Chapter 13 - Recognized as a Stronger Genius!
"Alright." Varthan said, looking at Hilgamech with a suppressed, astounded expression on his face.
Then he came to Hilgamech's side and began to converse with him.
Nalgorria was quiet as usual and looked on with her usual indifference. But her uninterested eyes were full of amazement which she concealed very well. Now, she had fully accepted that Hilgamech was a genius, and that he was more exceptionally skilled than her.
Although, she was a proud person with a lordly nature—perhaps because of her family, she however knew that there would always be someone out there who would be better than you. But then, she would not believe she wouldn't be able to engage him in battle, as she was no ordinarily-skilled girl herself. She was proficient, notable, and outstanding.
But then, unexpectedly, she came to Hilgamech's side to kick up a conversation with him. This fully surprised her colleagues who only felt it was normal. Geniuses would always converse with other geniuses to learn one or three things from them.
'But why would she interact with this unaffiliated person?' This thought flashed through the minds of a few individuals in their group.
Actually, what disturbed and upset them, not allowing them to really accept Hilgamech, was because he didn't seem to be affiliated or attached to an organization, institution, or a structured group.
But after deeply reasoning, seeing beyond their noses, they believed she should. Geniuses interacted with only geniuses.
Ever since they came here, and even at the academy, she would never talk to them. But now, of her own accord, she walked to Hilgamech's side to talk to him, probably with the intention and motive to learn one or two things.
They nodded their head at this realization, then filled their minds with other things that required their thoughts.
"You were awesome back there, Hilgamech." Nalgorria said, trying to praise him. But she felt awkward doing so, as this would be her first time really praising anyone.
"Thanks, Nalgorria. You were awesome yourself." He said, returning the compliment with a sincere heart.
Nalgorria nodded, impressed by his character. If it were others who were more-proficient geniuses like him, they would start carrying themselves like bosses, looking down on everyone.
"What academy are you guys from?" Hilgamech asked with a curious look on his face.
"We are from the Myriad Horizons Academy." Nalgorria replied.
"Alright." Hilgamech said, nodding his head.
"Why aren't you studying at an academy, instead of by yourself?" Varthan who walked with them, suddenly asked.
"Uhm.. I would go to an academy when I reach the Earth Adept realm. I have missed out on the cultivation enrolment exams. I can only have chance for admission at the Earth Adept realm." Hilgamech replied, swiftly, intelligently fabricating a plausible response to Varthan's question.
"Ohh. Alright." Varthan said, nodding his head in understanding.
He then said further, "Hilgamech, I can recommend our academy to you. We treat ourselves as brothers and sisters in the institution. Our instructors are friendly and they are really good at explanations. We have no problems passing our cultivation tests and exams with the way our instructors handle us."
"That's cool. I will tell my uncle about it. So, you guys came here for a blue crystal lily. What's it use?" Hilgamech asked.
He was new to plants and their diverse species. He asked to know more about this particular plant.
"Blue crystal lily isn't a big deal. It's just a plant that we can extract blue juice from to attract a certain type of insect. The venom of this insect can cure someone of some kind of poison."
"Someone in the academy, when he went for experience-gathering, was stung by a greenback mottled scorpion. So, we were called upon and sent here to bring the lily to the academy. We were told to use this opportunity to enhance our battle prowess." Nalgorria said while Hilgamech nodded his head in full comprehension.
After walking for more than forty minutes, they suddenly came across many tunnelled routes.
Varthan, being the leader, chose one and they walked in.
Half an hour later, they suddenly came before hundreds of beasts. These beasts looked like tigers. They were horned—had two pairs of horns on both sides and bright purple skins.
They exhaled toxic, scarlet-colored gases and had tails that looked like that of scorpions. At the tips could be seen large violet hooks, and by the sides, two holes that blinked, seeming like eyes.
These beasts were worshipping something that looked just like them, but was much larger and had a darker shade of purple.
It was their king.
Skorrpaetigers was what these beast were called. While the one that was large in size and seemed to be worshipped by the other beasts, was the Skorrpaetiger King.
It saw the group of young humans that entered its territory and suddenly roared in rage, before beginning to intensely crave for their flesh and blood. As for the large numbers of Skorrpaetigers that reverently worshipped it, they quickly turned to gaze with a dreadful light of bloodthirstiness in their eyes at Hilgamech's group, before beginning to furiously howl.
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
SWOOSH!
...
Quickly, they rushed out towards them with lust for their flesh and bones. It was like they hadn't tasted human flesh, ligaments and blood in a very long time.
As for the wild beast king, it remained behind on its seemingly elevated throne, overseeing its raging minions.
It wasn't like the rest of them, as it had eyes that shone with a bit of intelligence and sentience. But this was because it had entered the next beast cultivation realm.
Quickly, everyone began to send out howling, luminous attacks composed of energy or the other at astonishingly quick rates.
Therefore, differently-colored radiant fists, spears, blades, staffs, and so on—which were massive in size; more than six feet long and twelve feet wide, and radiated ripples of a fearsome and formidable power, shot at extreme speeds—like furious cannonballs towards the beasts that were raging towards them from every conceivable direction within the massive underground cavern they entered.