*****
Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
( 1 Samuel 2 : 3 )
*****
Ze was sitting in his room, looking at the mana cores spread on the floor—the final ingredients for his recovery. He had also asked Hula not to disturb him until he came out.
"So, with this, will we be ready to go home?" Ze wondered.
"Well, it should be possible if I use them efficiently," he replied to himself.
Ze sat in a lotus position, knowing that these mana cores could heal and strengthen his body. It was his way out of this harsh land and a descent from his current situation.
He picked up one of the small cores and bit into it. The wild mana stored in the core infiltrated his body, ready to destroy it. Ze controlled the wild mana using the Qi he had prepared, using it as a wall to contain the rampage Mana within his body.
Noticing that he had contained it, he proceeded to eat all the mana cores except for the alpha's.
Looking inside his body, he realized that the wild mana contained within him could cause even a first-rate knight to die by imploding their body. The wild mana used by monsters was far too unrefined and chaotic.
Ze controlled the mana using Qi, shaping the wild mana into a spear—a spear that would destroy his core. His plan was to destroy the core and purify the poison that was polluting it, even if it meant sacrificing himself. It was a suicide plan, and anyone attempting it would likely die from the shock or, at best, be crippled for life and unable to use mana.
Ze was the kind of person who didn't care about what happened to his body. He was either alive or dead, and he had immense confidence in his abilities. He removed the wall of Qi that contained the wild mana, allowing it to shoot out of his body like a cannon towards the core. The wild mana transformed into a spear, breaking the core and causing the poison within to leak and spread throughout his body.
The poison started to take its toll. Ze's skin turned purple, his veins bulged, and his body turned feverish as the poison attacked his body. Despite the pain, Ze remained fully concentrated, knowing that he would survive this ordeal and emerge stronger.
The wild mana roared in his core, completely shattering it. The room was filled with the metallic smell of blood as it flowed out of Ze's mouth. His insides tore as the wild mana became unconstrained. Ignoring the pain, he directed the wild mana around his body, destroying the poison that was killing him.
The wild mana acted like a storm, leaving destruction in its wake. The concentrated and unkempt Mana broke down the poison, causing Ze's body to undergo drastic changes. His skin tore, his muscles broke, and his bones shattered. Blood oozed from his torn skin, staining the floor.
Ze remained seated, unmoving like a giant, as his body broke down. Zeru, who was in his mind space, witnessed cracks forming and felt unbearable pain. He cried as the pain was beyond imagination, as if his whole being was being broken and put back together.
Ze opened his eyes, blood covering his iris and impairing his focus. He extended a trembling hand toward the alpha's mana core. His hand shook violently as he gripped the core, fearing he might lose his hold on it.
He drew a knife and made a diagonal cut across his abdomen. He placed the alpha's core inside his body, replacing the shattered core. The wild mana continued to break down the poison, flowing through his body.
Blood poured out of Ze's abdomen, and his body showed no signs of healing. His heart had stopped beating, and his body was dead, but Zeru used his will to hold his soul within his lifeless body.
He directed the wild mana towards the Alpha's core in his body.The Alpha's core absorbed the wild mana like a sponge, filling itself with the mana.
The wild mana slowly calmed down as the Alpha's core regulated its berserk nature by providing a familiar habitat within the human body. Ze moved his hand, lowering his blood-covered hand and dipping it into his own blood. He controlled the blood to form a spell circle and infused his Qi into it.
The air violently shook as the Mana concentrated at a single point. The Mana swirled above the spell, greedily absorbing the surrounding mana, and a crack formed in the air. The crack grew larger as golden light seeped out, tearing through space until it reached a size of 30 meters. A pure white hand emerged from the crack, gripping it and widening it further. More light poured out as a figure stepped out of the crack in space.
The figure's beauty surpassed that of any mortal being. She had six white wings radiating divinity and a halo floating above her head. Her arrogant gaze scanned the surroundings, looking down on everything. Her gaze eventually landed on Ze, who remained seated.
"Who dares to call me?" she proclaimed with a voice that shook the space. "I am ¢!π•$, the Archangel of Life."
...
At the same time, the chief had just finished his conversation with the hunting party about the distribution of food.
"So, we will be leaving, chief," Curtis said.
"Bye, chief. Bye, Siena. See you later," Dame waved as they headed toward their house.
*crackle*
The chief turned his head to look up at the sky. The clouds were drifting unusually, gathering above the village. Lightning cracked with a thunderous sound. He looked at the others, all of them wearing similar expressions. They could sense danger approaching.
*Ding* *Ding* *Ding*
A bell sound rang across the village, overpowering the sound of thunder. The bell was a warning signal used in emergencies. The chief looked toward the gate and saw a guard ringing the bell with a frightened expression on his face as he looked out from the wall.
"Curtis, move toward the gate," the chief commanded.
Without a reply, they rushed toward the gate.
"Siena, get the others to the shelter," he commanded.
He had to assess the situation, and if it worsened, many lives would be lost today. The chief quickly made his way to his house to prepare for a fight. He geared up and rushed toward the gate. The gates had been closed, and people were looking out from the walls, wearing expressions of confusion and fear.
The chief climbed the platform and looked out. Soon, his expression changed, mirroring that of the others. He saw a line of monsters pouring out of the mountains, filling the plains. From regular to Zenith class, an army of monsters formed before them. The Zenith class monsters alone could level a kingdom. Fear filled the chief's heart as he observed them. There was no doubt that they were being targeted, but they were waiting, waiting for something.
*BOOM*
At that moment, everyone in the village felt it—the earth shaking. An unknown pressure bore down on them, striking fear into their hearts. A colossal beast existed in the mountains.
'Drake'
Brethren to the dragons,
A mighty beast that ruled over other monsters, destruction followed its path.
The mighty beast stood before them. An aura of death permeated from its body.
They instinctively felt it; they couldn't even escape death if it moved. The villagers fell to their knees at the sight of it.
The chief held himself; as the leader, he couldn't show weakness to others. As he looked at the monsters, a question arose in his mind.
'Why are they here?'
He thought, why would the monsters that lived without disturbing others come out of their habitat?
"They are waiting," Grants muttered as he stood next to him.
He could see Grants shivering, his gaze fixed on the monster.
The chief looked ahead, and he also noticed.
They were standing, waiting, waiting for something, but for what or whom, they didn't know.
*Zing*
A light shot towards the sky.
The monsters turned toward the pillar of light.
The chief turned to look back.
He knew where the light was coming from.
***
Siena is the only daughter of the chief.
She had lived in the village all her life, and for sixteen years, she had not seen anything like it.
Today, she felt an unprecedented danger as she looked toward the walls. A danger they couldn't escape from.
Like a prey knowing the predator is at its door.
She was running around the village, moving the children and elderly who couldn't fight to the shelter. They were moving to the underground shelter.
She entered another house.
She saw the people in confusion.
"Please move to the shelter," she shouted.
She carried the crying child to the shelter.
She moved from house to house, helping the people to move.
She soon arrived at Hula's house.
She saw Hula's mother geared up to fight; she was also a hunter, while Hula was shivering uncontrollably.
Hula's senses screamed at the danger that lurked outside the walls. He could feel death in the air.
There was something outside that no one could deal with; he instinctively felt it.
Siena looked at Hula, who was shivering.
"Please, quickly leave for the shelter," she said.
She lifted Hula to help him move, carrying him on her back to the shelter.
"I will go to the wall," Mary said.
"Okay," Siena nodded.
"Mom, but brother is still inside," Hula said.
Siena then realized that Zeru was in Mary's house. He had come here.
She saw it—the dead mist wolves they had run away from. They were cut cleanly like butter.
She understood he was strong, and they needed all the help they could get.
She moved to open the door with Hula.
"But Brother said not to disturb him until he comes out," Hula tried to stop her.
Siena understood his words, but they were in an emergency.
"But we need everyone to help," she said.
She forced the door open.
*Zing*
Light filled her sight, blinding her.
She felt herself calming down, and her body energised.
She stood stunned by the light.
***
The beasts moved; they were attracted to this place. They had felt the unusual energy from a distance—an energy that shouldn't exist in the harsh land where death roams.
They followed it and arrived at a place where humans had gathered. They waited as they felt an air of death in the place where the energy had gathered.
They waited, waited for the energy to show itself.
*Zing*
A Piller of light shot to the sky.
They had found the energy they were searching for. The energy of vitality, an energy that didn't exist in the wild land.
They charged at it; they marched to taste the vitality.
All the monsters rushed toward the light.
The stronger and faster monsters crushed the weak as they moved forward.
*Roar*
The drake roared,
All the monsters felt fear at its roar, but the desire to reach the light overcame their fear.
The drake moved; it crushed the monsters that stood it's way under its leg as it moved.
It rushed toward the group of humans who stood before the light. All the people who saw the monsters rush toward them felt their blood run cold as the air of death surrounded them.
"Retreat!" the chief shouted.
The chief shouted for a retreat, realizing that escape was their only chance. The village was plunged into chaos as everyone scrambled to find safety, their lives hanging in the balance.
*****