[Jeremy Grayson, we are doomed now. Out of all houses you really have to land in your target's hut?]
'As if that's my fault, huh. You were nagging and to bite that beast. Now shut up, we are into this together.'
Jeremy growled into his head and switched his gaze back to Barthes.
Fear crept within him and settled deep down in every layer of his skin, Jeremy did not know that his one decision would put him into peril.
"So, that's how you knew I would not succeed in killing you. Mm."
Jeremy wanted to initiate a conversation so he could know how to proceed.
"That's not the only reason but because you aren't strong enough to land a single blow at me."
He mocked Jeremy as they took a turn and headed towards the other end of the valley.
'Yeah sure, but I can shove a bullet in your brain.'
Artemis thought to himself with a scoff and continued his search. The area was the same as the one near his house although they had come out of the residential space.
"That means I have to get stronger to kill you and that's how I can leave. Right?"
Artemis wanted a confirmation now and became desperate to figure out the situation.
"Well, yes. But you have a problem here, Artemis. How will you get strong enough to lay a scratch on me?"
Barthes mocked him again with a wink as they reached the entrance of the forest.
[He is right and has a point there. What will you do now, dear detective Jeremy Grayson?]
"..."
'I have to go old school ways to observe him and find his weakness. But first of all I have to understand this world and how it works.'
Jeremy was still thinking in his usual detective style which possibly might bring him success.
A silence accompanied their brief chattering and Artemis entered the thick forest, the trees were crooked and an unnatural humming was echoing.
[Is he going to bury your body here? I believe so, it's a good place to hide a dead body without getting caught. Although I doubt there are any laws to confront and punish him afterwards.]
'Stop scaring me, okay.'
Jeremy tagged along Barthes deep inside the forest when a lake emerged. It was in the middle of the woods but a payment was cleared to reach.
Artemis nearly jumped after seeing him turning towards him, suspecting that Barthes would attack him.
"Here, take this bottle and hide in the bushes."
Barthes gave him a flask and instructed Jeremy to hide.
The young detective complied and immediately rushed behind the bushes, they both waited for a few moments for someone to appear.
Jeremy saw that Barthes was murmuring something and inhaling the air slowly. It intrigued him at first that why did he spare his life after knowing the truth.
[Jeremy?]
"Mm?"
Jeremy was still immersed in focusing on Barthes' actions when Axela fed him with the knowledge.
[He is feeding over the energy in this place. And you are wasting the opportunity, the mana here might help you get back into your adult age.]
But before Jeremy could respond to the information a roar echoed in the whole forest, making the woods sway with the pressure of air.
"What the hell is this sudden storm?"
[Hey look!]
Artemis opened his eyes only to find a huge golden dragon in front of his eyes, it floated in the air and glided down at the lake with the tail splashed into the water.
"Now watch carefully, Artemis."
Barthes hushed to him with his eyes on the dragon which had started to drink water.
"The people here gain strength by devouring beasts with special abilities. The mana around this lake is strong and it's just weird yet wonderful, that the energy here gives you the ability to absorb."
Artemis couldn't grasp what exactly Barthes meant by absorbing, his blank expressions as a response made Barthes suppress his chuckle.
"Precisely it makes you sort of a chameleon that after breathing and bathing in this mana, you can possibly absorb strength and qualities of any beast outside."
[It means the things are going the same way, the energy here will work the same as chameleon command. But in a different way. Cool!]
"Okay, I hit that but if we are here to meditate then what this dragon is doing here?"
Jeremy gazed at the golden dragon with its mouth in the water, the scales were shiny yet something was oozing out of the scales.
"That's the golden dragon, the king of beasts. And after it leaves we will devour the water in which it will bath."
Barthes explained to him with excitement while Jeremy couldn't process the thought of drinking dirty water.
[Haha, you sure are having a hard time here. But you should try for once to see the results, it will strengthen your so-called bond with him.]
'Tsk, so much ruckus just to leave this place. He seems the only intellectual here to help me.'
No wonder he did his speculations while coming to the forest, and saw the pitchforks and other weapons in everyone's hand.
As soon as the dragon dived into the lake Jeremy puked in the bushes making Barthes laugh and pat his back.