forced to retreat as the sand and dust covered the air for seconds. "Wha'' are ye doin'' standin'' thar like hanged scallywags?! Hurry up ''n climbed aboard!" Lucian''s group looked over, and their faces brightened when they saw Skull''s ship approaching from behind the mountain of rocks. Lucian never knew he would say it, but he was relieved at the sight of Skull for once. "Everyone! Get on the boat!" As the cannons hit to distract the Owner and his bodyguards, Ryu and the rest hurried into the ocean and climbed the boat. "You won''t get away!" The Owner snatched a whistle hidden inside his shirt and blew it. The whistle didn''t make any sound, but it summoned a dark boat with dark metal frames. Upon seeing the Owner''s ship approaching from the other side, Skull instructed, "Bring down the sails! Full speed ahead!" "It''s no use! That boat is too fastUrp!" Kai covered his mouth as his eyes rolled on the back of his head. Fifi was there to the rescue and cured Kai''s seasickness for a time. "Are you okay?" Kai was exhausted. With all the things that happened, he just wanted to drop dead on the wooden nks. Too tired to even move his mouth, he gave darling Fifi a thumbs up. "It''s gaining on us." Cecily was contemting whether to unleash her skill to dy the boat. Rosa pushed Cecily aside and raised her staff. She had a bit of mana left, and it was enough if they just wanted to dy the Owner''s boat. "Leave it to me." At Rosa''s voice, a wild torrent of waters crept from Skull''s ship and moved towards the Owner''s ship. And when it reached the Owners boat, the floods grew stronger and stronger until the ship was stuck between the torrents. Kai was like an old man with exhaustion littering his bones. He just gave another thumbs up at Rosa. Now that he was sure they were safe from the Owner''s hands, he could finally rest. Or so he thought. . . At the ind, the Owner was fuming in range, and he snapped his fan in two. Athen and Athena looked at each other and took a step back from the Owner when wild torrents of dark static enveloped him. "No one crosses me and gets away with it!" Shadows from trees, rocks, and all creatures on the ind were sucked in the Owner''s body, and all of them withered and died, leaving only rot and decay in the path of the shadow. "If I can''t have that map, then so can''t you!" In his rage, the Owner forgot that Cecily was the granddaughter of the Legendary Byron. But none of that matters because he was consumed with anger. If no one were alive, then no one would tell the tale. "All of you will die!" the Owner was reluctant to use the most destructive spell in his arsenal since its drawback was years of his life. Those who grazed by its shadow would have their soul shattered. If he acquired the Jewel, then he could quickly regain those years back. [Death''s Grasp] A massive w of a skeleton burst forth from the Owner''s body. Everything that the giant ws passed rot and decay, and all creatures it grazed floated on the ocean. Lucian and the others didn''t know what the massive Skelton-like ws do, but they had a bad feeling about it. Rosa attempted to break its course with a water barrier, but the massive ws just went past it, never straying on its target, which was all the people in the boat. Like it couldn''t wait to acquire so many souls. The mercenaries on the boat were stunned in ce at the approaching threat while Skull turned the wheel of her ship to evade. Lucian ground his teeth. Rosa and Cecily were almost out of mana, while Fifi couldn''t even hope to break that thing with her electricity. While Ryu was useless against it and Lucian didn''t know anything about Ferris except that she was drowsing off most of the time. "Not good!" pressed of time, Lucian summoned Raphael. Chapter 88: Ferris’s Last Words Chapter 88: Ferris¡¯s Last Words The massive ws couldn''t be stopped, and it was toote to evade. Lucian gritted his teeth. "Raphael" With the burst of golden light, Raphael appeared with its four wings and ethereal face. Everyone didn''t have time to be shocked when a colossal pentagram appeared before Raphael. A zing halo surrounded his head and red of godly powers flickered around him. With his arms outstretched towards the approaching threat, bolts of divine rage shed forth and brought damnation onto the corrupt. [Angelic Chorus] As the golden strike met against the dark ws, a massive explosion caused the waters to hallow. Gagh! Everyone on the boat held on tight as the force from the explosion rocked them away. It was blinding for a whole minute before it ceased. The ominous skeleton-like ws vanished at Raphael''s might, but Raphael''s mana was almost depleted in exchange. Raphael frowned. He didn''t expect that he would be forced to use one of his devastating spells just to counter that ominous curse. But since it already happened, Raphael looked at Lucian as he disappeared. "We are out of the rocks. Don''t call me unless it''s important." And he vanished. Raphael was going to regain his mana, and he didn''t want to be disturbed while doing so. Lucian and the other breathed easy. Once they werepletely out of trouble, they''d deal with the others on ship regarding an Angel being his servant. However, with a sharp whoosh, a raging bullet was diving towards them fast. "Look out!" Before Lucian could react, the bullet was nearly meters from Cecily''s head. Ryu embraced Cecily in his arms without thinking of the consequences and shielded her from the bullet, aiming to take the bullet for himself. "Ryu!" But to everybody''s surprised, Ferris jumped over and received the bullet head-on. The bullet buried into her skull, and she felt that her consciousness was fading fast and the bullet wound wouldn''t heal even with her extraordinary healing abilities. It was a cursed item with an effect of instant death! No healing spells nor regeneration could work against it. If Ryu had been hit with it, he might have died. But since Ferris''s body was already dead, the bullets curse didn''t work on her. But her human body would surely disappear fast at this rate. Ferris gritted her teeth. The Owner was bing a pain! How many rare items does he own? With thest of her strength, she shot multiple dense shadows in the direction of Deadman''s Rock. These shadows merged into one and formed one giant force that exploded upon contact on the ind. Hopefully, the Owner died with the st, or at least it gave them time to get away from the Owner''s range of attacks. "Ferris!" Ryu shouted when Ferris''s body dropped on the floor like a lifeless doll. As her visions blurred, Ferris thought that love and mate things were garbage and shit. There was no advantage to it. Without it, she could have lived a carefree life without worrying about anyone but herself. He would be in the Demon Realm by now, collecting souls and beautiful men. But now. . .After everything she did. .. Even if she sacrificed herself for him, he was holding another girl in his arms. Ah. .. Damn this love thing. .. it was the truest and most despicable curse in the entire realms. Ryu let go of Cecily and went into Ferris''s side. He went on his knees, and unlike before, he held her body in the gentlest way he could. He was afraid with just a little force, he would snap a bone on her thin, lifeless form, and it would worsen her condition. "Ferris!" Ryu shouted. Panic and fear washed over his face, and Ferris wanted tough. Seeing Ryu''s worried expression with his big dted eyes that were about to melt, Ferris thought that it was all worth it, and she wanted to hit herself for feeling that way. With thest of her strength, she croaked in whispers, making sure that it was only Ryu who heard her. "R-Ryu. .. you have to get. .. Queens Horns Mackerel. .. and give it to Faux. . ." ".. ." Ferris wanted to cry when Ryu''s face warped from worry to confusion. What should she say then? Words of I love you''s? It was not like she would die. Only her mortal body would disappear. And it was not like Ryu would reciprocate her feelings with Cecily in the way. She''d rather remind him of the debt with Rigulus. It was more important since she didn''t know when she would wake up with her mortal body disappearing and all. She needed another medium, fast! Or else her demon would go on a rampage spree! "Huh?" Ryu didn''t know why Ferris was saying that at a time like this. "It''s not important! We''ll get you healed." Ferris shook her head. "Promise me. .. before the three moons. . ." Ferris''s visions blurred, and thest thing she heard was her name in Ryu''s mouth, which put a smile on her face. It''s not so bad. Even at a time like this, she was worried about him. It was his name on the Seal of Promise with Rigulus, and she had to remind him about it, or else he might forget because he was busy in the Nightmare Sea or that he was overthinking about Cecily and the Seal of Promise would im his life without him knowing. That would be a pathetic way to end. Her mortal body would surely disappear one of these days. The only thing that was keeping it from disappearing right now was the two souls inhabiting her body. But when either one of those souls woke up, Ferris was sure that her body would disappear. She could only hope that the demon would find another body as soon as she could, or else everything would turn troublesome. Rosa had her eyes on her. What''s more, there were also the issues about the angel, Raphael. But Ferris''s greatest worry. .. what would the demoness do once she tookplete control? Chapter 89: Coffin Chapter 89: Coffin "So the Jewel ain''t mighty thar?" Lucian''s brow rose. "You don''t seem surprised." Skull shrugged and looked over the window of his office. "I ''ave hunted treasures enough in me lifetime nah t'' expect anythin''." Skull chuckled. "That makes it more excitin''. Findin'' lost treasures only t'' be led t'' another booty. The adventure ne''er stops." Skull faced them and ced her palms against the table. "So, let me guess ye''re goin'' t'' bargain wit'' me wit'' that map?" Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily looked at each other and nodded. "It might lead you to the reallocation of the lost treasure," Cecily said. The corner of Skull''s lips rose in amusement. "That only applies if I find the other pieces o'' the map." Lucian''s heart thumped hard against his chest. This was their only leverage. It had to work. Rosa folded her arms. "Well? Do you want it or not?" ".. ." Skull didn''t say anything. She looked at the map on the table. Studying it. But with so many torn pieces, she couldn''t even decipher it. But did it stop her? NO. Her blood was boiling, and her heart was thumping in her throat. If she didn''t take that map and dissect its contents, her nerves would tear her apart. Completing puzzles and deciphering maps, going on adventures, and finding lost treasures. That was her life''s calling, and the Jewel of Tethyt''s would allow her to taste that bone-chilling and soul-racking dangers and excitement for all eternity! No one could understand her but her fellow pirates. The piece of a map might be useless to others, but it opened another world of adventure to her. Skull grinned. "Ye''ve got yourself a deal." ---- Ferris was sleeping on Ryu''s bed without the indication of waking up. Her face was paler than yesterday, and her skin color was turning greyer and colder than ever. All night, Ryu was beside her, giving her warmth. Sleep eluded him at the fear that Ferris might never wake up again. Ryu sat on the chair and held Ferris''s hand. He didn''t know when she would wake up or if she would ever wake up. This thought has been hunting him since yesterday. He didn''t know if he was ready to let her go. At this point, he was even fine if her demon form would appear as long as she would open her eyes. True that he was happy that she''d given him freedom, but as long as she was near, he thought that everything would be okay. She was his support in this world and without her. . . Ryu stood to his feet and felt Ferris''s forehead. No indication of warmth nor color on her skin, and yet the only thing separating her from a corpse was the rising of her chest in a slow breath. Ryu didn''t get an ounce of sleep because he was afraid Ferris would just stop breathing and he wouldn''t be there to save her if the time came. Ryu poked Ferris''s cheek. It was hard than yesterday too. The bounciness of her cheeks was slowly disappearing, and he missed her pout more than ever. Maybe she needed essence? Ryu''s face brightened. Ferris said that his essence always brought her energy back. Why hadn''t he thought of it before? Ryu opened the button of his trousers and the door opened with Kai''s nk face. "W-wha. .. What are you doing?" Kai didn''t know what Ryu was up to with his trousers down and his penis up, but it was a crime if the other party was asleep. Ryu didn''t look at Kai. "I''m going to give Ferris my essence. Maybe that will wake her up," he said with a serious tone and face like it was the most natural thing to do. Kai pped a hand over his head. "Right. .. she is a demon. .. ," he muttered, but then he rose to his skin and yelled. "NO! That''s a crime! You idiot!" "We''ve done it before." Kai''s world twirled before him. Even though you already have a mate. Ryu. .. I was wrong about you. "Even so, she''s asleep!" Kai wanted to check on Ryu on how he was doing only to find him doing lewd things on a sleeping loli. This angered him, and he felt betrayed. He thought that Ryu was a virgin like him since Cecily didn''t acknowledge the mate thing. But who knew that he and Ferris have that kind of rtionship? Though Ferris was ugly, she was still a girl. Kai knew a lot of creatures who didn''t look at facial features as long as they were sated. Was Ryu like that too? Kai went into Ryu and stopped him from doing anything indecent. "Stop it! She''s asleep! It''s a crime!" Ryu growled. "It might wake her up!" "What are you going to do? Masturbate in front of her and force her to swallow your seed?" "That''s right. It might be the only way." "You''re not thinking straight!" Kai managed to lift Ryu''s trousers and hid his dick just when Rosa, Lucian, and Cecily entered the room. "What are you doing?" Lucian was appalled when he saw Kai was hugging Ryu from behind, and both their hands were in Ryu''s trousers. "Agh. . ." Kai was sweating buckets. "T-this isn''t what you think." At the sight of Cecily, Ryu soon regained a bit of her mind back, but the next he knew, a hard p burned his cheek when Rosa pped them. It didn''t hurt since the womancked the strength. So Ryu treated it as nothing but an insect bite. "What do you think you two are doing at a time like this?" Rosa questioned with hips tilting to the side. Kai immediately let go of Ryu while thetter fixed himself and faced Cecily. "I was. . ." Ryu was about to tell them his n of waking Ferris, but Kai elbowed him and signaled him with his lips mouthing the words. "Don''t. Speak." Ryu scowled, and Rosa pushed the two of them to the side. "Move. Don''t hinder my way." A tiny coffin appeared in Rosa''s palm, and Ferris''s body shook before it turned into particles and entered the coffin. Ryu snarled, "What are you doing?!" Chapter 90: Ferris’s Fate Chapter 90: Ferris¡¯s Fate "What are you doing?!" Ryu was about to attack Rosa when Cecily stopped him. Rosa nted her hips and faced Ryu without an ounce of fear at Ryu''s feral face. "You''re just a servant. What we do to you is none of your business." Veins crawled on Ryu''s skin, and anger boiled in the pit of his stomach, rising and rising as he looked at the smug smile on Rosa''s face. The room turned oppressive, and Ryu''s face twisted in menace. His ws flexed, and his canines barged. "Give.Her.Back." "H-hoi. . ." Kai was afraid that Ryu would leap and attack Rosa. He didn''t care about Rosa, but if she died, then darling Fifi would be. . . Rosa licked her lips. "Make me." Grr! Ryu let out a wild growl, and she was closed to wring Rosa''s neck with his ws when Cecily appeared before him. "Stop!" "Gurgh!" Ryu couldn''t move. The seal was fake, and Cecily didn''t have any hold on him anymore, but the mate bond prevented him from hurting her. Rosaughed. "That''s right. Be an obedient little pup. That''s the only thing you are worth." Cecily frowned and looked at Rosa. "Stop agitating him." Rosa smirked. "Do you care about that half-breed now?" "They save my life. If you have forgotten." Rosa''s chin rose in arrogance. "As it should be. That''s their role." "Enough." Lucian sighed and went over between Ryu and Rosa and exined, "We don''t know when she''ll wake up or will she ever be. The Owner might be hunting us in the Nightmare Sea, and from all the dangers we will face, she''ll just be baggage." "But she!" Lucian raised a hand to stop Ryu. "She''ll be fine. Since we don''t know what is happening to her. We decided to put her in a Preserving Coffin. She won''t be in any harm or a liability." "The preserving Coffin allows you to carry an injured or dead person and store them in your traveler''s ring," Cecily added, and her eyes dropped a little. "That''s what I used to carry Do before." Ryu''s canines and ws retracted. ".. ." "Will she be really fine?" Kai asked, shifting his eyes at Lucian''s group and at Ryu. Lucian shook his head. "We don''t know. Since no healing spell could wake her nor do we know what''s going on with her. .. she could die in the coffin at any moment or in her sleep, and there''s nothing we could do. The best is to make sure that no danger befall her or that she won''t be a liability on our mission." ".. ." Kai opened his mouth but then decided to close it again. Ryu would just be agitated. He was about to suggest finding a cure for Ferris. But since Ferris was just a servant and Lucian and the others were pressed of time. . . Kai sighed. Thud! All eyes went to Ryu when he went on his knees. Kai''s eyes rounded. "R-Ryu!" "Please. . ." Ryu bowed his head until his forehead touched the hard wooden nks. "Can you give her to me?" .. . .. . Cecily didn''t know what to think of this. There was a wave of tiny anger bubbling inside her when he saw how Ryu cared for Ferris even more so than her. He should care only for her because she was his master and her mate, even if she didn''t acknowledge nor felt the bond. Cecily looked to the other side in disgust. There was also that tiny dark feeling taking the form of jealousy, and she refused to admit it. Rosa giggled. "Well. Well. What can you do for me in return? Do you have something of equal value? I own this Coffin, and Cecily already gave me the rights to study Ferris once we''re back in the Kingdom." ".. ." ".. ." Lucian closed his eyes tight. Ryu didn''t have to know that. Rosa just really loves to create drama. ".. ." Without any signs of raising his head, Ryu continued to beg. His beast was rampaging, but he couldn''t do anything with Rosa if Cecily were protecting her. Rosa tilted her head, and the smugness on her face only intensified. "Come to me if you can offer something of equal value. Until then, she''s a valuable experiment." She then left with the loud tick-tacking of her heels. Lucian threw onest look at Ryu on the floor before he shook his head and went outside while Cecily sighed a heavy breath and went together with Lucian. Ferris was useless to Cecily now in her cadaver-like state. Without knowing what was wrong with her or she would ever wake up, Ferris was a liability to her. At least, she could contribute to the Mortal Realm if Rosa found anything interesting with her. Cecily''s fists balled, and she bit her lip. Too bad that the demoness was dead even before she could fully mature. It was really a waste. Inside Ryu''s room, Kai was silent. He didn''t know what to do as Ryu was still on the floor without moving nor making even the slightest sound. Kai looked over the ceiling. He sucked atforting others. Kai went to Ryu''s side and grabbed his hand, and pulled him to his feet. "Come on up." Ryu felt like all resistance was drained from him. For the first time, he hated the mate thing. Without it, he could do whatever he wanted, and he could have saved Ferris from just being an experiment. Ferris had done so much for him. So much. .. but he couldn''t even do a single thing for her. Ryu gnashed his teeth and stood to his feet with Kai''s help. "Look, I know it''s frustrating," Kai started when he saw Ryu''s face was twisting in agony while his slit eyes were shaking in helplessness. "But at this moment, there''s nothing you can do but move forward. Ferris is a one-ball angry little girl, and she won''t back down without a fight. She will wake up one of these days, you''ll see. Shell be back and terrorize us with her grumpy face." Kai grinned and ced his hands over his head. "Who knows, we might find a cure for her in the Nightmare Sea." Ryu blinked. Cure? He remembered that he had Faux''s crystal. Maybe she knew how to wake Ferris! Chapter 91: The Truth Chapter 91: The Truth When Ryu was finally alone in his room, he brought out Faux''s Crystal from his traveler''s ring and crushed it in his palms. Ryu was actually afraid of meeting Faux. He was used to being alone in the past, but when Ferris came, everything changed. She had thought him so many things. Without her, he didn''t even know what he''d do in the world outside of the coliseum. But now that she was gone all too suddenly, he felt lost. He didn''t know what to do next. He now realized how dependent she was on her. "You''vee." Faux''s mellow voice startled Ryu out of his thoughts. He didn''t know that he was already transported to her tavern. "You seem lost, little pup." Faux chuckled and licked her ck lips. "Is something troubling you?" Ryu hesitated. Faux''s beauty was haunting in a creepy way. But this was no time to be scared nor hesitate. "Ryu walked over to Faux and said, "Ferris wouldn''t wake up. Do you have something that would wake her up? Faux''s palm reached out. "If you want my help. You need payment first." Ryu''s eyes shook. In his haste, he forgot that he didn''t have anything with him except those Were-sharks loots. He finally felt how powerless and useless he was without Ferris. "I don''t have anything. Can we just perform that Seal of Promise thing?" Ferris''s state was more important right now. Faux skimmed her chin. "Hmm. .. That''s going to cost you so much more, little pup. Are you sure you want to go in that direction?" Ryu nodded without hesitation. Faux''s pressed lips stretched in a smile. "Very well then. .. I''ll see what Ferris''s situation first so I know how much it''ll cost you." With the flip of Faux''s hand, her crystal orb glowed. Ryu couldn''t see anything but sharp res no matter how hard he stretched his neck to peek. "Hmm. .. How reckless. .. and truly. . . amusing." Faux giggled when she saw what happened to Ferris. Her milky eyes then looked straight in Ryu''s amber ones. "She''s not dead, you know. Only her mortal body is. She''ll wake up sooner orter," Faux said and added, "Though even I don''t know when." Ryu''s knees almost gave way from relief. Nobody knew what happened to Ferris, and no one wanted to help her. Only he wanted to wake her up, but he was lost on what to do nor who toe for help. Ryu bitterly smiled at himself. He was truly useless. "How can I wake her up?" Faux only looked at him, assessing his expression, which made him a little ufortable. "Are you sure you want to wake her up?" Faux asked. Ryu was confused. "Why not?" Faux prompted her face on her hands. "Her mortal body is gone. Once she woke up, it''ll be an entirely different Ferris." The demoness? Ryu thought of the demon Ferris and remembered what happened to Dorian and Valij. "Why would it be different? They''re the same, Ferris." Faux huffed. "It looks like Ferris didn''t tell you that her mortal body is already dead. If you wanted to wake the mortal Ferris, then I''m afraid that it''s no longer an option. She was already dead, to begin with. But if you rather want to wake the souls inhibiting her mortal body, then that could be arranged." Ryu''s mind went nk. Ferris was dead? She''s dead? "T-that can''t be. .. then who was it that thought me so much? Who was with me?" Faux watched Ryu''s white, heaving face. It really looks like Ferris didn''t tell him anything. Faux''s sighed. "I know it''s confusing and hard to understand, but I''m pretty sure that she showed you her real form, am I right?" Ryu nodded. The demoness was Ferris''s real form, but he always thought that the little Ferris was another entity from the demon. They were so much different. Faux shrugged. "Sometimes, the body retained its old ways, and when Ferris inhibited that dead body, her souls didn''t merge with that little mortal body, and as a result, that body retained some of its mannerism when it was still alive. That''s why you find them so different. Though it can use Ferris''s demonic powers a little." Some of the confusions in Ryu''s mind lessened but at the cost of the reality that. .. the little Ferris was truly dead and could no longer be brought back to life, and his heart dropped. "Stop looking like it''s the end of the world." Faux leaned on her chair and sped her hands on herp. "That mortal girl was dead, to begin with." Ryu bit his lips. He couldn''t think straight. The reality that little Ferris would no longer be with him hurt more than he thought. Not only did the news shock him, but he must also face the sudden reality that she was truly gone. She would never return. ARGH! A loud growl erupted in Ryu''s chest and pushed through his throat in the form of an agonizing scream. Faux''s sighed and massaged her temple. Ferris, you idiot. Faux got to her feet and rummaged through her cab of potions. "I know it''s a lot to process all of a sudden, but everyone dies eventually. Even the Angel and Demon''s die if their soul is shattered or their mana ran out." Ryu just looked in no particr direction. His mind still couldn''t think straight. It was dreaming in the foggy memories of little Ferris. Herughter''s. Her giggles. Her ugly burnt face that flickers of kes flew like pollens every time she scratched the itched on her head. Her mischievous pranks and ways. .. all of it. .. gone. . . She would never return, and Ryu refused to ept that fact. "There has to be away." Faux eyes went in the ceiling. Herees denial. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but her soul has long been gone. It probably even reincarnated. Who knows? And without that body''s original soul, it would rot and disappear eventually." "No." Ryu refused to believe such reality. If he truly did, then Ferris would really never return. "The Jewel of Tethyt." Chapter 92: Change Chapter 92: Change "The Jewel of Tethyt." Ryu went on his feet. Faux''s hand went still. "It could grant immortality." Or so Ryu heard. Faux was silent for a moment. Hmm. .. she then faced Ryu and said with a serious face and voice, "Nobody knows what the Jewel of Tethyt could do. But it couldn''t bring her soul back to her body. There is a chance that without her original soul, Ferris would just turn into an immortal corpse. Is that what you want?" Gurgh. .. Ryu closed his eyes tight for a brief second. "I. .. I don''t want her to disappear." ".. ." Faux looked to the other side and sighed. It seemed that it was the first time that Ryu lost someone he truly cared about. "Listen to me, little pup." Faux went to Ryu and looked into his amber eyes, "The only way for you to ept reality is by moving forward and make sure that you be strong to protect those you care about in the future." "And besides," Faux crossed her arms, "I''m sure little Ferris wouldn''t want to see you mope like this." ".. ." Ryu bit his lips, tasting the metal blood on his tongue while drawing strength from his balled fists. ept? No. .. He''d make sure to find the Jewel and waked Ferris''s mortal body. A streak of madness briefly crossed Ryu''s eyes, and Faux wanted to shake her head. She then changed the topic. It was pointless to talk Ryu out of it. Faux knew he already made his mind, and no amount of talking could change his decision. "So, do you still want to wake her? Knowing that her mortal body would disappear?" No. .. Ryu would make sure to return everything as it was. He''d find the Jewel so that Ferris''s mortal body could live forever. The souls inhibiting her body would nourish her even without her original soul. Yes. .. that might happen. No. . . Ryu would make it happen. ---- A day passed, and Mother Skull''s ship continued its course. There were still fifteen more days before they reached the area of the Scavenger Hunt, while Lucian and the other''s destination was a little farther from that. The mercenaries and the nobles could start their quest and hunt for treasures once they reached the scavenger hunt area. They could also go deeper into the Nightmare Sea, though a few chose these options for the dangers and close proximity to the other realms. The Nightmare Sea was divided by the north and south, and only ten percent of its waters were explored. Lucian and the others chose the southern route since it was the easiest and shortest path into the Beat Realm. A small ship enough to house them was waiting for them once they disembarked in Imoana Islet since arge ship couldn''t pass the narrow rocks and reefs going into Gibombo Ind. And from Gibombo Ind, a small boat would sneak them into the Beast Realm. Lucian counted the days in his hands. At the speed that they were going and the dys they faced in the past, Lucian estimated that they would reach the Beast Realm within the end of the first month of the three moons if.. . there was no longer any dy. While Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily were busy nning their next course of action in Lucian''s room, Kai and Ryu were on deck with Fifi. Kai was constantly peeking at Ryu at the side of his eyes. He didn''t know if it was a good or bad thing that Ryu was just calmly looking over the ocean. Like the problem with Ferris was gone at just one night. Kai didn''t know if he should bring up the problem about Ferris or just forget about it. But Ryu''s nonchnt face and silence were bothering him. If he just bottled it inside and avoided the issue, he would never move on. Kai opened his mouth but almost slipped from the railing of the boat when Fifi screamed in excitement. "Oh look, a swarm of Sea Bees!" Fifi pointed to a group of floating transparent ball-like creatures. They seemed to fish with only their tiny fins at the side. Their eyes were round and nk and protruding while small sharp teeth slipped from their upper lips. (Pic) "Whoa!" Fifi twirled in the air, and Kai forgot all about Ryu when Fifi was being cute. "How in the world are they flying? Are they made of air?" Ryu snapped a piece of wood and casually flicked it towards the Sea Bees. Pop! Pop! The Sea Bees burst one after the other like balloons made up of water, and Ryu said in a casual tone, "They''re made of water." ".. ." ".. ." Fifi''s eyes watered, and she cried in silence for the poor cute little creatures who were just minding their business of floating above the ocean. This is bad. Kai thought. At this rate, Ryu would kill a person if that unfortunate person just happened to look at him. Ryu appeared calm, but Kai felt the anger and frustration radiating from him from time to time, and Kai was afraid that one of these days, he would burst! "H-hey Ryu," Kai started but didn''t know what to say next. .. . .. . There was an awkward silence that hung between them, and Kai scratched the back of his neck. "A-about what I told you before?" About wanting to find a cure for Ferris. "What?" "You know." "I don''t." Kai grumbled. Ryu was being difficult. Rather, isn''t he a bit cold now? His face became stoic, and his eyes became sharper. Rather, did he mature overnight? The usual youthfulness in him and that palpable air of curiosity he always had was gone. Before, he would always point at everything he saw like a little pup but now. .. it felt like nothing was interesting to him. It was like he was a changed person overnight. Did Ferris'' death impact him so much? ---- A/N Hey Guys! For faster updates please vote with PS and GT Thank you all for your support. Chapter 93: A Moment of Peace Chapter 93: A Moment of Peace Cecily stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Taking a nce at her window, it was still a bit dark outside. Wanting to take in the cold and peaceful ocean before the warmth of the morning overshadowed the cold breeze, she changed into her armor and went out. She had a peaceful sleep despite everything that happened. It must be due to the nonstop adventure they had in Deadman''s Rock. Going into the open deck, Cecily took in the cold breeze, clearing her head about the many problems she had. She was about to go into the railing when she spotted a familiar face snaking around like he was searching for something. Lucian? Lucian was checking to see if he could spot that beauty again at the same time on the boat but no such luck. He was even searching behind the sails and upper decks to check. Even went down the stairs in the bar and cafeteria. Lucian took in a deep breath and released it slowly through his nose. "What are you doing?" Lucian almost screamed from his skin when Cecily surprised her with her curious face. "I. .. ," Lucian squeaked and cleared his throat. Composing himself, he said in a serious voice, "Nothing. I''m just checking if everything is okay." Cecily restrained to raise her brow. "Then why is your face flush?" "I. . ." Lucian looked at the other side, "I''ve been training." ".. ." Cecily dissected Lucian under her scrutinizing gaze. Since they were young, Lucian was easy to read. If his face was sweaty, that meant he was in trouble. If his face was serious, that meant he already made up his mind about something. If his lips were quirking at the sides, that meant he was in a good mood. And if he can''t meet your eyes, then that meant he was hiding something. But Cecily let go of the topic. Lucian wouldn''t tell her the more she poked about it. "Anyway, what are you doing here?" Lucian asked back. Hoping Cecily wouldn''t press about the reason why he was so early in the morning. He''d rather die than admit that he was searching for the beautiful half demoness this entire time. He certainly wouldn''t hear the end of it. "I wanted to see the ocean and soaked in the cold breezed before the morning sets in," Cecily said and added, "I might train too. Do you want to spar?" Lucian looked over the deck. There were some mercenaries already scattered everywhere, and not before long others will congregate too. Since the time that Raphael showed himself, the other''s eyes constantly followed him. He didn''t want to show any of his skills nor his fighting style in public. And besides, Lucian found the deckcking in size for proper sparring, and he was not in the mood for a fight. He was in the mood to find the beauty. Lucian shook her head. "I''d rather drink something hot and enjoy the peaceful moment we have now." Cecily''s mouth parted. Did Lucian just refuse a spar? Something must really be upying his attention enough for her training craze childhood friend to refuse. Before Cecily could speak, however, Lucian already went his way down the stairs to grab something to drink. Looking into the horizon, Cecily contemted before going after Lucian. On another part of the boat, Cathy and Nash were paying close attention to Lucian''s group. Since the time that they disembark at Deadman''s rock for a quick stop, she was snooping for information about them. They seemed special based on Skull''s preferences towards them. She stopped her ship at Deadman''s Rock just for Lucian and the others as well as helped them from whoever or whatever was pursuing their group. "Why are you curious about them?" Nash asked and leaned on the railing. He closed his eyes and savored the biting wind gliding smoothly across his ace. "Aren''t you?" Cathy questioned back. "They seemed to be big shot mercs if the pirate captain is giving them special treatment." "They probably just made a deal." "True. But aren''t you at least curious about that guy''s Angel''s servants?" ".. ." Nash didn''t say anything. "No record of mortal ever to acquire an angel servant. Until that man that is." Cathy hopped onto the railing and tiptoed on the wooden handrail. "Makes you wonder who he is." Cathy giggled. Nash restrained a smile. "We don''t have the luxury of time to be curious about others." Then his face soured when he remembered his argument with Skull the other day. "It was already bad enough that we stopped a day just for them," Nash argued about it with Skull why they''d stop on Deadman''s rock without rhyme nor reason. But the pirate captain shot him up with a threat of throwing them in the Nightmare Sea. The wooden handrail snapped at Nash''s strength before it repaired itself. One day seemed minuscule a number, but for them, every second counts. Cathy''s family might be out there gaining on them, and the one-day loss was a bit of a disadvantage on their part already. Looking at the sea, Nash''s eyes slit. So far, they haven''te across another boat. The nightmare sea was vast, so it was expected, but once they reached the scavenger area. .. that''s where the real dangers start. Cathy poked the tightly knotted brows on Nash''s head. "Stop worrying," she said, "We''ll make it to the scavenger area and will definitely find that item." Looking at his mistress, Nash couldn''t believe that the once tiny babe would turn into a young woman of confidence. Her petite frame couldn''t contain her bravery. Bravery to defy her family. And the reason was because of him. Nash''s eyes shook, and the hard lines of his face melted. If only he were a mortal, then maybe he could reciprocate Cathy''s feeling for him. . . But the reality was. .. his wish was to be free and find his mate, and he was taking advantage of Cathy''s feelings for him to make that happen. He was really. .. a monster. Chapter 94: The Passage through Time Chapter 94: The Passage through Time "Man, is this boring or what?" Kai yawned as he reeled the fishing pole in his hand. "Boring days are good and all but drifting in the sea for three days straight with nothing do but stare at your fellow mortals could get you insane." Ryu concentrated on his fishing pole and didn''t hear what Kai said. He wanted to catch some Queens Horned Mackerel like what Ferris wanted. He needed to do something. Anything that would make him feel not useless as he idled on the boat. He was scared that he would go berserk if he had nothing to do to keep his mind off of Ferris''s death. "Ryu, are you listening?" Kai nudged. Ryu grumbled, "Yeah." Ryu didn''t know when Kai became a familiarpanion to him. The man had an innate nature of blending in with the others that it felt like Ryu had known him long before. But it was nice to have Kai and Fifi apany him though the former was annoying with his constantints. At least he was not alone on the already isted boat. "I hope we get something delicious this time to eat." Kai stomached grumbled. "I''m out of coins." Fifi pouted. "If you hadn''t been gambling all night with the crew and the other mercs, then maybe you wouldn''t be eating seaweed for the rest of the travel." "Shut up," Kai barked, "A man gotta do what a man gotta do. And besides, what do you want me to do the whole stay here? Dry myself under the scorching heat and sleep my way from an exciting match?" Fifi twirled above the air and pointed at Lucian and the others. "You could meditate and train." Kai''s lower lip puckered out at seeing Lucian and Rosa meditate while Cecily was swinging her sword. There were also others that were training, but Kai was never fond of practicing his sword skills. "I''d rather fish for my dinner tonight." Kai checked his rod and sighed when nothing caught his bait. Not even seaweeds. His Were-Sharks loot were all consumed, and he was sated every meal with Ryu''s offerings of Were-sharks sashimi. Any more Were-Sharks and Kai swore that he would hurl the food in his stomach into the stinking sea. "What''s wrong with the fishes here? Why am I not catching anything?" Kaiined. Fifi looked over the water, but she couldn''t see beyond the blue ocean. "Maybe the fishes are asleep?" Kai sneakered. "Maybe they''re busy mating in the seaouch!" Kai blew cold air from the burnt spark on his hand when Fifi shut him a bolt of electricity. "S-stop being so lewd!" Fifi uttered with a reddened face. "Hehehehe." Kai''s nose red, and he teased Fifi all the more. "Why so red? My darling Fifi? Come to think of it, how do sprites mate?" Fifi''s cheeks puffed, and she twirled and twirled in the air. "I don''t know! No one told me!" Kaiughed. "Our darling Fifi is so innocent." Fifi wanted to zap Kai again when she felt something on the water. Ryu sensed it too. There were tiny ripples, and they didn''te from the ship. "What is it again?" Kaimented when Ryu and Fifi''s face turned serious. Kai looked over the ocean when the ripples turned to waves. Little by little the waves grew like it was being sucked. "What''s happening?" Everyone stopped what they were doing, and they went to the edge of the boat to take a look. Fifi hovered onto the air and took a swept of their surroundings. "Fifi?! What do you see?" Kai asked when Fifi just stared ahead like she was hypnotized. "Fifi!" At Rosa''s voice, Fifi snapped out, and her eyes watered. With shaking hand and trembling lips, Fifi croaked, "T-there. .. a. .. h-hole. . ." "A what?" Rosa wanted to pummel Fifi''s head if only the darn thing wasn''t hovering so far above. "A hole!" Fifi screams collided with the others, and everyone on deck panicked. Lucian and Rosa looked at each other before they pressed their way into the front of the ship with Cecily. Hundreds of meters from their shipy a hole so huge it was impossible not to detect it. The only exnation was that it appeared out of nowhere, and the torrent and waves it created were sucking their ship towards its depth. "Not good!" Lucian looked over at Skull stirring the wheels. The sweat and crunch on her face were not because of the sudden gush of rain brought by the ominous clouds hovering above the hole, that was for sure. "What are we going to do?" Cecily asked. Voice and eyes panicked. Lucian pushed the panicking mercs on deck and went straight into Skull. "What is that thing?!" Rumble! The thunder shook the boat, and not before long, everything turned dark as the rain never stopped, and the hole never ceased sucking everything in the ocean. "It''s a sinkhole!" Skull grit her teeth. "Can we go around it?!" Lucian shouted. The storm was impending all visions and their voices. ".. . It''s not just a normal sinkhole. It''s like its swallowing our ship." Skull''s face was grim, and Lucian knew that they were in a severe predicament. Lucian clicked his tongue and appeared before Rosa in the blink of an eye. "Can you do something about it?" Rosa pulled Lucian''s cheek to loosen his face. "Rx. Love." Rosa then tapped his cheek and grinned. "Leave it to me." With her spell, Rosa hovered in the air and zoomed in the hole. As she went closer and closer, Rosa''s smile disappeared. The hole was more extensive than she expected! Much bigger like it would swallow the entire ocean! And not only that, the edges of the vast sinkhole have rows and rows of jagged, sharp teeth like the mouth of sharks, and she couldn''t see the depth of where it led. Mother''s Skull Ship was only hundreds of meters from it, but from the waves and torrents that seemed to drag their boat into its jaws, there was no way to go around it. "This is bad." Chapter 95: A New Threat Chapter 95: A New Threat "Not good!" Even Rosa didn''t know what to do against that massive fissure. Will spells even work against that thing? What would she do? Threw rocks at it so it would close? With its size, her mana would run out even before she could ever hope to cover half of it. Then Rosa had an idea. She was looking at it the wrong way. If she couldn''t stop the hole, she just had to stop the boat from being swallowed until the fissure ceased. Rosa snapped her hand, and her staff appeared. Chanting a spell, she gathered her concentration, and huge rocks formed in front of the boat. It would anchor the ship so it wouldn''t be drag into the hole. Boulders and mud formed a rocky wall, stopping the ship from the strong currents and all the passengers sighed in relief. Rosa''s lips rose in a smug smile. That should do it. Now they just had to wait for the hole to be filled with water, and they could resume their journey. BAM! Everyone''s breath hitched in their throat when a powerful thunder struck the boulders out of nowhere, and the rocky wall crumbled to dust. "What the!" Rosa didn''t know what happened. Was it just a coincidence? She tried to form the rocky wall again and didn''t notice a sharp beam of thunder heading her way. "Argh!" Rosa screamed, and her eyes watered when the lightning struck her. Her limbs went numb, and her mind nked out before she fell from the sky, unconscious. "Rosa!" Lucian shouted, and Fifi covered her eyes in a panic for her master''s fate. Kai stretched his arms, and massive ice in the shape of a hand shot forth from his arm. He hoped that he could catch Rosa in time, but sadly, his ice fell short as his limited amount of mana couldn''t keep the ice''s form. Ryu checked if he could catch Rosa, but she was too far away from the boat, and unless someone could use a flying or hovering spell, she would be swallowed first into the hole that didn''t seem to close anytime soon. Ferris! Ferris was inside Rosa''s traveler''s ring. At least Ryu wanted to save that ring. Ryu was going to leap off the boat when Lucian shouted. "Raphael!" Lucian called, and Raphael appeared. Even with the confusion and chaos, Raphael still managed to take everyone''s breath away with his ethereal beauty. His majestic presence seemed to calm everyone. Raphael spread his wings and zoomed after Rosa. Within a blink, he was beside her and carried her into the safety of the boat. "Rosa!" Lucian checked if he was breathing, and Raphael took the initiative to heal her. "Argh. . ." Rosa groaned, but her eyes remained shut. Lucian and Cecily released some of their breath, but they were not out of the rocks. "Can you stop it?" Lucian asked Raphael. Raphael shook his head. "That hole is not normal. I felt strong magic from it, and I''m afraid that whoever attempted to stop it will. . ." Raphael nced at Rosa and continued, ".. . have the same fate as her." "What do you mean, strong magic?!" Lucian and the others looked at the neers. A small girl with gold pigtails and a purebred servant beast. Lucian thought the girl looked familiar, but his mind wasn''t working in the direction to uncover the girl''s identity. "Do you mean to say that thing is alive?!" Cathy shouted. At this point, they were only a hundred meters away, and the storm grew stronger and stronger. Her voice didn''t sound panic, though, but she didn''t know what to do deep inside. Raphael didn''t as much as nce at Cathy. His eyes were focused on Lucian. "I suggest to embrace yourself for the inevitable fall." And Raphael disappeared. "Wai!" Cathy reached a hand, but Raphael was gone, and from his departure, the rumbling continued, and the boat shook and rattled. Argh! "Look out!" The storm and thunder overshadowed the cries and screams. "Brace for impact!" Lucian carried Rosa, and he grabbed a rope buy the sails. With a flick of his hand, two water-breathing potions enveloped them inyers of invincible liquid. At least with the item, they could breathe underwater if worsees to worst. Using a skill, he covered his and Rosa''s body withyers of protection. With Rosa knocked unconscious and with Raphael''s uncaring attitude, their chances of flying out of the boat were thrown in the wind at the fast-approaching threat. By this time, Lucian couldn''t afford to think about anything else. Not the rune stones. Not the beast Realm. Not the dy in their mission. As the boat tip towards the jaws of the fissure, Lucian couldn''t avert his eyes. The only thing he was thinking was how to stay alive. Cecily''s hands dug against the ropes. They should have just flown their way out from the ship. But with the thunder and storm and with what happened to Rosa, she was afraid that the hole had a mind of its own. Like it wanted to swallow them from the very beginning. "Damn it!" Amidst the storm and the chaos, Cecily searched Ryu. He was the only servant she had left, and if he died because of this, Murok and Do death would truly be in vain. Ryu still hadn''t made it up to her yet. "Where is he?!" Cecily finally saw his blurred figure at the edge of the boat. Others were screaming and crawling to get away from the tip of the ship, but there he was, perfectly calm. Cecily didn''t know how he could stand up straight with the tipping boat. Like the enormous hole and the terrifying fate that awaited them at its depth didn''t bother him. His ck hair with streaks of violet raffled with the wind. The rain trickled on his face and soaked his clothes as he stood against the massive threat. His ironed back seemed to give her strength, and his amber eyes were glowing like it was the only light in their darkest hours, and Cecily thought. .. she thought he was beautiful. And her thoughts and feelings were swallowed by the darkness as their boat fell into the gaping hole. Rumble! Rumble! The thunder and storm ceased, and with it, the hole closed. The dark, ominous clouds parted, revealing a pleasant morning, and peace was brought back with its rays of warm light. Chapter 96: The Lost Islet of Tethyt Chapter 96: The Lost Islet of Tethyt Ryu shook his head and the water droplets flung to the sand. There were ringing sounds, and he tilted his head and tapped her ears to get the water out from it. After that, he shook his head one more time and looked over at his surroundings. W-where am I? The light was scorching hot and ring. Ryu hovered his hand to block the ze and swept his surroundings. He saw a beach with gentle waves and soft flour-like white sand. Getting to his feet, he looked at the horizon. There was nothing there but an endless sea, and when he turned back, nothing greeted him but the lush forest. "You''re awake?" Not far from him, a woman was casually sitting in the sand with her palms on her cheeks. She then stood to her feet and dusted the sand from his butt as she smiled. Her face was beautiful with overflowing waves of golden hair and tantalizing eyes of blue. And when she shed a sweet smile, it was like the backdrop blurred, and all focus went on her. "Remember me?" she asked with her tiny pinkish lips puckering a little. Ryu was hypnotized. Yes! He remembered! She was thatdy he met in the forest when he chased the wild hare and stumbled into her. "You." Ryu couldn''t believe that he was meeting her again. What were the odds? The woman beamed. "Thank goodness you remembered. I thought you had already forgotten since it was a long time ago." She wiped the sands on her dress and casually walked near Ryu. Ryu''s nose red, and she smelled the same scent that reminded him of a refreshing ocean with none of the fishy smell. She ced her hands in her waist and pouted. "You''ve just disappeared before we get the chance to introduce ourselves." Ryu leaned a little to the back when she zoomed in on him, but then she straightened her stance and smiled. "My name is Seraphina. What''s yours?" ".. . Ryu." Seraphina pped her hands. "It''s nice to meet you, Ryu!" Ryu was confused. Should they really be getting acquainted and be happy at a time like this? "Where are we?" Ryu shifted his eyes, searching for Cecily. But he couldn''t spot a single soul with them. It was like the ind contained only the two of them. Seraphina ced a finger on her lip. "I don''t know. Thest thing I remembered is, this giant hole swallowed our ship, and I wake up next to you on this ind." Ryu blinked. That was precisely what happened to them! And then Ryu realized that Seraphina could have killed him in his unconscious state if she wanted to. And since he didn''t, Ryu somehow developed a level of trust in her words. "Are the others?" Ryu was hoping that he could at least spot Cecily and Rosa. Seraphina shook her head. "I''m afraid I woke up just five minutes before you did." Her gaze then wandered into the forest. "Do you want to explore the forest? We might find mortals there." Ryu was hesitant. Although Seraphina didn''t have any killing intent in her, she was still a stranger to him. Sensing his thoughts, Seraphina looked at Ryu with her smile not lessening one bit. "Don''t worry. I''m a mercenary trying my luck in the scavenger sea. I don''t have anything against you. I just wanted to find the captain of my boat and thought that you were the same." Seraphina pointed at her head, indicating Ryu''s seal. "You wanted to find your master, right?" Ryu took a while before he nodded. Seraphina grinned. "Then we should look together! Two is safer than one." Ryu wanted to go alone but. .. looking over the vast forest, he felt that going alone was reckless. He also didn''t mind if Seraphina tagged along. If she did something suspicious, he''d just kill her. Ryu nodded. The two of them went inside the forest. They hadn''t even taken ten steps past the trees when they were teleported above the waters. Ryu panicked, and he was about to leap to a safe distance when he noticed that he was not sinking. The blue ocean reflected his shocked face, and when he raised his head, he saw Seraphina and a bunch of unfamiliar faces. "Ryu!" Ryu looked at the guy who was frantically waving at him like crazy. His eyes were shedding tears, and water ran from his nose. He was smiling from ear to ear, and Ryu took a step back when Kai attempted to hug him, and thetter fell face first onto the ocean. "Agh!" Kai groaned and rubbed his injured nose. The water felt like ss than anything. He then jumped to his feet like nothing happened. "Ryu! I''m so d to see you!" Ryu smacked a palm on Kai''s head when he attempted toe closer to him the second time around with his snout-drenched face. "I thought I was all alone in this sea of people!" Kai shifted his gaze left and right. Then his eyes shone at the sight of Seraphina not far from them. "Oh? Who''s this?" "That''s not important. Where''s Cecily and the others?" Ryu hadn''t finished talking when Kai zoomed past him and stopped in front of Seraphina. Kai rubbed away his tear and snout-soaked face before he swept his hair and shed a dazzling smile. "Hello there, prettydy. My name is Kai. Single. Male. Twenty years old and a Rank-A merc. I have no house and property, but I promise to take care of you for the rest of your life." ".. . Egh. . ." Seraphina looked over at Ryu with her doe-like eyes before she said in a hesitating voice, "H-hello. My name is Seraphina." Kai''s face brightened. More so than the zing morning light. Ryu dragged Kai by the cor and growled. "Where''s Cecily and the others?" Kai blinked like his soul just returned from his body. His dreamlike face warped in distress as he said, "Right! I can''t find them! I can''t even find darling, Fifi!" That was all Ryu need to know before he let go of Kai. His eyes zeroed on the faces of the people present. There were hundreds of them above the ocean, but the water still appeared endless. Ryu didn''t know a single one of them, and he wondered what was happening. "Wee!" A voice, yful and sing-song, rang in everyone''s ears, and everyone''s mouth flung open when a little pink creature hovered in the sky. "Wee to the lost Islet of Tethyt!" Chapter 97: Tethyt’s Playground Chapter 97: Tethyt¡¯s yground "Wee to thest Islet of Tethyt!" Everyone''s jaw dropped. A tiny creature of Pink in color with a small wide head and lidless dark round eyes appeared. Three fins were growing on each side of its head, and its limbs were underdeveloped. (Pic) "A Thanatos?" Ryu frowned. "A what?" "A Thanatos," Seraphina repeated. "They''re creatures of the past and mostly extinct due to the many races hunting them for their hide and blood. Though different from its species, once they mature, they''ll turn into dragons." "D-dragons?" Kai stammered and looked at the harmless creature. It looked cute. Dragons were Rank-A beasts that could transform into a human-like the other Rank-A beast. And once mature, they could be Rank-S or higher. Seraphina''s face then registered confusion. "But what''s rare about that creature is. .. though it''s still a babe, it could already speak." Ryu looked over at the Thanatos obsidian eyes, and for a moment, Ryu swore that it met his gaze and smiled at him. Meanwhile, the other mercenaries'' pupils shone with greed upon the sight of such a rare creature. A dragon, once mature, they could put any price on its head. The pink creature raised a finger and warned. "Don''t even think about it. I am a loyal servant to Tethyt. And you are all inside her domain. Most of you couldn''t even hope to catch me, much less attempt to sell me off. You''ll be dead before you even take a single step towards me." The mercenaries looked at each other. "Tethyt?" "Who''s that?" Buzzes of murmurs and voices rose in the air, and Ryu only thought of that woman he met in the cave. Could it be that it wasn''t a dream?" Ryu wanted to have his back check, but Ferris was the only person he felt safe to confide such secrets if there really was something engraved in his back. Upon hearing Tethyt''s name, Kai''s shoulder slumped, and his face sagged. "Why couldn''t I escape that ursed name?" "Tethyt," Seraphina uttered with a severe face. "She''s the only God that didn''t have a title." "You know her?" Kai asked. Seraphina shook her head a little. "Only a little. It''s an old lore long forgotten. A fable tale extracted from a scrap of a badly burned parchment of books. They said that the Gods were just a myth." She then swept her surroundings with her eyes. "Until today, that is." "Ahem!" the creature stole everyone''s attention again. "My name''s Pink, by the way. It''s my color, not because my master iszy in naming me or anything." The creature twirled and twirled in the air. "I''m sure you are all baffled as to why you''re here. Well, it''s simple. Because at least one of you acquired a piece of the map while the others just got dragged with you." Ryu thought of what Pink said, and he was reminded of that piece of the map he found. Was that it? Skull had it now. That meant that it was supposed to be just Skull, who was supposed to be here? But since they were on the same boat, they got dragged down too? "Anyho!" Pink hushed everyone''s discontent voices and continued, "It''s not like it''s a disadvantage to you guys. This ce is the home of my master. A long time ago, she opened its doors, and since then, many beings came knocking on its walls in the quest for her treasures." Pink snapped its tiny ws, and a map floated on top of its paws. "This map is what brought you all here. Thought my master was dead, she made herst will. My master has many treasures, but she also didn''t want to just give them away upon her death. And does, her will, ''if the torn maps congregated in the Nightmare Sea, they shall have onest ess into myir and im all its treasures for themselves before the islets disappearedpletely.''" Pink flung the map and said with a sobbing voice, "Who would think that after thousands of years, there really are beings that would find the torn pieces ande into my master''s home? Pink is so happy to see other races than the usual inhabitants here." Ryu and Kai looked at each other. "Anyho! If you want to get out, just make it to the throne room. But. . ." Pink cute face turned sinister as itughed before disappearing. "There are beasts and monsters lurking in every corner of this islet. The dangers are high, but the rewards. .. you could only imagine in your wildest dream. Survive and all the reassure and items of the God Tethyt that you''ll find are yours to keep." Pink disappeared, but the confusion lingered thick in the air. "Treasures and items of the God?" Kai''s eyes shone with greed. "With those, I''d be filthy rich." He then looked at Seraphina with all seriousness. "By that time, we could get married and have as many children as we want." Seraphina''s smile never wavered, but she put distance between her and Kai. "We should be careful, though," she said. "Though it sounded enticing, Tethyt was never a benevolent God." "Eh?" Ryu looked at Seraphina''s serious face. The Tethyt in his dreams looked merciful and sounded kind. "Then what kind of a God is she?" Kai asked. ".. . She''s known as the God who loves to y. I''ve read that she used to lure other beings in her ce with the promise of rare treasures, but in truth, she was just bored and needed amusement. She didn''t care about violence nor if the lower beings fought with each other over an item as long as she was entertained." Kai''s smile dropped, but the greed in his eyes never lessened. "It seemed like a God would do." Ryu swept his gaze over the crowd. He hoped that he would spot Cecily or Rosa, but Ryu didn''t know where to look first with the scattered people and their numbers. Rumble! Rumble! Arge pentagram appeared, opening a path into Tethy''sir. Some mercenaries hurried towards it in full force, afraid that the others would beat them from the treasures. At the same time, some took their time and observed their situation first. "Let''s go." To Kai''s shock, it was Ryu who led the charge. He thought that he would look for Cecily first, but it seemed like he was in a hurry for something. If this really was Tethy''sir, then there was a high chance that the Jewel of Tethyt was inside, and Ryu would im it for Ferris. Chapter 98: The Layers Chapter 98: The Layers Upon entering the pentagrams, Ryu and the others were shocked to find themselves underwater. "Hmp! Hmm!" Kai was gesturing with his hands before he took in a water-breathing potion. "That good for nothing little. .. at least warn us that we''ll be transported underwater." Ryu took in his mermaid breathing potion while Seraphina just cast a spell around her. "Where are we?" Ryu was sure that they were in the deepest part of the sea. It was pitch ck, and the only light came from the flickering sea creatures. "Look there." Seraphina pointed to a strong blinking light at least kilometers from them. "I think that is where the others are going too," Kai said as the mercenaries swam deeper into the sea towards the only stable light they could perceive. Eventually, the group followed the crowd. Ryu could only hope that he''d spot Cecily and Rosa at some point. But in the meantime, even with all troubles, he still enjoyed the sceneries even just a little. It was his first time underwater, and the farther they went, the greater the pressure. But all of them were experts, so it was no problem deflecting the water pressure that seemed like a mountain on their shoulders. "Wow. Look at that. How deep are we that we see the seafloor!" Kai eximed. There were rows and rows of corals and sea creatures that, upon seeing them, immediately scurried away. The floors were covered with sand, and elevation was uneven like the next moment, it was a hill, and the next, it was a hole. After kilometers of swimming, they finally reached a sunken door. It was the only thing that was glowing nonstop in the dark sea. Its sides were nked with two giant columns, and its two huge doors were made out of rock enveloped in vines and moss. It gave the feeling of ancient and rot, but everyone felt that they couldn''t even scratch it. Ryu took a closer look despite the many mercenaries and adventures hindering his way. Upon closer inspection, there were carvings on the columns and doors. A carving of the tail of what seemed like a serpent coiled around the columns, and the head of a dragon was intricately sculpted on the face of the door. "Is Tethyt a dragon or something?" Kai couldn''t help but ask. All these dragon carvings were hitting his fear spot. Ryu didn''t answer. In his dream, Tethyt was not a dragon but a mermaid or an octopus-like creature. Seraphina shook her head. "Tethyt is born from waters. It said that she was a mermaid. Others described that half her body was an octopus. She''s fond of dragons, probably that''s why." Kai chuckled without humor. "Of course she is. Collecting dragons like they were pets. I wonder what it felt like to be so powerful that you could y with others'' life and collect dragons as servants." Seraphina opened her mouth, but Pink appeared before everyone again. "Congrattions for reaching the entrance to Tethyt''s Islet! Imend your bravery!" Rather, they have no choice. There was no way out but the throne room, like Pink said. Pink coughed between its tiny paws. "The islet of Tethys is separated into four islets, and a boss guards each islet! Defeat the boss, and you advance to the next islet unit you reach the throne room where the exit lies." "What is this?" "What do you mean a boss?" Everyone was confused. They thought that they''d only have to enter Tethy''s pce and barged in her throne room and steal a bunch of treasures along the way. How did it suddenly turn into this? "I told you. This is Tethy''s yground." Ryu and Kai nced at Seraphina. Pink continued unminding the discontented frown from the mercenaries'' faces. "Judging by the door, I think the first boss is. . ." Pink shook its scale, and all held their breaths. "A legendary beast in times of the Gods. It could circle the world from tip to tail. No one saw it, but everyone knows its name!" Seraphina draws in a cold breath. "Leviathan!" "Bing bong! Correct!" Pinkughed. "What?!" "How on earth are we going to defeat that?!" "Defeat it?" Pink went on its back andughed. "The Leviathan already reached maturity thousands of years ago. Even my master was almost killed when she fought it. Not to mention you guys. You''ll be dead for sure!" Everyone lost their colors. The Leviathan was just a rumored beast. It said that its power was second only to the Queen of Beast. They didn''t know that it truly existed! How on earth were they even hope topete against it? Someone from the mercenary raised a hand. "I. . . I want to forfeit. I want to get out." And the others started raising their hands as well. What''s the use of treasures if they weren''t alive to enjoy it? Pink swam back and forth. "Hohoho! The thing is, you can''t! You''re trapped in here until you reach the throne room!" "N-no way." Everyone''s faces changed. In short, whether they like it or not, they have to reach the throne room. Pink hupped andposed itself upon the grave faces of everyone. "But of course. Where''s the fun in that if all of you will be wiped in an instant, right? So the boss in each islet will ce a handicapped, as per my master orders." It then rubbed its fins. "Hmm. .. if I''m not mistaken, the Leviathan is mostly asleep, and it doesn''t wake up unless there is a hugemotion. If you manage to slip past it without as much as a sound, then you''re safe to enter the next islet. Simple as that." Everyone present was hesitant still. That was only one boss. How about the others? Sensing the distress of the masses, Pink looked at them. "The islet is wide, and there are ces, areas, and rooms where many treasures lie. There are so many routes and paths to take. Usually, some of you would make it to the throne room without even fighting nor seeing the boss. It depends on your luck, really." "Is there another way to get out? What if we get stuck here? What about our realm?" Pink raised a hand. "Rx. Since this is my master''s domain, Time here is different in the world above. One year here is equivalent to just one day in your realm." Some breathed a sigh of relief, and Ryu felt the needles sticking in his heart lessened, for he knew that Ferris''s time was stopped here. Pink then grinned. "But sadly. You could get stuck here if you couldn''t make it to the throne room. So I suggest you all form groups! Your chances of survival will definitely increase!" With a final twirl, Pink turned to bubbles before itpletely disappeared. Chapter 99: Forming Groups Chapter 99: Forming Groups Rumble! Rumble! The door glowed brighter and brighter before it opened with a popping sound, but none dared to enter its dangers. "Can we just swam our way out of here?" Kai was weighing the risks in his hands. Too bad for the treasures, but he''d rather stay alive and try his luck in the Scavenger areas. "I''m afraid we''re already in Tethyt''s domain the moment our boats fell from that gaping hole." Seraphina looked at the others who were already recruiting members for their groups. "I think we should look for others who would join in our group." There were hundreds of mercenaries, and Ryu didn''t even know if they were other races who got sucked in too. With these numbers of different descent, it was hard to focus his eyes. When they were still floating above waters, something was masking the scent of everyone, and Ryu couldn''t detect who was who. Even now, he couldn''t use his nose to find Cecily and Rosa. He no longer had the seal, so he couldn''t pinpoint if Cecily was far or near. Could they be on a separate Islet? The number of experts that were sucked in the hole might have been divided into different Islets. Hope fluttered in Ryu''s heart. Maybe their paths would merge in one of the Islet? Since there is only one throne room, their paths would eventually meet. "How do we even chose our group?" Kai was getting dizzy with everyone buzzing about and running to and there. And the noises they made were irksome while some already went ahead into the doors. "Unless wepete with everyone here, I''d rather not team up with baggage," said Kai. Most of the mercenaries formed groups already, and Kai thought that none approached them because of Ryu. There were also Halfbreeds who were left to their own who formed groups with each other while the mortals preferred their fellow mortals. Come to think of it. Their number grewpared to when they were above waters. There were even other races like elves, sprites, dwarves, beasts, and even demons from different realms. However, their numbers were among the few. Since the Nighttime Sea was neutral territory, anyone could venture on its waters. They must have been sucked by the hole too. The only reason that war didn''t break between them was the fact that all of them were stuck and facing the same predicament. Kai sighed. "At least we don''t have angels here." They were too troublesome to deal with. And since Angels hardly went out from their realm, it was to be expected. "Excuse me." A mellow voice stole Ryu, Kai, and Seraphina''s attention. They found a woman and a young boy beside them. "Have you seen this man?" A woman of jade beauty and green hair said, and Kai''s eyes sparkled with desire. He pushed Ryu aside and swept his hair, and shed his dazzling smile. "Hello, my name''s Kai. Twenty years old. Male. Single. I don''t have a house and property, but I promised to take care of you for the rest of your life." "Ugh. . ." Seraphina''s face remained amicable. Ryu was searching his memories. The woman''s face looked oddly familiar to him. .. that''s right! He saw her in the auction house! "My name is Jane, and this is my little brother Theodore." Jane then zoomed a sketch of a man on Kai''s face. "This is my fianc. His name is Marcus. We are looking for him. Any chance you have seen him?'' Kai''s shoulder slumped, and his face went from handsome to ugly in mere seconds. "Nope, I haven''t seen him." Kai crossed his hands and looked away with his lower lips outstretched. "Haven''t seen that man for the rest of my life. Jane and Theodore looked at each other in worry. "What do we do now, big sis?" Theodore said. The sses on his nose were falling as he looked into the ground while his eye watered. Jane forced a smile and raffled Theodore''s green hair. "Don''t worry. Marcus is strong. He could definitely take care of himself. He''s got to be on another islet." That''s what Ryu thought too! Cecily and the others might be on the other Islet. "Uhm. .. ," Seraphina chimed in and said, "If you don''t have a group yet, mind if we join you?" "Egh?" Kai''s chin crumpled. He didn''t want to partner withmitted women. He had a dignity and a pride to uphold. Jane swept Seraphina and Kai a look. "Sure, but. . ." she then lingered on Ryu. Seraphina was a woman and looked amiable and kind, and she felt at ease with her presence. While Kai seemed a simpleton but as long he was strong, she didn''t have anyint. The only problem was. .. the halfbreed. The distrust and disgust in Jane''s eyes were apparent, but Ryu didn''t have the time or energy to waste on her. "Don''t worry." Seraphina shielded Ryu from Jane, and Theodore''s scrutinizing gazes. "Though Ryu is a halfbreed, he is strong and. .. he just wanted to find his master." The seal on Ryu''s forehead stole Jane''s attention. If he had a master then. .. "Alright." "Okay, look." Kai walked forward and scratched the back of his neck. "If we wanted this group thing to work, I think it''s safe to ask everyone''s fighting style and name." Jane nodded. "Fair enough." She then materialized a staff. "My name''s Jane ir of house ir. I''m a Mage with a strong affinity to Wind." Theodore squeezed near his sister like he wanted his presence to disappear when all eyes went on him. "I-I''m. .. Theodore. .. a healer. .. with. .. light magic." "Oh." Kai was impressed. It was a rare ability, and it certainly woulde in handy. Seraphina smiled. "My name is Seraphina, and I''m" Kai raised his hand. "No need!" He then winked and pointed at his inted chest. "My darling Seraphina could be whatever! It doesn''t matter. I''ll protect you no matter what." "Ugh. . ." Seraphina didn''t let Kai''s enthusiastic and forceful personality overshadowed hers. She beamed and said, "I''m a mage with an affinity to water and nts." ".. ." ".. ." "nts?" Chapter 100: Rules in a Group Chapter 100: Rules in a Group "nts?" Jane swept her eyes over Seraphina. "That''s a rare affinity you''ve got there." "I don''t even know what it does. Does it control nts and all?" Kai muttered. Seraphina just smiled. "Somewhat." Kai shrugged the matter off and said next, "My name''s Kai, and I''m a Rank-A mercenary. I''m a swordmaster with affinity to ice." And then he pointed at Ryu. "And this half-human, half-beast is Ryu. Well, now that we''ve got that out of the way. Should we ventured inside?" "B-but. .. isn''t it safe to wait here and look for our otherpanions?" Theodore asked and hid behind his sister''s back when all eyes went on him. "I think we have a better chance of finding them inside than here," Kai said. Ryu and Seraphina nodded. Without a second nce or hesitation, Ryu went towards the door, followed by Seraphina and Kai. Jane and Theodore just looked at each other before they followed the others'' led. As soon as Ryu stepped on the other side of the door, he was transported in a marshy swamp. "W-what the!" Kaimented when half his body was soaked, and his feet were drenched to the bone. "Where are we?" Jane marveled at the beauty of the portals, but she couldn''t say the same with their current predicament. Ryu took in a whiffed. It was the typical smell of marches, rotten logs, and mosses mix with mud. But it was not only a swampy area, but it felt more like a jungle with a dense forest. "Please don''t tell me we will be facing Rusalkas again." Kai readied his scimitars. He felt a presence that was not mortal, and he bet they were beasts. "Don''t stop moving." Seraphina urged, staff in her hand. The more we idle, the more we be prey to the beasts and monsters here. "I think we should also search every nook and cranny of this ce," Kai said. "You know for treasure and items. Since the time here is very much different from ours, we could explore to our heart''s content." "W-what about the Leviathan?" Theodore whispered, voice shaking. "What about it?" Kai swung his sword, and a flying creature with arge pointy needle-like mouth dropped dead on the swamp. "Like that Pink creature said, it''s mostly asleep. As long as we don''t cause too muchmotion and avoid where it is, we should be fine." Kai could only hope that was true. He also wished that the others wouldn''t be idiot enough to cause too much disturbance here. Ryu spotted a bunch of groups that were threading the waters as well. As Kai said, they were taking their time in searching the ce. Maybe he should look as well and see if the Jewel was in this Islet? Though he doubted it. If it was Tethy''s Jewel, it might be inside a pce. In Tethyt''s throne room, perhaps? Ryu could only wish that no one acquired the Jewel yet. He was frustrated that he had no led about the Jewel whatsoever. He didn''t even know what it looked like. Jane and Theodore were feeling the same. Since they were here, they might as well search for treasures. Sensing the majority''s wishes, Seraphina could only give up in urging her group to move along. "How about we split up?" Jane suggested. "We can cover more grounds, and it''ll avoid strife in the group when we stumbled upon treasures. Seraphina vehemently shook her head. "The purpose of creating a group is so that we wouldn''t be prey into this unknownnds. If we start to go on our own now, then why have we formed a group in the first ce?" Kai skimmed his chin. "Seraphina is right, but I also see the logic in Jane''s suggestion." Seraphina wanted to increase their chances of surviving while Jane wished to maintain peace in the group by avoiding the inevitable argument when they stumbled upon a treasure. Ryu didn''t care about the treasures and items as long as he could get the Jewel to Ferris. Kai looked over at Jane. "You''re in a group, right? What do you do when you find rare treasures and items?" Jane shrugged. "We split to who would benefit it the most. But since our group is only temporary and the three of us are mages, that rule doesn''t apply." Kai groaned. "How about we just roll a dice on who to get it, then?" Everyone looked at Ryu. Ryu thought of it since the crew and mercenaries on deck gambled all night, and their favorite game was rolling the dice, and whoever got it right would win all the money. Kai mped his hands. "Why haven''t I think of that?" He then shed an obsidian dice in his hands. "Good thinking Ryu." Seraphina nodded and beamed. "You can keep the loot of the monsters you kill, but if we stumbled upon treasures and items, well roll the dice. Do you agree?" Jane sighed. "If the majority of you already decided, then I think we''ll go for it." She then looked at her little brother. "How about you, Theodore?" Theodore held his staff closed to his body. "I-I don''t. .. think it''s a bad idea," he said, voice lowering to a whisper. As the group ventured deeper and deeper the more beast and monsters appeared. Mostly aquatic creatures, but with Ryu and Kai and three mages supporting their back, they easily passed the swampy areas. But still, there was no sign of the exit or the serpent nor the treasures. "Is it me, or is the swamp getting deeper?" Kia looked at the water that was near his waist. Before, it could barely reach his knee. "Not only that, the trees and shrubs lessen." Jane looked forward, but all she saw were marshes, swampy areas, and none endless water. "It''s like we are being led into a river and after that. . ." Everyone knew that what came after the river was the ocean. Kai took in an inaudible breath. "Don''t tell me that we''re going underwater?" Seraphina took a whiff and sighed. "I think that''s our only option. I smell the ocean just ahead." Ryu smelled it too. Though he only had one left of Faux''s Mermaid Water Breathing Potion, the effectsted thirty dayspared to a rip-off over the shop Water Breathing potion thatsted only three to seven days. "Just great. d I stuck a bunch of water breathing potion," Kai said. But still, he didn''t know how vast the ocean they''d have to venture next, especially since they were finding treasure along the way. That would certainly take time. Sensing his distress, Seraphina smiled. "Don''t worry. I have a spell that would allow you to breath underwater if you ran out of water breathing potion." Kai''s eyes sparkled. He''d grabbed Seraphina''s hand if he could, but his sword prevented him from doing that. "Many perks of a water user," Jane muttered, and she breathed easy knowing that Seraphina had a spell that allowed them to breathe underwater. At least one of their problems underwater was solved. Though she was beginning to felt distress at the thought that they''d be spending the night underwater. What about sleep and food? Adding to that, the sky was getting dimmer and dimmer, but they hadn''t stumbled on a single treasure nor item. Did that creature lie to them? Or the others already imed it for themselves. Jane clicked her tongue. If only there was a hunter in their group. They were usually good at finding traps and treasures. ---- A/N For faster release please vote with PS and GT Thank you for those who supported the book. Consider giving gifts, as well, for my motivation T_T Chapter 101: Underwater Chapter 101: Underwater Swoosh! As fast as the naked eyes couldn''t see, a little snake just the size of a finger shot towards Ryu, aiming at his neck. Ryu didn''t notice it since it was too tiny, and its color blended in with the leaves. And when it bit, it had actually torn Ryu''s skin that not even an ordinary de could pierce. Ryu growled and squeezed the little snake in his hand. With Seraphina''s heal, the torn flesh on Ryu''s neck was being renewed, and within a second, he was good as new. "Are monsters here bing stronger and stronger as we near that ocean or is it just me?" Kai focused his eyes on the trees to see if other little creatures would attack them. He was thest moving in the group while Ryu led the charge. The three mages were in the center to make sure that they were protected. "No. they''re getting stronger. Who knows what will face, so don''t let your guard down." Jane held Theodore''s hand tightly. The water was on their neck, and it wouldn''t be long that they would have to swim underwater. Though they could breathe and talk with the help of the water breathing potion, Jane was worried about their sleep and how they would eat. "By the way," Jane couldn''t help but ask. "How are we going to sleep and eat underwater?" ".. ." ".. ." The group all paused and pondered Jane''s question. Most of them were first-timers in underwater adventure. "We''ll just set up camp like normal," Seraphina answered. "In case of food, we couldn''t cook underwater, so for the many days ahead, we''ll have to make do for fish and other food we found below." Jane and Theodore''s faces changed. They came from a noble households, and they never ran out of delicious food to eat. Even they be adventurers, they have enough money and resources to live afortable life outside their home. "Is there another way to cook food underwater?" Jane had plenty of food tost them a full cycle moon, but most of it required fire. Though they would venture into the Nightmare Sea, they nned to search underwater for treasures and items and emerged onnd for food and rest before embarking again below. They could just get back onnd anytime they wanted. But in here, they were trapped in who knew how long. Things like beingcent with their food and items were no longer applicable at their current predicament. Their food and items could run out, and they''d be stuck here until they were whether and die! Seraphina thought for a moment before she shook her head. "There is a lot of disadvantage when adventuring underwater. Not to mention that the movement is limited fire spells doesn''t work either." Jane gave up and released arge breath through her mouth. Ryu and Kai weren''t bothered as long as there were lots of fish to eat. They could even sleep on a coral reef orrge mp of shells or rocks. Ryu observed Jane. She was a beauty with a motherly feel to her. It must be due to taking care of Theodore. Ryu wondered if he had sibling too. .. But that thought would have to wait when the water reached his neck. He looked over his shoulder and found that everyone was ready to dive. With his lead, he submerged in the water. The water was much clearer, to his surprised. It was like constant light was illuminating its depth. Not far from them, Ryu spotted another group. There were searching the seafloor for possible treasures and items. There were also sea creatures swimming to and fro, but they immediately fled upon contact with their group. "Be careful," Seraphina warned. "Now that we''re underwater, chances are, we''ll encounterrge beast and even Rank-A sea monsters." "I think it''s safe and time-efficient if we hide and ran away from it." Jane didn''t want to waste her items and mana if she didn''t have to. Kai nodded. "A good n. And let''s not try to create too much noise. Who knows if the Leviathan is here." Theodore shivered, and it was certainly not the cold waters. Ryu and the others'' pace was slowpared to the others. They had to watch out for monsters and hid beneath arge reef if something gigantic passed by. Besides that, they have to search for treasures and theirpanions. Kai rubbed his eyes. "Is it dark already? My eyes felt like they''ll pop from their sockets." "It''s the effect of the water. Since it''s a little blurry here, our eyes have to work more than usual," exined Seraphina. "I don''t think it''s only the waters." Jane looked above, but she could no longer find the light of the surface. "It really must be dark outside." Contrary to their expectations, the underwater wasn''t pitch ck like what they expected. Reefs, corals, and the many creatures living inside give light and illumination though the visuals were indeed a little blurry. Deep in here, it was easy to lose track of time because day and night didn''t seem to exist. It was only constant darkness with blurry lights. Faced with this situation, anyone would be insane after a couple of weeks. "Did that creature lie to us?" Kai mumbled. "There''s no treasure here, and we''ve been swimming for hours." "How about we take a break?" Seraphina suggested to everyone. "That''s a good idea." Jane and Kai said at the same time. "Shall we take shelter there?" Seraphina pointed to arge reef she spotted a while ago. It had many holes that would prove as their temporary shelters. Though the rock and sharp edges were the leastfortable, it was their only protection from other monsters. Not to mention that the added camouge would protect them from possible attack. Everyone nodded, and they went ahead to inspect therge reef that nts and mosses hid. It blended perfectly with its surroundings, so it was a perfect hiding ce for them to rest. Ryu, however, was not tired. "''m going to explore some more," he said while the others brought out their snacks to replenish their energy. "Don''t go too far," Kai hollered in a low voice. Afraid that he might attract something or worse, wake a sleeping behemoth. Ryu nodded before he went away. Seraphina looked at the others'' tired faces before she shifted her eyes at Ryu''s thinning silhouette. "I think I better go with him. In this darkness and the vast seafloors with no path, it''s easy to lose your way." "Egh?" Before Kai could protest, Seraphina swam after Ryu. Chapter 102: Riches Chapter 102: Riches Ryu wasn''t idiotic to rely on his non-working nose to find his way to the others if he got lost. His sense of smell didn''t work underwater, but dropping pieces of stones and shells every twenty meters or so was another way to ensure that he wouldn''t get lost. He wasn''t tired, and he wasn''t hungry. His beast side had enough stamina tost him a week without food and rest. Instead, he was afraid that if he rested, his mind would wander to Cecily and Ferris. If that happened, he''d be restless, and he still couldn''t rest even if he wanted to. Ryu needed to move and do something. Where it be finding the lost Jewel or treasures or Cecily and the others. "Ryu, wait up." Seraphina swam to his side, and Ryu had to wonder why she wasn''t the least bit exhausted? Was she really a mortal? "What''s wrong?" Ryu asked. "I''ll go with you since I''m worried that you''ll get lost. And besides, I''m not tired and want to explore as well." Ryu didn''t see anything wrong with Seraphina''s behavior, nor did he feel any underlying motive behind her actions and words. She was just overly friendly, and Ryu didn''t know if that was a good thing. "Suit yourself." Seraphina beamed. "Two is better than one." Ryu didn''t know why he wasfortable around Seraphina, though. He felt at ease around her, like something was calming about her. Ryu and Seraphina went on the deste part of the seafloor with nothing but sand and few rocks on their path. No one attempted to look in that direction since who would hide a treasure in a perfectly open, barrennd? "Huh?" with his sight ahead, Ryu tripped against a protruding shell. He quickly regained his footing and snatched a look at the object that tripped him. It was an ordinary m, and the sand covered half its body. They weremon on the seafloor, but Ryu was sure that it wasn''t there before. Was it alive? Ryu squatted and poked the mp, and he was startled when it moved. Just a tiny bit, though, like it was about to open its mouth. "Oh! Is it a m?" Seraphina asked and said, "I heard that live ms have pearls inside." "Is it expensive?" Seraphina put a finger on her chin. "Hmm. .. depending on the quality of the pearl, it might fetch from five hundred silver to one gold coin." Ryu nodded and decided to collect the pearl. It was better than nothing. Pulling the m from the sand, Ryu was confused about why it was so hard to pull out. Seraphina gasped. "Could it be. . .?" Ryu went on his feet, and using his strength, he pulled the m with all his force. Ryu almost stumbled when he finally pulled the m, but to his astonishment, the tiny m was gone and in its ce was a giant rocky crystal. Little ms in different shapes and colors decorated its outer shell that was made of translucent crystals that sparkled like rainbows. It was beautiful. Minus the protruding ms from here and there that seemed like puss. "Ryu!" Seraphina eximed in excitement, "That''s a Mother m Shell!" Ryu just tilted his head. "Is it expensive?" or rather, can he eat it? Is it delicious? Seraphina giggled. "Open it, and you''ll see." Ryu observed the giant crystal-like rock. He didn''t know how to open it. He couldn''t even find its mouth. "Just brush its crystals. Usually, it eats anything when something grazed it or those tiny protruding ms on its outer shell." "Eat." Ryu didn''t want to be swallowed by a gigantic rock. Seraphina waved a hand. "It''s not what you think. It''ll just open its mouth, and unless you touch its body inside, it won''t close." Ryu was curious at what Seraphina said, and he tested it out. Rubbing the rocky outer crystals, the giant m shook a little, and bubbles burst before it opened and revealed a slimy, mucus-like thing at the base of its toothless mouth. But what drew Ryu''s attention was the many stones stuck above its upper mouth. "Wow, Ryu!" Seraphina pped her hands. "Your luck is great! Look at all those precious stones and jewels! There''s a Moonstone. Onyx. Quartz. Sardonyx. Zircon and even a very rare Chrysoberyl!" "Can I buy a house and property with it?" Ryu asked with a stoic face and tone. Seraphinaughed. "Are you kidding me? You could already buy a vige with that amount of Jewels, much less a house and property." Ryu''s stoic face cracked, and his face brightened. "How do I get those stones?" "You can just pluck it like normal," said Seraphina with a smile, "Just don''t touch that slimy thing on the bottom of its mouth, or it''ll close with your hand inside." Ryu nodded, and one by one, he plucked the stones on the upper mouth of the m. It wasn''t hard. It was like picking fruits, and in less than a minute, Ryu already harvested the stones. "What''s wrong?" Seraphina asked when Ryu''s face crumpled. "I have to tell everybody." Ryu hadn''t forgotten about the dice roll. Whatever treasures and items they find, they''d roll the dice. Seraphina wanted tough out loud but restrain herself. "I think that rule doesn''t apply here. If you kill or defeat a monster, its loot belongs to you, if I remember correctly. And since this is a monster and you''re the one who found it, you get to keep all the jewels." "Then I''ll give you half since you''re the one who told me how to open and harvest the jewels." ".. ." Seraphina didn''t know what to do at Ryu''s sincerity. She smiled, eyes turning crescent. "It''s fine. I have plenty of those. You keep it." ".. ." Ryu look at the precious stones in his arms. It was more than his two hands could carry. That was how many it was. Storing all the jewels in his traveler''s ring, he only kept a single jewel in his hands. "Here, I''ll give you this." Ryu grabbed Seraphina''s hand and ced the Jewel on her palm. It was a moonstone, a translucent white gemstone with a pale blue glow. Seraphina blinked and looked at Ryu, who was now busy looking at the sands for more ms. "Why this, though?" Seraphina couldn''t help but ask. Ryu briefly looked at her before turning away and searched another barren area. "It''s the color of your eyes." Chapter 103: Hidden Cave 1 Chapter 103: Hidden Cave 1 "It''s the color of your eyes." ".. ." A flush of pink sprinkled across Seraphina''s face, and her eyes dropped onto the Moonstone. Clutching it closer to her heart, she shed a sweet smile. She shook her head and took in a deep breath before she went after Ryu. "Wait for me!" Seraphina caught behind Ryu and snatched a look at theid-out mark that Ryu left on the seafloor. There were pebbles and shells that he dropped every twenty or so meters, and Seraphina imbued it with a spell so it would remain in its spot. By doing so, she didn''t notice that Ryu had stopped walking, and she bumped her nose against the hardness of his back. "Ofgh." Seraphina rubbed her nose and looked over at Ryu. Come to think of it, Ryu was just a boy, but he towered over her. His back looked solid and dependablebroad shoulders, leading to a lean waist and long slender legs. Seraphina shook her head and viewed the cause as to why Ryu took a pause. "Is something the matter?" Seraphina asked and followed Ryu''s line of sight. A hundred meters from them, behind the rows of coral reefs and sea nts, there was amotion going on. "What have you got there?!" "Give it all to us if you don''t want to get hurt!" There was a group made up of mortals, and they seemed to be extorting another group which made up of Halfbreeds. "Why? We found this first?" A half-elf, half-beast said. The humans drew their weapons and grinned. "If you don''t want to cause amotion and wake up the Leviathan, then hand all you''ve found to us." The Halfbreeds looked at each other. A girl in their group was crying, and a boy with fluffy ears was holding her. The two males in their group were barely twenty years old, and both were skinny. Clenching his jaw, the Halfbreeds all gave up the jewels they found inside the ms, and the humanughed in glee. "You should have done this in the first ce. Saves us both the time," a human snickered. "So that little creatures said is true. This ce is full of treasures! You just have to know where to look." The humanughed as they picked the jewels while the Halfbreeds couldn''t do anything but stay quiet at the side. They were more cornered about making a ruckus and waking the Leviathan than the jewels. They were just servants, and though they were separated from their masters, their seals weren''t activating. It was like the servant master seal doesn''t work here. But once they reunited with their masters, all the items they acquired would just end up in their master''s hands. So what was the point in resisting? They''d just get in trouble or, worse, killed. Seraphina sighed. "It''s amon thing here, and it will not be thest that we will see this kind of event." She then forced a smile. "It''s a good thing that no one saw you finding that Mother m, huh?" Ryu didn''t hear what Seraphina was saying. He was thinking about what that girl with the golden pigtail said. He couldn''t just blindly went in there like he used to. Though that was all, he thought about. What if he made the situation worse again? What if he caused a disturbance and woke the Leviathan? Ryu took in a deep breath. He was about to move away and change direction when a gust of water swallowed the humans and flung them hundreds of meters away. Argh! "W-What''s going on?!" The human''s cries were contained in the torrent of waters as they were swept away into the darkest part of the ocean. The Halfbreeds looked at each other in confusion before their leader nudged them out of it. They took the jewels that were scattered on the sand and made a run for it. Ryu looked at Seraphina beside him. She was holding her staff, and he was sure that it was her doing. She then reciprocated his gaze and beamed. "I hate bullies," she said with a toothy grin. This put a smile on Ryu''s face. The first-ever since Ferris''s death. It felt like he could do anything, and Seraphina would be there supporting him. What an odd feeling. Unlike Ferris, who kept nagging him. Ferris. .. Ryu sighed, and his mood plummeted. Even so. .. he still preferred if Ferris was here. "Should we resume our exploration?" Seraphina asked. Ryu was about to nod when a warm sensation pulsated on his back. "What''s wrong?" Ryu didn''t answer. It was not like he could just ask Seraphina to take a look at his back. But the pulsating heat was bothering him to no end. He wanted to scratch it. Ryu shook his head and ventured forward. The heat was thumping on his back much more rapid now the more he walked along. And whenever it radiated lessened, he would take another path. It was like something was leading him somewhere. Seraphina looked at Ryu, confused. He was walking in circles like he was trying to find something. "Are you sure you''re okay?" Ryu didn''t answer. He was close. He could feel it. The heat on his back intensified the more he walked towards an area full of rocks and reefs, hidden by mosses, weeds, and other nt forms. Ryu checked every nook and cranny to see if anything was hiding on the corners of the rock or inside the tight little spaces of the reefs. "What are you looking for?" Seraphina was beginning to get wearied. Did Ryu lose it? Maybe he was hungry, and the hunger was making him behaved like a crazed half beast. Seraphina was about to call Ryu''s name again when thetter swam over the giant wall of reefs and jumped to the other side. "Ryu." Seraphina immediately went after him. On the other side of the giant reefs was a barren littlend with nothing but sand. Gigantic reefs and rocks formed a circle around it, but there was nothing there to protect. Not even a single stone or jewel. The heat in Ryu''s back was resonating with something, and he wanted to scratch it when the sand under his feet pulsated hard. Thumped! Thumped! "W-what''s going on?" Seraphina felt it too. The vibration was minimal, but under her feet, it felt like a quake. Rumble. .. Rumble. . . The ground shook, and with it, a hole appeared, swallowing the sand in its deep. "What is it?" Both Seraphina and Ryu hovered around that newly formed hole enough to fit a single person. They couldn''t see past the dark waters, but something inside was calling for Ryu. His nerves were tingling every time he looked at that small cave on the sand. His back was burning, and his heart was thumping hard against his chest. Something was calling him to enter. ---- A/N Hey Guys Join discord server that myself and a few other authors collectively run: /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ You will be able to find more novels to read! Chapter 104: Hidden Cave 2 Chapter 104: Hidden Cave 2 Kai shifted from his position inside one of the small spaces of the reefs. He didn''t know where to put his eyes when Jane was looking at him like he was a wanted man. If Kai knew that he would be put under such torture from Jane''s scrutinizing eyes, then he''d rather follow Ryu and Seraphina. Jane might be a beauty with a mature vibe and attractive motherly aura to her, Seraphina was prettier, friendly, and very much single. There was no way that he would stain his pride as a cultured man and steal someone else''s woman! Kai heaved a sigh. Jane doesn''t trust him, and he surely didn''t trust her either, so none of them was getting the rest they wanted. Except for Theodore, who was fast asleep on top of his sister''sp. If only Ryu were here, at least Kai could get some wink while Ryu took the first watch. Come to think of it. Aren''t they taking their time? "Ryu! Don''t tell me!" Kai shot to his feet. Were Ryu and Seraphina doing something! "Ouch!" Kai rubbed his head when someone smacked him from behind. "Don''t get the wrong idea," said a deep clear voice that was very familiar in Kai''s ears. Instead of getting angry, Kai''s face lit up at the sight of Ryu and Seraphina. "Ryu! Darling Seraphina! What took you so long?!" Theodore stirred from Kai''s voice. He then rubbed his eyes and asked. "Did something happened?" Seraphina nodded. "We''ve found an underground cave, and it might lead to something." This got Jane''s attention. She and Theodore went to their feet and approached Ryu and Seraphina. "A cave?" Jane inquired. "Where?" "Just a couple of kilometers from here," Seraphina answered. "Though we don''t know where it leads. Do you guys still want to explore it?" Seraphina snatched Ryu a look when she said that. Ryu found the cave after all, and it was also his suggestion to explore it with the others. A wise decision considering that they didn''t know what dangersy ahead. Jane looked at her little brother first. "It might be dangerous." Theodore flung his eyes on the ground. "B-but. .. it also might contain treasures." Jane nodded, and every eye went to Kai''s reaction. Kai crossed his arms and lifted his head, appearing to be thinking of something. "Well. .. I think we better check it first, and if the Leviathan happened to be there, then we''ll make a scram for it." Everyone agreed, and they made their way into the hole. Just past the dense reefs and ntsid the underground cave that could only amodate a single person at a time. Kai beamed at Jane. "Ladies first." Jane rolled her eyes, but she dived into the cave nevertheless. Since they didn''t know what would happen inside the constricting cave, it was best to have the mages go first since the fighters'' movements were limited, and the mages could just use their spells in case something happened. Using an item [Pixie''s Glow], a bundle of glowing dust captured by a magicmp that amplified its glow tenfold, Jane could see a tunnel leading into somewhere. "What do you see?" Kai asked. "A tunnel. I think it''s leading deeper in the ocean." Kai chuckled. "It might lead to Septverden''s core." "We might if you swim for another hundred years," Jane said with a faked smile. Kai''s lower lip pucker out. "It''s a joke." ".. ." It was silent. "Did she already went ahead?" Kai thought to himself before he swam after Jane. Next to them was Theodore. And when it was Ryu''s turn, he looked over his shoulder when he felt something. Like their wren eyes spying at them. If only his nose were working underwater. "What is it?" Seraphina asked and looked in the direction where Ryu was looking. "I thought I felt something." Seraphina focused her eyes on their surroundings, and after a moment, she sighed. "I don''t feel anything." Ryu took a sweep at the ce onest time. "Must be my imagination." He then swam after Kai and the others while Seraphina followed behind him. Seraphina cut a portion of the reef with a whoosh of her staff and covered the hole with it. It wouldn''t do much, but at least the hole wouldn''t be out in the open for the others to inspect if someone happened to stumble in this location. Inside the tunnel, Jane was leading the group into a one-way path. They could only sigh in relief that the tunnel didn''t have many twists and turns or that would be a problem when they decided to go back above. They didn''t know what to expect inside the cave, but if the Leviathan was really here, they have to go back where they came from fast! "Are we there yet?" Kai asked behind Jane. He liked the view of her long legs and the shape of her round butt, but the little light they had was teasing his senses, and he couldn''t take the torture any longer. He''d rather see an entire leg and butt out in the open rather than be teased by it in a cold-contained space with minimal light. Jane ignored Kai and continued to swim forward. When she finally saw the light, she breathed all the worry she had. "I finally see the light at the end. Everyone''s faces brightened. Moving faster, the group finally got out from the restrictive tunnel and what stumbled before them was the interior of a cave. It was much bigger, like a hall made out of rocks and reefs. There were also numerous arches leading to a different pathway on the side of its walls. Kai raffled his hair. "Now what? "I-I don''t like this." Theodore hugged his staff. "Usually, sea creatures or even worse inhabited this ce," Jane said in a hushed voice, afraid that any slight noise would attract something towards them. "Or it''s remotely cut from the outside world that no living creatures could survive here." Kai wanted to lighten the mood. This was not the time to be scared and go back. "Should we explore some more?" Seraphina suggested. Her face was the epitome of calmness. It was like shecked the capacity to feel worried, which made Jane jealous. That must be the secret to her glowing and youthful skin. Jane thought. Ryu swam closer towards the many arches, and he stopped in one of them. "We should take this path," he said, pointing at the far left archway. The heat in his back was pulsating, and he wanted nothing more than to p it away. But he was afraid that there was something on his back, and he didn''tpletely trust the others yet. If it wasn''t a dream that he met Tethyt in Deadman''s Rock, then there was a high chance that something on his back or inside his body shouldn''t be discussed with someone he couldn''t trust. Chapter 105: The Left Archway Chapter 105: The Left Archway "Are you sure?" Jane asked and went to inspect the left Archway. She couldn''t tell it apart from the other arches, though. It was dark inside, and she was tempted to light it with hermp but only managed to illuminate five meters of its depth. A glowing golden light emerged from the point of Theodore''s staff. It was much brighter than Jane''smp, but it consumed mana, though just a tiny bit. The left arches were like any cave made of rocks, covered by mosses and nts. There were bumps and recessed on its walls enough to hide monsters and perfect toy out ambushes, so they had to be alert at all times. "If there are no moreints, then let''s go at Ryu''s suggestion." Kai went ahead. He led the others inside the left arches using the famous [Pixie Glow] to serve as his light. asional bubble sounds and little creatures were rattling on their path but so far, in their ten minutes walking inside, nothing was happening. The reefs picked Ryu''s attention at the side of the sand. He saw them move like they were alive, and bubbles erupted from it from time to time. But it made no intention to attack. It seemed like it was just following them. Like it was curious. "Should we kill it?" Jane suggested. Seraphina shook her head. "No. they''re Live Coral Reefs. As long as we leave it alone, it wouldn''t attack." "You seem to know a lot about the ocean." Jane couldn''t help but ask. It came to her attention that when it came to underwater knowledge, Seraphina seemed to know everything. Seraphina looked at the other side and huffed a smile. "I''ve been venturing in the Nightmare Sea. And my affinity is water, so I studied about it, including its inhabitants." "Hmm. . ." Jane briefly nced at Seraphina from the side and resumed her focused ahead. "It''s our first time adventuring in the Nightmare Sea," Jane started. There was a hint of a smile on her beautiful face, and her sharp eyes turned softer. "I don''t know if you heard about our group. We are called Earth Guard because our leader, Marcus, is a great knight with an affinity to earth. He was our shield, and he was like a sturdy mountain in Theodore and my life." Seraphina nodded a little. "I heard about it. There are only a few of Rank-A mercenaries in the Mortal Realm, so you were kind of popr." Jane chuckled, but her eyes melted as her voice croaked a little. "We aren''t supposed to go to the Nightmare Sea. But since Marcus and I wanted to marry, my family. . ." Jane took in an inaudible breath, and Theodore squeezed her hand. "To get my family''s blessings, Marcus must predicate in the Scavenger hunt and acquire treasure and items enough to ask my hand in marriage." "Hmm. . ." Kai took a peek at Jane''s way. "Why don''t you just elope then?" Ryu nodded at Kai''s suggestion. Jane shook her head. "It''s not that simple. And Marcus is a proud man. He''d rather die than embarrass me in front of my family. He. .. despite his bulky and intimidating appearance. .. he is a nice and kindhearted man." "He must really love you, then." Seraphina beamed. "You don''t see those types of men nowadays. Going to extra mile for the woman they love instead of just taking the easy way out." Janeughed, and Kai grumbled. Was Seraphina talking to him? Why did he felt attack? Jane''s soft smile then fell off her face. "But now that we''ve parted and we didn''t know if he was alive or not. . . I wish that. .. we should have just run away." Seraphina squeezed Jane''s shoulder. "I''m sure he''s fine. He''s a Rank-A merc and one of the best in the Mortal Realm. Your path will cross each other, you''ll see." Ryu opened his mouth but closed it again. He didn''t know if giving false hope was the right course of action, but Jane''s smiling face and the little droplets of tears on hershes were enough to keep him quiet. Realizing that she talked too much, Jane coughed between her fist, and her poised face was back on disy. "Enough about me. What about you, Seraphina? Do you belong in any mercenary group?" Kai''s ears perked, and Ryu went closer a little to hear their conversation while Theodore looked at them with appalled eyes. "Me?" Seraphina pointed at herself and looked ahead. "I don''t belong in any mercenary group. But I did temporarily join a mercenary group to venture into the Nightmare Sea." "Oh? Which group?" Jane asked. "Hmm. .. I think its. .. Griffin''s Wings." Jane skidded to a stop, and Kai looked behind him when the atmosphere changed. "Uhm. .. ," Seraphina blinked with rounded confused irises. "Is there something I said?" Jane''s face turned dark, and her smile disappeared from her face. She flipped her hair and resumed walking. "Nothing." ".. ." The others were at a loss when all of a sudden, Jane''s attitude changed. Kia shrugged it off as he was not interested in women''s quarrels while Ryu pondered about the mercenary group that Seraphina temporarily joined in. He heard in the auction house before, and from his memory, he recalled two beautiful sisters with dark skin and white hair. Theodore fell behind Seraphina and offered an awkward smile. "Don''t worry. It''s not you. It''s just. .. the top mercenary group in the Mortal Realm usually aren''t in good terms." "Oh. .. is that it, then?" Seraphina felt like there was something more to it. If it were just simple rivalry, then Jane wouldn''t have that reaction. Theodore scratched his head. "My sister. . ." he was having difficulty talking, but Seraphina was nothing but kind to them, and her sister didn''t have many friends, to begin with. So at least he wanted for her to continue befriending her sister. "O-one of the reason why my sister decided to be a mercenary is so that. .. she wanted to escape the marriage between our house and house Ludwig." Seraphina still didn''t get it, and the confusion was apparent on her face. "House Ludwig. . ." Theodore forced out the words one at a time. "The young master Clyde, who my sister supposed to marry,missioned Griffin''s Wings to explore the Nightmare Sea under its name." Chapter 106: Eitherbells Chapter 106: Eitherbells Seraphina''s face lit up. Why was she so slow? Of course, she knew that her temporary group, Griffin Wing''s, wasmission by the Ludwig family. Griffin Wing''s was onlyposed of two sisters. Two Rank-A Hunters and the leader, Morgan, was nearing Rank-S. The only reason she was allowed to join their group was that she was a Rank-A woman with a rare affinity to nts. And that their mutual cooperation was only temporary. Clyde Ludwig. Seraphina saw that man multiple times in their ship. Their ship, which House Ludwig provided for their group. That meant that Griffin Wings and Clyde were also in the Lost Islet of Tethyt. Maybe that was the reason why Jane was in a bad mood. "Thanks for exining, Theodore." Seraphina smiled her brightest. Theodore''s face burst red, but Jane called his name. "Come here, Theodore." Theodore immediately scurried beside his sister. His mouth mped shut while he held his staff tight. "What will happen if you find your group? Will you go to them?" Jane asked Seraphina, not giving her the barest nce. "Uhm. .. yes. Since I am looking for them in the first ce." ".. ." That meant that there was a chance that Seraphina and Jane would be enemies in the future. The mood turned heavy, and Kai couldn''t take it anymore and said, "Look. Everyone has their circumstances but right now. That doesn''t matter. Whether you leave and go to your group once you find them is your choice. But right now, can we just focused on the present matter?" Ryu nodded at Kai''s words. Seraphina didn''t say anything more, and Jane muttered a low, "Sorry." It''s not Seraphina''s fault. It''s just that Jane hated Clyde to her core. He was the perfect example of an arrogant young master, and Jane didn''t know what Morgan, the leader of Griffin Wings, saw in him. Else, why were they helping Ludwig''s house? True that Clyde was handsome and a mighty hunter, but besides that, Marcus was way a hundred times better. Was it a hunter thing? Since Morgan is also a hunter. "I see the end of the cave." Everyone became vignt at Kai''s words, and Jane forgot about Clyde and Morgan for a second. She brought out her staff and held Theodore''s hand. Kai put a finger over his lips, signaling them to remain quiet while Ryu looked over his shoulder to ensure they were not pincer from both sides. The group made a steady pace towards the end of the tunnel. One step at a time, and when they slip a look at what was inside, they breathed the held they held. The Leviathan was not in this ce. "Whew. I thought I''d wet myself there." Kai wiped the nonexistent sweat on his forehead. "What is that?" Ryu asked, looking at the weird jellyfish-like creatures floating above them. The jellyfish had rainbow pastel colors and floated in a mesmerizing sight. Its head and tentacles glowed, giving life and light to the ce. (Pic) The area they were in was like a mountains range only under the Ocean. It was hard to believe that mountains existed under a tiny cave. But their eyes didn''t deceive them. They were really in an area full of Rocky Mountains with numerous glowing crystals sprouting from its exteriors. The crystals looked like trees and flowers that spread across the area. "W-where are we?" Kai wondered with mouth hanging open. Theodore squatted and wanted to poke the numerous crystals scattered on the seafloor when Seraphina stopped him. "Don''t touch it," warned Seraphina, "They''re Either Crystals." "Either Crystal?!" Jane and Kai''s eyes rounded. Ryu tilted his head. Were they expensive and edible? Seraphina nodded. Janeughed, and her eyes sparkled. "Either Crystals are sought after ingredients for magic Potions, and it''s the main ingredient for Elixirs and Mana potions! They are considered rare items that you wouldn''t find in the Mortal Realm!" Her voice was ecstatic as her face. With the amount of Either Crystal in this ce, it was enough dowry for Marcus to marry her! Kai rubbed his hands. His stomach was twisting in glee. "So that little creature didn''t lie to us. It said one of the rooms or ces is where the treasures and items are. Who knows that with just this single ce, we''d already be set for life?" They were thinking it the wrong way this entire time. They should be finding hidden rooms, areas, or ces like this one and not aimlessly venture in the open seafloor above. Kai was about to pull the crystals when Seraphina pped his hand. "Ouch! What''s the deal?" Kai grabbed his hand and blew cold air around it. Seraphina stepped forward and looked everyone in the eyes. Her face was grave as her voice when she spoke, "True that Either Crystals are craved materials, but it''s never easy to acquire them." Seraphina pointed at the thousands and thousands of jellyfish above them. They seemed to be watching their every move though they didn''t have any indication that they would attack. "They''re called Eitherbells. Though they appear harmless and not aggressive, they''re actually Rank-S creatures." Everyone gasp and Ryu took a second look at the jellyfish. Rank-S? Those creatures that look likemps than anything else? "T-that thing. .. is an S-rank?" Kai pointed at the Eitherbells with a shaking hand. "Don''t be misled by their appearance," Seraphina continued. "Eitherbells are immune to ranged attacks, and it could teleport nonstop. It could teleport beside you within a fraction second, and before you could even react, it had probably swallowed you whole, and you''ll be nothing but the liquid inside its head within a matter of seconds when it''s done with you. Its acid is corrosive, and besides that, it could manipte objects using telekinesis." "They usually y with the crystals and considered it part of their own. See those tiny Either Crystals floating above their head? They make a crown of it and like to float them around their heads. Eitherbells wouldn''t pursue us as long as we passed by empty-handed, but it will attack anyone who attempted to gather its precious crystals. It''s a pain to fight." "A pain but not entirely undefeatable." Jane didn''t want to give up. This was a material that could set her and Marcus''s future in stone! Kai nodded his head so fast it was going to detached from his neck. Seraphina understood the other''s hesitation, but against an Eitherbell, they''d rather face a Leviathan. At least it was asleep. "It shouldn''t be a problem if it''s only a few of them. But do you really want to try your luck and stake your life upon thousands of them?" ---- A/N Hey Guys! We''ve reach 100PS so I''ll post an extra chapy tom! Next Goal is 500! XD Chapter 107: Puddle Chapter 107: Puddle Ryu and the others looked over at the Eitherbells swarming the sky, and they swallowed hard. The veins in Kai''s head pounded like it was about to burst. He grabbed his hair and pulled it like he was going crazy. "So you''re telling me. . ." Kai inhaled and exhaled. "You''re telling me to just leave all these treasures. .. All these riches that could make me live like a king and buy as many properties and women I want. .. you''re telling me to just leave it all behind?" ".. ." Seraphina looked at Kai''s desperate face and nodded. "If you want your life, then yes." "N-Nrgh!" Kai wanted to shout, but since he feared that the Leviathan was in this ce, he smacked his mouth shut with his fist and bashed his head against the rock. Jane almost fainted in shock and disappointment while Theodore held his sister in a panic. "S-sis! D-don''t die!" Ryu had a headache just from watching Kai and Jane''s reaction. If it were the Lost Jewel, he would understand. But if it were just an item and materials that they could live without, then they''d rather keep their life and find other treasures and items. Seraphina pped her hands and beamed. Wanting to lighten the mood, she said in a cheerful tone, "Don''t be too disappointed, everyone. There are probably more Either Crystals deeper inside the cave that had fewer Eitherbells guarding it. Or probably other treasure and items that are far rarer than Ether Crystals." Kai''s wailing face turned serious as he wiped the blood from his forehead and nose. "Let''s go." Jane shot to her feet. "Lead the way." ".. ." ".. ." "S-sister, wait for me," Theodore called and scampered next to his big sister. Ryu shook his head, and Seraphina just beamed. As they swam their way into the mountains of rocks, Kai wanted to cry out loud again. Maybe if he closed his eyes, he wouldn''t have to see the mountain of riches that he would lose. Damn it! Jane embraced herself with her hands. She was afraid that in a fit of greediness, she''d ckout and snatched all the crystals she saw. At the side, Theodore just shook his head for his sister''s embarrassing behavior. Sometimes, Jane forgot that she was a nobledy when it came to rare items and treasures. Another reason why she wanted to be a mercenary besides escaping her marriage. She wanted to explore the world and collect pretty rare items. "Damn. All these paths are giving me the headache." Kai clicked his tongue when they tumbled another fork in their way. This time, it has four paths. It was not like the two paths before where they could just turn back when they were led to a dead-end and chose the other. This time, the path split in four directions. "S-should we use a twig to decide?" Theodore suggested. That''s what they did when they didn''t know which direction to take. "Good idea if twigs are lying around," mocked Kai. Blood rushed in Theodore''s face, and Jane red at Kai. Kai shrugged. "A man had to take criticisms and negative feedback in order to grow." Jane crossed her arms. "Then what do you suggest we do?" "Ryu, any idea?" Kai said, passing the responsibility to him. Ryu wanted to hit Kai''s head but decided not to waste his energy on him. He took a whiff, but his nose still wasn''t working underwater. He then sauntered just at the entrance of every path to see if his back would react. .. but unlike before, his back remained cold. Ryu shook his head. "Then should we split and check each path first ande back here after an hour to report what we find?" All attention went to Seraphina. Jane tilted her hips. "What happened to remain in a group?" The smile on Seraphina''s face didn''t lessen despite Jane''s hostility. "Since it''s just Eitherbells here and they wouldn''t attack us unless we take their crystals, I think it''s safe if we explore on our own." Kai hammered his fist against this palms. "That''s a good idea. We should split up first and check the trails to see which is safe ande back here after an hour," he said with a serious face and voice like the idea came from him. With no other idea, the group eventually split. Ryu took the far left, and Kai took the far right. Seraphina entered the footpath near Ryu while Jane and Theodore took the route beside Kai''s. As he advanced at the pathway he took, Ryu surveyed his surroundings. It was still the usual mountains of rock, and gleaming to his sides were the Either Crystals enticing him to pick a few. But the numerous Eitherbells floating just above keep him grounded. Besides, that, was the path. .. getting narrower? Ryu thought. Maybe it would lead to another dead end? It was a dead end. There was nothing in his pathway but walls of mountains, and at his front was another rocky mountain that couldn''t be swam over in just a day. He was lead in a small area where only a deep blue puddle was on the seafloor. Ryu looked at the puddle and dipped a finger on it. It looked safe, and nothing was out of the ordinary except that his finger couldn''t feel the bottom of the puddle. Confused, Ryu pushed his entire hand into the puddle and was shocked when his skin felt a cold breeze. There was air underwater! Ryu dipped his head onto the puddle, eyes popping open. He saw arge cave utterly devoid of water on the other side of the puddle. And to his surprise, numerous crystals and stones lined its walls were glowing as well as the tiny creatures that freely roam around the cave gave light to the ce. There was also another tunnel at one of its walls. It was like a whole new dimension inside! Ryu thought about his next move. Should he check it first? But the height made him have second thoughts. It was like hundreds of meters from where he was and the ground of the cave. If he jumped, he''d surely break some bones. The best way was to climb down and up. But. . . The puddle was at the center, and the nearest wall was hundreds of meters from where he was. The only way down and up was through a rope or a spell that lets him float. Ryu rose to his feet and shook his head. A reflex to remove the water from his hair and face. However, he forgot that he was still underwater, so that was useless. Since he couldn''t reach this newly-found ce, he''d have to go back to the others and inform them about his discovery. Maybe the others had a way. Chapter 108: Cannon Fodder Chapter 108: Cannon Fodder Ryu swam back to where the others werenot taking any time to pause to catch his breath. There was a cave totally devoid of water. A cave within a cave! They could take their rest and cooked some food there. He got to tell the others fast so they could explore it right away. Ryu''s excitement soon died in the face of three people standing at their meeting ce. Based on the dagger at Jane and Theodore''s neck, it was apparent that the three were not friendly. "Hello, there," said a lethargic man. Ryu remembered him. He was Vein from the auction house, the leader of the mercenary group Lethal Poison. "If you don''t want anything to happen to your friend, I suggest you don''t do anything funny. This dagger is coated with a lethal poison that only I have the antidote," Vein said, pushing the dagger against Jane''s throat. Jane wasn''t the least bit intimidated despite the threat, but her face was paler than usual. "You''ll pay for this Vein. Marcus would never let this go." Vein''s sleepy face didn''t change. He was handsome if only it weren''t for his sickly appearance. "But first, he had to find and catch me. And who knows, he might be dead somewhere already." Jane mped her mouth shut when she felt the dagger pressed her neck while Theodore burst out crying. Vein was a poison master. A rank-A poison master with affinity to shadows. The worst possiblebination. Because of it, he was an extremely skilled assassin and the most wanted man in some of the Mortal Realms cities. "Shut up, kid," said the only woman in Vein''s group and held Theodore''s cor tightly enough to choke him. Ryu knew her too from the auction. It''s not hard to remember since only the two women have dark skin and white hair at that time. If he remembered correctly, her name was. . . "Masha, don''t be too hard on the kid," said another man that was unfamiliar with Ryu. He was tall and had a sturdy built. "I didn''t know that the reputable Griffin Wings would alley themselves with thugs like lethal poison," Jane spat. Masha grinned, canine on disy. "Reputation doesn''t mean shit here. You have to ally with the strong if you want to stay alive." Jane sneered. "I wonder if your older sister knew about what you''re!" p! Jane didn''t finish her sentence when Masha pped her. "Stop talking about my sister!" Masha snapped. With lean muscles lining her body, Jane was bound to spit blood from her busted lips. "Sis!" Theodore cried out. A ramble vibrated in Ryu''s chest, and Vein shouted, though his voice was still lethargic as his face, "Everyone, calm down. Let''s not start a fight here." "What do you want?" Ryu asked. He was going to stall for time. Maybe Kai and Seraphina would notice themotion just now. "Man. .. no luck with that path. It just led to another dead end." "Same here." Ryu''s shoulders slumped when both Kai and Seraphina emerged from the sandy path. Their faces were dejected, but soon their eyes popped from their sockets when they saw what was happening. "Who are you guys?" Kai asked, and Ryu wanted to smack his head. Didn''t they hear themotion? Or at least took a glimpse of what was happening? Ryu couldn''t entirely me them, though. The spot where Vein and the others were hidden by rocks, and not until you emerge from the other side that you''d have a full view of what they were doing. "Hello, my name''s Thall," said a tall man that Ryu didn''t recognize. "And if you don''t want anything to happen to yourpanions, then we suggest that you do as we say." Kai and Ryu looked at each other. Frankly, they didn''t care about Jane and Theodore, but. .. they couldn''t also bring themselves to just leave them for dead. Though they weren''t friendly, they weren''t antagonistic to them either. Except for the asional disgust in Jane''s eyes when she looked at them. "And what made you think that will do as you say?" Kai said in false bravado. Vein raised a brow. However, therge dark circles under his eyes prevented his face from forming any expression except being sleepy and sick. "And what made you think that you have a choice in the matter?" Kai grinned, ignoring the acidying waste in his stomach. "There''s five of us and only three of you." Masha chuckled. "Five?" she then looked at Seraphina. "You mean to say four." Ryu''s heart fell in the pit of his stomach as he looked at Seraphina''s beautiful face. Kai''s cool facade cracked, and his eyes watered. "N-no. .. N-not darling Seraphina." Seraphina sadly smiled. "I''m sorry, guys. I made a seal of promise with Griffin Wings. I don''t have a choice." "Are you in on this? Did you set us up?" Jane spat. Seraphina didn''t answer. In truth, she didn''t expect to see Masha so soon. But whatever she said at this point was pointless in Ryu and the other''s eyes. "Are you sure about that one?" Thall asked Masha as Seraphina went to their side of the group. Masha nodded and said without a care. "It''s fine. She made a Seal of Promise to my sister and me that she''ll obey our everymand in exchange that we help her search an item in the Nightmare Sea." Masha''s demeanor was like that of a young girl, and her voice also sounded the same. "She''s a healer and at the same time a mage with a rare affinity to nts. Since weck both, she''d be a great addition to our temporary team." "Traitor," Jane spat. Seraphina didn''tment and just gave an awkward smile. She belonged in Griffin Wings in the first ce, though temporary. So being a traitor wasn''t exactly the case. She couldn''t do much since the Seal of Promise bound her. "What do you want?" Kai was in a bad mood. He was upset not because of Seraphina''s betrayal but more on the fact that she might be forced against her will because of the Seal. "If you want treasures, unfortunately, we haven''te across one." Thall smiled like he wasn''t doing anything wrong. "We want you guys to be our personal checker." Kai''s scowl deepened. "A what?" Masha heaved a heavy sigh. "A checker, you dope. You know, check every area and room to see if it has traps and enemies and stuff." Ryu and Kai get it now. "In short, your servants to take the brunt of the danger for you. A cannon fodder." Masha''s face crumpled in confusion, and her canines sparkled when she gave Kai a wide grin. "Yeah. That''s exactly what I said. Sadly, even though I''m a hunter, mypanion pet couldn''t breathe underwater, so you guys would have to do." Comparing them to pets, Ryu wanted to rip Masha''s head when he was reminded of that word. While Kai''s face twisted in anger that his veins pulsated hard against his head. "And what made you think we''ll do it?" Chapter 109: The Cave within a Cave Chapter 109: The Cave within a Cave BONUS CHAPTER for reaching 100PS! Next goal is 500PS or 50GT XD. Thank you for everyone''s support! ---- "And what made you think we''ll do it?" Ryu asked. "We could also fight if you want. Though these two would be dead if you chose that option. So that''ll be two against four." Vein''s fingers tightly held Jane''s hair, and thetter groaned from the pain. "S-sis. .. ," Theodore sobbed. Ryu and Kai were in a severe predicament. If ever Jane and Theodore died, it''s just the two of them facing four Rank-A mercenaries. Whatever they chose, bing cannon fodder had the highest chance for them to live and escape. Ryu looked at Jane, her face was calm, but her chin was crumbling like she was about to cry at any moment. Was she acting bravely for Theodore? The whole time, her sight never left her little brother. Ryu couldn''t understand what it felt like to have a sibling. If Theodore wasn''t held captive with a dagger stuck in his neck, Jane might have a chance at escaping. His gaze then shot to Seraphina. Her attention was on the ground, and she didn''t make any eye contact. She didn''t betray them. Not really. She already belonged to Griffin Wings in the first ce. Her loyalty lies to them. But her deflecting sides so quickly still bothered him nheless. He couldn''t help but think if she was involved with this somehow. "How are we sure that you''ll let us go after we''ve done all that you''ve ask?" asked Ryu. Every attention focused on Ryu, and Thall smiled. "A good question." Vein looked over the Eitherbells and said without a care, "That depends. Maybe after we find ourpanions or maybe after we escape this ce. Who knows?" "Does it matter," Masha butt in, "You guys don''t have a choice. You''re dead either way. Nyahaha!" Masha was right. It was either they die now or take their chances and dieter as cannon fodders. Kia loosened his stance, and he signaled Ryu to do the same. "What do you want us to do?" he sighed, resigning to his fate. Without as much as a change in Vein''s expression, he stabbed the dagger in Jane''s shoulder. Masha did the same with Theodore, and both of them cried from the sudden pain. "W-what are you doing?!" Kai was about to summon his weapon while Ryu''s ws inched from his hands. "Rx," Veins said, wiping off the blood from his dagger. "I just inject them with my poison. With it, they needed my antidote every hour, or they''d die. This is to make sure that you don''t stab us in the back or run away." Vein then twirled his dagger in his hands. "So, who''s next?" ---- Kai rubbed his shoulder from where the dagger stabbed him. It wasn''t painful now, but he felt the poison cursing in his veins. Even with a healer like Theodore with a rare affinity to light, he couldn''t get rid of the poison. The least he could do was closed and heal the stab wound. Vein''s poison was really something else. Kai heaved another heavy sigh. "What shitty luck." Adding to that, they were suddenly transported into a dry cave. He was wet and sticky all over, and his stomach was alreadyining from his wet feet. "You there, lessining and pick up the pace," said Masha as she mapped theyout of the ce. Kai grumbled. Easy for them since they weren''t the vanguard. Vein''s group remained at the back while Kai was at the very front, and Ryu followed behind him as they explored the cave that Ryu found. Worried for traps, Kai was going at a slow pace, but his luck was good so far. They haven''t stumble upon traps nor beast. .. yet. Meanwhile, at the side, Ryu was still inspecting the poison in his body. Ferris said he was immune to poison, but he didn''t know if he was immune to all poisons. But one thing he did know. .. he felt no changes. He didn''t even felt the poison flowing in his veins. Was that normal? Ryu had to wait for the effects after an hour and see if he was really immune to it or not. "What is this ce?" Thall whistled as he roamed his eyes. It was like a cave within a cave, and he couldn''t believe that something this big could fit under another pothole. The glowing crystals stuck on the rocky walls were ordinary glowing crystals, not Either Crystals. But the jewels, precious stones, and magical herbs sprouting in the cave were abundant. Too bad that Vein, Thall, and Masha weren''t interested in such stuff. They were aiming for something more. Artifacts, rare spells and skill scrolls, and god-tier items. Not Jewels and stones and magical herbs that would just add inventory in their traveler''s ring. "If only we aren''t with them," Kaimented. His heart was bleeding for the second time that they couldn''t harvest the riches before them. What a waste! This sucks! Kai cursed in his head. And what was more suck was that he''s taking the lead of a possible dangerous cave or, worse, a possible resting ce of the Leviathan. There were asional creatures and beasts along the way, but nothing the group could handle. Most of them were weak and wouldn''t attack as they scurried away from their group. But when they reached an area where light seemed to bounce in all directions from the tiny gaps of the high rocky ceiling of the cave, everyone stopped. Ryu took a sweep. There were many corals in the ce, so many that he didn''t know where to step. And it was not just any corals. It was littered with sharp spikes and long thorns. "Now what?" Kai sighed. Should he just freeze everything and walked over on ice? "Hmm? Could we walk over this thing?" Thall asked nobody. If the ce had water, they could just swim over it. But now that they were in drnds, they didn''t know how to proceed. The area they were in was vast, stretching as much as the eyes could see, and it was nothing but corals with protruding sharp needles and spikes on its ground and the rocky hills and mountains. "Let''s just smash right through them!" Masha suggested. Jane chuckled. "Are you really a hunter? Or your sister''s fame carried you all the way to Rank-A?" Masha swung her fist. "What did you say?" Jane ced a hand over her waist. "Can''t you see that these corals are alive?" Ignoring the bickering of the two women, Ryu inspected the corals. Upon closer look, he found a creature camouging as a coral. Like a piece of moving coral, its coloration and scale pattern matched the nearby reefs, urchins, anemones, and other sea nt forms. The creature had a long snout stretching out from its narrow face, and arrays of spike and sharp jagged protrusions lined its back. And when it noticed Ryu starring at it, it opened its mouth, and its spikes rattled like it was giving out a warning. But Ryu''s attention was drawn to its mouth. Its saw-like teeth form multiple ridges. Its needle-like talons sprung from its fins and stringer filled with tiny barbs curved at the end of its slender tail. (Pic) Chapter 110: Coral Drake Chapter 110: Coral Drake Ryu stood to his feet and ced a distance between him and the creature. It was slender, and from its snout to the tip of its tail, it would be the same height as him. "Shut up, old hag!" Masha snapped at Jane. "Just so you know, I''m the greatest hunter in the Mortal Realm, second only to my sister." Jane smiled. That was more like a sneer. "Then should you be leading this group and warn us for traps instead of taking the backne like a scared cat? There''s no more water, so you don''t have any excuse not to summon your prized pet." Masha gritted her teeth and opened her mouth to retort but was stopped by rattling sounds. Rattle! Rattle! Kai and Ryu took a step back. The creature that Ryu saw a moment ago raffled its wings and flew from the corals. It wasn''t the only one, as multiple creatures like it hovered mid-air. And with their numbers blocking the ceiling, Ryu and the others could only gasp. "That''s a Coral Drake," Seraphina said and caught her breath though her voice sounded calm. Kai gulped. "I-is. .. is it aggressive?" "Only if it felt threatened," Seraphina answered. "Does it felt threatened now?" "It must have woken from the noises." Everyone shot a knowing look in Jane and Masha''s way. Jane harrumph and held Theodore''s hand while Masha gave an awkwardugh as she scratched her head. Rattle. . . "It seemed like it didn''t have any indication to attack," Thall said. Still, no one dared to move nor breathe too loud. "Should we go back?" Thall asked Vein. Vein shook his head. "This is the only way forward. I didn''t see any other avable path before." He then looked at Masha to confirm his words. Masha nodded. "I already mapped the ones we''ve crossed, and there are no hidden traps and paths. This cave is straightforward. That meant that our only option is through this area if we wanted to explore this cave." Ryu dissected Masha''s words. It seemed like Hunters have a specific set of skills only avable to them to track and map an area. Apparently, they could identify traps and mapped paths, but they had to explore the area first. They also know where traps wereid and hidden passageways and rooms. Then their role mainly was to be cannon fodder for them to escape, if ever. Still. .. A hunter was undoubtedly handy when exploring. Was that why Seraphina picked them from all the mercenary guild? Ryu snatched a peek at Seraphina. Her beautiful face was still the epitome of calmness, and her knowledge about the ocean was remarkable to the point that it was suspicious. "Hey you," Vein called Kai, "move along." ".. . Huh? Do you want me to die? How do I know it wouldn''t attack once I move?" Vein''s droopy eyes and his lethargic expression didn''t change as he said, "Fine then. We could wait here for an hour and see which kills you first. That beast or my poison." "Geh. . ." Kai''s expression fell. He took arge intake of air as he threw asional nces at the Coral Drakes that were eyeing them. "If we don''t step or touch the corals, they might not attack us," Seraphina said in a steady voice. Kai wanted to cry. ''What do you mean, might?'' Rather. .. his eyes took in therge expanse of the corals swarming the ground. There were also puddles and pools of water loitering around, and Kai didn''t know if it contained corals or not. Kai''s sweat tickled from the side of his face and pooled on the edge of his chin before it dropped on his boots. Adding to his hunger was the boiling of his stomach brought about by his wet feet. And to make matters worse, the space that corals didn''t cover was just the size of his fist. How the hell was he going to cross over the swarm of corals without touching or stepping on it with his bigfoot? Damn it! "S-should we just fly over?" Kai bargained. Thall shrugged and cast a gaze at Jane. "The only ones who could do that are wind mages." Jane closed her eyes and said, "It''s impossible." Masha snickered. "And you call yourself the greatest wind user?" Jane''s lips quirked up. "Unless you can control yourself in mid-air and a hundred percent sure that you could move left and right and in zigzag motion that take years of flying practice against those gigantic corals up ahead, then be my guest." It wouldn''t be a problem if all corals were small in height, but some were gigantic, forming like mountains, and to make it near impossible to fly, the Coral Drakes was hovering not too far from them. Masha''s smile drop and Jane continued, "Maybe if you carry us one by one onto your pet''s back, then it''s possible to cross it." Masha folded her arms. "Hmp! My Fin is a huge Griffin. Its wings wouldn''t fit against those gaps." "A pity then," Jane said in undisguised ridicule. Grr. .. if Masha could move, Jane would be on the ground now with a bleeding nose. Kai was on the verge of crying. "So both options are impossible." The only option was to tiptoe across and hope for the best. "Hurry up. We''re wasting time here," said Vein, didn''t care if Kai would end up dead. Kai let out a calming breath. He took a peek first at the Coral Drakes before he poured all his concentration on his feet. Raising one leg, he took another nce at the Coral Drake. When they didn''t move, he ced a foot on the empty ground and braced for impact. .. . .. . Kai opened his eyes and saw that the Coral Drakes still didn''t go after him. They continued to hover in the air while watching their every move. It raffled its wings and the spikes on its back trembled. Kai breathed a big sigh of relief, and with tiny, slow, careful steps, he advanced forward. ---- A/N Please vote,ment, review, and give gifts. Your support is the motivation I need to keep writing. T-T Thank you all for the support. Chapter 111: The Coral Drake’s Lair Chapter 111: The Coral Drake¡¯s Lair It felt like an eternity as Ryu, and the others threaded the Coral Drake''sir, yet no sign of the exit. The den was gigantic to house hundreds of Coral Drakes, and the room to maneuver was limited to none. Whenever their group found themselves stuck with no Coral-free ground to step upon, they used their skill to blink or teleport to a spot they saw were barren. Ryu didn''t have any skills like that, but his beast side gave him enough strength and power to jump and bnce his body on a tiny empty ground to the next while the Coral Drake just watched them in amusement. Maybe Seraphina was just pulling their legs, and the Coral Drakes wouldn''t attack even if they destroyed some corals along the way. But none of them was willing to take that risk. Inside the reefs were eggs. The Coral Drakes eggs and some already hatched. When Ryu hovered in the air once more, a sight of an archway caught his eyes. It was hidden between two giant rocky hills that were covered with reefs, and he didn''t think twice to go in that direction. "Hey, Ryu. Don''t go too far." Kai warned and almost slipped and smashed his hands on the corals if not for the sudden vines that crawled to his leg and held him in ce. The Coral Drakes twirled above Kai for a moment, and he thought they were going to attack. When they settled in ce, Kai breathed and grinned at Seraphina behind him. "Thanks." Seraphina smiled back. "Be careful and don''t lose your focus. We are lucky that the Coral Drakes only eat nts and algae." Kai''s saliva almost dripped from the side of his mouth from Seraphina''s smile. It brightened even the darkest portion of his heart. Then a thought struck Kai. Could Seraphina just use her vines to carry them to safety? But then he discarded the thought. Knowing Seraphina, if she could, she already had done it. Maybe she needed a tremendous amount of mana or that the vines would snap at their weight. On the other side, Ryu was stuck again. But the small passageway he saw was just ahead from therge expanse of corals. The problem was, there was no barren ground to step upon, and with no room to maneuver to gain momentum to make a jump to the other side, he didn''t know what to do. First, he decided to tell the others about the passageway, and within minutes, the others were closing into his location. "Argh. . ." Theodore mmed his palms against his mouth when he was about to puke. He made it so far with Jane''s help, but he was not looking good. "We need the antidote," Jane said to Vein. Colors were draining from her face, and there was blood oozing from her nose. Kai was beginning to feel the effect of the poison too. While Ryu. .. Ryu still felt nothing. And this ironed his belief that he was indeed immune to poisons! But as to not raise suspicions from Vein''s group, he copied Kai''s expression and pretended that he was sick. His stoic face twisted though just a tiny bit, and he bit his tongue so blood would ooze from his mouth. He was not a good actor, but it had to do for now. However, Vein pretended that he didn''t hear them as he thought about their next move. The area from where they were was still far from the passageway, and a certain distance limited their teleportation skills. "We have to run for it and closed the entrance as soon as possible," Vein said to the others. Jane''s eye bulged. "Are you mad?" Kai shook his head. "You want us to close our only possible exit from this cave?" "We''ll find another exit," said Vein with his no care attitude. "Or just temporarily block it." "How are you sure that there is another exit? And what made you sure that passageway isn''t blocked and was trapped there with no way out?" Thall asked. He was also against the idea. He belonged to another group of mercenaries and might have a temporary alliance with Vein and Masha to service this ce, but it didn''t mean that he would agree to his every decision. Unless someone checked the other side, they could be pincer from both sides or worse trapped in there while the Coral Drakes hunt them from here. Vein rolled his droopy eyes over the ceiling and asked, "Then what do you guys suggest we do?" ".. ." ".. ." There was silence for a moment before a whooshing sound stole their attention. "Wha!" Kai didn''t finish his sentence when Ryu leaped all of a sudden. Hended on a rocky hill with all of his ws, close enough almost to destroy a coral. Kai released a big breath. That was too close forfort! "Ryu!" Seraphina was worried, but when she saw Ryu didn''t hit any corals andnded on just a bare rocky spot, she held her heart and sighed. "Stop giving me heart attacks," Seraphina murmured under her breath. With slit eyes and a clear vision of what was ahead, Ryu leaped from one rocky spot to the next. Every movement he made was calcted so he couldnd on an area without corals. And when hended safely on the mouth of the passageway, Ryu heard gasps and sighs. "Ryu, quickly go check if that path isn''t blocked," Jane said with a strained voice. They were running out of time, and her visions were getting blurry. "Don''t think of doing anything halfbreed, or you''ll die," Vein warned. They could do what Ryu did with their limited Mortal body. But he was not confident with his precession tond on a rtively small barren spot and anchor himself upside down. Only a beast could do it. "Ryu. . ." Seraphina was worried when Ryu went inside without giving them a second nce. Was he thinking of escaping? But Vein''s poison would kill him. "Don''t worry, he''ll be back," Kai assured and wiped the blood from his nose. Ryu had to, or all of them would die. Inside the tunnel, Ryu checked if there was an exit to the other side. Without caring for the creatures or taking the time to marvel at the corridor, he sprinted forward. Ryu thought about escaping since he was not affected by the poison. He could do that. But what about Kai and the others? Jane just wanted to marry Marcus and be happy with him, and Theodore just wanted to protect his sister''s happiness in his own little way, even though it was apparent that he was scared the whole time. And Kai. . . Kai could just die. Ryu shook his head. No. Even though he was annoying, he was the only human who epted and treated him for who he was. He was the only mortal to extend a helping hand to cure Ferris. And for that, he was truly grateful. Ryu sprinted fast and arrived at the other side of the tunnel, and his breath hitched in his throat. Chapter 112: The Coral Drakes Poison Chapter 112: The Coral Drakes Poison "Argh." Theodore sprouted blood from his mouth, and the veins from his eyes were bursting. It would only be a matter of seconds before the poison spread to his whole body, and by that time, he would surely die. "Give us the antidote, now." Jane didn''t know what to do. She was gasping for breath, but the more she asked, the more Vein ignored them. "Don''t waste your breath on him." Kai inhaled and exhaled to slow the poison in his body. The pain was excruciating like his skin was peeling from his muscles, and his bones were being hammed to bits. He didn''t even know how Theodore managed to stay on his feet. Kai gnashed his teeth and promised that he''d kill Vein with his own two hands if he survived this. "Ryu!" Seraphina beamed when Ryu''s face slipped from the archway. "Nothing is blocking the passageway," Ryu said, panting. His chest rose and fell due to running nonstop. Everybody breathed easy. "Alright. When I say go, we ran as fast as we can towards that archway and closed the entrance," Vein said. "Are you sure?" Masha wasn''t sure about closing the only exit they had. She didn''t trust the half-breed. "It''ll just be temporary to stop the Coral Drakes from chasing us," said Vein and began to count. "One. . ." Jane embraced Theodore and began to cast a spell. Without caring for anything, she nned to smash the corals hindering her way and zoomed into the tunnel with Theodore. She didn''t have a minute to waste. The poison could im their life at any moment! "Two. . ." Masha and Thall have the same idea as Jane. It was the fastest method to get to that archway. "Go!" Whoosh! At Vein''s lead, everyone sprinted as their life depended on it, smashing every rock and corals in their path. Krreekk! The Coral Drakes screeched, and their spikes ratted with their wings. The sound of their young ones'' cries and shattered eggs made them go berserk, and they flew after Kai and the others. "Don''t stop and run!" Kai was second to reach the tunnel with Vein as the first, followed by Masha next. "Close the entrance with your ice," ordered Vein when the Coral Drakes were gaining on Jane and the others. Kai ignored Vein. His eyes were on Seraphina. Waves and waves carried her forward while sshes of water smacked the Coral Drakes away from her path. Not far behind Seraphina, Jane was embracing Theodore tightly while she flew towards the tunnel. But she was beginning to lose focus because of the poison. Her vision was getting blurry, and she didn''t know which the archway was anymore. Screech! The Coral Drakes spikes shook and burst forth from their body, shooting in Jane and Theodore''s direction. For a time, only those long sharp needles dominated everyone''s view. It covered the whole ceiling and rain upon those who were still running. Seraphina formed multiple veins around her and formed a cocoon, shielding her from the needles. Her waves of water didn''t stop as they carried her safely into the opening of the cave, where Ryu pulled her into the safety of the tunnel. Everyone in the tunnel stood back as the needles dropped andnded at the edge of the passageway entrance. "Sis!" Theodore croaked, and with a flick of his staff, he deflected the iing needles their way while Jane lost momentum and tumbled on the coral reefs. Protecting Theodore with her petite frame, they smashed against multiple reefs. The rain of needles stopped for a moment, and Ryu and the others took a look at what happened to Jane and Theodore. But their sight was stolen with Thall''s cries for help. Thall was lying on the ground and couldn''t be recognized from the number of needles puncturing his skin. It was like he was a human urchin. Nobody knew what happed to him or why the Coral Drakes needles caught a Rank-A fighter like him. But what made everyone''s eyes popped was that Thall was melting. His skin, muscles, and bones everything was melting, and he dissolved into a pool of water and blood. And before Seraphina could heal him, he was already dead. "Acid?" Kai muttered. "No. . ." Vein''s eyes sparkled for the first time, "its poison. A corrosive one at that." Vein''s lethargic face stered a smile for the first time as he hopped into the Coral Drakes needles that were stuck on the edge of the tunnel and examined it. "How about Jane and Theodore?" Seraphina searched the two and found Jane and Theodore lying on the ground. Jane was barely conscious while a needle was stuck in Theodore''s hand, and it was beginning to erode his skin. But Theodore was already unconscious, so he couldn''t feel nor heal his arm. "Not good!" Kai reached his hand in an attempt to make an ice barrier when the Coral Drakes zoomed in on Jane and Theodore''s direction when Ryu ran in all fours and galloped towards the brother and sister. "Ryu!" Seraphina and Kai cast their spell and hurled the Coral Drakes that were after Ryu. With the help of Seraphina and Kai, Ryu managed to get to Jane and Theodore. With each person in his shoulder, Ryu leaped and dashed towards the tunnel while Seraphina and Kai pushed the swarm of Coral Drakes at bay. "What are you guys doing?! Close the entrance!" Masha shouted as she shot arrows after arrows at the Coral Drakes that came flying towards the tunnel. But no matter how much she shot, the Coral Drakes just got back up and continued their pursuit. If this continued, they''d be swallowed by swarms of Coral Drakes while Vein was still busy dissecting the Coral Drake''s poisons without a care at his surroundings. Rattle! Rattle! KeeekkK! At the sound of the Coral Drakes shriek came another round of flying needles. "Not good!" Masha roared, "Close the fucking entrance!" The poison needles burst forth just in time that Ryu arrived in the tunnel with Jane and Theodore. Kai immediately closed the entrance with a thickyer of ice, but some needles still managed to pass through. Luckily, everyone avoided it in time. KrEeekKK! The Coral Drakes scream rattled the ground, but they couldn''t break Kai''s thick wall of ice, and since the entrance of the Archway was small, enough to fit two-person side by side at the same time, the Coral Drakes couldn''t use their overwhelming numbers to push and break the barrier. "Whew." Kai fell to the floor. "Don''t celebrate just yet." Seraphina cast heals on Theodore''s melting arm. The poison was really corrosive and deadly. Just a single needle was enough to melt Theodore''s hand within seconds. The sight was ghastly as even the bones were melting, and the stench was enough to make them gag. It was a good thing that Theodore was asleep and didn''t witness the gore sight. Theodore was unconscious, as well as Jane. They were on the verge of death because of Vein''s poison. Kai was in no better shape as he spat out blood. Ryu went to Vein and grabbed him by the throat. "Where''s the antidote?" ---- A/N I''ve found a concept Pic for Ryu. It''s close to what I had in mind. Click on Pic if you miss it at former chapters. (Pic) Chapter 113: Seraphina’s Predicament Chapter 113: Seraphina¡¯s Predicament "Where''s the antidote?" Vein was forced to meet Ryu''s slit eyes, and he didn''t know what was with the halfbreed, but the back of his hair rose on edge at the anger on Ryu''s face. Vein wanted to kill the halfbreed for ruining his fun on checking the poison. But everyone''s eyes were on him, and the atmosphere was heavy. Even Masha was looking at him like she was having second thoughts about their temporary alliance. With Thall''s death, it was no wonder. How did that guy die anyway? Vein thought for a second. Thall was Rank-A mercenary with affinity to fire. He was a mediocre fighter and reached his way to being a Rank-A through years and years of hard work. He was actually old though he still looked young. But still. .. There was no way that he wouldn''t have made it from the needle attacks, unless. .. Vein''s eyes crept at the people at the side. .. One of them did something. Vein''s thought was interrupted when Ryu shook him. "Where''s the antidote?" Ryu snapped. His ws were drawing blood from Vein''s neck. Vein snapped his fingers and flung the antidote that appeared in his hand to the ground. "There." Ryu pushed Vein away, but thetter quickly regained his footing and stormed into the dead carcasses of the Coral Drakes. His poisons were his top priority. He''d deal with the halfbreedter. "Ass," Kai muttered and drank the antidote. Though Vein was indeed a lunatic who only cares about poisons, Kai got to admit that the guy had skills. The poison in his body dispersed at just a drop of the antidote on his tongue. But he wasn''t happy the least, knowing that they''ll have to face the effect of the poison again after an hour. Ryu pretended to drink the antidote while secretly storing it in his traveler''s ring when Vein was engrossed in dissecting the Coral Drake for its poison. If anything Vein was confident from, it was his poison. His confidence was born from the years and years that he studied and used poisons. It never even came to his mind that someone would be immune to all kinds of poison. Even the demons and angels could be poisoned, much less halfbreed and mortals. So Vein didn''t bother to check the antidote if it was consumed or not. He was too focused on a new possible corrosive type of poison from the Coral Drake''s corpse. To him, it was more valuable than discovering rare items. Seraphina was administering the antidote to Theodore and Jane at the side while Masha was busy inspecting the tunnel. As they waited for Jane and Theodore to wake up and Vein to finish his dissecting, the rest decided to take a break. Kai set up a fire and cooked whatever was edible in his inventory. He didn''t know how far the drnds stretched inside the underwater, so best to take in as much cooked meat as he could. Not far from Kai, Ryu was resting on a rock though his eyes kept wandering towards the barriers to see if it would crack due to the Coral Drakes. They were just hovering outside. Some were scraping the ice and whack it with their heads. "Don''t worry. As long as I''m alive, that ice would remain there," Kai said and swallowed a whole fish. Seraphina went to Ryu and offered him a jerky. "You want some?" Ryu looked over at Seraphina''s face. Her usual smile was skewed, and her eyes couldn''t look straight at him. Ryu took the jerky and faced the other side when Seraphina sat beside him. "Thanks." Seraphina gave a small smile and nodded but otherwise didn''t offer ongoing conversation. Kai roasted a sea urchin and muttered with pointed lips, "Ha. .. how awkward." His face twisted when his stomach churned. Damn! His feet were still wet! He removed his boats and wiggled his toes. "Aahh. .. finally." Kai sagged on the rock as he savored a moment of peace. ".. ." Ryu munched his jerky. He wasn''t hungry, nor was he sleepy. He just needed to rest his legs. It was straining from all the running he made nonstop. Seraphina rubbed her hands and blew hot air towards them. The cave was cold, and the air was blowing ahead and lingered on their spot since the ice barrier prevented it from passing through. .. . .. . It was silent for a moment before Ryu finally asked the question he wanted to know the answer. "Why?" Seraphina blinked and looked at Ryu with her round mesmerizing blue eyes. "Why did you ally yourself with them? Did you betray us from the start?" ".. ." Seraphina''s smile didn''t lessen, but after a while, her chin crumpled, and her faade came tumbling with her sigh. She looked at her hands on herp and said, "No. Believe it or not, I didn''t betray you. I never expected to meet Masha this early too. It was just my bad luck at work." ".. ." Ryu took in the vulnerability on Seraphina''s face. Her eyes were shaking like the gentle ripples of the ocean. Her skin was supple and tender, and the curls of her wavy hair reminded him of silken yarns of gold. She was mesmerizing in her helpless state. But Ryu preferred her smile more. "I believe you." Seraphina''s eyelids blinked many times, and she stared at Ryu. He was looking on the ground, on the ceiling, on any part of the cave, anywhere. .. except at her. The angle of his jawline was prominent on side view, and his amber eyes glowed,plimenting the sharp nt of his nose. He was handsome alright. .. but if he matured. . . Seraphina giggled at the thought. Ryu would cause many heartbreaks in the future. That''s for sure. "Thank you," Seraphina said in a low voice, cheeks tainted in red. "Heeee. . ." At the side, Kai watched the two with mouth pointing and chin jutting. His face crumpling in jealousy. "Darling Seraphina," Kai whispered with a hand near his mouth, "Ryu has a mate, so if I were you, I wouldn''t get too close to him. He''s a womanizer even if he didn''t look like it. He''s a natural." And besides, you really don''t want to mess with Ferris. Kai thought. Seraphina giggled while Ryu shot Kai a re and flicked a pebble in his direction. Who was the womanizer between the two of them again? Kai yelped and grunted when the pebble hit him straight on his pointing lips. That''s for spreading false rumors. Chapter 114: Her Reason Chapter 114: Her Reason Seraphina was d that she at least couldugh still. The weight that had been dragging her since Masha showed was lifted somehow. But still, she wanted to tell Ryu the reason why she desperately joined Griffin Wings to the point that she even made the Seal of Promise. "I. .. ," Seraphina started. Didn''t know where to begin, "The only known family I have, is my father .. . and he. .. he is sick and dying." Ryu didn''t say anything, urging Seraphina to continue with his silence while Kai''s ear seemed to erge as he leaned closer in their direction. "The reason why I became a mercenary is because I wanted to explore the Mortal Realm and find a cure for my father until I stumbled on information that there is an item in the Nightmare Sea that could help him." Seraphina sighed and shook her head a little. "I didn''t know where to begin searching in the Nightmare Sea, and that is when I seek Griffin Wing''s help. They were famous hunters known throughout the Mortal Realm. If anybody could find it, it''s them. And without thinking of the consequences. .. I made a Seal of Promise. In exchange for my loyalty and obedience, they will help me search the Nightmare Sea for my item." "Until when?" asked Ryu. "Until I find the item." ".. . That could be a long time." Seraphina bit her lips. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something but decided against it. She shed a smile that didn''t reach her eyes. "I have a feeling that it''s here in Tethyt''sir." ".. ." As Ryu looked into Seraphina''s blue eyes, he found himself being pulled by its deep. It contained mysteries, and Ryu wanted to uncover its secrets. Was she hiding something? "Ahem!" Kai coughed between his fist, and both Seraphina and Ryu pulled away from each other. They didn''t know that they were just inches apart, and Kai was already in front of them with a hand on his waist, sporting a nk face. "It''s good that you''re getting close and all but don''t forget that we still have to deal with him." Kai jabbed a finger in Vein''s direction, who was still busy in his world of poisons. Ryu even thought that Veins was a little kid if only he weren''t so insensitive to everything when it''s not about poisons. "If we don''t do anything about our situation, then how are we going to acquire our mountain of riches? How am I going to buy my mansion and properties for my harem?" Kai said, voice agonizing as his face. "Aren''t you more concerned about your life?" Ryu asked, not really interested in the answer. "That too. But what good is a life without your harem who''ll wait for you in your mansions?" Kai really has his priority backward. "Mmm. . ." A groan pulled Ryu, Kai, and Seraphina''s attention. "Jane!" Seraphina chortled and went to Jane''s side when she finally regained consciousness. At the same time, Theodore was also regaining his awareness as he moved his fingers and opened his eyes. "W-what happened?" Jane asked in a daze. With a twirl of her hand, Seraphina produced pure aqua drops and gave them to Jane. "You lost consciousness and slept for thirty minutes, but everything is okay now." Jane drank the aqua drops in one gulp. Her throat was parched, and she needed that refreshing taste of spring to revitalize her body. "Thanks." Now that she was fully conscious, Jane realized what she was doing, and she pped Seraphina''s hand away. "My brother? Where''s Theodore?" Ryu scowled, but Seraphina just rubbed her hand and pointed in Theodore''s direction with a smile on her face. "He''s fine. He''s right there." Seeing her brother regaining consciousness, Jane went to her feet. She raised a hand when Seraphina was about toe close to her when she wobbled. "I''m fine." It was not that she hated Seraphina or anything. Jane just didn''t want to get close to her because it would be harderter on. .. for the both of them. Regaining her poise, Jane helped Theodore on his feet while Seraphina produced aqua drops for Theodore to drink. "W-what happened?" Theodore asked. "You" Jane didn''t get to finish her sentence when Kai butt in, "When a needle got stuck in your hand, you cried buckets and wet your pants and lost consciousness." Blood left Theodore''s already pale face, and he immediately checked his pants. His clothes were somewhat damp still, and he looked at Jane with watery eyes. "I. .. I did?" "Of course not." Jane shot a stern re at Kai before her expression softened as she raffled Theodore''s hair. "You pass out because you took the needle that was for me." Kai rolled his eyes. "That''s why the quirt isn''t growing cause you cuddle him too much." Jane stood and ignored Kai. "Our familycks the height, to begin with. Don''t associate my brother''s shortness because of too much love." "That''s not what I meant, though." Kai shut his mouth when Jane looked at him with an overflowing threat. "Are you done now?" Ryu and the others looked at Masha''s bored face. "If you are. Can we hurry onwards now?" she said and turned her back. Vein was also wrapping his experiments on the side as he stood on his feet and looked at the group. "Alright. Let''s go." Grumbling in silence, Kai went ahead but was stopped by Vein''s voice. "Wait." Vein swiped his chin. Then he pointed at Ryu. "You be the vanguard." ".. ." ".. ." Seraphina stepped forward, but Ryu already walked ahead withoutint. He didn''t have any problem with being in the lead while Kai took after him. Vein was probably taking his revenge when he grabbed his throat before. "Will resume the same position as before," Vein said, and the group marched ahead. "Have you seen anything strange?" Vein asked Masha since thetter went exploring on her own when he dissected the Drake Corals while the others did whatever they did. Masha stuck out her tongue and shrugged. "Nothing. I didn''t find anything. I didn''t go far, though." Masha didn''t want to admit that she was scared when she heard rattling on the other side of the tunnel. That was why she didn''t go further ahead. Chapter 115: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 1 Chapter 115: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 1 As they walked on the tunnel, Ryu was counting the hours with his hands. If he collected antidotes every hour, then they could possibly escape or held Vein captive to give them the real cure to the poison. There was no way that he didn''t carry it with him. Ryu would tell the otherster when he got the chance. Rather, how many antidotes Vein had enough to fill the four of them every hour? Was he bluffing? Ryu suddenly felt worried. Vein couldn''t keep on supplying them with an antidote. Sooner orter, his supply would run out, and what would happen then? Would he give them the real cure? Or let them die in the end? Ryu had to think of a way to get Vein between his ws somehow. If talking wouldn''t work, they could always resort to torture. As for now, Ryu focused ahead. He didn''t have to worry about ambushes and traps since he already traversed this tunnel before and on the other side. . . "Oh no. . ." Kai rubbed his head for the impending headache. "Not this again." At the end of the tunnel lies three arches, but there were carved symbols on top of the archway this time. "Can you decipher it?" Vein asked Masha. Since Masha was a hunter and excelled in traps and maps and hunting, be it treasures or beasts, she was required to learn symbols and deferentnguages and not just the many beasts roaming the entire Realms. The only problem was, it was her sister, Morgan, who was doing all the research while Masha was just riding her fame. She knew of it but notpletely. Masha scratched her head. She didn''t bother to check whaty at the end of the tunnel since she got scared and turned tail when she heard rattling noises. "L-let me decipher it first," Masha said in a weak voice, and Jane smirked at the side. Vein sighed at Masha''s clueless face. Was it really wise to partner with her? If only it were Morgan. Rather, could she just summon her pet to take a sniff and look? "Never mind," Vein said and inspected the symbols on each arch. Ryu and the other did the same. The four passages were huge. So huge that it was worrying what woulde out of it. Ryu looked at the intricately carved symbols. It looked like ws carved it with the rough edges and jagged style. He looked at it and looked at it. .. but he got none. He took a whiff, but the smell was the same old moss-covered damp rocks with a tinge of fishy odors. "It''s runes." Seraphina walked towards Ryu, but her eyes were on the symbols on top of the arches. "No one knew what it meant except the Gods and the Queen of Beast." "It''s probably just the name of some of their pets," said Kai. "O-or. .. name of powerful b-beast guarding the archway," Theodore stammered. Kai crossed his arms. "Are you really going to go in that line of thinking and wet your pants again?" "I-I did not!" Theodore shouted with a constrained voice, face red and eyes popping. Jane looked over her memories, but she couldn''t find a single clue about the symbol. "Its. .. I think it''s something to do with the treasures we will get from each of the caves." At least that line of thinking brightened her mood, but then she realized that they were held captive by Vein and her motivation plummeted into the very bottom of the sea. "Enough." Vein waved a hand and picked the central archway. "We''ll go this way." "Why?" Kai looked over the left archway and saw nothing different about it from the rest. "Because it had the least symbols," Vein said simply with his droopy face and signaled Ryu to move ahead. With no other options, they went with Vein''s suggestion and went into the center archway. Inside, the tunnel was like any tunnel they came across. Only, it was silent. Too quiet. That not even a drop of water or any little creatures'' sounds touched their ears. Theodore squeezed beside Jane while thetter said at Vein, "Give us the antidote. It''s almost an hour." Vein ignored her, and Jane pressed on, "If you don''t give us the antidote, then how are we going to fight if there is suddenly a beast on the other side? Could you defend on your own?" This got Vein''s attention, and he briefly shot Jane a side-eye. Breathing heavily through his nose, Vein flung four vials in Jane''s way. Jane and Theodore immediately drank the antidote before she gave the remaining two vials to Kai and Ryu. Like before, Ryu pretended to drink his before he stored the antidote in his traveler''s ring. "What do you think lies ahead?" Masha asked Vein as she mapped the tunnel. "I don''t know since it''s supposed to be your job to know." Masha''s face reddened, and her cheeks inted. She snapped her head away and harrumph. She still refused to summon her pet Griffin to aid her. It consumed mana, and since Kai and the others were there to check for her, she didn''t feel obligated to do so. Eventually, after five more minutes of walking in the tunnel, they finally reached the end. But the ring beam of the sudden light made them closed their eyes. And when they came too, they were inside another hall. Rocks withyers of corals created its walls. The glowing crystals illuminated its space, and nothing was present in its barren ground. "A dead end?" Kai said in dismay. BAM! The entrance and only exit they had was shut closed, and with it came a loud roar. RoOAaar! Their eyes shot from above. A creature was crawling so fast on the ceiling before it came crashing down on the ground. The floor shook and rattled, and everyone held their breath at the creature towering over them. Five meters in height and with a body so long, it upied almost all the space in the hall. Its two thin stick-like legs were smacking the ground, and dust and debris flew everywhere. Its body was that of a serpent, and its four pairs of mandibles were that of an insect-type beast. Its four eyes were obsidian ck, and its sharp teeth scattered across its wide mouth. (Pic) Masha gasped. "It''s a. . ." She forgot! "A Reaper Leviathan!" Seraphina yelled. Chapter 116: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 2 Chapter 116: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 2 "A Reaper Leviathan!" Seraphina yelled. "Yes! Exactly what she said!" Masha eximed. ROOoAR! The Reaper Leviathan''s long mandible went for Masha, but Masha quickly evaded, and the beast''s mandible smacked against the rigid walls. Rumble! To everyone''s surprise, the Reaper Leviathan''s mandibles didn''t have a single scratch while arge hole was on the wall. "W-what is that thing?" Kai asked. It appeared weak, and the only intimidating quality it had was it''s gigantic built. But with just a single blow, the Reaper Leviathan dealt arge hole on the hard rocky wall. "Despite its strange appearance and intimidating built, Reaper Leviathans is nothing more than a massive mindless sea creature," Seraphina said and jumped away when the Reaper Leviathan attacked again with its mandibles. "It possessed no magical abilities, and it used its mandibles to catch and crush its enemies before eating them." Seraphina summoned her staff and cast a spell. Numerous vines crawled in the Reaper Leviathan''s legs enough to stop its movements. Kai brandished his swords and aimed for the Reaper Leviathan''s long slimy body. "So, in short. It''s just a muscr beast with no brains!" Cling! ng! "What the?!" Kai was shocked when he didn''t even scratch the Reaper Leviathan''s hide. "Don''t underestimate it! Though it''s weak, no physical attack would work against it!" Masha summoned her pet, Griffin. It had four muscr paws with an eagle''s head and a long span of white wings. Masha wasn''t kidding that her pet wouldn''t squeeze in the mountain of corals in the Coral Drakes Lair. It was enormous, almost twice the size of Masha. Together they flew over the Reaper Leviathan. Masha clicked her tongue. The Reaper Leviathan was more enormous when she looked at it from above. Masha shot arrows made of concentrated mana from above, and the Reaper Leviathan roared when the arrows exploded on its serpent-like body. After the smoke and dust settled, the group found that the attack worked. Though small, there was an open wound on the Reaper Leviathan''s tough hide. "Attack with mana!" Kai imbued his sword with ice as the others imbued their weapons with their affinity. Ryu summoned his gauntlets [Rampaging Voltage], and lightning crackled on his hands. He slid towards the stomach of the Reaper, avoiding its legs and mandibles before he barraged it with punches and swipes. His strength and power, coupled with the effects of the electricity, made the Reaper Leviathan roar in agony. Its stomach had fewer scales, so it was his soft spot. With a barrage of blows from Ryu, it didn''t take a minute that its belly ripped open and guts and acids poured on the ground. RoOAaRr! The Reaper Leviathan went berserk, and its movement turned frenzy. Ryu avoided its body when it wiggled in erratic speed, but its tail still hit him, and he was sent flying. He smacked against the wall, and the Reaper Leviathan''s mandibles opened wide, aiming at him. But the monster''s attention was stolen yet again, with Seraphina and Kai taking turns attacking it. "We''ll support you from the back!" Jane was casting her spell while Theodore healed Ryu within seconds and, at the same time, creatingyers of barriers for him and his sister so they wouldn''t be hit with the Reaper Leviathan''s attacks nor the flying debris. Vein was just appearing and disappearing in all corners of the room and threw all kinds of weapons at the Reaper Leviathan ranging from knives, kunai to darts, all coated in poison. The poison took effect against the Reaper Leviathan, but it''d take some time for him to die with just poison alone. At least its movement was slowerpared to before. With everyone''sbined effort, it didn''t take ten minutes before the Reaper Leviathan was on the ground with holes covering its tough hide. Its skeleton was the only thing holding it from the rest of its body parts. "Let''s see if you taste good." Kai dropped beside the Reaper Leviathan and sliced a chunk of its still pumping flesh before he ate it raw. "Mmm. .. taste like other fishes." Kai shrugged and cut a massive chunk of the Reaper Leviathan''s flesh. "It''ll have to do for now." Ryu did the same. If it''s edible, it''s food. He had noints. The women looked at the two men in disgust while Seraphina instructed Ryu to take the Reaper''s eyes. "That''s the best part of the Reaper Leviathan." Seraphina beamed. Fin flew in Masha''s side and gave her the Reaper Leviathan''s Core. It was big and glowing, and it was filled with mana. "Ehehehe. This will surely fetch a good price." Beasts Cores, especially high tier level beasts, were sought after. It had many uses, from forging weapons, armors, items to magical ingredients. Sometimes, it even gave elemental affinity to weapons if the master smithy was skilled. So its price in the market was rtively high. More so than random Jewels and magical herbs. But before Masha could store it, Vein approached her with a coin in hand. "Remember the rules?" Masha looked at the coin in Vein''s hand with faked ignorance before she grumbled at his unrelenting stoic face. "Fine." Rumble! Rumble! But before he could toss the coin, a rumbling sound shook the ground and echoed in the cave. What used to be a sealed cave now had two holes on the opposite side. One was where they entered, and the other was leading to somece new. "Whoa. It''s like magic!" Kai eximed, and he was the first one to hop into the newly opened way. "W-what the. . ." The group was stunned, didn''t know how to proceed when they crossed to the other side. It was a smaller cave with only one entry and exit. It contained nothing but piles of precious stones, jewels, ores, while at the centerid the only chest on a pedestal shone by the light above. "Treasures!" Kai, Jane, and Theodore were ecstatic. Finally! Kai leaped from one foot to another and as he sprang towards the mountains of sparkling riches. "Stop." At Vein''s voice Kai, Jane, and Theodore''s expression fell. "Who says that cannon fodders have a share?" Vein asked with a nk face. "I think we earned that share when we found this cave," Jane said. "We also fought our way here, so it''s only right that we have a part of it," Kai seconded. Vein shook his head. "Cannon fodders don''t have rights. Your role is to die in our ce. What good are these treasures if you''re dead?" Kai''s gums hurt from the force he was gritting his teeth. If it weren''t for the poison, he''d cut Kai''s head at this moment. Jane was shaking with anger while Theodore was calming her down. "T-that''s not fair." "Fair?" Masha chuckled. "The strong prey on the weak. That''s the world we''re living in. Only the strong have rights while the weak get trampled on. me yourself for being weak." Masha waved a dismissive hand, and she trotted towards the piles of treasures. Vein shot them a warning squint of the eyes before he followed Masha''s back. "Seraphina! What are you waiting for?!" Masha called as sheughed at the items and ores in her hands. Seraphina looked at Ryu and the others with an apologetic face before she hurried to Masha and Vein. Kai swore that if he had the chance, he''d take his revenge with Vein and Masha in the most gruesome way he''d know. Not good. Kai almost lost himself there. He was supposed to be a happy-go-lucky guy. Not an evil crazed maniac out for blood. At least darling Seraphina was fine. He''d just treat it that he was giving all his hard-earned money to his future wife. At least he felt better. ---- A/N Please tell me if pictures are distracting and I won''t put anymore in future chapters. Chapter 117: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 3 Chapter 117: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 3 As Vein''s group flipped the coin, Ryu and the others could only watch bitterly at the side. Kai was grumbling, and Jane was fuming mad while Theodore had tears on his eyes as they watched Vein took most of the items while Masha took the ores and Seraphina with the jewels. Ryu didn''t know what kind of items they were but based on Vein''s brightened face. It was definitely worthing here. Ryu wasn''t interested, though. He was on the lookout for the Lost Jewel of Tethyt. Maybe it was the time to tell the others about the antidote? Ryu thought since Vein''s group was still busy dividing the treasures. "Everyone," Ryu started and proceeded to tell Kai and the others about his immunity to poison and that he was storing his antidotes. "Immune?" Kai whispered and peeped at Vein. When they were still busy, he muttered again, "Is that your special skill?" Ryu shook his head. "I don''t know." "Must be a beast thing." Jane wasn''t interested in Ryu except for the information that they might turn the tables around. "A-as far as I know. .. beasts aren''t exactly immune to poisons," Theodore squeaked. Kai held his head. "That''s not important. What''s important is, we might find an opening and kill Vein." "Not until we get the real cure of this poison," said Jane. "Can we just get his traveler''s ring after he''s dead?" Ryu asked. This was bothering him. He didn''t have time to ask, but what would happen to the traveler''s ring once you''re dead? Jane shook her head and bit her thumb. "You made a blood pact with the ring in order to wear it. No one can ess its contents but you. And if you''re dead, the contest of the ring would be lost forever." That didn''t sound good. Ryu was in a dilemma. How would he save Ferris then? "Is there another way?" "Hmmm. .. the only way I could think of is threatened Vein to give us the cure but. . ." Kai scratched his head. "That bastard is rather slippery and hard to deal with. Who knows if he''ll just give us another poison?" Jane nodded. "The best chance we have is Ryu store many antidotes enough for us to escape this ce and kill him. There might be a chance to find the cure above then here." Who knows, maybe some of the mercenaries have a cure, or if they were lucky, they''d find a cure within Tethyt''s many treasures or meet up with Marcus. But if worsees to worst, Jane crossed her hands, and the scowl on her face deepened. "I''d rather die with him than be canon fodders for them." Kai and Theodore felt the same. If there were no hope in acquiring the real cure, they''d instead take Vein with them. However, Ryu didn''t want to die since he still had to save Ferris. ".. ." ".. ." The group was at a standstill. "What are you guys talking about?" Ryu and the others were startled when Seraphina appeared out of nowhere with a big smile on her face. "N-nothing," Kai stammered, looking at the ceiling. Jan''s brows tightly knitted. "What is it to you what we are talking about? You''re an outsider now." Seraphina just giggled and handed out the jewels in her hands. "I''ll give this item to you. These might not be much, but it''s better than nothing." Jane''s eyes stretched wide as they could. Her attention then focused on the emerald drops with pearls and diamond bracelets among the jewels in Seraphina''s hand. It was so beautiful from most of her collections. What''s more, it emitted a faint greenish glow like it was calling to her. Kai gulped, eyes never blinking at the precious stones. Though there weren''t many, a single Chrysoberyl, Amber, and Zircon were worth at least a single-story house in the capital! "Y-you sure you''re going to give this to us?" Seraphina nodded with a smile. "Yes. Too bad that Vein and Masha got the most of the treasures, but I think it''s better than nothing." Kai''s mood lifted as he picked the precious stones. "Hmp." Jane flipped her hair and grabbed the bracelet. "I''ll pick this then." It wasn''t just an ordinary bracelet. It boosts her wind magic by twenty percent. "U-Uhm. .. t-thank you very much." Theodore bowed before he chose a silver ring that boosted his defense by also twenty percent. Jane couldn''t believe that a single bracelet lying around in the cave could already provide many attributes. Items with attributes in the Mortal Realm were hard to find, and only a skill smithy or crafters could forge one. Besides that, the attribute was usually only at ten percent. Are all items are likat that in here? If so. .. madness crossed Jane''s eyes. They have to find a way to kill Vein if they want to have part with the treasure here. "This is for you, Ryu." Seraphina handed two Lizards'' tails to Ryu. Ryu tilted his head. It was dried, and it felt like it would snap in his fingers. He was about to give it back to Seraphina when he noticed that runes were marking the Lizard''s tails. "What is this?" Ryu couldn''t get his eyes off from the runes. They seemed to be pulling his consciousness. "Hmm. .. I don''t know too." Seraphina ced a finger on her lip before she giggled and leaned closer to Ryu. "But I heard rumors that there are shops in other dimensions, and you need a special pass to ess them. Lizzaforth''s tavern might help you if you wanted to ess the contents of a traveler''s ring," Seraphina whispered. Ryu''s eyes bulged, and he stared at the innocent face of the beautiful woman. Seraphina still had her usual dazzling smile, but Ryu thought, for a moment, her blue eyes turned to slit. Ryu blinked, and Seraphina was back to her cheerful, innocent self. "Who are you," Ryu asked in a calm voice, being careful not to let Kai and the others hear their conversation. However, he doubted it since they were still upied with Seraphina''s gifts. Seraphina sped her hands on her back and beamed. "That''s not important. What''s important is that. .. I''m on your side." Ryu was about to ask some more when Seraphina turned and conversed with Kai and the others, signaling the end of the conversation. Ryu wanted to be wary of Seraphina. The woman was much more than just a pretty face. She knew too much and even heard their conversation about the traveler''s ring when they were a hundred meters apart. Was she a beast? Only beasts have a kin sense of hearing. But there was no indication that she was, except maybe if she was a Rank-S or above beast who could transform into a perfect human. The more Ryu thought about her, the more confused he became. But try as he might, he couldn''t feel any animosity towards her. ---- Level of Beasts from highest to lowest: Mythic Legendary God Ancient Rank-S Rank-A Rank-B Rank-C Rank-D Chapter 118: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 4 Chapter 118: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 4 "What''s going on?" Ryu didn''t have time to ponder more about Seraphina when a bright light consumed them. "I think Vein is opening the chest," said Seraphina. It was the only chest on the pedestal, and everyone knew that whatever was inside that chest was very valuable. "Damn it," Kai hissed as the light faded and Vein was reaching out for the content of the chest. Without blinking, Ryu stared at the item in Vein''s hand. It was neither the Lost Jewel of Tethyt nor a rare item nor an artifact. It was. . . A piece of a stone tablet. "What the. . ." Kai didn''t know whether tough or cry. Fortunately, it wasn''t him who suffered the blow of disappointment. Something finally good came out of this ordeal as they got to see Vein''s twisting face. "A piece of a tablet?" Jane was curious, though. That tablet wouldn''t be ced inside a chest if it wasn''t important. "W-what does it do?" Theodore asked. Kai, Jane, and Theodore were probing while Ryu followed them when they approached Vein''s group to spy in their conversation. "Read it," Vein said and handed the torn tablet to Masha. "Uh. . ." Masha shifted the tablet left and right and up and down, but for the life of her, she still couldn''t read runes. Vein sighed. "Useless." "What?!" Masha growled and pushed the tablet back to Vein before crossing her arms. "Then you read it if you know how to read runes!" "That''s why I gave it to you because I don''t know-how. You''re the hunter. You should have studied differentnguages and symbols." "Runes aren''t part of it." Masha defended herself. No one knew of it except the Queen of Beast and maybe the Gods when they were still here. "Now what?" Kai wandered around. There was no opening nor another secret passageway in this cave except the one they had just entered. "I think we should go back first," Seraphina proposed. With no other option, the group made their way towards the main hall where the three giant arches were located. Along the way, Ryu, Kai, Jane, and Theodore were signaling each other. They didn''t know what to do with Vein yet, and Ryu was having second thoughts about Seraphina. Who knew if she was just pulling his leg? Then, there was no other option than that. .. Ryu mouthed the words onto Kai and Jane. Both were shocked, but then their face changed to glee. That was right, with that. .. they would surely take the antidote from Vein. The only problem was. . . They needed a chance. An opportunity. Even just a moment that Vein let his guard down. While everyone was having secret eye contact, Seraphina briefly nced in Ryu''s direction and thought, ''It would be much faster if you go to Lizzaforth.'' Seraphina pouted and sighed. Back in the main hall where the three archesy, the group was bbergasted that the center archway''s symbol dimmed. It was glowing faintly before, but now it was dead. "Is it because we killed the Reaper Leviathan?" Kai guessed. Jane ced a finger on her chin and concluded, "Then this symbol must be the name of the beast of each arches. "What do you think?" Vein asked Masha. "It must be it. This must be the threeirs of the boss, and if I''m not mistaking, there might be a chance that the other parts of the tablet are there too," Masha said and added, "and the treasures like the center archway!" Vein nodded, and without another second, hemanded Ryu to take the lead to the right archway. "But before that." Jane blocked the right doorway and extended her palm at Vein. "If you want us to help you defeat the boss of this everyir, we need that antidote." Vein''s eyelid twitch. He peeked at the ceiling with his eyes set deep in darkened sockets like he was able to spot the light from above. Was it really nearing another hour? He couldn''t tell since time in this ce was distorted. But Vein thought that he couldn''t create conflict nor disposed of Jane and the others. Not right now. Not unless he reached the Leviathan''sir and went to the next Islet. Vein was sure that Marcus wasn''t on this Islet as well as Morgan. But he wasn''t sure if they were on the next Islet after this one, so he''ll dispose of Kai and the rest of them before then. Vein handed the vials to Jane without another word. Jane and the others drank the antidote while Ryu hid his and proceeded to the nextir. The right corridor was the same as the central corridor but more on the decaying side. The floor was rough and irregr as though the earth beneath shrugged it off. Some vermin forage among the stone floor, finding some parasites and nts to gnaw upon. They produced scrabbling noises as they scurried into the holes when they approached. A vertical carpet of moss and tiny fungus had utterly overrun the corridor''s walls. Some stones and crystals sprouted from the wall giving illumination within the hall. They could be broken and taken as loot but weren''t worth much, so no one bothered to stop and take a second look. Ryu took a sniff. The smell of this passage was different from the central passageway. The air was stiff and stale, carrying with it the stench of rotting flesh and the filth of the deep sea. Ryu took a peeked at Seraphina. The constant twinged of her nose was an indication that she smelt it too. She had a high sense of smell and hearing, which was odd considering that she was human. Or was she? Then his eyes were drawn at her slender fingers, holding her staff close to her body. Thin, slender fingers seemed to delicately touch and caress everything that she held. Shaking his head lightly, Ryu reverted his thoughts at the mysteries that surrounded her. Seraphina knew the ocean too much for a first-time adventurer even though she said she studied it in advance. She had a kin sense of hearing and smell, but there was no indication that she was a halfbreed or beast. Or was she just good at hiding it? She said she was on his side, and Ryu wanted to believe her if she would only tell her more. Sensing his eyes on her, Seraphina met his gaze and beamed her brightest. Ryu wasn''t embarrassed that he was caught staring. He averted his gaze and looked ahead with a stoic face. As they neared the end of the hallway, Theodore was constantly picking at something with his fingers. His hair or nails usually received the blunt end while his eyes darted from one location to another. Jane was focus ahead with a confident stride, but the excessive sweating on her face broke her faade. Kai readied his weapons and mind for the opponent that lies ahead. Though his mouth never stopped rumbling his discontent under his breath. Rumble! The entrance closed when they reached the other side, and the stone works settled with a quiet rumble, and steam of dust hissed onto the floor followed by the hissing sounds of the slithering tongue of a wyrm. Atop the piles of bonesid a monster possessing a long, almost serpent-like body that stretched ten meters from its t snout and a hideous fang-filled jaws to its sharp tail. Its body was corded in muscles and covered in scales with four limbs topped with razor-sharp ws. Its silvery-green skin shone when it came into the light, and its tiny menacing eyes sent shivers down their spine. (Pic) "It''s a. .. !" The name was at the tip of Masha''s tongue, but Seraphina always beat her to it. "A Merwyrm!" Chapter 119: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 5 Chapter 119: Three Lairs and Three Tablets 5 The Merwyrmshed at the group with a frightening gait, exhibiting with it a chilling force enough to freeze any warm bodies on its path. The group immediately dispersed, with Jane taking the precautionary step to imbue her and Theodore''s bodies with a spell that increased their movement speed. "Be careful! It''s immune to water and ice!" Seraphina warned the others. Vein didn''t care as he disappeared in the shadows while Masha didn''t bother to take out her pet Griffin. The Merwyrm''s only lethal attack was its poisonous body and chilling ability. But besides that, it was weaker than the Reaper Leviathan as long as you didn''t get hit with its ws or any part of its poisonous body. A hammer appeared in Masha''s hand. It had a long handle and an enormous metal head weighing two thousand kilograms, enough to pound the Merwyrm''s skull in one blow. "You''re mine!" All Masha thought were the treasures lying after they defeated the Merwyrm. She needed to kill the beast and get her treasures as soon as possible! BaaAAaMm! However, the mighty force of her hammer only smashed the uneven ground, and the Merwyrm escaped in the darkness with lightning speed. Masha clicked her tongue. "So slippery!" Theodore raised his staff and called forth a spell the imbued the area in perpetual light. [Shine] RoOAaRr! The Merwyrm couldn''t stand the ring light, and it shut its eyes and slithered itself in the darkest part of the cave. But it was no use since Theodore''s spell covered every crevice, and there was no part in the cave that his light didn''t shine. "Attack it now!" Kai yelled with his scimitars in his hands. He shot forth into the Merwyrm''s range, aiming for its neck. "Look out!" Seraphina shouted when the Merwyrm was about to swipe its ws in an attempt to fend off its foes. Kai instinctively ducked behind the Merwyrm''s heavy swing, only to discover that he underestimated it too much. Even with its sight impended, it had an impable sense of hearing and smell. Its hissing tail struck at his lowered posture, and it ced a deep puncture hole into the meat of his shoulder. "Gagh!"Intense pain pulsated through Kai''s arm, shooting into his hand with clenching agony. The Merwyrm''s poison quickly spread to his body, and before the poison caused his legs to spasm, he leaped back just in time that another swipe of the Merwyrm''s tail could im his head. Kai couldn''t move from the poison, and his back remained on the ground. Any slight movement felt like his bones were grinding to dust. But he didn''t have time to think of the pain as the Merwyrm slithered its way to him within a blink. Damn! It could sense heat from living things! That was the only exnation as to why it discovered where he was with its eyes closed. Kai gnashed his teeth. It was toote to summon ice to shield him from the Merwyrm''s jaws. RoOAaR! However, before the Merwyrm opened its mouth and devoured Kai, a hurl of dense wind smashed it into the walls while the poison and the hole in Kai''s shoulder were closing from Seraphina''s spell. "Thanks." Kai grinned at Seraphina but barely gave a nce at Jane for saving his life. Seraphina helped Kai to his feet. "Be careful. It must be an elder Merwyrm that evolved with heightened senses from all the years of its captivity inside this dark cave." The Merwyrm went to its feet and shook its head while its scales rattled. It was injured from the blow, and the side of its body was covered in blood. It shrieked at the mortals before it crawled to an area with a puddle of water. The others were amazed when the wounds on its hide were closing, and the blood sipped right back into its body. "What is that thing?" Kai''s head was thumping. "It could heal itself with water?" "The only way to defeat it is to obliterate itpletely." Jane summoned multiple [Wind des] sharp gusts of winds that aimed at the Merwyrm. The wind des carried with it a whooshing sound seeking the life of its foes. However, the Merwyrm was too fast, even faster from Jane''s wind spell. "Stay still!" Jane attacked it with a barrage of de-like winds, but all her wind hit was the moss-covered walls and the uneven stone floors. "Quit wasting your mana and practice on your aim first!" Mashaughed despite the situation they were in. With two mages on their side that could disperse the Merwyrm''s poison and heal even the ghastly wounds, she had nothing to worry about. Masha swiped her nose with her thumb. "Yosh! Let me show you what real speed isargh!" Masha almost tumbled on the ground when a gust of wind went past her in the form of Ryu. "Hey! Watch where you''re going!" Ryu didn''t even spare Masha the barest attention as he dashed towards the Merwyrm. "Ryu, it''s too fast! Even for you, you can''t catch it with just your speed!" Kai warned, but his warnings went to deaf ears. Kai was about to leap and help Ryu when Seraphina stepped forward. "I''ll hold it off." Seraphina''s mouth mumbled incantations, and a thick tangle of constricting vines erupted through the area. It caught the Merwyrm off guard, and the vines wrapped the Merwyrm in its grasp. It crushed the Merwyrm with enough force that everyone heard a cracked of bones amidst shrieks of agony. [Constricting Vines] Seizing the opportunity, Ryu doubled in speed. His whole body twisted in an exaggerated arc as the gauntlets in his hands crackled with electricity, and he powered into the Merwyrm. RoAar! The Merwyrm shrieked, but it couldn''t move much less flee, and the fight ended with a deadly ram of Ryu''s gauntlets into the Merwyrm''s chest where its mana core lies. His strength, coupled with the gauntlet stat boost, was enough to crack the Merwyrm''s body before it burst into pieces without any chance of recovery. .. . .. . "Whew." Kai and Seraphina both had bright smiles on their faces. Every battle where they came out alive was worth celebrating. Theodore almost wet his pants from relief when two holes opened from the cave. Jane was the first to run inside the newly opened ess, but the smile on their faces quickly dropped at the appearance of Vein, who was already grabbing the second tablet from the only chest on the pedestal of the newly opened cave. "Hey! No opening of treasures without me!" Masha bumped Jane''s shoulder as she went past her and stuck out her tongue before she went to Vein''s side. "You didn''t even help." Kai spat to the ground. Theodore clutched Jane''s robe when thetter was shaking with anger. Without looking at the others, Vein stored the tablet and proceeded to divide the piles of treasures on the ground. "I prefer to save my mana. There are already six of you against that Merwyrm," said Vein while his face twitched a little. The treasures this time were just useless pieces of gold and stones. Was it because the Merwyrm was weak? Did the rewards correspond to the level of the beast? "Seems like the treasure this time isn''t worth much," Seraphina chimed in. Kai exaggeratedly scratched his dirty gold hair. "Even so. It''s better than nothing. I bleed for that treasure." Jane nodded and threw a sharp look at Seraphina. "At least it couldpensate the loss of our mana." Seraphina knew what they were hinting at. "Alright. Then let me get my share and divide it with you guys." Kai sighed when Seraphina left them. "Always just getting the scraps. Well, I guess it''s better than nothing." His eyes then narrowed at Vein. "We need to kill that guy fast if we want to acquire rare items and artifacts." Ryu, Jane, and Theodore agreed. Chapter 120: The Final Lair and Tablet Chapter 120: The Final Lair and Tablet A/N Dedicated to Fuzzy_bear803 for the GT. Thank you very much. ---- Traversing the final archway, the group was quiet. It was too quiet that even the slightest sound echoed off the chamber walls and magnified tenfold along the corridor. There were whispering voices, and Ryu didn''t know if it was only the air that was moving in a strange way. Somewhere nearby, water was slowly dripping onto the rocks. But the smell this time didn''t contain rot and decay only the fishy odor of the sea. Theodore rubbed his eyes. His skin was turning pallid as he sighed. "Are you okay?" Jane asked. Theodore nodded and offered a small smile. "I''m just a little tired." Jane was worried about her little brother. Theodore was only in his teens, and his stamina wasn''t that great, to begin with. Coupled with his young age and adding the poison in his body, no wonder he was exhausted. But since she couldn''t do anything about it with Vein holding them at the mercy of his poison, Jane could only gnash her teeth and endure. "Do you still have enough mana?" Jane asked. It was the most important question since Vein appeared like he wanted to explore this cave without rest. Theodore nodded and squeezed Jane''s hand. "Don''t worry. I have enough to protect you." Jane huffed augh and raffled Theodore''s hair. "I''d rather you protect yourself first. Your big sister still has an enormous amount of mana, so you can take it easy in the next battle." While Jane and Theodore were conversing, Kai took a quick glimpse at Vein. Vein watched them with his droopy eyes set deep in dark sockets, and Kai could only hope that he didn''t notice that Ryu was immune to poison. Either way, they have to take him out in thisir when they have the chance. But if he disappeared in his shadows again. . . Kai bit his thumb. They have to prevent it somehow, and only when Vein fought the next boss and had his back open to them could they realize their n. Looking ahead, Kai wished that the next boss was stronger than the Reaper Leviathan. At least that would prompt Vein to fight with them. And Kai''s wish came true when they emerged on the other side. Beautiful corals coated the cave, and a swamp not far from them was dense in vegetation. But the gurgle sounds of their soon-to-be foe were a clear indication that they were not weed. In the corner of the reefs immerged a giant crab, metallic blue in colorabout six meters tall and twenty meters wide. One side of its massive w was ground against the many battles it fought that it turned into a jagged de. Its whole body was covered by all sorts of weapons lodged from those who sought its resilient carapace. (Pic) "It''s an Ancient Crab!" Masha shouted and puffed her chest when she beat Seraphina this time. Seraphina paid her no mind and said, "Ancient Crabs are nothing more than giant crabs that, with a stroke of luck, managed to outlive its natural lifespan. It has a level of intelligence, and its shell is resistant to cold and is tough to break with physical attacks." "Can we defeat it?" Kai was eyeing the Crab. Steam of air floated on its mouth as it watched their every move. "The only thing tricky about it is we are on itsir. It has total dominion over this ce," said Seraphina in a serious voice, "but besides that, as long as we work together, we can defeat it." "Alright, let''s get this done and over with." Vein drew his daggers, intending to fight this time. Ryu, Kai, Jane, and Theodore secretly signaled to each other. It seemed like Vein was going to join the fight. This was their chance! ShHrieEkK! The Ancient Crab''s eight legs rattled the ground as it moved in their direction when they summoned their weapon. Despite its size, it was agile. It was rampaging towards them at full speed with its ws extending for their neck. Everyone cleared the way andnded on the swamp. A good thing that the swamp wasn''t deep. But it still limited their movement, and with the small cave, there wasn''t enough space to maneuver. "Let''s see how hard your shell is!" Masha attacked it with her hammer. Since the size of her Griffin wouldn''t be able to roam freely in this constrictingir, she opted not to summon it. It also conserved her mana that way. Together with Masha, Kai also leaped from above to deal a blow, but the Ancient Crab didn''t even try to avoid their attacks. Its hard carapace was enough to deflect all physical attacks. BaAMm! AaSh! Masha and Kai''s weapon collided with the hard shell of the Ancient Crab, but it didn''t even leave any damage. Instead, they were flung away with the same force they exerted. Kai somersaulted in mid-air andnded on his two feet while Masha didn''t give up with her attacks. With a leap of her foot, she charged once more. But her attacks were constantly repelled by the Ancient Crab. Jane pped her forehead and shook her head when Masha was constantly being hurled away by the Ancient Crab''s shell. It didn''t even pay attention to Masha as it chased the others around. "Theodore, don''t use your magic unless absolutely necessary, alright?" Jane instructed, and Theodore nodded. They have to conserve their mana for the fightter. Jane''s eyes narrowed at Vein, who was appearing and disappearing all over the Ancient Crab. With his daggers coated in poison, it struck the giant Crab but, like with everyone else, couldn''t damage its thick shell, much less poison it. Vein was also reserving his mana and didn''t make any big moves as well as Masha. Kai''s group noticed this. Did they have an inkling of what they were nning? If so. .. Kai nodded at Ryu. Ryu went for the Ancient Crab, and thunder racked his gauntlets as he jumped over on the Ancient Crab''s head. With all his might, he punched the hardness of its shell with a savage crack that sent it sprawling downwards. The Ancient Crab''s carapace was extremely hard, like all parts of its body that were covered with thickyers of shell. But with Ryu''s strength, he managed a crack on top of its carapace even it''s just minuscule. Ryunded next to Kai when the giant monsters got to its eight legs. "Its shell is hard but not exactly breakable. If we aim our attacks at a concentrated area, we might be able to break it." Ryu nodded at Kai''s words, and the both of them continued their barraged of assaults together with Masha and Vein. Jane, Theodore, and Seraphina all remained at the side, ready to heal anyone who was injured. Everyone was conserving their mana, but when the Ancient Crab shrieked and spewed foam from its mouth, and the bubbles floated in the air, the three mages didn''t have a choice but to heal everyone whose skin melted upon contact with the bubbles. With the acidic floating bubbles surrounding the group, the fight became more troublesome. "Let''s finish this." Kai was forced to use some skills. With the Ancient Crab immune to ice, he had no other choice but to go with physical attacks. A giant pentagram appeared before him, and the space around it twisted and warped. Multiple dark swords slipped from its surface and all shot towards the Ancient Crab in terrifying speed and fearsome whirr. [Phantom des] The des disappeared and reappeared in erratic movement, catching the Ancient Crab off guard. BoOmM! BOommM! But even with all the attacks, the Ancient Crab waspletely intact. Kai didn''t mind as his attacks were just decoy so Ryu could slip past through its defense and attack it from its bottom, where the shell lining its stomach was more brittle. Ryu slid under the Ancient Crab and rained a series of jabbing blows in a single area. He besieged the Ancient Crab until once vicious shot finally cracked its shell and left a ghastly and gore-filled wound on its flesh. ShRriieeEEKk! Ryu didn''t stop his blows amidst the Ancient Crab''s shrieks. Having overwhelmed his hapless foe, Ryu ended the Ancient Crab''s struggled with life with a vicious punch that destroyed even its mana core. "Theodore now!" Kai shouted, and he went for Vein with a spiteful glint in his eyes. Before Masha and Vein knew what was going on,rge pentagrams appeared under their foot, and anyone who stood there was bind by its spell and couldn''t move. [Bind] "Bastards!" Masha roared, spit flying from her mouth. Theodore summoned a high-level magic that constrains Masha and Vein''s movement and prevents them from using their mana. His mana was depleted to half in exchange, and since he was using his magic nonstop to heal and support the others, his mana was almost empty. He had a minute tops to keep the [Bind] spell activated before it lost its effect. With an agile maneuver, Kai was in a perfect position to perform an execution at Vein. If he could injure him enough to threaten him to make the Seal of Promise to give them the real cure of the poison, then. . . With a blurred swing, Kai wanted to behead Vein but decided to leave a vicious gash on his stomach instead that would let him bleed enough to threaten his life. ---- A/N Please support me by voting,menting and giving gifts. It means a lot. T_T Oh! And if you have questions and suggestions about the story, you can join our discord channel. Join discord server that myself and a few other authors collectively /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 121: Vein Chapter 121: Vein "Make a Seal of Promise that you''ll give us the real cure of your poison in exchange that we heal you," Kai hissed as he pointed his scimitar at Vein, who was bleeding his guts outs. "Bastards! What''s the meaning of this?!" Masha was yelling at the top of her lungs. Jane sneered. "What? You expect to keep us hostage, without expecting any retaliation?" Masha gnashed her teeth. "Don''t get cocky. The moment you kill us. You''ll die as well." Jane chuckled. "I''d rather die and take you with me than die as your cannon fodders." "Grr!" Masha looked at Jane with unbridled spite. "Wait till this spell break, and I''ll snap that pretty neck of yours." Jane faked a shiver. "Oh. .. I''m scared. What are you going to do with just the two of you against the four of us?" "Ha?" Masha grinned with her sweat dropping onto the floor. "Seraphina!" ".. ." Masha looked over at the beautiful girl and found her lying on the rocks. "Don''t worry. I''ve knocked her unconscious, so you can''t order her around with the Seal of Promise as your leverage." Jane smirked, and Masha couldn''t do anything but looked at Vein. "You heard what Jane said." Kai raised Vein''s head with the tip of his sword. "We''d rather die with you than die as cannon fodders. So you better startpromising. Now!" Kai was losing patience when all Vein did was stare at him without even making a sound. "Do you think this is a joke?" Kai''s de drew blood from Vein''s neck. "Perform a Seal of Promise that you''ll give us the real cure, and I''ll let you go." Vein''s sunken eyes stared at Kai. There was something undeniably sinister about him that put Kai on edge. Vein''s lips stretched in a horrendous smile. "Fools." "Wha!" Before Kai could finish his sentence, Vein disappeared, and from its ce was his shadow, and it draped over at Kai in his moment of confusion. "Fools. Do you think that you could threaten me?" Not far from Kai, the real Vein appeared with his lethargic face and woundless frame. "You think I didn''t take precautionary steps every time I showed you my back? I have my shadow ready to take my ce at a snap." "Gagh! You. . ." Kai couldn''t breathe when Vein''s shadows draped over him like a cloak, squeezing the life out of him. When he resisted, another shadow appeared, and another. The more he struggled, the more shadows pounced on him. The collective pressure was too much to bear, and Kai''s spine broke. "Argh!" A sharp pain tore at Kai like ws of madness ripping away his sanity. "Kai!" Jane and Theodore raised their staff, but they puked out blood instead. Intense pain pulsated through their heart and shoot in their entire body, sending them to the ground. Jane and Theodore were shocked despite the surging pain of Vein''s poison. They had it wrong, the poison inside their body was alive, and Vein could control it at will! "Spineless dastard," Jane spat, eyes burning with hate. "Ahahaha! That''s what you get for being fucking idiots!" Masha''s waves ofughter tore through the cave. "Vein, quick! Kill the midget so I can get out of here." Vein''s sunken eyes shifted to Masha before he appeared before her and clutched her throat. "W-what are you doing?" Masha was rmed when Vein looked at her like she was nothing but shit stuck in his boots. "A pity that you have to go. You''re too nave and easily manipted. But you prove to be more useless than I expected." "Y-you!" Masha choked when Vein slid a shadow down her throat. The shadow expanded within her until all blood and air couldn''t circte. Masha''s body was convulsing and expanding. Her eyes burst, and blood poured from every orifice in her body. "V-vein. . ." Masha still couldn''t move and summon her pet from Theodore''s spell, but even if she could, it was toote to escape the moment Vein touched her. "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure to tell your sister how you bravely fought Jane and the others and how grand you im each other''s life." "Fuck you!" Masha roared with all her strength before she exploded into nothing but flesh and blood. The gruesome sight drained all colors from Theodore''s face, and the [Bind] spell broke with his mana nearing depletion. With the amount of mana he had, he couldn''t even perform a simple healing spell, much less a devastating one against Vein. Rather, with his circumstances, the poison was crippling him with nothing but pain. He couldn''t even concentrate, much less cast a spell. "S-sister. . ." The edge of Vein''s lips rose in a smirk that made his sallow face seemed like a vengeful ghost. "Fools that don''t know the beauty of my poison should just be cannon fodders for me." Vein appeared before Jane and snatched her hair and stared at the beauty of her agonizing face. "You should have stayed as cannon fodders, and you wouldn''t have to watch your brother suffer as my new test subject for mytest discovery." Vein let go of Jane''s hair and focused his attention on Theodore. His head was skewed to the side with a creepy smile on his face as he approached Theodore with a dagger in hand. "G-get away from him." Jane was inhaling and exhaling so fast in order to slow the poison''s effect but found her resistance futile when the unendurable pain caused her to be in and out of consciousness. Jane bit her tongue until it bleeds to stay conscious and cast a spell. But the more she struggled, the more the poison evaded her mind. "N-no. . ." Jane sobbed, and tears rolled in her eyes when she could only lie on the ground and watched as Vein raised his dagger against Theodore''s heart with an excited glint in his eyes. BaAM! However, before Vein could stab his dagger, Ryu appeared on the side and kicked Vein away from Theodore. The force of his kick bent Vein''s body at an awkward angle, and he was sent flying against the wall. The wall cracked, forming an aperture and the debris and rocks fell on top of Vein. "R-Ryu. . ." Jane and Theodore croaked at the same time. With Ryu''s broad back at them, looking strong and dependable, they were reminded of Marcus, and their eyes blurred in tears. "Get a grip." Kai appeared before Jane and Theodore and gave them an antidote each. The one that Ryu was storing. "This is no time to be weak and wailing!" Luckily, Ryu stored a total of three antidotes throughout the travel. Though Kai didn''t know how long it wouldst since Vein could control the poison in their body, he suspected that the antidote could at least hold off the poison for ten minutes. "It''s enough to get that dastard screaming in pain." Kai was angry, and this time he was not going to y around. His spine was broken, but luckily Ryu gave him the antidote when Vein wasn''t looking. And using a simple healing spell he had in his arsenal, he managed to heal his broken bones. Jane was fuming mad, as well, as she wiped her tears. "Even my mana depleted, I''ll make sure that scrawny mongrel would pay." Theodore could breathe easy when the antidote took effect, but since his mana was nearing empty, he could only stand at the side. "Half-breed. . ." Vein stood from the rubbles. Eyes menacing and face twisting in anger. "How is my poison not affecting you?" Chapter 122: Vein 2 Chapter 122: Vein 2 "Heh." Kai grinned. "Maybe your prized poison isn''t so great after all." The corner of Vein''s lips twitched. "No matter." He flipped his daggers and hid in the shadows. "I''ll just have to dissect you and unravel your secrets." "Be careful!" Kai warned and stayed closer with Jane and Theodore. He did not doubt that Vein woulde after the two since they were the easiest prey. Jane stayed next to Theodore and covered their body withyers of wind to repel any surprise attack. It wouldn''t do much, but at least it would offer some sense of security. The panic inside Jane rose, clutching at her breath. Vein was a dangerous man with his poison, and once he hid in his shadows, his prey was good as dead. Ryu searched for Vein''s scent, but even it was gone. It was like the ability of the Owner, and it wasn''t very pleasant to deal with. A ripple appeared, and Ryu swung his fist and drove the sudden daggers his way with a flick of his hand. With the gauntlets protecting his hands, he could move freely and blocked Vein''s attack. Cling! ng! A barrage of multiples daggers appeared out of nowhere, the poison coating each de glinted with the intent to kill. But with Ryu''s speed and the innate skill of his beast, he sensed the movement of the des even before it could strike. Inside the protection of his shadows, Vein clicked his tongue. He thought hiding in his shadows and performing sneak attacks was enough to catch the halfbreed in surprise. But he didn''t expect that Ryu''s senses were abnormally high for a halfbreed that Ryu felt his des movements even before it struck. Though it was rare to have an affinity to shadows, it also took a demanding amount of mana to use, and Vein couldn''t keep [Cloak of Shadows] for longer periods, or his mana would run empty. Vein appeared twenty meters away from Ryu, and the moment he did, a shriek of wind rasped his ears. He quickly dodged to the side, and Jane''s attack bored a hole on the ground. Vein wasn''t out of danger yet as both Kai and Ryu appeared at his front and back. "You''re mine!" Kai''s eyes glint with pleasure at seeing Vein cornered, but thetter disappeared and reappeared away from them in a blink of an eye. Jane wasn''t letting Vein rest as she shot multiple attacks whenever he went. But they couldn''t catch him when he blinked from one direction to another. "Damn it!" Kai cursed. "We must find a way to pull that guy out from his hiding hole." "His mana is probably running low. He can''t keep it up," Jane said and bit her lip when she glimpsed at Theodore''s ghastly face. They have to hurry, though. It''s either Vein would run out of mana or the poison would kill them. Inside his shadow, Vein took in arge intake of breath and let it out in one st. He couldn''t possibly win against two Rank-A mercs and an unusual halfbreed. Escaping was out of the question when he was too close to acquiring thest tablet. He had a feeling that the tablets held the key to a room full of treasures. Besides. .. Vein''s mouth twisted up into a horrendous grin, and his eyes narrowed at Ryu. He really wanted to dissect that halfbreed. That desire was more important to him than uncovering the mystery of the tablets. He''d wait for the antidote to wear off andunched his devastating attacks. With Kai, Jane and Theodore crippled with his poison, dealing with the halfbreed would be a piece of cake. If physical attacks don''t work on him. .. though half his mana left, Vein had plenty of spells to kill him, and he would have both the halfbreed and the treasures. "Theodore!" Vein''s chance came fast, with Theodore falling onto the ground. He appeared fifty meters away from Kai''s group and whistled an inaudible tune,manding the poisons in Kai and Jane''s body to attack. The pounding in Jane and Kai''s head reminded them that the effect of the antidote wore off! "S-shit!" Kai wanted to wipe the smugness on Vein''s face but the poison burnt through his body in a hot spasm. His senses were blinded by intense, deep pain, burning to the core of his being. He dropped to the ground, panting and writhing in agony. He could barely stifle a scream. "T-Theodore. .. ," Jane said in wavering breathes as she fell next to Theodore. Her chest rose and fell with panicked breaths. Howe the antidote already wore off? Did its effect onlyst five minutes? "Argh!" The sudden, painful cramp forced Jane to bite back her scream. Crimson clouds crowd her sight, reducing her vision to a small tunnel of blurs amidst the burning pain that threatened to overwhelm her. M-Marcus. . . "N-no. .. ," Tears flooded Jane''s eyes when Theodore''s eyes burst, and blood oozed from his ears and nose and bubbled from his mouth. His body was jerking, convulsing, and she couldn''t even do anything but watch. Seeing that the others were on the brink of death as the minutes burned away, Ryu threw all caution in the air. His muscles rippled under his skin, and in all fours, he dashed towards Vein. The side of Vein''s mouth kicked in a smile. "Fool." Using his spell, Vein''s daggers made of dark smoke fire at Ryu. Streams of the de rip the air, but Ryu didn''t even try to avoid as the daggers pierced his skin. Veinughed in glee, but his expression fell faster than he could blink when his des just puffed against Ryu''s skin and burst into particles leaving no trails behind. "W-wha!" Vein couldn''t believe his eyes. But he hadn''t had the chance to think when a vicious blow struck him, thunder ringing out from Ryu''s gauntlet. Left with no other choice, Vein was forced to use what little mana he had left and hid in his shadows before reappearing on the other side. Looking at the halfbreed standing tall with its amber eyes glowed in focus at him made his insides crawl. Vein touched the painful, ragged mark of a wound, and his hand came away wet with his blood. If he hadn''t evaded in time, half his body would have torn from Ryu''s blow. "Just what is he?" panicked rose in steady breathes, and Vein felt a biting numb on his leg. He knew of it. Fear. Was he afraid of the halfbreed? Him? A poison master like him? How? Vein''s unsteady eyes rounded as Ryu approached. Vein gnashed his teeth when he took a step back like a cornered prey. With his poison not effective against Ryu, he could only rely on his skill and spells. But that also didn''t work against the halfbreed. Does mana attacks doesn''t work on him too? Vein''s face crunched in denial. "Don''t fuck with me!" There''s no being in Septverden that was immune to spells! Ryu must have a rare skill! Or rare items! Betting on the most destructive shadow spell in his arsenal, Vein depleted almost his mana as he unleashed his devastating attack. Chapter 123: Three Tablets Chapter 123: Three Tablets Dark ichor sshed against Ryu like ck rain, each drop burning like bitter acid. It coated Ryu''s body in sticky tar-like fluid, halting his movement. A spark and it went up like a tinderbox, lightening the dim cave. [ck Rain] Vein''s eyes shone. His passive face was full of mirth as he watched Ryu burned into a crisp. Once [ck Rain] dropped on your skin, it was impossible to evade and removed it. "You''re mine now." Vein shuffled from one foot to another as he rubbed his hands together. He couldn''t wait to dissect Ryu and unravel a new type of antidote. An antidote that could cure all poisons! "Egh. .. ?" Vein''s excitement was short-lived when Ryu emerged from the ashes of the tar in one piece and without a single torn skin nor burn. Vein''s gasp was stuck in the lump of his throat. His mind went nk as the looming threat approached. Ryu''s slit eyes were glowing amber and his mouth emitted steam, blurring his face in a terrifying rage. Vein even saw a flicker of a beast behind him. Arge snout covered in scales with slit golden eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth and fangs. "W-who. .. Who are you. .. ," Vein stammered. He was overpowered by the acrid odor of his sour breath. The stench of mortal fear. He shook his head to regain his bearing. He still had some mana left. That''s right. He could still perform onest [Cloak of Shadow] and escape! Too bad for the tablets and hidden treasure and the halfbreed, but he was not going to die here! If he escaped, there were still plenty of chances in the future. Vein''s face warped in azy grin as he initiated his n. But to his horror, he couldn''t move nor hid in his shadows. "What the!" Vein was suddenly attacked with something akin to dizziness. His hazy vision narrowed to the ground, and found tiny vines wrapped on his boots. Some even prated into his foot. What? Since when were their vines on this cave? Then Vein''s eyes flickered at the woman lying on the ground not far from him. At first nce, Seraphina seemed unconscious, but Vein was sure that she had just opened her lids and her slit eyes turned crescent. "You!" It was her! Thall was dead because of her! "Youarghk!" The rest of Vein''s words was hitched in his throat when Ryu loomed over him. A sharp crack prated what little defense he could muster. Ryu''s ws wrenched around Vein''s ribs with a savaged crack that sent blood spouting from his mouth. "Perform the Seal of Promise that you''ll give us the true antidote and the two tablets, and I''ll let you go!" hissed Ryu, panic pulsating against his words. He had no time! Kai and the others ceased breathing, and he needed that antidote. Now! Vein chuckled. His blood was gurgling in his mouth. He was still thinking of his optionssome way to escape. Anger boiled in Ryu''s stomach and pushed through his throat in the form of a roar. He twisted Vein''s intestine, but still, the man refused to give in. Ryu was running out of options. Kai and the other''s skin were turning gray. "I''ll give you my blood." A glint in Vein''s eyes sparked Ryu''s hope. "Give me the antidotes and the tablets. In exchange, I''ll give you my blood and your life." Vein was silent. Though the pain was excruciating, all he thought was an antidote that could cure all poison! He nodded without a word. As for the tablet. .. he''d think about itter when he was free. Eventually, Vein performed the Seal of Promised with Ryu. The moment Ryu let him go and gave him a vial of his blood, Vein gathered what mana he had left and healed his wounds before he escaped the cave with Ryu''s blood. Ryu didn''t care about Vein anymore as he hurried to Kai and the others. With haste, he poured the contents of the vial in their mouths and hoping in all hope that he was not toote. "Wake up!" Ryu pped Kai left and right, but all he received was utter silence. He then went for Theodore and Jane next, but the response was the same. With no options left, Ryu went to Seraphina and shook her shoulders. "Wake up!" Ryu roared, fangs extending. He raised his hand and was about to p Seraphina when thetter''s eyes shot open. "I''m awake!" Seraphina squeaked. She could only hope that she wasn''t too obvious. "Quick, heal them!" Ryu pointed at Kai and the others. Seraphina nodded while crying inside. ''Ryu, you should be more suspicious. And don''t just go pping a girl''s face.'' With of whoosh of her staff, cold spring sipped into Kai and the other''s body, healing their wounds and revitalizing their flesh. Ryu inhaled all the worries inside him when colors returned to Kai and Jane''s faces, but his heart hitched when Theodore''s skin remained dark. Seraphina cast another healing spell, but no matter how much she revived the little boy. .. it was toote. "What''s the matter with him?" Ryu asked. Seraphina shook her head. "He''s. .. dead." Theodore probably died the moment his eyes burst. His soul had already left this world. There was nothing she could do but restore his corpse and make it look like he was just sleeping. Seraphina took a nce at Jane and sighed. Ryu was silent. There was nothing in his mind except Jane''s reaction when she woke up knowing that her beloved younger brother was dead. He felt pity for her, for he saw how Jane and Theodore care for each other. And now, she must face the future, no longer feeling his warmth in her hands. Maybe he should just kill her? Ryu thought. Perhaps that would be kinder? Seraphina squeezed Ryu''s shoulder. "There''s nothing we could have done." Ryu''s fingers curled against his palms. He didn''t even feel them digging. "Mortals are such feeble creatures. .. ," Seraphina whispered under her breath. It was low, and Ryu could only make little of what she said. He briefly closed his eyes and released the tension from his muscles. "I''m afraid they wouldn''t wake up for a day or so. Should we explore the newly opened cave first? "How can you be so calm about this?" Ryu understood that Theodore was with them for only a short time, but still, he felt sad that he was gone. He was just a kid and had yet to explore his future. But the nastier one lived and got away. Ryu was a halfbreed, and yet he felt unhappy for Theodore and sympathy for Jane. But Seraphina was a mortal. Shouldn''t she be more emotional to her kind? Seraphina puffed a sigh. "It''s not that I don''t feel sad. I just epted the fact that all of us will eventually die. It''s just a matter of when. And besides, staring at the dead would just make us more depressed." Ryu swallowed his grumble. Seraphina was right. Rather than staying and wallowing on what could have been, he''d rather take off his mind into something else. He had a goal. Waking Ferris and searching for Cecily was his top priority above all else. With one final glimpse, Ryu looked at Theodore''s face. If only his skin weren''t grey, he might think that he was just sleeping. Ryu took an inaudible breath and released it through his nose in one swoop. "Let''s go." Chapter 124: Nereid Chapter 124: Nereid "Wait." Seraphina went towards the dead Ancient Crab and said, "It''s a waste if we leave it here to rot. Its meat is delicious, and its carapace is sought after as materials for forging. We should definitely take these with us." Ryu was still hanging over at Theodore''s sudden death while Seraphina was already smiling from ear to ear. He couldn''t understand if she couldn''t feel anything but positivity, or was she deliberately repelling all the negativity that came her way? Seraphina looked like apassionate person, but in truth, she was rather cold. Ryu thought as he cracked the Ancient Crab''s shells and harvested its meat and carapace. Ryu and Seraphina left something for Kai and Jane before they headed into the newly opened cave. Like before, the cave didn''t contain anything except gold and precious stones and a chest atop a pedestal. Since the Ancient Crab wasn''t that strong, the rewards were just mediocre at best. But still, they divided it between the five of them. They''ll give Theodore''s share to Jer. The important thing was securing the final piece of the tablet. Opening the chest, Ryu took a glimpse of the tablet was really inside and sighed a breath of relief when he found it lying there. He took out the other two tablets from his traveler''s ring and pieced it together while Seraphina locked thest piece of the table with the others. The tablet glowed and became one. It hovered midair, and the carved runes on its stone sparkled before radiating a blinding light. WhooOosSh! Ryu and Seraphina shaded their eyes with their arms, but they refused to blink even if the sudden gust of wind poked their sight. Droplet twirled around the tablet until it turned into waves and swallowed Ryu and Seraphina into its deep. Then the water stopped and disappeared as it crushed against the walls while the light slowly dimmed and the tablet turned gray and dull. It cracked and burst into particles, and silence descended once more. .. . .. . When Ryu came to, he found himself inside another huge cave with small falls andgoons. Colorful corals and crystals were coating the walls, and rocky floors and fishes swam to and fro at the clear waters. Light burst from the holes above, and so much foliage breathed the area to life. It wasn''t damp nor stale. The exact opposite, the smell was refreshing, and the air was cold. Ryu looked over at Seraphina but found her unconscious on the ground. "Seraphina." Ryu was about to go and check her when, out of the blue, droplets of water formed together and created a giant torrent of waves. Ryu couldn''t take his eyes off when a massive woman emerged from the waters as it burst. The woman''s face was ethereal, with crystal blue dted eyes without pupils. Her hair cascaded in torrents of water that looked like it was rippling with her mood. Her breasts were gorgeously bare and abundant but without the nipples, as four gills lined down her ribcage. Its mermaid tail was coated with colorful scales and multiple fins. She was beautiful but not ordinarily beautiful. She made Ryu dream of being enveloped in her loving arms and warm smiles. "I am Nereid, the Princess of the Sea Spirits," she said, voice like a melody echoing underwater. Ryu took a step back and swallowed his gasped when she leaned closer. His reflection zed over her blue crystal eyes. "Hmm. . ." Ryu flinched, and he jumped back with a snarl. He didn''t know what was going on, but it reminded him of his dream about Tethyt. Was she a God-like her? If this was a boss that they have to fight then. . . Ryu cut a short nce at Seraphina. .. Even the two of them. .. He didn''t know if they could defeat it. Should they escape? But he didn''t know where the exit was! Ryu''s eyes turned to slit. They were trapped! Nereid''s face skewed to the side. "This is. .. unexpected. . ." Waters carried her left and right, and her hair turned to waves like she was feeling overwhelmed. "This should be the time where I ughter every one of you. . ." Ryu''s fangs itched from his gums and his ws extended from his hands and feet in a fighting stance. Looking at Ryu, Nereid stopped pacing, and her hair returned to locks of gentle currents. "But. .. I sensed my Master within you. . ." ".. ." Ryu''s lips were pressed tight over a serious face. But guessing that Nereid wasn''t going to attack anytime soon, he asked, "Master?" Nereid nodded her head. "Tethyt. I sensed her within you. .. along with Yuu. .. But my Master is long dead and her soul. . ." Nereid smiled. Her eyes were squinting in delight. "Are you perhaps. . ." Nereid giggled, and bubbles erupted from all around. "Do you know me?" Ryu asked. "Just a little. . ." "Then," Ryu''s face brightened, but Nereid''s following words made his excitement drop. "I can''t tell you. .. it''s not mine to tell. . ." That again?! A low grumble of discontent pushed through from Ryu''s throat. "Then just tell me one thing. . ." If Nereid sensed Tethyt, then Ryu wasn''t dreaming when he met Tethyt! He removed his clothes and showed his bareback at Nereid. "Do you see anything? Tethyt carved something on my back, and I want to know what it is?" He felt the symbols burned from his skin, and if it wasn''t a dream, there might be a trace of whatever it was on his back. Nereid chuckled. "It might be. .. faster if I show you." A flicker of her hand and a small stream of water fell in front of Ryu. It turned to Crystal and showed the hidden secret of what he wanted to know. ---- A/N For fast updates, please vote with PS or Golden Ticket. Bonus chapter is every Sunday/Monday when Goals are achieved. GOALS / WEEK: 500 PS - 1 chapy 1000 PS - 2 chapies GOALS / MONTH: 100 GT - 1 chapy 500 GT - 2 chapies 1000 GT - 3 chapies *Consider donating for my Milk Addiction PayPal - Thank you, Miu Chapter 125: Grimoire Chapter 125: Grimoire Nereid chuckled. "It might be. .. faster if I show you." A flicker of her hand and a small stream of water fell in front of Ryu. It turned to Crystal and showed the hidden secret of what he wanted to know. Nothing. There was nothing there but the coarseness of his back. "That can''t be." Ryu sprawled her palms against the stretched of his spine of what his hands could reach. There was nothing there but bumps from his muscles and bones. "It''s because you''re sealed," Nereid said, and the pentagrams inside Ryu reflected on her crystal blue orbs. "Sealed?" It was also what Ferris said to him. It was the reason why he couldn''t use mana. "How do I break it?" Nereid straightened her back and soothed her eyes on the light of the cave as if she was looking at something. "The answer. .. lies in the Beast Realm." That again? Ryu scowled. "Can''t you answer me now?" Nereid shook her head. "I don''t even know how. .. the only one who can break that seal is the one who cast it upon you." "Who?" At least Nereid was telling him something. If only Ryu could just get more information from her. Nereidughed, peals ofughter that squinted her eyes. "You''ll know. .. when you''re there. . ." Grr. .. Ryu was losing patience. But what could he do? Fight her for answers? It was already considered his luck at work that Nereid didn''t attack him. No. .. it was because Tethyt did something to his body that made her ce respond to him. Even her servants. Nereid waved her hand, and her expression melted. "This is the extent of our conversation. .. you may have this. . ." Waters from everywhere suddenly halted and turned to droplets that covered the ceiling, and whaty bare were three treasure chests on top of troves of treasures on the ground. "You''re just giving it to me?" Ryu couldn''t believe it. Nereid nodded. "I have received the will of my master. .. With this. .. my work. . ." "W-what. .. what''s happening?" Ryu was shocked when Nereid melted like ice burning from fire. "Do not fret. .. I am merely. .. giving you something that mighte in handy in the future. .. ," Nereid said as she turned into a giant ball of aqua before she formed into a shape of arge book. "But first. .. released the seal that is binding you if you wanted to use our powers. . ." The book floated into Ryu''s hand. It glowed with a bluish light before it revealed its true forma book with colorful mermaid scales and fins decorating its leather cover. Gold and jewels embellished its thick chains that locked the book from anyone who dared to take a peek. "What is this?" "A Grimoire. .. my Grimoire containing my soul. . ." Nereid''s voice resounded in the cave. "When your seal breaks. .. and you have ess to your powers. .. you can summon me using this book. .. until then. .. I wish you good luck. . ." Eh? Didn''t it mean that the book in his hands was an artifact if it had a soul?! And what did Nereid mean that he could summon her when his seal broke? There was silence, and none answered his thoughts. The more he thought about it, the more confused Ryu was. "Forget it. . ." There was no point in pondering what he didn''t know, and he stored Nereid''s Grimoire in his traveler''s ring before he went to Seraphina and felt her pulse. She was still breathing, and there was a silly smile on her face. "Tehehehe. .. Ngh. .. stop that. . ." Ryu''s worry crumbled to dust, and she shook Seraphina''s shoulders to wake her up. "Mmm. . ." Seraphina''s lips trembled, and her longshes flickered before she opened her eyes. "W-what happened. . ." Ryu wasn''t sure how to tell her. Should he tell her? But Seraphina was acting weirdtely, so Ryu decided to seal his lips. He was alone now. Ferris wasn''t here anymore to save his ass in case he got into trouble, all because he wasn''t careful on whom to trust. "You passed out," Ryu only said, keeping Nereid a secret. Seraphina rubbed her temples before she spotted the troves of treasures on the rocky floor. "What''s that?" she asked, excited. "I think that''s the treasures we get forpleting the tablet." Seraphina''s eyes resounded like jewels encased in crystals before panicked took over her beautiful face. "W-what about the enemy in this ce that we needed to defeat?" "There is none," Ryu answered with a t voice and face. It was the truth. Nereid was more like an ally than anything else. Seraphina clutched her heart and sighed. "That''s good then." She then stood to her feet and inspected the treasures. "Ryu,e here," Seraphina called, voice like the twinkling of bells. "Look." She hoarded the jewels in her hands along with precious stones that came tumbling from her arms from the sheer amount. "With this, I think you don''t need to go to the scavenger area anymore! Look at all these bracelets and rings. They boost all sorts of attributes." Ryu wasn''t interested in the piles of jewels and stones, except maybe to gift them to Cecily. His eyes remained on the three chests on top of it. Ryu opened one of the chests and was blinded when a gushing light burst forth. When the light dimmed, he found a tiara decorated with precious stones lined with tiny corals and crystals. Its main body was made of water that never ceased moving like it contained the ocean. Seraphina''s eyes glowed. "That''s Tethyt''s Tiara! I read that she wore it whenever she went and said that it''s part of a set!" Seraphina counted in one hand. "A tiara, a ring, and an anklet! The Tiara boosts your mana and gives you protection against mind attack spells! That''s like the most valuable treasure we could ever find here!" Ryu grumbled. Mana? It would undoubtedly be helpful to Ferris and Cecily and certainly to Jane. But they did promise to roll the dice. . . However. . . "You take it." Ryu handed the Tiara to Seraphina. Shock, Seraphina was startled. "Egh? Are you sure?" Though she already wore the Tiara with a face full of glee. She felt the surge of mana within her. She felt like her mana double or even tripled. With this, she wouldn''t run out of mana anytime soon, even if she unleashed devastating spells. "It''s only temporary. You should wear it first in case something happens once we meet with Jane and Kai. We''ll roll the dice." Seraphina''s smile fell, and her shoulders dropped. "Oh. . . That''s what you mean." Sheughed awkwardly. "Do you want it?" Seraphina ran her teeth over her bottom lip. "Yes, actually. It boosts my mana by a lot." Ryu nodded with a serious expression. "Then I wish you luck when we roll the dice." He then proceeded to open the next chest. Seraphina pouted and grumbled in whispers. "Not cute. Not cute at all." Ryu opened the second chest and was confused when he saw two bottles sealed with a fork. "What''s this?" Chapter 126: Treasures in the first Islet Chapter 126: Treasures in the first Islet "What''s this?" Ryu asked, baffled at the two potions. Upon closer inspection, he was amazed at what he saw. Twirls of lightning and thunder fizzled while a storm ravaged the ocean, all captured inside the ss bottle. Seraphina gasped and curled her hand over her mouth. "That''s a Storm captured by Tethyt herself!" "Is it expensive?" Seraphina didn''t know whether tough or cry. "It''s a shame to sell it. It could literary be a lifesaving item, and you have two of it!" Ryu was skeptical. "I don''t even know what it does." "If you break that bottle, a storm would ravage your surroundings. It could help you flee and catch your enemy off guard while you escape." "Or it could also kill you with its thunder and lightning and winds," Ryu countered. Seraphina huffed a sigh. "That''s true too." It was a double-edged sword. But handy nheless. "No one can make a Storm, much less put it on a bottle. Only a God could do that. I read one time that there was an awful storm that hit Septverden. Thousands and thousands died, living destruction in its path. It said that Tethyt captured this storm and put it in a bottle. . ." Seraphina was awed, but then she muttered, ".. . for fun." She captured it for her amusement. Tethyt must have nned to use the storm to wipe out those who came for her treasures. The end of Ryu''s nail pinched the cork. "So if I open it. The storm wille out?" "Don''t!" Seraphina squeaked then coughed on her fist. "That''s dangerous. Don''t y with Mother Nature, and let''s save it if we''re in real danger." Ryu took a second look at the bottle and said, "Let''s each take one in our traveler''s ring and roll the dice for itter." Seraphina waved her hand and leaned back. "I don''t want something that dangerous. You store it." Shrugging, Ryu kept the bottles and proceeded to thest chest. Thatst chest was a peculiar one. It was metallic ck and appeared ominous. When Ryu opened its contents, he was bewildered by a single bottle bridled with ck chains. Inside the ss, it raged with ck thunder and fog, and the water was murky like ink. Upon closer inspection, the fog revealed shadows of crawling worms. And when the dark smoke dispersed, those worms turned out to be tentacles sshing against the ss while a woman with slimy grey skin raged in in her captivity. She looked like Nereid but only sinister. Ryu gasped when she hissed and her eyes wrapped in swarms of her tiny tentacle-like locks crawled to her face. He almost dropped the bottle in surprise. "Be careful." Seraphina caught the bottle with her two hands and immediately gave it to Ryu like she didn''t want to touch it. "That''s Urs, the witch of the sea. A godly beast. She''s Nereid''s sister and rumored to be evil who loves torturing all creatures in the sea." Ryu clutched the bottle tight. "N-Nereid." "They''re sisters who didn''t get along with each other. It said that the sea knew no peace when they were still alive. Old books have pictures of them until they were forgotten to this day when they suddenly disappeared hundreds or so years ago." Seraphina gave an elegant half-shrug. "Who knows that Tethyt had captured her." She then breathes, spinning to take the sight all at once. "I wonder if Nereid was captured too." Ryu looked on the other side and changed the topic, "What happens if you break it?" "Break it?" Seraphina asked in incredulity. "We should leave that thing in here if it were me. Urs is a catastrophe in the sea, and without the Gods to check on her, she''ll run amok and do a rampaging spree." "Hmm. . ." Ryu then extended the bottle to Seraphina. "Do you want to store it?" Seraphina backed away and shook her head, rippling her blonde hair. "Absolutely not. You store it. I don''t want something that dangerous with me." Ryu looked at Seraphina with a deadpan expression. It''s sealed, so it''s safe. Nevertheless, he stored Urs''s bottle just in case they needed it in the future. After clearing the cave of its treasures, Ryu and Seraphina were met with a sudden problem. .. they didn''t know how to get out and get back to Kai and the others. But they didn''t have to think long when the ce rumbled, and out of nowhere,rge waves of water swallowed them whole. Ryu didn''t know what happened next. One moment the giant waves towered over them and smashed them against its might, and the next, he found himself standing underwater. Cold and shuddering. "W-what?" Ryu swept his eyes at his surroundings. It was nothing but water, corals, seafloors, and all sorts of nts and sea creatures. They were back underwater. The only difference was a clear mist sprawling at sea like fog, and it was so cold that even his bones were shivering. "I think we got transported out of that cave and into the open underwater again." Ryu looked at Seraphina from behind. It seemed to be the case. But how was this part of the sea so cold? "What now?" Seraphina had a look of trouble on her face as she assisted their current situation. There were only the two of them out in the open. They''d be preyed on by the others if someone spotted them. Ryu wanted to track back where the cave was, but he didn''t know-how. He didn''t even know where they were at this point. "Should we hide first and wait for Kai and Jane to show up?" Seraphina suggested that though she wasn''t sure if they''d meet Kai and Jane again with how vast the underwater was. Ryu was about to agree when he caught sight of something. "What''s that?" He pointed to a group of whirling creatures not far from them. Seraphina gasped, and bubbles erupted from her mouth. "Those are mortals. We really are back underwater." One of the humans spotted Ryu and Seraphina and gestured with his finger over his mouth. His face was ashen and severe. "What''s going on?" Ryu suddenly had a bad feeling when groups after groups of beings, mortals, halfbreeds, demons, elves, swam across the ocean. Their faces were grim and pale. No one even bothered anyone. Their attention was nailed forward. Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other before they swam towards them out of curiosity. With this many beings congregated, something was going on. When they drew, close some mercs signaled to stay quiet and pointed towards a location. Ryu and Seraphina immediately looked at the area they were pointing at and saw a massive creature covered in blue scales and colorful fins. It was over ten meters thick, and its length stretched across the mountains of corals and rocks as far as the eyes could see. Ryu''s heart shook. "The Legendary. .. Leviathan." Chapter 127: Leviathan 1 Chapter 127: Leviathan 1 Ryu''s heart shook. "The Legendary. .. Leviathan." Ryu and Seraphina shared a look before Seraphina asked in a low voice, "W-what should we do? Should we wait for Kai and Jane here?" Ryu shook his head and replied in the same hush tone, "We should search for the exit first before we wait for them. If anything happens, we can just go to the other Islet." There was no point in wondering the underwater aimlessly. Now that they found the Leviathan''sir, they''d be fools to turn back and look for Kai and Jane and get lost. If they knew where to look, it wouldn''t be a problem. But what if the Leviathan woke up before Kai and Jane even arrived? They couldn''t wait for them when that happened, so it was better to look for the exit first, so just in case the beast woke up, they''d know where the exit was. Seraphina agreed as well. She then flicked her staff, and vines covered Tethyt''s tiara on her head. "It''s better to hide it than be the targetter." It would be troublesome if someone identified the tiara and caused amotion because of it. It was a God-tier essory, and she wouldn''t gamble with it. Ryu nodded, and they swam like the others to get a closer look at the Leviathan and, hopefully, find the entrance to the next Islet. They swam cautiously and quietly like the others. Afraid to wake the monstrosity sleeping in the deep. Eventually, they reached the body of the Legendary Serpent. The Leviathan''s body was coiled in numerous mountains of corals, but Ryu couldn''t see the end of it. This was the longest beast Ryu had ever seen. Ryu and Seraphina continued to swim, searching for the gateway to the next Islet while more beings entered the Leviathan''sir from behind. Ryu could only hope that they remained quiet and wouldn''t be dragged down by them. Upon searching, Ryu finally discovered the head of the Serpent. It was more massive than he thought, like the size of Tethyt in her mermaid form. Its eyes were shut closed beneathyers of its draconic bluish scales, and therge holes from its snout emitted white freezing smog. Whatever this white fog touched, everything immediately turned to ice. No wonder it was cold and foggy. All of it was the Leviathan''s doing. With just its breath, it could change the atmosphere of the ocean! Everyone was moving with the utmost caution, not daring to make a sound for fear of startling awake the legendary beast. The silence was brutal and the only noise shattering their hearts was the loud snores of the gigantic beast. It was a good thing that no other beasts lurked in the Leviathan''sir. Rather, no beasts nor sea creatures would dare go even near its body. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes turned to hours but still no sign of the exit. Where is it? Ryu thought. Each passing time was burrowed time for the Leviathan could wake up from a random noise or wake up by itself. Everyone knew it, too. That was why they were frantically searching for the exit. More and more entered the Leviathan''sir, and something was bound to happen if this kept up. Other groups were exchanging messages and signals through meaningful looks. But no matter how hard they searched, they still couldn''t find the exit. Ryu spanned around and took time for himself. It was no use to be frantic and panicked in search of the exit. Think. With this many beings searching, they should have found the exit by now. Could it be hidden? If only his back would react as it did with the hidden cave. .. but Ryu got none. WhiiiIisSSHhh! WhhooOOssH! The sound of the Leviathan drew Ryu''s attention to it. Then something in his mind clicked. "Impossible." But it was the only area that no one searched. No one wanted to go even a hundred meters near the Leviathan''s Head. It was too terrifying, and the faint of heart would drop dead at just the sight of it. What''s more, the area around it was freezing cold. If its breadth struck you, you''d turn into popsicles and crumble into crystals. It was instant death! "But because no one wanted to go near it. .. there''s a chance that the exit is there." Ryu mused to himself, and he swam to Seraphina''s side and told her that he would look near the Serpent''s body. Seraphina''s eyes widened, and she mouthed the words, "Are you sure?" Ryu nodded, and before Seraphina could stop him, he swam closer towards the Leviathan. Some cursed him in their minds while some attempted to stop him with their eyes, telling him not to go near the Leviathan. They were afraid that Ryu would wake the Legendary Serpent, and they would be implicated! Without a choice and choked with worry for Ryu, Seraphina went after him. Ryu signaled Seraphina to search on the other side, and thetter nodded. They start on the safe distance of its body first. Since they couldn''t see the end of its tail, they searched from its mid-section. Seeing what Ryu and Seraphina were doing, the others deducted that the exit might be hidden behind the massive body of the Serpent. One group at a time, they swam near the Leviathan and searched as well. Rumble. . . The Leviathan''s body tightened around the mountains of corals, and its muscles and flesh constricted. It woke up! Ryu''s face was drained of colors, and Seraphina signaled Ryu to flee quickly. The others dispersed as well without a trace. Without a second longer, Ryu and Seraphina swam back into the farthest distance that they could swim. Ryu didn''t know if they''d be safe after swimming hundreds of kilometers away from the Leviathan, or would the Leviathan give chase? For the first time, Ryu was frightened. The Leviathan was not something he could defeat. He couldn''t bet his life that it would spare him like the Ancient Hydra, Tethys, and Nereid did. But he was not going to linger around that massive creature to find out. He already escaped deaths too many times to gamble again. Rumble. . . The mountains shook, and the corals and rocks fell on the ground as the Leviathan''s body moved. At this moment, all Ryu thought was his time with Ferris and how he missed her warmth and antics. At least. .. at least he wanted to repay her for all the things that she did. He wanted to revive her first! He can''t die here! Chapter 128: Leviathan 2 Chapter 128: Leviathan 2 "Wait, Ryu." Seraphina held Ryu''s hand, halting him. Ryu bared his teeth, but anything that he wanted to say stopped at Seraphina''s following words. "It''s still asleep," she said in a whisper with an edge on her tone. Amidst the heavy and oppressive silence, the Leviathan''s snore rang loud. "It. .. didn''t wake up?" Ryu was in a daze. Of course, it didn''t wake up. Why else were they alive? The others found this to be the case as well as some flew back near the Serpent''s body. The Leviathan''s eyes were still close, and the foggy, icy breath was still emitting from its snout. It just changed its position. Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other, and both released a silent, heavy sigh. As they went nearer the Leviathan, they found a group flocking near its head. Could it be the exit? Ryu and Seraphina swam in that direction and found a small cave just beside the Leviathan''s enormous head. "So it was there all along," Ryu muttered. The exit was covered by the Leviathan a while ago, but now that it moved and changed the position of its head, it revealed a tiny cave next to its snout. The only problem was, its freezing breath constantly blew towards the exit and enveloped the tiny cave with smoggy ice. Not only were they going to time their movement with the Leviathan''s breath, but they also had to move past the small cave where its freezing breaths still circted. One wrong move, they could turn into popsicles and crumble to tiny crystals before they could even cry for help. "How. .. tricky. . ." and sinisterly evil. Ryu thought. Seraphina sighed as well as she shook her head with a palm on her forehead. "This is troublesome. . . For now, there are two options before us. Rely on our speed to get past that or. . ." Seraphina''s attention flickered into the other side of the mountains of corals. "Bore a hole on the other side and hope that it connects to that cave." Ryu shook his head. "Drilling is out of the question. We can''t afford to wake that thing up." "Then should we wait for Kai and Jane? Having a wind mage to boost our speed is" Ryu shook his head again. "The Leviathan''s breath grew denser by the minute inside that cave. If we dallied here much longer, then a thickyer of ice will close that cave." Seraphina''s shoulders slumped, and she groaned under her breath, "Right. . ." Ryu wanted to wait for Kai and Jane as well. But at their current predicament, they''d either be trapped in the first Islet or die from the Leviathan''s jaws when it woke up. They were out of options, and Ryu could only hope that the Leviathan would change position again so by the time that Kai and Jane arrived, they wouldn''t have much trouble like them. They could wait for the Leviathan to change its position, but the fear of it waking up anytime soon prompted them to take their chances in the cave. Besides, there was a chance that its massive head would block the exit again if it moved. But right now, Ryu didn''t have the time to think about Kai and Jane as they were pressed out of time. The others understood this as well. The more time they wasted, the less chance they would have to advance to the second Islet. While Ryu and Seraphina were hesitating, a sh of light zoomed past them and towards the tunnel. It was so fast that all they saw were light distortions. WhoOOOoosh! Another followed and went past the tunnel just in time that the Leviathan exhaled a freezing breath. Though the cave was freezing, everyone had a unique set of skills, spells, and items tobat the cold. As long as they were not directly hit by the freezing breath that the Leviathan released, then they could make it out the first Islet alive. Everyone''s faces brightened with surging confidence at seeing that two had already exited the first Islet. Another transformed into a blur and swam towards the exit as fast as he could. He was nearing the exit when the foggy air the Leviathan released suddenly came out of the exit in time with the beast''s icy breath. He was pincer from all sides, and he couldn''t do anything but close his eyes when both frosty breaths of air hit him. He instantly turned into ice and crumbled to dust. Ryu''s heart tightened, and the others'' faces turned pale. Though everyone knew that the Leviathan''s breath was akin to a high-level spell, they didn''t expect that with just the slightest touch, it would instantly turn a Rank-A merc into ice without any chance of recovery. Silence descended, and the mood turned for the worse while the snoring breath of the Leviathan continued, unceasing. Some turned tail, fearing for their lives as they swam to which they entered. But that meant giving up Tethyt''s treasure sand never to see the drnds above again. Ryu thought. Where they just going to wait for a better opportunity? But what if there was no better opportunity but now? They''d be stuck in here forever. Ryu refused to be trapped nor die here. He was confident with his speed, but. .. his eyes darted to Seraphina. "Will you be able to pass that thing?" Seraphina shook her head, and she had the courage to smile at their current predicament. "There''s no other way. You''d have to carry me in your loving arms." Ryu ignored Seraphina and focused all his attention on the tunnel while Seraphina puffed her cheeks, didn''t know whether tough or cry. With Seraphina in his hands, Ryu thought that it wouldn''t be a problem. With his speed and strength, he could sprint past the Leviathan''s icy breath. The only problem was the several waves of freezing smog joining together and blocking the exit. Its movement was erratic and unpredictable. Another whoosh and a blur of shadow went past the exit, but the other one who followed had terrible luck and was caught by the Leviathan''s icy breath that umted on the exit. He turned into ice and shattered into crystals before the Leviathan inhaled his fragments. Everyone had a solemn look on their faces, but their eyes were determined. The more they dallied, the more the Leviathan''s icy breath would block the exit. There was no pattern when its breath would bounce from the cave and cover the exit. It was no longer about speed. It was also about luck. Chapter 129: Awakened Chapter 129: Awakened Everyone was motionless, waiting for the right opportunity. The Leviathan''s snores were the only thing ringing in the entire area, shaking their hearts. And with another whoosh, a man shot into the tunnel when the Leviathan inhaled the icy fog, clearing the freezing air into its snout. Ryu''s muscles rippled, and his slit eyes never left the Leviathan and the exit. He grabbed Seraphina, and thetter smashed against his chest. Sprawling her fingers across his neck, Seraphina held on tight. Ryu leaped and ran with utmost speed when the icy smog revealed arge gap after the man went through. This was their chance! But Ryu was not the only one who seized this chance. There was another who used spell and skill, and within a blink, he was inside the exit, an elf with incredible speed and a wide set of spells in his arsenal. Ryu was forced to stop unless he wanted to collide with the elf. He wanted to rip the elf''s head for stealing their chance, but he knew that everyone waspeting for a better opportunity. With more than fifty of them stuck in here, every man for themselves. Groups and camaraderie fell apart at the face of death, and some who couldn''t cross the exit were left behind in tears. Ryu clicked his tongue while Seraphina gasped. "Look." Ryu stared at where Seraphina was pointing. It was that elf who stole their chance. He safely entered the exit one moment, but the next, there was a light icy breath wrapped on his feet, and it stretched into his entire legs. The elf''s face twisted in horror as he stared at his body that turned to ice within seconds. He let out a desperate scream that shook everyone''s heart before he was swallowed by the ice and shattered into pieces. AarRRgGhhHH! Horror and fear coated everyone''s expression when the Leviathan''s body moved, and its slit metallic blue eyes shut opened. RoOoaAaR!! The Leviathan roared, pierced thru their hearts, and bit their body to stillness. Its roar had the stun and dizziness effect. The Leviathan''s body constricted, and the mountain of corals was shattered to pieces. The tiny pieces flew at terrifying speed, carrying a tectonic force enough to smash anyone it hits into a paste. Seraphina pped Ryu on the cheek to wake him from the daze. Thanks to Tethyt''s tiara, the effect of the Leviathan''s roar was reduced to mere seconds before she broke out of it. "Snap out of it! We have to move!" At this time, it no longer made any difference if they made any noise or not. At Seraphina''s voice and p, Ryu snapped out from the Leviathan''s roar. He shook his head and snarled. And with all his speed, he zoomed into the exit that was covered with rocks and debris but in its ce was a portal that Ryu knew would take them to the next Islet. Using swift movement to dodge all iing shattered rocks and sharp corals, Ryu managed to slip past the Leviathan. In contrast, thetter was busy eliminating the others, who were still stunned by its roar, with just a beam of water from its mouth. They were like lifeless statues for the Leviathan to target without any effort. Some who were stronger than the others or had lifesaving items and spells managed to flee, but with just a single st of concentrated water from the Leviathan, they turned to ice that even their souls shattered from the cold. AaARrGh! Chaos descended, and everyone swam away when they finally got hold of their body. Some dared to fight back, especially the prideful elves and the arrogant demons. But the Leviathan didn''t even make an effort to shy away from their barrage of attacks and spells. Its scales were like the hardest metals and ores that no magic nor weapon could prate, and everyone''s faces were drained of colors as they fled for their lives. Seraphina in his arms, Ryu didn''t stop moving towards the portal. There were also a few who wanted to take their chances and ran into the safety of the next Islet but were spotted by the Leviathan. With a glint of its eyes, all who dared attempt to past it were turned into popsicles. Ryu''s heart hammered against his chest when the Leviathan slid its enormous head in their direction. He didn''t even stop to take a second look of the wound near its neck. They were so close to the portal, but at the corner of his sight, the Leviathan''s metallic blue slit eyes glint, and its mouth opened, pulling the waters into its jaws. Ryu''s speed lessened when the gravity of the water pulled him towards the Leviathan. A sh of flickering light gathered in the Leviathan''s mouth, and Ryu knew that he''d die if he didn''t reach that portal soon. Veins crawled on Ryu''s skin as he pushed his joints and muscles to the limit to increase his speed. He heard a st, and the next thing he knew, he was hurled into the portal by a boiling stream of concentrated aqua, and everything went ck. .. . .. . "Yu. .. R-Ryu. . ." Ryu''s eyes flickered open. His visions were blurs of Ferris''s hazy form. He shot to a sitting position and grabbed her shoulders in a tight embrace. "Ferris! You''re alive." It must be a dream. Ryu thought as he rubbed his face against her neck. He didn''t know how many days since thest time he saw her, but even he was startled at how much he missed herpany. "R-Ryu?" ".. ." Ryu was stunned when Ferris''s sarcastic childlike voice turned into a mellow one. He pushed Ferris away from him, and her hazy forms took a single identity in the form of Seraphina. "A-are you okay?" Seraphina asked, worried on her face and voice. Ryu shut his eyes closed for a moment while taking deep breathes to settle the ringing in his ears. "Y-yeah. .. ," he croaked. However, he was feeling anything but fine. Ferris was still dead, and they were separated from Kai and Jane. To make matters worse, Ryu didn''t know if Kai and Jane could make it out from the Leviathan''sir after the giant Serpent woke up. He could only hope that the Leviathan would go back to sleep so they could advance to the next Islet. Chapter 130: Sanctuary Chapter 130: Sanctuary "You passed out for a moment. Luckily the wound on your back wasn''t serious," Seraphina said. Oh, right. Ryu stretched his hand to feel his back from where the Leviathan shot him. It must be due to his ability to deflect mana attacks that he was still alive. His clothes were torn, and his muscles were sore, but besides that, everything was working. "Where are we?" Looking over at the ce, Ryu asked. The area they were in was like an old ruined temple likely to be used as a ce for worship in its time. But now, its once majestic grandeur was lost. Webs hang thick on the corners. The decayed strips of dull fabric hanging on the wall may once have been bright tapestries. Although faded, Ryu could somehow make out the scenes from the moth-eaten ancient tapestries. Antique potteriesy smashed on the jagged stone floors, and statues of nameless gods were broken and defiled. A patch of stonework had decayed and crumbled, leaving fragments scattered on the floor. A speckled discoloration on the uneven floor appeared to be long-dried blood. In contrast, the crimson smear of fresh blood on the stones spoke of some recent violent act. There were long dead skeletons of previous explorers wherever he looked, their bones gnawed and yellow. From a small pile in the corner emanated the pungent stench of dung. An overwhelming odor of decaying dung and waste swept across Ryu''s senses. The thick, acrid odor of stale sweat and musk was almost enough to make him gag. Sensing Ryu''s predicament, Seraphina covered his head with a thinyer of waiter veil that would repel the foul smell as she did with hers. "I don''t know. It seemed some kind of a temple from long ago," Seraphina said and helped Ryu stand from his feet. Ryu looked at theirpany and found at least more than ten beings from different parts of the realm. Their faces were ghastly, and their bodies beat. Ryu didn''t know any of them, but he knew they were together in the first Islet based on the familiar faces of those who sessfully entered the portal before. The temple they were in was fifty by fifty meters in spacethree tunnels branch off the front wall, each locked by metallic doors. The best chance of deciphering what lies beyond the doors was the barely legible carvings on their frames under the dust and grime of centuries. There was another door on the left side of the wall that was different from the rest. There were no carvings on its rusty metal frame, and it seemed like it would crumble to dust with one push. Before Ryu could make aplete map of the temple''s interiors, the sound of the tinkle of bells rose everyone to their feet. "Congrattions on making it out alive from the first islet!" Pink puffed out of nowhere and flew in the air with a grin on its face, showing its toothless mouth. "Before you take your deserved rest, allow me to exin what this ce is first." Coughing on its tiny paw, Pink said, "This ce is called a sanctuary." More like a pig cage. Ryu thought. "The Sanctuary bes avable to offer rest to your weary bones whenever you came out on an Islet. You can rest here forever if you want. In here, you won''t be attacked." Pink then snickered. "But that only applied to the creatures and beast in here. I don''t know about your fellow explorers, though." Everyone stole a nce at each other before they focused their sight on the creature. "After I''m finished talking, the doors will open," Pink continued, "and it''ll lead you to the next Islet. Depending on your choice, it might lead you to thend of barren ice, to the maze jungle of the lost forest, or directly into the arduous path of eternal fire!" Pink giggled, and one of its eyes widened as its small sharp teeth appeared in its once toothless mouth. "Want to know which is which? Easy! Just read the carved runes!" Pinkughed and twirled in the air while everyone''s face contorted in anger and helplessness. Of course, no one could read runes! At least not the beings present in here. "Andst but not the least." Pink''s voice faded together with its body. "Don''t, in under any circumstances, conduct yourself poorly in front of the collector. . ." And with a poof, Pink was gone. .. . .. . ".. . Collector?" Everyone was confused at what the tiny creature was saying, but it disappeared before they could even ask. The moment of short silence was broken by the dull squeal of rusty hinges. The low moans ofining pivots cried out before a pop and grinding on metal against stones opened all doors. The three doors unlocked, revealing a mouth of darkness stretching into the unknown. And out from the shadows of the left door, a creature in ragged robes emerged. Neither anyone could identify what it was. Maybe abination of human and goblin. In either case, it was very old, like it would fall and turn to dust without its staff supporting its weight. "Do not be rmed. .. I am merely a poor creature stuck in this dimension. .. but you might be interested in my items that I collected for years. . ." Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other, both alert and in their fighting stance. The others were the same. The creature ignored the mistrust on the explorers'' faces. Its cloudy eyes eagerly essed each and every one before it motioned a twisted finger to follow it up the stairs of the left door. .. . .. . No one moved even when the creature vanished on the stairs. "What should we do?" Seraphina asked. Before Ryu could answer, one or two beings made up of demons and elves went into the upper stairs of the left door. The others merely scratched their head and sat on the ground. "I think it''s best to wait for them toe out before we take a look upstairs," Ryu said. Seraphina nodded. "A good idea." The both of them then slumped on the floor with their backs on the wall. "I hope Kai and Jane can make it out and reunite with us here," Seraphina mumbled as she closed her eyes. Staring at the enclosed ce with nothing but the four doors as means of exit, Ryu could only hope that they weren''t thest person to make it out of the Leviathan''sir and thest who appeared in this sanctuary. Chapter 131: Idle Chatter Chapter 131: Idle Chatter As the minutes turned to hours, there was still no sign of a portal neither did Kai and Jane. Some got bored and decided to take a look around, while a few got curious and went up the stairs into their of the creature. Ryu was still thinking of the possibility that Kai and Jane wouldn''t make it. Or that they were stuck in the first islet, or maybe they''d already make it out alive, and they were in another sanctuary. With many of them in the Lost Islet of Tethy''s, it was possible to have multiple sanctuaries to amodate their numbers. Hope ticked in Ryu''s heart, and he clung to the idea that it might be the case. "Here," Seraphina said after the silence. In her hands were blue leather clothes with simple armor on each shoulder. "I ran an inventory check to see if I have clothes that would fit you. This is the only thing I have." Seraphina ran over Ryu''s torn garments. "It''s better than being naked for the rest of the travel." "Thanks," Ryu said and put on the clothes and armors Seraphina gave to him. Though he was fine being bare-chested, having clothes to protect his body from the weather was preferable. He didn''t store extra clothes with him since he found them unnecessary. Now he knew how foolish he was. Ferris also forgot to remind him. .. . Ferris. .. Ryu took one giant breath and let out in one long st. He missed her. .. Right about now, she would pull a prank on him or tease him about going naked because he didn''t bring any clothes, only to find out that she had brought everything he needed. The corners of Ryu''s lips tugged into a small smile. "Ah. Who are you thinking?" Seraphina asked, with her hands on her chin and eyes flickering like in a dream. Ryu''s eyes drifted onto Seraphina''s face before he looked away. "No one." "Is it Ferris?" Ryu''s amber eyes glowed intensely, and Seraphina giggled. "I knew it. Is she your mate? You mentioned her name many times." ".. ." Ryu opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he shut them tight. .. . .. . The seconds stretched into eternity, and Ryu answered, "No." he felt guilty for thinking more about Ferris than Cecily. Of course, he was worried about Cecily, but Ferris was his priority for now. "Hmm. .. that must beplicated. I heard that beastfolk are devoted to their mate that they couldn''t think of anyone else but them. But I guess being a halfbreed, you''re not constricted to just your mate." Whenever Ryu spoke Ferris''s name, his eyes were a pool of devotion, bittersweet and salty. He must have been confused because of the mate bond. Seraphina grinned, pearly white teeth on disy. "What say you take me in as a mate too?" Ryu looked at Seraphina with nk eyes, "Stop joking around." His long fingers ran through his short dark violet hair before it shifted back into ce. Seraphina''s smile faltered. Looking at Ryu inside view. He had prominent cheekbones and a well-defined chin and nose. His sharp lips, which were always pressed tight, were very attractive and captivating. Backing up his lean muscles were his speed and strength. Every twitch and every contraction of his biceps and chest made her throat dry. His rugged features were alluring, and when he matured. .. Seraphina wet her parched throat. She wished she could be by his side when that time came. Whoever was his mate, Seraphina couldn''t help but be envious of having Ryu all to herself. But it wasn''t entirely hopeless yet. If Ferris could swim in his heart and made a permanent residence there, then maybe, she too can. . . Seraphina leaned and nted a soft whisper near Ryu''s ear. "I''m not joking, though." Seraphina knew Ryu held his breath, for she heard it ceased as he looked at her with his round amber eyes. His eyes were pools of warmth, inviting her to bathe in them. She leaned until she was just a breath away. . . But the sound of metallic shoes against the stone floor brought their attention to the Demons and Elves who came down from the staircase. Ryu pulled away and stood to his feet while Seraphina blinked with a face sprinkled with hues of red glitter. That was too close! What was she thinking?! She was here to find an item. Not to flirt around! .. . .. . There was an awkward silence that hung between them, thick and hard to ignore. Seraphina wanted to hit herself for making it that way. Now what? Seraphina slid an eye at Ryu and found him looking around with the tip of his ears red, and her heart thumped hard against her chest. Maybe it wasn''t wishful thinking after all. .. perhaps she and he could really be. .. Seraphina shook her head and bitterly smiled at herself for thinking that way. There was no way that would happen because Ryu had already found his mate, and she, too, was destined to be with someone else. "Should we go upstairs and take a look?" Ryu reached a hand to Seraphina. His face was back to being stoic, and his ears were no longer red while his lips were pressed tight. Seraphina took his hand and beamed, though there was a tight feeling in her chest. "Yes. Let''s go," she said in a jolly voice and faked a smiling face. This was what their rtionship should be. This was for the best. For both of them. . . Ryu and Seraphina approached the stairs with quiet feet. They didn''t mind the rambling of the others of how the things upstairs were just a bunch of junk. The two demons who came down from the stairs took a second look at Ryu and Seraphina when they were gone. The both of them then looked at each other with a warped grin on their faces. Since they were the most powerful beings in this Sanctuary, no one could stop them if they wanted to do something. It had been a long time since they tasted human flesh and a halfbreed as her only guard made her an easy prey. Chapter 132: The Collector Chapter 132: The Collector In the creature''sir, Ryu could make out theyout of the ce. The moment they reached the second floor, they faced the old creature. It was standing in the center, nked by four columns. There was a small room on each side of the crumbling walls, and there were piles of things on the very far end of the front wall. There were also others rummaging some stuff, but Ryu and Seraphina didn''t pay them any mind as they went directly to the old creature. "Wee to myir. .. ," it said, voice shaking and guttural. "If you offer me something I deemed valuable, then I''ll let you search through the vast treasures that I collected. . ." Ryu and Seraphina slid their eyes at each other before they took a peek at the piles of treasure the old creature had. From afar, the loads of things looked fancy. But upon closer inspection, it was filled with nothing but rotting items. Rusty metal tes and torn cloaks. Fancy daggers and swords that seemed like they would fall apart when handled. Despite that, they were some areas that twinkled when the torches shone upon them. Licking her lips, Seraphina showed the many precious stones upon the old creature. "Is this enough?" she asked, excited. She might find something in the piles of junk. Though everything looked old, it was something fun to do after all the fighting they encountered. "Hmm. .. You can search there. .. ," the old creature croaked. Its bony warts filed finger pointed to the left room of itsir. "A warning. .. you can only search in that area and get only an item. .. and nothing else. . ." "Okidokie!" Seraphina looked at Ryu and grinned. "I''ll be going first. Let''s see who''ll find the most valuable treasure here." Seraphina trotted into the left wing, skipping as she went. Ryu blew his fringe as he watched her in high spirits and a smile effortlessly made its way on his lips. Looking at the lifeless eyes of the old creature and how its dry skin stuck on its bones, Ryu decided to give it food. "Here," Ryu said, face smug as he gave some Ancient Crab meats at the old creature. ".. ." the old creature looked at the tender, fresh meat on his hands and flicked its dull eyes on Ryu. Ryu might have mistaken it. .. but the old creature just smiled at him? "You can search. .. at the center wall behind me," it said and warned, "You can only search in that area and get only an item. .. and nothing else." Ryu nodded before he trotted into the center area. Two explorers rummaged the right-wing while Seraphina was the only person on the left-wing and Ryu on the center wall. Ryu''s nose trails erge, inhaling the scent of dust and rot. He puffed some air through his nose and shook his head when he was about to sneeze. Shaking his head one more time, he looked through the piles of scraps. Some goblets were about to fall from their handle. A broom that lost most of its hair. An old map of Septverden and some minor healing potions. The only notable item Ryu thought was a ruby-encrusted jewelry box. He was thinking of gifting it to Cecily. He took it and noticed that something was inside the box when it rattled. Opening the chest, he found a coarse metal stone the size of his palm,ying on its soft velvet cushion. It was like around coral with its many holes but only heavy and metallic in color. "A Legion Steel!" Before Ryu could take it, a Demon took it from the box. He didn''t spare Ryu a nce as he pocketed the steel and smirked. "Who knows that I''ll find a Legion Steel in here from all ces? This is such a rare find, indeed." "That''s mine." Ryu''s eyes turned to slit when the Demon shrugged and smirked. "I don''t see your name on it." Ryu''s throat rumbled. He remembered that it was one of the items that they owed to Rigulus. If that really was the Legion Steel, then he must have it at all cost. "I found it first," Ryu said with an edge. The Demon didn''t even bother to look at Ryu anymore, pretending that the halfbreed was invincible. "And I touch it first." Ryu''s ws extended, and his canines itched from his gums. There was no use talking. He''d fight the arrogant Demon if he had to. But before Ryu could attack, something was going on with the Demon''s body. "W-what. .. what''s happening?" the Demon shouted, garnering all eyes in their direction. Ryu stepped back when the Demon''s legs were melting like acid. Its flesh was rotting, and his bones crumbled to dust. "What''s going on?!" the Demon screamed as he fell on the floor with only half his body left. He concentrated his mana to heal himself, but no matter how many times he did, his legs continued to rot. It even spread to half his body, and soon even his arms were dposing that no innate ability of the Demons could regenerate. "Hey! Old man! What is this?! What did you do to me?!" The Demon''s face twisted in a horrendous sight as his mouth ripped open wide, and his spit flew in every direction. The old creature turned and looked at them with a smile that almost reached its wrinkly eyes. "I warned you. .. anyone should stay in their assigned area. You even stole an item that is not meant for you to take. .. the punishment. .. is your soul." "What?!" the Demon almost bit his tongue from rage, but soon his anger turned to horror as his head was the only body part he had left. "Curse you!" The melting acid swallowed the Demon''s screams as he rotted into nothingness, and his soul flew towards the old creature''s hands. "Hmm. .. a dark soul. kekekeke." The strangest thing happened when the old creature swallowed the soul in one gulp and burped while rubbing its hallowed tummy. "Bitter," it spat and resumed guarding hisir like nothing happened. Ryu blinked, and he looked over at Seraphina''s ashen face. He then noticed the twinkling objects on the floor and found the Demon''s traveler''s ring and the Legion Steel. Ryu didn''t know if it was safe to take the Demon''s traveler''s ring but decided not to since he had a hunch that it became the old creature''s possession. Ryu grabbed the Legion Steel and walked towards the old creature, avoiding close contact with the left and right-wing. "Can I take this?" Ryu asked, couldn''t contain his eagerness. The old creature''s dull eyes didn''t even move as it nodded its head. Ryu breathed the air he held. Then he watched Seraphina make her way towards the old creature with a healing potion in her hands. "Uhm. .. this?" Seraphina stuttered, still shaken by what just happened. The old creature nodded again, and the two proceeded downstairs. Suddenly, they felt that staying too long in the old creature''sir was too dangerous while the others who were left behind also grabbed some random item, showed it to the creature, and went down on the flight of stairs with all haste. "Whew. A good thing I didn''t go to your side," said Seraphina as she wiped the invincible sweat on her face. "I almost wanted to when I couldn''t find anything valuable on my side." "Mm. . ." Ryu rolled the Legion steel on his hand. He was in a happy mood that he finally found one of the items that they owed Rigulus. Now, only the Queen Horn Mackerel was left. Ferris would be proud of him. Ryu couldn''t hold his grin. However, his grin was reced by a scowl when two demons and three mortals suddenly surrounded them. Chapter 133: Brawl 1 Chapter 133: Brawl 1 "Hand over the girl." Azec demanded, and based on the sinister glint in the Demon''s eyes and the lust-filled faces of the mortal men, Ryu was sure that they wouldn''t just make Seraphina dance and serve wine for them. Looking briefly at Seraphina beside him, Ryu inwardly groaned. The faint glimmer of torches ghosted over her beautiful face and eyes as deep as the ocean. Small oval face, bignguid, melting blue eyes, and pouty cherry lips. Her skin was like silk encased in ss, and she radiated nothing but beauty. Her breasts though not big as the Demon Ferris, were proud beneath her tight garb. It was so soft, and they changed shapes when she linked her arms to his. She made it impossible not to stare! She should have covered her face more than the tiara on her head. Ryu thought and skimmed the faces of the five who barged their way. Could he beat two demons and three Rank-B mercenaries? Even with Seraphina supporting him, Ryu was not confident. "Stop wasting time and be a good pup and hand her over if you know what''s good for you," Azec said, voice guttural and domineering. Ryu skimmed past them and towards the mortals at the side. Seraphina was mortal. Surely they would help their fellow mortals. But their unsettled eyes looked over to the side and avoided catching his nces. Some shifted ufortably on the floor while others shuffled their feet against the cobbles and pretended to be busy with something. The only ones who returned Ryu''s gaze were the Elves with unsympathetic eyes. They looked bored, and they would rather watch in amusement than help the races they loathe. They couldn''t even wait that the Demons and Mortals to kill each other. Azec and Deverughed while the three men snickered. "Don''t even think of asking for help from those bunch. They''d rather pretend they didn''t see anything than get themselves implicated," Azec''s slicked tongue slipped out from his mouth as he ran his eyes over at Seraphina''s body. "Rather, they might even join when the fun starts." Ryu''s eyes turned to slit. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," Dever cut in. "Don''t worry, we''ll return your master once we take turns fucking her. .. Maybe. .. a week or so." Theirughter boomed in the four corners of the room, but all Ryu heard was ringing in his ear. And before he knew it, he was in front of one of the mortals with ws ripping the human''s head. The man didn''t have time to react. He was stillughing with a grin on his face before his head flopped onto the ground. "W-wha!" Before another knew what happened, Ryu already imed his heart and crushed it with his bare hands. Ryu almost forgot that exhrating feeling whenever he crushed that tiny organ. Though Cecily forbade him to kill humans, it didn''t mean that he wouldn''t retaliate if they initiated the fight first. And besides, Cecily was not here, and neither were these men humans. They were nothing more than mindless monsters, worst than beasts. No one expected that the halfbreed was so fast and strong that even Azec and Dever jumped far away in shock. Upon discovering what Ryu did to hispanions, thest mortal in their group brandished his axe and charged towards Ryu in rage. "RaArRgH!" Equipping his gauntlets in his hands, Ryu didn''t avoid the man''s axe as he caught it with his hands and crushed it to bits. Thunder crackled on Ryu''s gauntlets, and it emitted sounds that sent shivers to those who saw. "W-wha. .. what kind of weapon is that?" the onlookers wondered. The gauntlet caught the might of a Rank-B merc and destroyed its weapon in one fist. Rather. .. everyone stared at the halfbreed. How could he be so powerful than Rank-B mercenaries when he was only a halfbreed? "Don''t get cocky, you brat!" the man howled andunched towards Ryu with incredible speed. Having to get past the Leviathan, his speed was on par with Ryu, but in terms of strength, he wascking. But he made it up by imbuing himself with earthen spells to strengthen his defense and boost his attack. "RaAgh!" the man cried a battle shout and barraged Ryu with punches and kicks, but his every attack was avoided with impable ease. Ryu easily drove away the man''sckluster attacks, and with a forceful lunge, he punched through his foe''s defenses and straight on his enemy''s face, leaving a putrid pool of liquid life gushing on its head. "Urk. .. H-how. .. ," the man gurgled his own blood. He couldn''t understand why he, a Rank-B nearing A who just passed the deadly Leviathan andpleted the first Islet of Tethy''s, was defeated by just a mere halfbreed? Before the man could ponder more, Ryu dived with a kick, sending the man''s head rolling on the ground. Azec and Dever were both stunned, while the onlookers were still baffled as to how a halfbreed could be so strong. The battle with the three Rank-B mercs ended in just five minutes. Though Ryu used the element of surprise to kill the two mercs, it still didn''t justify his speed and strength. "Damn it! He''s no ordinary halfbreed. I''ll get the girl. You get the halfbreed!" Azec hissed, and he and Dever each flew to their target. At the side, Seraphina sensed the two Demon''s, Azec and Dever, were about to attack. With a calm face but zing eyes, she sneered. "Don''t take me for a weak damsel in distress." Didn''t care about conserving mana. Now that she had Tethyt''s Tiara, mana was of little concern for her. She cast her hands wide, sending seeds flying and digging into the ground, sprouting a forest of mighty oaks inscribed with the words of the ancient. They covered the area, their branches intertwining tightly. Every branch and twigs bent and leaned in their best effort to create a barrier between Seraphina and her enemies. The entire structure sparkled with waves of her magic. [Gaia''s Might] Chapter 134: Brawl 2 Chapter 134: Brawl 2 The Elves were speechless while the others scrambled away. Undeterred, Azec extended his palms and shot multiple dark energy onto the tree. BAM! BAM! Azec would enter the hole he had just made and grab Seraphina when multiple twigs shot through him. He avoided all attacks though the force of its swung was enough to bleed his skin into cuts. Azec''s face twisted when hended on the floor. That barrier was no ordinary. When he attacked it, he just left superficial holes on the tree, and it would immediately regenerate within seconds. And when he blinked, the gap was gone, and the tree was like ever before. If he attempted to get close, he''d immediately be repelled by its multiple vines and branches. Its defense was imprable as its attacks were powerful! "Looks like I have to use some spells," Azec muttered, and his eyes dted as his fangs-covered mouth opened wide with peals ofughter. "Though I don''t like my woman hard to get! I''ll thoroughly enjoy you once I get my fangs and dick in you!" Azec bit his thumb, and blood sttered on the ground. The onlookers scurried away into a safe distance when multiple pentagrams appeared on the floor and came out within it numerous homunculus covered with dark aura with the faces of Azec. "Let''s y, little girl!" Azecughed, and all of the homunculi attacked simultaneously against Seraphina''s barrier. "Make sure that you''llst, or I''ll be extremely disappointed!" Seraphina''s shoulders trembled inside the protection of her barrier. Just because she was a woman, they thought she was weak and only good at pleasuring men. They thought they could justy their filthy eyes on her and say whatever they wanted. "Men like you. .. ," Seraphina hissed, eyes turning to slit, "I hate the most." A thick tangle of constricting vines erupted through the area, wrapping every homunculus in its grasp and crushing them with enough force that all everyone heard were the cracking of bones amidst the cries of agony. Azec''s heart went to his throat. Whatever Seraphina cast was surely another high-level spell. How many high-level spells did she have? Rather, her mana must be at its limit now! This was his chance. Azec grinned despite the skipping of his breath. "If I get you, you''ll be my ve, little girl! A giant pentagram appeared in front of Azec. Using almost all his mana, he released his most devastating spell. A burst of dark fog appeared on the pentagram, taking shape the enormous head of a skeleton. Its sharp teeth barged open as it shot towards Seraphina''s direction. SrreEEecCH!! Piercing sounds rang in everyone''s head, and some jabbed their hands against their ears in an attempt to block the screeching noise. The vines and twigs that attempted to attack the skull were turned to rot and crumble to dust, and Azec doubled over inughter. "I got you now!" With a tap of his foot against the floor, Azec burst forth and went for Seraphina. Azec''s eyes were focused forward, locked on a single target. He didn''t notice a seed shed towards him, which began to sprout in mid-air. It struck and stuck and grew inward, burrowing itself within him with snaking roots. The roots grew, tearing through Azec''s body. "W-what is this?!" Azec howled, and he crushed on the ground covered in roots that he could neither cut nor disintegrate. It continued to grow and feed on his flesh and drank his blood. [Necro Seed] "Hmp! Don''t make meugh." With a flick of Seraphina''s staff, a massive water condensed into a face of a legendary water titan and crashed violently against the dark skull. Compared to it, the skull looked like a pebble against a boulder. The water titan roared before impact, swallowing the skull in its salty waters before condensing into a tiny dot and disappearing. [Titan Ire] Her furry still not sated, Seraphina brought her hands together in a tight fist and pointed two matching fingers at Dever. Her hands recoiled from the force of magic, and a loud eruption rumbled the sanctuary. A pointed stream of hard water moved faster than the naked eyes could follow and struck Dever''s chest. Dever was upied with his battle with Ryu and didn''t even know that there was a gaping hole on his chest that everyone could see. And before he was made aware of the pain, Ryu was in front of him, throwing barraged of powerful punches that ground his body into nothing but paste and blood without the chance of recovery. The onlookers'' jaws fell, and they wanted to be one with the walls when Seraphinanded in front of Azec, who was now nothing but skin and bones who couldn''t even lift a finger. He was still alive. The seed was keeping him neither alive nor dead. He was kept as nutrients for the nts to feed on for all eternity. "Make sure that you''llst, or I''ll be extremely disappointed!" Seraphina hummed. Her staff then thudded hard against the stone floor and resonated in everyone''s heart. She beamed and giggled. "Now, who wants to fuck with me next?" ".. ." ".. ." Everybody looked to the other side while some hid their existence in front of the others. They hugged the wall and made their presence as minuscule as possible. The woman looked kind and amiable and appeared weak and soft. .. but in truth. She was as scary as the Leviathan! She could perform multiple high-level unknown spells within seconds and without pausing in regards to her mana. It was like her mana was limitless! At the side, Ryu scratched his head. It looked like Seraphina didn''t need his help after all. She could totally take care of herself. Rather, was it a good idea to give her Tethyt''s tiara? What if she was hiding her strength all along? "Ryu." Ryu''s back straightened without him knowing when Seraphina approached him in all smiles. No one would identify her as the same woman who just killed two demons a while ago without even a single scratch. "Are you okay?" Seraphina asked, voice soft as her eyes were melting in worry. "I''m fine. . ." Ryu took onest look at Azec''s disgusting form before he held Seraphina''s hand and pulled her towards the three doors. "I think it''s best if we just go ahead," Ryu said with a serious voice and face. Taking a peep at the others, some looked afraid while some were alert and cautious, but most were silently observing them. It wouldn''t be good if all of them joined forces to eliminate them. They became a threat in the eyes of the others. Seraphina asked, "What about Kai and Jane?" Ryu shook his head. "They must be on another sanctuary." Seraphina opened her mouth but then saw Ryu''s clenching fists and decided to smile and nod. "You''re right. They must be in another sanctuary. Who knows? We might meet up on the next Islet." Ryu and Seraphina looked over the towering doors that would lead into their second Islet. The two looked in each other''s eyes, determined and ready before they entered the left door. ---- A/N Creation is so hard. T o T Please support me by votes,ments, reviews and gifts. Thank you very much ^^ Chapter 135: Second Islet Chapter 135: Second Islet "I think you should cover your face," Ryu said. Seraphina''s beautiful face couldnd them more trouble than the beasts on the second Islet. Now that the explorers got the hang of the ce, they''ll be more aware of the others. Fights could break out on items, beasts, loots, or even petty squabbles and desires. Sighing through her nose, Seraphina nodded. "I guess you''re right." With a snap of her finger, a thin veil draped around her head that only showed her eyes. That would do for now. Ryu thought and looking each other in the eyes, they nodded and entered the left door. .. . .. . WhooOOoSsH! Ryu''s eyes squinted when a sudden gust of wind kicked up a fine spray of stinging sand. The heat zes down relentlessly, and thendscape offered no respite. Heat radiated from the rocks and sands, forming waves on the horizon and blistering their skin. "A dessert?" Seraphina murmured and tightly held his scarf near her mouth when another hot breeze carrying sand swiped across their faces. Ryu took in his surroundings. A group of pale, dead trees ws at the sky like the fingers of a giant skeleton. Thendscape rolled on, unchanging in every direction as far as the eyes could see. Weathered stone and rocks scattered on the seabed of sands, and Ryu realized that they were remains of once-great buildings. A scowl rose on Ryu''s face. Who knew how long this dessert would stretch on and without water nor shelter from the scorching heat and from the roaming beasts and monsters on the desert. . . "Don''t worry." Sensing Ryu''s predicament, Seraphina produced a ball of water in her hands. "If you''re thirsty, just ask me, and if you want to rest, I''ll just make a shelter out of my nts. And with the tiara, I don''t have to worry about mana." Ryu''s expression brightened, and the hard lines on his face loosened. That''s right, Seraphina was a water mage and could control nts. Come to think of it. .. a water mage like her was indeed handy in this kind of environment and situations. He didn''t know if he was lucky that he happened to pair with her or not. "Then I leave the water and shelter to you," Ryu couldn''t help but smile. He was just relieved that at least they''ll survive in this scorching desert with unlimited water and a shelter to rest their weary bones. Though he was sure that Seraphina was hiding her powers, so far, she didn''t do anything that would make himbel her as an enemy. Seraphina''s nostrils erged, and she puffed her chest and jabbed a finger on herself. "Leave it to me!" She then grinned, eyes twinkling. "Are you d now that you''ve partnered with me? I''m quite handy, huh?" Seraphina wiggled her eyebrow, and Ryu failed miserably to hide a smile. Seraphina beamed when Ryu looked to the other side with ears red as he spoke in a gruff voice. "Let''s go." Seraphina giggled as he followed Ryu''s lead. The two of them continued to walk ahead for several minutes until it turned to hours. The parched and cracked earth crunched dryly beneath their feet. Were it not for the trudge of their boots, they would be in absolute eerie silence. They were no beasts in sight though little creatures were crawling for food but immediately scattered away once they came near. "Hey, look! What''s that?!" Seraphina pointed to a silhouette hundreds of meters from them. Ryu focused ahead and found that they were others like them who were walking the desert. "Mercenaries and. .. elves. .. and demons." "They seemed to be going towards that direction." Seraphina pointed to a hazy structure on the far end of the dessert. "It seemed to be a. .. oasis!" "There is also one over there," said Ryu when the group of adventurers forked paths. One group was heading northwest while the other headed for the northeast. "What do you think is going on?" Seraphina wondered. "Hoi!" "Hey!" Ryu and Seraphina''s attention was stolen by a mortal and a. .. very short and squishy Hobgoblin withrge ppy ears and a face of a lizard. It was a halfbreed from the looks of it. It was carrying arge backpack on its back, twice asrge as its frame and a jag of water on one of its paws. While the mortal was a skinny merc with arge bucktooth. Uponying its squinty eyes on Ryu, it halted before his face crumpled in disgust. He took a twice over at Seraphina though, but with her face covered in a veil, the man gave up and turned back. The merc kicked the sand and ced his two hands inside his pockets as he grumbled incoherent curses. But uponying sight on another group of mortals, his expression lit up, and his broad smile was back on his face. "Hey!" he called and waved his hands as he zoomed towards that group while Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other in bewilderment. "Excuse me. .. *huff." The Hobgoblin panted. It took seconds for him to catch his breath, and Ryu thought that maybe if it could only store all its backpack on its traveler''s ring, then it wouldn''t be too exhausted running for just a messily ten-meter distance. But then Ryu noticed that the Hobgoblin didn''t have any ring, and the ck cor on its neck was a clear indication that it was a ve. "H-hello, my name is Echbert," the Hobgoblin said, "I''m a loyal servant to my master re. And I''m here to recruit you two to join a temporary alliance with our group to get past this desert and make it safely into the next Islet." "Temporary Alliance?" Seraphina stared at Ryu before she asked Echbert. "What do you mean?" Echbert smiled and answered in an amodating tone, "Currently, there are threerge groups who are recruiting mercenaries and other races to join their group to make it past here and towards the next Islet." "Why is there suddenly arge formation of groups?" Ryu asked, baffled by this. In the first Islet, no one wanted to form arge group for fear of dragging the group down and avoiding any dispute because of the splitting of treasures. "I understand your confusion. But this hostilend and the beasts that roamed this soil couldn''t be handled by just a small group. To survive the harsh environment for days or even years toe, everyone decided to formrge groups instead," exined Echbert. Echbert''s face then turned severe. "But the biggest reason for that is. .. the boss of this Islet." "The boss?" Seraphina''s eyes went wide. "They already found the boss?" So soon? "Then have they found the exit to the third Islet?" Ryu inquired. "Third Islet?" Echbert was shocked before his eyes twinkled. "Then you''re already second-level adventurers!" Ryu and Seraphina frowned. "Huh?" "Allow me to exin. We know the boss and the dangers thaty ahead because some of us here are still stuck. This is our first Islet, and we call ourselves first-level adventurers as not to get confused with the second levels." Ryu''s eyes shone. Of course! Not all would have the same pace in discovering the exit. Some were fast while the others were slow or were stuck at all! If it hadn''t that they were transported into the Leviathan''sir, then he and Seraphina might still be finding the exit in their first Islet. This also confirmed his theory that Cecily and Ferris might be on another Islet! Or they could be already in here! If that is the case, there was a high chance that they''d meet again! ---- A/N I think I wrote Marga instead of Rosa in the previous chapters. It''s Rosa guys. I confused the two XD Chapter 136: Large Groups Chapter 136: Large Groups "Have you met a woman called Cecily and Rosa?" Ryu asked with an eager face and tone. Echbert took a step back when Ryu zoomed on his face. "I-I. . ." he shook his head. "I''m sorry. .. I haven''t encountered anyone with that name." Ryu''s shoulders fell. It might also be possible that they were already on their second Islet, or it might be possible that they were resting on a sanctuary, and they were on their way here. Ryu sighed and scratched his head. All the possibilities and ''might'' were giving him headaches. Seraphina squeezed Ryu''s shoulder and offered aforting smile though she nted the two women''s names into her memory. One of them might be his master, and the other was his mate. Seraphina then asked Echbert the most important question, "Who''s the boss of this Islet?" Echbert''s expression fell, and his face turned gloomy. "It''s. .. the legendary beast, Tiamat." ".. ." ".. ." "The Queen of all dragons?!" Seraphina gasped and covered her mouth. Why is Tiamat here? Seraphina thought. "Isn''t Tiamat rumored to be in the Beast Realm? Why is it here?" "Tiamat?" Ryu was confused but based on the others reaction, their situation wasn''t looking good. "If the Queen of Beast is the ruler of the Beast Realm, then Tiamat is the leader of the Dragons," exined Seraphina. "There are many species of beasts in the Beast Realm, and each has their own leader, and these leaders, in turn, follow the Queen of Beast." Echbert nodded. "We were shocked too when we saw it flying in the sky one time. Fortunately, we were hidden behind rocks and carcasses of the dead beasts. But there was a group that was not so lucky that caught its attention." Echbert shook his head, voiceced in horror. "Everyone in that group, whether Rank-A demons or Elves or mercenaries, were all wiped out by just its single fire." "Then, isn''t it dangerous to congregate in that oasis?" Ryu asked. "No. This area is the safest from Tiamat''sir. Tiamat couldn''t enter hundreds of kilometers from within the starting point. It was her restriction. Uponying sight of the Legendary Beast, all of us retreated here. It might not seem like it to you guys, but we''ve been stuck here for more than two months already! The onlyfort we have is knowing that Tiamat doesn''t fly over here." Already two months?! Ryu was stunned. It felt like just two weeks. But since time was lost in the underwater, nobody could tell the exact date. Then in here, that meant that. "There''s night and day," Ryu murmured. Echbert nodded and beamed. "But anyway, are you interested in joining us? We have food, water, shelter, and everyone has a role while our leader and some of the strongest in the group are searching for the exit." It wasn''t a bad idea. Ryu and Seraphina thought. Considering that they couldn''t just aimlessly wander in the desert with Tiamat lurking in the sky. Not to mention that they might be stuck in this ce for years searching for the exit, it was a good idea to enter arge group. In that way, their chance to stay alive would increase. But they still needed to assess the situation first. They wanted to know the system of things and how the organization inside works. "Mind if we see what''s inside first?" Seraphina asked. Echbert nodded. "Of course! Come with me." Upon walking closer towards the Oasis, Ryu and Seraphina noticed another oasis far to the north. "Are there three groups?" Ryu asked because not everyone was heading in the same Oasis. Echbert nodded, and his voice turned low to a whisper. "Yes." Ryu had a bad feeling when Echbert didn''t offer further exnation. "So you think it''s a trap?" Seraphina asked in a hushed voice. Ryu shook his head. "I don''t sense that he was lying." He then looked over the three Oasis. "And everyone is heading in the Oasis." Seraphinaughed a little. "It kinda'' worried me that we''re the only two who are walking to the left Oasis while the remaining neers went for the other two." "It must have to do something with race," Ryu replied since he saw a lot of mortals going towards the right Oasis while the rest were either going to the north or right. And his theory was proven correct when they reached the left Oasis, passed the made-up wooden barricade. Ryu saw nothing but flocks of halfbreeds. There were some humans but only the Rank-B and below. Most were servants and ves. "Wee to Marcus''s Group," Echbert said in an optimistic tone, but his voice only appeared dead as his expectations. Ryu and Seraphina looked around. The Oasis was quiterge, with many varieties of trees and nts growing. There was also a pool of water surrounded by rocks with weird symbols on its surface and wooden-made shelters scattered across the trees. Everyone was either cleaning, doingundry, washing something, or cooking. "Echbert!" Ryu and Seraphina''s attention was stolen by ady with short red curly hair while freckles adorned her face. "What did you bring this time?!" Before Echbert could reply, he was hit by thedy''s fist, and he rolled on the sand and smacked against a tree. "Didn''t I tell you to recruit only Rank-A mercs! Or higher beings! Why did you bring another halfbreed in here?!" Echbert shook his head and rubbed his swollen cheek. "B-but master. No one would take them in." "Shut up! We aren''t a charity case! We don''t have enough food for another halfling!" Thedy snapped and turned to Ryu and Seraphina. "You two! Go somewhere else! This group is full!" "ire!" ire''s shoulders hunched while Ryu and Seraphina looked at the neers. A man with short dark hair and a stern appearance appeared together with a bunch of tall and sturdy halfbreeds behind him. The rippling muscles behind his armor were hardened by battle, and the aura emanating from him was cut above from everyone else. Ryu''s eyes rounded when he identified the man. He was the leader of Earth Guard, Marcus! Jane''s fianc! ---- A/N Thank you all for your support. Please continue by giving votes,ments, reviews and gifts. It means a lot to me ^^ Chapter 137: Marcus Chapter 137: Marcus "ire, how many times must I tell you not to cast everyone away. We need all the help we can get," Marcus said, voice deep and cleared with a tinge of hoarseness. ire''s twisting face shifted to one of amiable and kind as she faced Marcus. "M-Marcus. .. but we already have so many halfbreeds in the group. We need expert fighters and skilled magicians to search for the exit." Marcus''s eyes squinted, and ire shut her mouth tight. "M-Marcus. . ." Seraphina had a bad feeling as she stole a nced at Ryu. Ryu only nodded in confirmation that it was indeed Marcus, Jane''s fianc. "Eh. . ." Seraphina did a twice over at Marcus. For such a beautiful woman like Jane, and from how Jane was always praising Marcus, she had high expectations of the man. She didn''t expect that Marcus was very. .. ordinary. "Sorry about that, friends." Marcus smiled, and the hard-line on his face softened. "Hmm. .. Now I see the charm," Seraphina muttered. Marcus could be scary when serious but charming when smiling. So Jane like those type of guys? "Echbert, are you okay?" Marcus shot a look at the hobgoblin, who was still clutching its cheek. "I''m fine. I''m fine." Echbertughed, but then he mped his mouth shut when ire cut him a re. Marcus said something to hispanions before they dispersed while Marcus stopped in front of Ryu and Seraphina. "My name is Marcus, leader of this group. May I know your names?" Seraphina secretly nodded in approval and mused to herself. ''He''s nothing much on looks, but he receives a hundred points in manners.'' "My name''s Seraphina, and this is Ryu." "Sorry for being impolite, but can we see your face and confirm your identity?" Marcus asked, a little embarrassed. Ryu stepped over at Seraphina, but thetter held his shoulder. "It''s fine, Ryu. If we''re going to stay here, then it''s important to establish a level of trust." Seraphina removed her veil and what tumbled was her beautiful smiling face that made ire''s mouth drop. "My, you''re lovely Miss Seraphina!" eximed Echbert. "Thank you Echbert." Seraphina beamed. Echbert''s face blossomed red, and he hupped in embarrassment, which warranted another knock on his head from re''s fist. Marcus nodded and smiled. His expression remained the same. "I supposed you''re human, a Rank-A merc at least? And is he your servant?" "I am a Rank-A merc. A mage with the affinity of water and nts, but Ryu here is not my servant." Seraphina shot a smile on Ryu''s way. "He''s my friend." ".. ." Marcus nodded with a bright face. "I see. That''s good news!" He then rubbed the back of his head. "Actually, were are running a little low of high-ranking mercs since most went to the other side." Seraphina tilted her head. "Why?" Marcus looked at Seraphina and Ryu. He really wanted Seraphina to stay in his group. He didn''t know about her nt ability, but her water ability would significantly boost their survival, especially that water was scarce in this ce. But they''d eventually find out even if he hid it. Marcus took in arge breath and sighed. "As you can see, most of our group in here consist of ves and servants and you know. .. most humans and other races prefer their own so. . ." Marcus looked to the sky and didn''t know how to proceed. "I couldn''t exactly abandon them and go to the other side. To make it short. I lead the Left Oasis, which is made up mostly of halfbreeds and servants. While the north and Right Oasis were made up mostly of demons, mortals and purebreds." Now Seraphina knew why Jane fell in love with Marcus. The man was practically a saint! No mortal would ever take care of halfbreeds and servants. Even Jane and Theodore had reservations against Ryu the first time. "Anyway. We have food and water though not much. And most of the halfbreed and servants here are useful. They could cook and hunt and build a hut. And though they''re quite reserved, they don''t do anything that would start a fight. It will be a great help if you two enter our group. Though I wouldn''t stop you if you wanted to go to the other Oasis as well." Seraphina and Ryu looked at each other. "What do you think, Ryu?" ire frowned at Seraphina''s attitude towards Ryu while Echbert couldn''t help but wish to be Seraphina''s servant all the more. Marcus was a little surprised, too, when Seraphina asked the halfbreed of an extremely important decision instead of deciding herself. It never happened that a Rank-A mortal would ask the opinion of a mere servant. "I''m fine here," Ryu said, and Seraphina seconded. Marcus''s eyes shone. "Really?!" he shouted, surprised before he caught on his fist and said, "d to have you aboard then." "Rather. . ." Seraphina took confirmation on Ryu''s nod and proceeded, "There''s something we want to tell you. .. in private." Marcus was confused for a moment before he shifted in ire and Echbert''s direction. "I''ll be the one to show this two around. You two can get back to your work." ire was a bit hesitant. She threw one pointed look at Ryu and Seraphina before she flipped her hair and dragged Echbert by the cor. When Echbert and ire left, Marcus led Ryu and Seraphina towards his hut while exining along the way, "As Echbert might have probably exined to you, all boss has restrictions. ording to that little Pink creature, Tiamat''s restrictions is, it cannot enter the area hundreds of kilometers from the starting point. I don''t know if it was part of some twisted machination, but within that hundred kilometers are three Oasis. And we call this area the protective zone." "Did you search within the hundred kilometers for the exit?" asked Seraphina. Marcus nodded. "Yes, we did. As you probably guess by now. The exit lies somewhere in Tiamat''s territory." Both Ryu and Seraphina grumbled. "We formed little squads to scout out the Queen of Dragon''sir, but none returned until now." Marcus closed his eyes for a brief moment. "I''m afraid that they were all dead." "Is Tiamat always guarding her territory?" Ryu was baffled because so many died. If they were just going to search for the exit, then there was no need to attack Tiamat. There was at least a single group toe back if they were careful enough not to attract the Dragon''s attention. Marcus skidded to a stop for a moment before he nced at Ryu and Seraphina. "The problem is, it''s not only Tiamat that is troublesome. Outside the protective zone, many beasts and monsters are lurking for prey. And with the desert and heat, most of our squads died of thirst and starvation before they could even find the exit." "That is. .. troublesome." Seraphina was having a headache. If it were only Tiamat and the harsh condition, then it wouldn''t be too much of a problem. But if monsters appeared in the picture, there was a high chance that Tiamat might hear themotion if these beasts suddenly attacked them. "Our only choice is to search while making sure not to create so much noise. Or better yet, avoid the enemies altogether," Ryu muttered. Marcus nodded. He was impressed that Ryu already had a grasp of the situation. "There is also another problem," Marcus added and pointed to the pool of water and vegetation. "Our resources are almost running out. That''s why we are in desperate need of Rank-A mercs or higher beings to go venturing outside the protective zone in search of the exit." Then Marcusughed. "Who knew that someone much more would appear? A mage with water affinity. Now one of our problems is solved!" Marcusughed heartily, and Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other. They couldn''t tell him that they chose to stay mostly because of Jane and Theodore. "How about the other Oasis? The other groups? Have they found the exit yet?" asked Seraphina. Marcus came to a halt, and hisughter''s disappeared while a suffocating aura enveloped his entire being. "Those bastards." Marcus controlled himself and sighed while the pebbles and stones around him dropped to the ground. "The reason why our supply ran fast is that every time that we leave our group to search for the exit, those dastards raid ourir." "Eh? Is that the situation in here?" Seraphina asked with a finger on her chin. Ryu expected as much but didn''tment. "It came to the point that I have to remain here to protect our supply and our group. The trees you saw earlier have plenty of fruits before, but now. .. even the leaves weren''t spared." Marcus scratched his head, irritated. "The leader of the north and right Oasis are both demons. But because they have a high chance of finding the exit and getting out from here, everyone wanted to join their groups." "The leader in the Right Oasis is a Demoness calling herself Reyna. While in the north, it''s a demon who called himself Azor. Both are really powerful demons. Not only that, but there are also a bunch of high-level mercs in their group and nasty elves." ---- A/N Sorry for thete and single update. So busy writing another novel T o T Chapter 138: The Three Groups Chapter 138: The Three Groups "The leader in the Right Oasis is a Demoness calling herself Reyna. While in the north, it''s a demon who called himself Azor. Both are really powerful demons. Not only that, but they''re also a bunch of high-level mercs in their group and nasty elves." .. . .. . "But aren''t demons supposed to be cruel?" Seraphina asked. Ryu frowned and looked to the side. Ferris was cruel, but she was the only one who helped him when the others treated him as nothing more than a ve. Marcus shrugged. "Those who are powerful and useful are treated well while those who are not. . . well. .. they just have to suck it in if they wanted to stay alive and reach the next exit." Marcus then shook his head and forced a smile. "Enough about that. Let me tell you about our organization here since you decided to stay. We don''t have aplicated system, just the basics to keep everyone afloat and alive." Marcus stopped in front of a simple tent with wide columns and blue tapestries. "But you cannot choose what you''ll do. I''ll personally assign you your work. But don''t worry, if your work is more crucial than the others, you''ll get a bigger portion of food and a bigger part of the treasures. We usually divide it by who contributed the most. Those who do manualbor and misceneous don''t get part of the treasures, but they get the food. Is that okay with you?" Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other first before they nodded. "And what happened when we find the exit?" Ryu asked. "We tell the whole group where it is, and we''ll distribute a map to everyone. But as soon as that happens, everyman on their own. You can form groups when that timees if you want." It was harsh, but Ryu and Seraphina understood that in here, every man for themselves. Marcus couldn''t possibly protect everyone forever. Their alliance was only temporary until they found the exit. And taking so many with them into the Queen Dragon''sir was akin to suicide. "Come inside, and let''s have a cup of tea first." Marcus opened his tent and entered, followed by Ryu and Seraphina. The ce''s interior was modest, with rags and carpets as bedding and barrels for small table and chairs at the side. There was also arge table on the far corner where maps and scattered pebbles restdividing the rest of the space from the sleeping quarters where just a tapestry hanging on a rope. "It''s not much, but it felt like home." Marcusughed. Ryu and Seraphina deducted that Marcus was a jolly fellow who appreciated something little and took joy from it. Now they were having second thoughts on telling him about Jane and Theodore. "Come on and take a seat." Marcus brought out the chairs and grabbed a jag of water and a pouch of tea leaves from the side. "It''s not much, but it''s tea." Ryu and Seraphina signaled each other with silent looks while Marcus sat and sipped a bottle of tea. "Ah. .. it''s really is best to take it at room temperature." Marcus''s expression softened while his eyelids dropped. "I usually take my tea hot but Jane. .. my fiance said that it tasted better at room temperature. .. That is probably the best advice she gave me." Marcus''sughter boomed in the room while Ryu and Seraphina didn''t know where to put their eyes. "So," Marcus pped his knees, "what are you guys going to tell me again?" Ryu made up his mind and decided to tell him straight. "Theo" "Actually," Seraphina cut in and gave Ryu a short nod and a tight smile. Honestly, how could he be so dense? "We''ll start by saying that this is already our second Islet." Marcus''s eyes shone. "Second-level adventurers! Now that is certainly good news! We don''t have those here. Most joined the right and north Oasis." Seraphina continued after Marcus''s excitement died down. "Our first Islet is in underwater, and the boss in there is the legendary beast, Leviathan." "Leviathan," Marcus rolled the name in his tongue while his face looked severe. "How did you manage to get past that?" Surely, they couldn''t defeat it even if theybined their strength. Possibly, only the five heroes of humanity could hope to kill that beast. "It was mostly asleep. It was its restriction." Ryu offered no more details as it was purely out of luck that they managed to reach the sanctuary. "The exit lies near its body," Seraphina added, sensing what Marcus wanted to know. "In our case, the exit was hidden beside its head. You have to be careful not to wake it up and never touch the breath it released." ".. . I see. . ." Marcus was in deep thought. If he happened to stumble on the Leviathan''sir in his second Islet, then he was confident that he could go past it if it were asleep. But for now, he had to focus on Tiamat first. "If only Tiamat were asleep most of the time too." Marcus then asked, "Is that the important thing you wanted to say?" ".. ." ".. ." Both Ryu and Seraphina were silent for a moment before Seraphina said in a muffled voice, "In our first Islet, we grouped with Jane and Theodore ir." Marcus blinked, and his face brightened before his expression fell when he sensed Ryu and Seraphina''s depressing mood. Marcus took a sharp intake of air. "What happened?" There was silence for a moment before Seraphina and Ryu retold what happened in the first Islet. .. . .. . A heavy silence descended, thick and hard to ignore. Marcus''s face was unrecognizable beneath the dark shadows cast by the light. And despite the sudden news of Theodore''s death, Marcus forced a small smile. "Thank you for telling me." He then went to his feet, and without looking back, he said, "I''m sorry, I remembered I have something to do. I''ll ask Echbert to show you around." And he was gone. ".. ." Seraphina faced Ryu. "I think he handled it quite well." Ryu didn''t say anything. Seraphina might not see it, but there was a drop of blood on the carpet from Marcus''s clenched hands. Chapter 139: The Left Oasis Chapter 139: The Left Oasis "Thank you for showing us around, Echbert," said Seraphina as they were guided inside the Left Oasis. "It''s my pleasure, mydy." Echbert fluttered his brows and shot Seraphina a shy look. Ryu wanted to knock the dopey smile off his face but decided against it. "What''s with those stones near the water?" Seraphina asked, pointing at the stones with engraved symbols surrounding their only source of water. "Those are spell stones to ward off those who attempt to steal the water. Since water is scarce, we distributed it around camp only one time per day. Sometimes we haven''t even taken water for two days. It might be embarrassing, but we haven''t taken a bath in weeks." No wonder the foul stench. Ryu thought especially that theirpanions consisted mainly of furry beasts. Though the other race''s life span was longer than mortals and could leave with little to no water for weeks. But if they suddenly found themselves trapped in the desert with the scorching heat, they mightst a week or at most a month without water. And not to mention that most of the residents here were halfbreeds. Their lifespan was much shorter than purebreds. Echbert''s face brightened, and he pped his paws together. "But now that Miss Seraphina is here, our water problems are finally over! It''s truly is such a blessing!" "I''ll do my best." Seraphina beamed. "What about food?" Ryu asked as he looked at the halfbreed and ves scattered throughout the Oasis. Some were nting trees while the others were harvesting fruits and vegetables. They were also who plowed the grasnd and converted them into tiny fields. Most of them didn''t have their master, but the seal didn''t react as well as the cors. So it really just be meant that the seal and cor didn''t work in this dimension. "Our food supply already depleted a month ago. Nobody expected that we would stumble at an ancient lost Islet like this and be trapped here without any chance of getting food from the real world. To conserve food, we only eat two times a day or sometimes just once." The corner of Echbert''s mouth curved downward. "Most of our food goes to the storage supply guarded by my master ire. So in times that the trees and herbs didn''t bear food, we have reserves." "There are also halfbreeds, who knew how to fight, they''re in charge of securing beasts meat outside the protective zones together with some ves who are quick on their feet to gather materials and whatever they can salvage in the dessert. But they don''t go too far in case Tiamat spotted them. They can easily return here." Echbert shrugged and grunted. "Though the meat they bring is either poisonous or leftover scraps since they mostly eat it themselves." "Is that okay?" Seraphina asked, concerned. Echbert shrugged. "Marcus couldn''t exactly punish them since they''re among the few who could fight. We should just have to suck it in and be d that they even bring leftovers." Echbert then grumbled, "Though most were just bones." Echbert then shook his head and put on a happy face. "In addition, the weaker ones are in charge of misceneous duties like cleaning andundry and helping the nters and harvesters while the stronger ones usually go out in search of the exit. But didn''t return. .. ," Echbert exined, voice fading at the end. Seraphina ced a finger on her chin. "It seems pretty organized. Everyone has a role." Echbert nodded and smiled. "It was sir Marcus who did everything. He''s an amazing guy. He delegated everyone with jobs based on their abilities and strength. So even if we are just made up of halfbreeds and ves, we get by this two months because of him. We are truly grateful that he''s here with us." Then Echbert''s smile fell off his face. "I could only wish that we could do more." While Seraphina and Echbert were engaged in conversation, Ryu observed their new environment. The Oasis wasrge but was enough to circle in two hours. There was nothing much but mps of trees and vegetation and a small pool of water at the center. Scattered throughout were groups of huts and tents. Based on what he saw, he estimated about thirty halfbreeds. "How many mortals do we have?" Ryu asked. Echbert looked in the sky and counted in one paw. "Including sir Marcus, Lady Seraphina and my master and that. . ." Echbert scratched his head and released an embarrassedugh. "Just four. Three Rank-A mercs while my master is the only Rank-B." "Where''s the other one?" Seraphina asked curios. They''ve seen Marcus and ire but no other human. "Oh. .. he is in charge of bringing beast meat here from outside of the protective zone. Their group usually returns around noon or near dark." "How about the other race?" Echbert sighed. "We don''t have a single demon nor elves nor purebred beast in here or even a sprite. Most are within the right and north Oasis." The group stopped at the wooden barricade surrounding the left Oasis. They have stationed posts at every column of the fence, but the ones guarding were frail servants on the brink of dehydration. Ryu frowned. "Do the barricades even work?" Echbert attempted tough but failed miserably. "Sadly no. but it does provide a sense offort." ".. ." ".. ." Ryu was starting to get worried. He didn''t trust the right and north Oasis, especially if demons were the ones leading them. With a weak group such as this, they''d be prey to the other groups sooner orter. But he also didn''t want to leave Marcus because he owed Jane and Theodore that much. And besides, the man treated them with kindness. It might sound inviting to join the other groups, but who knew what was happening behind its closed borders, especially that another race was leading them. Sensing the depressing mood, Echbert pped his hands and beamed. "Anyway. I think your tent is ready about now! We should go and check it out!" Seraphina tilted her head and smiled. "Sure. lets." Ryu briefly shot a look at Seraphina. She was awfully rxed and calm. He was sure that she also knew their current predicament. They had to find the exit fast before the other groups decided to attack them. They didn''t have the leisure of time to wait for here much longer. But the woman didn''t seem to worry about it too much. Was she confident about her strength? She was strong indeed, but if a group of Demons and higher rank beings rallied against her, even she wouldn''t stand a chance even she had Tethyt''s Tiara. Ryu was having a headache just thinking about it. Sighing through his mouth, he followed Seraphina and Echbert towards their tent. Chapter 140: Clyde Chapter 140: Clyde Ryu was taken aback when they were brought to their hut. It was the same tent as Marcus, only a little smaller with faded tapestries sewn together. Holding it to the ground were barks and stones tied with ropes. His and Seraphina''s tent was just two steps away, and when they entered her abode, it was furnished with carpet and rags with a simplemp on the center post. "Uh. . ." Echbert was appalled at how simple it was. He did give instructions to the others to fully furnish it with a bed and table. Seraphina was a water mage, and her status should at least be equal with Marcus! "S-sorry. I''ll ask the others to put a bed and table in your room at once!" "It''s fine. " Seraphina chuckled. "I don''t often sleep in bed anyways." Echbert scratched his head. The resources to make a bed and table were woods, but the trees here were all sacred because it was their primary sources of food, so cutting just a branch that yielded fruits was a sin. But on the other hand, Seraphina was also important because she produced water. "It''s fine, Echbert. This ce is perfect." Seraphina assured and patted Echbert''s head. Smokes puffed from Echbert''s nose and ppy ears as his head turned all red. "T-then. .. I-I''ll leave you two to rest first. Call me if you want anything. I''ll just be near the gates." When Echbert left, Seraphina produced a chair and a table made of twisting twigs. "That sure is handy," Ryu muttered. "Could you produce fruits too?" this was what he was dying to ask her ever since they came here. But he was afraid that the others might hear, and she was put on a tight spot. Instead of answering, Seraphina peeled a bark from the post. "This should be a banago tree." Soft vivid green light enveloped the piece of bark, and Ryu watched in amazement when it grew leaves and produced fruits. "I can''t pop fruits like magic, but I can imbue my magic on every nt life to give them nourishment and hasten their recovery, and in turn, they''ll produce fruits in a short amount of time." Instead of being happy, Ryu was attacked with worry. If the other found out that Seraphina was the answer to all their problems, then he was afraid that she would be the target of every group. Seraphina poked the center of Ryu''s frowning brows. "Rx. That''s why I didn''t tell them about this. I think Marcus only thought of my nt abilities as some kind of an offensive attack. Not knowing that I could do so much more. The reason why I told them that I''m a water mage is so that they''ll treat us with more importance than the rest." She then winked and ced a finger on her mouth. "But regarding about my nt abilities, it will be our little secret." Ryu sighed and put distance between them. "You shouldn''t use it as much as possible." Too bad about the others, but they had no obligation to save them, neither was he willing to put Seraphina''s life at risk. "What about Marcus? Should we tell him?" ".. ." Ryu held Seraphina''s hand when she was about to poke the frown off his face. "I think we should observe this ce first before we decide to tell him." Seraphina nodded in agreement, and Ryu turned to exit her tent. "Where are you going?" "To my tent." Seraphina''s eyes twinkled, and she followed Ryu to his tent, which was just right beside hers. "It''s. .. barren than I expected," Seraphina mumbled the moment they entered Ryu''s tent. Nothing was there. No rags and carpets, just patches of grass. It was simply a shell of a tent. Seraphina''s lips jousted out. "I don''t know why they even bothered to put up your tent. You could just sleep with me." "Forget it." Ryu ignored Seraphina and went out. Outside, the light was almost going out. "I''d rather sleep outside anyway." "Eh?" Seraphina puffed her cheeks. "You just don''t want to sleep with me." Ryu faced Seraphina''s cute puffing cheeks and flicked her forehead. "Stop saying misleading words. It''s better that I sleep outside your tent in case something happens." "Ehehehe." Seraphina giggled as she rubbed her forehead. Though she could protect herself, having someone to take care of her and protect her wasn''t so bad. "If you insist, then I won''t change your mind. But know that you can alwayse inside my tent when you get lonely and need hugs." Ryu briefly closed his eyes and looked the other way when his lips curved in a smile. "I''ll think about it." Seraphina''s teasing was reminding him of Ferris, and this put a smile on his face. When he was with her, his worries and problems lessened. It was truly nice having her around. Not to mention that she was knowledgeable and strong and very handy in times like this. She was the perfectpanion. Ryu''s face then turned serious. However, he didn''tpletely trust her yet since he felt that she was hiding something. While Ryu and Seraphina were engaged in their conversation, a man from the Right Oasis observed them from thousands of meters away. He was Clyde Ludwig, ex-fianc of Jane. Clyde was spying from the tower post using a special item that let him see within certain kilometers. Seraphina''s beauty caught Clyde''s attention, but he was more interested in her ability. He then asked someone to gather information about the neers in the Left Oasis before he climbed down the stairs of the post and proceeded to look around his camp. There were more humans than any other race in here, and that was a problem for Clyde. Though they were high-rank mercenaries, and it seemed like they were a powerful group, but in truth, their supply of water and food was already depleted. If not for the two water mages in their group, they''d be in trouble. As for the food, they came by with beast''s meet outside the protective barrier buttely, that too was getting scarce. There were also a couple of elves and demons though only a few. Most went in the North Oasis. Clyde knew that for him to reach the next Islet and get out from this hell hole, he needed all the strength he could get. But since he was just a noble, not even a mercenary, he needed someone strong to lead and instill fear in the camp. That was how he made a deal with the Demoness, Reyna. ---- A/N Please support with votes, reviews and gifts. it means so much to me and helps the story a lot. Thank you ^^ Chapter 141: Right Oasis Chapter 141: Right Oasis Clyde bit his thumb. Using one of his life-saving items as a bargain, Reyna and he made a seal of promise that she would protect him and be the figurehead of the camp until they reached the next Islet. Reyna didn''t care about the inhabitants in this group as long as she didn''t run out of supply of good-looking men and women. She barely went out of her tent, and it was Clyde who managed everything in the camp. Clyde didn''t haveints, though. He liked it that way. He could order and boss the others around while Reyna''s strength kept them from slicing his throat. The organizations in the Left and Right Oasis were very different. As much as Clyde wanted to establish his authority and establish some rules, the others simply didn''t care. The elves were prideful, while the demons didn''t even bother to spare him a nce. The only ones who heeded his orders were the humans though a few of them also did whatever they wanted while Reyna remained indifferent. Thus, their water and food supply depleted within a month, and they even had to steal food from the Left Oasis when Marcus was out. Clyde grumbled. Reyna wasn''t interested the least in securing food as long as he was alive. She didn''t care what happened to the others. Demons and elves could get by without food and water for weeks. Demons especially didn''t need food nor water. If only Morgan were with him, they might find the exit by now. And since that Reyna didn''t have any intention of finding the exit, it was up to Clyde to do everything himself. "There is another batch of neers. Do you still want to take them in?" Enoch asked. He was a Rank-A merc and his temporary right-hand man. "Yes. Don''t stop recruiting. We need all the manpower we can get," Clyde said. "But what about food?" Clyde shot a pointed look at Enoch, and thetter shut his mouth. "Don''t ask unnecessary questions. There''s plenty of beast outside the protective zone." ".. ." Enoch knew that it was not the reason why Clyde kept recruiting. It was because some, the rebellious ones, were offered to the Demoness. "Is Fraign still being difficult?" Clyde asked. Enoch sighed. "Elves are prideful creatures, after all. They''re just here because of the high chance of our group in finding the exit." The Elves could go to the Left Oasis and govern over there, but with few in numbers, they were afraid that they wouldn''t be able to find the exit. At least in stronger groups, they stood a chance. While the Demons couldn''t even be bothered by the many halfbreed in the Left Oasis. For them, they could raid it at any time but didn''t see any advantage of lording over weaklings that couldn''t even fight. So they chose the group with a higher chance of survival. They could also go to the north, but they were just lower-level demons, and they were afraid that they''d just be treated as a servant for the higher-level demons in there. It was also the same for the Elves. The Left Oasis was weak, and they could take it over at any time, but it had a lower chance of survival, while the North Oasis was the strongest and had the highest chance of getting to the next Islet. The only problem was, anyone weaker would be cannon fodders. And Azor, the demon leading the north, was said to be cruel and a tyrant. At least in the Right Oasis, Reyna was tolerable. She didn''t even step out of her tent, and only a few grazed at her beauty. It was the most bnced group out of the three, so many adventures flocked in its gates. Clyde nodded. "Tell him toe to me." ".. ." Enoch left onest look at Clyde before he searched for Fraign. "Another sacrifice, eh." Clyde grinned. He could tolerate disobedience but not in session. If someone repeatedly refused his orders, then it was better to offer them to the Demoness as they were useless to him if they wouldn''t follow his every heed. Fraign approached Clyde with a frown while Enoch followed behind him. "What?" Looking at Fraign. His skin was ivory smooth, and his braids of golden hair added to his youthful looks. Elves were good-looking creatures, and Reyna would surely take a liking to him. "Come with me." "I don''t want to. If there''s something, you want then say it here." A vein popped in Clyde''s head, and he red at Fraign. "If you don''t want to be kicked out of this group, then I suggest that youe with me with your mouth shut." ".. ." Fraign just really wanted to leave and go to the Left Oasis. But his urge to reach the next Islet won. He grumbled in silence before he followed Clyde. In front of the Demoness tent, where it was located in another dimension, Clyde brought out a talisman that would let him and those he will enter the tent. When they entered, Fraign was shocked by what he saw. Piles of bones on every corner of the shelter. A massive red bed at the center with a beautiful woman with two huge horns on her head was on top of its silken mattress. Her face was beautiful with translucent grey skin covered in cum, sultry and alluring as her breasts dangled, butt raised while someone fucked her from behind. There were loitering bodies on the side, interlocking in a lustful way unminding that they were almost skin and bones. They seemed not to care that they were fading away while the Demoness swallowed all their essence and soul. A faint smog of aphrodisiac lingered in the air, wrapping everyone in the grip of a euphoric dream. Upon inhaling, Fraign was stunned when his penis hardened against his pants, and his cum spurted without his control. The smog was some kind of a spell, and it was hard to resist. With little consciousness he had left, he snapped to the exit only to find it was gone. "What''s this. .. another one?" Reyna licked her lips as she rocked back and forth. The lewd sound of her butt smacking against the man''s pelvis percted in the room. Agh. . . The moans and gasped of everyone in the room were hard to ignore, and Fraign found his resistance crumbling to dust in the face of such strong magic and the promise of evesting pleasure. Within seconds Fraign was rubbing his cock with a flush face and longing dull eyes. ---- A/N You thought I forgot that this is a mature novel? XD The R18 scenes here are not frequent. They''re scattered throughout the chapters. XD Chapter 142: Reyna Chapter 142: Reyna "This one is handsome and fresh, and I thought that you''re probably running out of toys by now," Clyde said, unperturbed with all the moans and groans. He was immune to Reyna''s magic as part of the Seal of Promise. Reyna smirked. He withdrew his butt from the man''s penis with a resounding pop before he wrapped her fingers on his hair and crushed her lips against his. The man''s eyes were hazy while his once handsome face was hallowed. Twirling her tongue inside his mouth, Reyna sucked the man''s soul. The man crumpled to dust with a content smile on his saliva-drenched mouth. Nobody reacted. Everyone was fucking each other. Didn''t care if they were only skin and bones from having sex for days without rest. Reyna licked her lips, and she got out of bed. Her enormous breasts jiggled, and her tantalizing hips swayed as she sauntered near Fraign and ced a finger on his chin to check his face. "Another one who wouldn''t follow your orders?" "If you''re just serious about finding the exit, then my problems would lessen." "What''s the hurry?" Reyna chuckled and gripped Fraign''s cock while thetter moaned in pleasure. "You may not be in a hurry since you''re immortal, but I am human, incased you''ve forgotten." Fraign licked Reyna''s neck, and she giggled when he pushed his engorged cock against her belly. "Rx. .. Time here is different from above." Reyna pulled Fraign''s penis like a leash and led him to her bed. "Why don''t you enjoy your authority for a while longer? Not all the time, you''ll get to boss around everyone in here." Clyde did enjoy himself before. Women and men, he got tired of them after a month. Now, he just wanted to find the exit or at least find some treasures to bring back to the Ludwig House. If only Morgan was here with him, then tracking treasures and the exit might have been easier. Clyde sighed. "You better not forget your promise." Reyna didn''t reply as she was busy enjoying the fresh essence of her new toy. She only hoped that he''dst at least a week. Clyde took onest look at Reyna as she rode Fraign''s cock without restraint. Her pussy was clenched tight around his engorged penis, not letting him cum as the elf trashed his head left and right from pleasure and agony. Sighing through his nose, Clyde went out of Reyna''s tent, and an Elf immediately approached him. "Where''s Fraign? What did you do to him?" Another one of those who didn''t know how things work in here or chose to ignore it. Clyde thought and said, "Don''t worry about him. Reyna had a. .. special mission for him." The elf red and hissed, "Don''t think that I don''t know what''s going on here. Those who don''t follow your orders end up missing to this day." The elf ent was thick, but Clyde didn''t have any problem understanding it as his face twisted in a grin. "If you know, then I suggest that you follow my orders from now on least you might end up like your friend, that is. Or not, you can always go to the Left and North Oasis." "You!" Clyde took a step back when the elf was about to grab him. "I won''t do that if I were you. The Demoness''s spell protects me, and her might would repel all who''ll attack me. Do you really want to test it out?" The elf bit his teeth, and his fists clenched so hard it bled. Clyde onlyughed and waved a hand when the elf offered no moreints. "Better follow my orders if you want to stay here. Alive, that is." ---- Meanwhile, inside Seraphina''s Tent, Ryu was helping her set up a bath made of her twigs. Though he didn''t help much. It was a big barrel, at least human size to fit a person. Its height reached Ryu''s chest while its diameter was enough to amodate four people. Hm~ Hmm~ Seraphina was humming inside the barrel as she removed her clothes one after another and casually flung them away. Ryu caught Seraphina''s clothes and hung them on the protruding twigs on the center post while taking a peek at the woman who was so nonchnt about removing her clothes with a male inside. Though Ryu couldn''t see her naked because only her head emerged on the barrel, it was enough to stir his imagination. His beast side wasn''t horny, but his human side reacted though he wasn''t in the mood to pay it any heed. "Do you want me to go out?" Ryu asked as he caught Seraphina''s undergarments. It was a thincy piece, and its smell stirred his cock into action. He shook his thoughts away before cing her undergarments together with her clothes. "Eh?" Seraphina pouted. "Who''s going to bring me the salt and verbena?" What a simple problem that didn''t require his presence. Ryu thought. Then he heard water, and he took a glimpse in Seraphina''s direction. A big giant ball of warm aqua was floating around her head, dousing water into the barrel. Seraphina gazed at Ryu and grinned. "Do you want to join me?" Ryu brought the te of pink salt and Verbana towards Seraphina with a nk face, but his cock was fighting the constraints of his pants. He wouldn''t be surprised if he found a fabric markdown thereter. It felt like a long time since hest felt that addicting pleasure. Ever since Ferris''s death, that is. But with the many problems they were facing right now, Ryu wasn''t thinking about those kinds of things. And besides, Seraphina was just teasing him. She wasn''t serious about the offer. And even if she was, he didn''t feel like doing it with her. Ryu sprinkled the pink salt on Seraphina''s face, hoping that would wake her from her lewd thoughts. "Stop ying around and hurry. Marcus is calling us." "Hey, stop that." Seraphina blocked the salt with her hands before she snatched it from Ryu''s hold. "I just want to have a little bit of fun. You''re so serious!" Ryu ignored her, and he slumped on the ground, back resting against the barrel as he waited for Seraphina to finish. He was also guarding her if something happened when she was bathing though he could probably do it outside. But since he was feeling worried if she left his sight, he remained in her tent. Seraphina stuck out her tongue at Ryu before she mumbled under her breath, "Am I not attractive enough? Or are beast only loyal to their mate?" Chapter 143: Seraphina Chapter 143: Seraphina Seraphina rubbed the pink salt on her skin, followed by the sweet minty Verbana before she rxed on the warmth of the water. Aahh~ .. . .. . There was silence for a moment, and only the droplets of her wet hair falling into the water echoed in the room. If Seraphina didn''t hear the soft beating of Ryu''s heart, she might thought she was alone. "Hey, Ryu?" "Hm?" "Tell me about your mate." Seraphina prompted her head on her palms and looked at Ryu from below. "What''s her name, and what is she like?" Ryu''s lips were pressed tight. "Why do you want to know?" "I''m just curious. I mean, we''ve been together this far. There should be a level of trust between us now enough to know our life story." Funny for her to say that when she was hiding something from him. ".. . Her name is Cecily, and she''s my master," said Ryu after what seemed like a whole minute that the burning stares of Seraphina prated his back. Her silence really knew how to pierce his edges. "Oh! Now that is fate!" "Hm. . ." "That''s it?" "What do you want me to say?" Seraphina''s face crumpled into a frown. "How did you two meet? Was it love at first sight? How did you know that she was your mate? Are their signs? What does it feel like to see your mate? Is it true that it''s like finding your other half? What does it even feel like?" Ryu was having headaches at Seraphina''s barrage of questions. "Why are you interested in these things? It''s not like you''ll have a mate." ".. ." Seraphina couldn''t react. She was caught off guard before she submerged half her face on the water, and the warm aqua muffled her words. She then shook her head and said, "I just wanted to know since they said that beastfolks go crazy with this mate thing." She then sighed and looked over the ceiling with forlorn eyes. "I don''t even understand how they could fall in love at first sight with a stranger that they just met. And I couldn''t understand that feeling when you don''t see them or be near them. .. you''d rather die. Some say that it''s romantic and often associate beastfolks as loyal because of that. .. but I think it''s a curse." There was a mncholic in her voice, and Ryu looked over at her. She was looking down at him, and her bright blue eyes were so deep that it was pulling him towards her. Her locks of golden hair were wet and dripping to his face, but neither did he blink nor look away at the beauty that captivated his sight. Her skin was flush and enticing to the touch, while her lips were full and tantalizingly red. Ryu reached out and brushed her hair away from her face while Seraphina bent down. One small push and that was all it took to lose themselves at the moment, and at this exact time, Ferris''s voice rang in Ryu''s mind. ''Don''t kiss her if you don''t love her.'' Ryu pulled at thest moment, and he stood to his feet. He took a sharp intake of air and released it through his nose. "I think we should stop while we''re ahead. Whatever this rtionship of ours, it won''tst." And without looking back, he went out but didn''t leave. He stood by Seraphina''s tent with a flush face. He liked her. .. and he was painfully aware of it. But he had to stop because his like was different from the like he had with Cecily and Ferris. Scabbing his hands over his face, Ryu''s head was in jumbles. He didn''t even know what he was feeling anymore. Inside her tent, Seraphina was stunned. It took her a whole minute to understand what she had done. "Ah. .. idiot!" she hit herself and submerged inside thefort of the water where she found sce and peace in silence. Hugging her mermaid tail, she sighed. It was exhausting to pretend she was human and even more exhausting to control herself from liking Ryu. She almost made a blunder and exposed her identity about the mate thing. She was also half, and her beast half was searching longingly for her mate while her other half had long given up. Maybe because she wanted to find love, she was pushing Ryu to be with her? She was scared of finding out that her mate was dead or she wouldn''t even see him in the first ce. Then what then? What if he wasn''t a beast like her? Without the mate bond, would he still love her and only her? Would she be like her father? Miserable and dying? Seraphina bitterly smiled at herself. Ryu was right. Their rtionship wasn''t built for love. It was friendship. More like a sibling kind of love than anything else. And she couldn''t ask for more than that. Looking over the tent like she saw how the day turned to night. A silent song rumbled in her chest. One with longing and hope. A melody of love for a mate that she longed for but hoped never to meet. ----- In the beast Realm. A short, hunched beast withrge ppy ears full of piercings was checking an ethereal woman with long golden hair and amber eyes on the silken matters. "Enough, Hogsbeat. You may leave," she said, closing her eyes. "But my Queen." "No amount of voodoo or magic could heal me now." She chuckled as she had long ago embraced her impending death. Hogsbeat looked over at the man with dark skin and white hair. Lysander was silent for a moment before he nodded, and Hogsbeat retreated with her staff and many potions. Skulls and bones rattled with his staff as she walked out from the Beast Queen''s chambers. "Lysander." Lysander went beside his Queen and went on his knees. The Queen smiled and gently caressed the scar on Lysander''s eye. "My boy. .. Stop bringing in shamans and spell caster into my room. Even if you kidnapped the leader of Heaven''s Realm, my death is inevitable." Lysander closed his eyes ad rubbed his face against the Queen''s cold hands. A web of emotions was spiraling behind his wall of silence. "My Queen. .. my only existence is to make sure to find a cure for you," Lysander stood to his feet and walked out of the Queen''s chambers without looking back. "Whatever it takes." Chapter 144: Althord 1 Chapter 144: Althord 1 Ryu was mumbling to himself with a serious face and crossing arms as he waited for Seraphina to finish her bath. Head tipping back, the sky was turning dark blue, and it wouldn''t be long before darkness would overtake the light. Couldn''t say that he missed the dark since that was all he experienced in the first Islet. Marcus would discuss their roles over dinner with them, and Ryu wished he and Seraphina would be put together. He knew that it was dangerous, but he wanted to search the exit. Maybe his back would guide him like in the first Islet. Dinner in the camp was over a campfire. Some halfbreeds were already setting everything for the meal. They were just waiting for the scavenger''s team toe back to bring in the meat. Looking at the camp with an absent mind, Ryu spotted Marcus going into the shadows of trees. He was curious and wanted to follow him, but he didn''t want to leave Seraphina alone either. .. . .. . Eventually, his curiosity won. Seraphina''s tent was near anyways, so he coulde back to her within seconds. Hidden in tall trees was where Marcus was. He was kneeling on the biggest tree while hey flowers on piles of stones. "It''s Theodore''s. I made him a grave," said Marcus, not looking at Ryu. He knew from the silent and careful sound of Ryu''s footstep that it was the halfbreed. There was a certain distinct sound about him when he walked, and the earth vibrated in silent submission to his presence, and Marcus knew that Ryu wasn''t just an ordinary halfbreed. ".. ." Ryu didn''t say anything. Marcus was like a boulder, unshakable and dependable. But right now, he looked defeated with a hunched back and slumped shoulders. "You know. .. Theodore was always scared and cried at little things. But he is the bravest and kindest kid I know. .. ," Marcus croaked, ".. . He is just barely twenty. .. he still had limitless future and I. . ." Marcus sighed. "I can only imagine what Jane must be feeling right now." ".. ." Marcus stood to his feet and took in arge intake of air. "Do you think Jane. .. Will she make it out from the first Islet?" ".. ." Ryu opened his mouth but closed it again. He should tell him that he didn''t know, and he wasn''t sure since the Leviathan was too powerful for a mere mortal. He shouldn''t give him false hope. But right now, Ryu thought that it was that tiny hope that would keep Marcus from continuing. "Jane is a wind mage. And if anyone could slip past a sleeping Leviathan, it''s her." ".. ." Marcus faced Ryu with a small smile and red eyes. He then squeezed Ryu''s shoulder. "Thanks." Ryu opened his mouth to say something but was stopped when he heard amotion in the camp. Seraphina! Without waiting for Marcus, Ryu bolted into her tent just in time that he found a human who was arguing with Echbert in front of Seraphina''s hut. "I just want to see that water mage. Get out of my way," the man said. His brown hair was divided in the center, and his moss eyes were the deepest shades of green. He would be considered handsome if not for the air of arrogance shrouding him. Echbert raised his paws, blocking the entrance of the tent when the man attempted to enter. "I-I told you. Miss Seraphina is currently busy at the moment. Please wait in time for dinner when Sir Marcus is going to introduce her to everyone." "Why can''t I see her now? I''m second inmand!" "What''s going on?" Ryu asked and went in front of Seraphina''s tent. It''s not even five minutes that he left, and yet someone was already causing trouble? Echbert released a big breath of relief, and his face brightened at Ryu''s arrival. "Ryu, this is Althord, in charge of the scavenging team. He wanted to meetdy Seraphina but. . ." Ryu didn''t let Echbert finish as he said, "Seraphina is busy." "Are you his servant?" Althord questioned, gazing at Ryu up and down. Ryu felt that Althord didn''t put him in his eyes. It was not because he was a ve or a halfbreed. The man was just simply arrogant and rude. "No, he is my friend." Every eye focused on the woman that came out of the tent, freshly bath and captivating. "And what matters do you want with me?" Seraphina asked, and Ryu never saw her face so serious without her usual smile. Althord was dumbstruck, for he didn''t expect that the water mage to be so striking that it stole his breath away. A water mage and a beauty all in one. When was thest time he fucked one? He couldn''t remember because all the beauties went towards the Right or North Oasis. If he could have Seraphina by his side, then his time in the Left Oasis wouldn''t be too dull. He could even take her as his woman with the promise of food and protection, and he was confident that she wouldn''t refuse because of their situation. He was second only in terms of power from Marcus, and everyone wanted to cling to a power that would lead them to safety and security. Ryu could somehow read Althord''s thoughts. He didn''t even bother to hide his desires at all. His confidence and arrogance baffled him since the man didn''t look strong to back his attitude. "I just wanted to meet you and take a good look at our new recruits," Althord said with a grin. "My name is Althord, by the way." "I am Seraphina. Now that you''ve taken a good look at us. Is there something more that you want?" Althord caught his tongue, and his face went red when Seraphina brushed him off. Contrary to his expectations, Seraphina was not fawning over him. He had the looks and the power. Maybe she didn''t know who he was? Echbert peeked at Althord and restrained augh. Lady Seraphina surely knows how to embarrass someone. Althord coughed between his fists as he regained his bearing. "I am second inmand in this camp, in case you haven''t know. So if anything troubles you, juste to me. I have plenty of food, and my group is usually in charge of hunting beasts outside of the protective barrier." Chapter 145: Althord 2 Chapter 145: Althord 2 Althord coughed between his fists as he regained his bearing. "I am second inmand in this camp, in case you haven''t know. So if anything troubles you, juste to me. I have plenty of food, and my group is usually in charge of hunting beasts outside of the protective barrier." Surely, Seraphina had gotten the idea by now that it was best to cling to him since the only people who were strong in this group as he and Marcus. But Marcus was out of the picture since he was already engaged to Jane, and he loved that woman very much that looking at another didn''t even cross his mind. Seraphina nodded. "I''ll take that in mind." She then didn''t offer ongoing conversation, which made Althord''s face turn from red to green. What''s wrong with this woman? Althord thought. Maybe because she was still new in this Islet, that was why she thought she could be haughty and arrogant still. If she knew the horrors outside the protective zone and knew that he was the one who dictated whether they eat or not, then. . . Althord smirked. Maybe I should just teach her a lesson. "Althord," Marcus called and said, "I see that you have gotten acquainted with Seraphina and Ryu." Althord gave onest run on Seraphina''s body before he faced Marcus. "Yeah. We are in luck that a water mage showed up just in time to solve our water problems." Now, only the food problem was left, and Althord was confident that he''d have his way sooner orter. He''d just needed to starve Seraphina and deny her meat from days. She would surely run in his arms by then. Marcus nodded and said with a serious voice and face, "Have you brought the meat?" Althord secretly smiled. This was an area that he could exert his dominance since he knew that Marcus wouldn''t do anything about him. Marcus wouldn''t kick him out, knowing he was one of the pirs in the camp. If he left, Marcus would be the only Rank-A merc left, so everything he did, Marcus would tolerate. Althord gave azy half-shrug. "Nah. Beasts are scarce nowadays. Not to mention that the Right Oasis is hugging all the spots." Marcus gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He was painfully aware of Althord''s insubordination and eating and storing most of the meat they hunt outside. He wanted to lead the scavenging hunt himself, but who would be left to defend the camp if the Right Oasis raided again. Besides that, he had to ready the hunter''s team to search for the exit. With so many problems in his mind and with Theodore''s death, Marcus felt defeated, and he released a frustrated breath. "You know that it''s important we store meat so the next hunters'' team would have supplies. Or else we''ll be stuck in here forever." Althord preferred to be stuck in here. At least, in here, he dominated everyone. He wasn''t worried since he could just go over the Right Oasis after he had his fun if he really wanted to find the exit. "We''ll do next time." Rather why would he share his hunt with the other useless halfbreed and ves? "Anyway, since the neers are here, there should be food for tonight," said Althord. .. . .. . Althord''s grin widened. "Wait. Don''t tell me that you didn''t tell them about that rule?" "What rule?" Ryu asked. "Rules that all neers must perform a Seal of Promise to give all their rations in the storage," replied Althord. Marcus red at Althord. "Seraphina is a water mage. I think that''s already enough contribution." Althord huffed augh. "Hey, don''t look at me." He then increased his voice, "It''s you who made that rule, and everyone here obeyed. I don''t care if they don''t give their rations, but what about the others here? It''s unfair that she''d be given special treatment just because she''s a water mage." .. . .. . Beads of sweat coated Marcus''s face as he looked at everyone''s faces. Some looked away while most urged him with their stares for food. A growl rumbled in Ryu''s throat, but Seraphina stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "It''s fine," Seraphina said and beamed. "We don''t mind." Rather. Who needed food when she was a living food storage? Marcus scratched the back of his head and apologized. "I''m sorry about this." "It''s okay," said Seraphina. "It is the rule in here." Althord secretly smiled in triumph. As long as he stripped Seraphina of the chance to consume food, sooner orter, she''d submit to him like the others did. Marcus was an idiot. He was too focused on finding the exit that he lost grip of his dwindling authority. But he wasn''t the same. Althord already got the support of almost half of the inhabitants in the Left Oasis, and most of them knew how to fight and were a member of his scavenger team. Avoiding discord in the group, Ryu and Seraphina performed the Seal of Promise and gave their rations. The many fish meat they umted in the first Islet was used as ingredients to cook their dinner, while the remaining were stored in the food storage for future days toe. In the campfire, everyone was forming their own groups. The halfbreeds were usually huddled in one ce while Althord was seated next to his scavenging team, which was mainly made up of halfbreeds that knew how to fight. While Ryu and Seraphina were on Marcus''s side of the bonfire with ire and Echbert. Though most of the halfbreeds and ves didn''t need food and water because of their race, it was already a week since they ate more than two spoonfuls of meat. They''ve grown weak and weary, and some were already wasting away. After the introduction, everyone enjoyed a hearty meal thanks to Ryu and Seraphina. Most of them get to eat meat again. "I don''t believe this. It''s been two weeks since that bastard Althord didn''t bring in the meat. He just horde it all with his team, bargaining the others for power with food. How pathetic," ir spat and shot a quick re in Althord''s direction. Althord wasughing without a care with the others. Face shiny and fattier than the rest. This made ire even madder, and she mmed her bottle of water on the ground. "Marcus, aren''t you going to do something about it? If this keeps up, everyone will starve!" Chapter 146: Plan 1 Chapter 146: n 1 "Marcus, aren''t you going to do something about it? If this keeps up, everyone will starve!" Marcus sighed and ruffled his hair. "If I could, then I would have done something about it. The thing is, we still need him." "No, we don''t." All eyes went to Seraphina. Ryu almost spat his water when she spoke. Since when did she dislike a person so much that her voice was so serious? "Actually, we do," contradict Marcus, "He is the only one who''s a Rank-A merc next to me. And though he''s indeed a bastard, his strength is almostparable to mine. We would need him if we wanted to search for the exit." Ryu looked at Marcus. "Do you honestly believe that he will find the exit if he can''t even bring in simple food?" ".. ." Marcus couldn''t say anything to that. "So what do you suggest? We kick him out?" ire asked. "I don''t mind since he''s pretty much useless if he can''t even do his task." She then grumbled. "At times like this, I wish I was another race who didn''t need food and water to survive." ire sighed into the heavens. "I wish I was an angel instead." "A demoness, you mean," Echbert muttered to the side, which earned him another knock on the head from ire''s fist. "What do you want to do since you''re the leader of this camp? Seraphina asked Marcus and added, "Honestly, Ryu could just lead the scavenging team." Ryu and the others'' eyes snapped at Seraphina. "What?" Seraphina questioned, baffled by everyone''s stares. "Ryu is strong. At least he is stronger than Althord." Ryu grumbled when Seraphina put him in the limelight. "Is it true?" Marcus inquired, eyes shining. "Hmm?" ire obverse Ryu, not believing one bit of what Seraphina said. Echbert blinked and nodded. "I, for one, prefer sir Ryu over Althord anytime." "You can do it, right?" Seraphina questioned with sparkling eyes. However, her voice was final and undisputed. Ryu was thinking about it. He could do it if it were just hunting and gathering food supplies in preparation for searching the exit. "Yes," he said. "You sure?" Marcuse was still doubtful. "The beasts in here are mighty and strong." "Don''t worry, I''ll go with him," chimed Seraphina. ire almost choked on her water, "Eh? You will?" she thought that Seraphina preferred to stay inside the protective zone since who wanted to venture outside where you could die anytime? Seraphina nodded. "We''re a team. And besides, I can use simple healing magic. I''d rather be outside than stay here and pour water in the well." Marcus looked guilty, and he shifted to the other side when Seraphina''s eyes settled onto him. He was indeed nning for her to stay in camp where she was safe because her water magic was important. "Frankly, I''d rather you stay here," said Marcus, "but if you really wanted to go, then I won''t stop you." Seraphina nodded, and she looked at Ryu with a big smile on her face. Ryu didn''t say anything. He''d rather have Seraphina go with him where he could see her. And besides, her magic was indeed helpful in case something happened. At Ryu''s silence, Marcus took it as he agreed. "So let me get this straight. I''m going to change the leader of the scavenging team to Ryu while I''ll have Althord stay here?" "Why don''t we just have two scavenging teams? It''s much faster that way," Ryu suggested. Marcus was silent for a moment before he said, "Hmm. .. I''d rather you have someone experienced in your group if you really wanted to venture outside. Sadly I can''t leave the camp for long." "Just pick one that knows the terrain and the monsters," Ryu said and added, "I think it''s much easier that way than a big group that would just slow us down." Marcus was baffled as to why Ryu and Seraphina were confident. A halfbreed and a Rank-A mage. Was their confidence steamed froming out from the First Islet alive? "Ryu is right," Seraphina seconded. "The both of us already knew each other''s strong points and weaknesses. Just someone who knew the terrain and monsters would be sufficient." "You guys are nutz. Only someone who had a death wish would venture out there." ire chugged her water and cursed for it not being booze. "Once you saw what''s out there, you''ll know." Seraphina beamed at ire. "Thank you for your concern. We''ll be extra careful." ire swallowed her choke, and she snapped to the side with a reddened face. "Hmp! whose concern with who? I''m just worried about the water since if you''re dead, then that means we''re dead too." "The monsters and terrain outside the protective zone are harsh. Are you really sure you want to venture out there?" Marcus asked in seriousness. Seraphina and Ryu nodded with determined eyes. "Yes." "We are going to search for the exit eventually, so we might as well," said Ryu. "Speaking of the exit," Seraphina swallowed a piece of crab meat and continued, "What''s your n about it?" Marcus looked at the burning wood of the bonfire. The day was hot while the night was cold. Such was the life in the desert. "Once we umte enough food. I''ll arrange another team to search outside." Ryu shook his head. "It''s best if we umte food, distribute it to everyone, and abolish this camp to search for the exit." ".. ." ".. ." "Huh!" ire and Echbert shot to their feet, garnering eyes towards them. Realizing that they attracted attention, they immediately nted their butts on the rocks. ire leaned and hissed, voice soft with an edge, afraid that someone might hear and it''ll cause a panic. "Are you crazy? Most of the residence here don''t know how to fight. If we suddenly abolish this group then" "No," Marcuse interjected. His face was severe as his voice. "The truth is. .. I''ve been thinking about it." "Marcus!" ire couldn''t believe her ears. "Let me finish first," Marcuse said and exined, "This group is weak, and we can''t protect it forever. Guys like Althord wille here to take advantage of everything, and once they have their fill, they''ll leave and join the other groups." Chapter 147: Plan 2 Chapter 147: n 2 "Let me finish first," Marcuse said and exined, "This group is weak, and we can''t protect it forever. Guys like Althord wille here to take advantage of everything, and once they have their fill, they''ll leave and join the other groups." "T-that''s.. ." ire couldn''t say anything because she did hear about it from the gossiping ves that Althord was nning to join the Right Oasis. But she, too, choose to ignore it. "Besides, I''m not confident that the other Oasis wouldn''t raid this camp once their resources depleted. To make it so much worse. You and I couldn''t do anything about it if the other beings decided to take over this Oasis," said Marcus. Ryu thought the same too. "The faster we umte food and search for the exit, the better. We can''t stay in here forever." ".. ." ".. ." Both ire and Echbert were starting to get worried. ire was just a Rank-B berserker, while Echbert was just a ve who knew simple spells. How were they going to survive if Marcus suddenly left? Sensing her distress, Marcus smiled at ire. "Don''t worry. You cane with me to search for the exit. You two have been very helpful in running this group." ire almost sagged in relief while Echbert had tears in his eyes. "Thank you very much, sir Marcus!" then Echbert''s face grew sad. "But. .. what about the others?" .. . .. . "It''s not our obligation to take care of them," said ire when the others wouldn''t say anything. She took it herself to be the bad guy and spoke the truth, "We can''t always protect them. The best we could do is give them supply tost them outside the protective zone." "They could also join in the other Oasis or formed groups," Seraphina said consolingly. Though even she doubted her words. No one would take in halfbreeds and ves unless they knew how to fight, with the exception of Marcus, that is. It was a pity, but such was their situation. They couldn''t afford to be a hero when they themselves didn''t know if they could live. Marcus pped his knees. "Alright then. It''s decided. I''ll tell them tomorrow. The earlier they knew, the better so they could prepare ahead." Echbert sighed in defeat. Ryu looked over at the halfbreed and ves on the other side. They were a bunch of pitiful creatures who were only dragged by their masters in the nightmare sea and, in turn, were trapped in the Islet. It was not their fault that they were born that way. But because they were halfbreed, their fate was already sealed to be ves. Then something clicked in Ryu''s mind. Coffin. Ferris was able to be stored inside the storage ring with that item. Then maybe. . . "Do you have preserving coffins with you?" Ryu asked with an eager tone. Marcus''s face brightened, but then his expression fell. "I have, but I only have two just in case. .. ," he coughed when his tone broke, "in case Jane or Theodore. . ." He then shook his head and said, "I think it''s not enough." "And even if it did, those you put inside is either dead or asleep. You can''t put them while they''re awake," Seraphina added, guessing Ryu''s thoughts. ire frowned. "And those things are expensive. Only the nobles could afford them." Ryu''s shoulders slumped. There was got to be away. He just needed something. .. Maybe a spell. . . or an item. . . Then he remembered. .. Faux! But he no longer had any crystals left because he used thest one to ask about Ferris''s condition. But Faux did give him a small marble that could summon her. But that was meant only when hepleted Rigulus items. Maybe she wouldn''t mind if he used it even if he didn''tplete Rigulus''s quest. "Is something the matter?" Seraphina asked Ryu when she found him just staring at his cup in silence. Upon Seraphina''s sweet voice, Ryu remembered that she handed him two Lizard''s tails! He recalled that there was still one tavern that he didn''t get the chance to visit! Lizzaforth''s Tavern! He might be able to find some items that could help him! Rather, maybe he knew how to wake Ferris! Ryu shot to his feet. "Sorry. I have something to do." Before anyone could react, Ryu bolted to his tent. "I-is he okay?" ire wasn''t really worried when the halfbreed acted strangely. Seraphina nodded. "I think he just needed time for himself." "Poor guy. It must have been tough for him to leave his fellow halfbreed," Marcus muttered. Seraphina forced augh. "Maybe." Though she already had an inkling of what Ryu might be doing about now. Seraphina sighed under her breath. ''He is so predictable.'' She then licked her lips and grinned. ''And so adorably cute.'' Meanwhile, in the halfbreed and ves side of the group, it was led by Canaan and Abby. They were the group who were in charge of the misceneous stuff. They weren''t built to fight because of their short stature andck of fighting and magic power, unlike the other taller and bulkier ones in Althord''s group. "I wonder how much longer are we going tost at this rate?" Abby said. She was a half hare and half-human. Her snout crinkled while her tail curled next to her. "Not much from the looks of it," Canaan replied, "With Althord''s hugging all the food and Marcus couldn''t do anything about it. . ." His fox ears stood on alert, and his teeth bared. "I say we steal all the food in the storage and find the exit ourselves." ".. ." The group of halfbreeds quieted. "B-but. .. we can''t fight. .. ," the others murmured. Canaan frowned. "We don''t need to fight. We just need to search for the exit. As long as we are careful and camouge our scent, then we will be fine. Some of us knew spells and skills. And our advantage is that we are small and nibble on our feet. If there are beasts and monsters, we just avoid them. If Tiamat is in the air, then we will hide." The others looked at each other with worried faces. They never ventured outside the protective zone before. They didn''t know if they could do it. "We have no other choice," Canaan said with a stern face and voice. "No one will help us but ourselves. We are either stuck here giving our fate to the palms of those mortals, or we grabbed it by ourselves." Abby''s eyes shook with determination. "Canaan is right. If we died, we at least died trying. I, for once, don''t want to die here as a ve for another, waiting to be fed and used whenever they want. And after that, discarded in the end." The others'' faces changed. The Left Oasis had little hope of finding the exit at this rate, with Althord hugging all the food while Marcus lost his leadership grip. Sooner orter, this group would break, and they''re the ones who would suffer the most. In the end, they''d still be left for the dead. But now that the food and water storage was full, it was the best time to steal it and venture outside the protective zone. They''d either forged their own path or wait for the mortals to decide it for them. Either way, they''d still end up outside the protective zone. It was better to be outside with lots of supply than none. The halfbreeds faces changed into one of determination as they nned their next move. Chapter 148: Althord’s Predicament Chapter 148: Althord¡¯s Predicament A/N Happy Halloween Everyone! ^^ Please take time to votes and give reviews to this struggling author. This will help me and the book a lot ^^ ---- After the meal and everyone was seated and just chatting in the fire, Marcus went over to Althord''s side to discuss about Ryu and Seraphina creating another scavenging team. Since Althord''s group mostly had the able fighters, Marcus thought of pulling one of the halfbreed and putting him in Ryu''s group. "Althord, everyone," Marcus greeted. "Marcus." Althord made a gesture of a toast in Marcus''s way. "Actually, you''re right in time." Marcus blinked. "I am?" Althord nodded and brought his arm around Marcus''s shoulder, and led him to the far corner to talk alone. "I am thinking. For our group to acquire more beasts, we have to venture deeper into the danger zone. But you know how dangerous it is, right?" Marcus was about to open his mouth when Althord spoke again. "So I''m thinking that for us to get more meat, we need a healer, and I heard that Seraphina could perform simple healing spells." Marcus had a bad feeling about this. "With her in my group, it''ll be easier to acquire meat and not to mention faster too since we didn''t have to wait for our injuries to heal when we''re attacked. We could also go deeper in the danger zone with her around to heal our party. What do you say? We''ll make sure to protect her at all times. You have my word." Marcus heaved a big sigh and removed Althord''s hand from his shoulder. "The thing is Althord. I have Ryu and Seraphina formed another scavenging team, and I was hoping that you can spare one from your group to apany them." ".. . What?" Marcus repeated, "I said" "I know what you said," Althord cut in with a hissed, "What I want to know is why?" Marcus''s face turned solemn. "Althord, are you really asking me that?" At Marcus''s suffocating aura, Althord took a step back. "Don''t think that I don''t know that you eat most of the meat you acquired instead of bringing it here." Althord crossed his arms and held his ground. "So what if I am?" he admitted. He was not hiding it anyway. "I have no obligation to feed those useless ves and halfbreeds of the meat I acquired through my blood and sweat." "Ours, Althord," corrected Marcus, "Without those useless halfbreeds and ves, do you think you canst outside?" Althord gritted his teeth. "So what you''re saying is, you''re kicking me out? Is that it?" Marcus shook his head. "You can stay if you want to. But I need to pull out Halfjack from your group." Althord''s jaw dropped. "He is one of my best fighters!" "You have plenty more." Althord was speechless for a moment. Halfjack was indeed a halfbreed, but he was half-hugbear and half-human with a bear''s face and a human''s body. His hugbear side was ferocious, and his sturdy bulk was useful as a shield in battle. "You think that it''s enough for the three of them to venture outside?" Althord sneered. "That halfbreed is just a pretty face. Who knows if it could even punch?" "The both of them survive their first Islet that neither you nor I achieved yet. I think it''s enough to ce my trust in them." Marcus then turned his back. Althord''s fingers were burning from clenching so hard. "What made you think that you can just get one of my servants?" Marcus didn''t look back as he said, "I''m still the leader of this group, remember? I think I still have that right. And Halfjack isn''t your servant. " Leaving the fuming Althord behind, Marcus made his way towards Halfjack and the others. Marcus! Althord was burning with furry. It was one thing to ruin his ns with Seraphina, but he also wanted to take away Halfjack! It was akin to taking one-fourth of the strength of his group! Halfjack was always his vanguard, and the bear took on enemies upfront while he stayed a safe distance to finish the enemies off. But the one thing that he liked about him was that he was a simpleton that was easy to control. All his orders, Halfjack followed without questions. Truly a wonderful servant! Without Halfjack, who was going to take most of the brunt of the enemies? "Damn it!" Althord red at Marcus''s back. If Marcus was going to be difficult, then maybe it was the right time to move allegiance. ---- While everyone was busy chatting outside, Ryu couldn''t wait to go to Lizzaforth. But then his eagerness was soon followed with a frown. What would happen to his body if he went to Lizzaforth? In Faux and Oroborough Tavern, his body was protected because he had Ferris. But what about now? Ryu shook his head. This was not the time to hesitate. Maybe his body would be protected while his soul traveled to another dimension. Maybe. . . Ryu cracked the Lizard''s tail and was about to eat it since he didn''t know what to do with it. But before he could open his mouth, arge puff of smoke engulfed his room, and a giant Lizard''s head appeared in front of him. And before he could take a closer look, the Lizard shot out its tongue and swallowed him whole. .. . .. . After a short silence, the Lizard disappeared, and Seraphina entered Ryu''s tent. "If you''re going to travel to another dimension, then at least learn to hide your body." Seraphina squatted next to Ryu''s sleeping face and poked his cheek. "So careless." .. . .. . Meanwhile, it was just a moment of darkness inside the Lizard mouth before Ryu found himself in a strange house in the middle of the forest. "Oh my, a new face?" Ryu''s gaze shot to an old man with a long pointy nose and Lizard eyes. "Are you Lizzaforth?" Lizzaforth continued to water his nts. "Yes. That is me." "Do you know Ferris?" Ryu asked straight to the point. "She''s been asleep and wouldn''t wake up. Maybe you know how to wake her up?" ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 149: Jar of Capturing Life Chapter 149: Jar of Capturing Life "Do you know, Ferris?" Ryu asked straight to the point. "She''s been asleep and wouldn''t wake up. Maybe you know how to wake her up?" Lizzaforth inspected the growth of his herbs as he said, "Ah. Yes. Yes. Ferris. Thest time she came here was to ask about the Legion steel. .. and. .. love. .. and. . ." Ryu was having a hard time understanding Lizzaforth, and he came closer to where he was. Lizzaforth shot Ryu a look and nodded to himself. "I see. So you''re the one, ey. .. Ohohoho! Youngsters nowadays!" He then went back to attending his nts. Ryu''s patience was running thin. "Do you know how to wake her up?" he repeated. "Patience, my boy, Ferris wouldn''t be waking up anytime soon no matter how much you ask me." "So you don''t have an item to wake her up?" Lizzaforth put down his bug spray and faced Ryu. "Faux told me about Ferris''s condition, and I''m afraid that even I couldn''t bring a soul back from the cycle of reincarnation once it left the body." Ryu''s fists clenched, and he briefly closed his eyes. He could only rely on Tethyt''s Jewel now. "Do you know about the lost Jewel of Tethyt''s? Lizzaforth went to another side of his garden and inspected each bud of his nts. "Yes. Though no one knew what it looked like, nor do I have a picture of it if that is what you''re looking for." Ryu grumbled. He was beginning to think that it was a waste of time even toe here. Lizzaforth was supposed to be a legendary Alchemist, and his expectation was high. His excitement died down together with his hope. "Then. .. do you have an item that could store living things in a storage ring for only temporary?" "Ohohoho." Lizzaforthughed. "I do have an item that lets you capture living things in a jar called Capturing Life. It can be stored in your traveler''s ring. It has a capacity to store ten living things each." With a swipe of his hand, a dimension rift appeared, and Lizzaforth rummaged through it. "Now where is it?. .. Ah. .. here it is. . ." Lizzaforth pulled out a jar made of ss with a cork seal. It looked ordinary, and it was rtively small enough to fit in a palm. There was nothing special to it except the carvings of spells on its crystal front. "Behold the mighty Jar of Capturing Life. I made it myself, and there are no others like it out there." Ryu''s mood somewhat brightened, but he was still skeptical. Especially about the naming sense. "They aren''t going to die in there, are they?" "Nope. As long as they have food and water, they''ll live. Gravity is constant inside no matter how much you flipped it and if you want to free them, just break the ss, and they''ll be back to their regr forms." Lizzaforth sharp nails poked the ss while grinning. "I designed this for hunters to capture beasts. Though it couldn''t capture those Rank-A and above, it could store those below it with no problem." "Does it have a constraint in time?" Lizzaforth''s eyes twinkled. "Of course. Every item has one or more constrictions. Even the great me couldn''t escape that naturalw of creation." Ryu frowned and grumbled. The old man was talking too much. Lizzaforth flexed a finger. "Thirty days upon use before the spells and carved symbols fade." Ryu thought for a second. He was not confident that they would find the exit within thirty days in the second Islet. But it was better than nothing. "How much are those? I need at least three." Ryu estimated that he needed three bottles at least if he wanted to carry the halfbreed and ves inside his storage ring. He''d only take the weak ones who didn''t know how to fight and take them to the exit. At least he tried to help them like what Ferris did to him and hoped that they''d make it out alive. This was all he could do for them. "Hm. .. how much will you offer for three?" Lizzaforth grinned. Ryu brought out all his items except Nereid''s Grimoire and the Legion Steel. The Grimoire was too valuable to be given or exchanged while he needed the Legion Steel for his Seal of Promise with Rigulus. "I only have these at the moment." Ryuid the precious stones he acquired on the grass-covered ground as well as the two storm potions and Urs''s bottle. Too bad about splitting the treasures with Kai and Jane, but he needed those Jars at the moment. He''ll just make it up to them with the precious stones or whatever was left of his items. "Hmm. . ." Lizzaforth took a closer look at Urs''s bottle before he looked away. "Nasty. .. I don''t want anything to do with that witch." His eyes then glint upon the storm bottle as he picked one. "I think this will do. You can have three Jars of Capturing Life in exchange for just one bottle of this. In addition, since you''re a first-time customer, I''ll add four Lizard Tails to your purchase." Ryu agreed, and he stored the rest of his items inside his storage ring. He was actually d that Lizzaforth chose the Storm Bottle. It was a double-edged item, and Ryu didn''t want to use it if he could. After Ryu made the trade, he asked, "Do you know about the Queens Horned Mackerel?" Lizzaforth skimmed his jawline. "They are abundant at the Elveskes and ocean but very rare anywhere else." "Do you have a picture of what it looked like?" Lizzaforth snapped his hand, and a paper and pen appeared. "I''ll draw for you, boy. Consider it as another new customer perk." Ryu leaned over to Lizzaforth, but within seconds he was done, and he handed the picture to him. "Huh?" Contrary to Ryu''s imagination, the Queens Horned Mackerel didn''t have horns at all. It was just a fancy-looking fish with blue scales and pinkish golden fins that seemed to glow. (Pic) Ryu was more awed that Lizzaforth drew a picture like it was real. Must be a requirement to be a legendary alchemist. Ryu thought. In the end, Ryu and Lizzaforth parted ways, and he was back in his tent. The moment he opened his eyes, it was Seraphina''s beautiful sleeping face that stumbled into his view. ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 150: Which One? Chapter 150: Which One? Ryu blinked, but Seraphina''s face still didn''t disappear from his sight. She was lying next to him with thin a rag as bedding on the ground. She had a sweet smile on her lips, and she seemed to be dreaming in her sleep as she mumbled incoherent words. Ryu rubbed his eyes and looked over at the tent and noticed through the fabric that it was still dark outside and eerily quiet. "No. .. tehehehe. .. you brute. . ." Ryu looked at the saliva hanging from Seraphina''s mouth before he shook his head as she giggled in her sleep. What was she dreaming about? Ryu wondered. He was d that no awkwardness lingered between the two of them after what happened. Maybe because she was also aware that what they have wouldn''tst? Shaking those thoughts away, Ryu got up, making so little noise as he could. He briefly went to Seraphina''s tent to get some carpet and rags to drape over her when something caught his sight. He was sure that he saw one of the rocks move from the corner near the pool of water. Deciding to check it out, Ryu went in that direction only to be stopped when his ears perked the sound of Seraphina''s moan. Ryu sniffed the air in that direction, and when he smelled nothing out of ce, he shot one final nce at the rock before he went inside Seraphina''s hut. Near the pool of water, Canaan released a big silent breath. He was almost spotted. A good thing he bathed himself with the smell of the desert and hid his scent and appearance with the use of a concealment spell. "That halfbreed almost spotted us," Abby whispered, and she almost wet her skirt. "That was close." She sighed with teary eyes. "Shh. .. not so loud. The others might hear and wake up. Don''t forget that though most are halfbreeds, they still have kin senses." Canaan then signaled with his hands to move forward with careful steps. "Let get this done and over with." The halfbreeds agreed, and they resumed to dispel the stones guarding the water one at a time, being careful not to create so much noise. Usually, there should be a guard roving the vicinity at this hour, but since the halfbreeds took up most of those misceneous jobs, no one was watching the camp that night. Inside Ryu''s tent, Seraphina was still soundly sleeping with a smile on her face. Ryu carefully draped the carpet around her before heid beside her. With the dessert wind and the murmurs of Seraphina''s mouth as the only symphony percted inside the tent, Ryu''s mind drifted to Ferris and Cecily. He couldn''t help but think of what had happened to them. He didn''t care about the mission of acquiring rune stones as long as he was together with Cecily. But right now, Ferris dominated his mind. Seraphina next to him was reminding him of her when he and Ferris were mostly sleeping together. Ryu closed his eyes. If he concentrated and imagined the little girl, he could smell the burn of her skin and see the many kes from her head fall off to her face. It was an ugly sight, but he missed it nheless. He missed her mischievous smile and her sharp mouth. They had been together for a short time, but it felt like he had known her since young. Maybe because she was the one who taught him there was about the world? She was the one who saved and protected him in every dangerous situation. Though it was Cecily who saved him from the coliseum, it was Ferris who brought life to his existence. "What are you thinking about?" Ryu''s eyes shot opened and flickered to Seraphina, who was now awake. Since when did she wake up? "Did I wake you?" Seraphina shook her head. "No. The sound of your heart beating woke me. It was beating more than necessary, and I thought that something happened." ".. ." There it was again. Ryu really thought that Seraphina was a half-beast from how she sometimes acted and said words no mortal would say. Instead of inquiring the question that Ryu knew she wouldn''t answer truthfully, he said instead, "Go back to sleep. It''s still dark outside." "Mmm. .. I will after you tell me what''s bothering you." ".. ." "Is it Kai and Jane?" Seraphina asked when Ryu didn''t answer. ".. . A little." "I''m sure they''re fine. Both of them are Rank-A mercs, and Jane could easily pass the sleeping Leviathan with her wind spell." A wrinkle then appeared in the middle of Seraphina''s forehead. ".. . I''m more worried about Jane''s reaction once she finds out Theodore is dead." That too. Ryu pressed his lips tight. Jane must really be devastated. Vein''s lethargic face then came to his mind, and he wanted to punch something. Seraphinaid on her back and looked over the ceiling. "Well. .. I''m sure that Marcus will help her cope." ".. ." It must have been nice to rely on someone at your weakest moment. In Ryu''s case, it was Ferris. But Ferris was not here, and Marcus was a dimension away from Jane. He could only hope that Kai was doing a great job atforting Jane. ".. ." A sudden burst of worry flooded Ryu''s heart. At Jane''s vulnerable state, Kai wouldn''t. .. or at least Ryu hoped that he wouldn''t. "Are you also thinking about your mate and Ferris?" ".. . Yeah." "Hmm. .. which one?" Ryu didn''t understand Seraphina''s question, and he briefly shot her a look. "What do you mean?" Seraphina went to her side and looked at Ryu with her round liquid pool of ocean eyes. "Which one are you thinking more?" ---- A/N Thank you all for your support guys! We finally reach 1k Cols! Yaay! ^^ Here''s a mass release to celebrate ^^ Please continue to vote,ments, reviews and give gifts. NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 151: Feelings Chapter 151: Feelings Seraphina went to her side and looked at Ryu with her round liquid pool of ocean eyes. "Which one are you thinking more?" ".. ." Ryu was silent, couldn''tprehend why Seraphina was asking about it. But he answered in truth, "Ferris. Seraphina''s eyes rounded like a gawker who heard juicy gossip. "Not your mate?" "There are certain circumstances that I''m thinking about Ferris more than Cecily." "Who is she in your life, by the way?" "She''s. .. she was the one who taught me everything there was to know in Septverden. She taught me to write and read. Taught me about magic and skills. I lost count on how many times she saved me. Without her, I wouldn''t be here today." Seraphina blinked slowly. There was something about Ryu''s voice when he said Ferris''s name. He might not know it, but Seraphina heard it. His usual clear and crisp voice was turning mellow, and the hard contours of his face softened as his eyelids dropped. "She sounds really important to you." ".. ." Ryu nodded after a moment of silence. There was a pang of jealousy in Seraphina''s heart as well as gratefulness for this girl Ferris. And hope bud in her that maybe the mate''s bond wasn''t that hard to resist. That she too could like another even if it wasn''t her mate. Being a half-beast and half-sprite, she might escape the mate bond. "Where is she now?" ".. ." Ryu took to his side, back facing Seraphina. "Gone." ".. ." Seraphina''s heart constricted at Ryu''s deste tone. "If you are happy with just being together and thinking about her, then your feelings aren''t much. But if therees a time that you keep thinking about her even if she''s gone. . . then, you must really have loved her." Love? Ryu wasn''t sure himself. Even his beast side was only obligated to love Cecily out of the mate bond. But Ryu was convinced that without it, he wouldn''t feel a thing about Cecily. He never thought about such a thing until he parted with Ferris with the thought of never meeting again. Even though they were separated before, he knew that she was mostly safe and because he knew that they would meet each other again, he never felt before what he was feeling now. Perhaps it always existed, but he never really realized it until she was gone. That tiny feeling within his heart grew more intense until it was irreversible. Whether that tiny feeling steamed from gratitude for all her help or for simply saving his life numerous times or because he was attracted to her personality. .. he didn''t know. What he knew that while gratitude and attraction might sprout something. .. they weren''t love at the end of the day. Love was the mate bond. It was different. The grip of the bond of his heart to Cecily was overwhelming that with just the sight of her, he felt like drowning if he couldn''t touch nor hear her voice. And he knew that it was all thanks to his human half that he could still think about Ferris and felt something towards her even if it wasn''t intense like he felt with Cecily. He couldn''t imagine if he was a purebred. .. how hard would that be to resist the mate bond? But for now, he was focused on finding a cure for Ferris while also looking out for Cecily. "What about you?" Ryu changed the topic after the short silence. "Where were you raised?" Seraphina closed her eyes and smiled. "Are we talking about me now?" "It''s only fair since I don''t know anything about you except that you''re a merc and you''re finding a cure for your sick father." Seraphina huffed aughed and faced Ryu''s back. "My life isn''t interesting. I don''t know anything about my mother, and it was mostly my father who raised me. I was brought up in the sea, and my father was also mostly at sea, so I knew everything there was to know regarding the Ocean." Ryu thought about the many sailors and fishers in the mortal realm, and maybe Seraphina was a daughter of a fisherman based on her story. "My father taught me everything until I can walk on my own two feet. He taught me the knowledge of the sea. How to fight. How to use my magic. Even how to braid my hair so it won''t get in the way when I hunt." Seraphina chuckled, but then the corners of her lips curved down a little. "But all those happy times became memories when I learned my father was sick." ".. . It must have been hard." Ryu didn''t know how to offer sympathies, nor did he know what to do in this situation. He just faced Seraphina and patted her head like Ferris did to him in the past. Seraphina forced a smile and wiped a tear from her eyes. "I''m not that sad anymore since I met you, though. You''ve be like a big brother at this point." "I don''t mind. I don''t have siblings anyway." Seraphina was stunned, and then a smile broke the sadness on her face. "Then it''s decided." She grinned. "You''re now officially my brother. If we get out of here alive, I''ll introduce you to my father." "Mm. . ." At this point, Ryu cared for Seraphina enough that he wanted to protect her at all times. So being a brother figure to her wasn''t bad. He thought about Jane and Theodore''s rtionship, and he realized now that what he was feeling before was envy. .. . .. . There was silence hung between them, but it wasn''t an ufortable silence. It was like they came to terms with their feelings, which put a smile on Ryu and Seraphina''s faces. "By the way," Ryu said after a period of time, "Do you know about the Horned Queens Mackerel?" Since Seraphina said that she knew the Ocean and assumed that she was a fisherman''s daughter, Ryu thought that she might know about the fish. Seraphina put a finger on her lips, and her eyes shot above her head. "Hmm. .. wait. If I remember correctly. .. I do have that fish." Ryu shot to a sitting position. "What?" He was searching for the fish all this time only to be pped on the face that Seraphina had one all along! ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 152: Schemes in the Desert Night Chapter 152: Schemes in the Desert Night He was searching for the fish all this time only to be pped on the face that Seraphina had one all along! Seraphina sat as well, surprised at Ryu''s reaction. "Well, it''s one of the best-tasting fish in the entire realm and also one of my favorite. It even ripped my heart and put a tear into my eyes when I ced it in the storage." Ryu was the first to offer his food, while Seraphina was thest. He didn''t get the chance to see what she gave since he was not really interested in those kinds of stuff. And now, he thoroughly regretted it. "Do you want it?" Ryu nodded his head so fast it blurred. "Yes. I''m actually looking for one." "They''re hard to acquire since most don''t appear unless the moons are glowing brighter than normal. And they''re extremely hard to catch." Ryu wasn''t the least bit disheartened. "Where can I find one?" "It''s mostly in the Elven Realm, but they are also scattered throughout the realms, but you need a good amount of luck to spot one at night when the moon glowed its brightest on the ocean." ".. ." Sensing that Ryu really wanted the Horned Queens Mackerel, she said, "You can have mine if you want. We''ll tell Marcus about itter when morninges." Ryu stared at Seraphina in disbelief. "Are you sure? Do you want to trade something for it?" Seraphina waved her hand. "It''s fine. Consider it as my gift to you at us bing official siblings." Ryu stared at Seraphina before his brows knitted together. "But. .. I don''t have anything to gift you." He then thought for a second and said, "How about Urs''s bottle?" "I don''t want something that dangerous!" Seraphina almost went out of her skin before she calmed down and sighed. "Really. Don''t think too much about it. It''s just a fish. Though it''s really delicious, I can acquire it in the ocean again if I wanted to." "Is that so. .. but if you really want something in the future, just tell me. I''ll get it for you." Seraphinaughed a little. "Alright. Will do." Ryu didn''t press the matter anymore, but he would definitely pay her back one of these days. ---- Meanwhile, Althord was walking alone towards the Right Oasis''s gate in the barren desert where the night was cold. He was going to meet Clyde since he was summoned to report to him. The reason why Althord was confident and arrogant in the Left Oasis was because he knew that the Right Oasis would take him in. He was working as a spy for Clyde and, most often, stole water and food from the Left Oasis to offer to him. "Clyde is waiting for you in his tent," a guard said before he escorted Althord inside Clyde''s hut. "Althord, what news have you brought me?" Clyde was looking at the map on his table. It was pieces of the map outside the protective zone that the hunters made. So far, all within hundreds of kilometers outside the protective zone was barren, and no exit nor even caves were spotted. "It''s about the new recruits that you wanted to be investigated." "What about them?" Clyde didn''t spare Althord a nce as he was upied with the map. He bit his thumb and thought, was the exit near Tiamat''sir then? If so, things were looking ugly. "Seraphina is a water mage, and I also hear that she could control nts though I don''t know what that means. She''s also a healer, while Ryu is a servant halfbreed. They''re second-level adventurers, and their first Islet is a Leviathan''sir." Clyde finally pulled his focus away from the map and looked at Althord. "I heard about the Leviathan''s, and we have second-level adventurers that also sessfully passed through itsir. What I want to know is. .. that nt ability of hers. What does it do? Are they useful?" Althord gave azy shrugged. "I asked more, but none also knew what this nt ability of hers is. I think it is some kind of a unique affinity." "Are they strong?" If so, Clyde wanted to pull them into his group. A water mage that knew healing spells was undoubtedly valuable. "Maybe? They did pass the first Islet. Though I don''t know about the halfbreed the water mage will certainly be useful." Since Althord couldn''t do anything with Seraphina now that Marcus decided to create another scavenger group and strip him of half his power. He''d rather bargain with Clyde to give him the woman in exchange for his service. Surely Clyde would grant his request since the man offered his best fighters food, water, women, and power. Clyde was silent for a moment. The beasts lurking within hundreds of kilometers outside the protective zone were depleting all thanks to their wantonly hunting that every day seemed to be a festivity. It was toote to notice that the number of beasts outside was limited, and the deeper they ventured, the more powerful they were. Clyde thought that maybe it was designed that way. Then. .. sooner orter, they had to venture deeper into their of Tiamat if they wanted to hunt beast to fill their empty belly. A deep wrinkled appeared on Clyde''s forehead. It was earlier than expected, but they couldn''t afford to stay in the Right Oasis any longer. He had to hasten the hunters'' team to find the exit, and the best way to do that was to make multiple groups search for the exit. Seraphina''s magic would undoubtedlye in handy by then. Clyde stared at Althord. "I''ll visit the Left Oasis tomorrow to recruit all their abled fighters to join us. Before our food supply ran out, we must find the exit." Althord grinned. "Also another thing. .. you might be interested to know. As we speak, the halfbreeds and ves in the Left Oasis are raiding their food storage. They seemed to be nning to steal their supply and ventured outside the protective zones to search the exit themselves." Clyde''s eyes twinkled in malice, and his lips twisted in a grin. "Now that won''t do." He then motioned at the guard in his room. "Tell the hunters that we''ve spotted beasts near the Left Oasis and are preparing to enter the danger zone." Clyde prompted his hands on the table, hiding a devious smile behind his interlocking fingers. "Make sure that they kill them all and secure all their loot." ---- A/N I''m nning to take a break tomorrow. My eyes and migraine is bugging metely. T o T Who has a good heart to donate me gifts so I can finally have my eyes check? ^^ Chapter 153: Changing Sides 1 Chapter 153: Changing Sides 1 *DEDICATED to MikaelZero for the 2 Golden Tickets. Thank you ^^ ---- Ryu and Seraphina were woken by the loud ruckus outside. Bolting to their feet, they thought that something had happened, and they rushed to where Marcus was. Outside, Marcus, ir, and Echbert were forming circles with the other halfbreeds. Their faces were grim, and an oppressive silence hung in the air. "What''s going on?" Seraphina asked. ire clicked her tongue. "The halfbreed and salves raid our supplies and gone AWOL. Those good for nothing spineless cowards." Echbert was devastated as he pointed to the empty pool of water and storage. "It''s all speck and clean. Not a single morsel remained." Ryu frowned and checked the storage. It was just bare walls and barren specs of grass. So that means that the Queen''s Horned Mackerel was gone! Ryu''s eyes turned to slit, and his canines were itching from his mouth to rip someone''s throat. If he had just checked yesterday night, then he might have spotted that something was not right. Now what? "There''s something else too." Marcus sighed. His face was looking haggard than before. "We''ve attempted to chase after the halfbreeds this morning when we learned what happened but. . ." Marcus closed his eyes tight for a second. "They''re all dead near the border of the danger zone. We suspected that the other groups might have spotted them or that a beast killed them." Ryu was stunned. All those little halfbreeds. .. dead? He didn''t know what was disappointing, knowing that he didn''t check yesterday night, or that the Queen''s Horned Mackerel was within his grasp but suddenly disappeared, or the realization that he couldn''t save another of his kin again. Seraphina looked over at Ryu and shook her head a little. "Then all those stolen food and water?" "Gone," ire answered. "All of the halfbreeds were ves with no storage ring, so they either distributed the food and water to everyone and carried it on their enormous backpack." "It must be the other groups," a halfbreed said. "They murdered them and stole our food!" The rest of the abled halfbreeds agreed while another chimed in, "It must be Althord!" "Yeah. That guy is not here! He must be the one behind this!" "Are you looking for me?" All eyes went to the neers. Not far from the entrance, three mortals made their way inside the camp, and one of them was Althord. "You. You''ve got the guts to still show your face here!" ire hissed. "Where''s our food?" Althord sneered. "Your incapability to secure your storage and your ignorance of what the halfbreeds were nning were your own mistake. Don''t me it on me." "What did you say?!" ire was about to storm Althord when Marcus stepped forward. "Clyde," he said, voice serious as his face solemn. "What are you doing here?" Since the halfbreeds that guard the gates were dead, no one alerted them when Clyde''s group entered their camp. Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other. Clyde? Could he be the Clyde that Jane was talking about? Based on Marcus''s tone and from the seriousness of his face, maybe it was Jane''s ex-fianc, Clyde Ludwig. Though Clyde''s appearance was indeed stunning and elegant and screamed nobility, Seraphina thought that the man was too arrogant and preferred Marcus''s face more. Jane had good eyes. Seraphina nodded to herself. Instead of answering Marcus''s question, Clyde took a swept of the remaining halfbreeds who could fight. Their builds were sturdy, and he had the assurance from Althord that they were able fighters. Though not much, they could be canon fodders for the others when they search the exit. It would suffice for now. Clyde''s eyes then settled on Seraphina. She was more beautiful up close and personal. Too bad that Althord already asked her in exchange for his services. Nevertheless, Clyde wasn''t interested in the woman. He was more interested in her abilities than anything else. "I''m here to offer you a chance to join our group," Clyde stated, "We ept anyone who is capable of fighting to search for the exit. You''ll be provided with everything you need from food, water, and shelter." Clyde''s eyes then rested on Marcus. "And, of course, the offer also extends to you, Marcus. I am willing to set aside our personal differences just this once and offer you to be my subordinate." "I''d rather die than join you," Marcus spat. Clyde shrugged. "Suit yourself. Anyone else?" There were murmurs in the camp, and Marcus stared at Althord. "And you''re in on this?" Althord smirked. "Sorry, Marcus. But a man gotta do what a man gotta do in order to stay alive." Marcus gritted his teeth. "Traitor." Althord''s face warped in a horrid grin. "Call whatever you want to call me. I''m just doing it all to survive. I''m sure the others are the same. Look for yourself." Marcus took a glimpse at the other''s faces, and it took a single halfbreed to leave, and the rest followed. He couldn''t exactly me them. The Left Oasis was over. With no food nor water, nor members, how would they operate? Then Marcus''s eyes widened when ire and Echbert went to Clyde''s side. "ire. .. ," Marcus muttered in disbelief. He thought that at least they would apany him to find the exit. ire looked to the other side, clutching her arm with one hand. "I''m sorry, Marcus. . ." she bit her lips before she faced Marcus. "Look around you. This group is over. And if you want to live, you best join the Right Oasis now." "Master. . ." Echbert didn''t want to go, but what could he do? ire was his master. He followed wherever she went. Althord and Clyde''s eyes sparkled with glee as everyone joined their side. But soon, their expression dropped when Seraphina and Ryu remained on their spot as well as a halfbreed hugbear who didn''t budge from his ground. "Y-you guys. . ." Marcus was stunned too to find that Ryu, Seraphina, and Halfjack stayed with him. ---- A/N Elo Guys, Anyone interested to read an FL novel (R18) ^^ Check this out. Avable to read in Webnovel. *Leanna (Reincarnation, Second Chance) *I am the Queen (Viiness) *Trinity the Last White Witch (Vampires, Werewolves, Witch and Warlocks) Chapter 154: Changing Sides 2 Chapter 154: Changing Sides 2 "Halfjack," Althord called, "What are you doing over there? Come here." Halfjack shook his big fluffy bear head. "I stay here." "What do you mean you''ll stay there? That group is finished!" Althord was losing his patience. Halfjack continued to shake his head. "I don''t want. .. to work with you anymore. .. you are. .. nasty." "Gek!" Althord''s veins popped on his face. "Fine! Suit yourself! But don''t go begging me to take you in after an hour!" "And you two?" Clyde asked with a smile on his face. His attention focused more on Seraphina. "There''s no sense in staying in a group of two. You''ll have better chances in finding the exit with me rather than with Marcus." "We''re good," Ryu and Seraphina said straight away. Althord was speechless! If Seraphina wouldn''te to their side, then what would happen to his ns again? Why was the woman being difficult? Althord thought. Clyde restrained a frown. "Too bad then." He turned his back and added, "If you ever changed your mind, then you know where to find me." "What?" Althord didn''t want to leave Seraphina behind, but Clyde''s sharp eyes told him to keep his mouth shut. Sighing and grumbling, Althord followed Clyde''s led out of the camp after taking onesting glimpse at Seraphina''s form. ire''s expression was imploring Marcus as she spoke, "It''s not toote, Marcus. Come with us." Marcus''s face was hard as his voice. "No." ire''s shoulders sagged. "If you change your mind then. Think about it." Echbert''s eyes were shaking as he looked at Seraphina, Ryu, and Marcus. He then stumbled forward when ire pushed him to move. Near the entrance of the Left Oasis, Althord whispered in Clyde''s ear, "What now? I thought that you''d give me Seraphina. That''s our agreement." Clyde restrained his anger. Seraphina or not, Althord didn''t have a choice but to join his team. The only thing keeping Clyde from bursting Althord''s ego was because Althord was a Rank-A merc and would be in charge of one of the hunters'' team to search for the exit. "Patience. You''ll get what you want." "How?" Clyde restrained his eye roll. Althord was good-looking minus his ego and brainless head. "By following them when they searched for the exit. They don''t have a choice now but to go outside the protective zone. They wouldn''t join in the north Oasis led by a demon Azor. Their only option is to venture outside. And once outside, their group of four wouldn''tst, and it would be your chance to secure the girl." Althord''s eyes shone. "You''re a genius!" Clyde couldn''t retrain his eye roll any longer. That was why he hated and liked mercs at the same time. They were more on brawns than brains. Just offer them riches, women, and power, and they''d be wagging their tails. Clyde smirked, and he took onest glimpse at Marcus''s form. ''Let''s see how long you''llst.'' .. . .. . "What now?" Seraphina asked. It was quiet all of a sudden. Ryu wasn''t over the death of the halfbreeds and couldn''t help but think if he had just gone and inspected the stones in the well, they might still be alive. Marcus was silent, too, before he raffled his hair and faced Ryu, Seraphina, and the big bear. "You guys should go to the Right Oasis. It''s much safer for you." "How are you sure that it''s safer? Have you been there?" Seraphina questioned. Marcus''s face turned red. "N-no. .. but. .. *sigh. .. what could the four of us possibly aplish with no food nor water. .. or just the food part." "We''ll make it up by hunting beast along the way as we search for the exit," Ryu finally said. He then just noticed the towering hugbear beside him. The hugbear was huge, and Ryu didn''t even reach its broad chest. The hugbear looked at him and blinked. The hugbear had a cuddly innocent face and big doe-like eyes, contrary to its bulging stomach and intimidating physique. Both halfbreeds stared at each other before the big bear said, "Halfjack." "Ryu." Seraphina and Marcus stared at this weird exchange between halfbreeds before they went back to the topic. "That could work, and with Seraphina''s water, we won''t have to worry," said Marcus, but he was still worried, and he needed to reassure himself by saying, "and if ever Tiamat showed up, we will hide. With our numbers, it''s much easier to move and hide and avoid enemies if ever." Rather, they don''t have a choice but to venture outside the protective zone. Joining the Right and North Oasis was out of the question, especially the North Oasis, which was overrun by demons. "Actually. . ." Seraphina looked over at Ryu. His nod was her go signal to tell Marcus. "We don''t need to problem about food. As long we store some barks of trees, I can hasten its production of fruits with my nt magic." ".. ." Marcus''s face was stunned, then a huge smile brightened his countenance. "Can you really?" Seraphina nodded and performed her magic on a twig that was lying on the ground. The twig rattled and leaves sprouted on its once barren form followed by buds of fruits until it ripened. "Amazing!" Marcus eximed. Then he looked Seraphina in the eyes. "With this, you can have a high position in the Right Oasis. What made you two stay?" Ryu and Seraphina nced at each other before Ryu said, "We are doing it for Jane and Theodore." "I didn''t have the chance to save Theodore, and we escaped the first Islet without them. We are kind of guilty about it and hope that by helping you, we could make up for it," said Seraphina. And Ryu added, "We owe them that much." A salty sting poked the back of Marcus''s eyes. The truth was he was the one feeling guilty. He promised to protect Jane and Theodore but wasn''t even there when he died. Marcus''s fists tightened, not feeling them digging against his palms. He forced a smile through his eyes glint in anger. ''Vein, I''ll make sure to offer your corpse to appease Theodore''s soul.'' ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 155: Hell in the Desert Chapter 155: Hell in the Desert *WARNING! Chapter contained sexual and rape scenes not suited for young audiences. Skip to the next chapter if you''re notfortable with this type of scene. You''ve been warned. ---- ire and the rest of the halfbreed were led inside the Right Oasis, where they were segregated into their roles. ire was confused when she was the only girl left and asked, "What''s my role?" Althord ran his eyes over her, and ire didn''t like the glint of malice in them. "Come with me," Althord said. ire had a bad feeling about this. Everyone''s stairs were creeping her out, and there was a heavy pressure on the pit of her stomach. Her fear was then realized when Althord led her inside arge sealed hut. "This will be your new home from now on. You''ll get food and water and shelter and exchanged. .. you''ll be afort woman. It''s important to make our Rank-A mercs happy and in good mental state after all." ire wasn''t listening. She couldn''t register what Althord was saying. She was too stunned at what she saw. Everyone was fucking like a bunch of animals in heat. There was no discrimination between gender and race. The lewd sounds of flesh hitting flesh and their moans was enough to drain all colors from ire''s face. "I don''t want this!" ire snapped at Althord. Her loud, hysteric voice was like air in front of the others. They were too upied in the pleasure to spare ire the barest nce. Althord grinned. "Then, you are free to leave. No one is going to stop you." ire was speechless. Where would she go? Go back to Marcus? But after she changed sides, would he still take her back if she begged? "Just so you know, Marcus and the others already left to find the exit." The ground on which ire stood revolved in a twisted way. She was going to puke. "I can''t be in here!" ire shouted, "I''m a Rank-B mercenary!" when begging didn''t work, ire gripped Althord''s clothes. "I can be useful inbat or just washing everyone''s clothes or cooking everyone''s food!" Althordughed and stroked ire''s cheek. "I always wanted to see that begging face of yours though it was not exactly what I had in mind. This look is arousing too." ire bit her lips. She felt anger and helplessness at the same time as she let go of Althord. "We don''t have any use of Rank-B women and below except an outlet of releasing tension for our top fighters." Althord licked his lips. "And it''s not like you''re a virgin. I think this job suited you more." ire''s fingers draw blood from her palms. There was no longer an option for her. It was either this or venture outside alone and die. Looking at the women''s dull eyes like they already gave up to life as the men used them in the most twisted way, ire thought it was better to die outside. It was swift and over before she''d know it. "Damn you, Althord!" madness crossed ir''s eyes, but before she could run from the hut, a needle poked the back of her neck. "Y-you!" ire didn''t know that another Rank-A merc was already behind her. She fell on her knees as her body grew hot and her consciousness grew weak. Before she knew it, her tongue slipped out, licking her dry lips as she fondled her breasts. "Ahahaha!" Althordughed and nodded at the men. Two naked men circled ire with erect penises and ripped her clothes like it was paper. ire slid in all fours and took a cock inside her mouth while thetter gripped her side and rubbed his penis against her folds. Althord undressed, and he took over from behind. "Let''s see how arrogant you are after I''m done with you." Althord plunged a finger inside ire''s pussy, and thetter''s moans muffled behind the thick cock in her mouth. "You like that, huh?" Althord smacked ire''s round bottom while he inserted another finger. ire wiggled her butt, asking for more while juices coated Althord''s fingers. "Fucking whore." Althordughed, and another man went under ire and squeezed her dangling breasts. Her breasts molded-in whichever forms with the man''s perverse desires. Althord withdrew his hand, and his nails dug deep beside ire''s hip and rubbed his cock against her cum. ire was fighting the drug, but she was struggling to bring her consciousness forward. A scream ripped her head but only muffled cries escaped her cock filled lips as Althord pulled her hips back and thrust himself at the same time. ire desperately willed her body to work, but against the potent drug, she found herself responding to everyone''s cock. The man twisted her hair around his fingers, yanking her head, not letting go of her as he rocked his dick in and out of her mouth. ire was shaking, but her body was burning. She needed more. Feeling the strands of her hair were about to rip from her scalp, the man released his cum inside her mouth, and ire slumped on the man under her while Althord went down with her, not relenting in fucking her pussy. Pushing his thumb in ire''s butt, Althord removed his cock from her vagina and thrusting into her butthole. Althord groaned, "So fucking tight!" ire''s eyes bulged, and a scream tore through her lips, but another cock took her mouth, and she choked when thick hot cum pushed in the back of her throat together with that hard pulsating cock. Writhing in both pain and pleasure, ire was on the verge of losing her sanity when the man under him gripped her hips and pushed his enormous penis inside her cum filled vagina. "Mmm!" ire''s eyes watered when three giant dicks fucked every hole in her body. She was so full, and every part of her body was ripping in half, but the pain heightened her pleasure more. "Agh!" Althord groaned, and his nails drew blood against ire''s sides as he released a chunk of his essence inside her. "Thanks for the pussy and ass." Althord''s palm made a resounding p against ire''s ass before he dressed himself. It didn''t take long, and another took Althord''s ce in fucking ire''s behind while Althord went out of the hut, whistling as he went. "Now. .. time to hunt for Seraphina." Chapter 156: Into the Desert Chapter 156: Into the Desert Ryu and the others reached the danger zone and what stumbled upon their view was endless desert still. The sun zed down relentlessly, and thendscape offered no respite. The scent of dust and dry earth makes breathing wearisome. "Where do we go from here?" Though Seraphina asked the question, there wasn''t anyndmark nor rocks to mark the path. It was just endless sand. He was surprised that the others could still find their way. "We navigate using colored twigs in here." Marcus flipped the map in his hands that were put together through weeks of effort of searching for the exit. "Our group uses red-colored twigs as a path, and we made it a rule to return in camp whenever the Left Oasis was just a dot in our eyes." No wonder there was nothing on the map, Ryu thought. "Let''s forget about the map and search where the others left off." Everyone agreed, and the red twigs stuck in the sand led them to a more barrennd. "There are still no beasts?" Seraphina asked. "I think that the beasts in this area were already hunted," replied Marcus. "You mean there is just a certain amount of beast in every kilometer?" Marcus nodded at Seraphina''s question. "Yes. I think this Islet doesn''t allow us to dawdle in the Oasis by giving us an unlimited amount of resources. It''s like it''s pushing us to explore Tiamat''s Lair." Ryu looked over his shoulder. The Oasis was no longer visible, and its ce was sand and haze of clouds of dust. "We have to find shelter soon." "So soon?" Marcus looked over the sky. He estimated they still had three hours before the darkness consumed the ce. Ryu shook his head. "I smelled something in the air. And the dust was gathering too much for my liking." Halfjack swept the surroundings, and his eyes lingered on a particr spot. "I think. .. a sandstorm ising. . ." Seraphina and Marcus looked at each other, and Marcus asked, "You sure?" Marcus didn''t feel anything strange, but if the two halfbreeds said so, then who was he to question them? Though he was a Rank-A merc, he didn''t have heightened senses like the beastfolk. "Let''s pick up the pace and find shelter as soon as we can." Ryu wasn''tfortable with how they were on exposed grounds as well as the others. If Tiamat decided to show up, they didn''t have a ce to hide. Ryu was staking at his back to guide him the way, but it still remained damp against his clothes. He was afraid it wouldn''t work like in the first Islet or that he still needed to venture deeper in Tiamat''sir before it gave a response. Either way, he couldn''t put too much trust in it. "I spot another carcass ahead." Seraphina went to the bones of a beast or what was left of it. It was too broken and small to hide anything. Seraphina sighed. "What happened to the behemoths here?" "They were hunted and brought in the Oasis, or the bones were used as a hut." Marcus inspected the bones. It was a reptile-type beast,mon in the desert. "Let''s move forwards with caution. We might find something up ahead," said Marcus. As the group walked forward with careful steps, boots crunching the heat of the sand, they eventually came across some dead trees and patches of grass. "This is.. . is still unexplored," Halfjack said and took a whiff of the air. "Also. .. Beasts." The sound of nails scratching against the rock and dirt gradually became louder, followed by a loud thumping of the ground and a collective amount of dust. "W-what the!" None could form words as they each steady their bnce when the sand rippled beneath their feet. When the dust settled, the group found a colossal beast. It was like an ox but a hundred times bigger. Its red mane tangled in knots and hid its eyes. Only its enormous nose and two massive horns on its head were visible in the naked eyes. (Pic) "W-what is that thing?" Marcus''s jaw dropped when the creature strutted in front of them. Halfjack shook his head. Even he didn''t encounter such an enormous creature in their times of scavenging. It walked slowly, dragging its four paws against the sand. Then it''s stopped, and their hearts leaped in their throat. ".. ." ".. ." No one spoke a word. No one even released a breath as the giant beast turned its head in their direction. Its nostrils erge, and the only thing that the others thought at this moment was. .. could they defeat it while not alerting Tiamat? The colossal beast just popped out of nowhere like the whirlwind of dust carried it. Ryu''s ws itched slowly from his fingers. Seraphina held her staff closed. Marcus tightened his hold on the hilt of his broad sword, and Halfjack flexed his paws. The group watched what would happen next with unabated attention. To their surprise, the huge beast just released arge plume of sand from its snout and resumed walking ahead, uninterested. "W-what just happened?" Seraphina asked, confused. Halfjack scratched his head. "I think it only eats grass." Marcus''s eyes remained on the tender meat of the beast. "Should we attack it?" with its size, they could store its meat for days. Ryu shook his head. "None of us know what it does. Unless someone is knowledgeable at what it does and familiar with its attacks, I think its best that we leave it alone." Marcus sighed and loosened his grip on his sword. "You''re right. Who knows if it would wail and alert Tiamat. We''re not desperate for food anyway." "Look at that." Seraphina pointed to a spot at least hundreds of meters from them. Ryu''s eyes turned to slit and zeroed on a single point. "That''s. .. I think it''s a skeleton." They made their way in that direction in a hurry and found a massive skeleton like the size of that beast earlier. Its horns and bones were still intact. It was so enormous that they could make a shelter out of it. Though they brought camping material with them, with the sandstorm, it wouldn''t be much of a shelter with just rocks and barks as a foundation. They needed something sturdy and could withstand the might of a storm. The creature''s big bones came right on time! ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 157: Chimimera Chapter 157: Chimimera "This is great! If a sandstorm is reallying, then this skeleton just came in the right time." Marcus readied the tapestries and fabric they brought along while Halfjack set to work to make the big bones as habitable as he could. "Do you think those mammoths frequents this ce?" Seraphina asked and brought out some rags and carpets andid them on the floor. "Maybe." Ryu had no doubt. There were patches of grass on the sand and leafless trees. Those really must be the beasts'' food. "At least if we ever needed meat. We could just hunt them." Seraphina hummed. Ryu didn''tment, and not before long, their shelter was made just in time that the loud whooshing of the sandstorm hit their area. Halfjack was peeking at their tent and stared at the ravaging sandstorm outside while Marcus was mapping their whereabouts with a banago in one hand. But from the looks on his face, he was as much as clueless as they were. Ryu took a bite from the fruits Seraphina gave them while taking a jar of water to quench his parch throat. Seraphina sat beside Ryu and said, "Sorry about the Queen''s Horned Mackerel." "It''s not your fault." It was his. Ryu was thinking about it and the halfbreeds he couldn''t save. The halfbreeds body loitered in the entrance of the danger zone, and they could only buried them before they left. "The Queen''s Horned Mackerel must be in the position of the Right Oasis. They might even ate it by now." Seraphina pouted, but then she beamed. "Don''t worry. We''ll catch one once we get back in the real world." Ryu didn''tment, something caught his sight, and before Seraphina could open her mouth and ask what''s wrong, Ryu snatched a little creature at lightning speed before it could evennd on Seraphina''s shoulder. "W-what!" Seraphina was surprised, garnering Marcus and Halfjack''s attention. "What is this?" Ryu asked as he pinched the creature by its wings and leveled it to his eyes. It looked like a rodent-type beast, but it had two extra little heads beside its mouse head. A snake and a mantis and with a scorpion tail with insect wings. (Pic) "It''s a Chimimera." Halfjack eyes rounded. "I''m surprised you caught one!" Ryu tilted his head. "Chime-what?" "Chimimera," Marcus repeated and added, "They''re cute but deadly. They could kill a behemoth with just one sting of their poison." Seraphina''s color drained, and she backed away from the little creature. "It''s extremely agile and hard to catch. It''s best if you don''t kill it," advised Marcus, "Once dead, it emitted a type of odor that the others like it could smell. If you don''t want to die in the swarms of the likes of them, then don''t kill it." "B-but. .. what if it returned and stung us." Seraphina wanted to squeeze the little creature dry. If Ryu hadn''t caught it on time, she might have been poisoned! Though she could probably heal it. But the idea that a little cute, deadly thing was about toy its creepy needle on her made her want to swat it. Marcus skimmed his jawline. "Beast like that aremon here. That''s why potions against poisons are a must. They would not be a problem if it''s only one, but if you happened to be stung by hundreds of them. . ." Marcus shrugged. "It''s instant death. No amount of antidotes could heal you, and it would be toote for a healer too." "So you suggest that we free it and let it sting us while we''re asleep?" "Uhh. . ." Marcus was at a loss. They couldn''t kill it, but they couldn''t free it either. With the sandstorm, it would just return in their tent. "I have an idea." Ryu brought a Jar of Capturing Life. He then opened the lead, and the little creature was sipped inside without trouble. Since the Chimimera was just a Rank-B beast, it went inside the Jar without resistance. "Ohh! Is that the kind of item the hunters used to catch beasts?" Marcus asked, eyes shining. Ryu just nodded didn''t want to exin more. He didn''t know that the Jar of Capturing Life woulde in handy like this now that the halfbreeds were dead. Come to think of it, could he store that behemoth that they saw a while ago in the Jar? Ryu wanted to test it when they came across another one. "A good thing that we have that. We can just capture them inside that Jar." Seraphina looked around her, wanting to know if there were still others like it. "With the Sandstorm. .. little creatures will seek shelter. .. ," said Halfjack. Seraphina shivered. "They could seek shelter, just not here." "We should rest first while we can. With this storm, we''re not about to leave here anytime soon." Marcus stretched his neck and flexed his arm. "Who wants to take the first watch?" "I''ll do it," Ryu said, and Seraphina seconded. "I''ll watch together with Ryu." There were noints as Marcus and Halfjack took the first sleep. But as soon as they closed their eyes, another Chimimera appeared, followed by other little creatures of the sand. In the end, the group didn''t take a wink as they were upied with capturing the annoying creatures into the Jar. By the time the storm stopped, it was already morning. "T-this. .. can I at least kill one of them." Seraphina''s eyes were red as she stared intently at the innocent-looking Chimimera. "No, you can''t," stop Marcus. However, he was all for the idea. Those pesky little things didn''t give them even a tiny wink. Ryu stored the Jar of Capturing Life in his traveler''s ring. "Let''s just go." "We should take these bones with us," Marcus said, "Let''s split them so in case one of us gets separated, he''d still have shelter in this desert." Everyone nodded, and each one took bones from the behemoth enough to build a small tent in the sand. After which, they resumed their journey deeper into Tiamat''sir. ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 158: Mammoth Chapter 158: Mammoth Althord and his group were tracking Ryu and the others. They have a hunter in their team who had a ck Leopard as a beastpanion. Using Ryu''s and the other''s scent, they were led deeper into Tiamat''s Lair. Althord wasn''t worried, though, since they brought along plenty of provisions as well as a water mage. This time, Clyde wanted the hunters'' team to find the exit deeper into the danger zone. He must also notice that the beasts near the protective zones were empty, and the only way to acquire meat was venturing into the Queen of the Dagon''s turf. Althord felt like he was so close to Seraphina. He could almost taste her sweat amidst the heat, and his cock tightened against his pants at the thought. Just imagining her beautiful face between his legs was enough drive for him to continue forward. But unfortunately, a Sandstorm hits and they had no choice but to set up an emergency tent to take cover from the clouds of whirling sands. To make matters worse, no one rested a wink when all sorts of little creatures took refuge in their tent. It was especially bad when one of them killed a Chimimera, and its greenish gore attracted hundreds of them in their tent. Came morning, almost half of them were dead from poisoning. It was a good thing that they kept the water mage alive. "Althord, this is not looking good," said Fibble, the only hunter in Althord''s group. Every group of hunters had at least one hunter for mapping and tracking their surroundings. "Should we go back?" "And then what?" Althord spat. "Are you the one who''s going to face Clyde''s punishment?" Fibble pressed his mouth shut. If they didn''t find the exit this time or at least bring in enough beast tost them a month, then Clyde promised that they''d be punished by Reyna. And everyone knew what punishments awaited them in the hands of the Demoness. "Stop wasting time and track Marcus and the others. We are already here in Tiamat''s Lair. We might at least collect beasts'' meat and search for the damn exit." Althord then walked ahead while Fibble looked at the blistering heat above before he summoned Tar, his ck Leopard''s Rank-B beastpanion. To be a hunter, you needed a beastpanion through a blood pack, and they be part of your soul. The beast, in turn, would do all that you ask in exchange for you to help it grow in Rank by feeding it beast''s cores. However, mana was required to maintain them onnd continually. It was also one of the reasons why most hunters didn''t summon them unless necessary. Fibble was already a Rank-A hunter, but Tar was just a Rank-B. Beastpanions were really hard and slow to grow. You needed an enormous amount of beast cores to level them up. Or at least a few Rank-A beasts or an S which was near impossible to acquire if you''re a solo adventurer. But even in groups, the beasts'' cores were usually sold, and the price was split between everyone. It was also one of the reasons why Hunters prefer to venture alone. At least they could level up their beastpanions much faster, even it was dangerous. "Let''s go. Tar, go find their scent." Tar growled and leaped forward while the group followed it with lightning steps. But then Tar abruptly stopped, and its snout whiffed the air as it shifted its head left and right. "What''s wrong?" Fibble asked. Tar bent on its paws and raised its butt in the form of a fighting stance. A snarl ripped from its jaws when collective clouds of dust blew their way. "What''s going on?" Althord asked in an irritable tone. "What''s the holdup?" "Something not right," muttered Fibble as he looked at the sudden gust of sands. "We don''t have time for" Althord''s voice disappeared when a giant silhouette loomed over them. Tar whimpered and leaped behind Fibble when the dust settled, and a mammoth appeared like the beast Ryu and the others saw yesterday. Everyone caught their breath when the giant covered in locks of hair looked their way. Its eyes were hidden under its long thick fringe, but its size and the two enormous horns nking its head were enough to leave them shuddering. "W-what. . ." Althord gulped. "What is that?" he never saw something like it in his more than two months in the Oasis. It meant that the beast only roamed deeper in Tiamat''s Lair. Fibble couldn''t even shake his head and say anything when the beast''s head turned to them. Then it blew an enormous sand from itsrge snout and walked away like nothing had happened. .. . .. . Althord shook Fibble''s shoulders to wake him up. "What is that thing?" he repeated. Fibble finally regained his bearing and stuttered, "I-I. .. I don''t know. It''s also the first time that I saw a beast like that." "Should we attack it?" another asked. "Are you an idiot? That thing is huge," said another. "But with its size, it''s enough to feed everyone at least two weeks!" Althord''s eyes shone. If things get ugly, they could return to the Right Oasis with that beast''s meat as an offering to Clyde. Looking at the mammoth, Althord only saw how tender its meat was. It was like a walking steak in his gaze, and he licked his lips. "Let''s kill it," Althord said. Fibble frowned. "Are you sure? It might be a Rank-A." "With so many of us and one of it, I think we could manage." Althord gripped his spear, and the rest followed his lead. "But what if it makes so much noise?" Fibble was worried, and when Tar whimpered, he knew that the mammoth should be left alone. "We can''t afford to alert Tiamat." Althord sneered, "Fine, you stay here andin. We''ll go and finish that thing before it got the chance to open its big mouth." Fibble let out a word of protest that only went to deaf ears as everyone leaped from the ground and simultaneously attacked the mammoth. It was probably due to hunger or confidence or maybe the dose of both that everyone except Fibble decided to attack it. However, the mammoth''s eyes glowed red, and with it, its nostrils puffed plumes of smoke, and a loud battle cry shook the earth, tearing from its enormous mouth. RoOOaArR! Chapter 159: Tiamat Chapter 159: Tiamat RoOOaArR! The beast''s roar stunned everyone. They didn''t expect it to go berserk at the first sign of hostility. Everyone dropped to their knees from the effect of its roar, and their shock turned into dismay when it disappeared within the first gust of sands. However, before they could think of where it went, a loud pped of wings rippled the sky and with it an eerie cry. Tiamat has arrived! ---- Ryu and the others were traversing the desert in calcted steps. Every beast they saw they avoided, and every notable ce they could hide, they took notes while finding the exit. Their progress was slow, but so far, they hadn''t met any trouble. Then Ryu''s eyes shone when he spotted the mammoth grazing at a patch of grass on a smallnd. While they were spread out searching for the exit, Ryu approached the mammoth, being careful not to alert it. The mammoth grazed at the grass without care, and when Ryu was but meters from it, it stopped chewing, and its giant head turned to him. Ryu stopped dead in his tracks. The mammoth resumed eating and ignored the halfbreed while the others signaled Ryu in hush voices. The mammoth might not be hostile, but they didn''t know what would trigger it. "Ryu, what are you doing?" Marcus whispered. His heart was thundering against his chest when Ryu pulled out the Jar of Capturing Life and opened its lead. Everyone held their breaths. .. . .. . But nothing happened, and this confirmed everyone''s suspicion that the mammoth was indeed a Rank-A beast or higher. "You. . ." Marcus didn''t know what to say when Ryu returned with a disappointed look. "Honestly, don''t be so reckless." "At least we know that it''s a Rank-A beast," Seraphina defended. "Nice job in figuring to use the jar to know its rank." Halfjack nodded. Ryu''s face was stoic, and the corner of his lips was down curved. "I just want the meat." ".. ." ".. ." Marcus didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Let''s go. The exit isn''t here." Seraphina looked worried. "Rather. .. this ce is still barren sands. We don''t even know if we''re walking in circles with no lead norndmark." Ryu shaded his eyes as he stared at the blistering heat. His back was still silent as ever while his anxiousness grew louder by the minute. "We don''t have a choice but to grit our teeth and continue ahead. We only traveled for days into Tiamat''s territory. The exit might be deeper ahead," said Marcus. The group could only nod at Marcus''s words, and they resumed venturing. But a loud roar that echoed in the desert put an ugly twist on their faces. RoOOaArR! "What the!" Marcus didn''t have time to ponder when the roar was soon followed by the loud pping of wings. "Hide!" Seraphina''s face was white as a sheet. "Hide. .. where?" They were on exposed grounds that not even a sight of a dead tree. Should they dig the sand? But were they fast enough to bury themselves before Tiamat made her appearance? The pping was getting louder and louder, and with it, an enormous shadow was fast approaching at the distant sky, bringing with it plumes of smoke and thunderous crimson light. Halfjack twirled round and round, grabbing his bear head with his paws. "We dead! We dead!" "Stop panicking!" Marcus hissed, but he too couldn''t think straight with the sudden turn of events. Who were the idiots who made too much noise enough to alert Tiamat? If the dragon spotted them, it''d only take one fire from its mouth, and they wouldn''t even get the chance to scream as they burn. At least it was instant death. Marcus thought and shook his head. He couldn''t die now! Jane would be truly left alone! "How about we hide on that?" Ryu pointed at the behemoth, who was still eating grass like it didn''t hear the loud roars from its brethren. "Are you crazy? What if it attacks us?" Marcus said. "What if Tiamat decided to snatched thatrge behemoth for snackster?" Seraphina added. "We dead! We dead." Halfjack was going crazy. Ryu looked at the others with a severe face. "We don''t have a choice. Either risk it or die where we stood." They couldn''t overtake Tiamat. No one could. "For the love of!" Marcus couldn''t think anymore as the Queen of all Beast was fast approaching. "Let''s go!" Ryu swept Seraphina in his arms as he leaped towards the mammoth. Marcus and Halfjack zoomed towards the behemoth but skidded to a stop when Ryu and Seraphina paused. Ryu put Seraphina on the sand. His eyes focused on the giant when its head turned to them. It was still chewing grass with its saliva hanging thick on its mouth. "Put away your weapons," Ryu instructed when the behemoth''s snout puffed a hot steam of smoke, and it shifted its head to the side. He didn''t know why but he seemed to understand its intentions. "But" "Just do it," Ryu cut Marcus. The others looked at each other before they did as Ryu instructed and stored their weapons. The behemoth let out another puffed of dust from its snout before it resumed its daily activity of eating grass. Ryu approached it with careful steps, and everyone looked at him with unrelenting focus. They each released the breath they held when Ryu made it under the enormous beast without any ident. "Come on, hurry," said Ryu. The others hurried under the behemoth''srge belly, hiding behind its enormous legs while their heads peeked at the sky. They could only hope that the behemoth wouldn''t start to move or run or eveny on its tummy, or they''d be swat t from its weight. "I hope Tiamat won''t snatch this thing and decide to eat itter as a snack, or it''d be disastrous for us if it did," Marcus said the others'' thoughts. RooOOoAArGH! A dreadful bellow echoed throughout the desert. The terrifying beast emerged above the sky, pping its great wings and belching thick smoldering smoke fumed from its nostrils as its slit eyes looked over prey from below. Ryu caught his breath and couldn''t take away his sight at the terrifying yet majestic creature enveloping the horizon like it would swallow thend. Its scales red and ws ck. Its razor-sharp horns formed multiple crowns on its head, and rows of sharp teeth lined its jaws. With its massive form alone, it was befitting as the Queen of Dragons. A beast of the past that still lurked in the shadows of the present, Tiamat, the Queen of Dragons. Chapter 160: Luck Chapter 160: Luck Ryu and the other''s hearts thudded hard against their chest when Tiamat''s enormous shadow brought darkness within their area. No one breathed. No one talk. No one except the mammoth, who was so nonchnt about everything that it continued to chew. It didn''t care whether Tiamat was a legendary beast. It only cared about its food. "N-not good." Marcus turned into stone when Tiamat spotted the mammoth on the small patch ofnd. Tiamat screeched and opened its mouth. Red lightning sparked on its belly, traversing in its neck before arge torrent of fire erupted from its jaws. Everyone felt the fearsome power the Dragon released, and without a doubt, there was nothing left but arge hole on the scorched sand when it hit them. Unknowingly, everyone clutched the mammoth''s hair when it released a roar of its own from the approaching threat. Its eyes hidden beneath its fringe glowed red andrge clouds of dust gathered around it in a fraction of a second. Everyonest night was the ravaging tornado of fire before all of it disappeared, and once more, the view of the hot blistering sky dominated their eyes. "W-wha. .. What on earth?" Marcus and the others took a turn and swept their environment. They were still in a barren desert, but the setting was different somehow. There was now arge patch of grasnd on one side while they spotted a ruined tower near a giant standing stone. The mammoth puffed out sand from its snout before it moved its gigantic leg one step at a time. Ryu and the others leaped to a safe distance as they watched it graze on the patched of grass. "C-could it be. .. its ability is to teleport to its source of food?" Seraphina didn''t know what to think about the sudden turn of events. Marcus was confused too. "Most like it." "It save us," Halfjack chimed. Seraphina chuckled. That was more like a cry of relief. "More like an ident." Marcus breathed in and out to give life to his still-shaking nerves. Once he made sure that he could move without falling on his knees due to his fear, he assisted their situation. "Anyway. I think we''ve transported away from Tiamat. But we still don''t know where we are." "Ryu?" Seraphina called when Ryu stepped away from the group and inspected the ruins. Ryu pointed at the ruined tower and said. "Should we go inside?" his back was heating, and it was certainly not the frigid heat. Marcus scratched his head. "I advise not going inside it without checking first but either that or be spotted again by Tiamat. I''d prefer that unknown ruins." Seraphina and Halfjack nodded, and the group made their way inside the tower''sdder, leading down into the sands below. ---- Althord thought that he knew terror and fear, but none could prepare him from the sudden arrival of Tiamat and the massacre that soon followed. Bodies burnt to ashes. Blood and guts spilled as the shouts and pain filled the air. Tiamatnded with a loud pping of its wings, and everyone before it was like pebbles on its feet. AaaArRgGhH! Screams and cries echoed as the Dragon toyed with the Rank-A mercs. Pinching them with its ws before ripping them apart. It didn''t even bother to defend against their simultaneous attacks. Those who tried to run were burnt to ashes by its fire, while those too scared to move were spared. "What are you doing?!" Fibble bellowed at Althord. "We have to run!" Ran? Althord''s face twisted in horror. Those who attempted to run were nothing but dust now. And even if they did run, could they escape that thing? He didn''t even have a teleportation item or skill that would allow him to blink in a far distance that was safe from the Dragon''s clutches. And even if he had the item and skill, it was toote. They were already trapped in the Dagon''s Domain, and if they wanted to escape, they''d either kill Tiamat or the beast itself let them go. Althord was heaving. He was dead and all for a lump of stupid meat. His body was drenched from sweat, and his chest rose and fell in rapid session as he watched Tiamat''s jaws stretched in a grin as she devoured one body after another. Amidst the chaos, Tiamat spoke. "Mortals and non-humans, let''s y a game." Its voice was slow and hissing, resounding and ringing in their cores. "If you won''t move a muscle within a day. I let you leave. . ." Everyone went still, not even breathing. Tiamat''s slit eyes looked at everyone. "The game. .. starts now. . ." No one moved a muscle, not even daring to roll their eyes nor lips. Ahahahaha! Tiamat''sughter boomed, and its enormous tail hammered against the sand creating clouds of dust. "You fools never change. .. the only thing that will make you submit is through a muchrger force." With the weight and power of its tail, the earth shook, and there was one who was bound to catch his bnce. Needless to say, before the man could fall into the sand, Tiamat''s w pinched him and brought him to her mouth. AGH! The crunching sounds of bones were enough for everyone''s color to drain from their faces. "I think this game. .. is too boring. . ." Tiamat''s eyes shone with delight. "Let''s lit it up." Before anyone knew what it was doing, Tiamat breathed a bluish fire around Althord''s group. It was hot and zing, and it was no different than being cooked alive. Tiamat snickered, and its long tongue licked its jaws. "Let''s see how long you''llst. . ." Althord never knew what dread was like until now, that is. The helplessness and the impending doom bit at his legs, and it took all he had to endure standing. He grewcent over his two months in the islet, and this was the price he must pay. ---- A/N I''m having family problems so excuse me for my grammars. I can''t think clearly T _ T Chapter 161: Huntsman 1 Chapter 161: Huntsman 1 *WARNING! Chapter contained sexual and rape scenes not suited for young audiences. Skip to the next chapter if you''re notfortable with this type of scene. You''ve been warned. ---- Althord''s body convulsed involuntarily at the sudden shock of the pain when the blue fire grazed on his skin. It was a different kind of burn from regr fire. It was like the pain poured over him like a storm of scalding rain and radiated up his spine, blurring his thoughts. Althord didn''t know how he did, but he managed to clump his mouth shut by drawing blood from his lips. The others were not as strong as he was, and they sumbed to the pain with the first contact of the fire. AaRgGhH! A scream ripped their throat, and Tiamat ended their life in an instant. Althord saw Fibble resist the heat, but when the fire reached where he stood, Fibble eyes bulged, and his veins crawled against his skin as he cried with all his might. Althord closed his eyes shut when Tiamat brought him to its jaws. Stters of blood burst from the Dragon''s mouth while spilling guts on the sand. Fibble''s body was torn in pieces, and some parts of his limbs were scattered in the desert. Althord fought his stomach-churning. He swallowed the acid taste of vomit filling his throat. He took his mind off from the scene, but he had difficulty concentrating on anything but the all-consuming pain of his burnt skin. The unendurable pain caused him to ckout for an instant. Every movement was torturous. Every thought intensified the pain pain no mortal man had ever endured before. His skin was melting from the heat, and half his body was burning. Maybe it was best if he had cked out instead and fallen on the sand? It would end all the pain and agony in one swift. "What do we have here," Tiamat hissed, eyes on Althord. "A human whosted a minute on my mes." Tiamat chuckled. "You''re the only one left. .. a pity if you die. . ." A swirl of ravaging mes enveloped Tiamat, and she took a form of a woman with long red zing hair and an alluring naked body. Her horns lined her head, and her draconic tail was covered in razor-sharp spikes. Althord would be aroused at the ethereal beauty holding a luminous skin and dted crimson eyes. But the fire caught his dick, and his eyes watered as he bit his tongue in half. "At your limit, I see." Tiamat reached a hand on Althord''s head, and his body convulsed. Red searing light glowed in his veins, and burnt skin reced half his face. His eyes glowed red, and a hideous cry tore through his mouth. He felt the surging power from Tiamat, and his skin cracked and emitted smoke while the fluid in his body was all turned to zingva. Tiamat crossed her arms under her enormous breasts, pushing her chest forward. "From now on. You''ll be my little huntsman. I''m bored, and it''s time for the yers to venture out here and quit hiding in their cute little tent, no?" Since she was restricted in the danger zone, she just needed a yer to cause havoc in the protective zone. She could have done it in the beginning, but where was the fun in that? She wanted to give the explorers some hope before she crushed it with despair. Tiamat leaned closer to Althord and caressed his nk face. "Go and hunt the yers for me." Althord nodded without a word, and Tiamat''sughter''s boomed in the desert. ---- Clyde''s eyes were red from staring at the maps in his hands. But no matter how much he stared, the map remained the same. It still didn''t give him any indication of the exits nor treasures whereabouts. Where were there even treasures to begin with? Sighing through his mouth, he gave up and leaned on his chair. Thanks to the halfbreeds food, they could survive for another week, but it wasn''t enough. Clyde mmed his palm against the table. If only Reyna would act! Maybe it was time to cut the portion of food? If the hunter''s team didn''t bring back meat after a week, then they were definitely in trouble. Sensing his stress was building, Clyde decided to rx in the pleasure house. He couldn''t do much about their current predicament. It was all up to the hunters now. Inside the pleasure house, it reeked of sweat and the smell of cum. Clyde''s eyes skimmed the entangled bodies and made his way towards a woman who wasn''t skin and bones. If he remembered correctly, her name was ire. Her face was average, and her breast was small for his liking, but she had to do for now. "Move," Clyde said and everyone who was fucking her dispersed right away. His eyes twitched when the woman slumped on the ground with dead eyes and a limp body. Cum dripped from her mouth, pussy, and butt. Clyde clicked his tongue and ordered a man in charge of the pleasure house to clean and gave another dose of drug to ire. The man protested. "But sir, she already received one this morning. She might die if I give her another." "Do you think I care?" Clyde snapped. The man didn''t say anything more and had ire cleaned before she was injected with another drug dose. ire''s lifeless eyes turned opaque, and her tongue stuck out from her mouth as she rubbed her breast. She needed to released the pressure building in the pit of her stomach, and her juices dripped in the side of her legs upon the bulge on Clyde''s pants. ire crawled towards Clyde and pushed his pants down in a hurry. Clyde''s cock sprung to his pelvis, and ire took it in her mouth with difficulty. The thick shaft was pulsating, and it was burning in her mouth. Clyde gripped ire''s head and pushed his hips forward enough for ire''s eyes to water. Easing her throat, ire sucked Clyde''s penis, hallowing her cheeks as she did. Clyde gasp and his head tip back. ire''s warm saliva-coated tongue was enough to evaporate his stress and worries. The asional scraping of her teeth against his penis sent shivers from his toes to his spine, and he closed his eyes tight. Clyde pushed his hips forward and backward in ragged motion and hit ire''s throat when he released his cum. His fingers intertwined in ire''s hair, pulling her towards him as she choked with his essence. Unsatisfied, Clyde pushed ire to her stomach and raised her butt. He parted her butt cheeks and pushed two fingers inside her pussy. ire wiggled her hips, and she released a moan. She ground her butt against Clyde and looked at him with melting, dull eyes and saliva dripping mouth. Clyde grinned and smacked ire''s butt. "You like that bitch? I don''t usually fuck whores, but you''ll have to do for now." Clyde gripped ire''s hips towards him and thrust his cock at the same time. "Agh. . ." a strangled moan escaped from ire''s sore throat. Since her time in the Right Oasis, she hadn''t had any food nor an ounce of a wink from the endless men she had to pleasure. Her stomach was full of cum, and her body was sore all over. Each time that she reached ecstasy, it felt like she would die. Clyde was uninterested when ire''s vagina bleed, and her body shook. The important thing was for him to release his stress. He picked up speed and dug his nails against her hips as he rocked her body forwards and back. ire''s eyes rolled in the back of her head, and her heart was thumping louder and hard before it stopped when Clyde inserted his penis to the hilt, filling her to the brim. *huff *pant Clyde withdrew his cock and wiped the dripping essence off his shaft with a clean cloth before dressing himself. ire slumped on the hard cold sand with pupils in the back of her head while saliva dripped from her mouth. Not bothering to check whether the woman was alive or not, Clyde went out of the pleasure house while other men surrounded the lifeless ire and used her pussy and mouth as a tool to relieve themselves. Outside, Clyde wiped the sweat on his face and body. Maybe he''d go to the bathhouse next and take a bath? "What''s that?" "Is that. .. Althord?" Clyde frowned at themotion outside the gates, and he hurried to the group of mercs huddled in the entrance. "What''s going on?" Clyde asked. None of the mercs could say what was going on as they just pointed their finger in the direction of a lone man cloaked in red me marching in their camp. Clyde squinted his eyes. "Althord?" Clyde couldn''t recognize him. Not with half his skin was burn while smoke rose from his parted lips. His eyes were glowing red. "What is that?" Clyde muttered. Althord brandished his spear, and his mouth ripped open in a battle cry as he charged in their direction. Its body burst with mes, and it felt like the earth thudded with his every step. Clyde''s eyes bulged, and he yelled. "Close the gate!" ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 162: Huntsman 2 Chapter 162: Huntsman 2 Clyde''s eyes burst, and he yelled. "Closed the gate!" RaAarRW! Althord yelled and leaped into the air before crushing inside the Right Oasis. Clouds of dust and pebbles flew from where hended, and everyone covered their eyes with their hands. "What the!" the first one to speak couldn''t continue his words when his head flew from his shoulders. With a flick of his fingers, Althord swiped his spear, and everybody that stood within ten meters from him was but torn flesh and guts. AaArRgh! Chaos erupted in the camp, and everyone panicked while some brandished their weapons in an attempt to kill the demon that was posing as Althord. But they weren''t strong nor fast enough against the tiniest might of Tiamat that infused with Althord''s body. Clyde was speechless and couldn''t react. He nked out for a moment before he regained his wits when a blood sttered on his face. It wasn''t a beast that was posing as Althord. It couldn''t be since beast, nor any form of creatures outside the protective zone, couldn''t enter the Oasis. It must really be Althord. Something must have happened for him to turn out this way, and Clyde didn''t have time to ponder what. "Sound the rm!" Clyde shouted, running to Reyna''s tent while Althord was upied with the other mercs. "Gather everyone and kill that thing!" They still have a few Rank-A mercs remaining in the Oasis, but the majority already left to search for the exit and hunt beasts. What lousy timing! Clyde thought. He doubled in speed when the cries and screams intensified tenfold. Looking back, blood and guts spilled from Althord''s spear. No amount of spell nor skill seemed to be working against it. Althord''s body just reconstructed again and again like he became immortal while all who grazed his skin burned and turned to ashes within seconds. Just what exactly happened outside the protective zone?! Clyde was nearing Reyna''s tent when Althord suddenlynded in front of him with a scorched head in his hand. Clyde yelped, and he fell on his butt while the head in Althord''s hand turned to ashes as thetter approached Clyde with red glowing eyes, promising death. "A-Althord!" Clyde stuttered and raised his hands, "snap out of it! What''s the matter with you?!" Clyde crawled away when Althord showed no sign of stopping. "I''m warning you! You can''t hurt me! Reyna is protecting me! Shell kill you!" Raargh. .. a low guttural growl rumbled in Althord''s chest, and a cloud of smokes erupted from his cracked skin and mouth. "Snap out of it, you damn fool!" Clyde bellowed, but his breath hitched in his throat when a glimmer of a spear went past him, and the next thing he knew, his hands fell off, and blood sttered everywhere, drenching his face and clothes. "AaArGH!" An agonizing scream tore from Clyde''s throat. Althord loomed over him, and he raised his spear to end Clyde''s life once and for all. Clyde''s pupils shook and crawled to Althord''s demonic form before he shut his eyes tight when Althord brought down his spear. BaAmM! The spear hit the sand, and Clyde found himself twenty meters away from Althord while Reyna held him by the cor. The Demoness was naked, baring herrge breasts and clean-shaven pussy before dark shadows took form as an armor around her. "I thought something was going on with the noise and such, but I certainly didn''t expect this scene." "Reyna!" Clyde said and cried, "Quick, help me! Heal my arms!" "Shut up." Reyna tossed Clyde on the side and poked her ear from his shriek. If she didn''t perform the Seal of Promise with him, she''d personally end him for being too loud. "It''s just your arm. It''s not like it''s your dick," Reyna spat but healed Althord''s hands nheless. It would be bad if the weak mortal bled to death just because of a simple wound. "It''s Althord! I don''t know what''s happening to him!" Clyde exined while Reyna didn''t care who the man with burnt skin was. All she was interested in was the anomaly within Althord. The power that made him mad and wiped out the Rank-A mercs that he couldn''t do before. Whose power was he using? Did he find a treasure, perhaps? "You, where did you get that power?" Reyna was very much interested, but Althord only replied with a growl. "I see. You already lost all reason." Sharp long ws itched from Reyna''s hands and feet, and her lips ripped apart to give way to her long fangs and jagged teeth. "I''ll rip the answer from your corpse then!" Reyna bolted in Althord''s direction and attacked him with her lethal ws while thetter contented with the Demoness in speed and avoided her attack with ease. They were in lockbat for almost five minutes, and when Reyna''s ws found their marks on Althord''s chest, the Demoness leaped back and hissed. Her ws turned to dust while Althord''s torn flesh sproutedva blood before his cracked burnt skin like charcoaled rocks crackled and reformed to close his wound. This put a sweat on Reyna''s beautiful face. The human was now an immortal and with power and strength equal to her or even greater. Though it was only minutes since their battle started, Reyna felt the power surging from Althord''s, biting at her every pore. It was a dominating power that forced even her to bend her knees. There was also a hallow of a beast behind Althord, and Reyna feared that it was the Queen of Dragons. If so. .. they were in serious shit. Reyna took a peek at Clyde. The important thing was to keep him alive until they reached the exit. She didn''t care about the rest. If worse came to worst, she''d flee with him in tow. But first. .. she''d try if she could defeat the anomaly in front of her. She took quite a liking to her current life now, and she wasn''t in the mood to give that up. "Let''s see what you are made of!" Reyna leaped back, and multiple pentagrams appeared behind her, casting shadows over the dessert. And soon, multiple skeleton-like hands in the form of dark haze went out of the pentagrams and attacked Althord simultaneously. [Death''s Grip] ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 163: Huntsman 3 Chapter 163: Huntsman 3 "Let''s see what you are made of!" Reyna leaped back, and multiple pentagrams appeared behind her, casting shadows over the dessert. And soon, multiple skeleton-like hands in the form of dark haze went out of the pentagrams and attacked Althord simultaneously. [Death''s Grip] It was Reyna''s most devastating spell. Its attacks were relentless as hundreds of skeleton-like hands pursued her enemy without pausing. And once you were caught in its web, it''d pull your soul out of your body, leaving you dead without the chance of recovery. But the cost, it needed an enormous and continuous amount of mana to keep the skeleton-like hands to appear on the pentagrams and rece the ones that Althord managed to destroy. But using only his agility, Althord avoided every hazy hand his way, and with his spear, he destroyed some which he couldn''t avoid. But with these many hazy fingers, some were bound tond on him. However, those shadowy hands couldn''t pull his soul anymore because he had none, to begin with. He was Tiamat''s puppet. An empty shell that housed her will and a dose of her power. Althord''s body would shake every time that ominous hands took a grip on him, and the hardyers of his skin would break, andva blood sprouted out. However, the hard rockyyers of his burnt skin would just move and reform around his wounds and patch it a new. Reyna clicked her tongue when she realized that her attacks were useless. "Then how about this!" Reyna bellowed, and the pentagrams behind her doubled and formed into a single giant pentagram and what came out was an enormous dark hand. It was massive, and its power caused the space around it to distort. And contrary to the weight it brought, its speed was astonishing as it zoomed at Althord within a fraction of a second. BaAaAmM! The tents and huts all flew from the impact, and Clyde cried at the Right Oasis devastation. "Reyna, you idiot! Stop destroying everything!" Reyna ignored Clyde. Her focus was on Althord. When the dust settled, a huge hole made a mark in the Right Oasis. Althord body was emitting more smoke than usual, and wounds cracked her rocky burnt skin as magma blood oozed out from his cuts. But what got Reyna worried was Althord''s body was acting strange. It was shaking as a continuous growl vibrated from his parted lips. Unlike before, theyers of his burnt skin were trying to reform but failed, and every time it did, a new gaping wound cracked his flesh. His blood was glowing, and his skin was breaking apart. Did his body reach its limit? Reyna mused to herself. But Reyna didn''t have time to ponder when she realized what was happening when Althord''s body suddenly bloated and his blood glowed red. "He''s going to explode!" Reyna''s dted eyes turned to slit, and she appeared next to Clyde. Clyde didn''t know what was happening when Reyna yanked him by the cor just in time that a loud explosion racked his senses and rendered him unconscious for a moment. BoOOOoMM! Althord body exploded, taking everything within a thousand kilometers with him. Even the faraway North Oasis wasn''t spared. The explosion was so loud and powerful that it shook the earth and burnt the sand, leaving a deep fissure on the Oasis. It was akin to a powerful fire blow of Tiamat, and needless to say, Althord''s body was shattered to dust without recovering ever again. But the devastation it brought was enormous that Reyna had to teleport into the danger zone with Clyde in tow to avoid the st. Leaving only the two of them as survivors from the Right Oasis. While the North Oasis was also wasn''t spared. But since its inhabitants were much stronger than the Left Oasis, most of them managed to flee before a single powerful st pulverized them. Clyde went on his knees with his terror-stricken face looking over what was left of the protective zone. "N-no. . ." All those food and water. .. gone. What would he do now? The food wasn''t a problem but the water. . . "Reyna," Clyde grabbed Reyna''s shoulders, confident that the Demoness wouldn''t kill her. "W-what should we do now? Without water, how would I live?" Reyna pped Clyde''s hands and looked down at him like he was a disgusting bug. "Shut up and stop panicking." Reyna shifted her gaze at their surroundings. "We don''t have a choice but to meet up with the others and find the exit." The Oasis was gone, and Reyna''s face twisted in an ugly way. She was still having the best time of her life. Damn it! Clyde''s face brightened when he thought there was still the hunters'' team out here apanied by a water mage. "That''s right, let''s track the others first!" Reyna rolled her eyes, and she retracted her ws and sharp teeth. She was beginning to feel worried about traversing the danger zone with just the weakling Clyde as herpany. She suddenly regretted agreeing with the Seal of Promise. The lifesaving item he bargained with her was no use if the annoying man died, taking her soul with him. But no use in regretting it now that this happened. She could only suck it up and tolerate Clyde for the rest of the journey. Just imagining feeding and protecting him like a baby was enough to make her gag. "Let''s go." Before I changed my mind, Reyna thought and led the way deeper into Tiamat''s territory. Reyna briefly threw a side-eye at Clyde and warned, "Don''t make a noise and follow everything I tell you if you want to live." Though she was strong, she was not confident that she could take on Tiamat with just her alone and the feeble man whose only worth was his pockets and looks. Clyde didn''t like Reyna''s tone, but he couldn''t do anything. Reyna was his life support and the only thing holding it like that was the Seal of Promise. He didn''t want to push his luck, so he just nodded his head. Hundreds of meters from Reyna and Clyde was Azor who managed to flee when the explosion happened. Concealing his presence, he decided to follow the Demoness and the mortal. ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 Gift = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 164: The Ruined Tower Chapter 164: The Ruined Tower Meanwhile, Ryu and the others were unaware of what was happening in the Oasis. They made their way deeper down in the ruins, and the group tried hard not to sneeze. A thickyer of dust coated everything with a pale haze, and piles of pale stone dirty slumped in the corner. A patch of dampness gave rise to the musty odor of mildew. The mmy, humid air is heavy with the funk of spores. Apart from their movement, this ce was silent as the grave. Even holding their breath and straining to listen to their surroundings, they hear absolutely nothing. The silence was deafening. Then they stopped when they heard scrabbling noises of something small scurrying into a hole in the wall. As they approached, they heard the sounds of many small vermin scurrying out of their way. "I don''t know if I''m d or not to find it so empty," sighed Marcus. Halfjack nodded his bear head. But they stopped when they heard a faint noise that could be a growling creature or something scraping across the floor. A low hiss resonated through the tunnelsome great creature perhaps, or the grind of stone on stone. Ryu and the others looked at each other. Seraphina pointed at the fork. "I think it came from the right." "Should we check it out?" Marcus suggested, voice unsure. "Look." Halfjack pointed at the things on the edge of the stone walls. There was a pile of filthy straw in one corner that might function as crude bedding. A sort of nest had been formed out of moldering cushions, ragged nkets, and other discarded tapestries. "Agh. . ." A groan resonated in the tunnel, and everyone didn''t wait for another second and ran in the right archway. That sound definitely didn''te from a beast. "W-wha. . ." Marcus words were stuck in his throat when he saw a room thick with spider webs. Multiple cocoons were hanging from the ceiling. Seraphina''s skin crawled in disgust, and she gasped, and Ryu held her mouth and motioned for her not to make a sound. Ryu then pointed to a dark corner of the room, and upon closer inspection, they found Giant Spiders lurking nearby. Multiple eyes, hairy limbs, and big, very big bulging stomach. They seemed to be asleep. Ryu ced a finger on his mouth to warn the others to stay quiet. Seraphina''s skin erupted in hives, but she bit her lips and nodded. Marcus pointed to a cocoon at the far left and signaled everyone that the noise came within it. With careful steps, Ryu approached the cocoon, and with the swiftness of his movement and ws, he released the cocoon from the tangle of webs without making the slightest noise. Carrying the cocoon, the group retraced their steps back in the tunnel, making sure that they were at a safe distance from the Giant Spiders. They didn''t want to fight if they could avoid it. Who knew if Tiamat could hear themotion and decided to take a detour in these ruins. Marcus didn''t waste time and immediately cut the cocoon in half with ease. What stumbled upon them was the skinny form of a halfbreed. Marcus was surprised to find Abby alive, and he almost burst her name. He immediately held his mouth and whispered, "Abby." Abby groaned and coughed while Seraphina fed her water, one gulp at a time. "What happened to her?" Halfjack questioned. Marcus didn''t know too. "She must have escaped the massacre and ended up in here. We could only wait for her to regain consciousness." "Agh. . ." Abby moaned again, too weak to even open her eyes. "We should retreat to a safer spot and wait for her to regain consciousness before we continue," Seraphina suggested. But. . . "Is there a safe spot in here?" Marcus chuckled that sounded like he wasmenting. The desert was surely out of the question as Tiamat was still atrge while this tunnel was full of Giant Spiders and who knew what else. "I''ll look around and find a safer area," Ryu said. "I''ll go with you." Marcus went to his feet before Seraphina could open her mouth. Ryu knew what she was thinking from the pout of her face. "You stay here and watch over her. If we are not back within two hours then. . ." "I''lle and search for you," Seraphina cut in with no room for argument in her tone. Ryu gave a wry smile before he looked at Halfjack. "I''ll leave them to you." Halfjack eagerly nodded and punched his chest with his paws. "Leave it to me." Ryu and Marcus then left and went into the left archway from the fork before. Ryu didn''t want to split, but given the current situation, it was best to leave Abby in the care of Seraphina while they explore the ruins. Ryu could put Abby in the Jar of Capturing Life, but she was on the verge of death at the moment. She needed Seraphina''s constant care, and Ryu didn''t want to put the both of them in a Jar and break itter when they needed Seraphina''s magic. He had only one jar left, all thanks to the dessert insects. It was best not to waste it. And besides, they didn''t n to explore deep. At the first sign of danger, they''ll just flee. "So. .. ugh. .. " Marcus scratched his head, his voice mirrored the awkwardness on his face. "Are you and Seraphina like a thing or something?" Ryu gave Marcus the side-eyes, and Marcus looked away. "No," Ryu said and offered no ongoing conversation. "I-I. .. I see." Marcus looked over the ceiling. He wanted to make small talk, but he didn''t know where to start, and he wanted to smack himself when he added, "Oh right, since you''re a half-beast, you already have a mate." Marcus groaned at his poor social skills. But what would he ask? Ryu''s life? He was a servant and a halfbreed. What life could he have? Ryu shrugged, and he thought of Cecily''s beautiful face. "I guess." He was just d that he wasn''t a purebred. Even with just half, all he thought about was to be together with Cecily. His end goal was always her. Ryu then wondered what it would be like for the pure beastfolk. They must have gone mad if they couldn''t see or be with their mate. Chapter 165: The Metal Door Chapter 165: The Metal Door "Do you think that they''re still others in that cocoon?" Marcus asked. "I don''t know. I couldn''t hear any heartbeat except the one Abby was in." It was also the reason why Ryu didn''t suggest lingering in the Giant Spider''sir. He couldn''t be sure if the others were alive, and it was too risky to remove the cocoons all at once. If it was just one, then it was no problem, but two or more and the Spiders might notice that their food source was missing or that they''d woke up from the vibration of their webs if they released the cocoons all at once. Marcus''s eyelids closed a little. "I see. . ." then the hard lines on his face was back. "I guess we''ll find out once Abby is awake. But at the moment, we must look for a safe ce to rest." ".. ." Ryu wasn''t interested in resting, but since Seraphina and Marcus were mortals, they needed rest every two or three days. "How did you be a merc?" Ryu asked. He suddenly thought about Ferris and what she told him about broadening his social skills. Marcus''s eyes shone. Ryu was finally conversing with him. He puffed his chest and blew a breath through his nose. "Well, I was a vige boy. I grew up in the fields, dreaming of the day I became of age and joining the mercenary guild for quick cash. I plow the field day in and day out. That was why at twelve, I was already buff like an ox. With the great earth affinity bestowed upon me by the soil, I started to train at age thirteen." Ryu looked at the side. Ah no. .. I was just asking how you be a merc. Not your entire life story. He mused to himself though he let Marcus continue. "At age fifteen, I was fighting bandits and drove away goblins in my vige. By then, I was the strongest in our town, and nobles even recruited me as one of their soldiers. But I was steadfast on bing a mercenary. The pretty life inside the noble''s estate doesn''t suit me anyway." Marcus continued on and on, and Ryu didn''t know how to stop him. "And at the age of twenty, I met the love of my life. . ." Marcus''s voice turned mellow as his face softened. "I never did once hope to catch Jane''s attention. I mean. .. I was just a nobody back then. I''m no noble and certainly not handsome." Heughed. "I''m only proud of my brawns. I don''t even have enough brains. But she. .. she and Theodore epted me for who I am." Marcus''s fingers balled into fists, and Ryu felt the anger and guilt radiating from his voice. "I wanted her family to ept Jane and me because I knew that her family meant so much to her even if she mostly argues with them. And to make them finally ept me, I venture into the Nightmare Sea in their name. . ." "I never once expected that we would be trapped in here. .. if I''d known. . ." Marcus closed his eyes tight. "Theodore wouldn''t have died. It was my fault that he died and Jane. .. Jane is all alone and had to suffer because of it." ".. . Yes. It''s your fault." Ryu looked Marcus in the eyes. "It''s your fault because you failed to protect them." Marcus gritted his teeth and his face buckled in despair. "So if you want to make it up to Jane and Theodore and still had the guts to face her, you make sure to offer her Vein''s head when you meet." ".. ." Marcus was stunned for a moment before his eyes turned to slit and his face hardened with determination. "You''re right." Vein! Marcus hissed in his head. He would make sure that Vein wouldn''t have an easy death in his hands. Marcus gripped Ryu''s shoulder. "Thanks." nk. . . The both of them looked to where the noise came from. "Do you hear that?" Marcus asked. Ryu was shaken out from his thoughts at the sound of the rattle and clinking of chains on stone. A metallic rattle and scrape ended with a loud ng, perhaps from a metal door. Ryu''s back was heating, and he felt it vibrating as they neared the end of the pathway that was blocked by a metal door. It had many rune carvings that none of them could decipher. "Whatever is inside that thing, I''m sure that it isn''t to our liking." Even on the other side, Marcus felt the oppressive aura of whatever was in there. Ryu felt it too. Only his back was relentless and felt like a desert from how it warmed his skin. "We should camp right here," Ryu said. "Huh?" Marcus didn''t want to have anything to do with that door nor be near it. "Are you serious?" Ryu nodded. "Whatever is inside obviously couldn''te out, or it should have attacked us the moment we came near it." That made sense but still. .. Marcus was hesitant. "And besides, whatever is inside. .. ," Ryu looked over the empty hallway, "it repelled all kinds of creatures and beasts." Marcus looked over the ceiling and found no trail of cobwebs nor vermin loitering in the grounds like the previous tunnels. "This is the safest spot," dered Ryu with confidence. Marcus stifled a groan. It was either here, or they go back in the desert where Tiamat was still atrge. There was also the spot near the entrance, but Marcus feared they''d be pincer by the Giant Spiders and whatever woulde in the ruins. At least here, if ever they were pincer, they had the option of going through the door, though probably not the best option. There was no safe spot. Everywhere was dangerous. "As long as that door remains close. We''ll wait for the desert toe to peace, and then we''ll venture outside." Ryu didn''t say anything. For now, he''d keep his idea of entering the door. The important thing was that they had a ce to rest to n their next move, away from the prying eyes of Tiamat. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 166: Abby Chapter 166: Abby .. . .. . Everyone was silent as they stood in front of the Metallic Door. Even without speaking, everyone knew what the other was thinking. The oppressive aura of whatever inside was leaking out, and thanks to that, all sorts of beasts and creatures stayed away from it. "A-are you sure this is safe?" Seraphina asked, peering at Ryu under her longshes. "Whatever is inside couldn''t go out from that door. So I think this is the safest spot," Ryu answered, ignoring everyone''s doubt. How did he even know? Ryu was not sure either. He just had to rely on his instincts. Without arguing anymore, theyid Abby on a bedding while Seraphina took care of her. Marcus prepared their food while Halfjack watched the tunnel for any signs of beasts or approaching treat. At the side, Ryu was studying the Metal Door. It wasn''t sealed, nor was it lock and it seemed to open at any time, but whatever was inside couldn''t do so. Could it be like Nereid? Ryu thought. Another boss besides Tiamat? If so, Ryu shuddered. Due to luck and whatever reason, he managed to avoid fighting Nereid and probably more because of Tethyt''s. But he couldn''t exactly tell the same about whatever was inside the door. Who knew if whatever was inside there had a grudge against Tethyt''s for locking it for hundreds of years? *cough. . . Everyone''s attention was stolen when Abby coughed. The first sound of life from her dry lips after an hour. Thanks to Seraphina''s healing magic, some color returned to her face. "Agh. . ." Abby groaned, and her eyes fluttered open. Her long ears flinched, and she gasped and shot to a sitting position only to feel dizzy by her sudden movement. Seraphina held her shoulders and steadied her. "Easy now. You''re safe." Abby was disoriented for a moment before she shook her head and croaked, "W-what happened?" "You didn''t remember? We found you stuck in the ceiling in the Giant Spider''sir." Marcus was a little annoyed now that the halfbreed was awake. He didn''t forget that they stole their provisions and the reason why they were in this predicament. Abby looked at Marcus and was shocked at seeing him. "G-group leader. . ." Abby then lowered her head, and her eyes watered. "I''m sorry. We had no choice. .. but they. .. the soonest we left, the Right Oasis attack us and killed more than half of us." Abby sobbed and cried harder, "We shouldn''t have left. .. *hic. .. and maybe the others might still be. . ." Seraphim, Ryu, and Halfjack all peered at Marcus with dead eyes. What? Marcus was taken aback. He didn''t mean for her to cry. "Ah. .. I don''t exactly me you." He lied and cleared his throat. "Anyway. What happened after that?" Abby covered her tear-stricken face and hupped. "The rest of us managed to run in the danger zone. And then we stumble upon a giant-looking beast, and we were teleported near a ruin. And when we ventured inside, we were suddenly attacked by thick webs and .. . I don''t know the rest after that." Ryu and the others could somehow picture what happened. Abby then clutched Seraphina''s hands. "Please! You have to rescue the others! Canaan and the others are still. . ." Abby paused when she saw Seraphina and Marcus''s faces. "No. . ." Abby tried to get to her feet, but Seraphina stopped her. "Let me go. I must rescue them." "By what?" Ryu asked. "By storming in the Giant Spider''s Lair and get eaten?" ".. ." Abby turned to stone, and she went on her knees, crying as she said, "you have to help them. .. I''m sure Canaan and the others are still. . ." "I hate to break it to you. .. but the others are probably dead. It was even a miracle that you alone somehow managed to survive. With theck of oxygen inside that thing. . ." Marcus trailed off. Abby grew weak with grief, and her face went nk at the sudden realization that Canaan and the others might indeed be dead. How long were they trapped inside a cocoon? She shook her head and stared at everyone with pleading eyes. "If I could make it. .. then the others might also. .. Please. .. you have to help them!" Marcus wanted to ask why they would risk their life all for halfbreeds that betrayed them. It was alright if they could contribute to something like Halfjack. But the bunch of them were useless. They couldn''t fight and were baggage in the desert. Marcus pressed his lips tight and remained quiet in consideration to Ryu and Halfjack, but the sourness of his face said that he was not keen on the idea of saving the other halfbreeds who they didn''t even know if alive or dead. Seraphina broke the silence and said seriously, "What you''re asking is dangerous. We don''t even know if yourpanions are still alive, and yet you''re asking us to risk our lives for them." Marcus nodded. Since Seraphina was against it too, he thought that Ryu would support her, and so he added, "Not only that. Those Giant Spiders are bad news. They came in flocks. What would happen if they woke up and attacked us? And what if Tiamat heard all themotion?" Abby was dumbstruck before her long ears flopped to her side, and her dted eyes melted into pools of water. That was right. .. they were just halfbreeds. .. not worth saving. .. she was already lucky that they even saved her when they could have just left her for dead. "The fish." ---- A/N We''ve reached 300K views. Yaay! But I feel like no one is reading T-T Is anyone still there? Make your presence known in thements, reviews, votes and gifts. Thank you for your support! ^^ DISCORD Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 167: The Fish Chapter 167: The Fish "The fish." All eyes went to Ryu when he spoke. "The fish," Ryu repeated. "Eh?" Everyone was confused, and Abby stopped crying from the question. "W-what?" With a flicker of his hand, Ryu showed the Queen''s Horned Mackerel picture to Abby that Lizzaforth gave him. "This. Where is this?" Abby was staring nkly on the parchment before her face registered recognition. "It''s with Canaan! He said that it was valuable and delicious and decided to store it in his backpack. It should still be with him!" That was all Ryu needed to know, and he attempted to leave, but Seraphina blocked his way. "You do realize that you might wake those Giant Spiders, right? I can''t let you do something that dangerous." Seraphina said, and Ryu hadn''t seen her so serious like this before. "She''s right. That fish is not important as our life," Marcus seconded. ".. ." Ryu''s fists curled against his palms. "It is to me." Both Marcus and Seraphina were startled when they realized that Ryu was serious. "Why?" Seraphina asked. "Tell me what''s with the fish that is so important that you''re willing to risk your. . . even our life." Ryu briefly closed his eyes, and Ferris''sughter rang in his ears. It was herst will. She could have said many things, but she chose to say that damn fish all because he was tied to the Seal of Promise. "I promise Ferris that I will find it." Ferris? Marcus thought that she was Ryu''s mate. So that was why he was acting so stubborn and suicidal. Seraphina wanted to tell Ryu that they could just find another one. But his severe expression was enough to tell her that it would be just pointless to argue with him. "*sigh. .. then I''lle with you." Seraphina gave up and shed out a small smile. "I can''t exactly leave you there all alone now, can I?" "He isn''t going to be alone," Halfjack chimed in, "I''ll go with him. .. those halfbreeds are my brethren. We are one and the same. . ." "Halfjack. . ." Abby''s eyes watered, and she swiped them off with her paws and said with a determined voice, "I''lle along as well. Though I might not be of help. I can at least distract those spiders if they wake up. I''m confident with my speed." Then everyone''s eyes went to Marcus while thetter was speechless at the sudden turn of events. He wasn''t a bad guy, alright? He was just practical and acted on the safest course of action, and right now. .. everyone was suicidal, and he was going along with it. "Fine." Marcus huffed. Ryu''s lips stretched in a small smile. "Thank you. . ." "Eh?" Marcus didn''t expect to hear kind words of gratitude from Ryu, so he didn''t know how to react but looked the other way. Ryu then flung his attention to Abby, "Once we find Canaan and the fish, then that''s it. We retreat from their." This was hispromised. He couldn''t leave the fish knowing that it was just within his grasp, and he wanted to save the halfbreed as well, but he also didn''t want to put his life and the others in danger. Abby knew that it was her only bargain, so she nodded in silence. Marcus took in a deep breath. "We will only cut one person at a time to avoid alerting the Giant Spiders. If they''re alive, then good, but if they''re dead, then we''ll cut another one until we found Canaan and the fish. Understood?" Everyone nodded. "And if the Giant Spiders wake up?" Seraphina asked, eyes on Ryu. A deep line appeared on Ryu''s forehead. "Then we will abort the mission and retreat here." "Shouldn''t it be safer to retreat outside?" Abby questioned since she had just woken up. She didn''t know what was going on outside. Marcus didn''t spare the little halfbreed a nce and continued forward. "It''s better if we face the Giant Spiders than face what''s out there." "Eh?" Abby''s face was nk. Halfjack patted Abby''s little head and walked behind Marcus. "Tiamat is roaming the sky at the moment." Abby gasped, and she shuddered at the thought of Tiamat. It was indeed better to be stuck in here with the Giant Spiders than being spotted by the Queen of Dragons. Making their way into the Giant Spidersir, Ryu''s thoughts were upied with the Queens Horned Mackerel. Maybe it was guilt due to his helplessness, or he wanted to honor Ferris''s dying words, but he really wanted to get his hands on the fish to calm his emotions and mind, or his nerves would rip him apart. He needed to get that damn fish at all cost! Eventually, the group made it in the Spider''sir, and the creatures were still asleep or too full even to lift an eye. Ryu took a whiff, but the cocoon hid whatever smell inside its closed thread. He focused his ears on the cocoons, but all was silent. He then took the initiative to cut one cocoon from the tangles of web, and Marcus caught it without a hitch before they paused and took another look at the Spiders. When they weren''t moving, Marcus sliced open the thick webs and revealed nothing but bones and a ck cor. Abby gasped and looked away. Based on the bones, it was definitely a halfbreed. But she couldn''t recognize who it was. At least, its backpack is still intact. Marcus thought and stored what loot he could salvage. Ryu cut another, but like the previous one, there was nothing left but bones, tattered clothes, and a backpack. Abby was on the verge of tears, but she held her sobs when Ryu and Marcus had already sliced open their fourth cocoon and still no sign of life whatsoever. Ryu was beginning to feel frustrated. There were plenty more cocoons hanging deeper into their. Canaan could be anywhere. Wait. . . Maybe he should just focus on the fish? Perhaps he couldn''t smell anything because everyone was already bones? Ryu shed the picture of the Queens Horned Mackerel at Seraphina and pointed to his nose. Seraphina immediately knew what Ryu was up to. She then pulled out a paper and pen in her traveler''s ring and wrote. ''It doesn''t have a fishy smell. Its smell is close to the smell of pureke water.'' Ryu didn''t even know what that was. Something like rain? Sighing in silence, he sniffed one cocoon at a time while avoiding the cobwebs. And when he reached the middle part of their, he smelt a very faint scent that was different from the rest. But the problem was, that particr cocoon was entangled in a series of cobwebs that connected very near to a sleeping Giant Spider. Even If he was careful enough, he was afraid that even the slightest vibration would wake the Spider up. Everyone saw what Ryu was focusing on, and their faces turned dark. Ryu looked over at the others, waiting for their signal, and when Marcus nodded his head, Ryu swiftly cut the cocoon while he quickly joined the others as they bolted away from their. Like Ryu was expecting since the Cocoon was very near from the Spider, the beast sensed the tiny vibration from its web, and it opened its multiple red eyes, and its sight zeroed on the retreating figures. SceEEeChH! Chapter 168: Unexpected Reunion Chapter 168: Unexpected Reunion The noise woke the Spiders, and they immediately chased after Ryu and the others. "Keep running, and don''t look back!" Marcus bellowed. "I-I think we should really go back to the desert," cried Abby trying hard to hold on to Halfjack''s neck as he carried her in his back. Marcus thought of that too, but it was toote to change their ns as they entered the left fork. They were just going to bet everything to the Metal Door! ScrReEeCh! The Giant Spiders were unrelenting in their pursuit, and the floor rattled with their movements. But as they neared the Metal Door, the spiders let out another cry before they stopped just meters from Ryu and the others. ScreEeCh. . . The hair on their legs vibrated while their mouths made hissing sounds as they eyed Ryu''s group. "It. .. it works?" Abby fell on her knees from relief. Marcus sighed in the ceiling. Halfjack wiped his sweat. Seraphina went close to the Metallic Door while Ryu let go of the cocoon. Ryu was still wary about the spiders who were just watching the. But since all of them turned into a statue without even moving an inch, he decided to cut the cocoon in half with his sharp nails while He desperately hoped that it was indeed Canaan. The spiders might not attack them or move an inch closer, but they were, in all sense, trapped in the ruins. Who knew when the Giant Spiders get bored and turn back or what if they''d remain blocking the only way out for days or months? However, Ryu was sure that the Giant Spiders would retreat soon. He heard some trotting back to theirirs. But right now, Ryu and the other were concentrating on the insides of the thick web. Abby held her breath when bones, tattered clothes, and arge backpack was the only thing left of Canaan. "N-no. . ." Abby brought Canaan''s shirt near her chest and wept. No matter how hard she tried to cry in silence, she couldn''t help but wail her heart out. Marcus was reminded of Theodore in Canaan''s bones, and he projected Abby''s frail form as Jane, who was weeping for Theodore. This put a big lump in his throat, and he looked at the other side to hide her sorrow and tears. Halfjackforted Abby by patting her little head with his big paws while Ryu briefly closed his eyes and sighed through his mouth. There was nothing he could do. No matter how much he wanted to help them, he could only do much. He couldn''t even control his life and the damn mate''s bond. Controlling his anger and agitation, Ryu poured his emotions on the backpack and unraveled its contents on the ground. "Here it is." Seraphina snatched a small jar from the valuables. She then gave it to Ryu. "It''s actually big, but since I put it inside that Jar, its size shrunk too. That Jar is the same Jar as you have, but only it is used on low-level fish. Fishermen and sailors often used them to keep their fish fresh." Ryu looked at the Jar that was the same size as his hand. It was filled with seawater, and the Queen''s Horned Mackerel was busy swimming to and fro in the corals inside, devoid of any worry. Its color was the rainbow, and its fins were like silk. "Just break the jar, and the Queen''s Horned Mackerel would assume its original size though it''ll probably die without water." Ryu didn''t hear what Seraphina was saying. He was too upied with his emotions. Now that he had the fish in his hands, he felt. .. empty. Ryu thought that it would alleviate his guilt for Ferris death or at least disperse some of the heaviness he felt when she fulfilled her wish. .. but all the fish brought was emptiness. Now that he had both the Legion Steel and the fish, he was freed from the Seal of Promise. But also the goal that kept him moving. As he thought. .. the one he needed to find the most was the Lost Jewel of Tethyt to bring her back to life. Ryu''s eyes shook before they steadied on Seraphina''s beautiful face. "Thank you," he said and stormed the ring. Seraphina felt that Ryu wasn''t happy even after finally acquiring the fish, but she still shed her brilliant smile. "No problem. What are you going to do with it?" She was curious since day one, but she knew that Ryu wouldn''t answer her. "I''ll give it to someone as payment for a debt that I incurred." Seraphina hid her surprise when Ryu actually told her. "Then I''m d that I''m able to help you be free of that debt." Ryu nodded and no longer offered ongoing conversation. Seraphina sighed through her nose. She was aware that Ryu didn''t trust her fully, and she couldn''t me him. He had every right to be. After all, she was really hiding something. She could only wish that in the future after he learned the truth about her, they''d still be together. A short silence lingered between the group that only the sobs and hup of Abby percted in the tunnel. Then Ryu and Halfjack''s ears perked. "Do you hear that?" Halfjack asked. Every eye turned to the faint but speeding sounds of chaos in the very back of the Giant Spiders. ScreEeEcChH! The Giant Spiders hissed, and one by one, they attacked whatever was on their rear while Ryu and the others all saw were severed limbs and mincemeat dancing in the air. "What''s going on?" Abby shook and clutched her hands near her thundering heart. Marcus tried to see what was happening, but the hordes of Spiders blocked his vision. Not to mention that the tunnel was dimly lit. Ryu sniffed the air, and when he inhaled a scent that was unfamiliar with there''s, his eyes turned to slit. "We havepany." "W-who?" Marcus had a bad feeling about it. "What should we do? They''re getting closer." Seraphina held her staff at the ready. Halfjack swung his axe while Abby hid behind him. When themotion was getting nearer, and as the Spiders numbers were thinning, their bloody corpses littering the hallway, Marcus''s breath hitched when he finally got a clear view of their newpanion. "That''s. .. Clyde and Reyna!" ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 169: Sudden Death Chapter 169: Sudden Death When themotion was getting nearer, and as the Spiders numbers were thinning, their bloody corpses littering the hallway, Marcus''s breath hitched when he finally got a clear view of their newpanion. "That''s. .. Clyde and Reyna!" At least fifty meters from them stood a Demoness with two horns. Her skin was like purple silk while her eyes were obsidian ck. Its ck hair was swaying as she slew the Giant Spider with ease. Just a swipe of her ws and the Spiders'' body shredded into multiple parts. While a handsome man was just watching from behind her before they locked eyes. "What are they doing here?" Marcus muttered under his breath. Clyde''s face brightened uponying eyes at Seraphina. Finally, a water mage! He was safe! Ryu blocked Seraphina from Clyde''s sight, and he summoned his gauntlets. That demoness was terrible news. He didn''t even know what they want but knowing the ugly glint in Clyde''s eyes, it wasn''t good. "Well. Well. Well." Reyna flung her hand to the side, spewing blood on the wall as she licked her lips. "What do we have here? More mortals and halfbreeds?" "Clyde, what are you doing here?" Marcus''s heart was skipping like he had a heart attack from just Reyna''s stare. Who wouldn''t? The demoness single handily eliminated the Spiders by herself without even breaking a sweat. Clyde shrugged. "Looking for the exit." Marcus was having none of it. Clyde would never crawl out from his safe spot without finding the exit first. "What about your group?" "What about them," Clyde answered in circles. ".. ." ".. ." Marcus knew that something was wrong. Clyde was hiding something from him. "Anyway, if you want to go ahead. You''re free to go." Reyna tilted her hips and crossed her arms. She was too prideful to even spare the mortals and the halfbreeds the barest attention. Clyde''s grin widened as he said, "Oh, we''ll be on our way, alright. As long as you hand over the water mage." .. . .. . The air turned heavy and oppressive. Marcus was singling for the other as he bought some time. "What do you need our water mage for? You have plenty of them." Clyde tipped his head to the side. "What I do with her is none of your business. Right now, there are only two pathsid before you. Hand over the water mage and live or die protecting her." ".. ." ".. ." Reyna stepped forward. "Enough of this useless chatter." Reyna was about to attack when Marcus yelled. "Now!" Ryu flung the two Jars of Capturing Life towards Reyna while the ss split into two without her even lifting a finger. Reynaughed. "Tricks don''t work on me!" but her calm face broke when buzzes of dessert insects and Chimimera attacked her. "What the!" Clyde was caught by surprise, and he yelped when the insects went after him too. "Get inside the Metal Door!" Marcus ordered, and the loud crackling of hinges resonated in the hallway when Halfjack pushed the Metal Door open. "You won''t get away!" Reyna spat while the insects'' bodies were torn to pieces by her ws. The insects rotted and turned to dust by her spell before she grabbed Clyde and leaped towards Ryu and the others. But before she could shorten their distance, Ryu and the others disappeared behind the metallic door. Reyna skidded to a stop. "What are you waiting for?" Clyde shifted his head at Reyna and the door. "We have to catch them! I need that water mage!" "Shut up!" Clyde flinched, and his mouth pressed tight. This was the first time that he saw Reyna''s face contorted in an ugly way as sweat coated her beautiful face. Clyde might not feel it, but the oppressive powerying behind the metallic door was enough to choke Reyna with fear. Whatever was inside there was certainly not something she could defeat. What to do? While Reyna was upied with her thoughts, a shadow sneaked past her senses, and before she could react, she found Clyde was already pierced in the heart with an ominous-looking dagger. "NO!" Reyna''s dted eyes bulged at Azor appearing behind Clyde. Clyde was shocked too. It all happened too fast, and before he knew it, he was gurgling at his own blood as the veins in his eyes popped. "Re. . .y. .. na. . ." Clyde reached a hand at the demoness, but his consciousness was slipping from his grasp as his body fell lifelessly on the ground. "YOU!" Reyna gritted her teeth and attacked Azor but found that her body was heavy. "N-no!" Reyna felt that something was pulling her soul out, and she cried in agony. "NOOOO!" "Careless as always, Reyna." Azor grinned. "You have growncent, and you even performed a seal of promised on this mortal, tying yourself with a weakness." "You. .. how did you know?" It was Reyna and Clyde''s secret. No one knew of it. Azor shrugged. "Following you in the desert for days, it wasn''t that hard to guess." As thest bit of her consciousness faded and her soul left her body, Reyna deeply regretted making that promise with Clyde. She was right. She couldn''t even use the lifesaving item he gave her before her soul shattered when he died. She grewcent and overconfident because she was amongst the strongest demons trapped in the Lost Ind of Tethyt. And most of her enemies were low-level begins. This was the price she paid, just because of a single carelessness. The spell and multiple barriers she ced over Clyde were useless against Azor against his god-tier weapon that ignored all defenses. Azorughed when Reyna''s body fell on the hard stone ground, and before her flesh could turn into dust, multiple strings attached to her limbs, and she stood to her feet with dull eyes and corpse-like skin. "Now then. .. shall we enter, my puppet?" ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 170: Rakash Chapter 170: Rakash Ryu and the others were transported inside arge hall with stone columns supporting the dome ceiling. Sands were piling at the corner with no sight of an exit. The only thing present was an old man who was sitting on a chest. His sagging burnt skin was hugging his bones, and hisrge ears were hanging on the side of his head. His staff on his hand, he sat on arge chest with a leg over the other. Ryu and the others looked at each other before Marcus broke the silence. "H-hello?" The old man didn''t open his eyes, but he did move his head over to them a little. "A long time. .. ," the old man said, voice crackling and grating, "since I have a visitor. . ." Abby hid behind Halfjack and clutched his clothes. "Who are you?" Seraphina asked. "Hmm. . ." the old man barely moved, and every little movement he took, his limbs shook like he would fall apart. But the group felt that they couldn''t even hope to defeat the oppressive aura it tried to conceal. "Patience. . . there is still one more of you. . ." Ryu frowned, and he sniffed the air, but he couldn''t find another smell besides theirs. Could someone be using the same shadow skill that the Owner, Vein, and Ferris have? Marcus roamed his eyes too but found no one. From start to finish, the old man didn''t open his eyes, and with a thud of his staff on the floor, arge wave of invincible wind swept the area, and Ryu and the others finally found theirstpanion. Twenty meters from them stood Azor with his dark skin and tworge horns on the side of his head. His built told of a lean frame, but his aura was packed with oppressive strength. "That''s. .. ," Marcus was breathless for a moment before he said in a strained tone, "Azor." "Azor? The leader of the North Oasis?" Seraphina didn''t expect that they would meet both the North and Right Oasis leaders at these ruins. "Just what the hell happened in the Oasis?" Marcus muttered under his breath. More importantly, how did he get here? Did hee from another door or portal? "Amazing. You could cancel an ability." Azor crossed his hands and didn''t assume a fighting stance. He wanted to observe the situation first and see if he could beat the old man, but from the looks of it. .. he couldn''t. Without help, at least. "Now that you''re all here. .. ," the old man said, still not standing from his sitting position, "My name is Rakash. A once-mighty elf that roamed thends in times of the Gods." "Rakash?" Marcus mumbled the name, but it was so unfamiliar to him. Ryu looked at Seraphina, and thetter shook her head, saying that she didn''t know. But Azor''s face turned pale at the name, and he was startled from his calm state. "You are once the leader of the elves who seek unending power!" Rakash nodded before his head tipped back, reminiscing about the past. "That''s right. Elves have a long life, but eventually, they die of old age. I, however, refuse to sumb to death. There is so much power within me just to die an old man. And so I seek the Lost Jewel of Tethyt. . ." The Lost Jewel. Ryu''s eyes shone. His hope was rekindled at the idea that the Jewel might exist! "I left my people and ventured into the nightmare sea with the others to ovee the challenges of the Islet and find the Lost Jewel. But. . ." Rakash shook his head in dismay. "My powers weren''t even half of the God Tethys, and she trapped me in this ursed islet. .. and in exchange of my freedom she made me a deal. . ." Rakash finally stood to his feet, and his eyelids opened, revealing a pearly set of eyes. "Collect one million souls, and you''re free. . ." Rakash eyes glowed. ".. . and you are my nine hundred and ny thousand soul!" Pointing his staff, a bolt of white lite burst forth, aiming towards Halfjack and Abby. "Look out!" Marcus raised his shield and attempted to protect them, but the shot was so fast he didn''t have time to react when it struck Halfjack and Abby. Seraphina gasped when Halfjack and Abby''s bodies fell lifeless on the ground, and their soul floated towards Rakash''s open palms. "That''s two." Rakash grinned and the lines in his eyes wrinkled, showing his yellows stained teeth, Marcus turned pale. "What kind of attack is that?!" Seraphina''s sweat coated her beautiful face. Their enemy was no joke. "It''s Devine magic. A high-level one at that." "Are they. .. dead?" Ryu couldn''t believe that they had lost two of their group within seconds. Seraphina readied her spell. "No. but look at their limbs." Ryu and Marcus was shocked that Halfjack and Abby''s body was turning to sand. Then the piles of sands at the corners must be. . . "If we don''t return their soul to their body soon, then they''ll just be piles of dust in here." Seraphina cast a spell that boosted Ryu and Marcus''s defenses and speed. "That won''t work here." With a thud of Rakash staff on the ground, another wave of wind dispelled all buffs. "Kyagh!" The bolts of sharp wind hit Seraphina while Ryu was quick on his feet and shielded her. "This is bad! With him dispelling all buffs, we could only rely on our normal defenses and speed." Marcus wasn''t confident with his speed, but he wasn''t sure if he could shield that Devine light also. His eyes then went to Halfjack and Abby''s disintegrating body. He suspected that they had ten minutes at most to return them to their normal state, which was near impossible considering their opponent. "Enough chatter! All of you, surrender your soul to me!" Multiple lights burst from Rakash''s stuff, aiming for Ryu and the others. It was a good thing that the light was only traveling in a straight path. Though it was fast for the naked eyes to follow. "Left!" Ryu growled a warning to Marcus, and he took Seraphina in his arms and leaped over as the beam of light hit the wall. It didn''t leave a sound nor a single crack on the stone wall. It just vanished like it went past the stones. All thanks to Ryu''s warning, Marcus didn''t think, nor did he attempt to follow the path of the Devine Light. His body just automatically heeded Ryu''s warning, and he jumped over to the left, avoiding the beam of light by a hair. While Azor avoided the iing white light by appearing and disappearing through space. He didn''t have any problem avoiding the beams since he was fast enough. But those were the only few shot. More wasing from Rakash''s staff. "W-we. .. we can''t keep this up!" Marcus was evading shots after shot of Devine light his way without pause while Ryu gave him signals of which way to go. Ryu agreed. But they couldn''t even close their distance at Rakash due to the multiple lights bursting from his staff. Though he was immune to mana attacks, he didn''t want to gamble. He still didn''t know his own power nor the enemies. What if he grew confident and decided to take Rakash''s attacks head-on, and his soul left his body because of it? That was too much of a gamble that he couldn''t afford! "Doesn''t that thing run out of mana?" Marcus huffed and jumped again at the series of white lights his way. At this rate, he would run out of stamina and air before the light could even take his soul. At this moment, thorn of vines erupted from the ground and shot towards Rakash''s direction. Seraphina was silently casting her spell in Ryu''s arms while he carried her away from the beams of light. "This little trick is useless." Without moving from his spot, a burst of wind enveloped Rakash, and the thorns were shredded into pieces. But within a blink, Azor appeared in front of Rakash with his dagger and took a swipe at his throat. "Die!" Azor''s confident grin vanished when Rakash merely pinched the edge of his de, stopping it just inches from his throat. And with a light push from his staff, Azor was sent flying, and he crushed on the wall with a gaping hole on his stomach. "Hmmm. . ." Rakash inspected the dagger and merely tossed it to his side. "A god-tier item that ignores all defenses. Too bad. .. you''re too slow." Slow? Ryu and the others were dumbfounded. Azor was the fastest amongst them. If he was slow, then what were they? Azor spat out a mouthful of blood and stood to his feet while his stomach regenerated at the fastest haste, and within seconds it was good as new. "Hey!" Azor called Marcus and the others'' attention. "If you want to beat that thing, then we must work together." He didn''t want to, but Azor was pressed for options. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 171: The Only One Left Standing Chapter 171: The Only One Left Standing "If you want to beat that thing, then we must work together." He didn''t want to, but Azor was pressed for options. "You don''t have to say it like you are forced. You don''t have a choice in the matter!" Marcus drew his sword, and boulders appeared on the pentagrams behind him. The boulders shot towards Rakash and took the form of a head of a golem with a gaping mouth. Since the white light ceased at the moment, the group had a short breather to cast their spell. Seraphina chanted a spell, and tiny vines sprouted from the ground, and no matter how much Rakash''s wind sliced them in half, they continued to grow and held his leg in ce. "You can''t escape!" Azor took this opportunity to cast his own spell, and arge plume of shadow enveloped his body. He tore the space and appeared beside his dagger, and within a blink, he plunged his de into Rakash''s skull with brutal intention. Rakash remained calm amidst the multiple assaults, and his eyes glowed white. "Weaklings! Know your ce!" Marcus''s Earth Titan was destroyed with a burst of white light, and Seraphina vines dispersed while Azor was flung once more from the powerful aura that Rakash gave off. "H-his too strong." Marcus didn''t know what else to do. Closedbat was out of the question as Rakash kept them at bay with those terrifying beams of light while long-rangebat was also useless. Marcus was out of options, and dread ate his resolve. "Don''t give up yet. He must be running out of mana." Though Seraphina said that, her face was white, and her voicecked the resolve to back her ims. Rakash was shooting multiple spells at once without even batting an eyelid. The old elf clearly didn''t care about conserving mana. Just how much mana does he have exactly? Azor wiped the blood from his lips, and his dted eyes narrowed. "Hold him down!" Azor gathered what remains of his mana and began chanting the most destructive spell in his arsenal. "Hold it down, you said." Marcus didn''t know whether tough or cry. He couldn''t evene close to the old elf. The only ones who could were probably Azor and Ryu. "Seraphina and Marcus, you guys support me from the back!" shouted Ryu. He then bolted towards Rakash with all his speed. "Don''t be hasty!" Marcus warned but still did as Ryu told him. The amount of mana he had left was only half. He didn''t have lots of mana, to begin with. But by casting a simple spell like earth spikes, he could help Ryu keep Rakash upied while waiting for Azor to unleash his attack. An overgrown thorn the size of a javelin and hard enough to pierce steel sprouted from Seraphina''s hand. Sheunched it at Rakash, hoping to impale him with a shower of gore. While Ryu attempted to close his and Rakash''s distance with his speed, the old elf didn''t even try to avoid his attacks. He just redirected all of Ryu''s ws and kicked with his staff. Even with Marcus''s Earth Spikes and Seraphina''s Thorn Javelin backing Ryu, Rakash didn''t flinch, and multiple white lights burst from him enough to disintegrate Marcus and Seraphina''s spells while keeping Ryu in lockbat. Seraphina didn''t waver and cast another spell. She waved her staff, andrge pods burst in the air, scatteringbustible spores over Rakash. The Spores detonated just in time that Ryu backed away. A fiery thunderous explosion and mes engulfed Rakash and Ryu, and the others'' faces brightened only to be stripped of hope when the old elf was still standing without a scratch. "What a monster." All his life Marcus didn''t encounter such a scary creature until now. If Azor spells didn''t work against Rakash, then it was the end for them. "Move aside!" a dark crackling of energy surrounded Azor, and a miasma filled the area in a pale dark fog stinking with the scent of decay. Azor''s spell draws forth the ghosts of those Rakash had killed in the past. Cries and screams pierced the room, and at the moment of revenge, thousands and thousands of ghostly victims flew in Rakash''s direction. The more his enemy had killed, the stronger Azor''s spell was. It was the perfect spell for Rakash, who killed hundreds of thousands. A crack registered on Rakash''s face for the first time. "Hmp. It looks like I have to counter this one with a bit of mana." Without moving from his spot, the end of Rakash staff touched the ground. The movement was slow, and the contact was soft, but it sent a wave of power spiraling from where he stood. "Behold the might of the elves!" Rakash''s face stretched in a wide, creepy grin as a burst of white lights erupted from him and took the shape of a giant elven huntress. The painful cries of the ghosts and the might of the elven huntress shed in a loud deafening silence before a huge explosion racked the ruins. A bright light illuminated the ce burning everyone''s eyes with nothing but res. No one bothered to close their eyes, and they held their breath when the light slowly diminished, and all returned to silence. "I-impossible. . ." Azor couldn''t believe his eyes. The greatest spell in his arsenal that was enough to destroy towns and massacre hundreds of thousands was not a match against the old elf. Rakash didn''t even move from his spot, nor did a sweat break out from his wrinkly face. Even a tiny wound wasn''t present. Marcus''s knees quaked, and he kneeled on the ground. "W-were doomed." His eyes bulged in despair while his sweat dripped onto the hard cold floor. He closed his eyes tight and imagined Jane''s beautiful face. He hoped that Jane would at least survive. If he could give up his life for hers, he''d dly do so right at this moment. All he asked was for her to avoid this ce and make it out from the Lost Islet of Tethyt in one piece. Ryu''s heart was thudding fast. He also didn''t have any idea of what to do next and how to ovee such power before him. But he refused to die in such a ce. He still had to find the lost jewel for Ferris and search for Cecily. Seraphina bit her lips and looked over at Ryu. She could only shapeshift and take on Rakash with her true form, but she didn''t know if it was enough to kill the old elf. After all, he was once the leader of the mighty elven race. Even a Godly level beast would have difficulty in facing him. But she at least had to try, or all of them would die. She just had to think of an exnation after the fight was over and hope that Ryu wouldn''t take it against her for lying to him. Seraphina was about to change to her true form when she noticed that Rakash was silent for a time now. Looking closely at the old elf, it seemed like he was just staring at them with his opaque eyes, but in truth, his lips were mumbling silent chants. Seraphina''s eyes turned to slit, and her beautiful face turned severe as her voice. "Not Good! Everyone, hide!" Seraphina attempted to cast the mightiest defensive spell in her arsenal, but she was toote when a powerful, ring light erupted from Rakash. "This had taken long enough. Every one of you, offer your soul to me!" The light from Rakash engulfed the whole area, basking everything in its res. Every living thing that was hit by the light were instantly had their soul plucked out from their bodies. And when the light ceased, all that remained were white corpses that fell on the ground as they slowly turned to sand while floating souls flew towards Rakash''s opened palms. "Ehehehehe." Rakash was all smiles. He was satisfied with his harvest today, and he was about to resume his position over the chest and wait for the next unfortunate yers when he caught sight of a single form moving at the corner of his eyes. "Hmm. .. ?" Before Rakash could take a closer look, a powerful jabbed hit him straight on his face. The skin of his cheek felt like it would detached from his bones while his skull rattled with the amount of power from the punch. The force was enough to send his feet off the ground before another kicked on his side, skewed his body in an awkward angle, and sent him flying against the wall. CrAasH! Rakash slowly got up from the piles of crumbling stones as his bones crackled and regenerated. His once broken body adjusted itself, and with his hands, he aligned his head back to its proper ce. "Hmm. . .?" Rakash squinted his eyes at the silhouette shadowed in specks of dust. Was there an explorer that he failed to detect? Or was it a new face? But the portal didn''t open, so it could only mean that. . . For the first time, Rakash face contorted in a frown. "Could it be. . ." The clouds of dust and smoke settled, revealing the figure of Ryu, whose face was twisting with anger. "Give her soul back!" ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 172: Beast Form Chapter 172: Beast Form The clouds of dust and smoke settled, revealing the figure of Ryu, whose face was twisting with anger. "Give her soul back!" Rakash was dumbfounded, to say the least. "How. .. how are you still alive?" Ryu didn''t hear anything. His ears were ringing, and his mind was in a frenzy of thoughts about Seraphina, who was slowly turning to sand. The image of her pale face lying on the floor was enough to consume him with rage that he was going berserk. He just lost Ferris. He couldn''t lose Seraphina too! "Give her soul back!" Using the strength of his whole body, Ryu leaped forward, and the floor cracked with his force. Using his momentum, he brought his gauntlets onto Rakash with so much power that Rakash''s feet bore a hole into the ground as he defended Ryu''s attack with his staff. Rakash was still caught off guard and at a loss of how a mere halfbreed could survive one of his devastating spells. Then a pentagram revolved around his opaque eyes and saw the many pentagrams and runes inside Ryu''s body. "What are you?" Rakash flung Ryu aside, and Ryu was sent flying away. Ryu didn''t expect the skinny old elf to have so much strength in him. He somersaulted in the air andnded in all fours as his ws dug the rubles to decrease his momentum. With another tap of his foot, Ryu shot towards Rakash with fury. "Don''t get cocky!" Rakash spat, and multiple beams of light burst forth from his staff and shed against Ryu''s body with a silent st of re. Rakash''s face twisted in a horrendous grin, but his expression fell when the blinding light ceased and a long theatrical swing stroke downwards onto his face. The swing mmed straight into Rakash''s face with a teeth-rattling force. Rakash was surprised and bewildered at Ryu''s unexpected power as he crashed into the ground, creating arge crack on the floor. Ryu felt the satisfying crunch of his punch connected against his enemy, but he was far from being satisfied. "Give me her soul back!" Like a deranged beast, he relentlessly attacked Rakash on the ground. Rakash couldn''t defend against the onught of attacks. But his face was still m despite his flesh being ground into a paste. The halfbreed was odd. Rakash thought. And he concluded that no mana attacks worked against him. Then. .. Rakash caught Ryu''s hands, and heughed with a face as t as his body. "It will be a contest of strength!" A bone-jarring hit sent gratifying shockwaves vibrating in Rakash''s feet when his kick connected against Ryu''s side, sending Ryu spiraling in the air before he crashed on the stone floor. Rakash jumped from the crevice andnded on both feet. His t face and dislocated bones were healing at a fast rate. He then threw his staff away and assumed a fighting stance with a big smile on his wrinkly face. "Let''s see what you''re made up, boy!" it was so long since Rakash felt the thrill and excitement of a fight. When was thest time that his opponentsted ten minutes fighting him? Probably since his fight with Tethyt. Too long! Ryu got up from the rubbles. With broken ribs, he wiped the blood off his face. It was a good thing that he was wearing a gauntlet, or else the bones in his hands might have broken against Rakash''s might. But Ryu didn''t seem to register the pain. All he thought about was to save Seraphina. He was running out of time, and this was making him mad. He couldn''t afford to lose someone precious to him again. With slit eyes and smokeding out for his lips, Ryu looked more like a beast than anything else, and Rakash swore that there was a hallow of a terrifying beast forming behind him shrouded in the clouds of dust. Rakash squinted his eyes. He must be seeing things, but there were also silhouettes of multiple horns on Ryu''s head. "What is he?" Rakash''s fine hairs stood on edge. There was a tingle of rm crawling on his skin and biting into his limbs. But instead of feeling despair, Rakash embraced the fear. "Ahahahaha! It has indeed been a long time since I felt this way! This is exactly why I can''t get enough of power! It''s so I can defeat stronger opponents and experience the thrill by doing so!" Rakash''s skinny body suddenly erged and filled out. Muscles rippled on his skin, and his body turned into a giant of nothing but bulking muscles. "Come, boy!" RaAwWR! Ryu let out a thunderous growl, and he charged into Rakash with abandon. Ryu swung his fist with a thunderous force and connected brutally with Rakash''s fist. The collision sent waves of force that flung everything around them away. Shifting his weight, Ryunded another attack on Rakash that connected against his face while Rakash''s fist hit Ryu straight in his stomach. "Argh!" Ryu let out a battle cry and continued his series of punches and kicks. He didn''t stop his attacks, nor did he take a breather to inspect his injuries. "Ahahaha!" Despite broken bones and torn skin, Rakash was enjoying his bout with Ryu, and neither one of them was stopping nor steeping away in their contest of strength. Battered, bloody, and broken, Ryu''s bones were jutting out from his fingers and elbows while the bones on his legs were cracking from just holding his ground against Rakash''s attacks. Rakash was in the same predicament, but he was in a better shape because he could heal his wounds. But his mana was depleting fast as he healed himself. The halfbreed attacks were brutal while his body was sturdy as a God! And Rakash didn''t know how the boy could keep standing and fighting with a body that was near copse. Then Rakash noticed that Ryu was barely breathing, and his slit eyes were turning cloudy. Was he reaching his limit? If so, then why the fuck could he still fight with so much strength? Ryu had lost consciousness a moment ago, but he didn''t know that. His body continued his barrage of attacks, raining down a series of jabbing blows, besieging Rakash with powerful strikes until one vicious shotnded. Rakash was sent flying on the wall, and he spouted a mouthful of blood as his eyes bulged. He remained posted on the stone wall as the muscles in his body withered away, and he was slowly turning back into a skinny old elf. His wounds weren''t healing like before as he ran out of mana. "Ehehehe. .. it''s still my win. .. ," croaked Rakash. He was confident that Ryu was long dead. His heart had stopped beating. He was sure of it. His bones were torn, and the bones of his hands were mostly crashed while his gauntlets cracked, and piece by piece, it fell onto the ground. RaAwWRR! But to Rakash''s horror, the halfbreed was still standing behind the smoke of dust, and the pentagrams inside his body were revolving around and around at an rming rate while runes glowed over his skin. Rakash gasped when the smoke cleared and revealed the beast hiding behind the cloak of human skin. "Y-you. . ." Rakash then understood how Ryu could survive his attacks, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "No wonder. .. you are. . ." Rakash didn''t finish his sentence when Ryu appeared before him, distorting and cutting space around him. Dark violet lightning crackled on his skin. The multiple horns on his head spread through his back, and his enormous tail smashed into the ground. In a moment of savagery, when Ryu lost consciousness, his beast took over and overwhelmed Rakash with brutal strikes, pulverizing his body with no chance of recovery. But instead of fear of his impending death, there was a hint of a smile on Rakash''s face. He had sought power all his life. He lived for power. And there was no better way to end than in the hands of a powerful foe. Rakash faced the ceiling, and his opaque eyes glowed in satisfaction. "Superb. . ." Rakash''s flesh was ground into tiny meat and turned into particles while his newly umted souls floated above where he once stood. At the same time, Ryu stopped his barraged of attacks and released a fiery smoke from his mouth. Argh. . . a low grumble vibrated in his chest before he let out another deafening roar, and he flopped onto the ground. His horns and tail disappeared from his body while the gears of pentagrams paused and resumed their normal course. .. . .. . Yu. .. Ryu. . . "Fe. .. Fe. .. rris. . ." Ryu could barely open his eyes. He felt like he had no limbs. The pain wing at him was numbing. He was so tired. .. so tired. . . and his eyes closed. Wake up, you dope. .. they''re going to die. . . Ryu gasped, and through the blurriness of his vision, he focused his thoughts onto Seraphina''s lifeless form. "Se. .. Sera. .. phina. . ." Ryu couldn''t do anything about Ferris''s death, but this time. . . it wouldn''t be the same with Seraphina. He didn''t know how he did, but he managed to snatch Seraphina''s soul and crawled towards her. He was starting to smile often and open up, and they had just formed a bond. If Seraphina died too. .. Ryu didn''t even want to think about it. Only Seraphina''s head was left, and Ryu didn''t waste a second and plunged her soul into her chest. "W-wake. .. up." Ryu pleaded. Tried as he might in forcing his eyes open, his consciousness faded. .. . .. . Only half of Seraphina''s face left before the sands came swirling over her and formed her frame. .. . .. . *gasped ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 173: Aftermath Chapter 173: Aftermath "Argh. . ." Ryu groaned, and his eyelids fluttered. The first thing he saw was Seraphina''s beautiful flustered face parched against his chest. "Y-you''re alright!" Seraphina croaked, and she flung into Ryu''s arms. "I was so worried! You were on the brink of death when I woke up, and you''ve been sleeping for so long!" Ryu blinked. And before he knew it, he hugged Seraphina back in a tight embrace. It was great that she was alive. He thought that he was toote and lost her too. Seraphina was surprised when Ryu returned her affection for the first time. His shoulders shook slightly while he buried his face deeper into her bosom. A soft blush bloomed on her face, and she gently rubbed Ryu''s hair while a slight smile lighted her face. "I''m d that you''re okay too." Ryu closed his eyes for a moment, feeling Seraphina''s warmth. He couldn''t believe that he had made it. That he defeated that monster. That they were still alive. Then Ryu''s eyes shot open. How about Marcus and the others? Ryu pulled away from Seraphina''s embrace and grabbed her shoulders. "How about Marcus and the others?" Seraphina was silent for a moment, and Ryu feared for the worse. He couldn''t save Theodore, and if Marcus was dead too, then Jane. . . "Marcus is alright," Seraphina said and looked in the direction of the others. Uponying his gaze on the sleeping figure of Marcus and Halfjack, Ryu released the breath he held. "Don''t worry. Like you, they still haven''t woken up. It was a good thing that I managed to save them just in time." Then Seraphina''s tone turned low. "But Abby. . ." Ryu looked in the direction of the halfbreed. There was only sand in there now. Seraphina sighed and squeezed Ryu''s shoulder. "It was toote for her. Her body was the fastest to turn into sand from all of us." Seraphina''s heart squeezed when Ryu let out a long sigh. "Don''t think too much about it. You''ve done your best." Ryu was just disappointed with himself that he couldn''t save another one of his own kind, and he muttered in a daze, "it''s always us who die first." ".. ." Seraphina couldn''t retort to that. The halfbreeds were simply weak except those whose half were strong like Ryu''s beast. Come to think of it, Seraphina didn''t know how Rakash was defeated. When she came too, the old elf was gone, and Ryu was severely injured to the point that if not for his beast side that kept him alive, he had long been dead. "And the demon?" Ryu asked after a short silence. Seraphina shook her head. "He woke up after me." That got Ryu worried. "He didn''t do something, right?" Seraphina huffed augh. "No worries. He was probably more shocked that he couldn''t defeat the old elf while you can. He just went out of the exit that appeared out of nowhere." Seraphina pointed to an opened archway with a stair going up. "I couldn''t even believe it myself. He just left without a word. I guess not all demons are evil," Seraphina said, voice fading. Yes. Not all of them were bad. Ryu thought about Ferris. It was her who rescued and taught him. Her demon side might be mean and dangerous, but he had lost count on how many times she saved him. "Come thing to think of it. .. How did you defeat Rakash?" Ryu was silent. He didn''t know exactly how. "Thest thing I remembered. .. I seem to be floating in my consciousness while another took my form." Ryu tried to recall what happened, but it was all blur. He was in and out of his consciousness, but he still saw the bits of the battle. His body was moving, but he felt like a spectator as another took hold of him. Seraphina squeezed Ryu''s shoulder. "Don''t worry about it. If you can''t remember, then that''s fine. The important thing is, we''re alive. You save us." Ryu was somehowforted with Seraphina''s words. He gave her a small smile before he went to his feet and inspected Marcus and Halfjack. He felt better knowing that he managed to save them. He could only hope that Jane and Marcus would reunite one day. At the thought of reuniting, Cecily and Ferris entered in Ryu''s thoughts. If this were the levels of semi bosses in the Islet then. .. Ryu''s face darkened before he shook his ominous thoughts away. Lucian, Rosa, and Cecily were strong. There was no way that they would end up dead in the Islet. Comforting himself, Ryu finally settled his eyes on the only chest at the center of the room. "The demon didn''t take it?" "No." Seraphina was surprised too that Azor just left without a word after he asked who defeated the old elf. It was good that he left, though. However, if he did contest the items in the chest, Seraphina would fight him tooth and nail for it. "Go on. Open it. After all, you''re the one who killed Rakash." Ryu looked over at Marcus and Halfjack. If the Lost Jewel of Tethyt was in there, then he''d rather take it for himself. The rest he''d give to them. Ryu and Seraphina hovered over the chest and checked its contents. "Oh." Seraphina''s eyes sparkled with the amount of precious stones in the chest. But her sight just lingered on a single item an anklet decorated with different precious stones in the hue of the ocean. "It''s Tethyt''s anklet!" Seraphina grabbed the anklet and took a twirl with it in her hands. "I can''t believe we already found two of the set! Now we only need the ring!" Ryu tilted his head. "What does it do?" Seraphina''s voice was shaking as she exined, "It raises your physical and magical defense by fifty percent! It''s a God-tier item! And if weplete the set and find the ring, then it''s considered a legendary item! You''d be powerful as a god!" She then giggled. "Or so they say." Ryu didn''t have to guess that Seraphina wanted it so bad. Her eyes were practically begging him to keep it. "I won''t ask for anything but this. Please?" she cooed. Even without her asking, Ryu would give her the anklet. "You already have the tiara. You might as well have that anklet, too, since your defense iscking." And it was better if Seraphina was using it now so he wouldn''t have to worry about so much. "Thank you!" Seraphina squealed and immediately put on the anklet while thinking to herself. If only Ryu would know that her defense wasparable to his or so much more at his current state. While Seraphina was humming in her world, Ryu checked the treasures on the chest. To his dismay, none of the treasures in the chest contains an item that could be the potential Jewel of Tethyt. The only items that caught his attention were a dagger and an old-looking teapot. The dagger was short and looked like sand. Its de was rusty and chipped and looked like it couldn''t cut anything. There were also runes engraved on the center of its de. Few grains of sand were spiraling inside an odd-looking hourss on its hilt, and Ryu thought what it was for. Too bad he couldn''t use a dagger, though. His gauntlet was destroyed with his fight with Rakash, and now he didn''t have any weapon left. "That''s. . ." Seraphina looked closely at the dagger but then frowned. "I think it''s a magic sword." "Do you know what it does?" Ryu asked. Seraphina shook her head. "I''m afraid not. My knowledge on the sea is limitless, but other than that, I am much as clueless about the world as you are." "Hmm. . ." Ryu didn''t know why but he took a liking at the old de and decided to keep it. Then he shifted his attention at the teapot. There were also runes carved in each of its sides. It must have been of a fine quality centuries ago. Ryu shook it, but there was nothing inside. It didn''t even have a lead, so he didn''t know what it was. He tried to read the little runes to no sess. It was covered in grime and mud, and he decided to rub some of the dirt off to take a good look. Poof! Ryu almost let go of the pot when arge puffed of smoke rose in the air and took the shape of an odd-looking creature. Its body was made of sands, and it had a short pointy ear and crescent eyes. The only hair it had was tied in a ponytail at the center of its skull and a goatee so long it reached half of its body through half of its body was nothing but swirling sand. "My name is Ramuh. Sprit of the sand." ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 174: Ramuh Chapter 174: Ramuh "My name is Ramuh. Sprit of the sand." Ramuh zoomed closer to Ryu and Seraphina. Its giant head made their eyes bulge, and they immediately backed away. "Are you, my master?" Ramuh asked, voice deep and loud. Despite Ramuh''s intimidating physique, he didn''t give off any sign of hostility. Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other. "Master?" Ryu didn''t know what was going on. "Could it be. .. ," Seraphina''s eyes widened, "are you perhaps. .. a Djinn?" "Djinn?" Ryu looked like a flower would pop over his head. Ramuh nodded, and he straightened his back and crossed his arms. "Yes. I am a wandering spirit that was captured and shackled into that pot. I am to perform a contract on whoever is the holder of the pot." "What kind of contract?" This piqued Ryu''s curiosity. "In exchanged for my powers three times, I am to be released in the pot''s hold." Ryu''s eyes shone. "Then can you revive the dead?" Ramuh''s calm faade broke a little. "No. I cannot revive the dead. But I can heal injuries." "How about transport someone here?" Ramuh shook his head. "No. I can only transport you to a certain distance." Ryu was frowning now. "Then what good are you?" Both Seraphina and Ramuh didn''t know what to say. "R-Ryu. .. No one could do what you''re asking. Maybe if you''re God or a higher being. A Djinn is just a spirit. A long time ago, it said that the Gods were capturing them and binding them into a contract so they could use their powers. They mainly aid their masters in a fight. "Usually, they''re imprisoned in all kinds of mediums and are put under different contracts in exchange for their freedom. In this case, since you''re the one who found it and activated its contract without knowing, you are now its master. Your contract stated that if you called them three times to use their powers, that''s when they''ll be free from their shackles." Ryu''s scowl loosened, and he immediately understood. "How strong are you?" Ramuh''s head titled up slightly. "Who do you want to defeat?" Ryu thought for a moment and said, "Tiamat?" ".. ." Ramuh''s expression fell, and he wanted to smack Ryu''s head to make him see reason if he could. "Tiamat is a legendary beast. No Djinn could defeat her. But. . . ".. . Any enemy of yours that is Rank-S and below, I could eliminate for you." Ryu blinked in surprise. He didn''t expect that answer. He was slightly disappointed that Ramuh couldn''t beat Tiamat, but if he could defeat a Rank-S beast or Demon, then that meant that he was strong? "As I said, the God''s imprisoned them so they could use their power." Seraphina chuckled at Ryu''s dumbfounded expression. "He''ll be really helpful to you. It''s a God-tier item!" Ryu nodded a little. Ramuh was indeed helpful in the future. "If there is nothing else. I want to return to that pot." "So, how do I call you when I need your help?" "Just rub. .. the pot. . ." Ramuh vanished, and the clouds of sands returned into the pot. There was silence for a moment before Ryu spoke, "Do you mind if we give the rest of this to Marcus and Halfjack?" "Sure. I already got the anklet. I don''t need anything else in that chest." Seraphina was already contented with Tethyt''s anklet, while Ryu wasn''t interested in the precious stones and other items in the chest. He already got a God-tier item, and it was enough. He also had hordes of precious stones before from the First Islet, so he could just sell those in the real world if he ever needed the money. "Agh. . ." Both Ryu and Seraphina''s attention went to Marcus when he groaned. "W-wha. .. what happened?" Marcus was in a daze as he got up to a sitting position. He rubbed his hands over his face before he shook his head to get the sands out of his hair and ears. Seraphina and Ryu went to Marcus and helped him to his feet. "We were turned to sand," Seraphina started, "but then Ryu defeated Rakash and returned our soul." Marcus was still feeling dizzy, but upon hearing that Ryu beat Rakash, he almost strained his neck when he swept his head at the halfbreed. "Ryu did?!" Marcus was surprised because he never expected that Ryu was so powerful! He had underestimated him because he was a halfbreed, but who knew that he would be the one to beat that monster. "How did you even manage to defeat that old elf?! Are you a legendary beast hiding in human skin?" Else Marcus didn''t understand how a previous elf leader could be defeated by a mere halfbreed. Upon Marcus''s ims, Seraphina looked to the other side and forced augh while Ryu shook his head. "It''s not important how I defeated the elf. What''s important is that. .. we are alive." Marcus caught his tongue. He felt that Ryu didn''t want to discuss the topic, so he let it go. "You''re right. It isn''t important." He just wanted his strength hidden, Marcus thought. Marcus let out an awkwardugh. He then looked at Ryu seriously. "Thank you. .. for saving us." ".. . It''s no problem. .. but Abby." Ryu and Seraphina proceeded to tell Marcus about what happened. "I see. .. Abby didn''t make it," Marcus mumbled, and he worried about Halfjack. They weren''t close, but Halfjack would surely be sad about her passing. The half hugbear was still sleeping, soundly unaware of the current events. "I can''t believe Azor just left like that and without even contesting the chest," said Marcus. "I guess not all rumors regarding him are true." "About the chest," Ryu paused for a second before he continued, "me and Seraphina already took some items that we needed. If that''s okay with you. The rest, you can share with Halfjack. Marcus was stunned yet again, and heughed a little. "Honestly, you''re the one who defeated that old elf. You have the right to keep the chest to yourself. I''m more embarrassed that you''re even willing to share its contents with us when all we did was turn into sand." Ryu looked at Marcus seriously. "Consider it as my wedding gift for you and Jane." ".. . You. . ." Marcus really didn''t know what to say. He was overwhelmed with gratitude. A god''s little chest might not be much, but to a mere mortal. .. with the number of precious stones and other rare items in the chest, Marcus was sure that the ir''s family would finally grant him their blessing. Forget about scavenging the seas. This chest alone was enough as a dowry. "Thank you," Marcus said seriously, looking Ryu straight in the eyes. "I will never forget this debt." "It''s not a debt. You and Jane were very helpful to us. Without you, we wouldn''t even make it this far." Seraphina nodded in agreement with Ryu''s words. "Ryu''s right. Jane and Theodore were both helpful in our time in the First Islet, and you took care of us in our time here. We are still regretful that we couldn''t save Theodore, so we hope with this, we could help you be with Jane." Marcus rubbed the back of his head. He was embarrassed because, in truth, he didn''t do anything much. It was Ryu and Seraphina who helped him. Nevertheless, Marcus took the chest andter shared it with Halfjack when the hugbear regained consciousness. "Is that. .. a passageway?" Marcus asked, pointing to an exit that wasn''t there before. Seraphina and Ryu nodded. "We haven''t checked where it leads. But it should be the exit of these ruins," said Seraphina. Argh. . . All eyes went to Halfjack when the hugbear finally woke up. Like with Marcus, the halfbreed was in a daze. Halfjack took his time to regain his bearing before Ryu and Seraphina exined what happened. Like Marcus and the others had expected, Halfjack was depressed in finding that Abby didn''t make it. They were both halfbreed, so he connected with his fellow brethren who suffered very and discrimination all their lives. Halfjack then took a new light of Ryu. Ryu was a halfbreed, but he defeated the old elf that not even a Rank-A demon could. That at least gave hope to Halfjack, and he thought. .. Maybe Ryu could lead the halfbreeds and. . . Halfjack shook his head and bitterly smiled at himself. That was too much thinking into the future. For now. .. he was just d that he was alive. After resting and sharing the loot, the group decided it was finally time to exit the ruins. "I hope it leads to the next Islet," chimed Seraphina. "It could lead to anywhere not just straight into Tiamat''s Jaws," joked Marcus. As the group reached the outside light, they were greeted by sands and a portal that looked like the one beside the Leviathan''s head. "Is that. . ." "That must be the portal to the next Islet!" Seraphina finished Ryu''s words. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 175: The Third Islet Chapter 175: The Third Islet "Is that. . ." "That must be the portal to the next Islet!" Seraphina finished Ryu''s words. Both Ryu and Seraphina looked thrilled. They could finally reach the Third Islet without even fighting Tiamat! "Is that really the portal to the next Islet?" Marcus said in a daze. It had been months since they searched for it, and now that it was just in front of him, he couldn''t believe it was real. Pinching himself, Marcus felt the stinging pain. He wasn''t hallucinating! "Ryu, we could finally reach the third Islet!" Seraphina eximed in excitement. Ryu couldn''t contain his smile as he nodded his head. It felt like they were finally going to get out of this wretched ce. But more importantly, he felt like he''d be reunited with Ferris and Cecily soon! Seraphina swept her gaze at Marcus and Halfjack and sped her hands together, beaming. "You two can finally get out from this Islet and proceed to the next!" Marcus and Halfjack''s faces brightened, but then Marcus''s smile fell off his face. "What''s wrong?" Seraphina asked, sensing Marcus''s hesitation. "I''m going to stay here," Marcus said in all seriousness before he broke into a smile. "I''m going to wait for Jane." ".. ." ".. ." "Are you sure?" Ryu somehow expected that from Marcus. He would wait for Cecily and Rosa too, but he wasn''t sure if they would cross paths here. And who knew if they had already sessfully finished this Islet. Then he''d be waiting for nothing. Whereas Jane had a high chance that she would stumble in here, Marcus thought of that too. "I want to be with her when shees into this Islet. Now that I know where the portal is, I want to wait for her and cross it together." Ryu and Seraphina looked at each other. The determination on Marcus''s face told them that they couldn''t change his mind. "Then. .. I''m staying with you." The others were surprised at Halfjack''s words. Marcus looked Halfjack in the eyes. "Are you sure?" Halfjack nodded. "If I go ahead. .. I might be separated from Ryu and Seraphina." That made sense since Halfjack was just in his first Islet. And if he went together with Ryu and Seraphina, he''d might end up on a different Islet all alone, and the fate of a halfbreed alone in the Islet didn''t end well. Whereas if he stayed with Marcus, the two of them would advance to the next Islet together. "Then, I''ll give you this." Seraphina brought all her food and water, and Ryu did the same since Seraphina could just pop out those things, so he felt that they weren''t a necessity for him. Seraphina also filled Marcus and Halfjack''s jugs with water, and it almost made the two shed tears in gratitude. "Thank you. You two have done so much already." Marcus really didn''t know how to thank Ryu and Seraphina. "I''m forever in your debt." Seraphina giggled. "Don''t worry about it. Just make sure that you reunite with Jane and say hi for us." "Tell her we are sorry that we couldn''t save Theodore in time," said Ryu. "I will." The group bid their goodbyes before Ryu held Seraphina''s hand, and they went together inside the portal, leaving onest look at the fading faces of Marcus and Halfjack. .. . .. . Ryu and Seraphina were transported inside another hall simr to the sanctuary before. They breathed a sigh of relief when they were at least given time to rest. They didn''t see Azor, so the Demon must have been transported into another sanctuary. There were about ten beings inside the sanctuary, and most were resting on the floor with one eye opened. Ryu was searching, hoping to find a familiar face to no avail. He released an audible breath, and he and Seraphina decided to sit at a corner, away from the others. "I don''t know anyone here," muttered Seraphina, and she leaned her head on Ryu''s shoulder and closed her eyes. "Me too," Ryu answered back while he kept a lookout at anyone who appeared in the portal. Anyone who did, his hope would reignite only to be doused with disappointment when it wasn''t Cecily or Rosa who appeared. There were hundreds of them trapped inside the Islet and probably another hundreds of sanctuaries to amodate their amount. Eventually, the space in the sanctuary reached its required numbers, and right on cue, Pink appeared. "Congrattions to all of you forpleting your second Islet!" This is probably one of the sanctuaries for those whopleted their second Islet. Ryu deducted based on Pink''s words. Pink twirled in the air as it spoke, "Let''s skip the exnation since you already knew what this ce is. And I don''t even have to remind you not to mess with the collector, right?" Pink grinned evilly when the others broke into a sweat. "Anyway, for you guys, only two Islet remains! One is thend of snow, and the other is thend of fire! Which do you think is your third Islet? Will you be lucky this time to escape the boss''s jaws and find the exit to thest Islet? Or will you be stuck like the others and sumb to fear? "Ohohoho! I can''t wait to find out!" Everyone grumbled. They were not in the mood to be happy at the moment. Can they agree and catch that little fe and roast him for dinner? Sensing everyone''s thoughts, a big sweat slid at the side of Pink''s checks, and it immediately disappeared in thin air, leaving only its fading voice. "Good luck, and don''t be too greedy!" When the creature was gone, two humans stood, and they went in Seraphina and Ryu''s direction. Ryu and Seraphina haven''t even rested for ten minutes, yet some humans were already going to cause somemotion? Seraphina''s charm really was a ma for trouble. Ryu thought. "Hi, my name is Allen, and this is mypanion Cid. We are both Rank-A mercs. If you don''t mind me asking, do you want to join our group?" The two men looked kind and amiable, but Ryu didn''t trust them, nor anyone for that matter. He stood to his feet and guarded Seraphina from their view. Allen backed a little and raised his hands. "We don''t mean any harm. It''s just if you and your master wanted to survive the next Islet, it''s best to team up." he then nodded in the direction of the others. "Like them." Ryu swept his surroundings and found that everyone was within groups of at least three or five. "We also gathered information from when we''re in the previous Islet," said Cid and added, "If you join our team, we can work together and get into the exit without fighting the bosses." Seraphina took to her feet. "In exchange for teaming up with you guys, you''ll provide us the necessary information about the remaining two Islet?" Allen nodded. "Not just that, we also knew where the exit is and what the bosses'' restrictions are. We''re also good in a fight. I''m a Fighter with an affinity to fire, and Cid is an archer with an affinity to wind. We are in need of a mage. And if I''m not mistaken, you''re a mage, right?" Seraphina nodded without hesitation. It was obvious from her get up. "That''s right. My name is Seraphina, I''m a water mage, and this is Ryu." Allen and Cid''s faces lit up. they mainly focused on Seraphina and didn''t bother with the halfbreed. "That''s great. Would you like to join us?" Ryu and Seraphina eyed each other. The advantage was many but. . . "What''s the catch?" asked Ryu. Cid shook his head. "We just really want a mage in the group since they''re pretty useful when we need healing. Everyone here already formed groups except you guys." Allen chimed in, "We thought that you didn''t know anything at the remaining two Islet. .. and we guess we''re right." "So, what do you say?" "How about the distribution of treasure?" Seraphina asked. Cid scratched his brown hair. "Frankly, we''ll be zooming towards the exit nonstop. At this point, we have already acquired enough treasures to live in riches for years. All we wanted was to get out of this ce as soon as possible." Allen skimmed his fingers past his ck hair and said, "We thought that you''re probably the same? We feel that you two already acquired enough treasure in the two Islet and wanted to get out of this ce as soon as possible too. "But. .. if we ever dide across a treasure, we''ll toss a coin to it, and whoever beat the beasts, its loot belongs to them." It was a fair enough trade. "Honestly, a group of five is ideal, but the majority here didn''t agree with us," said Cid. Allen shrugged. "They wanted to look for treasure since they already knew the bosses and where the exit is located." There was silence for a moment before Seraphina looked at Ryu and asked, "What do you say?" Both Allen and Cid were shocked when Seraphina was asking a mere halfbreed. They eyed Ryu and thought Seraphina was his master, but now they believe otherwise. Ryu put a finger on his chin and thought for a second. He wanted to look for the Lost Jewel of Tethyt, but he had a hunched that something that precious was located in the throne room. Besides, he couldn''t possibly search the whole Islet. It was impossible. He''d probably take years for just one Islet alone, and he also had to consider Cecily as well as his survival. It was risky staying longer in the Islet with all the unknown beasts and bosses. It was best to speed up and meet Cecily and the others halfway and get out of the ce as soon as possible. But of course, there was a chance that Ryu might not leave the Islet if he didn''t find the Lost Jewel of Tethyt for Ferris. Ryu faced Allen and Cid. He didn''t sense any hostility nor ill intent in them, and they looked like good people. If they, however, showed any signs of treacherous behavior, Ryu would end them. But for now, they needed to acquire information on the remaining two Islet. "Alright. We''ll take up your offer." ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 176: Lava Titan Chapter 176: Lava Titan This Islet was nothing but desteva flows and rocks, and volcanoes were erupting from here and there. Heat and spurting fumes of fire attacked everyone, and not only that, the Islet was filled with crawling Rank-A Lava Golems that no matter how hard they tried to cut would just regrow with theirva blood. Lava Golems wereparable to human size and were formed fromva. They were like Rank-A beast and possessed strong defense, though they were slow. Many experts died in their hands. Waves of heat percted everywhere, and it was difficult to see beyond the distorted horizon. "Lucian, hurry on over," yelled Cecily from afar. Lucian squinted his eyes. It was still blurry, but he managed to go where the other humans had gathered. Including him and Cecily, there were a total of three men and two women. The two men were Rank-A mages, Jules and Blight, while the woman with short white hair, dark skin, and had a fierce aura was none other than Morgan, a Rank-A nearing Rank-S hunter and leader of Griffin Wings. "Now that everyone is here, we will discuss our ns," Morgan said with a calm face. She posed as the leader of their temporary group since her Rank was higher than the rest. Lucian and Cecily had no qualms about it since they were both hiding their identity. This Lava Islet was their second Islet already, and they had been stuck here for more than a month until they had found the exit due to sheer luck. "The Lava Titan is roaming near the Volcanoes, and no amount of spell or skills could kill it," Morgan started andid out her ns. The Lava Titan was the boss of this ce, and Lucian lost count on how many lives it imed. From their number of hundreds, they were down to two digits. A few managed to slip by the exit and proceeded to the next Islet but most didn''t make it. And that was because. . . "The only way is to destroy those hard rocks on its body with our most devastating spells and skills, and once itsyers of defense shattered and exposed the exit, we''ll dash inside it before it had the chance to gatherva and reconstruct its body again." Like Morgan had said, the exit was the core of the Lava Titan, and the only way to get out of the ce was to destroy theyers of its rocky body and expose the exit. It sounded simple, but only high-tier skills and spells could manage a dint on the Lava Titan''s tough form. Not only that, it could reconstruct its body by drawingva from its surroundings within seconds. The Lava Titan was hundreds of meters tall, and its body wasposed of hardyers of molten rocks. Its strength and defense wereparable to an Ancient Beast. One single hit from it, and it was instant death. To make matters worse, the Lava Titan could control the Lava Golems. Not only were they going to fight the titan but the golems as well. "Lucian, Cecily, and I will attract the Lava titan and the golems'' attention; meanwhile, Jules and Blight will conjure their most devastating spells. Since Jules is an ice mage and Blight is a fire mage, the opposing force is perfect for destroying that Tyrants tough hide." Lucian and the others agree to Morgan''s n. It was direct and straightforward. "What about the others?" Cecily asked, nodding in the direction of the other groups. There were humans in the other groups, and Cecily felt obligated to at least save them. Morgan didn''t bat an eyelid and said, "They''ll only hinder us." "But" Cecily didn''t finish her words when Lucian squeezed her shoulder and shook his head. Cecily swallowed her discontent and looked away. "If there is no more question. We''ll take an hour break to replenish our mana," Morgan dismissed, and their group dispersed within ten meters. The area they were at was hidden behindrge hills and rocky formations. It was safe and away from the pesky Lava Golems that were roaming the vast dystopiannd. Cecily crossed her arms and looked at Lucian with judging eyes. Lucian sighed and faced Cecily. "You know that they''ll only hinder us. This is not the mortal realm where we could do whatever we wanted. This is a monstrous ce, and one wrong move could cause our lives." Cecily scoffed. "I didn''t say anything." Lucian took an audible breath. "You didn''t, but your face says it all." He then sat on a rock. His body was sturdy, and the heat and fire from below didn''t bother him at all. Lucian took a peek at the others. He couldn''t do anything about their current predicament since he had to think about his and Cecily''s lives first. They couldn''t die in a ce like this. It was expected that the stronger once would congregate while the weaker once formed a group by themselves. "I hope Rosa and the others are oaky," Lucian muttered after a short silence. Cecily sat beside Lucian and leaned her head on his shoulder before she closed her eyes tight. "That girl is probably causing havoc right now just to find you." Both Lucian and Cecily chuckled at the thought. Lucian was more worried about Rosa since she was separated from them. But at the same time, he believed in her abilities. She was strong, and he knew that Rosa wouldn''t give up without fighting. At least those thoughtsforted him. "What about your servant? Ryu? Do you feel him at all?" Lucian asked since Cecily was Ryu''s master. The master-servant seal connected their soul. Cecily shook her head. "The master-servant seal doesn''t seem to work in here." "Well. .. I hope he''s okay, at least." Lucian didn''t have high hopes even after he said that. Ryu was just a mere halfbreed. If someone was going to die first from their group in this Islet, it was him, especially that he didn''t know how to manipte mana. And even if he teamed up with Rosa, thetter would never save a halfbreed knowing that he was Cecily''s servant. Cecily''s mood plummeted every time she thought about her servants. Ferris was dead before she could even be useful, while Ryu was useless since day one. Suddenly, an image of a lean youth with angr jaws and golden amber eyes entered Cecily''s mind, and a tinge of worry enveloped her heart. But she immediately killed it before it could blossom into something else. She would never fall in love nor even like that halfbreed! Cecily ironed those words in her head. At Cecily''s silence, Lucian thought of the demoness he saw in Mother''s skull ship. He couldn''t get her out of his mind, and he regretted it until this day that he didn''t get her name. He hopes that she is safe, and they meet up in one of the Islet. Lucian bitterly smiled at himself. He had met and been with all types of women in the Mortal Realm. It was easy for him to get any girl with his status and good looks. But he didn''t know that the one who would catch his interest the most was a demoness. If his father knew about it, he was sure that he would beat him to a pulp. But he couldn''t help it. No amount of lectures nor conditioning to hate the other races could dictate what this heart''s want and he wants her. Lucian looked over the sky. It was covered in eternal darkness with asional thunder, but the rain was elusive. How long were they in the Islet again? It was hard to tell. Month''s maybe? And Lucian wanted to keep it that way. He didn''t want to be stuck in here for years. Though time was different herepared to the real world, it didn''t lessen the fact that they were still trapped here. Morgan strode towards them with a serious expression. "Is everyone ready?" Lucian blinked. Was it an hour already? He and Cecily stood to their feet while Jules and Blight were already behind Morgan. Morgan swept them a gaze before she gave a slight nod. "Alright, let''s go." Morgan called forth her griffin. A giant winged bird with a face of an eagle and the body of a lion. But unlike ordinary Griffins, hers was bigger in size, and its wings span almost ten meters. Its fur was thick on its neck, and its tail was like a whip with a spike on its edge. At Morgan''s signal Lucian and the others flew in the direction of the Lava Titan. It also didn''t escape their notice that most of the groups were following behind them, hoping that they could slip through the exit after they did most of the works like what the others before them did. Jules clicked his tongue, and Blight spat, "Leeches!" Cecily frowned. It was their fellow humans who they were calling names. "Don''t mind them!" Morgan warned. "We''re almost nearing the Lava Titan!" At Morgan''s words, the approaching catastrophe in the form of massive molted rocks forming a titan of magma came into their view. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 177: Battle in the Roaring Flames Chapter 177: Battle in the Roaring mes The Lava Titan''s entire body was formed from tough molten boulders hardened and reinforced by driedva. With its enormous size, one hit of its fist alone was surely instant death. To make matters worse, it could reconstruct its body by drawing inva from its surroundings. It was practically invincible. But they didn''t have to kill it. All they had to do was expose its core and keep it long enough for all of them to pass through. SwiisShH! SwiisSH! One after another of Lava Golem appeared, ready to attack at the Titan''smand. Jules clicked his tongue and shouted at the other groups behind them, "If you wanted to exit this ce, at least make yourself useful! Clear those minions and keep them away from us!" Anxiety coated everyone''s faces, but they still brandished their weapons when the Laval Golems charged at them at full speed. "Charged through them! Protect the mages!" The other groups fought the Lava Golems while the mages supported them from the back. With his sword, Lucian was able to cut the Lava Golem with ease as he pushed forwards into the Lava Titan. His speed was incredible, as well as his strength that no golem could evene near him. BoOoOM! Every golem that attempted to smash Cecily was turned to dust by the speed of her rapier. In terms of speed and strength, she wouldn''t lose to Lucian. While Morgan was swinging her hammer, pulverizing every golem her way. Her pet Griffin was also sending rocks everywhere. With its ws and tail, it smashed the golems to pieces. But no matter how much they smashed and cut, the golems reconstructed their body by drawing in theva and boulders. Within seconds, they were good as new, and it wouldn''t be long until they overwhelmed their group. "Conserve your strength! Don''t focus on them! Just keep an eye on the Lava Titan!" Morgan''s voice rang in everyone''s ears. "The Lava Titan is here!" another shouted. The next thing they knew, the Lava Titan leaped from the ground and jumped into their group. "Iing!" "Evade!" BoOoOMM! The ground formed a crevice, and hot air andva spurted from the broken rocks. It felt like a devastating earthquake had just hit them. All the weaker and low-level beings found themselves dizzy. With a swipe of the Lava Titan''s hand, their bodies were nothing but mince of flesh and blood, and their already few numbers were instantly reduced to half. "What terrifying strength." Lucian thought to himself before he zoomed in the Titan''s direction to attract its attention. It was important that it wouldn''t notice Jules and Blight, who was still casting their most destructive spells. Cecily and Morgan joined Lucian in keeping the Titan busy, but they were like a fly against the enormous giant. They attacked its tough hide with their weapons and spells even though they knew they couldn''t hurt it. But the important thing was to keep it upied with them and give the others a breather. However, even with Lucian, Cecily, and Morgan''s best effort, the other groups were simply too weak, and not long, they sumbed to their limitations and were overwhelmed by the number of unceasing golems. "Is it not ready yet?!" Cecily shouted in her mind as the human''s cry scraped her ears. If this keeps up, how many were they going to be left? "Out of the way!" At Jules and Blight''s voice, Cecily and Lucian''s faces brightened. And within a second, they blinked away from the Lava Titan just in time that countless ice and frost descended in thend. Everything it touched was instantly turned to ice. Even theva was chilled and turned to rocks covered in ice. It shot towards the Lava Titan and burst upon contact with its hot mes of rocky frame. The fires covering its body were extinguished, and the glowingva running through him dimmed. Its movement he came to a halt. The Lava Titan was frozen and became a giant popsicle. "Now!" Morgan bellowed. Immediately afterward, powerful hurricanes of mes shot forward and hurled towards the Lava Titan. BoOoOMmM! Due to the sudden temperature change, the tough rocky body of the Lava Titan began to crack everywhere. CrRaAcK! CRaAk! "Everyone! Attack it all together!" Morgan shouted. She didn''t have to shout twice as Lucian and Cecily attacked the Titan with all their strength. "You puny begins!" the Titan roared, realizing what everyone was intending to do. But it was toote when a powerful simultaneous attack hammered against it. BoOoOMM! Countless rocks and debris flew in every direction after the terrifying explosion as the Lava Titan''s body exploded. Everyone felt much more rxed now, and they anticipated the exit with eager eyes. "Now''s our chance!" Morgan said with a grin when the portal''s light enveloped the surroundings. But soon, their hope was crashed in the pit of their stomach when there were stillyers of rocks left covering the Lava Titan''s core, hindering anyone from entering the portal. "Shit! There wasn''t enough damage!" Lucian was about to strike thatstyer of rocks when he was repelled by the pulsating pules of the Lava Titan''s Core. The ground shook, and thend cracked. Thousands and thousands of boulders flew, and like mas, one after another, it formed the body of the Lava Titan. "H-How. . ." The others before them managed to destroy everyyer of rocks on its core and entered the portal. But howe when it was their turn, the Lava Titan managed to retain someyers of rocks to protect its core? "Can it be. .. ," Morgan mumbled in a daze. Lucian gnashed his teeth. "It learned its lesson and reinforced its core!" Cecily''s face was white. "Then does it meant that. .. he fortified theyers of rocks around the exit?" Everyone''s faces turned pale. Jules and Blight were stunned with gaping mouths. Even with their most devastating spell, the Lava Titan still managed to withstand it. Amongst the remaining group, they were the strongest mage. If their most devastating spells didn''t work against it. .. then they were doomed. It was toote to smash thatyer of protection as the Lava Titan became whole once more. "Now you''ve truly angered me!" The Lava Titan''s body was once again engulfed with mes, and its eyes turned bloodshot with rage. "Don''t give up!" Morgan encouraged the others. "Jules and Blight, do you still have mana to perform that spell?" Jules was still in the depths of his despair when Blight elbowed him. "Yes. I have some mana left," said Blight, huffing some air. "But if I cast that same spell, then I''m left with only enough to barely breathe." Jules nodded. "Same with me." "Then cast them again while the others keep the Golems away from the mages!" Morgan flew to Lucian and Cecily. "We lost the best opportunity we had. This time it will be alert. We have to make sure that we keep it away from Jules and Blight. And once we freeze it again, we must unleash everything we''ve got, even if our limbs are severed from our body. Do you understand?" Lucian swung his word. "I know." Cecily ready her rapier. "You don''t have to remind us." "Good." Morgan ready her hammer, promising that they would seed this time. No! They had to! "Golems! Smashed those pesky mages to a pulp!" the Lava Titan transformed into a fiery red blur, carrying with it a terrifying howling sound. Though it''s massive in size and weight, it possessed frightening speed. Lucian and the others retreated at a fast phase, contesting with the Titan''s speed. "Hmp!" The Titan snorted. "My golems! Surround them!" Thend shook, and with it, boulders andva rose and mixed together, forming hundreds of golems. Morgan clicked her tongue. "Not good!" "We can''t let them surround us!" Lucian bellowed. "Kill those sted mages!" The Lava Titan ordered, and the golems all leaped towards Jules and Blight. Cecily and Lucian appeared before Jules and Blight and destroyed every golem their way. Their swords danced with their movements, and everything their de touched was pulverized to dust. The others were astonished at Lucian and Cecily''s sword skill, and Morgan somehow breathed easy when another burst of ice shot forth towards the Lava Titan. Like before, everywhere it touched, all became frozen solid in ice, and once it hit the Lava Titan''s body, its fire was extinguished, and the rocky boulders forming its frame turned into dull rocks. RoOAaArR! But theyers of rocks that turned dull suddenly began to emit a red glow, and everyone had a bad feeling when the ice that slowly covered the Lava Titan''s body began to thaw. "Hahahaha! That trick won''t work on me again! I might have let some of you pass the first time, but that was me being overconfident!" The Lava Titan swept everyone with its bloodlust gaze. "Now, all of you will die!" ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 178: Reunion Chapter 178: Reunion "What is this. .. ?" Seraphina didn''t know what to say except that the world was nothing but fire and molten rocks. "Be careful you don''t get sprayed upon those hot fumes," Allen warned, "your flesh would melt if that happens." Ryu looked at the destends of fire and thought that it was worse than the desert. The only good thing about it was that he could roast his meal while they had Seraphina cover for their water. "Are you sure that our numbers are enough for the Lava Titan?" Seraphina asked. They already expected to encounter theva-fillednds first, but she wished it was thest. Cid nodded. "We are bound to meet up with stronger groups. Our weak group will be in charge with the clearing of Lava Golems while the strongest will try to break the Lava Titan''s rocky body to reveal the exit." "With our numbers, it''s just the right amount tounch coordinated attacks and slipped past through the exit," Allen added. "Where are they going?" Ryu looked at the other groups who were running in different directions. The portals opened one after another before it closed after a group exited from its hole. "They''re going to search for treasures." Allen brought out a made-out map and showed it to the others. "In this mountains of volcanoes is where the Lava Titan is located. It doesn''t leave its area and usually stays dormant unless attacked." "That''s its restriction. It''s still about hundreds of kilometers from here. So we''re safe from its reach." Cid looked over the haze of heat. "Man. .. this ce sure is hot." Cid then threw a smile in Seraphina''s way. "We''ll be relying on your water ability if ever we get dehydrated." "Leave it to me," Seraphina beamed, and Ryu wanted to p Cid and Allen in the head when they both looked like they were floating. Allen''s face then turned serious. "We should stick together from here on out. Those Lava Golems are not fast, but they packed a punch, and to make matters worse, their body could regenerate by drawing inva and rocks from their surroundings." "We should avoid those monsters as much as possible," Cid added, "It would be a disaster if we fought them and attracted the other golem''s attention. It would be the end of us if they managed to surround us." Ryu and Seraphina nodded. As Cid and Allen exined the world and the monsters, the portals were unceasing, letting in experts from the different sanctuary. A particr figure caught Ryu''s attention, and his heart raced in his throat. "Ryu?" Ryu ignored Seraphina''s call, and he ran towards that figure of a woman with short hair and a body-hugging robe. Her back was slender as her hips were round, and Ryu''s hands grabbed her sleek shoulder. "Rosa!" the words left Ryu''s mouth even before he had the chance to know what he was doing. At this moment, the IsletIslet, the bosses, even Cecily disappeared from his mind, and he had only one person dominating his thoughts. Ferris. He could finally see Ferris again! However, Ryu''s hope was crushed when she faced him and revealed her appearance. At first, the woman''s eyes shone upon Ryu''s handsome face. But when her eyesnded on the seal on his forehead, her face scrunched in dismay. "Fuck off!" The woman spat before she pped Ryu''s hand away. "Pesky halfbreeds." Ryu was more stunned with the overwhelming disappointment drowning him than the woman''s attitude. And he couldn''t hide the deste in his eyes when he was given hope only to be stripped away for how many times now. "You?" Ryu''s ears perked, and his eyes bulged. That haughty voice and condescending tone. .. he couldn''t be mistaken. .. it was definitely! "Rosa!" the name vibrated in Ryu''s throat and came out feral, more beast than human. "I thought I saw a familiar face only to find that it''s you?" Rosa crossed her arms and tilted her hips. If he was happy that she had finally met one of her allies, it didn''t show on her face. "You''re still alive?" Ryu ignored Rosa''s tone and the faked smile on her beautiful face. He went to her and grabbed her shoulders, and growled out the words. "Where is Ferris?!" Seraphina was shocked. He never saw Ryu lose his m before. Rosa? She thought. It wasn''t his mate''s name, but she had a connection with Ferris, whom Ryu dearly held in his heart. Rosa was also surprised at the sudden disy of aggressiveness before a frown reced her surprised face. She was about to st him away from her when a hand grabbed Ryu and pushed him away. "Ryu." Seraphina went to Ryu''s side while Cid and Allen brandished their weapons at the new arrival. "Is something the matter here, Rosa?" "Did that halfbreed do something to you?" Two gorgeous men were surrounding Rosa. And based on their intimidating physique, they were nearing Rank-S, which put sweat on both Cid and Allen''s faces. "No." Rosa raised a hand to gesture the two men to back away. "He''s just a familiar face. Nothing more." Rosa flipped her hair and turned to her heels. "Let''s go, you two." "Wait!" Ryu shouted and got back to his feet. The two men instantly barged his way. A threatening growl rumbled in Ryu''s chest, and his eyes turned to slit. Seraphina ready her staff just in case a fight breaks out. Though she didn''t know who Rosa was, she felt a powerful aura emanating from her. Inparison, Ryu was hostile towards her. They clearly knew each other and based on their interaction, they weren''t on friendly terms. "Calm down." Rosa clicked her tongue and stepped forward from the two men. "What do you want halfbreed?" Rosa started. "If you''re looking for your master, then she''s not with me. And if you''re asking about Ferris, she''s still stuck in the coffin, sleeping to her death." Ryu''s veins popped from his head, and Seraphina didn''t see him so angry before enough that he was drawing blood from his palms. Rosa didn''t care about Ryu even the slightest. The only reason why she was even speaking to him was because they were part of a team. But now, that team was temporarily disbanded. Her priority was to find treasures and look for Lucian. "I have something that might interest you in exchange for Ferris." Rosa sighed. What could a halfbreed possibly have that''s worth wasting her time? "Talk to me again after we get out from this ce." She then turned to her heels and flew forward. "That''s it if you''re still alive!" Ahahaha! Rosa''sughter boomed in the destends while the two men shot Ryu a smirk before they followed Rosa from behind. "Wait!" Ryu could do nothing as he watched Rosa fly away in the opposite direction. He then looked at Seraphina, face torn and anguished. Ryu didn''t have to say it. Seraphina already knew what he wanted to do. She then looked at Allen and Cid. She felt embarrassed but. .. "I''m sorry, but we will have to change our ns." "What do you mean changed your ns?" Cid asked, confused and bothered. "Don''t tell me. . ." Allen had a bad feeling. Seraphina pressed her palms together, asking for forgiveness. "I''m sorry, guys, but we really have to follow that grumpydy." "What?!" Both Cid and Allen said at the same time. "Here''s apensation for not keeping our word." Ryu tosses thest storm bottle towards the two, and Cid barely catches it with his shaking hands. Ryu and Seraphina nodded to each other before Ryu took Seraphina in his arms and bolted after Rosa leaving debris and molten pebbles in his wake. "w-wait. . ." Cid and Allen didn''t know what happened. In a daze, they looked at the bottle in Cid''s hand and gasped. "I-is this?" "A Storm Bottle!" It was a god-tier item, and a halfbreed was just tossing it away like it was scrap! They could even enter the next IsletIslet if they used it! If they threw it to the Lava Titan, the strength of the ravaging storm might be able to shred it to pieces and expose the exit! It was more thanpensation, and they suddenly forgot about the injustice and anger they felt. Meanwhile, Seraphina asked Ryu about Rosa and Ferris despite the blurring winds from Ryu''s speed. Ryu was hesitant at first but then decided to tell her about it, and Seraphina felt the rage and helplessness in Ryu''s voice. No wonder he was angry. He had every right to be. One of the girls he cherished, who taught and did so much for him, was dead, but they still wanted to experiment on her body even in death. "There they are." Seraphina pointed to Rosa and the two men''s blurring silhouettes. Ryu picked up the pace and chased after them. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 179: Dungeon Drop-ins Chapter 179: Dungeon Drop-ins "They are following us." Matt cut a re at Ryu and Seraphina, who were maintaining distance behind them. "Do you want me to pulverize them, Rosa?" Damon said with a grin. Rosa let out a heavy breath. Men. "Forget about them. We have much more urgent matters to take care of." If Ryu wanted to follow them into the jaws of the dungeon. .. then so be it. Rosa smirked. He might be useful as cannon fodder. Rosa already knew about the boss of the Lava Islet. With her lists of spells, she was confident that she could defeat the Lava Titan. What she was interested in was the talk about Dungeons in this Islet, where it was rumored that it contained God-tier items. But with exciting prices came deadly dangers. Those who survive the Dungeons talked about traps and mini-bosses and how they couldn''t reach the final room full of treasures. In the end, they were just lucky to be able to survive. And those who tell the tales told of the same story, ''the rewards are great, but I''d rather not go back there. Ever.'' But most explorers who were lured by the treasures couldn''t resist and wanted to try their luck by challenging the dangers of the dungeon. Rosa, Matt, and Damon were among this group. And they were not the only ones. Across the sky and innds, Ryu saw many experts traversing the exact location. "Is something there?" "I don''t know. Must be treasures." Seraphina was sure since only the allure of rare items could attract this many flocks of beings. It was their third Islet, and mostly the experts in here were in their third Islet as well, and those who made it until this point were stronger than the rest. The cream of the crop. From surviving their first and second Islet, they umted enough confidence to ignore the boss and hunt for treasures instead. Eventually, Ryu and Seraphina came to a halt at a vast barrennd withva flowing like vines on its rocky soil. "Where are we?" Seraphina was confused when the others just roamed around like they were searching for something. Ryu didn''t waste time and approached Rosa. "You said that if I offer you something of equal value, you''ll give Ferris back to me." Rosa tried to ignore the halfbreed, but Ryu was more annoying and persistent than she thought. Could she just kill him? Lucian and Cecily weren''t here, so she was free to do whatever she wanted. Though Rosa wanted to be with Lucian, she also wanted to find the God-tier items. And besides, she was confident that Lucian was alive. He was strong, and his Azure powers were no joke. "Are you searching for something? If I managed to get it for you, will you give Ferris back to me?" If Rosa changed her mind about exchanging an item for Ferris, then Ryu was willing to do whatever she wanted as long as she gave Ferric back to him. "Back off mutt," Damon spat and pushed Ryu away from Rosa. Ryu''s muscles spasmed behind his skin, and his ws itched from his hands. He was not in the mood to y nice. If the man pushed him again, his limbs would pay the price. Matt chuckled when he saw that Ryu was angry. "Watch out, Damon, he''s going to bite you," heughed in mockery. Damon sneered, "You wanna'' fight pup?" He swung his axe and spat, "you betterst a minute, or ill spit on your corpse." Multiple veins burst from Seraphina''s head, and she red at the two, but before she could cast a spell, Ryu warned her not to interfere. "Stay back." "Looks like your master wanted to y too." Matt licked his lips as he eyed Seraphina. "Don''t worry. We''ll take good care of your master once you''re dead." Ryu snarled and a growl pushed through his throat. He lunged forwards with incredible speed that caught Matt off guard. He didn''t expect that Ryu was two times faster than he expected. But Matt was a seasoned sword fighter. His strength and skills backed up his good looks, which was why Rosa partied with him. Using his sword, Matt easily blocked Ryu''s ws with a grin. However, his grin left his face when the rocks he stood cracked and formed arge hole underneath his feet. H-heavy! Not only was the halfbreed fast, but his strength was no joke. This baffled Matt, and he immediately parried another iing swipe of Ryu''s ws. ng! ng! "Matt, are you toying with the halfbreed?" Damonughed. "Hurry up and finish that fucker." Matt wasn''t toying the least. He was already using his full strength and speed to contest with Ryu. Every block of his sword against his ws was like mountains dropping on him that his whole body even vibrated at the force. Just what is this, mutt? Matt thought. He realized that he, a Rank-A nearing Rank-S adventurer, couldn''t even contest with Ryu''s speed and strength. If he used any skill and spell now to aid him, he''d be a joke in front of the other''s eyes. And he was sure that he wouldn''t hear the end of it from Damon''s taunting mouth. Agh. .. what to do. Matt was in a dilemma. He was angry and frustrated, and heshed out at Ryu with all his might. "Don''t be cocky, you mutt!" Matt bellowed and swung his sword, but Ryu just deflected it with his ws again. Ryu didn''t relent in his attacks. Onught of swipes and sharp ws blurred with his speed, and debris flew around them while the wind whistled with his every assault. Matt was overwhelmed, and some of Ryu''s ws managed to scratch his flesh and tore his clothes. The onlookers who caught sight of their fight began to sneer andugh at him, for he was utterly dominated by a mere halfbreed. This angered Matt, even more, forcing him to release a skill. Multiple waves of earthen light gathered in Matt''s sword, and he swung it on Ryu in full force. Ryu sensed that he couldn''t block Matt''s strike, so he leaped back and evaded the sword attack. Matt''s sword struck the rockynds, and arge aperture quaked the ground, sending boulders and debris flying in all directions. Matt charged at Ryu once more, and the two were in lockbat of dodging and evading each other''s attacks. At the side, Rosa was surprised that Ryu could contend with Matt in power and speed. Did the halfbreed grow stronger? Just what exactly happened to him in the Islet that he could now contend with a Rank-A nearing Rank-S mercenary with just his brute strength and speed? Without even manipting mana? Rosa''s eyes twinkled, and her lips stretched in a grin. Ryu might be more useful than she thought. Meanwhile, Seraphina wasn''t worried about the fight, for she knew what Ryu was capable of. Being with him since day one in the Islet, she knew that Ryu was stronger nowpared to before. And it was all because some of the powers trapped within him were released. It must have happened with his fight with Rakash. Seraphina thought. Though Ryu''s other side was human, his beast side, however, was another level entirely. Even with a little bit of his power released from within the constricting pentagram was enough to win him his fight with Matt without much effort. It was over. Seraphina thought when Ryu faked a maneuver and caught Matt in a series of steps. RuUuMbLe! RuUuMbLe! But just as Ryu could im his victory, the ground shook and cracked open. Like it was alive, it began to swallow everyone into thend below. "Finally," Rosa giggled, "it''s here," she said before a hole appeared beneath her feet. Ryu''s eyes bulged when Rosa suddenly disappeared and the hole that swallowed her closed. No one was interested in their fights anymore as the ground ate them one after another. "Rosa!" Ryu shouted, but his attention spun at Seraphina when she called her name. "Ryu!" Seraphina reached her hand when the ground she stood shook and cracked, and with it, the molten rocks opened. "Seraphina!" Ryu leaped from where he stood and stretched his hands as far as he could, but he only managed to graze Seraphina''s fingertips before the rocks swallowed her whole. "No!" Ryu mmed his fist into the molten rocks, and his ws dug the dirt, but he couldn''t find any traces of Seraphina nor the ending of the hole he created. "Dammit!" Ryu was panicking, and when he saw another hole open near where Damon stood, his image blurred as he bolted towards Damon''s location and pushed him to the side. "What the!" Damon was too engrossed with the idea of finally entering the dungeon that he overlooked that Ryu was closing in. And before he knew it, he was on his butt while he watched in disbelief as Ryu took the hole to the dungeon that was supposed to be his "Bastard!" Damon got to his feet and shot to Ryu, attempting to grab him, but he only managed to grapple the rocks from the closing hole. "No!" Damon mmed his fists on the ground. He then swept his eyes over the area to see if there were holes leading to the dungeon. However, he only saw the despair and frustration of some experts who were left behind. The entrance to the dungeon was limited, and it wasn''t until all who entered died or got out would the hole be essible again. And who knew when that time woulde. But more importantly, what if the others got the God-tier treasure before he did? Damon gnashed his teeth, and veins bulged from his face. "I''ll kill you, you bastard!" ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 180: Statues Chapter 180: Statues Ryu was transported inside a dark area before sparks of lights blew from the torches on the wall. He found himself inside a room with enclosed walls on all sides and with nothing but multiple statues in the center. Including himself, there were five beings with him. There was no exit nor entrance, and Seraphina was nowhere to be seen. This worried him, but Rosa was in sight, and he went immediately to her. "We are separated after all," Rosa muttered and bit the nail of her thumb. This would be troublesome. Without Matt and Damon, who was going to be her cannon fodders? "Rosa." Rosa''s eyes shot to Ryu, and her face brightened. "I want Ferris back." Rosa wanted to p Ryu in the head. Just because he wanted her back didn''t mean that she would just give Ferris to him. "How about this. Find the exit of this ce, and I''ll consider your proposal." Ryu frowned. "Consider?" Rosa nodded. "You want her back, right?" Ryu''s silence was all the confirmation she needed. "Then do everything I tell you, and if we leave this ce in one piece and find the God-tier items, then I''ll give her back to you." ".. ." Ryu thought about it for a brief moment. "I want a seal of promise." Rosa smirked. At least Ryu had grown wiser. "Fine then." After the two exchanged the promise, Ryu immediately asks, "How do I find the exit?" "Easy now. This dungeon is designed to solve scenarios by pushing big blocks and statues to activate switches or reveal a secret chest. But pushing the wrong statue might trigger a trap." "Then do you mean that one of those statues might reveal a hidden door or something?" Rosa nodded. At least the halfbreed was quick to catch up. "No one wanted to make a move first since everyone is wary of what kind of traps awaits them if they couldn''t guess right." Her lips then rose in a sweet condescending smile. "And that''s where you came in halfbreed. You will be my personal trap checker. My cannon fodder for short. Are you still willing to do it despite the dangers?" A growl vibrated in Ryu''s chest. He didn''t have a choice. To get Ferris back, he didn''t care what he''d do. "Just keep your end of the bargain." Ryu was about to check the statue when Rosa stopped him. "Don''t be hasty. Though I don''t care what happens to you, this is just the first dungeon. There are plenty more, and I don''t want to lose my cannon fodder early in this game." Ryu''s forehead creased. "Then what do you suggest we do? Wait for the others to move first?" Rosa nodded. "Let them be the first to brave the throws of danger and trigger the traps while we stay afar. In this game, those who wait and remain patience is the victor." Ryu grumbled, but Rosa was right. This situation called for brains, not brawns. Unfortunately, the others also thought of the same, and none wanted to check the statue first for fear of triggering a trap. "At this rate, will be stuck in here," grumbled Ryu. He then looked at Rosa. "Can I at least see Ferris and check if she''s okay." Rosa ignored him and closed her eyes while crossing her arms. "Don''t talk to me. Wake me up when some idiot loses his patience." Ryu groaned in frustration. If not for Ferris, he would very much like to snap Rosa''s thin neck. Ryu could only sigh at his current predicament. But at least now, he was closer to Ferris. Many thorns were plucked from his heart, and he could breathe easy knowing that he was one step in getting her back. And with the Lost Jewel, he might be able to revive her. However, his brows twitched at the thought of Seraphina. In exchange for Ferris, he was separated from Seraphina, and worry flooded him once more. Ryu heaved a heavy sigh. It looked like the more people got close to him, the more he was worried about them, and it bought none ending heaviness in his heart. He wondered if he was stronger, he could protect those he cherished and keep them safe and closer to him. If only he were strong enough. .. Ryu couldn''t help but think of his inability to manipte mana. If he could, would he be stronger? He bitterly smiled at himself. He didn''t even know what kind of beast his other half was. Ryu emptied his mind and let none enter his thoughts. It felt like years that he lived a worry-free life. In the coliseum, he didn''t even have to think, he''d just kill, and he''d get food and go to sleep. But now. .. everything was different. He was thankful that he got to experience many things and felt emotions that were foreign to him before. He was grateful that he was truly living. .. but sometimes. .. he just needed a break from everything. Ryu closed his eyes and let his mind be at peace. There was no use in worrying. He''d just get anxious and lose his concentration. For now, he would take this time to rest his body and mind. .. . .. . Who knew how many days had passed, but none still dared to make the first move. They were trapped inside the dungeon with no sense of time, and Ryu felt like it was already days. "Argh! I can''t stand this!" Finally, a bulky demon scratched his head and went towards the statue, spouting, "Bunch of weaklings!" "This will be good." Rosa opened one eye and licked her lips. Not once did Ryu see her with a face full of worry or trouble. She wore her confidence on her sleeve, and she was nothing but arrogant. And backing that arrogance was her devastating spells, so Ryu couldn''t say that she didn''t deserve to be conceited about it. Back to the Demon, he was examining the statues. Eight statues formed a diamond, and whatever was inside their circle was hidden from in sight. No one could leap nor hover above to take a look since the statues towered until the ceiling. No one knew whether to push or pull the figures to reveal whatever was inside. There had to be a clue. Ryu thought and observed what the Demon would do next. The Demon checked the floor for any traces of scraps from the precious yers who moved the statues, but there were none. "Useless," Rosa smirked. "Didn''t he hear the rumors that every dungeon resets after all the yers die or move to the next level?" Ryu was beginning to worry after hearing Rosa say those words. "Then, there is no clue? How are we supposed to know what to do?" "Simple. Let the others try it out first." Ryu regretted that he asked. For a woman, Rosackedpassion. Like her heart was made of stones. There were two humans, including Rosa, an elf and a demon, and he was the only halfbreed in the group. But she treated everyone like they were nothing but stepping stones for her to use. A scowl made way on the Demon''s face when he couldn''t decipher what to do with no clues left behind. He checked the statues, but there was nothing odd with them. There was also nothing in the ceilings, floors, and walls. It was like the dungeon was all about testing their luck. The Demon took another look at the statues. It took the form of a skeleton draped in cloaks. And its menacing eyes seemed to follow him around. "Fuck it," the Demon spat. He was confident with his powers, and he believed that whatever traps awaited him, he could avoid them and live. He pushed the middle-upper left statue to the right, and everyone heard a cracked and rustling mechanism. Clink. . . nk. . . (Pic) Everyone held their breaths and took a peek at what was inside the inner diamond, but they only saw a statue on one side, an empty space, and then another statue, the center statue hidden by the eight other statues. (Pic) "What the?" the Demon didn''t finish his sentence when the statues that he moved glowed red, and before he could utter hisst sentence, he was struck by a beam of red light from its eyes, and he instantly turned into particles while his soul entered the statue. ".. ." ".. ." The others'' faces paled, and Ryu had difficulty swallowing what happened. Just like that, a high-rank demon was gone faster than they could blink. "Hmm. .. I see." Rosa skimmed her jawline. "If you pushed the wrong statue, then you''ll instantly die by those beams, and those statues would capture your soul. Interesting." Ryu didn''t know whether tough or cry that Rosa could remain calm at a time like this while the others almost wet their pants. Her mental fortitude was really something else! "Y-you!" Ryu and Rosa''s attention spun towards the Elf. "Y-you''re a halfbreed!" the Elfposed himself and said, "Since you''re the weakest among us here, you go and inspect the other statues!" Huh? Ryu didn''t know what the guy was saying. But he suddenly had the urge to slit his throat. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 181: Solving the Puzzle Chapter 181: Solving the Puzzle "Y-you''re a halfbreed!" the Elfposed himself and said, "Since you''re the weakest among us here, you go and inspect the other statues!" Huh? Ryu didn''t know what the guy was saying. But he suddenly had the urge to slit his throat. "Everyone agrees with me here, right?" the Elf looked at Rosa, "Are you his master?" Rosa didn''t respond, and the Elf insisted further. "Have your servant check the other statues, or we won''t be able to get out of here." He was desperate, and Rosa huffed aughed. "Whether he is or not is none of your business. If you want, you can inspect it yourself." The Elf''s handsome face warped. "Do you want to start a fight? We both know that you couldn''t win against me." Rosa faced the Elf and smirked. "Resorting to violence now, are we? Why? Because the Demon is dead, and you think that you''re the strongest in here now just because the ones who''re left are humans and a halfbreed." The corner of the Elf''s lips twitched. "It''s the truth. If you want to fight it out, then be my guess." The Elf was arrogant like the others, but Ryu couldn''t fathom where he got his arrogance from. Was it innate from their race? Or was it simply steamed from desperation? Because he couldn''t sense that the Elf was stronger than him. He could probably defeat him with just his bare ws alone. "Enough." Thest human stepped in, and he looked at Rosa and the Elf. "We must work together if we want to get out of here." Rosaughed full of ridicule. "Work together? What do you mean work together? It''s clear as day that the only way out here is to move the correct statue. It all depends on our luck." Rosa licked her lips and sweetly smiled. "Or do you mean by working together is me, the only woman in here and the halfbreed, move the remaining statues so you two could have a higher chance of guessing the correct statues if we fail?" The human caught his tongue and red at Rosa while Ryu briefly looked at her and wondered how she could still be so calm despite their situation. Didn''t she know fear? Or was she confident in her abilities? Rosa ced a finger on her chin. "Alright, I will cooperate with you. But only if the two of you go and move the statues first. How about that?" "Bitch!" the human spat and brandished his weapon, and the Elf did the same. "Are you going to move the statues or die here right now?!" screamed the human, his true intention surfacing. Ryu blocked the human and Elf from Rosa, ws extending and slit eyes barring. But before everyone could move a muscle, Rosa spoke, breaking the tension. "It''s fine," said Rosa and looked at Ryu with a sweet smile on her face. "You go and move the statue." Ryu blinked. He wasn''t against checking the statues, but what made her change her mind? Did she conclude that it was better if he died rather than facing the two? Ryu frowned. That couldn''t be it. Ryu was sure that behind the smirk on Rosa''s face hid diabolical ns. "Heh." The Elf sneered. "You should be obedient this early, saves us both from wasting our time." "Get a move on halfbreed," said the human. Ryu took one final nce at Rosa. Rosa shrugged and beamed. "If you can''t even figure this simple puzzle after the clue wasid out, then you''re really an idiot. And I don''t need idiots." Ryu frowned. Was all this a test for him? That couldn''t be it since she said that she didn''t want to lose him in the early stages of the Dungeon. Then it could only mean that she was confident that he had already figured it out. The others looked at each other. "What do you mean clue?" the Elf asked, eagerness in his tone. But Rosa just shut her mouth and ignored them. "She''s bluffing so that we wouldn''t kill her," the human said. "If you really figure it out, then move the statue." Rosa beamed her sweetest. "If you''re in a hurry, no one is stopping you." she then gestured her hand towards the statues. "By all means." Grr! Both the human and Elf looked like they wanted to strangle Rosa''s neck. Ryu couldn''t me them. If it wasn''t for Ferris, he might have joined them. Realizing that they couldn''t have their way with Rosa, the two shifted their attention to Ryu. "Get a move on, halfbreed!" Ryu was not taking orders from anyone but Rosa, and since she was asking for him to go, he''d do exactly that. Checking the statues, they were all facing with their backs hidden from view. It gave the illusion that they were watching their every move. But thanks to the Demon''s ''sacrifice,'' Ryu had a clue on which statue to move. It was all dependent on the center statue hidden within their diamond formation. The center statue was facing south that means that the exit could only be facing south. So the statue that he should move was the southern statue. And based on the image conjured in his head, the figures could only be pushed on the gaps inside. However, he wasn''t entirely sure, so he tested his theory. His heart thudded hard against his ribs when he came face to face with the southernmost statue. He took arge intake of breath and moved the statue to the left. (Pic) He heard audile gasped and ceasing of breathes in anticipation of what would happen. .. but none came. Ryu was right; he couldn''t move the statue to the left, neither could he move it to the right. He then pulled it towards him, being careful not to use too much force as he just wanted to test if the statue would budge from its ce. ".. ." Nothing happened, and the statue was still immovable. "What are you doing? Hurry up!" Ryu ignored the Elf and proceeded to his next move, pushing the statue forward into the inner diamond, and when he felt the slightest budge, he stopped and took a step back. .. . .. . The statue''s eyes remained the same, and Ryu breathed a sigh of relief. These ironed his theory that he was indeed correct. Or at least his percentage of finding the exit was higher than before. Conjuring the image of the statues in his head once more, he deducted that the figures to be moved were the southern left and right middle statues. (Pic) Ryu then proceeded with pushing the southern left middle statue forward and took a step back when the familiar nking mechanism rumbled in the room. Clink. . . nk. . . Everyone held their breath except for Rosa, whose lips stretched in a wide smirk. "Not bad," she murmured under her breath. Ryu felt like his heart was going to crush his ribs from how it was brutally beating. His eyes remained stered on the statue that he had just moved. Not daring to blink for fear that he wouldn''t know how he died if he was wrong. .. . .. . But nothing happened, and the human and Elf couldn''t believe that a halfbreed had figured it out! "Now that wasn''t hard to guess, right?" Rosa chuckled. "Out of the way!" The Elf pushed Ryu to the side and examined the center statue. The exit must be right underneath it. He then pushed the statue forward, revealing a stair leading into the next Dungeon. The Elf''s eyes shone, and before anyone could react, he raced down and was gone from view. The next was the human, who didn''t even spare Ryu the barest nce as he zoomed down the flights of stairs. ".. ." ".. ." "Aren''t we going to the next dungeon as well?" Ryu asked after a minute that Rosa was still immobile from her post. He wanted to get this done and over with, so he could finally reunite with Ferris. "Patience halfbreed." Rosa walked forward, stopped at the southern right middle statue, and then instructed, "Pushed this forward and the upper statue." Ryu cut a re at Rosa. "I know what I''m doing halfbreed." Sighing through his nose, he did what she asked of him and hoped that she really did know what she was doing. Clink. . . nk. . . The statue moved and locked in ce, and Ryu was dumbstruck when the southern figure disappeared and in its ce was a chest. (Pic) How did that happen? Rosa smirked. "Listen well, halfbreed. Every Dungeon contained treasures. It''s just a matter of using your brain to figure where it is." And she opened the chest revealing all kinds of precious stones and items. Ryu grumbled in silence. What if Rosa was wrong? Then he would end up dead without knowing how he died. But he couldn''tin because it was what he signed for to get Ferris back. He was a cannon fodder to test for traps, and that was his role. He hoped Seraphina was at least doing okay. With her wits and spells, Ryu was confident that she could survive the Dungeon. That at least put his mind and heart at ease. "Hmm. .. these are all just rare items," Rosa mumbled, disappointed. Maybe because it was just her first Dungeon? Rather, she didn''t even know how many dungeons were there. But she did know that in every five dungeons, there lies an exit, and they were provided with a choice to move forward or to go back to the surface. With a swipe of her hand, Rosa stored the chest, not even bothering to give Ryu a tiny portion. "Let''s go halfbreed." ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 182: A Series of Doors and Knobs Chapter 182: A Series of Doors and Knobs Ryu and Rosa advanced to the next dungeon. Uponying foot on the second dungeon, the door closed before it disappeared. And like the first one, the next dungeonid out traps as well. But instead of just Ryu, Rosa, the human, and elf, they were joined by other experts who also seeded from their first dungeon. Ryu was sure that at least hundreds of them were swallowed by the hole. Could it be that they were being merged gradually? His heart hoped. There was a chance that he and Seraphina might see each other in the seeding dungeons! But before that, he must survive the dungeons first. They were all faced with another trap as they encountered lock doors that must be broken down to pass, but an abyss was waiting for them on the other side. And they were only able to make out to the next dungeon by sacrificing two experts who broke down the wrong doors. Among these experts was Ryu and Rosa''s elfpanion in their first dungeon. However, their third dungeon had mimics posing as multiple doors. Hundreds of doors to choose from and turning the wrong knob would cause their limbs or, if they weren''t lucky, their whole body or soul to be swallowed by the door. And like before, their numbers were reinforced with other experts, but still, Seraphina wasn''t one of them. They were twenty of them and hundreds of doors to choose from. And when half of their numbers dwindled, including their humanpanion in the first dungeon, Ryu was now sure that the only reason why Rosa let the elf and human live was because of this moment. Why kill them if they could be cannon fodders for the seeding dungeons? A creeping chill shuddered Ryu''s body, and he cut a look at Rosa''s way. "What?" Rosa asked with a raised brow. Ryu shook his head. "Nothing." Despite his unfavorable feelings towards her, he couldn''t help but admire her wits and calmness. "Stop stealing nces at me Halfbreed. You''re not my type." Ryu bit back a snarl. You aren''t my type either. "What was that?" "I said, I''ll go check the doors." Ryu didn''t let Rosa reply, and he went to the hundreds of doors floating in therge hall. There were also others who were inspecting the doors, but none dared even to touch its knob. It would just be another repeat in the first dungeon if this keeps upa waiting game to see who''d trigger another trap door. Ryu ignored the others and took a whiff of the doors. The mimic could copy anything, but he wondered if it could also copy its smell or was it just physical appearance? He was the only halfbreed in the group, and he posed an advantage with his kin senses faced with these kinds of traps and trickery. And he was right. Almost half of the doors smell the same. Or rather, they didn''t smell at all, except for two. An old wooden door smelled like oak and moss and a metal door smelled of rust and iron. Ryu was sure that it was the right door, but before he could turn the knob of the metallic door, Rosa''s hand stopped his. "It might be the door leading to the exit or. .. a door leading to the chest," Rosa whispered, "We have to make sure that it was the former so I can have the chest without anyone contesting it." Ryu almost wanted to roll his eyes, but he did ce his nose closer to the metallic door to check for clues. He didn''t know what smell he was looking for exactly, but even just a tiny bit of rotten woody scent from the chest or smell of ancient things and mildew from old items would be a start. He moved towards the old wooden door when he didn''t smell any. Sniffing closer, he did smell another scent beside the usual oak and moss, but he wasn''t sure if it was a chest. Ryu pointed to the metallic door. "I think that''s the exit." "You think?" "If you want, you could sniff it so you''ll know." Rosa''s smile fell into a frown. "Don''t get smart with me halfbreed." But she did take a whiff in secret, and as she expected, she couldn''t smell anything. "Open it then." Ryu did as he was told. He was confident with his kin sense of smell but faced with this kind of situation where he could be wrong, a sense of danger, as well as excitement, filled his chest. Ryu opened the door, and every eye turned in his direction, anticipating what would happen next. But to their surprise, nothing happened, and everyone rushed in towards the newly opened door. Ryu took a step back at the influx of beings rushing towards the exit. Not even a word of gratitude nor a nce. They were stuck in this room for how many hours or possibly days with traps and dangers all around them, and when the first sign of exit appeared, everyone wanted to leave, not minding the treasures anymore. With the hundreds of doors, they didn''t know which one led to the treasure and which one did not. They didn''t have a kin sense of smell like Ryu, so they were going to be searching blind. With only ten of them and hundreds of doors, their chances to stumble upon the chest was low to none. It was better to keep their lives and try their luck in the next dungeon. "Well, that takes care of it." Rosa beamed, and she went to the wooden door when she made sure that the others had left. "Open this one next." Ryu could onlyply. He just hoped that Rosa would heal his injured limbs if he were wrong. Opening the door, it creaked and what stumbled in front of them was a room with nothing but overgrown vines and trees and a chest nestled in the center of the grass. Rosa''s smile reached her eyes. "Not bad halfbreed. You''re not useless after all." "Does that mean you''d let me see Ferris?" "Open that chest next." Rosa pretended he didn''t hear him. Ryu sighed under his breath. At least he tried. He entered the room and opened the chest. And when nothing happened, he gestured from Rosa to enter the area as well. Rosa wasn''t happy with the items in the chest. Like in the first dungeon, it contained nothing but rare items. Not a single God-tier. Rosa clicked her tongue. "I guess those items can only be found in the upper-level dungeons." She stored the chest inside her traveler''s ring and went out of the room. "Let''s go halfbreed." "I have a name." "Right. Pets have names too." Ryu released a heavy sigh before they went to their fourth dungeon. "Now listen closely halfbreed," Rosa started as they went down the flight of stairs. "The dungeon before the fifth, tenth, and soon are the trickiest to solve. Why? Because the fifth dungeon doesn''t have traps. It''s a resting ce where you have an option to go back into the surface or continue onwards." Ryu nodded. Taking what Rosa said into his head. "So you better not screw up until I find a god-tier item, or you can kiss Ferris goodbye." .. . At least he could kiss her. Ryu thought. He learned not to take Rosa''s harsh words seriously, or he would end up slitting her throat if he did. When they reached their fourth dungeon, the door closed behind them and disappeared. Their numbers increased once more, and Ryu swept the area with a hopeful gaze. However, there was still no sign of Seraphina. But at least there were thirty of them now, and he bet Rosa was ecstatic that she had many canon fodders with her. "Hmm. .. instead of doors, now its knobs." Ryu took the direction to where Rosa was eyeing, and he saw the only door at the end of the room with not one nor two, but hundred door knobs in different shapes, sizes, colors, and designs, scattered across its giant panel. Now what? Ryu looked at Rosa. Her fingers were pinching her chin, and it could only mean that she was thinking of something. But all Ryu thought was that it would be another waiting game where the others waited out for some impatient individuals who would turn the first trap. Or. .. the same fate would repeat to him again. Though there were halfbreeds and women with them this time, Ryu didn''t know if it was a good or a bad thing that they wouldn''t be the target of bullying, if ever. But Ryu wouldn''t wait for that to happen, and he searched for clues like what the others were doing. There were some who formed groups and discussed what they knew and what they found and some who liked to do it solo. Ryu hovered his eyes on the ceiling and floors and smelled the air, but there was not a single clue. Maybe the clue was on the door? Ryu approached the giant door and studied it without blinking. His eyes turned to slit and straining. He was expecting that he could make a random figure or symbol on the loitering knobs, but nothing was forming in his mind. "Do you mind?" Ryu took a look behind him and found a human girl looking over at him with an arrogant face and haughty pout. Ryu was surprised. How did he miss her from the crowds? "The girl with golden pigtails." The one with the purebred servant and who was with them at Mother Skull''s ship! ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 183: The Fourth Dungeon Chapter 183: The Fourth Dungeon "Do you mind?" Ryu took a look behind him and found a human girl looking over at him with an arrogant face and haughty pout. Ryu was surprised. How did he miss her from the crowds? "The girl with golden pigtails." Cathy was surprised, too, upon seeing Ryu. "Ah. The ignorant halfbreed." Ryu ignored what she just called him and roamed his gaze, "Where''s yourpanion?" "You mean Nash? We got separated in this dungeon," she said with a nonchnt voice. "What about you? Where''s your master?" Ryu couldn''t speak. Cathy gave an elegant half-shrug. "Separated too, huh? Welp, don''t worry, if you both survive here, you''ll reunite in the real world sooner orter." Ryu knew she was just saying it without really meaning what she said. But it did alleviate some of Ryu''s worries. Cathy didn''t mind Ryu anymore and inspected the multiple knobs with puckering lips. "Where do you suppose the correct one is? If they''re giving out puzzles to solve, at least provide some clue, damn it." Ryu scratched his head and looked over at Rosa, who was raising a brow at him. He knew that it wasn''t his ce to worry about the little girl, but she did save him once on the boat. "Are you in a group?" Ryu asked. Cathy pouted. "Mind your own business halfbreed. I''m strong, so I don''t need to be in a group." "Aren''t you a mage?" Cathy finally faced Ryu and ced her fist over her waist. She looked over him, straining her neck. "And what do you mean by that? Are you implying that mages are weak?" "No. it''s just. .. you should at least have someone to defend you while you''re casting your spell." "Don''t worry about that. Once I''m reunited with Nash, I can defeat all of you here with my eyes closed." She then went back to inspecting the knobs. "Besides, this dungeon doesn''t require brute strength nor spells. It requires brains and patience." She then cut Ryu a nce. "And the name''s Cathy, not ''you.''" Ryu tilted his head. He was just asking if he was going to be alright by herself. Were girls her age always this difficult? Ryu thought that Cathy was only sixteen or seventeen. He was also the same age, but he looked older since he was tall. Ryu took onest look at Cathy before returning to Rosa''s side. "What are you doing? This is no time to be flirting with every girl you meet." Ryu caught his tongue. Did it seem like he was hitting on a girl? "It was the girl with us in Mother Skull Ship." Rosa batted her eyelids. "I know. But we don''t know her so quit being friendly. Or do you want her to join our group and make your own harem?" Ryu immediately shook his head. Rosa would just make Cathy one of her cannon fodders. She was better off alone than be with them. And what did he mean, harem? He didn''t even know the word. Rosa smirked. "Pay attention halfbreed. This is one tricky dungeon because it''s before the fifth one. However, they are thirty of us here. That number would soon go down." That was not what Ryu was worried about. "How do you suppose we find the correct knob from the hundreds of them? There are no clues, and I couldn''t differentiate the smell of the knobs, unlike with the doors." Rosa remained silent. She was pinching her chin and seemed to be in deep thoughts. "Do you have an item that could help us here?" Ryu asked. From the two treasure chests that Rosa picked up, maybe an item there could help them in their current predicament. "Shut up. I''m thinking." Ryu grumbled and pressed his lips tight. Maybe it was better if he took a look around? Or take a nap? "You go and check those knobs!" Ryu and Rosa''s attention was stolen when amotion broke out. A halfbreed girl, together with a humandy, was being targeted for bullying. Ryu was beginning to get worried that he preceded such a scene asmon now. The halfbreed girl had pointy ears and a distinctive cloth around her head, hiding her hair. She was small, and her eyes were dted crystals of green. She seemed to be a sprite and an elf. "Raise your hands if you wanted these weaklings to go first and check the knobs!" another said. Everyone raised their hands except the halfbreeds and some weak-looking humans. Ryu gave a side-eye at Rosa when she raised her hand as well. "What?" Rosa asked. "It''s much faster that way. And besides, they won''tst. They were taken here to be cannon fodders in the first ce." Ryu heaved a heavy sigh. He was born again. Was he going to stick his nose and protect them or be like the others and pretend that he didn''t see anything for the sake of not being implicated? "Well," a demon said and folded his arms, face sneering, "are you going, or do you want us to use force?" The halfbreed and the woman lowered their heads. Ryu didn''t have to butt his nose since the halfbreed girl wasn''t even part beast. But he didn''t like the idea that a halfbreed like them were always the ones who suffered the most. Rosa opened one eye and warned, "Don''t be a hero, halfbreed. You can''t save them all." Ryu ignored her and went towards themotion when Cathy grabbed his arm. A snarl rumbled in Ryu''s throat, and his beast side peeked through his eyes. Cathy was a little surprised since she felt that Ryu was different from thest time they met. His beast side could even instill fear without her knowing it. Did the halfbreed grow stronger? "Are you going to stop me again?" Ryu asked, slit eyes narrowing and canines barring. Cathy felt a chill, raising her fine hairs. When did his beast side be so intimidating? "Not that, you idiot. Calm down and assess the situation first." Cathy jabbed a finger towards the group and said, "That halfbreed and woman are not your typical weaklings." Ryu blinked, and his eyes returned to normal. "What do you mean?" But before Ryu could ask, screams of terror erupted in the center of themotion. Ryu was about to look, but Cathy''s voice stopped him for a moment. "DON''T LOOK!" Even though she said that Ryu was a curious soul, and he took a peek only to find that the demon and several others had turned into a statue. While the halfbreed girl covered her hair. But not until Ryu took a slip of what was hidden inside her clothing. There were like worms twirling around and around, hissing with their slick tongue on top of the halfbreed''s head. "What is that?" "Basilisks," Cathy answered. "Once it captured your eyes, you''re done for." "Is that thing. .. growing in her head?" Ryu couldn''t believe what he saw. Cathy nodded. "That girl is half sprite and half-elf. Her sprite lineage must have been those tricksters who turned others to stone in the Spirit Realm. "But anyway. Don''t mess with them if you don''t want to be a statue. That demon was unlucky that he picked her out of all the halfbreeds here." Cathy shrugged. "Or maybe it was part of their n all along." Ryu was confused. "What do you mean?" "I''ve been with them before this dungeon. They used the same trick to lure experts and turn them into stones. They lower their guard by pretending to be weak, and then bam! The next thing you know, you''ve be a statue. Then they used you as testers for the puzzles. That''s how we got here. It''s thanks to those two." "Tsk. What a waste of resources." Ryu and Cathy shifted their attention at Rosa, who was now behind them. "Now that they turned five into statues, that''s five less cannon fodders. What are they going to do about those stones? Make their stiff hands turn the knob?" Ryu''s eyes went dead. Was all she could think of was cannon fodders? Rosa clicked her tongue once more. "Bunch of idiots. At least pick a dungeon that your statues would be useful." Because of the event, the others left the halfbreed girl and the woman alone, and there was a temporary stalemate in therge hall. "We might as well get some shut eyes if this continued." Cathy stretched her hands and yawned. "At this rate, we''ll be stuck here until some idiot loses his patience and trigger some traps." "I think that idiot is going at it now." Ryu pointed at a skinny human who was closing in on the knobs. "Well, at least we have a first volunteer." Rosa smirk. Cathy folded her arms. "I hope he wouldn''t just randomly twist a knob and trigger some" Cathy didn''t finish her sentence when the skinny guy did just that. He twisted the knob that looked like a stirring wheel of a ship. Cling. . . ng. . . There was a resounding mechanism, and some of the panels on the ceiling opened, and gushing water began to fill the ce. "Trap." Cathy was stunned before she shouted, "That idiot!" ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 184: Traps Chapter 184: Traps "Trap." Cathy was stunned before she shouted, "That idiot!" Everyone panicked when the water didn''t have any signs of stopping, and within a minute, it had already reached their ankles. "That idiot!" Cathy gnashed her teeth while the others screamed at the skinny man. The skinny man just frowned, and Ryu didn''t know if the man was feeling trigger happy when he suddenly twisted another knob. It was a knob made of jelly, and not before long, the water gushing out from the ceiling contained slimes in deferent sizes and colors. "What are you doing?! You idiot!" the others shouted. It looked like they weren''t happy anymore that someone took the first shot at the trap since they were now implicated with the consequences. This time, the trap didn''t happen on the who triggered it. It implicated everyone in the dungeon! "Shut up!" the skinny man snarled back as he killed the approaching slimes. "You all bunch of cowards! Don''t pretend that you didn''t wish that someone would go first and twist the damn knobs!" The others didn''t have time to argue with the skinny man as the slimes upied everyone''s attention. The creatures were weak, but some were medium in size, requiring a bit of spell and skills to defeat. "Damn! Now what?" Cathy brandished her staff and cast basic spells to repel the slimes. It was a good thing that the monsters were weak. But their none ending numbers were a pain in their asses. The water wasn''t stopping either. Ryu swiped the slimes that were getting closer to them with his ws. If this kept up, they''d either drown or be slime food. "Any ns?" Ryu asked Rosa since she was mostly the brain in the group. "Shut up and keep those slimes at bay while I''m trying to think," Rosa spat and pinched her chin. She focused her attention on the knobs, and his brain worked in full drive. The water was on their knees now, and the slimes numbers were growing. The knobs were the clue. Its design gave away what traps would be triggered. "Not good." Cathy''s face darkened when the smaller slimes mixed to form one giant blob of flesh-eating Jellies. But all Ryu thought was, could I eat it? "Agh!" Sooner thanter, screams filled the dungeon. It came from the skinny man who triggered the traps. He was now inside the giant slimes, and his flesh quickly dissolved like he was melting inside a corrosive acid. ArRghH! I guess not, Ryu mused to himself. One after another, screams of terror pierced the hall when the weaker ones couldn''t repel the giant slimes anymore. Their spell and strength werecking when the smaller slimes continued to infuse with the bigger slimes whenever a chunk of its body disappeared. "Don''t get any closer!" Cathy used a bit of mana and performed a mid-level spell just tobat an approaching giant slime. Lighting burst from her staff, and the giant slime was electrocuted on the spot. It disintegrated from Cathy''s spell and crumbled into dust. While the others felt a tingle from Cathy''s electricity crawling to their skin due to the water on their feet. "Idiot, don''t use lightning!" the others bellowed. If they weren''t experts with a strong physique, they could have been electrocuted too. Cathy stuck out her tongue. "Deal with it!" it was her affinity, and she wouldn''t hold back just because the others said so. Ryu was busy fighting another giant blob of jelly. His overwhelming speed and strength were enough to pulverize the jelly faster than the smaller slimes could regenerate its body. Making sure that no slimes would go near Rosa, Ryu briefly shot her a nce. Anytime now, he thought. The water was on their waist. Though he had a mermaid water breathing potion with him, he didn''t know how long they''d be stuck in the dungeon. And without Seraphina by his side, he didn''t want to gamble nor waste his resources. The soonest they were out and safe into the fifth dungeon, the better. "Fifi, keep those slimes at bay!" Rosa summoned, and Fifi materialized in the air. Ryu almost forgot about her, and he had to admit that he missed her golden klutzy form. "Ryu!" Fifi was also happy that she got to be reunited with him again. "How have you been? Where''s Kai?" "Fifi!" Rosa growled and red at Fifi. "R-right! We''ll talk another time Ryu!" Fifi bolted in the air and eliminated the tiny slimes with multiple ps of thunder that shot from her luminescent body. Ryu shook his head. It was nostalgic to know that Fifi was still the same. But this was not the time nor ce to catch up. The water was already nearing his chest. Ryu was tall while most were shorter than him, and each of them had already taken an item or cast a spell that let them breathe underwater. But fighting the giant slimes on the sea of water proved to be a challenge. Rosa smacked her fist against her palm, not minding the water on the level of her neck. Out of the hundreds of knobs, she managed to narrow it to fifteen. She then took a water-breathing potion andmanded Ryu to follow her. Cathy saw that Ryu, Rosa, and a translucent girl in gold were swimming towards the door. She followed them and kept an eye on the slimes. "Did you figure it out?" Ryu asked, voice and face hopeful. "Keep them away," Rosa only said, and her hand stopped midway when she was about to twist a wooden knob. "You want me to do it for you?" Ryu volunteered when he was surprised that Rosa was hesitating. So the woman could also show some hesitation? "Shut up, halfbreed," Rosa barked, and she twisted the knob. RuUmMbBle! The ground shook and with it came sharp vines that pierced the surprised experts who couldn''t get away in time. They died on the spot without knowing what had happened. At the same time, the vines continued to ripple underwater in search of their next victim. "Damn it! Stop twisting random knobs!" Rosa didn''t mind the angry shouts and proceeded to twist another knob. WwhoOoSh! A cold torrent of wind swept across the ce, turning the water to ice within minutes. "S-shit!" Cathy''s teeth rattled from the cold, and she shot Rosa a sharp re. "S-stop twisting the god damn knobs already!" she shouted, and sparks of electricity broke a small area of ice around her. The others directed their hate and curses towards Rosa, but they couldn''t do anything as they were stuck in theyer of ice. The only good thing that came out of it was, the giant slimes were stuck too while the vines ceased their movement. Some experts managed to break the ice shrouding them, and they breathed easy when they were given time to rest. But the halfbreed with basilisk hair and the woman she was with weren''t lucky enough, and they were frozen inside the ice. Ryu broke theyer of ice with his strength and shook the shards of ice off his hair and body before he proceeded to punch theyers of ice to create a breathing space around them. However, Rosa wasn''t interested in the other''s predicament. She thawed the ice with her mes and twisted another knob. CrReeAakK. . . There was an ominous sound rattling in their ears and what came was a strange dark light that floated in space, unhindered by anything. And when it passed a giant slime, the slime dissolved to nothingness. "W-what is that?" Fifi hid behind Ryu. Cathy caught her tongue when the dark light floated in a slow-motion like it was taking its time as it went to the experts. The experts caught within the ice and didn''t have any spell or skill to break from it could only watch as the floating thing sipped into their bodies. Not even a gasp or squeal, and their bodies disintegrated to dust. It was sucking the life out of them. The halfbreed who couldn''t even lift the clothe on her hair to turn the floating creature to stone was helpless, and she died together with her master. Everyone gaps, and some shouted as they hammered and wed the ice to escape the approaching death. The floating dark ball of light gathered speed, and it went past another adventurer''s body within a blink. ArRghh! "T-that thing is scary!" Fifi shrieked, and she looked at Rosa, "M-master, hurry!" Argh! The shouts were getting closer while some of the adventures sted the ice to get to the door. Their only chance of escape was through that door, but the thickyer of ice prevented them from moving faster. "Oh, for the love of!" Cathy couldn''t wait and watch anymore as death was fast approaching. Her body shuddered and not because of the cold as she looked at the knobs before her. "Rosa, tell us which knobs are left? We''ll twist it together!" Ryu said, and Rosa wanted to face palmed herself when she didn''t think of that. "Fifi, halfbreed, and you little squirt,e closer and put your hands here," Rosa instructed the others while Cathy didn''t have time to pout when she was called names again. With eight hands holding different knobs, Rosa could only hope that one would open the door. The cries of death were fast approaching, and Cathy almost wet her dress when she saw it was just meters away from them. "H-hurry!" "Now!" With a clink and nk, numerous traps sprung open, and just as death was but a meter, the door budged, and Ryu pushed it forward with all his strength. The four of them stumbled into a portal to the next dungeon, and thest thing they saw was the room turning into chaos with explosions ravaging from all sides and all sorts of monsters wreaking havoc from within its walls. And everything went ck. ---- A/N I''ll start posting pictures on discord on December ^^ If you want to view all the concept images I have for the story, feel free to join our discord server ^^ Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 185: A Short Respite Chapter 185: A Short Respite "W-we. .. we made it." Cathy exhaled in an exaggerated breath as she eyed the portal that was now closing before her. "At the expense of others." Ryu got up to his feet and looked at the room they were in. "Oh shut up, halfbreed," Rosa barked and snapped her fingers. A gust of wind enveloped her and dried her wet clothes within seconds. "It''s not our fault that they didn''t make it." Ryu looked her dead in the eyes. He didn''t me her. It was either them or the others. Sacrifices were meant to be exchanged for the exit. It just that. .. there might have been a better way to go about it if they weren''t suddenly pressed of time. Ryu sighed. "Where are we?" Fifi roamed her sight and found the ce like the previous dungeon. It was spacy about two thousand meters in area. But instead of puzzles to solve, they were faced with two doors. There were also others present who were taking their time in resting their weary bones. Their faces were grim and haggard, and the regret in their eyes was palpable. They would undoubtedly rather leave the dungeon than continue into the deeper floors. "Let''s take a rest first and resume after an hour." Rosa threw a look at Cathy. "If you want toe with us squirt, then you better be prepared to follow my orders without questions." Cathy pouted. "Who are you calling a squirt? And who wants to go with you? I''ll travel on my own. Hmp!" She then made her way to one of the empty spots at the corner. Rosa followed her with a sneer before she went on the opposite side. Ryu heaved a sigh as he shook his head before he and Fifi looked at each other. "How are you, Ryu?" Fifi started. "I''m d we got to reunite again after all that happened!" "I''m fine. Kai is fine too. But we''ve got separated." "That''s great. Is this your third Islet now?" Fifi asked, twirling in the air beside Ryu. Ryu nodded. Amazement coated her face, and she bellowed, "That''s amazing! How did you survive this far?" Her face then shied away. "Sorry. I don''t mean that you''re weak. . ." It was exactly what she meant. Ryu didn''t mind it, though. "I got lucky, and I havepanions with me along the way. Though we got separated." "My," Fifi sped her hands, and her face registered genuine glee. "Good for you Ryu." then her expression crumbled into sadness. "I wish I too could meet new friends. Either they''re dead or were used as cannon fodders, thanks to my master." Ryu felt sorry for Fifi. In a way, he had a level of respect for her for tolerating Rosa this far. "What happened after we got swallowed by that ocean anyway?" Ryu asked, hoping to get information about Cecily''s whereabouts. Fifi shook her head. "I don''t know. Since my master was unconscious, I was forcefully dragged inside the bottle. And when I came too, master and I are separated from the rest, and there''s this weird-looking pink creature who said that we should make it through the four Islet and into the throne room to get out here." Fifi sighed. Sparks of electricity coated her breath. "It was tough. Good thing Master is strong and has brains." Shrewd, you mean, Ryu wanted to add but was contented to seal his lips shut. Fifi pressed his fingers together. "I know that master isn''t the best and friendly. .. but she experiences a lot and I hope that. .. you can be patient with her." She then beamed. "She isn''t so bad once you get to know her." ".. ." Ryu thought otherwise, but since Fifi defended Rosa even though Rosa was mean to her, he thought he should give a benefit of the doubt. And Fifi stayed longer with Rosa. Her words at least contained some truth. I hope. .. Ryu mused to himself. It would be a problem if Rosa didn''t contain even a speck of kindness in her. That would be a problem if he wanted to retrieve Ferris. Ryu wanted to take a snack while they were resting, but then he remembered that he had given all his food to Marcus and Halfjack while he was separated from Seraphina. He wasn''t hungry. He just wanted to munch at something to pass the time. Ryu looked at Rosa''s way when he smelled the fresh scent of roasted meat after what seemed like a long time. His saliva dripped from the side of his mouth, and he eyed the T-bone in Rosa''s fingers. "You want?" Rosa offered. Ryu''s eyes shone, and he nodded. Rosa''s lower lips puckered and faked an innocent tone. "Alright. But first, give me your paws, wag your tail, and barked three times." Ryu''s face crumpled in disgust. He was a fool to expect anything from the woman. Fifi was delusional and was being brainwashed by her. Rosaughed, two dimples hallowing her cheeks. She looked cute and adorable, nothing like the arrogant face and haughty attitude she always portrayed, and this caught Ryu''s attention. It would be nice if she could alwaysugh like that. "Just messing with you, halfbreed." Rosa threw a lump of meat in Ryu''s way, and he caught it with two hands. "It would be bothersome if you pass out due to hunger. But don''t expect me to give you more. Got that?" She then resumed eating while Ryu was dumbfounded that she actually gave him a piece. "Told you." Fifi winked at Ryu before she went to Rosa and jabbed a finger at herself. "Master, what about me?" Rosa cut Fifi a re. "You don''t eat meat." Fifi put a finger on her lips. "But I wanted to have a taste." "Don''t waste my food, servant." "Eh. . ." Fifi''s eyes watered, then she looked at Ryu. Ryu ignored her and chomped the piece of meat inside his mouth in one bite. "Heartless," Fifi muttered and cried at the corner. At the side, Cathy was throwing her anger at the jerkies in her hands. "Grr. .. follow my order she said. Huuuh?! There is only one boss in here, you old hag. And it''s me!" *chomp Cathy then looked at the beef Jerkies as she chewed, and her expression fell. It was Nash''s favorite food, and her chin crumpled. "Nash. . ." This was actually the first time that they''ve got separated. Throughout their islet exploration, they managed to stay together but now. . . Because of the lure of the God-tier treasures, she convinced him to take a detour since they were already here. But she didn''t expect that they''d be separated in the end. If something happened to him, she could only me herself. "I hope you''re okay. .. ," Cathy mumbled in a daze and chomped another jerky in her mouth while shedding tears. Soo good! Yet she felt soo sad! As the minutes ticked by, more and more experts gathered at the ce, and Ryu became alert. Maybe Seraphina would show up! Surely, she could easily solve the puzzles with her brains, and with her spells, she wouldn''t die with just some traps. ". . ." There were about fifty adventurers in the hall, and almost half of them exited the dungeon. At least the doors didn''t contain puzzles and traps. Ryu was sick and tired of multiple doors and knobs. However, Ryu''s concern multiplied when the appearance of adventurers dwindled until it ceased, and still, no sign of Seraphina''s shadow. She got to be alright. Ryu repeated this mantra over and over in his head. "Master. . ." Fifi called, voice bored, "How many levels is this dungeon anyway? Are we going to explore it until we find a God-tier item, or are we going to finish this dungeon up to the end?" Rosa ignored Fifi. Partly because she was being annoying again but mostly because she herself didn''t know the answer. Frankly, it was up to her greed. How far would she go for the God-tier items versus the dungeon''s difficulty? She wasn''t suicidal and knew when the situation called for her to stop and prioritize her life. But as long as that time wouldn''te, she would push on with the dungeon no matter how far it went. Rosa was up to her feet after barely an hour. "Let''s go." She was concerned that the more they dawdle, the more the others would first take hold of the God-tier items. Unconcerned with Ryu''s feelings and Fifi''s grumbling, Rosa pushed her way towards the next dungeon. But before Ryu went onwards, he shot one final nce at Cathy, who seemed lonely at the corner. He hoped that she would be reunited with Nash soon. He knew the feeling of worrying and longing for someone he cared about, and it wasn''t a pleasant feeling. Cathy looked over, and before Ryu was swallowed by the portal, they locked gazes, and everything went ck. ---- NOVEMBER Stretch Goals! 50 GT = 5 Chapter release Rank #20 Win2x = 5 Chapters release 20,000 worth of Gifts = Commissioned Cover JOIN DISCORD for more INFO! /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 186: Arm Wrestle Chapter 186: Arm Wrestle Eventually, Rosa, Ryu, and Fifi made their way into the dungeons. Their sixth dungeon turned out to be a room with an exit located hundreds of meters above. The walls were covered with tapestries, and there were numerous engraves on the wall, and all skills and spells were null inside this room. Climbing the walls was also out of the question, as no one could reach its height with no edges or tform to climb upon. Ryu tried but eventually gave up after twenty or so attempts. His ws could only reach him so far before he fell onto the ground. In the end, it took them a week to figure out that the tapestries could be turned into a magic flying carpet with the right words engraved on the wall. Thanks to a random halfbreed that passed the time by reciting the engraved words. Cathy wasn''t with them even after they cleared the sixth dungeon, and Ryu thought that she must be on another dungeon or there must be a number limit in each dungeon. Either way, the group pressed on. Their seventh dungeon was a little tricky since they had to find the right key of the door in a room filled with keys and random objects. All the keys except the correct one were coated in either poison, paralysis, sleep, and all sorts of status effects. And, of course, it was up to Ryu to test them for Rosa. It was a good thing that Rosa was an Elementalist. She could cure him faster than the status effect could spread in his body. Though he was immune to poison, he was not immune to the other status effect. But sometimes, the woman was giving him a hard time when she innocently prolonged the paralysis on his body. In the end, the group made way to their eighth dungeon, which was not that hard. They just had to cross a hundred-foot chasm full of razor-sharp des onto the next floor. And like the previous floor, no skills nor spells worked to cheat your way into the other side. Most of the experts were strong and easily jumped the fifty-meter wide hole into the next, and those who couldn''t have paid a hefty amount of gold or items for the mercenaries to carry them into the other side. Ryu had no problem carrying Rosa in his arms and jumped over. The problem was the annoying woman who kept annoying him. She blew hot air on his ear and twirled her finger on his chest and waist so that he could lose focus. Ryu was tempted to drop her on the des below because it seemed like what she wanted for him to do. If she didn''t hold Ferris hostage, he would definitely drop her. Finally, they made it to their ninth dungeon, where they expected the difficulty to be hard and they were not mistaken. They found a statue of a big man rippling with muscles sitting on a stone chair. He had a confident grin on his face while his buff arm was on the stone table with his palms wide open. It seemed like he wanted to wrestle. The door which everybody assumed was the exit lies behind him. It was shut tight, and everyone wondered if it would open to those who won against him. Rosa frowned. "It''s a contest of strength." Couldn''t the dungeon be any more unfair to women like her, who was also a mage? The othersughed. Most were men who knew that the trial was a piece of cake for them. Ryu was concerned about Rosa even though she was nothing but a pain in his ass throughout while Fifi giggled. "Master, it seemed that we are stuck here for ten years waiting for you to get buff so you can defeat that statue in an arm wrestle." Rosa pinched Fifi''s ears. "What was that again? Care to say it one more time?" "Aiee. . ." Sparks of electricity crawled on Fifi''s skin, but Rosa didn''t mind the tingling sensation. Rosa let go of Fifi''s pointy ear while thetter rubbed her injured skin and threw Rosa a pathetic look with her round watery eyes. Rosa clicked her tongue and pinched her chin. ".. . We could go with Fifi" "Shut up, halfbreed!" Ryu closed his lisp tight. He was just trying to be helpful. Even if Rosa buffed her strength ten times with her spell, she still couldn''t win. Not with her feeble strength to begin with. "Maybe the statue isn''t strong?" Fifi tried to console, and Rosa looked at her with dead eyes. ".. . Maybe it gauges its challenger''s strength and adjusts its own for a fair fight." Rosa and Fifi looked at Ryu like he was some kind of an idiot. Ryu thought that it was pretty cool if it did, though. In that way, Rosa might have a chance. "Anyway, we''ll know if someone took up the statue. .. Oh, Look! Someone is challenging it this early," Fifi announced, excited. At least they didn''t have to solve door puzzles, Ryu thought. Unlike the others, it was a pretty straightforward dungeon, but. .. there was still the concern of what would happen if they were defeated by the statue and also the possibility that the door wouldn''t open even after they won. Ryu observed the first challenger. Based form the axe on his back and the rippling muscles on his body, Ryu deducted that he was a fighter. The man was big and bulky. In fact, he was the biggest among their group of ten. "Alright. Let''s see what you''ve got." The man grinned and ced his hand against the statue. Everyone was amused when the statues gripped the man''s hand, and not before long, they both wrestle each other into submission. "Ragh!" the man shouted, and a burst of explosive power shot to his arm, doubling his strength. The stone table quaked, and Ryu thought that it would break from the sheer amount of force the man was exerting. The air around the man rippled, and statics cracked around his arm. His veins'' bulged, and his teeth barged with his gums, but still, the statue remained grinning. Sweat coated the man''s face, and not for long, his clothes were soaked. Everyone held their breaths when ten minutes passed, and the expert still couldn''t move a dint of the statue''s arm. "Eeekk. .. t-that statue is too strong," Fifi cried. Rosa ignored her and continued observing the statue. Ryu''s unabated attention was also on the two on the table. He couldn''t believe that even with the man''s strength enforced with a buff, he still couldn''t manage to move even a quarter of an inch of the statue''s arm. Ryu took a peeked at Rosa and was more concerned than ever. With her feeble strength, it was impossible for her to advance. There was no retreat either. So she would be trapped in here. That is, if she didn''t do something about her strength like Fifi suggested. But that would take years, and Ryu didn''t have time for years. Should he just whack her neck and steal her traveler''s ring? ".. ." Why hadn''t he thought of that before?! It would be much easier if he did. He could then bring it to Faux or Lizzaforth and ask if there was a way to ess its contents. Ryu was thinking of ways on how to steal Rosa''s traveler''s ring while the others were focused on the fight between the man and the statue. Eventually, the man grew exhausted as the bulged on his veins was about to burst from the force he was exerting. His body shook, and with it, his strength decreased gradually, and exhaustion took over. The statue''s grin grew wide, and its eyes turned crescent. With one swift of its hand, the man was sent flying against the wall. "Woah!" "What happened?!" It looked like the statue suddenly had a burst of energy, and in one swoop, he took down the man in the blink of an eye. Everyone hadn''t recovered yet when they noticed that the man''s body was disintegrating, and its soul went towards the statue. "Holy. . ." "Shit." The other cursed, and Ryu held his gasp. The consequence upon defeat is death, like everyone was expecting. "M-master. .. ," whimpered Fifi. She was looking at Rosa like she was going to die. Ryu ironed his will to steal the ring from Rosa''s hand. She was definitely going to be trapped here. Meanwhile, Rosa ignored the two. Her eyes were on the statue, nning her next move. She needed another cannon fodder to test out the statue, and if her deduction was correct.. . her lips stretched into a smirk. But the problem was, now that everyone knew the stakes and how powerful the statue was, no one was willing to challenge it. The bulky expert, who everyone thought was the strongest in the room, was defeated without managing to move the statue''s hand, even for just an inch. What could they possibly do against it? They thought in unison, and their faces turned white at the realization that they might be trapped in here. Ryu''s face was serious. His eyes remained glued on Rosa''s ring that he didn''t notice the evil twitching of her lips. "You go halfbreed." ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 187: Conclusion Chapter 187: Conclusion Ryu''s face was severe. His eyes remained glued on Rosa''s ring that he didn''t notice the evil twitching of her lips. "You go halfbreed." ".. . Huh?" Ryu didn''t quite catch what she said. He was too focused on her ring to even notice her words. "What was that?" "Do I have to spell it out for you halfbreed? Go. And. Arm. wrestle." Rosa enunciated each word. "And stop staring at my ring. You won''t be able to take it from me." Ryu groaned in silence and shifted his eyes between the statue and Rosa. Was she serious? He was confident with his strength, but after what happened with that bulky man. .. he wasn''t sure anymore. Rosa threw a re his way when he didn''t budge from where he stood. She then beamed her sweetest and grabbed Ryu by the cor. Ryu was surprised at the sudden pull that he almost smacked his face against hers if not that he shifted his face away from hers, lightning speed. "Listen here halfbreed, and listen well. What I''m about to tell you is a secret to get out of here alive." Rosa was speaking with a voice fading into a whisper, but Ryu was distracted by the depth of her eyes. She was beautiful alright. .. if only her character could reflect her face. What a waste. "Got that?" Ryu blinked. "What?" ".. ." If looks could kill, Ryu would already be twenty feet under. Rosa took a deep breath and repeated was she said with an edge to her tone, making sure that Ryu understood every word she spoke. Rosa told Ryu her ns and what to do, but even after they finished discussing, Ryu was still hesitant. In the end, what Rosa had in mind was still an assumption, and he was made a test subject for it. Ryu sighed. Such was his life. But thinking about Ferris made him want to do it nevertheless. His desire to reunite with her was greater than any danger he had to face. Every attention was thrown into Ryu when he approached the statue. All they thought was, ''another cannon fodder,'' but none felt pity for him. Instead, their eagerness to see what would happen was apparent on their faces. "You can do it, Ryu!" Fifi was the only one who was rooting for Ryu, but he didn''t hear her nor did the voices and sneers when he took a seat in front of the statue. All noises were blocked, and his concentration was on his opponent. Looking at the statue, it was grinning from ear to ear, and its face portrayed nothing but confidence. Ryu ced his elbow on the stone table and gripped the statue''s hand. If what Rosa said was true, then all he needed to do was pretend that he was wrestling, but in truth, he wouldn''t exert any force. Sweat tickled on the side of Ryu''s face when his opponent gripped his hand, and like Rosa kept repeating to him, he didn''t insert any force on his arm, nor did he make any effort to defeat the statue. Ryu expected that the statue to at least exerts some force to bring him down, but to his surprise and much to his chagrin, Rosa''s deduction was indeed correct! It wasn''t moving at all, nor was it making any effort to defeat him and Ryu unknowingly looked at Rosa''s way with a surprised look on his face. Rosa red at him and motioned to cut his throat if he didn''t get back to acting. Right. He was supposed to pretend that he was wrestling the statue as per her instructions. He didn''t know why he had to, but he was going to follow along with her orders. Maybe she had some diabolical n concocting in that brain of hers that the likes of him couldn''t possibly understand. He was amazed that she could solve the puzzle of the statue in that short amount of time, and his respect for her increased. But she still had a rotten personality, so her character remained in the negative. Ryu didn''t underestimate his opponent, though. He was on alert because it might throw him off guard with a surprise attack. He didn''t forget what happened to the previous challenger. A minute passed, and Ryu felt the statue''s hand was moving. He became more alert and prepared himself for the sudden surge of power from the figure. He would counter it with all he got, even if he had to rip his veins and tear his skin. But to his amazement, the amount of force the statue exerted was ten percent to the amount of power he was exerting before. It was like the statue was copying the amount of force he exerted before and doubled it after a certain amount of time. Just like what Rosa said. The bulky man who challenged it before didn''t know that and didn''t expect such a trick, so he used all his force early in the game before the statue doubled it after a certain amount of time when he grew exhausted. Such trick was so. .. evil. To the onlookers, it seemed like Ryu was having a hard time defeating the statue. But to Rosa, she was secretlyughing inside. Who said that she would be trapped in here and needed twenty years to develop her physique? She''d p him left and right. But most importantly, she couldn''t wait for her next n toe to fruition. Ryu pressed his lips tight and took a peeked at Rosa''s way. She nodded in his direction, and that was when he used a bit of force and toppled the statue''s hand down onto the stone table. The loud thud of the statue''s arm on the table stunned the experts, and their mouths gaped wide open. W-what just happened?! A mere halfbreed defeated the statue when that bulky man who was a Rank-A fighter didn''t stand a chance! Ryu stood to his feet and rolled his shoulders. He was a bit embarrassed because he didn''t do much, yet everyone seemed to see him in a new light. It was all Rosa, though. The door opened behind the statue, and for a time. .. everything went still. And before anyone could react, a swift whoosh went past Ryu, and a streak of shadow zoomed towards the exit. But before the expert could take the opportunity to reach the tenth dungeon, a resounding crackle repelled him from the exit, and he crashed on the wall. It didn''t take a genius to guess that the only being allowed to pass through was the winner. Ryu looked at Rosa, waiting for hermand, and when she nodded, Ryu walked towards the exit. He paused just in front of it, and all held their breaths when he pushed his hand forward into the portal. .. . .. . Ryu breathed a sigh of relief and went to Rosa''s side while the others looked at him with envy and disbelief. Wasn''t he going to exit? "Good job, halfbreed" Rosa grinned. Though she praised him, Ryu wasn''t happy the least. He had survived another day, and his desire to retrieve Ferris was getting closer, and that''s all he could think about. "Listen up." Rosa took a step forward and swept everyone with her gaze. Her confidence was brimming, and Ryu had already given up thinking about where she got that confidence from. Rosa grinned and ced her hand on her tilted waist. "If you want to pass safely to the next dungeon, then you''ll have to pay a toll for the secret." ".. . Huh?!" The others looked at each other before an uproar upset the ce. Ryu almost facepalmed himself. So that was why he was made to pretend that he was wrestling and exerting effort to defeat the statue. It was so to hide the secret of the trick and so that she could extort everyone present in here. "What a shrewd woman. .. ," Ryu murmured. "Ehehehe." Fifi''s smile faltered. "At least she''s smart." Ryu sighed and looked at the faces of everyone. Some frowned while most looked at Rosa like they''d rather force her to tell them the secret rather than pay for it. Ryu wondered if she thought of this oue too. He didn''t have the chance to ponder since some experts had already wielded their weapons in their hands. Ryu shielded Rosa from the others while thetter justughed without humor. "You sure you want to use force on me?" A mercenary sneered. "It''s better if you tell us the secret if you don''t want to get hurt, missy." While another gazed at Rosa with his lustful eyes. "First will rape you and beat you until you couldn''t walk. If you don''t want that to happen, I suggest you spill the beans." "Hmp. Men." Rosa snorted, and with a flick of her finger, a weird item appeared in her hand. ---- A/N For faster release, vote with GT and Ps ^^ 50 GT = 5 chapters 100 GT = 10 chapters 500 PS = 5 chapters 1000 PS = 10 chapters Chapter 188: Difficulty Increasing Chapter 188: Difficulty Increasing "Hmp. Men." Rosa snorted, and with a flick of her finger, a weird item appeared in her hand. "Do you know what this is," she asked and licked her lips, "This is a Mermaid''s tune. One little word from this baby, and all of you will drop dead into your nightmares. No spells nor skills can get you out from dreand as long as this item is ying." It must be one of the items she acquired in the dungeon. Ryu thought. Whoosh! A streak of shadow zoomed on Rosa, and Ryu quickly blocked it, but the woman was faster. A torrent of water flung the man who attempted to make a fast one on her. The man was sent flying and crashed hard against a wall while waves of water cage Rosa inside its defensive barrier. "Don''t even try to pull that trick on me. My spells are faster than all of youbined," said Rosa with a smirk. Ryu thought that she was bluffing, and so were the others. "Care to find out?" Rosa put her finger on the small lever of the jukebox and said, "This is yourst chance to take my offer. If nobody wanted it, then I''ll y this tune and leave." Her nose wrinkled as she smiled. "I''m easy to deal with. If you don''t want to take my offer, then I''ll just go." "Wait!" a man stopped Rosa before she could pull the lever. He stepped forward and paused just ten meters from her, and said with a serious face, "I''ll take your offer." "What?" another protested, "If we work together!" "Shut up," the man barked, "it''s my choice. I don''t want to risk my life here. If there''s an opportunity to advance without losing my life, then I''ll dly take it." Rosa nodded. "Smart move." "Heh. Coward," the others barked. But not before long, more and more stepped forward and epted Rosa''s bargain. "d that you use your brains rather than your brawns." Rosa beamed, and then her face turned serious. "But don''t try anything funny because I am not the woman to be mess with. You won''t like it when I''m mad." The others visibly trembled when the air felt cold, and it was hard to breathe. Everyone sensed that Rosa wasn''t joking, and they felt a bit of her power. She wasn''t like them or anyone they met. Her power was immense and hard to grasp, even with their rank. Who was she? They wondered. "Alright, now." Rosa pped her hands to get the others'' attention. "Line up everyone and present your treasures for me to choose. Your item must be to my liking. If not. . ." Rosa purposely hung her sentence and beamed. "Well. .. let''s just say that I only deal with those who are worth my time." The others frowned. Her beautiful face was a contrast against her personality. At the side, both Ryu and Fifi sighed in surrender. Eventually, some experts bleed their hearts out after their items were ''given'' to Rosa, but that changed when they bested the statue and exited the door. Though their heartsmented that the secret was as simple as that. If only they have enough patience brains to observe more. But it was done. They already performed a seal of promise not to divulge the secret to anyone so Rosa could capitalize on the trick. The others who still felt reserved about the idea couldn''t help but be lured by the secret as well, and they all had no choice but to bargain with the shrewd woman. "What about the treasure chest?" Ryu asked when it was just him, Rosa, and Fifi left in the dungeon. Rosa was about to challenge the statue, which baffled Ryu. was she going to give up the treasure chest? Rosa just smirked. "I already got a lot from those mercs. No need to risk our lives on a treasure chest." That didn''t sound like her. Ryu mused to himself. But he wasn''t about toin. Less sacrificing himself in dangers and being her cannon fodder, the better. After their ninth dungeon, the group made their way to their tenth dungeon, and once more, they were given an option to continue or go back to the surface. Like before, some experts chose to exit the ce while a small portion remained. It was said that the deeper dungeons were more perilous than the previous ones, and these scared a lot of mercenaries after they tasted the numerous life-threatening puzzles. They''d rather face beasts that solve puzzles where they''d died without knowing what happened. At least with beasts and monsters, they had the chance to flee for their life. Ryu swept the room they were in but still no sign of Seraphina, even Cathy. He was beginning to worry for Seraphina, but Rosa brushed the scowl on his face with a flip of her hand. "We''ll take an hour''s break and resume to the next dungeon." "Don''t you want to sleep first?" Ryu asked. He didn''t know how many days they had spent on the dungeon, but he knew that Rosa barely got any sleep. "No need." Rosa went to an empty corner and closed her eyes. Ryu had to wonder where she got her stamina from. Was taking an hour''s sleep enough for a human? He wondered. "Is she going to be okay?" Ryu asked Fifi. Fifi shrugged. "I think so. Master is always like that. When she sets her mind into something, she won''t rest until she gets it." "What kind of god-tier item she''s looking for?" "I don''t know. It could be anything as long as it is a god tier." Ryu tilted his head. He wondered if his items were God tier. If he showed it to her, would she give Ferris then? It was worth the try. Ryu approached Rosa, and before he could open his mouth, Rosa stopped him. "I''m not interested, halfbreed." Ryu groaned and went back to Fifi''s side while thetter awkwardlyughed. "Forget it, Ryu. My master wouldn''t change her mind whatever you do." "I noticed," Ryu grumbled under his breath. In the end, there were still about twenty experts who proceeded onwards. Ryu flexed his neck and stretched his muscles as they entered their next dungeon. What stumbled upon them in the eleventh dungeon was the same puzzles but this time. .. it was worse. They had to work together. They came together upon a perfectly ordinary-looking room, and when the doors closed and locked, the floor started to tilt. Everyone''s reflexes were fast, and they immediately broke apart to even the floor, keeping themselves from slipping into whatever was waiting for them from below. But the key to the next dungeon was hook at the center of the floor, and any slight movement would cause a tilt in the floor. They were even-numbered, and they must work together to keep the bnce and reach the key. It wasn''t that hard considering if all worked together. The tricky part was that some attempted to move faster, thinking their speed was enough tond them on the center and grabbed the keys before the floor tilted. But even just the slightest movement from the other side caused the floor to flip. It was a good thing that they realized it sooner and went back to their side of the floor. The trick toing out from there alive was working together. One of each group moved to the center simultaneously and grabbed the key to insert it in the door, which was found just in the middle of the room. Eventually, they all passed and moved to the twelfth dungeon. As soon as they entered, the door disappeared, and they found themselves in a freezingnd with no exit in sight. It was a first that they were transported into an actualndscape and not just in a room. They didn''t know what to expect, but soon, the freezing particles in the air stuck to their skin and slowed them down. Any spells or skills couldn''t remove it. Adding challenge to the trick, growls of beasts and monsters were fast approaching. "Run!" Without hesitating, Ryu grabbed Rosa and dashed it while Fifi entered her bottle to hide. With the particles sticking to her skin, she would just slow them down. "Run faster halfbreed," Rosa ordered when she took a peek behind Ryu''s shoulder and found that the monsters and beast were gaining speed in their direction. Those who were a little slower were all toppled and eaten to the ground while the freezing particles continued to stick on their skin, drastically slowing them down until all of them were covered with ice, and they turned into popsicles for the monsters to feast. Ryu was feeling that effect too. If it weren''t for some of his beast''s power released from the seal, he wouldn''t be able to make it towards the portal just ahead. When they reached their thirteenth dungeon, they were barely five of them from their original number of twenty. If Ryu were a little slower and didn''t have his beast''s power, he would have surely died with Rosa. Rosa''s face was pale as well. The dungeon''s level of difficulty was slowly sinking on her. They didn''t even have the time to search for the treasure chest! And with some of the dungeons restricting her skills, she was powerless good as any ordinary mortal. ---- A/N Join discord server to discuss about the story, characters, possible side stories, hardcover prints, stretched goals, Covers, Character arts and /invite/uvyHgS5bsZ Chapter 189: The 14th Dungeon Chapter 189: The 14th Dungeon In their fourteenth dungeon, Ryu and Rosa found themselves inside arge hangar of some sort. It was huge with fifty spans of columns on every side, and it was packed with experts and mercenaries. It was empty with no indication nor clue on what to do, unlike the previous dungeons. On each side of the walls wererge roll-up doors, and Ryu had a bad feeling when he smelled something like rot and decay. It was overpowering, and he bet the others smelled it too, even if they were not beasts. The stench was enough to make their eyes water and their throat to gag. "Fifi," Rosa called. She sensed that something wasn''t right with the silence. Her fine hairs were standing on the edge, and whatever was out there beyond the doors was not something she wished to see. Fifi was added protection incased something unexpected happened. "What are we going to do here?" "Aren''t there any some sort of clue in here?" Buzzes and murmurs rumbled in the hangar as the minutes ticked away. Rosa flicked her staff but found that she couldn''t perform any spells or skills. It was the same restriction as the previous dungeon, and her face turned pale. The power of a God''s domain was really something else. A mere mortal like her couldn''t even do anything. It was not just Rosa who felt that way. All the experts who relied solely on their spells and skills had dark faces. "Fifi, could you summon your lightning?" Rosa asked, and her heart dropped in the pit of her stomach when Fifi looked at her like she was about to cry. "Useless thing," Rosa hissed and ushered Fifi back into her bottle. Without her lighting, Fifi was as good as a decoration or a big lump of shine to light their path. She still had many items she acquired to protect herself, but she didn''t know how long it''dst. "What now?" Ryu was worried. Without Rosa''s spells and skills, she was good as nothing but an average human. Was it Tethy''s way of showing her dominance to everyone? Reminding them that they were nothing more than insignificant existence in the face of a God? Rosa didn''t react, and for the first time, Ryu saw the trouble brewing on her face. To make matters worse, this was their 14th dungeon, so it was bound to be dangerous than the others. "Get ready halfbreed. I might have to depend on you to get through this." Ryu wanted to make a bargain with Rosa to return Ferris if they made it sessfully out of here. But he chose to press his lips tight at the sweat on her face. It must have taken a great deal of effort for her to say those words. Especially since he was just a halfbreed that she didn''t take into consideration. But now, everything changed. Without her spells, her life was dependent on him, and Rosa was d that Ryu was with her for the first time. She never expected it to, but the halfbreed was much useful than she thought. Without even manipting mana, his strength and speed were on par or even greater than most nearing Rank-S. Rosa took a peek at Ryu. His side view profile was indeed eyes catching, especially with his youthful face and lean physique. He was indeed a feast for the eyes. If only he weren''t a halfbreed. "What?" Ryu asked when he caught Rosa staring at him. Ryu''s amber eyes made Rosa''s heart skip a beat. She didn''t know why she was affected by his charms now, but she looked away and coughed between her fist. "Nothing." Rosa hid her flustered face behind a scowl. This was not the time to develop feelings just because of some kind of a damsel in distress syndrome. Ryu was about to ask Rosa why she was acting strange but failed when the doors rustled open. CrReEaAkK. . . Everyone stood on alert, and as the doors bundle up, the tension rose. No one blinked, and no one gasped. Even what stood before them were hordes of undead. Zombies with rotting flesh, dripping with body fluids and blood. Almost some passed out from the sight and smell alone, while their faces couldn''t be painted. They were trapped in the sea of endless undead, and no matter how far their sight could reach, there was no end to them. "Rosa. We have to make a run for it!" Ryu growled at the woman beside him, who was so stunned that she turned into a statue. They had to push their way through the hordes of zombies and look for the exit before they were overwhelmed with the undead numbers. Rosa visibly trembled, and her teeth rattled with her fear. "Rosa?" Ryu called, panicked in his voice when the undead ran towards them, and screams of terror and chaos erupted in the area. With just their weapons in hand, the others managed to fend off the zombies, but some weren''t as lucky as they were overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of the zombies. It only took seconds for the undead to take a chunk of their flesh, and their bodies convulsed before their eyes rolled to the back of their heads, and they, too, turned into flesh-eating zombies. Ryu saw all this happen, and his heart hammered hard against his chest. He pped Rosa on the cheek and growled, "Snapped out of it!" Rosa''s face skewed to the other side before rity went back to her eyes, and she swung a fist at Ryu, which thetter caught with ease. "Don''t get cocky halfbreed." Rosa gnashed her teeth. The p kinda'' hurt, but it was enough to jog her brain awake. "This isn''t the time. You can p meter. But first, we have to get out of here!" Ryu said before a growl so loud rumbled in his throat. This momentarily stunned the approaching hordes of zombies, and with one strike, he swiped them with his ws, clearing an area around them. But the torn bodies of the zombies just continued to crawl their way towards them before Rosa stomped a heel on the zombie''s head. "Aim for their heads, halfbreed. And keep them away while I think of a n." Rosa didn''t have to tell him twice. With the other fighting behind them, Ryu just had to worry about their front and sides while Rosa stayed a safe distance behind him. Chapter 190: Dungeons of the Undead Chapter 190: Dungeons of the Undead Rosa recalled her memories, but none had said that there were zombies and undead in the dungeons. The dungeon puzzles and traps changed with each new yer, and it was unpredictable to guess what puzzle or trials awaited them from the hundreds more. Rosa clicked her tongue. If it was simple as finding the exit to the next dungeon while being surrounded by hordes of zombies, then so be it. She decided to use some of her precious items since she couldn''t rely on her skills and spells. This was no time to be stingy. One bite from those zombies was enough to kill her. "What a rotting dungeon," Rosa smirked amidst the trouble they were facing. With a snap of her fingers, multiple duds appeared in her palms. They emitted fogy smog of pale blue, and one hit from those was enough to freeze everyone within its fifty-meter radius. "Halfbreed, get ready to run as soon as I tell you." Ryu nodded and wiped another horde of undead who were about to nk them, creating breathing space around them, but it onlysted for only seconds before another flock took their ce. Rosa threw a dud in the hordes of zombies. It flopped on one of the zombie''s heads before it dropped on the floor while the undead ignored it. BoOoOM! A chilling fog erupted from the broken dud, and all within its fifty radii froze. "Now!" Rosa shouted, and Ryu assisted her on his back before he ripped the zombies'' heads with his bare ws as they pushed their way thru the chaos. Rosa assisted Ryu by throwing duds on Zombies who were about to nk them freezing them to a halt giving Ryu enough time to push forward while fighting the hordes of undead. The others also used their items since their skills and spells were useless. Eventually, Ryu saw the end of the zombies as they went out of therge hall and he was shocked to know that the world in the fourteenth dungeon was utterly different. They were gigantic buildings made of steel and ss covered in holes with interwoven metal framings that were about to fall from one mighty whoosh of the winds. At the same time, they were all sorts of metallic objects with wheels lying on the road. Ryu didn''t know what dimension they were in, but it was definitely not their world. "Don''t stop, idiot! We have to keep running and find the exit!" Even though she said that Rosa too didn''t know how to proceed, she was shocked upon the foreign ce they were in, and finding the exit in this towering maze of buildings surrounded by hordes of undead was going to be a pain in the ass. Not to mention that she couldn''t use her spells. She was practically useless here in a fight. They had to get away from this dungeon as soon as possible! "Watch out!" Rosa warned at the approaching zombies in their front. Ryu snarled and skidded against the cobbled winding path. He tapped a foot against the road and changed their direction without stopping his momentum. Rosa held on tight on Ryu''s neck, pressing her breasts against his back. She was afraid that she would fall off from his speed. Her eyes watered from the air sshing violently against her face, but she refused to close them, afraid that she might miss something if she did. It might look like a romantic scene, but Ryu didn''t feel the softness of Rosa''s round breasts nor the hot air blowing on his neck. He was focusing on the undead who appeared out of nowhere and attacked them. Fortunately, due to his fast reflexes, speed and power, he easily avoided those he could avoid while ripping the heads of those he couldn''t. Ryu rounded the corner and continued running without pause. He didn''t know which way to go, the enormous buildings looked the same, and the many forks and paths were confusing. Suddenly, he picked up a scent. A distinct smell that was different from the rotting flesh of zombies. It was the scent of mortals! Were they theirpanions in therge hall? Or something else entirely? BrROoM! Rioting sounds of rubber skidding against the road pierced their ears, and Ryu halted when arge metallic wagon stopped in front of them. Its doors opened, and a young man with brown hair ushered them inside. "Get in!" Ryu was hesitant for a moment. He didn''t know that man, except his scent was that of a human. But more importantly, the metallic thing he was riding was imposing with sharp metal spikes and des covering all corners like an armor. "What are you waiting for?!" the boy bellowed. Ryu and Rosa looked at each other first, but the growing sounds of zombies in the back were enough to push them to get inside the vehicle. Inside, Ryu saw a young girl with pink hair next to the boy, but it didn''t matter for now as he and Rosa squeezed themselves in the backseat. "Hold on tight." The boy grinned, showing his youthful age. Before Ryu and Rosa could react, the vehicle hurled forward and hit amp post. It vibrated and slid back before it zoomed forward again. Ryu and Rosa held on tightly to their seats when they were hurled forward and back and shook to the side when the vehicle rounded every corner. It wasn''t fast as Ryu, but it was enough to outmaneuver the undead and the many spikes and des, armoring the vehicle helped with tearing and hurling them away from barging their path. When they were out of the rocks, and the vehicle drove at a steady pace on a skyway, Ryu and Rosa rxed and slumped on the backrest. "Boy, I''m d to meet adventurers again. I thought that no one would make it this far in the dungeon." The boy shed them a smile on the front mirror and introduced himself. "My name is Fjord, and this is Ma, my elfpanion." Ma''s stoic face didn''t change when she offered a nod in their direction. She looked young, about sixteen, but an Elf''s appearance could be misleading. "Rosa, and this is Ryu. But anyway, what do you mean with your words?" Rosa inquired. "It sounds like you''ve been stuck in here." Fjord face turned serious. "That''s right. Me and Ma are stuck here for years now." Chapter 191: Damsel in Distress Syndrome? Chapter 191: Damsel in Distress Syndrome? SHOUT OUT to DeZun for all his support. Thank you for the gifts ^^ ---- "You''re stuck here for years?" Rosa repeated with bulging eyes. Ryu made mental calctions. Even if he wasn''t sure about the days, he was sure that they weren''t trapped in Tethy''s Islet for a year. "You''ve must be confused," Fjord chuckled despite their grave situation. "You must havee from other nes." Ryu tilted his head. "Other nes?" "That''s the only exnation." Rosa pondered for a moment. "Our timeline deference and this bizarre world. .. everything was just different, and the only exnation is the existence of numerous worlds." Ryu didn''t believe that there existed a world besides Septverden, but here they were. In a world where everything was ss and metal. "Where have youe from then?" Rosa asked. Fjord and Ma looked at each other before the former said, "I originally belonged in a parallel world like this one while Ma came from Erundel." A parallel world? Such thing exited? That exined why Fjord was proficient in using this metal wagon. Ryu thought. "What happened here?" Ryu inquired after a short silence. Fjord. "A virus that turned everyone into zombies. A ssic tale of an experiment gone wrong. Some said that it was due to a disease from animals. Others simply said that it was brought about by the end of the world." "Virus?" Both Ryu and Rosa couldn''t believe their ears. Just a disease and experiment? If they could ess their skills and spells, everything would be easy. But since they couldn''t. . . "I assumed that you two belonged in some kind of an RPG world! Like Ma here! That''s so cool!" "RP. . . G?" the letters and word were foreign in Ryu''s mouth. Fjord nodded, blurring his head in the process. "You know. A world where you have powers and such and could do magic and everything. Too bad you couldn''t ess them here. I really wish I could see how fire just magically erupted from your hands!" "Are you a normal human?" Rosa questioned. The normal humans, the ones who have no abilities. They were abundant in the Mortal Realm too. They were usually at the bottom of the hierarchy. "All inhabitants in this world and in my world are ''normal humans,''" Fjord quoted. "Only you who came from other nes and dimensions have powers." Rosa''s lips rose. At least that put her at ease. That''s one less threat. "Where are we going?" "To our hideout. We call it the Sanctuary. It''s one of thest strongholds of humanity." Fjord''s expression then fell severe. "And it might be thest." Ryu nced over at Ma when she took a peek at him in the front view mirror. She wasn''t startled that she was caught staring. She just slowly averted her eyes towards the vehicle''s window. There was nothing much to see in this world. Either it was ruined or sumbed to decay. It must have been a beautiful sight before the zombies happened. "How long did this ce be like this?" Ryu asked. Fjord looked over his head for a brief moment before he spun his attention on the road. "I don''t know. They said it''d been more than ten years. Honestly, I stopped caring after my one year stay in here." Rosa prompted her head over her hand, elbow resting against the vehicle''s window. "How did you end up here?" Fjord''s expression fell into sadness. "I didn''t know either. I was crossing the street one moment, and the next thing I knew, I was hit by a truck. When I opened my eyes, I ended up here." It must have been hard for a normal human to end up in this ce with no one but himself. Ryu thought. "Oh!" Fjord''s face brightened. "We''re almost here." Both Ryu and Rosa looked over the window and found gigantic walls of metal imposing over the distance barged with barbs and spiky wires. Upon closer inspection, Ryu found humans on each turret with a weird-looking metal thing on their hands. "What are those they''re carrying?" Ryu smelled something metallic mixed with acids, blood, and rotting flesh. "Guns," chortled Fjord. "They''re very handy against the undead." He then wrinkled his nose. "Though we''re running low of ammunition now since they were no longer any production of those." "Guns. . ." Ryu eyed the giant gates. He presumed that there were refugees inside those walls. Who knows, maybe Seraphina was within it, and he grew excited. Rosa''s attention flickered from the towering gates towards the horde of undead who noticed their arrival. "How are we supposed to cross those hordes of zombies blocking our path?" VrRoOoM! Rosa didn''t hear the answer to her question when Fjord stepped on the gas when the giant gates budged open. With a stir of the wheel, the vehicle bolted forward against the hordes of zombies. BaAnNG! A series of rattling sounds and explosions boomed in front of them,ing from the human above. But the vehicle didn''t stop nor slow down. It continued its pace, ramming and hitting every zombie who dared to barge their path. Rosa gaped when the zombies'' bodies congregated against her side of the window when the vehicle slowed because of the hordes of undead at their front. She flung her hand but realized that she couldn''t use any spell, and her body shrunk closer to Ryu. "A-at this rate, we''re going to be trapped in here!" Rosa couldn''t help but panic when the window ss was about to break from the sheer amount of zombies. "Do something!" she roared, and Ryu wanted to smirk upon seeing her rattle for once. "Don''t worry! Everything is under control!" Fjord assured. Rosa cut him a sharp re, and before she could retort, another loud explosion rang in front of them, and the undead was shredded to pieces, their flesh and blood flying across the sky. Fjord took advantage of the st and stepped on the gas. Because of the explosion that killed almost all the zombies in their front, the vehicle moved once again. "Aren''t they afraid they''re going to hit us?!" Rosa wasn''t sure if someone had heard her voice amidst the chaos and explosions that were never ceasing. "NO worries! We''ve done this multiple times!" Fjord steered the wheel, and the vehicle was almost flying as it avoided the st that came from above. Rosa was getting dizzy from the nonstop explosion and the whirling of their wagon. She was about to be flung to her right again when Ryu steadied her with his arm around her shoulder while his other hand was grasping tightly against the chair in front of him. Rosa was both stunned and appalled. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed that Ryu''s face was calm amidst the storm they were facing. He emitted a strange aura that made her think that everything would be okay as long as he was there. Was it a beast thing? Or was it because he was fighting without mana since day one that was why he was confident in a world where spells and skills didn''t exist. He relied only on his brute strength and agility to get this far. That was why even facing with this kind of situation didn''t rattle him at all. For some reason. . . he was sparkling in her eyes. Did such a trait attract her? She liked Lucian because he was the only one she could truly trust with her life. Was it the same case for Ryu now? Rosa shook her head and blinked. Something must be really wrong with her. Or was she attracted to him now because he was the only person she could rely on? Rosa bitterly smiled at herself. Then what were those years of gruesome and torturous training to not rely on anyone but herself? If her grandmother found out about this, she would reeducate her all over again. This put a sharp glint in her eyes, and her face turned serious. She''d rather die than undergo that torture again! Chapter 192: A New Threat Chapter 192: A New Threat Eventually, their group made it into the safety of the sanctuary''s parking lot while repelling the zombies away from the gate as it closed. There were also other vehicles that made it back safely, while some weren''t sessful. The few undead who managed to enter the gates were all shot dead, and now, the only sound echoing outside was the zombies gurgling noises. "Whew." Fjord rested his back against the backrest of his chair and sighed. He always felt like he would die every time he stepped outside, no matter how many times he did it. Retrieving the neers in the hangar was always a hard job. But everyone had a role, and it was his job in exchange for protection and a safe ce to eat and sleep. They all stepped out from the vehicle, and they were greeted by armed men. "Just two?" one of them asked. Fjord scratched his head. "You know how dangerous it is every time that portal opens. The sess rate of those who escaped those waves of zombies is close to zero. It''s a miracle that we found two already." Ryu and Rosa looked at each other. "You know that we''reing?" Ryu thought that it was just a coincidence that they happened to meet. But it turned out, Fjord and the others were expecting them? "Ah, right. I forgot to tell you." Fjord stepped forward in the line of men. "Every year, the portal opened, and neers came pouring into this world. We badly need resources, you see. Beings with extraordinary strength and speed to help us escape this world." "Escape?" Rosa questioned with a raised brow. Did he mean the exit to the next dungeon? Fjord nodded. "If there is an entrance to this world, then there is undoubtedly an exit. And right now, we really need manpower to keep this base operational and fight the zombies. "Anyway, since we''re the ones who brought you here. M and I will bring you to our leader, and he will exin to you the rest. "Let''s go." Fjord ushered Ryu and Rosa forward while the other beings who went out from the other vehicles were also escorted. They came across a mechanism that closed upon a button and lifted them below. "It''s called an elevator." Fjord chuckled at Ryu''s curiosity. "Elevator. . ." Ryu rolled the letters in his tongue. There were other beings with them too. Must be the ones, who like them, escaped the hangar and was retrieved by Fjord''s group. "What a genius way to travel." Rosa studied the small room, trying to decipher the system behind its operation to no sess. Ever since they acquired magic, everything was easy and human technology stagnated in the form that mainly relied on magic to operate. But what if Septverden suddenly lost mana and magic disappeared? What then? Rosa shivered. She never expected that possibility until now. Coming into this world, into this Islet, was an eye-opener. She must discuss this with his grandmother as soon as she gets back to the Mortal Realm. And they must address this issue if, ever one day, magic would really disappear from their world. But first. .. how would they get back? Were they going to be stuck in here too for many years toe? It was no longer about the God-tier items. Now, it was about their survival. Her survival! Since she couldn''t use her powers, she would mostly rely on Ryu. But the worst part was. .. now that she was just a regr human. .. what would happen to her here? She still had items to protect her, but of course, it wasn''t unlimited. "We''re here." Fjord pushed the two double metal doors, and they went inside to find arge map at a center table and rows of screens around its area. There were people in front of the screen with hands typing on multiple buttons while speaking on weird-looking tiny pieces of a ck object on their ears. Ryu marveled at the screen that disyed weird letters and images. And then there was this giant screen hanging in the center of the room. "Sir Roger," Fjord called, and a man with a terrifying scar on his face looked over at them. "Right on time," Roger said and ushered everyone inside. "Gather around everyone. You''re all probably wondering where you are and what this world is. "This world is known as Threa or what was left of it before the apocalypse. And you all are from other nes and dimensions or another parallel universe and whatnot." Roger pushed a button, and the widescreen disyed an area where it was surrounded by thousands upon thousands of all kinds of undead. "We believe that a virus caused this cmity. .. But now. . ." The screen disyed a looming castle in the center of the enormous buildings, and it was surrounded by all sorts of dark creatures, thorns, and vines. Roger pushed another button, and the screen slid to an image of a skeleton leech. And just from its appearance alone, it looked terrifyingly strong. Its face was bored like it was drowsing in its throne while a skewed crown propped on its head. There was no armor nor weapon on him, but the aura he gave off was oppressive even from behind the screen. "A Lich?" "What''s it doing here?" "Did it get teleported here too?" Murmurs resounded, and Roger continued, "We believe that this creature is controlling the undead. And if we kill this thing, then all of the undead would die with it." "It got you this long to figure that out?" Rosa sneered. Ryu sighed and gave Rosa the side-eye. Why was she acting so tough even though she couldn''t use her powers? Was she that confident with her items? At times like this, she should remain quiet and low-key and not attract unwanted attention to herself. Roger maintained his calm. "Its castle just appeared on the surface a few weeks ago. We believe it wasid hidden underground. That was why we didn''t notice it until it grew bigger and bigger in size, and eventually, it popped out from its hiding hole. And as we observed this thing, we found out that it was controlling the undead. "This anomaly might have appeared in our world long before." Roger looked each and everyone in the eyes. "We have sacrificed a great deal of our resources and soldiers to acquire this information." Someone raised his hand and asked, "The others like us, did they already fight that lich?" Nice question. Ryu thought of asking that too. If they had discovered the Lich weeks ago, then surely the others fought it to put a stop to the undead. But. .. Ryu had a bad feeling when Roger''s face turned dim, and the atmosphere inside the room was so tense he could slice it with his ws. Roger sighed an audible breath. "We have. And all of them are dead." Chapter 193: Another Familiar Face Chapter 193: Another Familiar Face Roger sighed an audible breath. "We have. And all of them are dead." .. . .. . "Dead?" "Even the Rank-A mercs?" "The higher beings?" Roger cut in, "The rank-a mercs. The demons, the elves, the sprites, our soldiers. They were all dead when they faced that creature. "It was so powerful because no physical attacks worked against it. And to make matters worst. It somehow could use magic." .. . .. . Everyone hushed. Ryu and Rosa were hit hard at their current situation. Without spells. Without magic. Then their only hope was physical attacks. But with that being useless against the Lich. .. then what were they going to do now?" "There''s no way we could beat that thing," someone said, and another seconded. "It''s best that we just find a portal and get out of here. This world is doomed." .. . .. . Yes, they could still "If you''re looking for a way out or a portal, then it''s inside the Lich''s castle." Roger pushed another button, and a throne appeared where the Leech was sitting like a dead person on a chair made of bones. Behind it was, without a doubt, a portal. "Great." "And to make matters worse," Roger resumed, "Our resources are also depleting. Food, water, our supply will onlyst us a couple of months. "Even knowing that we still wanted to take you all." Roger bowed his head low ad everyone was caught surprised when he begged. "We could only rely on beings like you who came from another dimension with supernatural strength and speed to defeat that thing before we all starve to death." The others murmured and whispered. "Egh? What are we going to do against that thing if we can''t ess any skills and spells?" "Physical attack doesn''t work, and magic is canceled. That thing is practically invincible here." "I could live without food or water. I don''t care about you folks, but I don''t want to die fighting that Lich." "But what about the portal?" "What about our world?" Ryu didn''t want to be held in this ce for more than a month, and he certainly didn''t want to die of starvation either. He''d rather take his chances against the Lich. "Stop with your wining." Every attention flickered at the one who spoke. Someone entered the room, and Ryu was shocked because he knew who he was. "You still have your items with you, right? I''m sure all of you have rare items that you could throw to defeat the Lich," said the neer. His wolf ears were straight and proud while his taily still on his side. His dark skin was eye-catching, as well as his handsome intimidating face. Nash! Ryu immediately thought of Cathy. If only she hade with them. Nash looked over at everyone and was stunned when he spotted Ryu and Rosa in the group. "You." Nash blinked before he decided to ignore them. "Everyone, this is Nash. Our strongest fighter at the moment. I believe he is called a purebred beastfolk in some of yournguages." "A purebred?" "It''s rare to see them nowadays." "Strongest?" someone sneered. "If he''s so strong, then why is the Lich still alive?" Nash looked at the one who spoke with his piercing cold eyes. "Simple. Because I''m not an idiot who would rash into the Lich''s domain without a n. "This Lich is already nearing god-level monster, and the only way to defeat it is if everyone in here is willing to sacrifice your rare items to bring it down. "Or else. .. we would never leave this ce." .. . .. . "Use our hard-earned rare items?" "Assuming that we did. Will that even works against the Lich?" "Rather. Isn''t it unfair? The value of our items is much higher than the rest. I bet some of the beings here don''t have one with them, and yet they will still receive shelter and food?" Some eyed the servants and ves, and Ryu felt ufortable once more. "Rather, isn''t he just a ve?" another pointed to Nash''s servant seal on his bare shoulder. "Since when did the strongest fighter turn into a servant?" another sneered. "This ce is pathetic if a mere servant is bossing around this ce." "No one is a boss here," Roger said, "A leader maybe but not a boss. Everyone has a role in ensuring that this base is operational. And with that being said, if you want safe passage here, you have to surrender at least five attack items, five defensive items, and ten pieces of food. "Besides that. Everyone is designated with a role that they must follow to continue our survival." "What?" "No way I''m doing that." Roger scratched his head and briefly looked over at Nash. Nash nodded, and Roger continued. "If you don''t want to abide by the rules, then you''re free to go." A servant raised his hand. "What about if we couldn''t afford all the items?" ".. . if you can''t afford the number of items but still want to stay, then you''ll do the most dangerous jobs with little food and water." "Dangerous." A brow rose from Rosa''s forehead. "Meaning what exactly?" "Scavenging for food and water in the city," said Nash. ".. ." ".. ." ".. . I see." Rosa skimmed her jawline, and Ryu could sense what she was thinking. Was she still going to prioritize her items over her life? Would she rather go out in the hordes of zombies and find food and water than surrender her items? "What about those who could afford it? What would be in it for us?" anothermented. Roger coughed between his fists. "You''ll be assigned less dangerous task ording to your abilities with three meals and a jar of water a day." Everyone''s faces crumpled. The rewards weren''t that great. They''d rather scavenge food outside than surrender their items. "I''m outa here," a demon said, and half of everyone agreed. They''d rather take on the Lich themselves. They believe they could defeat it even without magic and physical attacks. They might use some items along the way, but they think that a single or two items were enough to defeat it. Besides, who needed food and water when they were immortal? Those mindless undead didn''t scare them too. Roger''s face doubled in age, and Nash just crossed his hands. "Men. Escort those who wanted to leave, out," said Roger. Not before long, the only ones left were mostly the servants and ves with some elves and humans. Ryu was surprised that Rosa didn''t leave. He thought that it was the right choice. Given her circumstances, staying in this protective zone was much safer than venturing outside. She had enough items to ticket her way intofort here. At least, for a short time until they find a way to defeat the Lich. "I supposed that the ones who remained here have decided to give their items in exchange for protection and food. With that out of the way, we want you to see what will happen to the others as soon as they go out from this sanctuary." Roger pressed a button, and the giant screen projected multiple images with the main actors as the beings who had decided to leave. ---- A/N Merry Christmas everyone! Sorry for the slow updates. I''m taking a break to enjoy the holidays ^^ We will pick up the pace and resume regr updates next month ^^ Chapter 194: The Dangers Outside Chapter 194: The Dangers Outside "I supposed that the ones who remained here have decided to give their items in exchange for protection and food. With that out of the way, we want you to see what will happen to the others as soon as they get out from this sanctuary." Roger pressed a button, and the giant screen projected multiple images with the main actors as the beings that decided to leave. "This is not to scare you but to instill in you the reality of our situation," Roger added. Outside, the demons, elves, and humans went their own ways, and like expected, they formed groups within their races and marched onwards on the hordes of zombies. The first sh happened as soon as they got out of the walls and gates. Ryu didn''t expect the undead numbers were staggering from a horizontal perspective. It was overwhelming, and some of the humans were eaten or torn alive after just minutes. The elves were struggling too to get out from the sheer number of zombies they had to face. They already used items to aid them, and some managed to break away with their speed. The demons had the least casualties as expected, but others weren''t so lucky. Using each other''s as a sacrifice, they escaped amidst the chaos. Eventually, some already managed to escape in the city, and the camera shifted angle in the cityndscape. It was barren with vehicles on the road and dpidated metal frames hanging from destroyed buildings. There wasn''t much undead, but a group encountered strange creatures that sniffed them out. Dogs, tigers, lions, wolfs and all sorts of undead animals attacked them when the monsters captured their scent, and unlike the slow zombies, these animals were fast and strong. "Even beasts. .. ?" Ryu murmured as he watched what was happening on the screen. "It''s not just beasts," said Nash, who stood by Ryu''s side. "There are others that are much worse." One camera shifted angle and showed a weird-looking creature that was giant in size. Everyone didn''t know what it was, but it was so ugly and disgusting, like hordes of undead got stuck together to create a giant blob of rotten flesh. "W-what. .. What is that thing?" "Mutated zombies," Roger said. "They''re creatures that had some level of intelligence and are difficult to kill." It was intimidating and ugly looking and slow to boot. But a group of elves was having a hard time fighting against it. Every time they deal damage or manage to tear a chunk of its flesh, it grows back a new. "The best way to defeat it is to shred it to pieces or bomb it to smithereens." Roger nodded to himself. Fortunately, the elves have items they threw at the mutated zombies to reduce it to mince paste. But as soon as they defeated one, another appeared and another and another. Until dozens of mutated zombies nked them on all sides. Not for long, the room was pierced with cries and screams from those who ventured outside. As he watched the goring event, Ryu was d that they had stayed in the sanctuary. It was not only the hordes they had to worry about as soon as they got out. They had to cover their scent, too, if they wanted to escape the beast''s nose. After that, they had to avoid the mutated zombies and fight the Lich if they wanted to get out from this hell hole. "Why didn''t you tell them?" a human said and confronted Roger. "They could have been warned of what was waiting for them outside." Roger raised a brow and crossed his thick, hairy arms. "Would they listen? Would that have changed anything if they don''t experience it first hand?" The human shut his mouth before he spoke in stutters. "E-even still. .. they could have been more prepared." Ryu doubted that. Those who left were confident in their abilities. The Lich didn''t even perturb them, and without experiencing it first hand, he doubted that they would listen and stay behind. It wouldn''t be a problem if magic weren''t canceled in this world. It must have been designed that way to make everyone''s life a living hell. Roger faced everyone and said, "Alright. I hope that all of you have seen the real horrors outside. Your items aren''t enough to guarantee survival in this world. To navigate and escape this apocalypse, we must n and work together. "All of you will be segregated into jobs depending on your items and abilities, so make sure to cooperate if you don''t want to end up like those guys outside." Everyone looked at each other. Roger showed them those images because he wanted to instill fear in them so they would give up their items and stay in the sanctuary to help out rather than venture into the outside walls. It worked for one after another everyone took out their items willingly and lined to give them to Roger while some staff went inside and questioned everyone about their abilities and what they''re good at. Some of the ves and servants didn''t have enough items though, and they were forced to join the scavenger squad with pale faces. Ryu was in a dilemma. He could only give the expensive precious stone he acquired in the first islet; the rest were items he couldn''t afford to give up. But what was precious stones'' value in this apocalypse? Absolutely Zero. It didn''t have any use in this world. Besides the precious stones, he had five lizard tails, Urs''s bottle, Nereid''s Grimoire, Legion Steel, Horned Mackerel, a weird dagger, and that Djinni pot. Those were items he couldn''t afford to give up. He looked at Rosa and said in a serious tone. "I don''t have any items I can give. I''ll be going in the scavenger group." Rosa didn''tment, and she sweetly smiled. "Same." .. . Huh? Ryu was confused, and Rosa flipped her hair. "I don''t want to be stuck here and do odd jobs. I''d rather explore the city and see what I''ll find." Was that really all? That was not the only reason. Rosa wanted to be with Ryu but was too prideful to say it. Ryu was her only support in this world. It was no problem if she could still use her spells, but she wasn''t confident with just her items alone. Besides, she felt at peace whenever he was around. There was something about the halfbreed that made her feel like everything would be okay as long as he was there. Rosa''s heated face shifted to the side when Ryu looked at her with a confused gaze. Must be a beast thing. She thought. Chapter 195 Split up 195 Split up When it was Ryu''s turn, no one questioned when he said he didn''t have any items to give. The seal on his forehead clearly indicated that he was just someone''s servant. But when it was Rosa''s turn, everyone''s brows rose above their forehead. "It''s true." Rosa smiled sweetly amidst her lies. "Are you sure?" Roger questioned with a knowing face. "If I''m not mistaken, you''re a mage, right? Since you couldn''t use magic here, I think it''s best if you give up your items than join in the scavenger squad." Rosa gave an elegant half-shrug. "I already told you. I don''t have any items. I''ve used it in the previous dungeons. This isn''t the only dungeon we came across, you know." "Dungeon?" Roger looked at Nash, and thetter nodded. ". . . , fine then." Roger finally gave up after staring Rosa in the eyes for a whole minute. The woman could really lie straight on the face of anyone. Ryu thought. "Alright, now that we got you settled into your roles. The rest of the staff will tell you what to do next." "Wait." Nash interrupted Roger and went towards Ryu. "He''s a halfbreed. Part Beast. His physical attributes andbat skills are highpared to the others. I think he''d be more useful in my team than anywhere else." "Your team?" Roger shifted his eyes between Ryu and Nash. "You mean the main offensive team?" Nash nodded, and Rosa cut him a pointed re. "What do you think?" Nash asked Ryu, ignoring Rosa''s murderous aura directed at him. "What does your team do?" "We''re mostly the main fighters who will fight the Lich," Nash answered straight to the point. At the mention of Lich, Ryu agreed without a second thought, not knowing that Rosa was ughtering him with her res. "Alright. I''m in." "Wha¨C¨C!" Rosa didn''t finish her sentence when the two beast-men talked like she wasn''t there. Like they couldn''t see her. Ryu looked at Rosa and said with a serious face. "I''m going with Nash to defeat the Lich so that we could get out of here as soon as possible. Meanwhile, you be careful and stay alive." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Rosa was angry, but at the concern in Ryu''s voice, she found her guard destroyed, and she almost said that she wanted to go with him but was stopped by his next words. "I don''t want anything to happen to you. You still have to give Ferris back to me." Ryu wasn''t worried about Rosa one bit. With her brain and items, she could probably outlive anyone in here. He was more worried that something might happen to her traveler''s ring when he was not by her side. But instead of an answer, Rosa red at him and stepped her pointy heels on his boots. Ryu didn''t feel any pain, though. Just an itch. Rosacked the strength to even make him wince, which just angered the woman more. "Shut up, mutt! I don'' need you anyway." Rosa flipped her hair and followed her group when they were led outside. Ryu tilted his head, face serious. "I''ll never understand her." Nash watched all this happen with a weary sigh and dead eyes. "And I think you''ll never will." "Let''s go." Nash led Ryu and the others out of the room and towards a series of archways with thick metal walls. Ryu told Nash about Cathy and what happened to her along the way. "I see . . ." A flicker of worry broke Nash''s stoic face. "I''m actually d that she didn''te with you. She''s probably on another dungeon that is much safer than this ce." "Are you two close?" Ryu had never seen a servant who was close with his master, and he felt envious of Cathy and Nash''s bond. A small smile yed on Nash''s face as if he remembered some fond memories. "I watch mydy grow from being a babe to a young woman. I was both his guardian, ymate, brother, friend . . . we have a special bond." "Don''t you hate the humans for forcing you to be a servant?" ". . . I do hate them," Nash admitted. "But not all humans are bad." He stopped and looked at Ryu meaningfully. "I bet you already know that." Ryu didn''t say anything. Yes. Not all humans were bad, and not all humans treated halfbreeds and servants like they were pieces of trash. Cecily had her good points despite her abusive behavior towards him. Lucian was lukewarm and didn''t have any prejudice against halfbreeds like him. And Rosa . . . well. She had her moments. She was mean, but she wasn''t bad once he got to know her. And he''d really appreciate her more if only she would give Ferris back to him. "Here we are." Nash stopped inside a wide automated door made of metal. He entered some code, and the heavy door opened, revealing a vast expanse of space. The room had a big center table with a widescreen as a countertop showing maps and all sorts of creatures. There was also another wide screen hanging on the ceiling. At the same time, multiple cabs and tables were staggered to give room for items that were inspected by humans, elves, halfbreeds, and even demons. "This is the strategy room or the humans in this world likes to call it. In here, we nned and strategies on how to reach the Lich''s castle and defeat it using our physical strength and the items present in here." "And what have we got so far?" someone asked. "Not very far," admitted Nash. "We didn''t actually tell you this because we feel that it would just cause unnecessary panic. But we believed that in order to defeat that Lich, we require at least a god-tier item or above." ". . ." ". . ." Everyone was silent. A god-tier item was what they had been looking for since day one. If it were easy to find, then they wouldn''t be here in the first ce. Ryu was thinking. Seraphina said that his items were already God-tier. Does that mean he just had to use it on the Lich? But he wondered if the Djinn could actually defeat the Lich? How about Urs''s bottle? Ryu dissolved that idea. The Djinn might help, but the sea witch''s bottle was a double-edged sword that could either kill the Lich or kill them first. Its disheartening to see that your work which you put blood and sweat just gets pirated in the end. T-T I might put this story in slow updates. My motivation just went down the drain. *cries at the corner Chapter 196 Their Roles 196 Their Roles "I think the work of our group is more dangerous than the rest. Shouldn''t we have morepensation?" Ryu didn''t know who asked, but he wasn''t interested in the answer. His goal was to defeat the Lich and get him and Rosa out of here as soon as possible. He could only wish that Rosa would finally see how dangerous this dungeon is and decide to abort her conquest for God-tier items that weren''t worthpared to their life. And more importantly, keep her end of the deal of giving Ferris to him as soon as they were back on the islet. Nash hid his irritation behind a stoic face and dead voice. "Everyone will each receive three meals per day and a jar of water, like Roger said. And whoever defeats the Lich will have its items and treasures." "Items?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Treasures?" Everyone''s ears perked up. Nash nodded, and he signaled a human who operated the screen. The widescreen disyed the Lich''s throne and under its chair was a chest. "I think whatever is inside that chest is worth dying over," Nash said and smirked to the side, "after all, isn''t that why most of you are in here in the first ce?" ". . ." ". . ." The others'' eyes were filled with greed, and for a moment, they forgot about the danger at the promised of a God-tier or legendary item or even possibly an artifact! It was definitely something worth risking their life. While for the halfbreeds and servants who didn''t have the choice when they were picked against their will, they felt better somehow at the thought of a possible chest filled with God-tier items. "So how are things going to be? Are we just going to pick the list of items here and storm the Lich''s castle?" "Do that, and you''ll be wiped out in mere seconds like the previous group did," Nash said with a serious face and added, "The Lich''s castle is filled with all sorts of mutated zombies and undead, but the greatest threat is still the Lich himself. We will discuss and exin all the mutated undead inside the castle and the Lich''s patterns of attacks and arsenal of spells and skills. "Besides that, I want every one of you to be honest about your fighting abilities. There will be a short skirmish to gauge yourbat ability as well." "How long have you been here, exactly?" a curious soul asked because Nash seemed like he was here for a long time now. "I don''t know," Nash answered. "Time in here is irrelevant since it''s cut in the outside world. Maybe around four months since the newest portal opened." "And when is the next portal going to open again? Shouldn''t we wait for another batch to strengthen our numbers and increase our items?" Nash nodded. "I agree with you. If only that we aren''t pressed for time. Our resources are almost depleted, and we couldn''t just sit idly by and wait for our numbers to grow before we act. "We want this Lich defeated as soon as possible. We cannot wait for the next portal as its timeline isn''t fixed. It could be months or possibly years. "The truth of our situation is, if the scavenger group couldn''t bring in enough food and water this time, then this ce willst for only a month or less." ". . ." ". . ." "So, as I said, we are pressed for time. The moment that everyone is brief of all needed information and all of yourbat abilities are gauged, we will storm the Lich''s castle using the n we have concocted for this past weeks." ---- Meanwhile, on Rosa''s side of the group. "Huh?" "You heard me right. We will be going outside as soon as you get prepped and ready," said Saxa, the leader of their group of five. She was a servant. Half sprite and a half-elf with beads of green hair and sporting round sses. She was good inbat and had a good head on her shoulders. But instead of being put in the main offensive, she was ced as a leader for one of the scavenger groups to evenly distribute the forces within the sanctuary. "What do you mean that we will be going out? Like straight away?" Aron asked a human mage. "Shouldn''t we be ustomed to life here first? Or at least have some rest?" seconded Brent, a servant elf. Kelly was silent. She was the meekest and smallest out of all of them. A halfbreed of some kind from a small furry beast and human. She had short pink hair and big fox ears with a fluffy pink tail. She was just about waist in height and had a cute innocent face. Rosa watched the spectacle within her group without interest. Her mind traveled to Ryu, and she clutched her arms at the memory. That mutt! How dare he leave his master! I''ll make sure to punish him as soon as we get out of here. "Shut up. All of you," Saxa said and swept everyone with her res. "The reality of our situation is, we don''t have the luxury of time to even dawdle here for a minute. If we don''t get back with food or ammunition from our scavenger, then this ce wouldn''tst a month." It wouldn''t be a problem for them, for they didn''t need food or water. But it would be a problem for the humans and original inhabitants of this world. And they were the only ones who knew how to operate this ce. Everyone grumbled. "If you''re discontent, then go talk to Roger andin. But be warned. He might just kick you out. You don''t have items and certainlyckbat ability. You can only be stuck in this group or be gone and explore outside on your own." Saxa berated without a care. Everyone went silent. They hadn''t forgotten what happened to those who left, thinking that they could make it on their own outside. Even high-rank demons and elves were no match against those hordes of undead and mutated monsters. What''s more them? "But . . . how are we so sure that we''re going to get back her alive?" asked Brent. Saxa''s piercing eyes went to him. "Alive? We''d be lucky if even just one of us gets back here." "Then why are we still going out there if it''s a suicide mission? It doesn''t make any sense!" argued Aron. "Would you rather go out there with items, rations, and a group or alone?" challenged Saxa. "T-that''s . . ." "That''s the only difference. Everyone has a role here. Curse your damn fate that you didn''t have items or have strong physical andbat abilities." Saxa tied her hair and shouted, "Get a weapon and start practicing. We''ll be going out after two hours. And if you want to live a little longer, then follow my everymand." Rosa raised her hand and spoke, "How many times have you done this?" Saxa''s scary expression slightly changed. "Two times now." "And I presumed that you''re the only one who came back every time your group ventured outside?" Saxa brought her machine gun down and looked at Rosa with a piercing gaze. "And what are you implying? That I sacrifice my group to get back here safely?" Rosa chuckled. "You''re the one who said that. Not me." she then sashayed into a weapon corner and checked every piece of equipment. The other''s faces were suddenly drained of colors as they looked at Saxa with horrid eyes while thetter was fuming mad at Rosa''s arrogant attitude. Let''s see if you can survive even an hour in the outside world, little girl. Saxa mused to herself. Chapter 197 Regret 197 Regret "Oi! Rosa!" "Who are you again?" Rosa asked. Fjord pouted and frowned. "You already forgot about me? It''s me, Fjord! The one who brought you here! We just met today!" "Oh." Rosa went back to inspecting the strange weapons in her hands and ignored Fjord. Fjord shifted his head left and right and asked, "Where''s Ryu?" Rosa''s mood plummeted, and she grumbled, "In the main attack unit." "Oh. Did you get separated? That''s too bad . . . ," Fjord said, voice fading. But then he was back to his jolly self. "You are in the scavenger''s team, right? You probably don''t know any of these gadgets. How about I exin them to you?" Rosa finally looked at Fjord with great disinterest and questioned, "What are you doing here anyway?" "Oh." Fjord rubbed his nose. "I''ll be in charge of your transportation. M and I are a team. It''s our duty to make sure that you guys have a ride out and in from this ce." "Hmm . . ." Rosa checked the bow gun, axe, hammers, and des on the shelf. It was the only weapons she was familiar with. But she was more interested in these things called guns. "You probably should just use a weapon that you''re ustomed to," suggested Fjord. "But I can teach you how to use a gun if you want. However, I can only exin to you the basics. And I think it would be hard for you to aim if this is your first time." He then paused and crossed his arms, seemingly thinking of something. "I think that they don''t allow first-timers to held a gun cause . . . as per their quote, it would be just a waste of bullets." ". . ." Rosa pressed her lips tight and handed the gun to Fjord. "Show me how to use it." ". . . Didn''t you hear what I just said?" "Move along, squirt. I don''t have all day." All of Fjord''s enthusiasm suddenly took a curved. "Egh . . ." Now he regretted that he even approached Rosa and offered to teach her. He just hoped that he wouldn''t get in trouble. Welp, as long as Rosa didn''t waste any bullets, it was all good. He''d just teach him with an empty barrel. Eventually, Rosa''s group took their meal of a single hard expired biscuit and 2oz of water before they headed out. "I think we''re going to die of dehydration and starvation before the undead could get to us," grumbled Aron. "Shut up. If you''re looking for an expensive meal and luxurious amodation, then I suggest that you go back to sleep." Sneered Brent. The two argued in the vehicle while Fjord drove them out of the sanctuary. Unlike before, they were in a muchrger vehicle that amodated their group of five. The vehicle was also covered in metal armor and spikes and rotating des to shred the zombies'' flesh when they attempted toe close. Everyone hushed when the sight of the undead came into view. Rosa was actually feeling sick and feared for once. She really had relied too much on her magic power that she didn''t expect she wouldn''t be able to use it one day. And without Ryu, Lucian, or anyone she could rely on, she was even more nervous than before. She could summon Fifi to keep herpany, but she quickly disposed of her idea. Without her lightning, Fifi was just a lump of glowing flesh. And besides, she wasn''t keen on the idea that Fifi would see her in her weakest state. She might summon her if it gets dark, though. Rosa smiled bitterly at herself. She didn''t have anyone to me but herself. It was her confidence and arrogance that led to this event. If only she didn''t enter this dungeon, then she might be on her fourth Islet by now. Lucian . . . she missed Lucian. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om However, instead of Lucian, Ryu appeared in her mind for some reason. Rosa bit her lip and clenched her fingers. That damn good for nothing beast! How dare he leave her alone! I will definitely won''t give Ferris back to you! The vehicle took a sharp turn, and the ride wasn''t smooth sailing when hordes of undead tried to block their way. "Fuck off," Rosa hissed when Kelly leaned towards her. She pushed her to the side and red at her. "I-it''s not even me," Kelly cried. "I couldn''t help it. It''s the gravity!" The vehicle traveled in astonishing speed and shook and turned in all directions, and Rosa thought, how much longer would they continue to travel like this? Saxa threw a smirk her way when their eyes met. "How far till we reach our destination?!" shouted? Brent amidst the chaos outside that drowned their voices. "More than two hours," answered Saxa. "Like I said in our briefing. We''re going to another city that is still unexplored. It''s a little far from here, so if I were you, I''d conserved my strength." Saxa then closed her eyes. But Rosa wondered if she could sleep with all these noises and movements. It was actually dangerous to go that far from the base. But at this moment, they had no choice because they were pressed out of options. "It would have been faster if we had a helicopter," Fjord started. "But all our helicopters are either wrecked or needed parts to fix." It was also Fjord and M''s mission. They were going to use their time waiting for Saxa''s team to be back to search for parts and see if they could find another vehicle to drive. Preferably a helicopter. Though young Fjord was already a mechanic. He learned from his father''s mechanical shop. And though he was a human, M was a powerful elf mixed with a little bit of a dwarven descent. That exins why she was small, but her weapon of choice was a hammer twice her size. She alone was enough to protect him. Besides, that Fjord carried items that Roger gave him. At least that put his mind at ease when venturing outside, even just a little. Their jobs weren''t that hardpared to the scavenger team since finding parts and vehicles wasn''t a top priority at the moment. They could retreat to a safe ce if things get dangerous. ording to Roger, he even had the option not to look for parts if he wanted to since his life was more important. But since he''d rather not waste his time waiting for the others, he might as well look for parts that would help them in the future. Who knows, he might find a helicopter! Fjord was lost in his thoughts, and he went out of focus for a fraction of a moment. And at that exact time, a giant mutated zombie suddenly appeared out of nowhere and toppled their vehicle to the side. The vehicle rolled on the street before crashing against a building with a loud bang. HIATUS! The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!