Flying through the tops of trees, Pedro was looking for a final fruit that fills one with life mana. Since mana returned, all the vegetation also changed. Several poisonous plants became edible and old fruits became poisonous.
"Leaf, fly over to that area."
The beetle responded with a noise it makes and flew in that direction. Neither Pedro or the insect could talk through mana messages yet.
"I think I see what we need to be looking for," Isabella shouted. Ever since she started learning wood and life arts, finding herbs and fruits became a breeze for her.
"Leaf, land in that clearing."
The giant beetle landed on the flat ground while the two youngsters hopped off. Landing on the ground, Pedro stretched and ran over to the tree. Using a boomerang edge, Pedro cut the fruit out of the tree.
"Pedro that is not how to properly remove fruit," Isabella said while reprimanding him.
"It gets the job done. Doesn't it?"
Isabella just shook her head. Her and Pedro never can agree on anything.
Leaf lifted its head and looked behind the tree.
"What is it, boy?" Pedro asked.
A weird looking spider shot a string towards them. Leaf flapped his wings quickly to blow it away. The arachnid was scared for a second. This beetle in front of him was already at the core builder level while itself just an early Mana Fighter.
"Watch out for its poison, Pedro," Isabella yelled. She had studied most of the beast nearby. "It looks to only be a Mana Fighter though."
"Perfect. Leaf back me up." Wielding his boomerang, Pedro unleashed it upon the spider. When Pedro threw the blade, it had a smidge of lightning and death mana in it.
Seeing the projectile whirling towards him, the spider jumped off the tree onto the adjacent one. The eight-legged creature fired many globs of poison at the human boy.
Using the mana in his flesh and muscles, Pedro leaped backward dodging all the blasts except one. A large gust of wind blew the last glob off track and landed way from Pedro.
"Thanks, Leaf. Isabella, can you help me out?" Pedro asked.
Isabella sighed then placed her hand on the ground. "Little tree can you assist us."
The tree acted as it responded and new branches appeared at the spider's feet and pinned it down.
Seeing his chance, Pedro ran for his boomerang. The spider not wanting to give up fired poison at the boy only to miss. Pedro was smiling as he dodged each attack.
Picking up the boomerang, he threw it again at the pinned down spider. The blade flew through the air and stabbed the spider in the face. Pedro started to dance around for killing his first monster.
All of a sudden a string-shot was released and wrapped around Pedro's ankle. "It wasn't dead..." He asked himself as the string ripped him off his feet.
Fear replaced his joy as he sped towards the spider. "Leaf, help me. Ah!" Pedro slammed tree and was dragged towards the spider.
A rhinoceros horn pierced through the spider and it died on the spot. The arachnid release Pedro. He fell to the ground and smacked his head.
"Ow!" Pedro yelled out as he rubbed his head.
Isabella stomped over and smacked him in the head. "You could have killed yourself. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Isabella kept smacking him.
"Isabella, it hurts. Stop. Stop it." Isabella stopped and just at Pedro with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Isabella. I won't do anything dumb again. I promise."
Isabella sniffled. "You promise?"
"I promise," he responded seriously as he rubbed his head.
The birds in the next tree over flew away and Leaf lifted his head. Pedro and Isabella looked over to see a human with a dagger slash at Leaf's wing. Leaf lost its ability to fly and fell to the ground.
"LEAF? NO!" Pedro yelled as the humanoid dropped down and plunged its knife into the head of the insect killing it.
The person had slain the Core Builder and then rushed over to Pedro and Isabella.
"Who are you..." Pedro couldn't even finish. The person threw out a punch and knocked him out.
Isabella jumped back out of shock.
Picking up the passed out boy, the person with a helmet on said, "Little missy, go tell Leo and Lucy to come alone to this spot. We will trade this boy for them. You better start running now before I kill this boy." The assassin said as she pulled the blade to the boy's throat.
Isabella turned around and started running. When she got a few feet away she heard the assassin say something else.
"If we see anyone else coming he will die."
Tears fell from the little girls face as she ran with all of her might. Her legs started to feel heavy and her vision was blurry from the tears. After running for about thirty minutes, Machu Pichu came into sight.
A golem performing sentry duty spotted the girl before she almost collapsed. The big rocky fellow stomped over and held the girl up.
"What is wrong, little Isabella?" He asked
*Sniff* "Tell Leo and Lucy to hurry, something happened to Pedro."
The golem who was at early Avatar stage message Leo through a mana message. "Leo, Isabella at the gate. Something happened to Pedro. Bring Lucy."
After receiving the message, Leo stopped training and all five of them rushed over to the gate. Leo messaged Isabella's mother in route. Arriving at the gate, Isabella was finally pulling herself together.
"Isabella, are you alright?" Leo asked.
"Where is Pedro?" Lucy asked before Isabella could even answer Leo.
"Give her some room to speak," Shadow said trying to calm the two of them down.
"An assassin killed Lead and is holding Pedro hostage. They asked to trade for you and Lucy," Isabella said motioning to Leo and Lucy.
Leo and Lucy looked at each other and Leo sent a mana message. "This must be Team Zodiac, right?"
"Yes. If we don't go they will kill Pedro. My father only sends them to do all the dirty work. They're his Knights of Destruction." Lucy responded.
Leo turned around and looked at Shadow. "Us two are going to head to the spot. Don't follow us or alert anyone else." Leo looked over to the golem and asked, "Can you not inform Mallqui right away? If they sense a powerful warrior nearby they will kill Pedro and run."
The golem stratched its head. He didn't know what to do but nodded at Leo's request.
"Lucy let us head out right away."
"Right."
The two ran off towards the jungle quickly. Leo didn't know what to do when he got there, but he couldn't let the boy die for him. "No more sacrifices on his part." He told himself.
He wasn't the only one worried. Lucy kept looking over to Leo getting a very bad feeling about this.