Chapter 360 - Trouble for Ammusement
Raxu obviously didn't know that the terrain would act to his disadvantage. But it was rather common sense that existence of an open hot spring and the rocky texture in the surrounding hinted that the land was close to groundwater.
The open hot spring has relaxing body temperature, but the closed groundwater didn't. Its temperature was volcanic, and the terrifying heatwaves crashed on the circular barrier surrounding Raxu.
Almost everyone was aware the most of the heat in hot streams were created by the decay of naturally radioactive elements.
Elements which existed in the Earth's mantle...
Ever since the era of evolution started, Earth's core has already undergone a mutation, and the nature of radioactive elements has transmuted.
In the open spring, the heat from these elements carried strong therapeutic properties, but in the closed groundwater that Raxu has fallen, the same elements played a role of toxic.
Something he has to face if the barrier disappeared.
While the protective charm item he owned was strong, its energy was limited, and sooner or later, the energy would deplete. If that happened, he could imagine how the terrifying heat would corrode his body; ensuring that even his skeleton would disintegrate into fine particles. Something he obviously didn't want.
"Damn! What the hell are Onur and others doing?"
Raxu could only place his hope on them for survival. It wasn't possible to jump or leap given his situation.
At the same time, on the surface.
Onur and others looked at the melted portion under which Raxu has fallen. Then they glanced at Zed who has a smile plastered on his face.
"He is used to battles!" Onur thought, his expression serious. "Only someone with rich battle experience could pull something like this so swiftly!"
What he didn't know was that from the last four years, ever since Kiba was born, he hasn't participated in any battle. Unless the definition of battle also meant one side oppression...
He could show such a performance because his body was remembering the life and death crisis from long ago.
Onur and others gazed at him. There was an awkward silence...
"Haha, I thought he would leap up when the ground was melting, but instead, he preferred to fall," Zed scratched the back of his head as he broke the cold silence in the area.
"The charm item doesn't offers function of a swim ring?" Zed asked, his voice normal, with no trace of coldness or killing intent.
Usually, even as Zed, he wouldn't have forgiven someone like Raxu. That was rather evident from how Zed killed mercenaries in presence of Ashlyn not so long ago.
Forgiveness was not a trait that belonged to his nature, no matter it was Zed or Kiba.
But now he seemingly forgave Raxu as he knew Raxu planned to enter the core region. There was just no reason to kill a precious guinea pig.
Onur was left speechless by Zed's question.
Why would scientists add the function of a swim ring in a protective charm?
Onur didn't answer and instead, rushed forward to help his friend. Energy particles surrounded his fingers and swept towards Raxu in the form of incorporeal chains.
The boiling groundwater passed through the chains as they glued on the barrier. With a tug, he pulled the energy chains up, and brought the barrier to the surface.
In just a minute, Raxu was above the surface. He deactivated the barrier and eyed Zed. The latter gave him a warm smile, and Raxu didn't know why, but he felt a chill down his spine. The hair on his back stood up.
Meanwhile, inside the hot spring.
Divya, Rita, and others were surprised by how quickly the battle started and ended. It didn't even last for a few minutes.
As far as they were concerned, Raxu has only made a joke of himself!
Verna waved her fingers and the mirror-like screen faded into steam. Her expression was complicated as she stood up.
Water droplets cascaded down her soft and smooth figure. She took a towel and wiped her ripe curves before drying her hair.
"Can any man truly be a gentleman?"
Verna wondered as she donned a set of clothes.
Jenina, Sophia, and others also dried themselves. The voice of the fight from outside left no doubts that the men knew they were aware of their presence.
...
A few minutes later.
The seven women coldly swept their eyes on Raxu, Onur, and others.
"This is just a misunderstanding!" Onur quickly tried to ease off the tension.
"Y-yes! We were just trying to ensure the area was safe with no sign of nefarious people!" Raxu gritted his teeth and said. He knew he was stretching things far too much but he had no choice.
If things have gone as per his original plan, none of this would happen. He and his friends could enjoy the view of women bathing without any problems.
But then that troublesome Zed participated and involved himself in a matter that wasn't of his concern.
Sophia coldly snorted at Raxu's excuse. She was clothed while taking a bath so it wouldn't have affected her, and not to mention the illusion Verna casted.
But, she refused to forgive him.
He noticed her eyes flashing with cold light, and he stepped back, ready to run. He knew how dangerous this fiend was, and he didn't want to face her, no matter what.
Just as he took a step back, like an arrow, she charged straight at him, and appeared before him.
"Wait Sophia!" Raxu tried to beg but it was already too late.
Her fist fiercely slammed on his stomach like an iron hammer.
His face turned ashen and his back protruded out in an unsightly way. His eyes turned as wide as saucers and his mouth opened while he was sent flying high into the air.
As he tumbled back on the ground, he vomitted blood and pieces of internal flesh.
Onur and others felt their throats turning dry. Goosebumps bloomed over their bodies and dread swept in their bellies.
Many of them didn't fear her strength but they were afraid of her background. They didn't dare face her and create trouble for themselves.
"Scram," Verna coldly said before Sophia could kick their ass.
Verna wasn't in the mood to vent her frustration on them after being proved wrong.
Onur secretly sighed in relief and quickly dashed away with his friends.
Zed also turned around and left.
Ever since the ladies left the hot spring, he has been silent, and in fact, didn't say a single word against anyone.
He has no interest in proving himself as a man of character or show that others were corrupt. That was never his intention.
Truthfully speaking, the only reason he spoiled Raxu's plan was that he was a bit bored. From the last few weeks, he was used to creating trouble as Kiba, and now suddenly, living a relatively peaceful life wasn't suiting him.
This was similar to sudden change in weather... body needed time to adapt.
But it wasn't like he could randomly stir conflict just because he wanted.
Launcelot gave him a short opportunity, but he wanted more. Like messengers of god, Raxu and others came at the perfect time.
They have already helped him so why ruin their characters in front of the lovely women? Not like he needed to...
Some distance away, on a branch of a tree, Ashlyn closed her eyes. She has secretly followed Zed when he left the camp house. She wanted to be there in case he faced a dangerous situation.
Ashlyn was relieved she didn't need to act. She has decided to only act when the younger brother of Kiba was in crisis. She didn't want to unnecessarily restrict his growth.
Ashlyn swept her vision on the running men and then at Raxu. He was rather close to Zed in terms of age, but the reason he was defeated so badly lied in his lack of understanding.
Unless there was an overwhelming difference in strength, it was possible to even defeat a mutant slightly stronger than oneself.
That required understanding which came from real life battles... Something Raxu obviously lacked.
Ashlyn let out a soft sigh while she jumped down on the ground. Once again, she couldn't help but compare Zed with his older brother.
One brother would create trouble for his own enjoyment while the other would do the same but for the sake of others.
"They couldn't be any different."
Ashlyn mused with a faint smile on her cold face. She missed the sadist elder brother of Zed, and looked forward to meeting him in the evening.
Chapter 361 - Snakes!
Jenina and others prepared a light breakfast with help from Sophia's retinues and had it with Ashlyn and rest. After which they packed the camp house and left.
An hour later.
Zed and Ashlyn proceeded alongside Sophia, Jenina, and Aileen. Onur and other men were with them as well but just at the end.
Even though what they did was immoral, the women didn't throw them out. They had a partnership that couldn't be destroyed due to a small conflict.
Verna was in the front along with Divya and other women.
Zed absentmindedly looked at the path while thinking of a plausible excuse to part off with Ashlyn. In just 4-5 hours, they would reach Guardian Spirit Village, where Kiba would be ready to welcome them.
Something he knew that was impossible.
As he walked forward, Sophia's unclear words entered his ears, and brought him from thoughts.
"So have you heard?" Sophia asked while reducing the gap between them.
"I'm sorry but I was distracted so I didn't hear your earlier words," Zed said with a polite smile.
"It is fine," Sophia didn't mind and repeated her words. "A few days ago, there was a robbery in the auction at The Fair. In fact, it was carried out by the most shameless guy in existence. Have you heard of it?"
Sophia has met Ashlyn twice before meeting with her and Zed. In those earlier times, she was with Kiba.
She didn't know his relationship with this cold and silent woman. So she mentioned about the robbery in a round way to know if he was also aware of that villain.
"There was a robbery?" Zed asked, his face filled with surprise.
"Yes! As I said, the culprit was the most shameless guy---" Sophia was saying when a cold voice cut her sentence.
"He is not shameless," Ashlyn said.
She was aware Sophia was referring to Kiba but she also knew that Zed was in dark spot.
She reasoned he might learn about his elder brother's role in the future, but wouldn't it hurt him to know that Kiba was called shameless?
Given his pure character, he most likely seemed ignorant of his elder brother's personality.
Ashlyn recalled reading about how family love makes one ignore the negative in the loved ones. It was like how a mother could never find fault in the behavior of her child.
Besides, Ashlyn didn't think Kiba was shameless. He was smart, yes, and even sadist, but not shameless.
"No! He is shameless!" Sophia disliked Ashlyn's defense.
Ashlyn shook her head in obvious denial.
Zed has a smile on his face. He was happy to see there was at least someone to defend his alter ego's honor and reputation.
Sophia explained her reasons but Ashyn didn't agree.
"Ok, then what do you think of that scoundrel?" Sophia was frustrated in trying to reason with this unreasonable woman.
"He is a borderline villain with sadist tendencies but not shameless," Ashlyn has never lied and she wouldn't do it now either.
"..."
The corners of Zed's mouth twitched and his smile turned stiff.
Ashlyn!
You are supposed to defend Kiba!
Calling him sadist and a borderline villain is actually ruining his reputation!
Zed couldn't believe she would think about Kiba in such a manner.
Kiba has always taken extra steps to hide his nature from her, and ensure she has a positive image, and yet she reached such a conclusion about him?!
"I will disagree with your last part of the sentence," Sophia's reply broke Zed's thoughts. She then appeared beside him and said, "That scoundrel has a habit of stealing and creating trouble."
"Really?"
"Yes, let's forget the auction robbery. The second time I met him, it was outside a cave formed from some debris. Instead of adventuring in the cave like others to seek resources, he stood outside, and waited for adventurists to step out. The adventurists were already tired and exhausted after the ordeal they faced in cave, and when they came out, they were in no state to do anything... Yet, he took advantage of their state, and robbed them clean! Tell me, isn't that shameless?"
Zed placed a hand over his chin and thought, "No! That's just being smart. Why spend so many efforts when you can enjoy the fruits of other's labor?"
Of course, he couldn't answer in this manner. He sighed and said, "It is rather hard to judge that person you mentioned."
"Huh?" Sophia was surprised. She was sure he would agree with her.
And yet, shockingly, he was neutral?!
"The entire forest is a gray area where morals are twisted," Zed referred to the law of the jungle before continuing.
"When you kill someone from the front or from behind, it is still murder. You are taking a life in both cases... so why is the former considered as brave and honorable while the latter is considered as a cowardly and dishonorable? The result of both cases is the same... death of an individual," Zed explained, his voice as calm as the ocean.
"Now, in the forest, no one really owns anything. Everything belongs to mother earth. So a person grabbing resources from a cave, or the individual taking away from that person... they both are stealing. Not to mention, the former person who stepped inside the cave would also have been violent (fighting other adventurists for resources in the cave)... the same as the individual outside the cave.
"Everything is a part of the natural cycle... Can we really judge one act as moral while other as shameless?"
Sophia's eyes turned wide. Even Ashlyn and Jenina beside them were startled.
"As expected of him! He would always try to find positive even in the negative actions of others! This can explain why he defended me despite my earlier actions!"
Jeinia's eyes sparkled as she reached the above conclusion. Some hundred meters ahead, Verna heard his words, and she flinched.
"How can such a man even exist?" Verna wondered. Her prejudice against men was seriously affected by his words.
As for what he said, she didn't really agree. She found flaws in his argument, but she didn't bother stating them.
"Let me describe the facial features of that scoundrel so that you aren't schemed by him."
Sophia didn't want Zed to suffer. If she warned him in advance, at least he would be on guards and somewhat prepared.
"Sure," Zed tried to say this with a straight face.
Sophia opened her lips to speak when, suddenly, his pupils constricted and his expression changed.
Before she could even say a single word, he grabbed her right shoulder, and tapped a foot on the ground. Flame exploded under his foot and using its force, he jumped back.
Sophia was stunned by his actions. He has pulled her so strongly that marks were imprinted on her soft skin.
Just then, she heard tragic screams from behind. She turned around and her pupils dilated.
Two of her servants- who were near Zed and Sophia just a few moments ago- were now rolling on the ground. Their faces were ashen and foam was splitting out of their lips.
At the same time, from the corner of her eyes, she detected a faint line in the air. Startled but prepared, she arched her body back, and the line shot past her, striking on a tree.
Only now she realized what was that line.
It was a snake!
Its thickness was even smaller than a twig of a tree, and its body was almost transparent like a whip of smoke. Such characteristics ensured that it could whistle through the air without making any noticeable movement or noise.
"Demonic White Phantom Snake?" Sophia wondered aloud when she heard more screams. She quickly looked around and saw dozens of snakes.
Many of them have impaled their fangs in the necks of Sophia's servants and a few others.
Aileen has jumped into action and protected three servants before rapidly arriving next to Sophia.
"Miss, there was just no warning!" Aileen activated an energy barrier around them. "If we had known, we wouldn't have suffered so many casualties."
The snakes were dangerous due to their surprise element and the toxic they carried, but once people know in advance, the snakes could be avoided.
Sadly, most people were caught off guard. The snakes might be weak physically but their toxic was dangerous. Not even a Beta-rank could survive.
While Aileen felt sad by the loss of so many servants, she wasn't overly concerned. Servants wouldn't be accompanying her miss after the village.
"How could these snakes even exist here? Their habitat is that serpent land in the core region! And core region hasn't even opened!!"
Onur cursed while protecting his body with a shield and killing a snake with an energy chain. Next to him, Launcelot created a corrosive cocoon around him.
Some distance away, Zed wrapped his entire body with streams of flames.
Even he felt danger from the existence of these snakes and didn't let them close.
A minute ago, his premonition ability warned him, and this was the only reason he could save himself and Sophia.
Had he not avoided the snake flying at him, his bloodstream would be filled with deathly toxic, and in such a moment, his instincts would have automatically activated to save his life... by transforming him into Kiba!
This would be similar to how he transformed into Kiba when Akshobhya has sealed his consciousness. At that time, Claudia created a life and death crisis so that his instincts would be forced to take over...
"It wasn't really life and death crisis for me... this was why I wasn't warned in advance, but only at the final moment," Zed thought with a sigh.
"Thank you," Sophia's soft voice entered his ears.
He looked at her and said, "I don't think I really saved you so no need to thank me."
Sophia responded with a smile. Her pendant was glinting with a soft radiance, and he only noticed it when he left her shoulder.
If not for him, the pendant would have protected her. He was now sure he didn't need to intervene when Launcelot and Carmen planned to drug her.
"It is the thought that counts," Sophia said in a soft voice.
Zed didn't reply but instead brought his eyes on Ashlyn. As he expected, she was safe, and her discs were cutting through snakes rushing at her.
The blue discs rotated around her, creating currents of blue ripples, ensuring no snake could pass through.
Zed's expression turned serious as he noticed more snakes coming towards him. He didn't fear them, but they carried a risk of transforming him into Kiba.
The streams of fire expanded further and crashed into the incoming snakes. Grilling sound ringed out as the snakes' bodies charred into black ashes.
"How could they be here though?"
He was also aware that Demonic White Phantom Snake didn't exist in the forest but only in the core region.
Zed's eyes brightened as he thought of something. He has a good guess on what happened...
Chapter 362 - Verna In Danger!
The streams of fire around Zed engulfed the snakes rushing at him with a sizzling sound. The snakes might have powerful toxic but otherwise, they were weak. Their bodies couldn't even handle attacks from a level I mutant.
This was perhaps nature's way of balancing things and giving other lifeforms a chance...
That might be, but the snakes were almost uncountable. In just a minute, the entire land has turned into a war zone full of snakes.
Zed now guessed on how these snaked arrived from the core region even though it hasn't yet opened.
"Count Viper and that gigantic snake!"
The snake was one of the ten slave beasts of Princess Scarlet Leila De Rose. It was named Kuraokami but no human actually knew its name, including Zed.
Count Viper was a mid-rank revolutionary, and he was responsible for the 'liberation' attack in Delta City.
Around ten days ago, Kuraokami protected the revolutionary Count Viper from Kiba's wrath. At the end of conflict, Kuraokami transferred Count Viper to the core region through the use of a space gate.
Count Viper thought he was rescued, but just as the space gate was closing, Kiba 'returned' a lost item. It was actually a glass container filled with nanites, and he tossed it on Count Viper. The moment the container arrived close to him, its protective covering melted...
Kiba didn't know what happened next as by then the space gate has disappeared.
"There are two possibilities...
"1. Some part of the core region's seal was broken when that snake opened the space gate. Given its power, it is possible, and it seems most likely as the snake defied the laws by which it was restricted inside the core region...
"2. Some unexpected development has taken place inside the core region... creating a temporary disturbance."
Zed sighed for he wasn't sure if there wasn't another plausible reason. He just hoped nothing unexpected was happening otherwise it would affect his plans.
"Ahhh!"
A soft, feminine scream brought his attention back. Some fifty meters ahead, Verna was bitten by a snake on her leg, and her skin instantly paled.
She was strong, and this wouldn't have happened if she didn't risk her life protecting Jenina and other women. A snake found an opportunity when she least expected, attacking her from blindspot when she dimmed her charm power to protect others... and it was now taking her life.
TRINGGGG
A disc swept past and chopped through the body of that snake. The disc then whistled forward to slice other snakes.
Ashlyn always repaid favors. Verna and others have cooked breakfast for her and Zed with no obligation, and as such, she helped them in their time of need. Of course, it wasn't some true favor but she considered it as an obligation, and preferred to pay back.
At the same time, Sophia rushed ahead and quickly stuffed a pill into Verna's mouth. It was a high-grade pill, serving as an antidote.
She has given her the pill in less than 20 seconds after being bitten...
Yet much to her horror, the energy from the pill was only able to block the venom. The pill prevented the venom from affecting Verna's heart and upper body, but the rest of her body has turned sickly white.
What's more, the pill energy was attacked by the venom, corroding the medicinal properties, and it was only a matter of minutes before the venom resurfaced throughout the body.
The first thing the venom then would do is bind on the surface of muscle cells and prevent muscle contraction... the moment this happened, her heart would stop beating, and she would die.
"What's going on?" Sophia was worried.
She has a warm relationship with Verna though they might not be truly friends. Verna was one of the very few who didn't remark anything offensive when Jenina made a rude statement.
"Her body cells are restricting the antidote pill you gave," Zed said as he crouched alongside her. "Mainly because, by the time you gave her the pill, most of the blood cells had already degenerated. This also resulted in slight blood clotting which is restricting the flow of medicinal energy."
The stream of fire around his body disappeared as he grabbed Verna's leg and focused on her ankle where she had the fang marks.
He has an idea of how she got injured despite her defenses.
"Risking life for others... what a stupid thing to do," Zed thought to himself.
It wasn't something he was capable of; at least not for acquaintances or friends. He believed it was dumb to sacrifice life for the sake of others.
People like to believe sacrifices are remembered but what's the use. And in today's world, no one remembers anything, much less favors.
What good would glorification once a year serve any purpose?
But then again, he was conflicted as he wasn't sure if he wasn't stupid like her. A part of him knew there existed two individuals for whom he could go to any extent... even risk life.
For one he was in the forest while the other has yet to be born...
He cleared his thoughts and brought his attention back on the fang marks.
"In snakes, there are generally two types of toxic, neurotoxin and cytotoxins. Sadly, Demonic White Phantom Snake carries a mixture of the two. This means it would affect both heart and mind."
"What do we do?" Jenina asked, her eyes filled with tears locked on him.
Sophia also looked at him.
"Operate on her," Zed answered with a sigh.
Aileen and others were shocked.
They wanted to remind him that was not something possible here. Even if they had medical equipment, there was no professional doctor!
Tears streamed down Jenina's face. She knew this, and could understand what fate awaited Verna.
Verna might be what people called a man-hater, but for Jenina and other women, she was perfect. Her age was only twenty-seven and this was not the age where people died. They knew death was a possibility in the forest, but only facing it closely, they felt the helplessness and dread.
As Verna's friend started weeping, Zed waved a hand, and the storage ring on his right hand flashed. Rays of light swept out and transformed into five orange orbs.
Each orb was the size of a baby's fist and on its surface, there were three circular dots. The dots were connected in an inverse triangle formation.
"This...!" Aileen's eyes turned wide. She has lived for close to five decades and experienced a lot of things.
She instantly identified the orbs as high-tech medicinal units. Such orbs were used by top scientists, and they were not something that were readily available in the market. Not only they required precious resources to built, but the formations inside them were also very complex, and something that could be designed in an advanced lab.
"Why the hell he would have them?! Don't tell me...! No! That would be impossible!"
Aileen refused to believe the possibility.
In the meantime, Zed retrieved a digital tablet to control the orbs. This was not the first time he was using medicinal units. He has also used them on Felicity, but those medicinal units were of a different category. 1
Under the shocked looks of everyone, the orbs flew above Verna's body. One orb floated above her head, two above her chests, one above her bellybutton, and the last above her feet.
From the reverse triangles, crimson light emitted out, covering her entire body with a crimson layer. On the digital tablet, the body structure of Verna appeared along with venom toxicity chart. The tablet further displayed chemical synapses and affected cell membranes.
He zoomed into the cell images to study the toxic effects.
"Haah~" Zed once again sighed and thought of Claudia. He wondered if there was any scenario she hasn't prepared for.
These orbs were for him if a situation arises, but as per Claudia, he might need it for a specific scenario.
She has given this scenario a strange title - 'Save a beauty's life and get free warmth in a cold night."
As he recalled the title and its implied meaning, his cheeks twitched. She knew him the best, and whenever she got the chance, she wouldn't forget to add sarcastic remarks.
"Does she really think I'm incapable of saving a woman out of sheer goodwill?"
Chapter 173
Chapter 363 - Operation In Open!
Through the trees and foliage, two discs whistled forward, creating a sharp slicing sound. Wherever the discs flew, there would be bitter yelps of Demonic White Phantom Snake dying.
Ashlyn stood in her place and made a grasping motion. The discs returned back to her hands, and she then brought her eyes to a small path where Verna was lying on the ground.
Her eyes were shut tight and her entire body was covered with a crimson layer.
Sophia and Jenina sat next to her shoulders. Their expressions filled with both worry and shock as they saw the five orbs floating above Verna.
Zed was crouching at the end of her feet with his eyes on a digital tablet.
"Surely he can't have such advanced medicinal knowledge?" Aileen wondered in her heart.
She didn't dare state her doubts at such a time. She was aware of the venom injected in Verna's bloodstream, and knew there was next to zero chances of her survival.
That might be, but there was no way he would be forgiven if he failed to save her. And the chances of failing were 100%.
Aileen shook her head and continued to guard Sophia and others with a protective shield. She prayed for a miracle.
On the digital tablet, Zed studied the actions of the venom in Verna's body. The venom was made of proteins, enzymes, and other molecular substances which were continuously destroying cells and disrupt nerve impulses.
Zed opened a breakdown structure of proteins. Behind, Onur took a peek of the structure on the tablet screen, and instantly his forehead started sweating.
All he saw was macromolecules; consisting of linear polymers built from a series of thirty-five long chains of amino acid residues. It was like a complex labyrinth made of countless branches going in multiple directions.
The structure was so complex that he couldn't even make sense of anything.
As far as he was concerned, it was no different than a connection of biological atoms forming a paradox... how was one supposed to understand such a thing? Just staring at it made him feel a headache.
And yet, there are people who actually study such a thing?!
Till now, he has only seen scientists and genetic doctors with envy due to the special privileges they enjoyed, but now he has a faint understanding of why they deserved high respect even within the nine aristocrat families.
It was a very hard profession! The knowledge required was not something that could be mugged up!
But then again, it only made sense.
What genetic doctors and scientists did was studying the secrets of life, exploiting the potential of genes, and trying to increase both vitality and strength far beyond nature's permission.
Onur eyed Zed and refused to believe he also belonged to this high profession.
The profession was something that required decades of experience before a person can call itself even a low-rank researcher! As such, the scientists and doctors he knew were old, very old!
And now, a twenty-something guy was operating high-tech medicinal units as if it was something not worth mentioning?! Operating units were still nothing compared to understanding the tangled composition that Zed was currently doing.
What terrified Onur was the relaxed expression on Zed's face. He was calm with no signs of any strain.
Onur felt as if Zed was some artist admiring an art piece instead of a complex structure! There was a composure that could be only achieved with experience!
"He must be faking it!" Onur told himself. This was the only way he could calm his shocked heart.
Zed didn't notice his thoughts, and even if he did, he wouldn't care.
"The proteins in the venom are responsible for most of the harmful effects; mainly paralysis and obstructing muscle contraction. The presence of polypeptide is disrupting cell functions, which is ultimately leading to cell death. And finally, the enzymes... they are speeding up chemical reactions and leading to the destruction of chemical bonds.
"The antidote pill Sophia gave her has only temporarily stopped the effectiveness of these three particles... but the moment the medicinal energy disappear, those particles would explode with more potential."
Zed tapped on the screen and the visuals changed. He has a diagnosis in mind and now was the time to begin. He rose to his feet and pressed an option on the tablet.
The orbs moved up in the air, and simultaneously, Verna's body floated up in mid-air. The next moment, the light from the inverse triangle portions of the orbs changed.
From crimson, it turned into emerald green, enveloping Verna into an emerald cover. At the same time, the top portion of the orbs opened up, and three needle-thin tubes swept out from each orb. The end of the tubes was in the form of syringes.
Quickly, they injected into her peripheral veins in the arms, hands, legs, and feet. Two tubes entered into a vein in the center of her chest. A cyan liquid coursed through the tubes and entered her bloodstream.
Sophia was startled. As far as she knew, risky procedures require skin being washed from sanitizing chemicals and there should be no clothes for any obstruction.
In a medical operation, there were no thoughts of lust or decency involved. It was a matter of life and death.
Yet, there was no such procedure followed by him. What she didn't know was that the crimson light from before has already killed all germs and bacteria on Verna's body.
The medicinal units were no less than a portable operation house. They might look small in size, but in fact, they had multiple functions. They were built from compressed nanotechnology that was specialized for almost every possible scenario.
These orbs could match the units used by top scientists in the State of Avalon!
In the meantime, Verna began precipitating. Her sweat drops were rather blood-red with dark glint, and the moment they touched the emerald layer, they would vaporize. The cyan liquid in her bloodstream was breaking through her clotting and flowing like an energy stream.
Zed rapidly moved his fingers on the tablet screen. His movements were so fast that they were almost blurred, and the glow from the screen was constantly changing, showing new figures and stats.
His movements also changed the actions of the tubes. The liquid streaming down from them would change, and sometimes, there would be no flow.
Sophia, Jenina, and others didn't even try to look at the visuals on the tablet. Earlier, Sophia glanced at the screen, and noticed the biological reaction between a toxic polypeptide and blood cells. The moment she looked, she felt it was even more terrible than the alien text she tried to read yesterday.
She felt her head spinning...
How can any human even understand such things and that too so quickly? Just based on his hand motions and the flickering on the screen, she was sure new data was coming from Verna's body by every two seconds, and yet, he was able to understand them?
Not only comprehend but even take action based on them?! Is this even humane?!
"Monster!"
Sophia, Jenina, Onur, and almost everyone else thought of the same word!
At the same time, Zed observed the screen and a smile formed on his lips. He pressed a finger on the cell structure, and noticed toxic proteins unbinding from the surface.
With a command on the tablet, the orbs emitted a sucking force through the tubes. The force was especially aimed at the toxic particle, and in just seconds, black ichor flew from her body to the tubes.
"Ahhh!"
Verna's body jerked in mid-air and she opened her eyes. Her head was muddleheaded and her body unbearably sore.
Her chest trembled and breathing turned violent as she felt something drawn out of her body. She turned nauseous, and an aching sensation engulfed her heart.
The black ichor contained not only the toxic but also her mutated energy particles in her blood cells. They were corrupted by the toxin, and to prevent any future complications, they needed to be removed.
Thankfully, this loss was something that could be recovered by a day of rest and heavy medication.
A minute later, the terrible sensation faded and her eyes cleared. As her vision concentrated, she found herself looking at Zed.
His face was filled with a polite smile as he said, "You were missed a lot by your friends."
Verna could hear his words but it took her a while to make sense of them. She now remembered how she was bitten by a snake while protecting other women. It was something that could have been avoided has she not been saving others.
If it were men, instead of risking her life, she would have left them to die. But she couldn't do it to women.
Her mind was filled with the silhouette of a woman.
A woman who was an inspiration to all the women in the world.
Ice Queen.
The legendary queen who built a utopia... A land without the influence of men.
It was heaven where females didn't have to suffer from the clutches of men.
The ideal land.
As long as her relationships weren't antagonistic, Verna couldn't abandon any woman. It was her way of honoring the legendary queen.
As she regained clarity, the tubes left her body and entered back into the orbs. The lights from the orbs brought her feet to the ground, and provided her support for the time being.
"This...!!!!"
Aileen, Sophia, Onur, and others were dumbfounded. They stupidly stared at Verna for a long time.
"She is cured?!"
They knew Zed was trying to save her, and while they prayed for the best, they were skeptical. Despite them trying to be positive, their minds placed the odds against her survival. They were unknowingly waiting for the bad news.
This was something inevitable and they even tried to harden their hearts for it.
Divya and Rita even have tears in their eyes. They were about to break down at any moment, waiting for grief to struck them, and now when they saw her opening eyes, and regaining clarity, their tears were struck.
Aileen placed a hand on the back of her other hand, and found her hair standing. Unknowingly, the sight of witnessing a miracle, made goosebumps bloom over her body.
"Just what is he?!"
Aileen was horrified as she thought of things he has done so far. Translating alien language, defeating two mutants with strong background without any efforts, and now this...
It was difficult to even develop in one specific field, and he was proficient in three fields!
How can youth have so many achievements?
No, was this even possible?!
Aileen refused to believe the answer. His very existence was brutally smashing her idea of reality.
Onur pinched his cheeks and felt pain. Only the agonising sensation made him know for sure that this was not a nightmare.
It was real!
A monster truly existed in the body of a youth!
Onur felt helplessness. His confidence was shattered and his idea of self-worth was seriously affected. He was stronger than Carmen, Launcelot, and others, even felt he was stronger than Zed.
But now, it was not just a matter of strength.
A person younger than him was master in multiple fields. Just what was there for him to be proud of?
The strength that was mainly due to a few years of age difference? Wasn't it laughable for him to even compare with him?
The others were even in worse condition. This even applied to many of the females as they glanced at Zed.
Their ego was badly bruised by his achievements. The innate confidence they had was now at an all-time low.
It was like they have fallen into a dark tunnel where there was nothing but the darkness of their incompetence.
They felt their extraordinary background was for nothing.
"He has so many achievements, and yet, he is so grounded, kind, and sincere..." Onur bitterly thought. "We lack greatly compared to him... So why do we act proud and aloof?"
Chapter 364 - Strict Brother!
A few minutes later, Verna recovered enough to be on her feet without any support. The inverse triangles on the orbs dimmed and no light flew from them.The medical units then flew close to Zed.
He retrieved the orbs back into his storage ring along with the digital tablet.
Verna, in the meantime, was hugged by Jenina and others. They were excited and a few of them even shed tears happily.
Even Sophia was extremely happy. Her relationship wasn't strong with her, but it existed and was filled with cordial wishes.
She was the type of girl who wouldn't wish anything negative for others.
As the females around her calmed down, Verna enquired on what happened after she was intoxicated. Jenina quickly stated the chain of events, and when she mentioned the operation, Verna's eyes were filled with disbelief.
She looked at Zed and thought of everything that has happened so far. Verna felt bitter at her earlier actions. She has tried to assert that he was a devil, hiding his true nature.
"How could I be so wrong?"
She felt it was impossible for a man like him to exist.
Now, after he saved her, she felt she no longer had any right to judge him like that. The only saving grace was that she has never been hostile towards him. Not to mention, he wasn't aware of the test. Not like it would have mattered for she has no nefarious thoughts.
Verna took a deep breath and calmed her thoughts.
She first thanked Sophia for the medicinal pill. She also has pills, but back then, she was in no state to use them. So Sophia deserved her gratitude for acting so quickly and buying her time.
"It is fine," Sophia said.
Verna nodded.She then stepped close to Zed and bowed down.
"Thank you for saving my life," Verna thanked him from the heart.
Zed smiled in response and said, "It didn't really cost me anything so you don't have to be so courteous. Besides, you saved so many lives and this was the least I could do."
He didn't really agree with her actions though. He might have understood if she was risking her life for her family but for some temporary group members?
This was far beyond his understanding, but then again, it wasn't a topic for him to judge. It was her life, and she has the right to spend it in any way.
Verna wanted to speak further and express her heartfelt gratitude. But before she could, he said, "Let's leave. We don't know if there are more snakes in the vicinity so let's proceed."
Sophia and others agreed. Verna also nodded while thinking of how she could repay him.
They once again resumed their journey, and this time, they were on guards. Thankfully, they didn't meet any dangers.
An hour later, they saw other people. Some on jeeps, some on beasts, and the rest on foot. They were also proceeding towards the village.
No group interacted or clash with each. They have fixed goals and saw no wisdom in conflicts. The gains would not make up for the losses...
Two hours later.
As Zed and others stepped through wild trees and vines, he stopped in the path. He placed a hand over a tree trunk and let out a barely audible sigh.
"What's wrong?" Sophia asked.
"It's time for farewell," Zed said with a smile.
"What?!" Sophia was stunned and the same went for others, especially Jenina and Verna.
Ashlyn brought her eyes on him. It was a little less than a mile from the village so why was he stopping now and bidding farewell to others?
"Take care," Zed waved a hand at Sophia.
"Wait!" Sophia's body blurred, leaving behind an afterimage, and appeared right in front of him.
"Why are you leaving? You are not visiting the village?" Sophia asked. She recalled him saying he has no interest in the core region but nothing about the village.
She thought there were at least two days she and others would be in his company.
"I will be visiting the village later on," Zed answered. He was having a hard time of thinking excuses even though his alter ego was a master in it.
Still, he continued, and said, "There are places I want to check... some secret locations to try my luck."
Sophia's expression turned downcast but she understood.
She reasoned he must have some information on some mutated trees or something. Or perhaps caves built from spaital debris. Regardless, it was something that he didn't want others to know.
Verna was startled. She was trying to think of how to return the favor, and he was now leaving out of blue.
It was just too sudden.
Jenina's face fell. She has thought about him a lot from the last night and now...
"Will we meet again?" Sophia asked.
She felt their relationship was no less than a friendship even though they had only met yesterday morning. So many things have occurred that it felt like weeks.
He was the best friend she ever had...
"No... Actually, who knows?" Zed changed his answer in the middle. "Never say never."
Sophia smiled at his answer.
As Zed turned around to leave, Jenina rushed at him. Without saying anything, and much to everyone's surprise, she kissed him on the cheeks.
"Goodbye."
Her face was flushed and she hastily left.
Ashlyn arrived next to Zed who smiled. He didn't really think of this small kiss though for others, especially Launcelot and other males, it was something that made their blood boil in envy.
Launcelot's face was blue with anger. Just till yesterday, he was her boyfriend, but due to some strange events, she believed he was a gay! He wished he has got an opportunity to prove he wasn't!
"Bye," Zed waved and started walking in another direction.
Verna was struck on her spot. He didn't give her or others an opportunity to bid farewell.
How was she supposed to express her gratitude then?
Onur was dumbfounded by his actions.
He found it hard to believe that Zed left without sharing any info, or asking their contact details. A cynical part of him believed he would want to cash into the favors others owned to him.
Yet, he did no such thing. He left without as much as sharing his state, much less phone number.
The other cynical-minded people were equally shocked by his actions.
"He came so swiftly in our lives, like a gust of autumn wind, and left just as quickly," Aileen thought as she saw the fading figures of Zed and Ashlyn.
"We will meet again!" Sophia muttered.
...
A few minutes later.
Zed was walking into a direction that was away from the village. Ashlyn followed him nevertheless as she felt it was her duty to protect him.
It was for the sake of Kiba. She didn't want his younger brother to be harmed and then have a lifetime of regret.
Zed bitterly smiled. He was trying to separate from her. After all, in the village, both of them have to meet his 'elder brother.'
"Brother is nearby," Zed suddenly said much to her surprise. "He is approaching here."
She couldn't sense his presence but she felt he must have no reason to lie.
"Actually, there is something I must tell you," Zed stoned his face as if he was sharing some secret.
"?"
"Elder brother doesn't know that I'm in the forest," Zed's voice was low.
Ashlyn's eyebrows raised up. She then felt it actually made sense.
Otherwise, why would Kiba, who even had a nightmare about his younger brother's safety, leave him alone in the forest?
At first, she reasoned it was so that he could advance or that they were separated. But then again, his words also made sense.
As for the first time she met Zed... was he perhaps worried about his brother and arrived in that area? She wasn't sure though she felt she understood a bit about why he parted with Sophia and others.
He didn't want to visit the village and meet his brother!
"I can't let him know I'm here!" Zed said, his eyes looking in a particular direction.
There was nothing but a plane and old trees, but given what he said earlier, he must be looking in the direction from where Kiba was approaching.
Zed really hoped his excuses made a sense.
To him, they didn't, but he was relying on her naivety. She pretty much has no idea about relationships and way of life. None in the traditional sense.
"Why?" Ashlyn asked. Her voice and expression were as cold as ever.
Zed gulped down. She was asking why he can't let Kiba know about his presence.
With a dejected look, he answered, "Brother is very strict."
Ashlyn was startled.
Kiba and strict?!
She recalled the things he has done... and yet, he dared to be strict on his kind, loving, and peaceful younger brother?!
She began to agree with Sophia.
"Ah! He is around a mile away!" Zed has a panicked expression on his face. He then took her hands in his, and bowed down.
"Thank you for helping me for the last few days! You are a very kind woman! Thank you!"
What he said was true, and something from his heart. He was grateful for her noble intentions. If it was possible, he didn't want to fool her in such a way, but he has no choice.
After saying his words of gratitude, and without waiting for a response, he tapped a foot on the ground. Streams of fire covered his body, and he shot off into a distance.
Ashlyn was rooted in her place.
Zed was so afraid of his elder brother that he was running away?!
Ashlyn decided to catch up with him. As for Kiba, she would deal with him when he arrived.
If he tried to make things difficult, she would defend Zed on her own!
Chapter 365 - I Now Know!
Zed rushed through old trees and vines. His body was surrounded by streams of fire which explosively increased his speed.
He was relieved that he has found an opportunity to leave Ashlyn behind. Just as he smiled in relief, he felt something.
He looked back and his eyes turned wide.
Ashlyn was leaping from one tree to another while catching up with him. Her feet were wrapped with strands of blue currents which enhanced her agility to a great extent.
"......"
Zed wanted to weep but he has no tears to shed. He could pretty much guess why she was running towards him. While her actions touched his heart, and made him admire her greatly, he wished she wasn't this protective.
"No choice!"
Zed really didn't want to resort to this. The streams of fire around his body erupted out and curled his entire body into a column of flame.
The air fluctuated with violent ripples from the intense heat. The vegetation nearby, instead of catching fire, melted like a decayed paper.
He stamped a foot on the ground, and instantly, the raging column of flame busted into the air, like a dazzling meteorite.
Ashlyn was surprised by the explosive increase in his speed. He has covered a distance of hundreds of meters in just a few seconds, leaving behind a trail of seething flames.
The column of flame has shrouded his entire body. If one didn't know it better they wouldn't even realize the column actually contained a human.
The radiance from the flame was so striking and piercing that for a moment Ashlyn had no choice but to close her eyes.
Even the beasts and people in the vicinity were the same. They were stunned by the blinding trail of fire and wondered what was going on. The heat was such that beads of sweat on their bodies vaporized the moment they left out of the pores.
Everyone began to feel thirsty as their bodies dehydrated. It was as if they had lived for months in a dessert.
Meanwhile, inside the column of fire, Zed's eyes flashed with a golden glow. His face morphed and twisted while the black color on his hair faded.
There were cracking sounds from his bones as his height suddenly increased. Half his pupils turned golden, and along with it, a golden color rolled through his hair as they grew at a rate visible to the naked eye.
In just a few seconds, Kiba has replaced Zed!
As the transformation completed, the column of flame began fading due to lack of energy, but the next moment, strong fire energy followed through the fading column.
With a booming sound, the column of fire burst through countless obstacles, and disappeared far away.
Behind, Ashlyn has just caught up, but just the moment she did, the speed of 'Zed' increased countless fold, leaving her.
Ashlyn was shocked by the speed. It wasn't like she couldn't amplify her speed but she got no time.
She gazed into the distance and could no longer see the column of fire.
It was as if it had disintegrated into thin air.
"Haah~"
Ashlyn let out a soft sigh before sporting a light smile.
"He is truly determined."
She decided to respect his intent. From what she knew, he didn't plan to visit the core region so he should be safe now that every strong individual would be focused on that area.
Ashlyn turned around, and dashed towards the direction from where he sensed his elder brother's presence . Her movements were such that there were filaments of blue current from the path she swept past.
A few minutes later.
Ashlyn has just reached the location where he initially left in a panicked mode. Just as she tapped her feet on the ground, she heard a surprised gasp from ahead.
She didn't need to see in order to know that this gasp came from Kiba.
"I thought I felt a familiar presence," Kiba said while landing in front of her. "Guess it was you, partner."
Ashlyn didn't reply though she smiled a bit. As always, even the faintest smile on her lips shrouded the beauty of everything else.
It was something that no one could ever get tired of.
She didn't know why but she missed him, and meeting him again brought this smile.
Maybe it was due to the way he lived his life or the lessons he taught or perhaps entirely something else. She wasn't sure of the reason.
But she was sure of one thing... despite her nature, she liked his company.
She didn't reply to what presence he might have felt. After all, she wouldn't refute Zed's polite request.
But then she thought of how he said that his elder brother was strict, and then she remembered his panicked expression. A frown appeared on her poker face as she recalled the things Kiba has done.
Robbery, sadistic pleasure from toying with enemies, creating a riot, and so many things.
Yet, he was being a strict elder brother figure to a kind, polite, respectful Zed?
In a cold tone, she said, "I was wrong about you."
"What?" Kiba was dumbfounded by her statement. Usually, he would feel a little bit of warmth in her cold voice, but now even that was missing.
"I now know you are also shameless," Ashlyn said after which she walked past him.
She liked him but she was also fond of Zed.
It angered her that he was strict on such a kind soul.
Of course, she also understood that it might be the nature of an overprotective sibling given the nightmare he experienced, and as such, she knew she shouldn't be angry. This was why she only restricted to expressing her new views.
Kiba felt as if a hammer has struck him.
He and shameless?! How could she even think of such an illogical thing?!
No! She also used 'also!'
He recalled the words she has used to describe him when Sophia asked about him.
Borderline villain and sadist!
"World often misunderstands a noble soul," Kiba sighed in his heart. "But that shouldn't stop me from pursuing my noble journey."
He quickly caught up with her and smiled.
Chapter 366 - Anyone Else Interested?
(A/N: This chapter has a strong reference to Chapter 249. Since it has been a long while, a character that was only mentioned once would be re-introduced.)
Guardian Spirit Village.
When any adventurist learns about the existence of the village, the first reaction would be disbelief and shock.
How can a village even exist in Desolate Blood Forest?
Was that something even possible given the dangers lurking in the forest?
Yet, it did.
The village was rather small and has no great facilities, but it was a major stop for many who aimed for the core region. This was due to two factors: its close proximity to the core region, and also, due to the existence of an entity that gave the village its name!
The perimeter of the village was filled with vast and tall trees. The branches were so thick that it would require two healthy humans to wrap them.
These enormous branches were interweaved with branches of other trees, forming a net-like structure. The leaves were so lush that sunlight could barely pass through, making the perimeter dark.
On the tree trunks, vines trailed out, and when the wind swept by, the vines would move like a pendulum.
Presently, on a branch of one such tree.
A woman in early twenties was standing with her eyes closed. She has a bow in her hand, but strangely, no quiver for holding arrows.
Her skin tone was the healthy shade of wheat, and her hair were sparkling amber that freely floated in the air.
She has a tall and slim figure, and the first word that one would think after seeing her was a warrior.
Her name was Zelda - a native of the village.
Suddenly, she sensed something and opened her eyes. Her vision penetrated through the lush leaves and other obstacles before arriving on a man and a woman.
Kiba and Ashlyn.
"More foreigners!" Zelda gnashed her teeth.
She wanted to shoot the foreigners and prevent a further burden on the village, but she didn't dare as she recalled the words of the village chief.
'We have to provide them proper hospitality. Remember, no provocative action which could escalate to battle.'
She knew why the village chief warned her as such. They couldn't afford to offend the outsiders and risk extermination.
This might be, but she hated how arrogantly these foreigners polluted their land every two years, and stayed as if they owned the village.
"Damn!"
Zelda could only clench her fists tightly and suppress the anger within. She once again closed her eyes.
On the ground, Kiba walked forward along with Ashlyn. He noticed large mushrooms and strange litchis growing on the roots of trees. They were monstrous in appearance and gave a peculiar feeling.
He then gazed into the village. There were huts, wooden cabins, and a few camp houses.
The camp houses he attributed to fellow adventurists though he saw a few adventurists in the wooden cabins as well. He was amazed by how village people, mostly clad in animal skin or thin linens, were serving the adventurists. The cattle animals were used more for the benefit of outsiders than the villagers.
"No wonder that young woman is radiating anger and hatred," Kiba thought with a sigh.
He has detected Zelda's presence but since she hasn't acted against him or Ashlyn, there was no reason for him to be offended.
Kiba swept his glance further and his vision stopped as it arrived in the center of the village.
There was an ancient black pagoda!
The air around pagoda was filled with a chaotic mass that twisted the sunlight and other forms of light in the vicinity.
An aura of dominance was booming out; making one feel suffocated.
Kiba's eyes flickered with surprise. He then further observed the design of the pagoda. Its surface was engraved with runic designs, and from these designs, it was emitting an archaic presence as if it has existed from ages unknown.
"This...!!"
His expression turned serious and he thought of something that has bugged him for a long while.
When he first arrived in the forest, he has wondered why the World Government hasn't tried to monopolize the forest.
After all, Desolate Blood Forest was a wonderland with countless resources, whether it was herbs, fruits, minerals, and so on.
Then there was the meteorite at the center of the forest... the area that was often called the core region. It contained invaluable riches that were far more precious than the rest of the forest combined.
Yet, despite everything, the World Government didn't take any step to take control of this forest.
There were no barricades, restrictions, entry points, or anything. At the very least, the government could charge the adventurists depending on the profit they gained.
But there were no such steps taken by the world government. He then reasoned the government must be secretly spying or something.
Yet he didn't detect any artificial satellite spying on the forest, something which bewildered him greatly.
He refused to believe the old geezers in the World Council were so kind-hearted and open-minded that they would allow others to have resources.
That was something impossible. If not, the world would have been a far different place than it was now.
Now, after looking at the pagoda, and studying those runic designs, he has a bit of an idea about the government's total lack of control in the forest.
"Castor Damon was at least right about one thing... Those sons of bitches only care about themselves."
Kiba didn't say anything and stepped into the village alongside Ashlyn. As they entered, a few village men arrived to welcome them with glasses of saffron drinks.
Kiba accepted the glass with a few words of thanks. Recalling the angry woman above a tree, he retrieved a few mutated fruits and herbs, and handed it to the villagers.
The villagers accepted after knowing he was offering for real.
"I will stroll around," Kiba said after completing his drink.
Ashlyn nodded and proceeded ahead. The village has the handling capacity of a few hundred people, and thankfully, many adventurists especially those with strong foundation have already left and resting outside the core region. This greatly reduced the burden of the village.
Of course, there were still over a hundred here, mostly those with small groups or solo.
Ashlyn was walking outside a house when she heard someone calling her. She turned towards a camp house and noticed it was Sophia.
"You are not with Zed?" Sophia appeared before her with explosive speed, leaving behind a trail of afterimages.
Ashlyn shook her head.
"Oh!" Sophia realized what she meant.
He had bid even her farewell and went on a solo adventure. That was something he hinted a few hours ago when he parted with Sophia and others.
Ashlyn looked at her and thought for a moment before saying, "You were right."
"?" Sophia was bewildered.
"Right about him being shameless," Ashlyn said after which she closed her lips and moved ahead.
"..." Sophia was struck on the spot.
She knew she was referring to Kiba, but this confused her. It has just been a little over an hour since they last met, so what has happened for her to have a change of opinion?
Still, Sophia smiled from ear to ear. She rushed after Ashlyn and invited her into the camp house she owned.
She suddenly felt Ashlyn was an excellent human being...
Meanwhile, Kiba was strolling around without any specific goal. He has taken a step into a street when startled voices came from the front.
Just some fifty meters ahead, there were around twenty people. Some were sitting on the edges of staircases of wooden cabins while a few were on the street.
"Isn't he the one who stole Body Molding Ore?" A man in thirties asked aloud. He was present in The Fair and saw Kiba when he was chased by a violent mob.
"Right!" Another man agreed.
"He disappeared without leaving any clues!"
"Don't forget he robbed the entire auction house! He is basically a bank of treasures!" A bulky man reminded.
"Indeed! He is a big fish!"
"Let's get him!"
Many eyes, flashing with greed, locked on Kiba. He didn't say anything but continued to walk forward.
Just then, a man broke through the wooden door of a cabin, and stepped out.
"He has that priceless ore?" The man asked with a hideous grin.
The people nearby flinched as their eyes registered his face.
"Half-human Murong!"
People took a breath of cold air. Murong has a ghastly appearance, resembling that of a half-human and half-beast.
He was about nine feet tall with brown fur on his skin. His limbs were bulkier than a barrel, and he has tusks protruding out of his face.
Then there were his hook-like claws, glinting with a murderous glint.
Kiba stopped in his path as a quiet discussion broke out among others. They cursed their lucks for losing a godsend opportunity to Murong!
"He is a Beta!"
"And not some ordinary Beta!"
"He has faced a government hunt team!"
"He is most likely at mid-stage of level ----"
The others were still discussing with dread and shock when Murong pounced at Kiba like a beast. He was someone who truly needed the ore, and it wasn't in his personality to ask.
As a mutant with such body features, he has lived most of his life in the wild, facing beasts and humans alike. He strictly believed in the law of the jungle.
If you want something, grab it!
As he pounced forward, he swept his claws further, creating sharp slicing sound. The onlookers were shell-shocked by his movements. He was too fast and launching attack with such fierce might from the very start.
There would be no chance to dodge or retaliate!
Murong was no less than a savage beast. A beast attacked to kill from the very start. There was no unnecessary wastage of strength or anything.
Going out from the start as if the opponent was dangerous. Only such a mentality ensured success!
Murong's left claw slashed down at Kiba's neck while the other at his chest. Suddenly, the slits in his eyes constricted.
The spectators all around let out shocked voices.
Murong was in a pouncing posture but he was struck in mid-air. His claws have stopped just a few centimeters away from his target's position.
"What's going on?!"
Murong couldn't believe this. His opponent hasn't made a single body movement, nor did Murong sensed any power from his target, and in fact, the only thing he felt was calmness.
This terrified him.
This calm was like the surface of an ocean. The calm before the storm.
"Just because I played around last time... now everyone thinks I'm an easy target," Kiba let out a soft sigh.
Murong felt his body turning stiff and his chest moved up and down crazily. He has bestial instincts, and now, he was feeling a crisis like never before.
Without any warning, he started feeling a stab of pain throughout his body. It was like an overwhelming attractional force has enveloped every tissue inside him.
The force was so violent and explosive that he was completely helpless. He couldn't even make a single movement of his own, and in his entire life in the wilds, he has never faced such a situation.
His back ripped apart, gushing blood in the air, and along with it, his heart blasted out in pieces.
"No!"
That was the final word he spoke. His tusks shot diagonally back, right through his eyes and head, and along with it, awful fluids sprayed around.
The very next moment, all his other internals organs erupted out of his body, leaving behind a skeleton.
The organs exploded into a rain of blood and flesh!
Everyone in the vicinity had their jaws slacked in disbelief and shock, and as the rain splashed out, the pieces of flesh and blood entered their open mouth, choking them. A few of them even consumed the pieces of claws and trunks.
Their faces lost all traces of colors and their hearts thumped fiercely. The fear they were feeling was so horrifying that they didn't even dare throw out the flesh.
Murong's skeleton collapsed on the ground. Kiba placed a step over it and moved ahead.
"Anyone else interested in my treasures?" Kiba asked with a smile.
Not a single person dared to breathe much less respond.