(Please don't forget to vote for the novel and recommend as well. Also check out the sequel to this one, its called "Dark Gene:Rebirth")
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Day time for the squad had recently become their busiest as if they weren't out on hunts, they were doing something else that would make them all wonder where the time had gone. This is not to say that they were always together. No, matter of fact, they spent most of their time apart. And would only come together for hunts or the regular faction meetings organized in the boy's room to discuss any new development. Although they did hang out together and catch up, it wasn't always as frequent. As each person had things they needed to attend to.
This meant that they now each had carved paths and were walking through it. If there is one thing the hunt had done apart from making them level and the rewards that came with it along with the beast cores, is it had created some sort of competition between them.
They all wanted to be just as good as the other. By no means had this ruined their relationship, it had further improved it as they all looked up to each other.
The guys were the most unpredictable ones as ever. While Blair and Blaze spent most of their time together, the others never saw this as a surprise in anyway. To them it was obvious this would eventually happen. Although the irony of the whole situation was that this two were complete opposites in every way. For instance, while Blair is quite the talker, Blaze is more of the reserved kind. And the ones the gang found funny the most is their ability. One had the ice ability and the other had the fire ability, which in their true nature completely antagonistic towards one another. While on the surface it looked like there was a thing between them, what they actually did with the time spent together was mostly training and sparring with one another.
The relationship looked to be all business to Blaze, at least that's what it seems. But to Blair, that wasn't the case in any way as he had began to grow fond of her.
But of course he didn't say this to her, he was smart enough to know how that would turn out. So he instead put in the same energy she did into their training session and it hadn't seized to amaze the team what this two would often do on a hunt.
Blair and Blaze weren't the only ones that had improved over time, no in fact the whole team had. Johan on the other hand spent most of his time getting bulkier at the hunters gym. There he had already made a name for himself as those that would often come there would always leave talking about a tall strong teenager.
His impressive feat of strength had earned him some unwanted attention. While some of these were positive, others were negative. On the positive side, some of the veterans had approached him wanting to recruit him to their unit. Of course he had turned down their offer numerous times. But they felt if they kept on trying, then maybe he'll have a change of heart. To many of them that watched him come by and only lift heavy weights and leave, he was simply obsessed with gaining muscles. But the truth behind it all was that, he did it because his ability being an earth user particularly required him to be strong, not that he wasn't already. But given how everyone in his faction strived to get better, he couldn't just sit and be complacent. While Johan did this on the days they didn't go on hunts, Corey too had something he was occupied with.
Corey had now joined in with the hunters inn as he had offered to lend a helping hand. Initially they had refused but after displaying what he could do, they had no choice but to give him the spot.
He had asked not to be paid for his services which came as a surprise to the people running the inn. It wasn't everyday one with such talents would do such work for free. But what exactly was his talent though?.
After the incidence with the wolf, they had all gone up a level and unlocked new skills. Corey had unlocked two at that time, poison immunity and poison healing. The poison immunity was what had led him to go to the inn and render his "generous" services. The way the skill was described was that the user could develop immunity to poisons and toxins of all kind given subtle exposure to such poison. Which overtime builds an immunity to such poison. Now it wasn't like there were poisons lying around everywhere, so he went to the one place he knew this would be available.
As for the second skill he had unlocked the poison healing, this skill in itself was what had made them accept him in the first place. As the name suggests the skill is basically using poison to heal. And although while this would be dangerous for normal people to try considering the great risk involved as the poison in itself could affect the person being treated. This was not the case for Corey as the system itself was the one handling the whole administration of the said poison.
Now while this healing method wouldn't work all the time, it served its purpose of getting him into the inn where he not only developed his ability, but introduced his own body to poisons and toxins all the time increasing his immunity. In any case, this was a win-win for corey given he had now made quite the good name for himself as the inn attendants and patients that came in and left only had good things to say about him. Only if they knew this action of his was by no means a selfless act. But in any case he wasn't going to reveal his true intentions to them. He was pretty fine with them seeing him as some type of do good hero, not that he did anything bad. If his only crime was helping himself by helping others, then the world needed to be fixed he'd say to himself in a bit to convince himself he wasn't doing anything wrong.
Then there was Eiko. He never really got out much. He would spend most of his time behind closed doors. What he would do with this time that everyone was away was to meditate. Building his mental strength. Again this was all because of his ability, the telekinesis ability. As events occurred he had realized he was still too weak to do certain things like lift heavy objects or restrain a beast and such. And the only way he could improve on that and become a strong telepath was to practice his concentration.
Today wasn't any different as he sat on his own bed in the boys room with his eyes closed. He then began to meditate with his eyes closed. And after a while, he had his eyes opened, then immediately objects began to float in the room. His legion com floated towards him and the ruffled up beds in the room began to spread itself while he simultaneously swept the floor of the room. All this were happening at once and he was by no means doing it stress free. On a closer look there was sweat running down his face and his body seemed to be tensing up and shaking.
This was completely normal and was meant to happen. After all he was only at level 9 and the things he was doing now required lots of concentration to perform. So basically, he was pushing past his normal limits. Apart from being the brains behind the legions operations, he didn't really feel like he was worth more than that. Especially when it came to the combats department. It wasn't like he was weak in any sense Just that the rest of his teammates had more of the explosive power advantage And depending on the area they were at a particular time, coupled with the things around him that he would put into use in a combat situation greatly affected his output in the team. But nonetheless, he was the only one who thought this way about himself as the others greatly valued his efforts. He was basically their vice leader and had been the one directing affairs for some time now.
While everyone worked hard trying to push themselves to become better, there was one person that just didn't do anything and that was Erwin. His growth in the team could by far be said to be the most. And he had done all this with no sweat. It just naturally came to him. Today he had visited the hunters blacksmiths to get something he had been dreaming about for weeks.
"Trust me you are gonna love this one. Although I find it confusing that you decided to use all 8 cores on one weapon and it's almost unbelievable that an intermediate beast core and 7 basic beast cores managed to produce something of this quality". A rather large man with hands that looked like they were made from stones said to Erwin. Currently he was at the forgery where numerous blacksmiths worked.
Each blacksmith had a work bench and a designated area of their own. Although they shared things with each other like the heating components and minor insignificant tools.
The man handed the item that was placed in a pouch as requested by Erwin to Erwin himself. Although the blacksmith had tried to convince Erwin to have a look at it first but he turned it down.
"Say don't you want to at least look at it. I mean you don't know if you are gonna like it, do you?". The blacksmiths asked Erwin.
"You are confident in your work right, so why bother?. Besides I believe I shouldn't be the one to see this first. The ones who made this happen should see it just at the same time I'll see it. Thank you once again". Erwin replied and turned around leaving the hot room.
The ones he was referring to where the team members. They were the ones who had gifted him the intermediate crystal when he disclosed his idea of forging a new weapon to them.
He had refused at first saying it didn't belong to him but they insisted he should have it. If one of them got stronger, then they all did as well was the words of his teammates. As for the extra basic beast core, he had acquired it from his former faction right before it got disbanded.
"You guys, this is for everyone. I'll make sure we all get out of here. I feel like you all are now my responsibility". Erwin thought to himself while making his way back to their lodge. The forgery building was quite the distance away from where they lodged and it would probably take him some time before he got there but he didn't care. What mattered more now to him was getting there and showing the new item to every body.
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After the incidence back at the dojo, Mia had decided it was best if she didn't go back there. Though the cost of the broken dolls weren't pinned on her which had still surprised her till date. Lately she'd stay indoors in the room meant for she and Blaze. Not that she was afraid of stepping outside from fear of being attacked by the trio back then. No in fact that was the least of her worries. She had bigger problems to deal with on her hands as of now.
"Why do I keep having that nightmare. Now its gotten to the point I don't have to necessarily be sleeping. Everytime I close my eyes I keep seeing that ...that monster. And it feels so familiar to me." Mia thought to herself. But just then a system notification popped up. But she wasn't the only one who got this, they all did at the various places they were. And they had the same thought.
"Rodney!!"