''Uhm... Hello, I was wondering who you are and... Are you perhaps a native here?'' Standing behind the young man, Jax asked as he scratched the back of his head and made sure to smile.
He found it hard to straighten his voice though. Who knew, perhaps, this guy would suddenly attack him out of nowhere. He better kept a good distance away in case something terrifying happened.
But would he be safe even if he tried to put a good distance away once that guy really made a move against him? Looking at the dying bodies of the over a hundred Cute Puffies piling up on the ground, Jax suddenly felt a chill running down his spine. Even if he ran away, he felt like he would really get killed if that guy really wanted it.
Just where did this demon come from?
Suddenly, the mysterious young man turned around as he put his sharp gaze on Jax. He gazed at him nonchalantly and didn't reply right away.
That made Jax somewhat agitated. Fidgeting, he forced out a dry laughter and scratched his cheek awkwardly with his forefinger. He should have run away when he still had the chance, right?
Meanwhile, the young man looked at Jax with the intent to kill. Someone as insignificant as him was better off dying. And also, all other humans were untrustworthy. Each and every one of them should die.
However, his curiosity got the best part of him as he restrained his bloodlust from acting up. He narrowed his eyes as though peering through his very soul.
''How come you're here? How did you enter this land?'' After a few moments, the young man finally replied. But his response wasn't an answer, but an interrogation instead.
He knew full well that no human, ordinary or not, could enter and exit that Forbidden Land as freely as they wanted. He really wondered how a weak young brat was roaming around freely in that place.
Jax, on the other hand, also forgot about his own question as he answered, ''Ahm... I also don't know. I just got transported here because of that Scroll.''
How could he answer that question? He too also wanted to know the answer to that question though.
''A scroll?'' The young man repeated, doubt and confusion filled his eyes. However, he could tell that the other party wasn't lying. That little brat must have been transported there with the scroll he was talking about.
If it was a scroll, then it must be a spell created by a particularly capable Spell Caster. However, how could such a valuable Teleportation Scroll end up in the hands of this little brat? There was definitely something wrong here.
''So, you opened a certain scroll, and you just got transported here?'' The young man nodded his head as he asked, ''Who gave you that scroll?''
''No one gave me the Scroll, and I didn't open it,'' Jax sighed in response. He shook his head slowly as he added, ''It just appeared in front of me and showed me weird and strange messages.''
''Then it asked me if I wanted to take the Lord's Quest. When I replied 'Yes', I was transported here in this place right away.''
''Now that I am talking about it, I'm currently on a mission. And I need to collect souls from the monsters here. So... If you may...'' Jax pointed at the pile of fishes before him as he continued, ''Can I collect all their souls?''
''Wait, did you just say a scroll just appeared before you?'' The young man was doubtful. His only interest was caught here. He didn't even hear the last part of what Jax had said.
After all, if a scroll just appeared before him just like what he said, then that scroll should have some kind of sentience. That should be a top grade item then.
Thinking about it, the young man spoke again with a commanding tone, ''What kind of scroll is that? Show it to me.''
''Ahmm...'' Jax hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to give that Scroll or reveal it to anyone else. But thinking about the unfortunate fate of the Cute Puffies from the hands of that young man, he forced out a smile and finally gave up. He might really die if he didn't comply. Although he didn't want it, he still valued his life.
And also, since he had just got to learn about the Scroll, and was oblivious of the new world that had been introduced to him, he didn't know the actual value of that thing. If he just knew that it could actually be his saving grace, then he wouldn't even dare think about revealing any leads that could link to the existence of that Scroll.
''That scroll... Here, take a look.'' Jax replied. He raised his hand forward before he spoke again, ''Scroll.''
Instantly after he summoned it, an ancient-looking scroll that wasn't rolled open suddenly appeared floating in front of Jax.
The young man was taken aback when he saw the sudden appearance of the Scroll. That thing pretty much looked normal, however, at the same time, it gave off a feeling that it wasn't of this world. That this thing had a great purpose.
And also, it suddenly appeared when summoned. It could float, and it seemed like it had a sense of familiarity to the one who summoned it.
He definitely hadn't seen this kind of Scroll before.
''I must take it!'' The young man suddenly thought. Something in this world that could attract his attention was definitely a treasure. He must take it no matter what.
With that in mind, the young man raised his hand slowly to grab the Scroll. He wasn't in a hurry, since even if that little brat retaliated, he could take it away with no problem at all. He could even take the insignificant life of that little brat if so he willed.
Jax suddenly began to sweat. That guy... was he planning to...
Grab.
Jax was still thinking about it when, finally, that guy really did what Jax feared.
That guy really grabbed the Scroll to take it away!
''Ah, you can't...'' Jax was just about to tell the other party not to steal things, however, something unexpected happened.
''Ahhhhhh!!!!''
Shortly after the young man grabbed the Scroll, a powerful electricity was released to engulf his entire body. The young man couldn't help but scream at the loudest, as if that electricity was trying to slowly kill him.
He couldn't help but have his knees collapse on the ground.
Boom!
And then suddenly, when he finally let go of the Scroll, he exploded, leaving his entire body charcoal black.
But he was still alive, kneeling with his upper body remaining upright. However, the horrific experience made him speechless. He almost wondered whether he was still alive now or not.
''Ah... Are you okay?'' Jax asked hesitantly, scratching his temple with an awkward manner. He didn't know why, but that young man suddenly screamed out of nowhere, and then kneeled on the ground like a fool, and then finally exploded.
Did that Scroll cause it? Jax wasn't sure, but he believed that it was so.
In any case, Jax raised his hand to help him up. He also retrieved the Scroll since he already knew what the other party was thinking. He better kept his things safe from robbers.
The young man, on the other hand, was quick to recover. But he rejected the helping hand of the other party as he tried to rise to his feet on his own. But with his strength leaving, he staggered and found it difficult to stand up straight. Still, he managed to do it and act like nothing happened.
Cough. Cough.
''I'm okay, mind your own business,'' He cleared up his throat in response as he shook his clothes to put the dust off.
And with a terrifying thought, he muttered inwardly, ''Damn it! Is that a Divine item? I can't take it away forcefully then. Unless he freely gives it to me, I won't be able to do anything to get that from him…''
Only a Divine rank item would choose its owner and act hostilely against those who wanted to steal them. Even if he killed the owner of that Divine item, he wouldn't be able to take it away as it would instead disappear with the owner.
The only way to acquire a Divine item was to get its acknowledgment, or someone who possessed it bestowed it to someone else.
He must find a way to let that kid give it to him.
But it was strange. The young man narrowed his eyes and looked at Jax with a deep frown. A little kid like him actually acquired a Divine item? He, who without any significant talent or anything noteworthy? What did that Scroll see from him for it to acknowledge him as its owner?
Or did someone actually give that Scroll to him?
Just what in the world was the truth?
Now, the young man was curious about Jax. The thought of killing him finally disappeared as he wanted to know more about him.
Unbeknownst to him, what Jax possessed wasn't a Divine item. It was just a scroll with an unknown origin that appeared to him because of an unknown phenomenon.
He just happened to mistake it as a Divine item since it had similar characteristics. But one thing he forgot was that Divine items would mark their owners with divinity.
As for Jax... The young man could see it if he wanted to, but Jax didn't have a shred of divinity at all. He simply looked like the normal person that he really was.
''You asked about my identity earlier, right?'' The young man suddenly spoke. And then, suddenly, a strange smile surfaced on his lips as he raised his hand to do a handshake with Jax. Then he continued, ''I am called King. How about you?''